Guest guest Posted September 15, 1999 Report Share Posted September 15, 1999 On 08 Sep 1999, Janesvara Dasa wrote: It would seem the struggle of some to figure out how to determine ones varna might be eased by considering that all varnas are determined by the modes of material nature from which one has developed certain tendencies. Every single human is born into the modes of material nature and has a certain mixture of the "colors" of the modes. Kind of like the primary colors; blue, red and yellow. Lots of yellow shades - brahmana; lots of red shades - ksatriya; lots of blue shades - sudra; lots of purple shades - vaisya. Any shades have no power to stop the spirit soul from taking up devotional service of the Lord. The body and spirit are seperate. I believe Sri Krsna told Arjuna not to try to deny his "shades of red" because all men are forced to act according to their nature. But to take up this Krsna consciousness was wholely possible and recommended by the Lord for Arjuna while he was in his position within certain modes of nature. Wouldn't the modes of nature effect the different daily life things of any human being, devotee or not? Wouldn't a person in the mode of passion, devotee or otherwise, tend toward music of similar nature? The clothing of the different modes of different nature? The food of the different modes. Bhima's food was of a certain nature yet he was a great devotee far beyond any one of us. Desires born from the modes? Devotees living in Dvaraka had different desires depending upon their shades of the modes; some were therefore prostitutes and some were therefore their customers. Some were neither of these yet ALL were devotees of Krsna. Sports, exercise or diversions of the modes of nature. Emotional feelings born from the different modes? Deep family emotions. Deep love for sons, wife, etc. I would be completely devastated at the death of one of my four sons without question. Total attachment. Acts of the different modes. An academically ignorant worker can carry > materials to be used in the service of the Lord very nicely. > > Certainly we cannot say that Arjuna SHOULD have become a brahmana like he so > badly argued with Krsna about before the Battle. He gave every possible > brahminical argument in the book in order to "prove" to Krsna that he was > really better suited as a brahmana beggar of the forest. Why didn't Krsna > encourage him in his renunciation? > > Why didn't Krsna stop Yudhistira from gambling? > > Why didn't Krsna stop Bhima from eating meat? > > Why didn't Krsna stop Arjuna from killing his gurus? > > Can a devotee be a sudra when a sudra by nature will have tendencies which > direct him to perform actions like music, art, emotions, clothes, traditions, > friends, jobs, hobbies, diversions, food, sentiments, loyalties, thoughts, > desires, technologies, habits, words, literacy, intelligence, and many more, > ALL of which are of the nature of the "blue" shades of material nature? > > Can the body be all these things but the soul within be a devotee? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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