suchandra Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Presently we find many global Vaishnava institutions rejecting A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami's strategy of introducing varnasrama. These Vaishnava leaders basically argue - cow protection, vedic farming, vedic trading is nothing but becoming contaminated by the modes of material nature. However, this was never Srila Prabhupada's teaching that Vaishnavas should become influenced by misra-bhakti. Prabhupada clearly says, it is for showing mercy and to uplift human society, do the groundwork so that things develop further - to teach varnasrama-dharma, but not to step down. Since Prabhupada's formular was rejected we find now that within the temples Vaishnavas being faced with missing infrastrucure to properly worship the deities. Whenever the order of a current Vaishnava acarya is neglected we soon realize that things fall apart. Prabhupada: I have already explained. We are all devotees. Past condition, we are all devotees. We are not, we do not belong to this varṇasrama. I have already told you. Suppose I am mopping. So that does not mean I am mopper. But I am teaching how to mop. This is our position. Parivrajakacarya: So the students, also, they must all be devotees. Prabhupada: Yes. Devotees are… That is our life and soul. Satsvarupa: And the idea is that after they’ve finished their schooling, they would take part in ISKCON, preaching in some way as vaiśya or… Prabhupada: Yes. This preaching is also required, to make the groundwork. Because nobody’s taking care. Just like some of the devotees, great devotees, they took the profession of becoming thief. They, in South India, it was done so. They took the profession of becoming thief. So a devotee is a thief? But he took. They took it. Because nobody was paying. So they organized a plundering party. “Plunder all these big men.” Just like the politicians do. There is history. Yes. So even up to the point to become a thief, devotees took it. Yes. And the gopis, even up to the point of becoming prostitute—for Krsna. So for Krsna’s sake we have to accept any nonsense type of business. Or on the highest grade. Anything. But for Krsna we have to do that. Hṛdayananda: So, Prabhupada, in our temples, we have so many devotees. Should the devotees…? Prabhupada: They should be engaged. Hṛdayananda: Should they be trained in a particular…? Prabhupada: Yes. Those who are not able to preach or to do other things, they must go to the plough department, agriculture. Hṛdayananda: Those who cannot preach. Prabhupada: Yes. Those who are less educated, not very much expert in preaching, they must be acting as ksatriya or vaisya, or as sudra. Hṛdayananda: And sometimes… Prabhupada: Not he’s sudra. Always remember that. But he has to act to fulfill the, fill up the gap. Proxy. Morning Walk “Varnasrama College” by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada March 14, 1974, Vrndavana full conversation: http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/740314mw.vrn.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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