Don't Be a Fool
For millions and billions of lifetimes we have foolishly served the material energy Such foolishness has gotten us nothing except for another rotting material body after another rotting material body after another rotting material body. So now it is time that we become a little sober and give up our foolish maddened pursuit of material sense gratification. Instead of serving our senses, we should serve the master of the senses, Hrishikesha. The is will bring us out of our misery into the wonderful transcendental realm of pure unadulterated bliss.
Please accept my humble obeisances to you and Gurumataji.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Please pardon me at the outset if I sound blasphemous; but you have only told us to get all doubts clarified, hence this question.
In BG 4/13, the Lord says that he created the Chaturvarnya or the varnashram system. You know it has degenerated into something very bad that has damaged the sanatana dharma over the last hundreds of years and the damage is still continuing. The system has deprived a large number of people the benefits of education and the precious spiritual knowledge of our scriptures. It created deep divisions in the society which enabled the Muslims first and then the British later to enslave the country for hundreds of years and destroy it's spiritual heritage.
My question is, the Lord being Omniscient, would have known this damage. Even then, why did he create this system?
What have been the benefits, if at all any of this system?
Thanks and regards
Shriram Bejalwar
My Dear Shiram,
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Krishna’s system of four varnas and four ashrams is perfect. It is based on qualities and activities, not on the birth. The rascals have changed it by making it based on birth. So what is existing now in India is not the divine varnashram system.It is the demoniac varnashram system. It is perversion of the wonderful system created by Krishna that enabled everyone to live together in perfect peace and harmony just as the various parts of the body work together harmoniously the serve the functions of the body. In the divine varnashram system one can change his position if he manifests the qualities. Even a sudra can become a brahmana.
There is famous story in this connection as told by Srila Prabhupada in Vrindavan in 1974:
At least, in India, one who cannot say his father's name, immediately he becomes degraded. Just like the Jabala Satyakama. Jabala Satyakama, he, he was... He went to Gautama Muni, "Please initiate me." And according to Vedic conclusion, initiation is meant for the brahmana. Brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya. Not for the sudras. Sudras are not initiated. And in the Kali-yuga, because everyone is a sudra, therefore he's first of all given training to become a brahmana. Then the sacred thread is offered. This is the process. Because actually, initiation cannot be given to anyone except a brahmana. So kalau sudra-sambhavah: "In the Kali-yuga, everyone is sudra." That is to be accepted without any disagreement. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. Because they have no samskara. Asamskrtah kriya-hina mlecchah. One who is not undergone the reformatory processes, garbhadhana-samskara, upanayana-samskara... There are ten kinds of samskaras, reformatory. One who has not gone, or one who is not permitted to undergo the samskara, he's sudra. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. Everyone is born sudra. By reformatory method, he becomes twice-born -- by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and spiritual master is the father.
In this way, the Jabala Upanisad. He was asked by Gautama Muni, "Who is your father?" So he said that "I do not know." "Then go to your mother. Ask her." The mother could not say, that "I do not know who is your father. I have connection with so many men." So he came back to Gautama Muni, "Sir, my mother also does not know." She said that she had many connections, 'I do not who is particularly your father.' " But Gautama Muni immediately accepted him, "Yes, you are brahmana, because you are truthful. Nobody dares to say like that, that 'I do not know my father's name. My mother said that she had many connections.' " Because he was truthful, satyam samo damas titiksa, so by the quality, he was accepted immediately, and he was initiated, that "You have the qualities of brahmana."
(end of story)
So I hope that by hearing this wonderful example from Srila
Prabhupada that your doubts are now cleared.
I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Krishna Wants Us Back in His Abode
Video For the Day: We Are Not This Body
Answers by Citing the Vedic Version
Question: Degenerated Varnashram System?
Respected Guru Dev,Please accept my humble obeisances to you and Gurumataji.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Please pardon me at the outset if I sound blasphemous; but you have only told us to get all doubts clarified, hence this question.
In BG 4/13, the Lord says that he created the Chaturvarnya or the varnashram system. You know it has degenerated into something very bad that has damaged the sanatana dharma over the last hundreds of years and the damage is still continuing. The system has deprived a large number of people the benefits of education and the precious spiritual knowledge of our scriptures. It created deep divisions in the society which enabled the Muslims first and then the British later to enslave the country for hundreds of years and destroy it's spiritual heritage.
My question is, the Lord being Omniscient, would have known this damage. Even then, why did he create this system?
What have been the benefits, if at all any of this system?
Thanks and regards
Shriram Bejalwar
Answer: Divine Varnashram not Demoniac Varnashram
From: Noida, IndiaMy Dear Shiram,
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Krishna’s system of four varnas and four ashrams is perfect. It is based on qualities and activities, not on the birth. The rascals have changed it by making it based on birth. So what is existing now in India is not the divine varnashram system.It is the demoniac varnashram system. It is perversion of the wonderful system created by Krishna that enabled everyone to live together in perfect peace and harmony just as the various parts of the body work together harmoniously the serve the functions of the body. In the divine varnashram system one can change his position if he manifests the qualities. Even a sudra can become a brahmana.
There is famous story in this connection as told by Srila Prabhupada in Vrindavan in 1974:
At least, in India, one who cannot say his father's name, immediately he becomes degraded. Just like the Jabala Satyakama. Jabala Satyakama, he, he was... He went to Gautama Muni, "Please initiate me." And according to Vedic conclusion, initiation is meant for the brahmana. Brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya. Not for the sudras. Sudras are not initiated. And in the Kali-yuga, because everyone is a sudra, therefore he's first of all given training to become a brahmana. Then the sacred thread is offered. This is the process. Because actually, initiation cannot be given to anyone except a brahmana. So kalau sudra-sambhavah: "In the Kali-yuga, everyone is sudra." That is to be accepted without any disagreement. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. Because they have no samskara. Asamskrtah kriya-hina mlecchah. One who is not undergone the reformatory processes, garbhadhana-samskara, upanayana-samskara... There are ten kinds of samskaras, reformatory. One who has not gone, or one who is not permitted to undergo the samskara, he's sudra. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. Everyone is born sudra. By reformatory method, he becomes twice-born -- by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and spiritual master is the father.
In this way, the Jabala Upanisad. He was asked by Gautama Muni, "Who is your father?" So he said that "I do not know." "Then go to your mother. Ask her." The mother could not say, that "I do not know who is your father. I have connection with so many men." So he came back to Gautama Muni, "Sir, my mother also does not know." She said that she had many connections, 'I do not who is particularly your father.' " But Gautama Muni immediately accepted him, "Yes, you are brahmana, because you are truthful. Nobody dares to say like that, that 'I do not know my father's name. My mother said that she had many connections.' " Because he was truthful, satyam samo damas titiksa, so by the quality, he was accepted immediately, and he was initiated, that "You have the qualities of brahmana."
(end of story)
So I hope that by hearing this wonderful example from Srila
Prabhupada that your doubts are now cleared.
I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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