The Deliverance of all Living Beings

A devotee of the Lord has no interest in enjoying this material world. He fully realizes that it is simply a place of suffering. Because his only interest is serving Krishna, the most suitable abode for his residence is the spiritual world. Since he is fully absorbed 24 hours a day in Krishna's service he is guaranteed to enter into the spiritual world at the time of death and resume his eternal relationship with the Lord. But as long as the devotee remains in this world, because of his compassionate nature, he is very eager to bless all the souls of this world with the sublime process of Krishna consciousness. He cannot tolerate the pain and suffering being undergone by the living beings here. Therefore he fully dedicates himself to enlightening as many people as possible with the transcendental self-realization science. Thus his every minute is dedicated to bringing about the deliverance of all living beings.

Answers According to the Vedic Version

Question: Caste System and Idol Worship...

Does the caste system have any religious sanction in Sanatan Dharma, the Vedic culture?

Why do the followers of Sanatan Dharma worship idols? Can't we achieve the same goal without any idols? Which form of worship is superior-Nirguna or Saguna?

These two are the most trusted weapons of Christians and Muslims against Hindus.

I have many more questions I will ask you from time to time.

Thanks,

Kishore

Answer: Divine Varnashram and Deity Worship...

The original divine caste system, known as daivi varnashram, is prescribed in the Vedic literatures. That divine caste system is no longer being practiced. In the Kali yuga it has become perverted into a different form, which is known as the demonic caste system (asuri varnashram). The original divine caste system meant that everybody in the society was nicely, happily engaged in earning their livelihood in a way that was just suitable to their nature. This system was degraded into a system in which one's social position was based on one's birth, not one's natural qualities.

Nowadays people claim an exalted status as a brahmana when actually they do not possess any of the qualities of brahmana as they are described in the Bhagavad-gita. It is the caste-conscious brahmanas of India who spoiled the caste system by insisting that they were brahmanas simply on the basis of their birth. The actual quality of a brahmana is described as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:

samo damas tapah saucam
ksantir arjavam eva ca
jnanam vijnanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness -- these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work." Bhagavad-gita 18.42

The actual brahmanas do not selfishly, proudly make an artificial show of these qualities. Rather they act as selfless teachers. Without accepting any salary they dedicate their lives fully for teachings others how to develop these brahminical qualities for achieving the supreme perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead.

The Supreme Truth is both saguna (with qualities) and nirguna (without qualities). Saguna means that it is full of all transcendental qualities, and nirguna means that is completely free from any mundane qualities. In other words, God is not without form. He undoubtedly possesses form. But His form is not like your form, that is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease. The Lord's form is eternally youthful, full of bliss, and full of knowledge. This is why Krishna is described in the Brahma Samhita as nava-yauvanam, an ever-fresh youth.

Idol worship, worshipping a form that is not authorized in the scriptures, is condemned in the Vedic scriptures. Only the authorized deity form of the Lord, in which the Lord has agreed to manifest His divine presence, should be worshipped. When the bona fide spiritual master invites the Lord to appear as the deity in any one of his multifarious manifestations, such as Krishna, Rama, Narayana, or Nrsimhadeve, the Lord kindly appears at the request of His pure devotee. Such worship of the authorized deity form of the Lord should never be considered to be idol worship, the worship of a false god. Rather it is the present day material civilization which is guilty of idol worship by building an entire so-called civilization based on the hedonistic principle of material sense gratification. They have made an idol out of their material bodies, and they spend their whole lives worshipping such false gods. It is therefore the so called religionists who are guilty of idol worship, not the followers of Sanatan Dharma, the Vedic culture.

In this age of Kali the Vedic scriptures prescribe that simply by chanting the holy names of God one achieve all perfection:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

But the spiritual master also engages his disciples in the authorized deity worship in the temple because this helps them to purely chant the holy names of God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari