By Vrndavanlila dd (Dr Vrinda Baxi)
In his last days’ message to the devotees, Srila Prabhupada put emphasis on the importance of Varnasrama and mercifully left the 50% of the job of his spiritual mission for his empowered disciples, giving them an opportunity to thus serve the Lord and gain proximity with Him, and they in turn carrying on the tradition of munificence have passed it on us, while guiding us by example.
His divine grace Srila Prabhupada condemned the social set up based on industrialism, materialism, and perverted value system. He called for a spiritual overhauling of the society and also began the process by teaching the world the profound principles of love and submission to God- Krishna Consciousness.
Spiritual growth is everybody’s right, Krishna Consciousness is not for elite, but for everybody. As His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami says, “all spirit souls are meant to progress towards Godhead and no matter what one’s material situation, the most challenging and binding obstacle in this material world is the living entities’ perverted reflection of pure love, material sex desire, which all devotees have to work on.” How to come out of this illusion and control the material senses? The two different methods of controlling material senses as recommended in the Srimad Bhagavatham are the process of jnana, or the path of philosophical understanding of the Supreme- Brahma, Parmatama and Bhagavan. The other is that of direct engagement in the transcendental loving devotional service of the Lord. The latter one happens to be easier as the devotee does not have to wait for the attainment of the fruitive results of pious activities. Reviving our original relationship with the Lord is crucial, but how? – Hari nama.
Harer nama harer nama, harer namaiva kevalam
Kalau nasty eva nasty, nasty eve gatir anyatha
[CC Madhya. 241-2. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way.]
We have wasted enough lifetimes (84 lakhs!) in pursuing our concocted ideas of “pleasure” and “happiness”. Now that we have this body, let us give this one birth to Him, just one life time. But in this age even this is difficult despite its inherent simplicity, so creating a conducive atmosphere for practicing Krishna Consciousness is essential. Citing Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas advocated varnasrama dharma, a social institution in which people ensure spiritual advancement by following their basic proclivities— a life centered around land, cow, and Krishna. The set up trains everybody’s sensibilities in a manner that we are more disciplined and detached. In Srila Prabhupada’s own words:
The Vedic principle is to reduce attachment, not to increase it. Therefore the whole system is called Varnasrama dharma. The Indian system calls for varna and ashrama- four social orders and spiritual orders. Brahmacharya (celibate student life), grhastha (married life), vanaprastha (retired life) and sannyasa (renounced life) – these are the spiritual orders. And the social orders consist of brahmans (intellectuals), kshatriyas (administrators), vaishyas (merchants and farmers), and sudras (ordinary workers). So under this system, the regulative principles are so nice that even if one has the tendency to enjoy materiallife, he is so nicely molded that at last he achieves liberation and goes back home, back to Godhead. This is the process. So sex life is not required, but because we are attached to it, therefore there are some regulative principles under which it is maintained.
However, Srila Prabhupada faults the modern caste system that is prevalent in India presently, calling it as a perversion of scriptural injunction- asuric varnasrama. What we require is daivi varnasrama, where Krishna is at the center of activities, it is a society where occupations are not defined by force or greed but are determined by character and training, not by birth and wealth— guna-karma-vibhagasah; and one that is based on mutual appreciation and cooperation between classes. Economic progress, pursuit of material comforts, and sense aggrandizement are not the goals. The guiding principle of life remains- simple living, high thinking.
Since varnasrama happens to be not much traveled road, it is an area, which offers child like pleasure in digging the goldmine, there is so much to explore, know, and do. Since it is a way of life, it touches all the aspects of life – from family life, administration, agriculture, cow protection, to devotion for Him. There is a lot happening because of the untiring efforts of so many.
Varnasrama Research Teams are satellite localized research units working towards spreading the message of varnasrama and thus help preparing ourselves to come out of the material conditioning and take to the life style created by Lord Krishna and recommended by various acharyas, including Srila Prabhupada. Varnasrama Research Team tried to make its small contribution in the direction. It recently launched a newsletter titled, The Eight Petals: VRT Newsletter to Attain the Lord’s Feet
(http://www.varnasrama.org/images/stories/8petals_vrt_newsletter_augsep_2009_vol.1.pdf)
on the auspicious day of Lord Krishna’s appearance this year, i.e. on August 14, 2009. The newsletter is planned to be a monthly feature with one bonus annual issue. Everybody is welcome to be a part of it by reading it, commenting on the articles or on the newsletter itself for improvement, send their articles, share their experiences, and realizations in the context. While this was the introductory issue, the following issue is planned to be Farming-centric.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Isn’t it beautiful to chant the mantra in the verdant environs of fields, river flowing with clear water, cooing of the birds, mooing of the cows, and fresh breeze carrying the fragrance of unknown flowers? While sitting in AC room with no ventilation and fresh air, does this seems to be a pipe dream? It can be translated to reality through our adoption of varnasrama. Let us make a move, if nothing else by emotionally supporting those who are already trying to do it. Hare Krishna!
Vrndavanlila dd (Dr Vrinda Baxi)
Contact: silentlyflowstheriver@gmail.com
My dear Vrindavana lila devi,
I must say how much I was favorably impressed by your eloquent arguments in favor of daivi varna ashram and against the asuri ashram (a pseudo-order manipulated by profit-motivated demons in dress of higher castes). Certainly you have heard clearly the pristine call of Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Shrila Prabhupada, and now that you heart and soul have been set ablaze with the light of perfect knowledge you are using your ample wit and intelligence to share that light with a world in darkness. May the message of the Founder Acharya ever continue to flow from your heart!
Allow me to mention that your approach to conveying Prabhupada’s message succinctly is truly inspiring. By that I especially refer and take note of your entreaty for all mankind to utilize just one life in 8,400,000 to become Krishna conscious. Well said!
I do not know who initiated you, but I can see that whichever fortunate Godbrother he is, he is directly conveying Shrila Prabhupada’s paramapara message to a growing generation of brilliant and budding devotees. Therefore, let me offer respectful obeisances to not only you, but your spiritual master as well.
Please continue this valuable service for it is very pleasing to Prabhupada, and therefore such Krishna conscious activities as you champion can never fail.
Yours in Prabhupada,
Patita Pavana das Adhikary
I just reinstalled Google Earth yesterday. The first place I visited was Tirupati, then Vrndavan, and finally Mayapur, India. In older releases of Google Earth you couldn’t see Vrndavan or Mayapur very clearly, but in the newer release everything is amazingly clear. I haven’t personally been in Mayapur or Vrndavan since 1979, so all I know of these places is photographs I’ve seen. What is interesting is that most of the photographs of the Mayapur temple, seen from the latest version of Google Earth, were provided by Vrndavanlila Prabhu. I had been wondering the last few days why more intelligent and educated women in ISKCON don’t post more articles and enter into more of the discussions at Dandavats. I was happy to read this interesting article by Vrndavanlila Prabhu.
Hare Krishna Patita Pavan Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thank you so much for your kind inspiring words.
I am still pinching myself to believe that such a senior devotee of your stature, whose knowledge and felicity of words has been simply so awe inspiring for a spiritual toddler like me has not only commented on my expression of feelings but even appreciated it.
So much for repeating the words of acharyas and my guru, HH Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaj! The beauty of Guru parampara and Krishna consciousness….
I am just a small fry in the big army of Srila Prabhupada, but devotees are like desire trees indeed, mercifully empowering a person like me also through their blessings to serve Him better:
vancha-kalpa-tarubhyash ca
kripa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah
Greedily, I plead you to give me more and more of your blessings for I am so fallen and disqualified.
Vrndavanlila dd
My dear Mother,
Pranams and many thanks for the kind words, but the numbers speak for themselves. My article European Pilgrimage””was posted at the same time as yours, and here we are just a couple of days later and you already have OVER DOUBLE the hits mine has. In fact, your article has more hits than every other one of the five articles posted concurrent with ours. (If this sounds like competition, it is. Shrila Prabhupada used to encourage this “transcendental competition.” …though of course the purpose of writing is our own self-purification and not “hits”)
So I congratulate you for you articulate word-savvy into which you’ve inter-mingled in a very individualistic way the wondrous philosophy of Shrila Prabhupada. For our Guru Maharaja is none other than:
-the Fouder of the one True Religion in the Modern Day
– the Progenitor of World Sankirtana according to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Exmple
– the Representative Acharya in the Footsteps of HIs Own Guru Maharaja
-the Universal Guru of Krishna Consciousness.
Yet still, from these simple words of yours, your own expression, there is found the fact that you have realized the deepest truths from the heart of hearts of Shrila Prabhupada’s message. This is the important thing. For it is the realization behind the words that has attracted so many devotees, not mere literary skill. As Shrila Prabhupada used to say, “Thank you for coming to that point.”
With humble pranams,
Patita Pavana das Adhikary
With humble pranams.
Patita Pavana das Adhikary
Hare Krishna Suresh prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am so sorry to disappoint you prabhu, I am not that famous Vrndavanlila dd who keeps everybody posted on Mayapur pictures etc.
But your words that it was an interesting article, really encourages me. Thank you so much. Actually to my understanding, in terms of implementation of varnasrama set up, this is a period of transition for us, where people are rising to the awareness and importance of varnasrama in our spiritual life and progress. So this is a period of change- the most difficult period. I may not be able to see things happen in this life time itself, may be the next generation will or even the next… But it has to happen. Varnasrama is bound to take the world, Varnasrama is the next revolution, not because I sit here and feel like that; simply because it is the desire of great vaishnavas like Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, Srila Prabhupada….so many exalted devotees’ entreaties. Krishna can not reject their pleas. In fact we are all aware how He mercifully chose to appear as Mahaprabhu on the prayers of Advaita acharya… Here it is more significant because varnasrama is His creation too. :) Let us associate ourselves with this big revolution and work in sync with His desire.
In such moments of anxiety when we are seeing so much of tumult and change, these small words of appreciation are very precious prabhu. Thank you once again.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada
Vrndavanlila dd
Hare Krishna Patita Pavan prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Your words make me proud to belong to the big & beautiful family of Srila Prabhupada. I am the grand daughter, naturally enough I will be pampered by seniors.
Your humble words remind me of an episode from Ramayana. Hanumanji did not use anything but his ‘own’ strength or ability to cross the vast ocean full of dangers, but when Shri Ramji had to cross it along with His army, they built a huge bridge. It does not mean Shri Ramji could not have done what Hanumanji did, it is just that He wanted to give an opportunity of service to everybody, even a squirrel. Additionally, Hanumanji could achieve that feat because he took the shelter of His holy name. It is although a very far fetched parallel for a fallen person like me, but it surely depicts from where I am deriving my energy. I have the shelter of blessings of great vaishnavas, devotees, and thus you. I have the backing of the whole parampara, transmitted through Srila Prabhupada and then his disciples. I have a long way to go, I feel inspired to hear your encouraging words from you and now I feel even more empowered too.
The thought of “transcendental competition” is also nice, what a way to pat the back of a child! But I want to make confession- “I really like it and I really need these pats in these moments of testing.” Thank you once again.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada
Vrndavanlila dd
OK Little Mataji,
You asked for it!
Since you say that you appreciate the encouragement, then this goes our for you, and all members of the next generation of Shrila Prabhhupada’s worldwide family:
May you always remain happy,
Sheltered by your guru’s grace.
May Lord Krishna ever guide you
As you preach from place to place.
May the Lord of the Heart inspire you,
With spirit”s grace from within.
May you purify this Kali Yuga,
And free the world from sin.
May your mind dwell forever,
At Radha-Krishna’s lotus feet,
May you impart this Krishna consciousness
Unto everyone one you meet.
May Prabhupada”s grace surround you
By the blessings of your Shri Guru.
May Providence direct your travels
And assist in allyou do.
May every tirtha bhumis,
That served Shrila Prabhupada,
Keep you safe and free from harm
By the grace of the name of God.
May all blissful disciples
Pave the way for a better world
Where the bliss of Mahaprabhu”s sankirtan
Is tasted free for every boy and girl.
And may you always be happy,
Sure and secure that this
Krishna consciousness is the way to love,
And eternal life and bliss.
With affection. to all of you, soldiers planted by Mahaprabhu in His holy army.
Patita Pavana das