Inquiries into the Absolute, Digest 7

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Internet: "ISKCON DC" <mail (AT) iskcondc (DOT) org>

31-May-01 19:41

"Devotees of Lord Krishna" <devotees (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> (sent:

31-May-01

19:43)

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Inquiries into the Absolute, Digest 7

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Hare Krishna !!

 

Digest 7, May 31, 2001. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami

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Please email your questions to mail (AT) iskcondc (DOT) org. Questions of general

interest will be posted in the digest for the benefit of others. Specific

questions will be answered individually.

 

Devotional service

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Q 7.1)

Why do brhamacharis at ISKCON get into grhastha ashrama? After knowing the

philosophy so well and also convinced that the samsara sagara is so deep

and full of suffering. It does not make any sense in getting in the

grhastha ashrama

 

You have asked a question about the grhastha ashram, namely why it might

be taken up by one who has practiced a life of a brahmacari for some time,

has understood the perils of becoming involved in samsara, and yet makes

the change from brahmacari ashram to grhastha ashram. You will find a very

practical answer in the Gajendra Moksa lila section of Srimad Bhagavatam.

There Srila Prabhupada clearly explains that the reason the king of

elephants was being defeated by the crocodile is because the crocodile was

in its natural element, namely the water, whereas the elephant was in an

unnatural element. As a result the crocodile was becoming stronger, and

the elephant was becoming weaker. Bearing this comparison in mind, Srila

Prabhupada explains in his purport to this lila that the person in the

grhastha ashram may find himself in a more natural element for making

spiritual progress than he would if he tried to maintain himself

artificially in the brahmacari ashram. There is an underlying assumption

in your question, i.e. you seem to indicate that grhastha ashram compels

one to remain in samsara sagara. This is not necessarily so. To the

contrary, we find that many stalwart acaryas were grhasthas, while many

were also brahmacari and sannyasi. The same can be said for those who are

mahajans, identified by Prahlad Maharaj in the Seventh Canto of Srimad

Bhagavatam. Some of them are brahmacaris like Narada, and some of them are

grhasthas. Attaining perfection is not dependent upon what particular

ashram one finds oneself in. Rather, perfection comes from full dedication

in devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one properly accepts

the responsibilities of grhastha ashram, one can make one's life perfect

and go back home back to Godhead, every bit as much as one who does the

same in the position of brahmacari. One who lives one's life properly in

the grhastha ashram will likely find himself to be a good candidate for

sannyasa live, later on!

 

 

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