Subala Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Hare Krishna Everyone, I wonder if there any references in a vedic literatures about varnas which are not or between 4 main asramas. I thought snataka is one of them (i could be mistaken). Everybody knows brahmacarya, grihastha, vanaprastha, sannyas.... Say brahmacari serves in house of guru and as SP says sometimes he remains in service of Guru whole life... then wait a minute... whole life? Say guru passes away, what happens to our brahmacari? Becomes a guru? or continues with his service, but there and how? There is not ISKCON temples in "ancient india" people (saints) live in forest... What happens with our brahmacari whose guru not present? Just wondering. So can i assume that there are classes of people who never marry and not live with a guru, ie single man (and some women, well women a different topic because in "old times" they were not able to move around so much...). It is not an assumption - this things happening anyway in now days. I just want to find some evidence to this "5th asrama". I would say divorce man/women can be part of it as well. Anyone has anything to add to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Avadhutas, many bhajananandis, mendicants, etc. often live completely outside the VAD system.. Shastra affirms that those who are transcendentally situated have no burden of the rules and regs of vedic ideology. In bhagavatam, we see many cases, like Sukadeva Goswami, Jada Bharata, and others no longer affected at all by the temporary world. There is no designation of particular varna or asrama for such people fully absorbed in Krsna Consciousness. VAD is important in our line through Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada because we are of the gosthianandi catagory, preachers of the Bhakti yoga science. Srila Prabhupada is uttama adhikari, completely outside of VAD requirement, however, he accepts a position of Madhyama Adhikari to effectively preach Krsna Consciousness. We fit into the four varnas and four asramas by the work we perform as well as our living status. Students of Guru do not lose their student status because of the disappearance of their Guru. In fact, Guru absolutely confirms that there is no difference in appearance and disappearance for the transcendentalist. So the brahmacari stays student, so there is no special catagory. Srila Prabhupada dealt with the divorce issue, but I do not believe that such persons were considered brahmacaris again. Vanaprastha is a status where one may still live with spouse, or not, and may apply to that situation. I do remember divorced devotees wearing yellow (householder colors), even remarrying under Srila Prabhupadas direction. Old timers, please correct me if I am wrong. Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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