How to start varnasrama

[Guest guest]

On 5.08.99 Sthita-dhi-muni Dasa wrote:

 

> I believe everyone agrees on the devotional principles -- it's just the

> Chairman Mao approach to KC that is the sticky point.

 

If we indeed want to follow varnasrama, in our lifes and society and not

just have some cheap armchair talk, about someone,s fantasys, than we have

to admit that there are four kind of personalities (varnas) in the human

society which can be seen manifest also in this conference.

 

The egalitarian aproach of some brahmanas in our movement to accept and

respect only their way of thinking and willing is definitelly not the

varnasrama system described by Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita.

The devotional principles are there for all to follow, but their aplication

may be different acording to the varna one may be in.

The forgiving mood of a brahmana may equal the club of the head of a real

ksatriya. Is he therefore less qualified or Krsna conscious?

 

> Ya know, Prabhupada encouraged that we combined the material expertise of

> the West with the spirituality of the East, like that.

 

The four varnas are everywhere in the human society, even in our glorious

Iskcon, believe it or not and need to be dealt with acordingly.

 

> I don't recall him encouraging us to combine the class consciousness of >

Victorian England with the fanaticism of the Red Army.

 

How about the "class consciousness" of some brahmanas in our movement is

that bonafide acording to the Bhagavad-gita, to force everyone to think and

act only like them, and call that Krsna consciousness?

I guess Arjuna or Bhima would have never made it in Iskcon with their strong

and determined ksatryia nature. (..prabhu you are in maya, because you are

so passionate...)

 

> > From my vantage point, it seems that the difficulty in establishing a

> > varnasrama society is partly based upon that the devotees reflect our

> > Kali Yuga societal makeup, i.e.

> that 98% of us are city raised. If we are to implement varnasrama, it

> seems obvious that it must be based upon agricultural development.

 

> A simpler agrarian society is certaintly helpful. On the other hands, the

> four orders of human life are present even in a modern day city. These

> accupational orders are always there, and as devotees, we need to find a

> way to engage everything in Krsna's service.

 

Here we are of the same opinion "comrade". One will have to find a way

where devotees can engage their energy acording to their nature, thus

maintain themselves indipendently in the grhasta ashram, and thus become a

part of the greater Varnasrama society we want to establish, this may vary

acording to place and circumstances.

To think one must copy the vedic ideal in this matter complitely is in my

opinion a nice wishfull thinking but is it realistic, even if Prabhupada

encouraged it?

Thankyou for the exchange of opinions.

 

Ys.

Harsi das