Why not varnasrama?

[Guest guest]

> I see the economy as a different issue from varnasrama. Why cant

> varnasrama be implemeneted in the society as it is? Thereafter with higher

> knowledge a higher form of economy could follow....

 

When Srila Prabhupada was leaving this world, he gave us a very strong

warning that is captured on video for posterity. From what he is saying it

seems that varnasrama is the means by which most people can actually advance

in Krishna consciousness. Nowadays most devotees have no time for Krishna

consciousness, being busy in outside material occupations that have heavy

influences of passion and ignorance. Prabhupada is promoting varnasrama to

give people time, and bring them to sattva guna.

 

By studying these last words carefully, a description appears of a society

in which people are cultivating spiritual knowledge by regular and sustained

association with devotees on a day to day basis, while engaged in honourable

sattvic work based on daivi varnasrama.

 

Srila Prabhupada is recording his last Bhagavatam purports, why does he

choose to emphasise the need to come to the mode of goodness by implementing

varnasrama? Is he seeing that the devotees are too much in the other modes?

Is he emphasising a simple rural based life so that we can come to goodness?

In Mayapur (15th Feb 1977) on an evening darshan he said:

 

"Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to

the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all

anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an

honorable life in Krishna Consciousness."

 

It seems to me that the importance of developing an economy based on

sustainable agriculture (not for sale, but for our consumption) is to enable

us to advance in KC. Thats the only reason. The unfortunate fact is that in

places where our society has been active since Prabhupada was with us, in

general (apart from maybe the UK) we see a dwindling of our society where

most senior devotees are forced to work and associate outside of the

association of devotees.

 

It is indeed heartening to find that there are some devotees now interested

to develop varnasrama. Apart from the inspiring suggestions of HH Danavir

Maharaja, and Visnu Murti prabhu, there are other devotees who have made

many steps towards developing varnasrama, such as HH Bhakti Raghava Swami,

and Tejiyas prabhu.

 

Here is a word for word transcript of Srila Prabhupadas last words as found

on the "Final Lesson" Video.

.............................................................................

"According to the association of different natures, we get a body.

karanam guna sango sya

sad asad yoni janmasu

 

Therefore we should always seek good association, devotee association. Then

our life will be successful.

 

If we live with good association, then we cultivate knowledge. That means

association. A man is known by his company. So if we have the chance of

association with devotees, then our character, nature becomes better. By

hearing, by dicussing Srimad Bhagavatam, this rajo guna, tama guna are

subdued. Then sattva guna remains.

 

nasta prayesu abhadresu

nityam bhagavata sevaya

 

Then raja guna, tama guna cannot so us harm. Therefore varnasrama dharma is

so essential that people live in sattva guna.

 

Tama guna, raja guna increases lust and greediness, and that implicates the

living entity who exists in the material world in many many forms. That is

very dangerous. Therefore, they should be brought into sattva guna by the

establishment of varnasrama dharma. How to bring people in sattva guna with

brahminical qualifications. Very neat and clean, rise early in the morning

to see mangala arati, in this way to stay in sattva guna."

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Your servant

Samba das