The Need for Manu Samhita

[Guest guest]

> Anyone who is chanting Hare Krishna is far superior to someone who is not

> chanting. And anyone who is taking full shelter of the holy name is far

> superior still. ISKCON members may appear to be socially disoriented and

> managerially inept. But devotees are a different category, and in that

> category different rules apply. It is not really a question of

"advancement"

> but of following the rules which are relevant to one's situation. (This is

> what varnasrama is all about, isn't it?)

 

Devotees - specifically those who have taken up the path of bhakti - are

superior to the karmis (and superior to the jnanis, who are also superior to

the karmis). However, it seems to me we need to refine our understanding of

what our own position is, even if we are devotees.

 

"Taking full shelter" of the holy name is not an ordinary thing, it is rare

to find even among devotees. There are big differences between anyone who

is chanting "Hare Krishna" and someone who has actually taken full shelter

of "Hare Krishna". This is described in NOI 5.

 

Most all of the devotees (with some exceptions) in our society will still be

materially conditioned, to a greater or lesser extent. (Manushyanam

sasreshu. . .) It is for this reason initiation is offered, devotees must

engage in Deity worship, etc.[1] There are various rules and regulations in

Deity worship to follow, but those don't deal with social interaction.

Social principles and rules are to be especially found in dharma-shastras

like Manu-samhita and Yajna-valkya Smriti.

 

With regard to bhakti-yoga, following such moral instructions is essential,

because if one's activities are sinful, then he will not be able to make any

advancement in devotional service: yesham tvanta gatam papam jananam punya

karanam / te dvandva moha nirmukta bhajane mam drdha vratah, "Only those who

have acted piously in this life and in previous lives, and whose sinful

reactions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of

delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination." (BG

7.28)

 

A devotee who is still conditioned by the material energy cannot have any

determination to make progress if he is acting sinfully, therefore so-called

mundane moral behavior is also essential for his progress.

 

Regarding moral behavior, I want to point out the Manu-Samhita is not simply

a book of nit-picky moral rules and regulations - it also contains

principles on which those rules are based. In the wedding lecture in a

previous text, Srila Prabhupada said "According to Manu-samhita, Vedic

principle, woman has no independence [na striyam svatantratam arhati]." It

is on that principle (yes, it's a principle, not simply a rule), in the

wedding lecture, that Srila Prabhupada says women need protection. This

isn't the only principle in Manu-Samhita, either. For example:

 

daNDaH zAsti prajAH sarva daNDaH evAbhirakSati

daNDaH supteSu jAgarti daNDaM dharmaM vidurbudhAH

 

"Punishment alone governs all created beings, punishment alone protects

them, punishment watches over them while they sleep. The wise declare

punishment to be no different than the law." (Manu-Samhita 7.18)

 

yAdi na praNayed rAjA daNDam daNDyeSvatindritaH

zUle matsyAnivApakSyan durbalAn balavattarAH

 

"If the king did not without tiring, inflict punishment on those worthy to

be punished, the stronger would roast the weaker, like fish on a spit."

(Manu-Samhita 7.20)

 

sarvo daNDajito loko durlabho hi zucirnaraH

daNDasya hi bhayAtsarvam jagadbhogAya kalpate

 

"The whole world is kept in order by punishment, for a guiltless man is hard

to find. Through fear of punishment, the whole world becomes fit for

happiness." (Manu-Samhita 7.22)

 

Now, we can understand that these principles are directly relevant to the

welfare of our vaisnava society in ISKCON. If this weren't a fact, there

would be no necessity for such inventions as the CPO (Child Protection

Office).

 

Of course, it can always be said that these have nothing to do with pure

devotional service, but then who among us is a pure devotee? Sri Manu's

mercy on is in the form of his instructions is to help keep us pure and free

from sin so we can make progress in devotional service.

 

--- Foot note ---------

[1] yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-sambandhena

kadarya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam tat-tat-sankoci-karanaya

srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada

sthapitasti.

 

"Although Deity worship is not essential [according to the Bhagavatam], the

material conditioning of most candidates for devotional service requires

that they engage in this activity. When we consider their bodily and mental

conditions, we find that the character of such candidates is impure and

their minds are agitated. Therefore, to rectify this material conditioning

the great sage Narada and others have at different times recommended various

kinds of regulations for Deity worship." (Bhakti-sandarbha 283-84 - ref. CC

Madhya 15.108)

 

------ end footnote ----------

 

> > Even if we are so

> > advanced, who, except for devotees, will teach the karmis? Yad-yad

> > acarati shresthas. If we can't follow Manu-samhita (in particular,

those

> > principles Srila Prabhupada has highlighted), how will they ever follow?

>

> This is the basic chink in your thought processes, Prabhu, if you don't

mind

> me saying. The real purpose of Srila Prabhupada's preaching is not to

bring

> the karmis to the point of following Manu-samhita, but instead to bring

them

> to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His preaching about

> Manu-samhita is simply a device toward that end.

 

Actually, we do agree on the role Manu-Samhita has to play. Where we seem

to disagree is whether or not Manu-Samhita has any relevance at all to

sadhana-bhaktas. My point is that since most devotees are not factually

liberated from their material conditioning, they need to further regulate

their lives through varnashrama-dharma. This was also Srila Prabhupada's

desire. Manu-Samhita is a great, authoritative resource in practically

establishing varnashrama.

 

Your servant, Krishna-kirti das (HDG)