 | BVPS 1997-10-07 Varnashrama Seminar-01 Brahmacarya - Mayapur |
We will start from the platform of the first ashrama Brahmacarya=- to understand function well in the varnashrama we need to understand the total system- else we will not know where we are and what part we are playing. Varnashrama is situated upon the body of the Supreme Lord- that means we are functioning within the realm of the Lord's hands, arms, legs , then the whole body can properly function. Starts within understanding what is Brahman. Brahmacarya means who is following the path of understanding Brahman. a Brahmacari is not a piece of orange cloth, or a large well combed, oiled sikha, kavacas, nice fancy border - this is not a brahmacari- bec it means a consciousness-which means the ability to understand what is matter, what is spirit and who are we.
There are different levels of consciousness
Anna maya - platform of the mind , the senses, anything we can perceive and deal with the senses- arts, science... and of course eating sleeping mating and defending
Prana Maya- being able to understand that others also have life- This means we have to be able to work with others- recognize others exist they have desires, needs, and our attempts to get our needs and desires met cannot conflict with others. from this platform comes economic development, material justice- anything where one person has to deal with others.
Mana Maya- platform of religious principles- it also means jnana because there is knowledge- but this knowledge is the knowledge that the mind has affinity for. Bec the mind likes following of this principles. Where we say mind is going crazy means there is no standard to connect it to, thinks anything - all social principle san drules an regulations are meant to keep the mind peaceful If we let the mind go a little nbit- it runs away with the senses ... By the social rules and regulations the mind is controlled.This is the platform of dharma.
Vijnana Maya- we understand we are not the body we are the soul- this platform of the soul we view the the world- Brahma Bhuta platform- brahaman levelThis is the bottom level of transcendence. We know we are the soul but do not know we war the servant of Krishna.
Ananda Maya- To know we are spirit soul and servant of Krishna. and we are trying to serve.
Asuric Varnashrama and Daivi Varnashrama
If we look at this from the platform of Varnashrama these levels correspond to the levels of consciousness of the material varnasharama system. Asuric varnashrama- Following the rules and regulations of Varnashrama without God in the center. This is known as pravritti- the path of sense enjoyment. The jnanis, yogis, karmis bhogis all these kind of people. The other half is Daivi Varnshrama - God is the center of all religious principles. the path of nivritti.
Now we will see an interesting difference-
For Sudra is the platform of occupational activity is the senses because to do the arts you require the senses. Their situation is ann maya.
Vaishyas are in Prana maya- economics, justice- to make agovt road- this is prana maya- your trucks have to go down, to make all this kind of things is prana maya
Next level of dharma that is the realm of the activity of the ksatriya- platform of dharma. First is kama, artha, then dharma
Brahmana means that who knows brahmana.Brahman there are three levels-
- dvija- right to study perform vedic rites and sacrifices and learn the vedic knowledge. But he knows nothing.
- Next level is vipra- one who has knowledge- he has studied vedic knowledge and has become expert- you also called them pandit
- Next level-once they understand why, what is the goal of knowledge, what is it for - who is it for- when the realize it is for Krishna then they are vaishnava. So that means a vaishnava is automatically a brahmana- this means they have already done all these things in prev lifetimes- the basis is consciousness- that makes a vaishnava.- they have done all the varnashrama duties
Therefore sometimes you SP glorify the vaishnava or realized Brahmana and sometimes you hear him talk about the useless brahamanas the smartas, so called vaishnavas in the dress of a vaishnava.
This is bec vaishnava mean consciousness not the dress-this must be kept in mind.
Culture of Vaishnavas is common
This creates a very interesting situation -the culture of the vaishnavas is common- same for everybody- bec everyone as a vaishnava is a brahmana and minimum the devotee is accepted as, though we may be doing the activities of a brahaman ,a ksatriya or a vaishyas or sudra but it is all for the Lord So then this creates a different situation we are dealing with the arms, legs, head of the Lord, the transcndeetal form of the Lord.
Difference between asuric and daivi
The asuric Varnashrama is different parts of the Lord's manifestation as the universal form.
Even if the same rule is followed we sit in a line to take prasad and the smarta do the same thing-the flavor of the two systems is different- bec one is the Xcendental form of the Lord, whereas the other is the material manifestation of the Lord;s energies.When we say something is smarta it means it is being done without the understanding of the Lord.
The smartas, the karmis, the jnanis the yogis do not know that the activities are to be done for the pleasure of the Lord while the devotees do. Bec in the mundane VA this understanding is not there. Therefore Prana maya is better than the anna maya, the vaishayas are better than the sudras, ksatriya are superior to vaishyas, brahamans are superior to the rest.Understanding brahmana is superior.
But the perfection is the vaisnava. Bec they do things for the Lord-therefore on the Lord's body it is not that one part is better than the other(e.g i will not touch the feet bec head is better)- In the daivi varnashrama system these things are not seen - we are looking at kanishtha , madhyam uttama and not what service they are done.
Vasihnavas culture is common not different like the asuric. But in the asuric varnashrama - one is better than the other and each have their own culture- ksatriya, sudra, vaishyas , brahmanas have the same culture as the consciousness is the same.
If we can understand the difference between the two systems - then when we can make it work. If we want to follow daivi varnashrama but if we follow a rule just as its a rule and dont know its connection with Lord then what is the difference between us and the smartas-. Bec the difference between any situation in the material world is simply consciousness, nothing- your consciousness is Xcendental you are in the spiritual realm and if your consciousness is material you are in the material realm.
8.4 million species is based on consciousness and our posn in varnashrama is also based on consciousness.
Why do we need varnashrama?12:00minutes.
Problem because of the condn nature. If we are Xcedental we simply hear about the Lord we become immd devotees and act on the Xcendental platform, Eg Kumaras smelt the tulasi l;eaves they become self realized, SG hears the pastimes of Krishna and he became self realized. We have heard SB and have smelt tulasi leaves we may or may not have gotten self realized. This is bec of the condn nature- it takes some practice to change that- VA helps us get rid of condn consciousness- most essential point of VA- all rules and regulations are simply to destroy the material concept. e.g SP him or another small child- wanted to stick his finger in the fan, relatives told him no- uncle said first pull out of the plug and when it becomes slow then you can stick your finger......kid stuck his finger in the fan - it made a big noise, the child got his finger out and ran off never put his finger in the fan again
This is the purpose of VA- whether we are big big brahmacariss, mature grhasthas, realized vanaprasthas, dynamic sanyasis - the system is given so that you can put your finger in it and realize you are none of these.Thats what its for. The Vaishnava sees things as they are- but he is realistic also by looking at the system - this is what it is but we do not take it lightly.
This is the diff between the kanishtha and the madhyama adhikari- the kanishtha has difficulty finding the balance whereas the madhyama can find the balance. This means kanishtha not follow the rules- that is for fanatics or he will say they dont care so much. Neither of them understand what is the purpose. We have to understand the purpose , goal and how these things technically work. A vaishnava has the intelligence to understand. - at least we can understand we need to follow.
Problem because of the condn nature. If we are Xcedental we simply hear about the Lord we become immd devotees and act on the Xcendental platform, Eg Kumaras smelt the tulasi l;eaves they become self realized, SG hears the pastimes of Krishna and he became self realized. We have heard SB and have smelt tulasi leaves we may or may not have gotten self realized. This is bec of the condn nature- it takes some practice to change that- VA helps us get rid of condn consciousness- most essential point of VA- all rules and regulations are simply to destroy the material concept. e.g SP him or another small child- wanted to stick his finger in the fan, relatives told him no- uncle said first pull out of the plug and when it becomes slow then you can stick your finger......kid stuck his finger in the fan - it made a big noise, the child got his finger out and ran off never put his finger in the fan again
This is the purpose of VA- whether we are big big brahmacariss, mature grhasthas, realized vanaprasthas, dynamic sanyasis - the system is given so that you can put your finger in it and realize you are none of these.Thats what its for. The Vaishnava sees things as they are- but he is realistic also by looking at the system - this is what it is but we do not take it lightly.
This is the diff between the kanishtha and the madhyama adhikari- the kanishtha has difficulty finding the balance whereas the madhyama can find the balance. This means kanishtha not follow the rules- that is for fanatics or he will say they dont care so much. Neither of them understand what is the purpose. We have to understand the purpose , goal and how these things technically work. A vaishnava has the intelligence to understand. - at least we can understand we need to follow.
Varnashrama accommodates all kinds of people
VA must be followed- Vaishnavas to please Krishna, karmi wants some pious result- wealth , place in the heavenly planet. , jnani- wants subtle aspects of this-to be God, controller, yogi wants mystic powers. Devotees follow the rules to please Krishna. VA accommodating all kinds of people.
Within so many rules and regs in VA the acaryas have picked out those that will help us in DS. This means the ones that will get you to heavenly planets or get you into the brahman have been left. Those aspects of the culture that helps us elevate our consciousness and become pure devotees- Sanatana Goswami technical principles in HBV and further explanation by RG in NOD.Principles of sadhana bhakti and this VA are very much confirmed. Devotional activities our sadhana . We do activities according to our nature and this is our tradition. They are very much connected.
Questions on this topic? 18:50 minutes
If SP wanted VA to be establish for society in general and if acaryas have cut of aspects of karma, jnan then what about those people who are interested in that?
Answer: SP was not interested in giving those, as those things are already going on, we need to touch how to develop our love for Krishna this is called Bhagavata Dharama. ... diff between the two system is consciousness..Only secondary rules have been left........ Those devotees who think those rules are for fanatics, we dont worry for the rules- If we would know what rules ahve already been dropped we would not soncider simply following SP.
Example- you breathe- by breathing we kill so many living entities , by driking water, sweeping, lighting fire , by walking by these activities alone much reaction has achieved- to free ourselves just from those we would have to do a yagna everyday, instead the acaryas have given us just chant hare krishna.
Example if you do not offer the shradha the pind, then all the forefathers go to helll and all those forefathers if no one is feeding them they get hungry- imagine one year not eating. So one will go to hell. What are we doing for that? We recognize Krishna is the father, the great grandfather, the grandfather- because of this by chanting and serving Krishna we are serving our forefathers. So when we say we just chant hare Krishna and o not need to follow the rules - one has to know what those rules mean- otherwise it is not enough to say we do not care about these rules and we will stay independent how we like-staying independent , aloof from everybody else.this is where kanistha has a problem when it comes to rules and regulations where i have to control oneself - they say i just chant hare krishna but when it comes to eating. sleeping , mating defending then I will do it the way I like. This is not a sign of advancement, but a sign of false ego. We cannot just pick and choose what we like.
Its like the goose with the Golden egg- very nice we get golden egg- the man thinks Ah! I will cut the back and keep that and throw the front - but then he sees that it got him nowhere. SP gives this example of we dont pick and choose the acaryas pick and choose and we follow what they have chosen for us. And those must be seen as RG has through our acaryas- not that we pick up the HBV- we have to know the mood and consciousness of following the rules.
since the principles are intact anyone can follow- If your consciousness is on the ananda maya then you get a Xtl result, if on the Brahmana platform- you can get that, if you want dharma, karma, artha, moksha you will get that.Whatever you want, you want you come to Krishna, follow the bhagavata dharma and not asuric because you are recognizing Krishna.Krishna will say you want this, take it- DS is anotehr question. The system is not hard to follow it is easy.They think I chant Hare Krishna I get this- but we are saying you should understand you chant hare Krishna and go BTG.
Bhagavata Dharma gives all the stories if one who is following the dharma but consciousness is not pure- then whatever you think at the time of death that you will achieve. The life is a prep for death- what you do in life is what you will think at death.
Different levels of consciousness- the progression through them how does it work
So basic principle is devotee is trying to situate himself on the platform of ananda maya- we have the condn of the other levels. If that was not there- we just meet the guru and he says chant 3 lakhs of names and we chant three lakhs of names and then BTG. Bec we have the condn of the 4 levels of consciousness- therefore the principles of panchratrik system and daivi varnashrama are there to purify these habits.If that is how to approach it, this is the type of consciousness I have, this is the best situation for me, I follow these aspects of varna and ashrama. Therefore buddhi yoga- the yoga of the intelligence- bec you have to be intelligent to understand where you are situated and also that I cannot fully understand I must take shelter f someone who can understand - therefore we must take shelter of others- develop that mood of taking shelter and surrender to Krsna.
Krsna just walked in the door right now what would you do - someone who knows Krsna on the Xcendental platform they immd relate to him according to their rasa- cowherd boy- immediately service is there. But what will we do- therefore sadhana bhakti to awaken our love for Krsna what he likes does not like- we don't know what he likes to eat, when how, he likes to wear dhoti and chaddar.
Without rules and regulations we will not know what kind of music he likes.we will know kartals, mrdanga sing in a certain way.
We have to address where our consciousness is at and get purified- we get purified when we do what Krishna likes. We have to learn these things- this is the purpose of VA- the devotional rules and regulations. Some say many paths but one goal -we say one path but many goals- wherever you want to stop on the path that is what you get. Therefore when we face Krishna we move there get him- we face Krishna and desire heavenly planets then we get that and if we don't face Krishna we go down- therefore the rules and regulations are there so that we face Krishna and move in that directions. So we have to be very very careful what we want- its not that we go through the bhakta program.
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