> Leadership Excellence Journal, May 2001
> Ksatriya Training - Vipramukhya Swami
> You don't have to tell someone, "You're a ksaytria. You should take these courses. You're a brahmana,
> you should take these." You simply have to design and offer the courses, and let people choose for
> themselves. This is exactly similar to what happens in modern universities. The students are offered a
> wide variety of courses, and they decide which courses interest them. Of course, some courses are
> required for everyone, but beyond that they may choose what courses they wish to take in order to
> qualify for a particular field of interest. Similarly, in our Varnasrama College we need not choose for the
> students.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 22 TEXT 7]
PURPORT
The real fact is that a bona fide spiritual master knows the nature of a particular man and what sort of duties he can perform in Krsna consciousness, and he instructs him in that way. He instructs him through the ear, not privately but publicly. "You are fit for such and such work in Krsna consciousness. You can act in this way." One person is advised to act in Krsna consciousness by working in the deities room, another is advised to act in Krsna consciousness by performing editorial work, another is advised to do preaching work, and another is advised to carry out Krsna consciousness in the cooking department. There are different departments of activity in Krsna consciousness, and a spiritual master knowing the particular ability of a man trains him in such a way that by his tendency to act he becomes perfect. Bhagavad-gita makes it clear that one can attain the highest perfection of spiritual life by offering service according to his ability, just as Arjuna served Krsna by his ability in the military art. Arjuna offered his service as a military man and he became perfect. . . . . One who wants to be certain to achieve spiritual success must take instruction from the spiritual master as to what his particular function is.
Conversations with Srila Prabhupada Vol. 8 pg. 341:
Pancadravida: How do you teach a varnasrama-college? In varnasrama-college if somebody comes in, they say I want to be a ksatriya or I want to be a vaisya... Is it like that?
Srila Prabhupada: No. That will be tested by the teachers, what for he is fit. He will be test by the guru.
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Dear Vipramukhya Swami
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