Srila Prabhupada's Varnasrama Mission

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On 21 Jun 1999, Hare Krsna dasi wrote:

> Different devotees have different means of serving Krsna. And it seems to

me that one should choose a guru at least partially based on how he wants to

serve Krsna.

 

> If you want to serve Krsna by distributing books, take initiation from

someone who is really into this. If you want to serve Krsna by building

temples, take initiation from someone who is really into that. At least, it

seems reasonable that your prospective spiritual master should have at least

some enthusiasm for your field.

 

I haven't read anywhere that one should choose a SPIRITUAL MASTER in terms of

one's inclinations according to the modes of material nature (eg, varna and

asrama). Referring to Jiva Goswami in CC Adi 1, Prabhupada explicitly states

that one should choose a spiritual master exclusively to make spiritual

advancement -- to realize one's eternal identity -- and not out of any social

(ie, VAD), familial, or ecclesiastical (eg, bogus GBC resolutions)

considerations.

 

However, Rupa Goswami (BRS) and Bhaktivinode Thakura have recommended we

associate with like-minded devotees (sajatiya). So somewhere in between these

two criteria we must find a balance. As much as we identify with our varna

and asrama, the more we will gravitate to VAD and less to bhakti itself.

 

Prabhupada says that conditioned activities (VAD) and constitutional

acitvities (KC) should go on in parallel lines, but of the two, KC

considerations should have top priority. Our real business is not to become

pakka brahmanas, vaisyas, etc, but become 1st class devotees of the Lord.

 

> However, at least from what I have seen and I must say I have not thoroughly

researched the matter -- it does seem that only Srila Prabhupada is interested

in thoroughly overhauling the social structure and establishing varnasrama.

>From what I see, only Prabhupada is stressing ox power as an essential

component of cow protection. From what I see, only Srila Prabhupada is

advocating simple living and localized economics.

 

There is no need of a "however": the positions of Srila Prabhupada and the

Gaudiya Matha on VAD are not necessarily opposed. Srila Prabhupada was a

specially empowered Acarya who established a very broad-ranged, comprehensive

program for spreading KC all over the world. Other subsequent acaryas do not

need to be proficient nor as widely talented as Srila Prabhupada was to be

able to add their respective contributions to expanding the frontier that SP

first pioneered. I personally cannot foresee how anyone will be as uniquely

gifted and empowered as Srila Prabhupada in the near future nor in many years

to come.

 

At the same time, we don't have to minimize the need for other Gaudiya

Vaisnavas, "transcendental professors," to offer their expertise and teach us

further lessons in the science of devotion.

> From what I hear -- and it is also possible that this is not adequately

> represented -- the Gaudiya Math devotees are more into discovering original

spiritual identities, rather than using our daily work as a means to gain an

understanding of Krsna.

 

In Bhakti-tattva Viveka, Bhaktivinode Thakura warns us not to mistake the

performance of prescribed actitivites within VAD with pure devotional service

(suddha-bhakti). "Using our daily work as a means to gain an understanding of

Krsna" (as you express it) sounds more like it falls within the realm of

karma-yoga, not pure bhakti. While this may be a necessary and preliminary

stage that most people may have to go through in order to purifiy themselves,

we should not equate such "dovetailing" with uttama-bhakti:

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-ananvrtam

anukulyasa ksnananu-silanam bhaktir-uttama. Real devotion is free from any

ulterior motivation or impurity.

 

Without properly understanding the goal (suddha-bhakti) and the way to reach

it (sadhana-bhakti = BOTH *vaidhi* + *raganuga*), we will NEVER reach it. We

may become elevated to some intermediate plateau (eg VAD, kanistha-adhikari)

through such dovetailing, but this is not a complete nor ultimately

progressive conception.

 

Despite whatever Prabhupada said seemingly to the contrary, KC is not

"automatic." Krsna consciousness (krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita-matih) is the

summum bonum of CONSCIOUS development, and such progressive development only

takes place by the special grace of Sri Krsna and under the direct guidance of

His pure devotees. Even Bhaktivinode Thakura, a nitya-siddha, showed us the

example that one cannot enter into the garden of prema without the association

of a maha-purusa siksa-guru.

 

As much as VAD may be ideal and desirable, establishing cow protection in this

world is not tantamount to returning to GOLOKA, the transcendental realm where

Krsna tends cows and engages in pleasure pastimes with His eternal associates.

 

 

I don't want to discourage anyone's efforts to further this praiseworthy end

(VAD and cow protection), but we should not confuse VAD with pure bhakti

because they are not equatable or synonomus. VAD does not necessarily lead to

pure bhakti. Conversely, nor does pure bhakti depend on VAD. Only by the

continued grace of pure saints is pure bhakti possible. No lesser realized

varna-guru can guide us to prema.

 

If we make this clear from the beginning, then we can proceed progressively

without becoming deviated on the "lower rungs" of karma-yoga or fruitive

activity.

 

Dasanudasa,

Srila dasa

 

> Is my perception correct? Is anyone besides Srila Prabhupada stressing the

importance of localized economics, cow protection and varnasrama as things

that will help us in building a spiritualized social structure?

> Hare Krsna dasi