The Steady Voice of Kulapavana Dasa

krsna · December 6, 2007

Comments Posted By Kulapavana

Varnasrama and Varna Sankara

While the society in general definitely has a serious problem with varna-sankara, or unwanted population (however defined), I am not sure that we - as a Movement - have done an exemplary job dealing with this issue on our own turf. How well did our own youth turn out? How good were our schools? Have we even established a functioning educational system for our children? What kind of a future have we created for them in our society of devotees? I am not sure the answers are very flattering or give us a right to be very critical of others.It is very easy to give moralizing lectures but it is far more difficult to actually demonstrate how to achieve these lofty goals. That does not mean however that we should stop preaching about the need for establishing a proper society, only that we preach from realization as well as from books. We have had four decades to implement our own advice for the world. I hope we have at least learned something from all these years.You write: “Of course we cannot have varnasrama without having ’simple living and high thinking’. High thinking is something that comes naturally to devotees but simple living is more of a struggle for the vast majority of us. ” Actually, one cannot have the varnasrama without the understanding of one’s varna and acting in accordance with that designation. Without that step it is all just an empty talk and exercise in futility. If you want to avoid creating confused and unproductive varna sankara you have to engage actual brahmanas in teaching the youth, actual kshatriyas in administration and protection, actual vaishyas in supporting that program, and actual sudras in providing whatever help is required. Our youth is confused because we are confused. It is true with respect to society in general and with respect to our own Movement. Lets take care of our own problems before we run off to save the world from impending gloom and doom. Then we can actually show people how it is done.

Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 26.03.2007 @ 11:32

Life begins at fifty!

I think it would be very wonderful if devotees established some sort of retirement home system for older Vaishnavas. Perhaps something like a small version of the Snug Harbor program established long time ago for retired sailors (see http://www.snug-harbor.org/history/sailor.html ). Not that all devotees should retire like that, but to have such an option would be very benefitial in my opinion. As a community we are rapidly entering the time when such issues become very relevant and even urgently needed.I would like to create such a program not merely for devotees to live out their last years of life in relative comfort and ease among other Vaishnavas (an important reason by itself), but also as a way to provide our communities with valuable service and spiritual grounding. Older Vaishnavas have so much to offer! Wealth of experience and realization, as well as time, skills, and patience to perform all kinds of service. If there was a Vaishnava retirement home near your temple, the resident devotees would be able to lend a helping hand in the temple as well as nurture the congregation. They could hold seminars, translate and publish various Vaishnava books and writings, do research on important subjects, and provide much needed spiritual grounding for smaller centers.Even from an economic point of view such retirement homes make a lot of sense. Pooling together resources, as well as sharing various costs and responsibilities is much more cost effective than individual retirement. It is much more fun too.I am very serious about this project. If anybody is interested in helping please send me an email to: kpav108 (at) earthlink.net Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 09.02.2007 @ 14:35

Slavery to Banks: A Vedic Prophecy

Dear Yugala Kishor prabhu,If I understood you correctly (after all, according to you I am supposed to be easily confused even by my own words) you make the point that since both Srila Prabhupada and myself used fiat money every day we have no business calling people who issue them rascals and crooks. That point is actually quite absurd. What was Srila Prabhupada to do? Barter for a bus fare in NY with rasagulas? Or issue his own money based on a gold standard? Both of these would be illegal in US, so they are not even an option. So much for your “argument”…Srila Prabhupada had a very broad vision for Krsna Consciousness Movement. He thought big. He wanted his disciples to look at this world and not be confused or cheated by it’s crooks and rascals. More importantly, he wanted to change the world by starting a revolution, not a sleek marketing campaign for a streamlined, uncontroversial version of popular spirituality for the masses. It was precisely that grand vision of Srila Prabhupada that inspired many of us to join his movement in the first place.Perhaps your debate is really with Srila Prabhupada and his vision. Perhaps you think that it would be better to avoid raising such topics and stirring up controversies. Maybe we should bury all the “inconvenient” Prabhupada quotes somewhere deep, where nobody can find them? Well, too late for that.But you are absolutely right in pointing out the possible misuse of such quotes - that is a very real risk. There is no single quote that has been more abused in our society than “The end justifies the means”, with the close second being “By hook or crook”. These two phrases brought us truckloads of shame and misery over the years. In comparison, the quote about crooks and rascals of the present day banking system seems nothing but a sound take on reality.You close your comment to my post by saying:“In the final analysis, we should use whatever is there in the world to push on KC.”It is a nice sentiment and a catchy phrase, but as the above discussion shows, some of the “things of this world” are more appropriate for use in presenting Krsna Consciousness than others. And it takes smart people with integrity and knowledge of the shastra to figure out what is to be used, and what is to be rejected. I have no doubt you are one of such people, prabhu. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 12.02.2007 @ 14:28

Morning Walk with Srila Prabhupada, Johannesburg, October 16, 1975

You are cheatedHarikesa: So actually this money doesn’t even exist in Vedic society—money.Prabhupada: Money is not required. You require things. Just like instead of money, you are getting papers. Money means gold. Where is gold? You are cheated. Money means gold. So instead of possessing gold, you are possessing some paper, written there, “hundred dollars.” And you are such a fool, you are satisfied. You are being cheated. Bank’s cheque and currency notes, you keep it in your…—”Oh, here is my money.” Is that money? Just see.Devotee: They only do that to make it easier for them, because they’ve got so much money that they can’t carry it…Prabhupada: That’s all right, but actually it is not money. You are befooled. You are such a fool that you accept a piece of paper as money. Therefore I say you are rascal. That is my business. If I say “Government, give me gold,” and government has passed law, “No, you cannot possess gold,” that means cheating. How I shall keep gold, that is my business. First of all you give me gold. It is due to me. But you are giving me paper. That means cheating is begun from you.Harikesa: How will the government decide what my gold is and what his gold is? How does the gold get distributed?Prabhupada: Gold coins. Formerly there was gold coins. We have seen in our childhood gold coins, silver coins. There was no paper.Harikesa: But you have to do something to get it.Prabhupada: Yes. I will have to do something. That is another thing. But why you are cheating me? Instead of gold, you are giving me paper.———————————————————————————–

Srila Prabhupada did not mince words here. He called people who see nothing wrong with the fiat money system “fools”, and the ones who issue fiat money he called “cheaters” and “rascals”. Do you think he was a conspiration theory buff? No, that is the truth. Henry Ford might have been an anti-semite and a meat eater, but he was not a fool.Still, the issue remains: what can an average devotee of Krsna do about such a massive and widespread cheating business? We can pray to Krsna for the cheating and exploitation to stop, we can enlighten people about the various dangers of this material world, and we can - and should! - clearly denounce the rascals who perpetuate this cheating fiat money system, just like Srila Prabhupada did. Srila Prabhupada might not have devoted much time to this issue, but he made it very, very clear where he stands with regards to the crooks who run the world’s central banks. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 09.02.2007 @ 13:51

While there is little doubt that central banks play a huge role in shaping the events of our world, what is an average Hare Krsna devotee to do about it? Seems like we are merely entertaining the “illusions of grandeur” by such talk. Where are our economic experts? Are they busy making sure our movement has a solid economic base for it’s preaching mission? Or are we merely struggling from day to day, unable to cover the cost of many critically needed programs? Before we save the world from economic gloom and doom maybe we should first save our own movement. Who takes seriously a raggedy beggar on the street promising untold riches if we just follow his “program”? A little common sense and humility goes a long way when it comes to practical matters. Most people are not impressed by big talk. They are impressed by big deeds. Food for thought. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 05.02.2007 @ 14:43

Prabhupada’s Parrots

“The importance of repeating the words and instruction of Krishna of the disciplic sucession is repeated time and time again by Srila Prabhupada. He said, “We simply repeat the words and the instruction given by the predecessor.”—————————————————————————————————

-It is interesting to note that while repeating the instructions of his predecessor - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati - Srila Prabhupada very rarely quoted him verbatim. What he was repeating wast the assimilated instructions received from his spiritual master. It is unfortunate that in our society of devotees so much emphasis is placed on simple parroting, and so little on assimilation.Thank you for that interesting article, and for raising this very important subject matter. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 25.01.2007 @ 16:33

The Environment–You Are Correct, but Strategically Off BaseOne model that seems to be suited for protecting Vrindavana is that of Nature Conservancy (http://www.nature.org/).

That model has worked very well all over the world. Nature Conservancy collects donations to buy land in ecologically important locations and turns that land into nature preserves. It is one of the most trusted environmental organizations in the world, with a proven strategy model and long track record of success. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 22.01.2007 @ 14:29Iskcon’s practical record in the area of environmentally responsible living and land development is very modest at best. Even our own farms are not much to bragg about in that area. We have good intentions but that is about it. Therefore it seems like a good idea to work with people who are experienced in environmental activism and have local connections. We may claim to be the most environmntally responsible religion but facts on the ground in our most holy places simply mock that claim. We may be building fantastic temples spending millions of dollars in the process, but if all the Vrindavana forests are gone, what is the point? What will the pilgrims see? That we worship Krsna on the altar but neglect His holy Dhama just outside the temple door? How much money and time was spent on serving the Dhama, versus time and money spent on our buildings? We may give a lip service to conservationism but if we can’t protect the land we see as most sacred, it is all just empty words. Comment Posted By Kulapavana On 19.01.2007 @ 16:33

Kulapavana · December 6, 2007

Wow! thanks for the recognition, but any credit should go to Srila Prabhupada, whose instructions opened my eyes and my heart to higher reality.

The comment on assimilated instructions from one's guru is especially relevant for me. I am often seen as taking issues with Prabhupada's presentations but I simply try to put his words in perspective and present my understanding of his instructions. If after 28 years of following one is still just a mere parrot, there must be something wrong with our intelligence and our heart.