> Dear Gauranga Prema Prabhu,
> Since you have decided to make understanding VAD
> your life's mission, I suggest that you read a few
> books of anthropology and sociology dealing with the
> issue historically and culturally. A good place to
> start would be "Homo Hierarchicus" by Louis Dumont.
Everything I need to know is in Srila Prabhupada's books.
> If you read the Bhagavad-gita, you will notice
> that Arjuna is worried about something called
> varna-sankara. This is called mixing of
> castes -- when a sudra marries a
> ksatriya or whatever. Why should
> Arjuna have worried about this
> if caste (at that time) had
> nothing to do with birth?
BHAGAVAD-GITA 1.40
TEXT 40
adharmabhibhavat krsna pradusyanti kula-striyah strisu dustasu varsneya jayate varna-sankarahSYNONYMS
adharma--irreligion; abhibhavat--having become predominant; krsna--O Krsna; pradusyanti--become polluted; kula-striyah--family ladies; strisu--of the womanhood; dustasu--being so polluted; varsneya--O descendant of Vrsni; jayate--it so becomes; varna-sankarah--unwanted progeny.
TRANSLATION
When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny.
PURPORT
Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varnasrama religion's principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in society for the general spiritual progress of state and community.
BHAGAVAD-GITA 16.1-3
PURPORT
To beget a child in a godly atmosphere is known in the Vedic scriptures as Garbhadhana-samskara. If the parents want a child in the godly qualities they should follow the ten principles of the human being. In Bhagavad-gita we have studied also before that sex life for begetting a good child is Krsna Himself. Sex life is not condemned provided the process is used in Krsna consciousness. Those who are in Krsna consciousness at least should not beget children like cats and dogs but should beget them so that they may become Krsna conscious after birth. That should be the advantage of children born of a father or mother absorbed in Krsna consciousness. The social institution known as varnasrama-dharma--the institution dividing society into four divisions or castes--is not meant to divide human society according to birth. Such divisions are in terms of educational qualifications.
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Dear Prabhus
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Have I committed any offenses,
taken any quotes out of context,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna