Thread #8 - Proposal by Bhaktarupa Das

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Janesvara prabhu wrote:

 

> You stated the following, Prabhu. To me it is very clear.

>

>

> > That then is our ISKCON business, as I see it. We should simply focus

> > on learning the sastra and becoming adept teachers. Inject Krishna

> > consciousness into society. Gradually varnashrama may unfold...

>

> This is NOT what Srila Prabhupada stated regarding the unfulfilled mission

> of implementing varnasrama-dharma in ISKCON and, if possible, the world in

> general. Prabupada had a very specific plan of implementation of VAD and

> he detailed those orders for four days straight in March of 1974 and

> emphatically again in Feb 1977, a few months before his disappearance. To

> this day NONE of the ISKCON so-called leaders have taken up those orders

> with anything more than a little lip-service.

 

 

Forgive me prabhu, but you have indeed misunderstood me, as I suspected. I

was not referring to ISKCON with my above statement. I was thinking of

greater society, and my point was that ISKCON does not comprise the totality

of greater society. ISKCON is simply an educational institution within

society. It has no governmental influence, at least not at present. Maybe

we will see that one day, and maybe we will see Varnashrama unfold in

greater society. Who knows? I think it will take some empowered

personalities to make it happen.

 

However, it needs to unfold within our ISKCON jurisdiction sooner rather

than later. I fully accept that we need to be training ISKCON members in

their various varnas. Indeed, until we know a person's proper varna we

cannot place them in their proper ashrama. Varna comes first. For example,

as I am sure you know, a sudra only accepts grihastha ashrama, he does not

become a brahmachari. And only a brahmana can take sannyasa. And so on.

 

I accept that there has been a serious deficiency in varnashrama training in

ISKCON, and it must be rectified as soon as possible.

 

 

> But your words are almost exactly the same words we have heard from the

> so-called leaders of ISKCON for more than 20 years and we all know the

> results: criminal abuse of women, children and cows. Tough love has been

> desperately needed as retribution of these crimes to the citizens of

> ISKCON for a long time.

 

 

Thank you prabhu. I guess I'll just have to see you as the agent of my well

deserved karma.

 

 

> Any so-called leader of ISKCON who will not accept Srila Prabhupada's

> Proposal For Reform of ISKCON #1 as detailed in the Varnasrama Morning

> Walk Conversations of March 1974 should be relieved of duty immediately.

> This nonsense and criminal activity has been going on for far too long.

> And wimpy proposals that continue the pretense that we are

> "transcendental" to varnasrama and that if we all "just become Krsna

> conscious and brahmanas" everything will be alright "automatically" should

> be rejected as so much useless litter.

 

 

I certainly have not suggested at any time that anyone might be

'transcendental' to varnashrama. Please don't misread me. There is no

question of transcendence. Indeed, even coming to the standard of being

able to enter varnashrama is itself a tall order, as a reading of SB 7.11.13

and purport will show. As far as I have understood, transcendence occurs

somewhere around the platform of ashakti or even bhava -- count me out for a

start. And in any event, even if one is so advanced he should still follow

his prescribed duties, as I think Krishna makes clear in Chapter 3 of the

Gita. That is my understanding, at least.

 

Anyway, thank you for the apology, but my numble suggestion remains: please

seek first to understand before responding. It saves so much time and

trouble in the long run.

 

yhs

KDd