Guest guest Posted August 13, 1999 Report Share Posted August 13, 1999 > Dear VAD developers, > please accept my humble obeisances. > > While reading many messages posted by different devotees, > I've notices the popular opinion that Varnasrama colleges > should be started in ISKCON temples. Personally I don't > adhere such an idea. Yes, the education may run in ISKCON > premises, but to put temple administration in control > of this project will have lethal consequenses. I dont know about 'lethal' consequences, but yes they need their own management structure. They need to start as research units first to figure out the most practical steps to take to ensure ongoing success. Devotees, > living in temple ashrams, can teach other people only > about "pure" spiritual practices, they can teach how > to worship the Deities and how to distribute books, > but mainly they never will teach you about practical > side of the life. Brahmins are supposed to be learned in all spheres of life. It is the brahmins who are the teachers in varnasrama society. Dronacarya was a brahmin who specialised in Ksatria training. Our Brahmins should focus on this type of training. This is another way in which a brahmin can be independant, by becoming expert, and then training others in varna based livlihoods and lifestyles. Those brahmins who have proven themselves in a certain field (just as Dronacarya did), would be sought out. VAD teachs you how to become an independent, > responsible, and mature person, while unfortunatelly > in our temples there still goes on preaching and emphasis > on immediate taking renounced orders of life and > authority-dependent thinking. Vaisnavas will always uphold and preach the highest principles of spiritual life, and there always should be a place where this goes on. But Prabhupada wanted varnsrama for the masses who cannot take to this level immediately. So VAD colleges is > a field of communities and congregations. And temples > shouldn't be rulers of community, instead of community > should take care of a temple. The ksatria, because of his forceful nature, is the administrator, he protects all the citizens including the brahmins, but will always take council from the brahmins. Our brahmins need to break from the reigns of those who would hold them back, and delve deeply into the arts required to run a complete society. Having mastered these arts themselves, they can teach others. Brahmins MUST be indpendant. There is a lot of research to be done. Who will support the brahmins to do this research? How can we progress freely, when the brahmins are not free to speak out, when they are not independant? For a bhakta, a new person, surrender to authority is required. But once that person has a bonafide guru, his only duty is to surrender to that guru, and follow his orders. Of course he is also duty bound to respect the law of the land, and to cooperate in a varnasrama system. This is not a problem however, becasue a bonafide guru always supports such a righteous system. YS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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