GURUKULA EXPERIMENT

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Just because a devotee fails to attain perfection does not mean the

> > process of devotional service is not correct. Similarly just because the

Gurukula may have failed earlier does not mean the Gurukula system is not

good.

> >

 

 

> So, you want us to test it on some more generations of children? Seems

like that 1000 kids wasn't enough. What is good or bad is usually seen by its

result. I do know what it means to live without parents, and I wouldn't want

anybody do go through such a thing. Did you grow up without parents? Do you

know what you are talking about?

>

 

 

I highly suspect that the bottom line on Gurukula is not whether a child lives

'with' or 'without' his parents, but that the child becomes KC. There are

non-devotee boarding schools as well. In 'traditional' Vedic culture, the

gurukula was generally in the same village where the parents live, and

traditionally only for boys.

 

At the time Prabhupada attempted to establish a gurukula in the early days of

the movement there were absolutely -0- qualified devotees, either materially

or spiritually, if at least with regards to practical experience. To me it

does not seem unnatural to consider centralizing whatever few resources were

available to make an initial attempt.

 

Further, we are talking about devotees living in the midst of a hippy

revolution. Who is to say that 'hippy' children living with their parents

faired any better.

 

In any event, now that we know better, repeating our mistakes is inexcusable.

The real problem isn't whether the children lived with or without their

parents, but rather that an unacceptable number of the children were abused to

the point of becoming at the very least uninspired about their Krsna

consciousness.

 

Having the opportunity to live with one's parents is not always a thrill at

every moment -- you can trust me on that one.

 

ys,

 

Sthita