Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974
So this is... Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who have decided to serve Kṛṣṇa only, they are no longer in the categories of sva-dharma, the bodily sva-dharma, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or brahmacārī, vānaprastha. He is transcendental. That is confirmed in every śāstra. So so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so long our bodily concept of life is not completely eradicated, we must follow the sva-dharma of the body. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, ity ādi. But when actually advanced, that is mahā-bhāgavata. We should not imitate that, but our process is the more we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become transcendental to this bodily concept of life, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.
[...]
So anyone who engages himself without any reservation to the service of the Lord, he is not within the category of these eight varṇāśrama-dharma. He's transcendental. Sa brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So as a Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, he can act like anything by the order of Kṛṣṇa. He can act as a brāhmaṇa, he can act as a śūdra, because his main business is to carry out Kṛṣṇa's order. He's no longer within the category of this sva-dharma.
Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973
"Prabhupāda: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a śūdra. I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha..." Because our Vedic civilization is based on varṇa and āśrama. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied all these things: "I do not belong to any one of these." Then what is Your position? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: [Cc. Madhya 13.80] "I am eternally servant of the maintainer of the gopīs." That means Kṛṣṇa. And He preached: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. That is our identification. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa."
After the storm about beating his wife, Pratyatosa dasa has gone back to shouting, "vanaprastha""vanaprastha" All must retire at the age of 50. This was Srila Prabhupada instruction. All must follow.
ReplyDelete" Dear Vidura Prabhu, Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances. All
glories to Srila Prabhupada!
The Hare Krishna Society (HKS) seems to be yet another excuse for not
following Srila Prabhupada's oft repeated order for all of his male
disciples to take vanaprastha at age 50. This means mandatory retirement at
age 50. No more maintaining houses, motor vehicles or wives. No more jobs or
businesses. No more administering temples, farms, or preaching centers. All
of these things should, upon reaching the age of 50, be turned over to our
grownup sons or at the very least, to the 2nd generation.
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No matter how many quotes you may come up with, Yasoda nandana Prabhu, the
fact remains: Srila Prabhupada said over and over again that his male
disciples should take vanaprastha (mandatory retirement) at age 50. Yet,
most of his disciples, when they reach the age of 50, simply pretend that
Srila Prabhupada was whistling in the wind!
Vanaprastha is an extremely drastic change to one's life style and yet they
go on with their lives without making any changes whatsoever! The way in
which these aged disciples of Srila Prabhupada go on with their householder
lifestyle is outrageous. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence can tell that
they are fragrantly violating Srila Prabhupada's repeated instructions. They
might as well walk around drinking a beer and then proudly post a video of
that illicit activity on the Internet! How is that any different from what
Vidura, Srimukunda, and Damaghosa are so proudly doing?
At the very least they should be a little bit humble and admit that they are
not brahmanas or ksatriyas, and that they are therefore not qualified to
take vanaprastha.
Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa. "
Here the founder acharya Srila Prabhupada says it is still in the bodily concept of life. Now we know why he does not have the intelligence to understand why it is wrong to beat one's wife.