Bhakti-sarangas

[Guest guest]

Dear Mukunda Datta prabhu,

 

 

An exquisite quote. Thank you for that.

 

Your servant,

 

Pancha Tattva dasa

[Guest guest]

Dandavats. Jaya Prabhupada!

 

This is now terribly dated, but I just found it buried under many

other outgoing emails. We were talking about whether or not everyone

should become a brahmana. Sorry for the delay. I would appreciate any

pertinent replies by email, thanks.

 

<<<i think arjuna acted as a perfect kshatriya, but over and beyond that

he loved krishna, so he had all the transcendental qualities, but he did

not work as a brahmana, although he was more than a brahmana

in BG 18:46 Lord says anyone can become perfect remaining in his own work?

wd you care to comment >>>

 

As I indicated earlier, we can define these terms variously; at

least we can define "brAhmaNa" spiritually as well as socially. I would

prefer to emphasize the former, because the latter is automatically more

prominent in society, due to the strong, material conditioning that

characterizes and permeates this world and activities within it. I think

Prabhupada emphasized spiritual consceptions like this too.

What work one does is superfluous--provided one has met the

essential qualification of having developed transcendental consciousness,

i.e., if one is guNAtIta; I'm sure Arjuna and those like him are all so

transcendental. From a social viewpoint, they may not be acting as

brAhmaNas, just as Krishna Himself didn't; but on the spiritual platform,

they are all nirguNa--beyond the three modes, untouched by them, and yet

able to work in the capacity of ordinary, conditioned souls, according to

Krishna's desires. Those who aren't truly guNAtIta cannot do this. An

example is that a PhD. may teach an introductory level class, just like a

intermediate student might, but an intermediate student cannot teach at

the PhD. level.

But if one hasn't reached this transcendental stage of

consciousness, the kind of work one does is most important, for it is

one's practical access to higher consciousness, culminating in Brahman

realization, self-realization. Thus acting according to one's natural

duty (or svadharma) is one's definite perfection, relatively speaking.

This is certainly so for ordinary people, as has been explained

elaborately in the section of Vishnu Purana often quoted by Srila

Prabhupada ("varNAzramAcAravatA...," 3.8), a discussion of varnashrama

prompted by Maitreya's query to Parasharamuni about how ordinary

people who wish to perform transcendental devotional service might do so.

Thus the concept of dharma is both relative and absolute at one

and the same time, which makes it somewhat confusiing.

Whatever one's position, if s/he sincerely engages in Krishna

consciousness under the guidance of a bonafide guru, s/he will advance

as much as is desired toward ultimate perfection, by Divine grace. No one

has any bar whatsoever.

I think the final paragraph of Prabhupada's purport (18.46) is

important, and I also think it is most overlooked. It is imperative that

one respect his or her own dharma as the best path to perfection in

devotional service (and it would often help if others were enlightened

enough to recognize one's svadharma too); without this attitude and

conviction, hardly anyone can remain enthusiastic or steadily engaged in

his/her svadharma, without which there can hardly be any perfection. It

isn't that everyone has to be a brAhmaNa, for everyone *isn't* always

brahminical, at least not yet. But everyone does have to realize what is

Brahma, ultimately; and in worldly existence, one's own svadharma is one's

optimum, pragmatic path toward that goal. Then one can actually practice

sustained, mature, unsullied bhakti (cf. Gita, 18.54).

Bhurijana Prabhu seems to like Prabhupada's final paragraph too,

as he quotes it in his commentary. Baladeva Vidyabhushana Prabhu warns

against performing another's duty, as all our endeavors contain the

faults natural to material existence. Instead, one should offer one's own

duties in devotion, stressing those which facilitate the development of

knowledge. Commenting on this verse (18.46), Ramanuja also emphasizes

the fact that all duties come from Krishna.

I hope this is of some help. Hare Krishna.

 

Your humble servant,

 

MDd