Prabhupada says: Guru determines Varna? Is this siddhanta?

[Guest guest]

On 15 Sep 1999, Hare Krsna dasi wrote:

 

> Srila Prabhupada did not make up the idea of the guru selecting the

disciple's

> varna.

 

 

I don't believe that the guru "selects" the disciple's varna as if any of the

four are choices. As referenced below the guru can "ascertain" the disciple's

position in accordance with the relative "mixture" of the modes of nature and

thus prescribe the corresponding varna.

 

 

> quoting a prayer by Narada Muni. I can't think of any higher

> spiritual authority.

 

 

Narada Muni was the guru of Dhruva Maharaja who, when instructed by Narada in

brahminical practices, objected to his guru's teaching explaining that he was

of a different varna and that he could not accept the brahminical training

because of the modes of nature in which he was born. I don't think Narada was

offended nor did he try to convince Dhruva otherwise.

 

If an individual, through study of scripture and practical common sense,

understands his own nature within the modes and manifests the symptoms of

those modes, he or she can certainly assert that position and seek the proper

varna training to develop the corresponding qualities of the varnas as

mentioned by Krsna in the 18th chapter of Bg.

 

 

 

> > Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 5: Chapter Nineteen, Text 19 :TRANSLATION

> > TRANSLATION

> > ... If one's position is ascertained by a bona fide spiritual master

> > and one is properly trained to engage in the service of Lord Visnu

according

> > to the

> > four social divisions [brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra] and the four

> > spiritual divisions [brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa],

one's

> > life

> > becomes perfect.