> A Finishing Place
> BY PRTHA DEVI DASI
> It must be noted that Prabhupada's idea of,
> varnashrama-dharma is different from what
> most devotees are preaching. A devotee
> can do anything for Krsna.
> The so-called sudra may offer aroti and is therefore
> not really a sudra. The so-called brahmana may clean
> the bathrooms and therefore is not really a brahmana.
> What are they? Vaisnavas! Prabhupada wanted us to
> "Krishnaize" Varnashrama-dharma. and bring it
> beyond the caste system of birth.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 302:
Srila Prabhupada: Vaisnava is transcendental, but for proper management of the material world, one should be acting like a brahmana, one should be acting like a ksatriya. That is required. If need be he has to act as ksatriya or a sudra. It doesn't matter. But manage, for management the division must be there. Otherwise it will be mismanagement.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 300:
Srila Prabhupada: For the management of affairs we require to divide. Those who are fit for management and protection they should be trained as ksatriya . . . so in our society this division should be there.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 8 pg. 342:
Srila Prabhupada: This is also devotion, to teach a ksatriya because this is necessary in society. This is also devotion.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 302:
Srila Prabhupada: Ksatriyas should be taught that he is manager.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 16 pg. 265 & 266, October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:
Harikesa: How in the beginning... Let's say you have a king...
Prabhupada: Beginning Krsna.
Harikesa: No, no. Let's say you have a king, and he is deciding this person is worthy of...
Prabhupada: No, no, beginning, Krsna. Why don't you read Bhagavad-gita? You don't know?
Harikesa: No, no. Yes.
Prabhupada: What is the social arrangement? What is that?
Harikesa: That Krsna created the four orders.
Prabhupada: Yes. So you make that four orders, and then society will be in order. But you are not taking Krsna's advice. You are manufacturing your hellish ideas.
Harikesa: No, I was just wondering how one would be able to see who was acting in a certain way unless they were first engaged in something. They have to be doing some activity...
Prabhupada: No, no.
Harikesa: ...so you can see what kind of quality they have.
Prabhupada: No, no. Take "everyone is rascal," then train them. That is wanted. Take everyone as rascal. 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. There is no force. Sudra is also required.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 211:
Some sudras may be given technical education, but most sudras should work on the farms. . . . . Everyone should be tested to find out which education he is suited for.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 210:
You cannot engage a bull in the business of a horse, nor can you engage a horse in the business of a bull.
Room Conversation, February 14, 1977, Mayapur:
Srila Prabhupada: Not everybody. Why are you misunderstanding? Varnasrama, not everybody brahmana.
Hari-sauri: No, but in our society practically everyone is being raised to that platform.
Srila Prabhupada: Everybody is being raised, but they are falling down.
Hari-sauri: So then we make it more difficult to get brahminical initiation. After four or five years.
Srila Prabhupada: Not necessary. You remain as ksatriya. . . . . Not that a sudra man must by force become a brahmana. You cannot improve. That is not possible. But even if he remains a sudra and does accordingly, he will get the same position as devotee. . . . . He will get the perfection.
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."
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 324:
In any society you can see that unless there are these four divisions, there will be chaos. It will not work properly. It will be Maya, and there will be disturbances.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 9 TEXT 26]
PURPORT
The varnas are so to speak classifications of different occupations, and asrama-dharma is gradual progress on the path of self realization. Both are interrelated, and one is dependent on the other.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 303:
Atreya Rsi: So in our movement the leaders must decide how every devotee and every resource is engaged properly.
Prabhupada: That is leadership. That is leadership, which man is fitted for which work.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 8 TEXT 36]
PURPORT
The philosophical spirit enunciated by Narada-Muni might have been suitable for a brahmana spirit but it was not suitable for a ksatriya.
Bhagavad-gita 1.36
PURPORT
Arjuna was saintly and therefore wanted to deal with them in saintliness. This kind of saintliness however is not for a ksatriya.
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 14 pg. 281:
Mrs. Wax: Who will decide what the propensities are Srila Prabhupada?
Srila Prabhupada: The book of knowledge. You can read Bhagavad-gita.
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.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 28 TEXT 2]
PURPORT
One should seek out a bona fide spiritual master and surrender unto him, for by inquiring from and worshiping him one can learn spiritual activities. As long as we have this material body there are various duties prescribed for us. Such duties are divided by a system of four social orders: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, April 9, 1975, Hyderbad, India:
"Everyone has got a particular tendency to serve Krsna in a different way. Everyone has got his particular propensity."
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 7 TEXT 12]
PURPORT
If the American people are serious about curbing the degraded criminal life of their nation they must take to the Krsna consciousness movement and try to create the kind of human society advised in the Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah). They must divide their nation into first class men, second class men, third class men and fourth class men.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 10 TEXT 50]
PURPORT
People must be trained according to the different varnasrama occupational duties. The purpose of varnasrama-dharma is to enable people to become God conscious. . . . . There must be schools and colleges to train students to become brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras...
Conversations With Srila Prabhupada Vol. 7 pg. 313:
(RE: Varnasrama-College)
Srila Prabhupada: First of all varna, then asrama. When varna is perfectly in order then asrama. Asrama is specifically meant for spiritual advancement, and varna is general division.
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.
> "So unless one satisfies Krsna, one cannot correctly
> observe the principles of varnasrama-dharma." BG 2:48
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 20 TEXT 11]
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
> There IS humility, but it takes study to see what is true
> and sincere humility - a spiritual quality, and what is
> low self- esteem - an emotional issue, since they appear
> alike. Mundane psychiatric's? Srila Prabhupada never
> told us we cannot go to a "mundane" doctor" for the
> flu, nor did he say to stay away from "mundane
> psychiatrists." These are devotee concoctions.
> He never gave such an instruction, ever.
> There is no harm in healing ourselves
> in any way that is needed. It might
> lead to spiritual advancement once
> the mind is healed.
> Hare Krishna.
> Your Servant, Prtha devi dasi
"Psychiatrists are humbug, all humbug."
http://www.geociites.com/Athens/Thebes/4830/Psychiatrists_are_humbug-A.htm
http://www.geociites.com/Athens/Thebes/4830/Psychiatrists_are_humbug-B.htm
---------------------------------------------
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