What is varna and how does it relate to us?

[Guest guest]

> Prabhupada gave an incontrovertible "No!" to women attending VA College.

> Why? Because women are like sudras and are never to be trained as external

> managers. They should simply assist their husbands:

>

> 1. They are not fit for such education and/or

> 2. They are reluctant to receive such education

>

Jivan Mukta prabhu, could you please answer some questions?

 

1. What is varna?

2. What is a material body?

3. What is the difference between male material body and female material

body?

4. What is a soul?

5. How the above things relate to each other?

 

Please use as little quotes as possible. When one is learning in a school

one is supposed to learn a subject matter in a way that one doesn't repeat

things as a parot. One is supposed to understand the matter. I would like

that you present your personal understanding in a few sentences.

Thank you in advance, Ys. Sraddha dd

[Guest guest]

Sraddha Mataji, with all due respect, I suggest you visit this web site

http://www.ghqd.org and read some of the papers posted there. One of the

papers is entitled "Vaisnavism and Social Responisibility." Here is the

Table of Contents.

 

Forward

Introduction

Section 1: The ISKCON Cultural Revolution

1.1 Culture

 

1.2 Vedic Culture

 

1.3 ISKCON and the Revival of Vedic Culture

 

1.4 Hindu Culture Means Vedic Culture

 

1.5 Gradual Improvements

 

1.5.1 In the Beginning

 

1.5.2 Stricter Policies for Sannyasa and Brahminical Initiations

 

1.5.3 Gurukula

1.5.4 Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila Chapter 7

 

1.6 Devotees Must Become Ideal Representatives of this Culture

 

1.6.1 GBC Men and Temple Presidents

1.7 The Arguments Against Vedic Culture

 

1.7.1 "Vedic Culture is anachronistic"

 

1.7.2 "It will create adverse public opinion of ISKCON."

 

1.7.3 "It will impede our movement's preaching efforts."

 

1.7.4 "It will keep intelligent men and women away."

 

1.7.5 "It is irrelevant because everyone is a sudra in Kali-yuga"

 

Section 2: Vaisnavas and the Principles of Varnasrama-dharma

2.1 What are Prescribed Duties?

 

2.1.1 Routine Prescribed Duties

2.1.2 Prescribed Duties in Times of Emergency: apad dharma

2.2 Prescribed Duties Must Be Performed

 

2.2.1 Ordained by Krsna

2.2.2 Attainment of Liberation

 

2.2.3 Establish Social Standards

 

2.2.3.1 The Liberated Soul

 

2.2.3.2 King Janaka and the Mahajanas

2.2.3.3 Arjuna

2.2.3.4 Lord Krsna

2.2.3.5 Lord Rsabhadeva

2.2.3.6 Lord Rama

2.2.3.7 Prthu Maharaja

2.2.3.8 Lord Caitanya

2.2.3.9 Bhaktivinoda Thakura: Bhaktyaloka

2.3 The Lessons of Bhagavad-gita

 

2.3.1 Krsna's First Lesson to Arjuna

 

2.3.2 Krsna's Second Lesson to Arjuna

 

2.3.3 Krsna's Final Lesson to Arjuna

 

2.3.4 Why Arjuna Should act

 

2.3.5 How Arjuna Should act

 

2.4 The Divine and Demoniac Natures and Prescribed Duties

 

2.4.1 The Divine Nature

2.4.1.1 The Mode of Goodness

2.4.2 The Demoniac Nature

 

2.4.2.1 The Mode of Passion

2.4.2.2 The Mode of Ignorance

2.5 Prescribed Duties and Devotional Service

 

2.6 Avoid Discharging the Duties of Others

 

2.7 The Acaryas' Practical Application of These Principles

 

2.8 Prescribed Duties as Vedic Injunctions

 

2.8.1 Manu-samhita

 

2.8.2 Sruti, Smrti, Puranadi

 

2.9 The Art of Work: yoga karmasu kausalam

 

2.10 Leaders Must Preserve and Protect Prescribed Duties

2.11 Prescribed Duties as Etiquette: Maryada

 

2.12 Prescribed Duties as Morality

 

Section 3: Prabhupada on Gender Equality

3.1 Equal Rights

 

3.1.1 His Female Disciples

 

3.1.2 Different Duties for Men and Women

 

3.1.3 Women Should Stay at Home

 

3.1.4 Real Equality

 

3.2 Women Leaders

 

3.2.1 Executive Heads of States

3.2.2 GBCs

 

3.2.3 Temple Presidents

3.2.4 Internal Managers

3.2.5 Diksa-gurus

 

3.3 Intelligence

 

3.3.1 Brain Size

 

3.3.2 Great Women and Less Intelligence

3.3.3 Prabhupada's Female Disciples and Less Intelligence

 

3.4 Independence and Freedom - Manu-samhita

 

3.4.1 Independent Women Become Prostitutes

3.4.2 Women as Slaves

 

3.4.3 Results in Varna-sankara

3.5 Social Status

 

3.5.1 Papa-yoni

 

3.5.2 Brahmana on Spiritual Platform Only

 

3.6 Asrama: The Three Stages of Woman's Life

 

3.6.1 Brahmacarini is Artificial

 

3.6.2 Sannyasa

 

3.7 One of ISKCON's Faults: Women's Presence in the Temples

 

3.8 Preaching Among the Women Class

 

3.9 Modern Girls' Education

 

3.9.1 Varnasrama College

 

3.9.2 Gurukula

 

3.9.3 Graduate Theological Union

 

3.10 Female Inferiority

 

3.11 Preaching Opportunities in ISKCON

 

3.11.1 Giving Class

 

3.11.2 Leading Kirtan

 

3.12 Subservience to Husband

 

3.12.1 The Duties of Chaste Women

 

3.12.2 The Husband's Desire Supersedes the Guru's

 

Conclusion

Appendices:

A1 Change Prabhupada's Books

A2 Society as a Complex Whole

A3 "I just have a big problem trusting persons [like Prabhupada]."

A4 Quotes From Mahabharata

A5 Draupadi Instructs Satyabhama About a Wife's Duties

[Guest guest]

> Sraddha Mataji, with all due respect, I suggest you visit this web site

> http://www.ghqd.org and read some of the papers posted there. One of the

> papers is entitled "Vaisnavism and Social Responisibility." Here is the

> Table of Contents.

>

I didn't ask you to send me papers to read. I wanted that you answer my

questions. Do you know this things, or are you just able to quote different

papers?

So:

1. What is varna?

2. What is a material body?

3. What is the difference between a male material body and a female

material body?

4. What is a soul?

5. How do the above things relate to each other?

 

And if you don't know it, then what are you talking about?

 

The truth is always the truth, and one has to realize it.

Ys. Sraddha dd