determining one's varna

[Guest guest]

> Dear Harikesa Maharaja,

> Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> Sometimes an individual goes through periods when he/she takes

> interest in different fields of activity. One may be engaged for

> many years, and quite happy with, an activity that is associated

> with one varna. Then one turns to another activity/varna and even

> develops the personal qualities consistent with it.

>

> When we try to determine one's varna, how to avoid the danger of

> "trapping" the person in a designation that may change?

>

> And why does it change?

>

> Your servant,

> Dhyana-kunda dasi

 

Krsna says in the BG that one should not perform other's duties, even

if perfectly performed, for to perish in the performance of another's

duty is inauspicious.

 

The problem today is that people have no idea what they are. They

accept different duties according to their material convenience.

Therefore they escape the responsibility that comes when one has a

proper position within society and always performs it.

 

What you are suggesting here is similar to what Arjuna was suggesting.

He was a ksatriya, but he saw that it was not convenient for him to

fight at that time, so he wanted to change his varna because he was

manifesting the so-called brahminical quality of compassion and

forgiveness. If it were us on that battlefield, we would have thought

that it was time to change our varna, and when we manifested this

so-called brahminical quality, we would have thought that actually we

were of mixed varna and should not be captured within a designation

since that is material. Thus we would have happily walked off the

battlefield and sat under a tree till it was no longer convenient to

be there and then we would have accepted another quality and work as

we liked. That is why Krsna does not choose to work through us. He

can see that we are unsteady.

 

Since the world, and indeed, ISKCON, is going on in this way, it is no

wonder that nothing is properly done over longer periods of time.

Further, it is also no wonder that devotees fall away as they do not

see any responsibility in themselves for what they do. Or they blame

the society when something happens to them due to their whimsy. One

who acts whimsically, therefore, without following the sastra, can

never have happiness, peace, or the supreme destination.

 

Therefore, it is our duty to understand our real nature, and perfect

the quality of that nature and find work according to that nature.

This will give us real strength over a longer period.

 

Even if one is a brahmana, for example, he can fight a battle when

needed, or can milk the cow. This does not, however, indicate a

change of varna and a change of the brahminical qualities, but rather

an emergency work to accomplish some purpose. As soon as the

emergency is over, one must return to his actual position.