Prescribed duties must be performed

[Guest guest]

>On 17 Dec 1999, Gunamani dd wrote:

>

>> Is it the prescribed duty of youngers to instruct elders?

 

It all depends. Manu states that among brahmanas seniority is based on

knowledge, among ksatriyas it is based on manly power, among vaisyas it is

based on wealth and among sudras it is based on age. (MS 2.154) Among the

four social orders, seniority begins from the brahmanas down to the sudras.

Among asramas, seniority begins from the sannyasis down to the brahmacaris.

With respect to gender, a man always has seniority over a woman. Prabhupada

calls this the male prerogative. (TLK Vs 5) I hope that answers your

question.

 

Regardless of this diversion, it is incorrect to say that the prescribed

duties of VAD do not apply to devotees.

 

ys. JMd

 

Visit our Dharmaksetra Website located at http://www.ghqd.org/

-

 

2.2 Prescribed Duties Must be Performed

 

Prescribed duties are unavoidable and are never to be renounced. Even a

person who is very advanced in spiritual realization must execute the Vedic

principles, what to speak of those who are in the lower stages of life.

Everyone is expected to abide and be regulated by the scriptural

injunctions given to the different castes and orders of human society. A

man who theoretically understands these rules but does not apply them in

his own life is to be known as the lowest of mankind. Lord Krsna created

the prescribed duties in the form of the four occupational and four

spiritual orders in order to elevate men out of the darkness of animal

life. There is no better engagement than to perform these prescribed duties

according to religious principles for by such action there is no loss or

diminution and a little advancement can save one from the most dangerous

type of fear.

 

It is Krsna's injunction that we perform these duties. If followed

faithfully, without envy, this injunction that commands us to perform our

prescribed duties, frees us from the bondage of fruitive actions. This

injunction is the essence of all Vedic wisdom and is therefore eternally

true without exception. One should have firm faith in this injunction and

should not harbor any envy towards the Lord. If a man is unable to execute

such an order but, nevertheless, maintains firm faith in it, he can still

become liberated from the bondage of karma. A neophyte in Krsna

consciousness may not fully discharge the injunction of the Lord, but if he

is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely without succumbing

to defeat and hopelessness, he is ultimately promoted to the stage of pure

Krsna consciousness.

 

2.2.1 Ordained by Krsna

 

The Lord commands the living entity to perform his prescribed duties

according to his social rank. These duties are therefore unavoidable

because the Lord has specifically ordained them. They are prescribed in the

Vedas that are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna prescribes that we divide and organize

society into four varnas and four asramas. Who will reject God's order? To

do so is a sign of madness. Even Krsna acted as a ksatriya according to

these social divisions. Religion means to carry out God's word. Human

civilization must be based on this principle of prescribed duties and must

be accordingly divided. These divisions already exist and simply need to be

coordinated. When humanity classifies itself according to these social

divisions, it eliminates confusion regarding the nature of prescribed

duties.

 

2.2.2 Attainment of Liberation

 

In order to achieve liberation, the duties of our particular body must be

performed. Once liberation is achieved, these duties become completely

spiritual and endure in order to maintain social stability. This constancy

in turn provides a peaceful environment within which people can pursue and

attain their spiritual goals. Performing our prescribed duties, with the

aim of satisfying the senses of the Lord, automatically results in

transcendental understanding. In this way, without any extraneous endeavor

to acquire knowledge, a man achieves complete liberation by the grace of

the Lord.

 

One cannot be elevated to the stage of perfection without following these

Vedic principles. The influence of the qualities acquired due to contact

with the three modes of nature forces us to act helplessly. Prescribed

duties are necessary because they channel the active principle of the soul

towards a gradual purification of physical and psychological affinities.

This essential purification, achieved by living a controlled and regulated

life, promotes detachment within the framework of one's social and

occupational circumstances. These prescribed duties must be followed in

order to rise to the platform of knowledge, for it is by the combination of

knowledge and devotion that one becomes liberated from the clutches of

illusion. When prescribed duties are followed, people automatically

become enlightened.

 

Prescribed duties provide human beings a comfortable life free from

anxiety. They free men from the bondage of good and evil works and while

performing such activities, one is factually liberated. Subsequently, after

further elevation to the transcendental loving service of Krsna, one

attains the kingdom of God. In short, prescribed duties, as sacrificial

offerings to Lord Visnu, fulfill the purpose of material creation.

 

It should be clearly understood that there is no real peace without

adhering to this social principle. Western civilization is so condemned

that people cannot follow this system. They do not know how to live

peacefully. Though India has lost so much of its original Vedic culture,

its interior villages still maintain it and the villagers live very

peacefully. This is real civilization. Krsna has divided society

scientifically, and all the divisions are required. Everyone must be

properly engaged according to this perfect social system.

 

Everyone in the material world possesses impure propensities that must be

cleansed by executing one's prescribed duties. Without doing so a man

should never become a so-called sannyasi who renounces his work and lives

at the cost of others. Likewise a householder who neglects his prescribed

duty cannot be pardoned. Deviation from the performance of prescribed duty

is considered an act of cowardice, a detriment to spiritual life, and

results in fall down and degradation. Also, anyone who deviates from the

prescribed duties of varnasrama dharma by declaring another's duty to be

his own is engaged in a foul and improper activity. Such ignorance is the

cause of all the anomalies in human society.

 

Fearlessness and honesty are the symptoms of a life purified by the

discharge of prescribed duties. Devotional service provides the

determination necessary to discharge these duties. And in turn, when these

duties are performed in Krsna consciousness, devotional service develops

and matures. Unflinching devotional service to Krsna is achieved when He

is worshipped by prescribed duties performed in full consciousness of the

Lord's presence in all living entities.

 

Please visit our Dharmaksetra Website located at http://www.ghqd.org/

[Guest guest]

Dear Mataji,

 

"Youngers?" Perhaps you meant "youngsters," or more correctly, "juniors." In

any case, I'm interested in hearing the answer to your question.

 

Your servant,

 

Pancha Tattva dasa

 

On 17 Dec 1999, Gunamani dd wrote:

 

> Is it the prescribed duty of youngers to instruct elders?

[Guest guest]

> >On 17 Dec 1999, Gunamani dd wrote:

> >

> >> Is it the prescribed duty of youngers to instruct elders?

>

> It all depends.

 

I am so glad to hear you say that, since that is what everyone else here

seems to be saying too. So finally we all agree.

 

Manu states that among brahmanas seniority is based on

> knowledge, among ksatriyas it is based on manly power, among vaisyas it is

> based on wealth and among sudras it is based on age. (MS 2.154)

 

Interesting.

 

Among the

> four social orders, seniority begins from the brahmanas down to the

> sudras.

 

According to the different moods of nature.

 

Among asramas, seniority begins from the sannyasis down to the

> brahmacaris.

 

So it is not the duty of a grhasta to instruct the sanyasi. But it might be

the duty of a grhasta to instruct a brahmacari. Or a vanaprastha to instruct

a grhasta.

 

With respect to gender, a man always has seniority over a

> woman. Prabhupada calls this the male prerogative. (TLK Vs 5)

 

Yes, but why do you choose to belive that gender are more important than

all other considerations?

Like the occupational duty of a mother to instruct her sons?

 

I hope that

> answers your question.

 

Yes thank you very much. It was a nice quote.

 

> Regardless of this diversion, it is incorrect to say that the prescribed

> duties of VAD do not apply to devotees.

 

I think everyone agrees on that.

 

My own personal consideration would rather be, that before we start

instructing others, we should consider our own status. Actually it is the

business of the guru to instruct his disciple about his occupational duty,

because it is a very complex matter, and many things have to be taken into

consideration.

 

The mood of absolute authority of some people over others have created very

bad consequences, not only in ISKCON but also in the history of the world.

Accepting and giving instruction, especially on spiritual matters, is a very

serious thing. And if someone accepts this responsibility he/she will also

have to reap the consequences/results of his instructions.

 

Even in the lifes of great devotees of vedic times, we see that making the

right choices are not always so easy as it seems. Look at Prahlad Maharaja,

disobeying his father. Bali Maharaja, disobeying his Guru. The brahmanas

wifes giving food to Krishna and Balarama. Arjuna killing his relatives,

friends and teachers. Draupadi forgiving the one who murdered her sons.

Rukmini writing a letter to Krishna. A king(What was his name?) selling his

own wife and son to keep his word. Lord Rama disobeying his fathers desire

in order to keep his fathers honour. Kunti abandoning her firstborn son.

 

Personal decisions to be made according to so many different

considerations, of time place and circumstances, both spiritual and

material. Decisions which will in due time bring about results to those who

were involved in the decision-taking.

 

So why dont I stick to my cleaning and cooking myself and keep quiet here

amongst the learned?

Well somehow I think it is my duty to those younger than me and to my own

children, to share my experiences on these matters, allthough I am a women

and not even a sudra. I am not saying that my experiences are the only ones

that counts, but they are also part of the picture.

I have also benefitted a lot from the exchanges of the vaisnavas on this

forum. Their levelheaded, personal, couragious, humourous and honest

approaches have strenghtened my faith in the future of Srila Prabhupada´s

movement and I am grateful that they are there giving their association and

sharing their different experiences and nice qualities with the rest of us.

 

 

Your servant Gunamani d.d.