> VAD is not a creation of Srila Prabhupada nor ISKCON, it
> is the creation of the material world, there are plenty of
> holy men, plenty of farmers and bankers, plenty of
> administrators and soldiers and so-called kings, plenty of
> laborers, there is hardly anyone who knows the reality of
> sanatana-dharma, what Srila Prabhupada wishes to convey to
> the world. VAD is as materialistic as eat, sleep, mate, and
> defend, and separate endeavors to think one is creating a
> philosophy is neither timely, nor appropriate.
> Also, a humble suggestion to GPD, try writing something in
> your own words, describing your realizations, parrots and
> tape recorders can give the quotations,
> haribol, ys, mahaksadasa
Gauranga Prema Dasa
posted 11-12-98 10:14 PM CT (US)
BHAGAVAD-GITA 4.13
catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayamcatuh-varnyam - the four divisions of human society; maya - by Me; srstam - created; guna - of quality; karma - and work; vibhagasah - in terms of division; tasya - of that; kartaram - the father; api - although; mam - Me; viddhi - you may know; akartaram - as the nondoer; avyayam - unchangeable.
TRANSLATION
According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me.
Siksamrta Vol. 3 pg. 2542:
75-01 "If one is capable, then he should preach. On the whole our society should be divided into four divisions, but such divisions are not material. Just like Krsna belonged to the vaisya community but He is worshiped by the brahmanas."
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 16 pg. 265 & 266, October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupada: There is no question that "Here is intelligent man, here is rascal, here is the..." No. First of all take them all rascals, and then train them. That is wanted. That is wanted now. At the present moment the whole world is full of rascals. Now, if they take to Krsna consciousness, select amongst them. Just like I am training. You are brahmana by training. So one who is prepared to be trained as brahmana, classify him in the brahmana. One is trained up as ksatriya, classify him. In this way, catur-varnyam maya srs...
Harikesa: And that ksatriya would engage everyone basically as sudra and then pick from them.
Prabhupada: Hm.?
Harikesa: He would initially pick...
Prabhupada: No, no, no. You pick up... You take the whole mass of people as sudra. Then...
Harikesa: Pick out.
Prabhupada: Pick out. And rest, who is neither brahmana nor ksatriya nor vaisya, then he is sudra. That's all, very easy thing. If he cannot be trained up as engineer, then he remains as a common man. There is no force. This is the way of organizing society.
Back To Godhead, October 10, 1968, Seattle Washington:
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out
There is no question of interpretation. Then the authority is gone. As soon as you interpret, there is no authority. . . . . And those who are interpreting unnecessarily, they should be rejected immediately. Immediately, without consideration.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 229:
Srila Prabhupada: If you can substantiate your statements by quotations from the Vedas, then they are accepted. You are not required to substantiate them in other ways.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 2 Text 18]
PURPORT
There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhagavata is as good as the book Bhagavata because the devotee Bhagavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhagavata, and the book Bhagavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhagavatas. Bhagavata book and person are identical.
BHAGAVAD-GITA 1.42
PURPORT
The four orders of human society, combined with family welfare activities as they are set forth by the institution of the sanatana-dharma or varnasrama-dharma, are designed to enable a human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore the breaking of the sanatana-dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life-Visnu. Such leaders are called blind and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be lead into chaos. (Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 300: Srila Prabhupada: In our society this division should be there. Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 301: Srila Prabhupada: In each center).
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 19 TEXT 4]
PURPORT
The life of a human being is a chance to prepare oneself to go back to Godhead, or to get rid of the material existence, the repetition of birth and death. Thus in the system of varnasrama-dharma every man and woman is trained for this purpose. In other words the system of varnasrama-dharma is also known as sanatana-dharma, or the eternal occupation. The system of varnasrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 11 TEXT 2]
PURPORT
The eternal occupational duty can be organized through the institution of varnasrama, in which there are four varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and four asramas...
BHAGAVAD-GITA INTRODUCTION:
...the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita is to revive our sanatana occupation, or sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 11]
Summarization of the chapter
One who follows the garbhadhana samskara system is actually twiceborn, but those who do not, who deviate from the principles of varnasrama-dharma are called dvija-bhandus. (Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 302: Srila Prabhupada: If need be he (a vaisnava) has to act as ksatriya or a sudra . . . but manage, for management the division must be there. Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 300: Srila Prabhupada: in our society).
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION Pg. 264:
O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands.
Signed - the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION
His Divine Grace
A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 364:
Glossary
Acarya - a spiritual master who teaches by example.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 61, 62:
What Vyasadeva and Krsna taught five thousand years ago is also being taught now. There is no difference between the two instructions. Although hundreds and thousands of acaryas have come and gone, the message is one. The real guru cannot be two, for the real guru does not speak differently from his predecessors. Whatever Vyasadeva wrote was originally spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Vyasadeva did not give his own opinion. Consequently, Srila Vyasadeva is a guru. He does not misinterpret the words of Krsna, but transmits them exactly as they were spoken. If we send a telegram, the person who delivers the telegram does not have to correct it, edit it, or add to it. He simply presents it. That is the guru's business. The guru may be this person or that, but the message is the same; therefore it is said that guru is one. In disciplic succession we simply find repetition of the same subject.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 61, 62:
Some spiritual teachers say, "In my opinion you should do this," but this is not a guru. Such so-called gurus are simply rascals. The genuine guru has only one opinion, and that is the opinion expressed by Krsna, Vyasadeva, Narada, Arjuna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Goswamis. Five thousand years ago Lord Sri Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita, and Vyasadeva recorded it. Srila Vyasadeva did not say, "This is my opinion." Rather, he wrote, sri-bhagavan uvaca, that is, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead says." Whatever Vyasadeva wrote was originally spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Vyasadeva did not give his own opinion.
Consequently, Srila Vyasadeva is a guru. He does not misinterpret the words of Krsna, but transmits them exactly as they were spoken. If we send a telegram, the person who delivers the telegram does not have to correct it, edit it, or add to it. He simply presents it.
The six Goswamis also transmitted the same message, and we are simply following in their footsteps. There is no difference. We do not interpret the words of Krsna by saying, "In my opinion, the Battlefield of Kuruksetra represents the human body." Such interpretations are set forth by rascals. In the world there are many rascal gurus who give their own opinion, but we can challenge any rascal.
---------------------------------------------
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