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Kulapavana

Varnashrama dharma - still relevant

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From lack of response here one could assume that not much thought is given to your own varna. That is my general observation as well. Most devotees seem to think of themselves as brahmanas, even when they routinely fall asleeep during morning Bhagavatam class...

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Re: falling asleep in class. It was a slightly sarcastic remark on my part. Some of most strict pursuers of brahminical lifestyle would do much better if they realized their varna and acted accordingly, without having a constant guilt trip about their "less than brahminical" standards.

 

Just because you are a teacher on salary that does not make you a sudra. Many brahmanas in the past served kings as advisors and received steady monetary compensation. There were many types of brahmanas. Ksatriya soldiers routinely received steady pay from the king and that did not make them sudras.

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cute!!

 

Since this was originally posted I have been thinking a lot about this and quite honestly do not know.

 

Perhaps someone out there can help...I do not consider myself Brahmana. I am too weak and lazy and chicken to be kshatriya.

 

I have been a secretary since I was 17 with a few detours here and there. But in my off time I do a lot of reading studying.

 

So where do I stand...am I also a mutt? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

Where is the quote about everyone being shudras in this age? I can not find it now. I suspect I am either a "mutt" or shudra.

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We are all mixed to a certain degree, basicaly it is a fluid spectrum without rigid divisions. But there are no sudra/brahmana mixes: just sudra/vaishya, vaishya/kshatriya or brahmana/kshatriya. Look at other clues as well (besides the modes of nature as perceived by you) such as your parents varna(s) or your hobbies and weaknesses. If you cant figure out clearly what your varna is - most likely you are not brahmana or kshatriya. There is no shame in being a Vaishnava who happens to have a sudra body. Millions times better than being an asura in a brahmana body... Hare Krishna!

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"Srila Prabhupada wanted us to re-establish the Vedic society based largely on varnashrama dharma. It starts with each and every one of us. Do you know what is your varna and do you try to act accordingly? "

 

Sudra, untouchable... somewhere in the cowherds. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

 

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From Krishna Book...Srila Prabhupada tells us...

"Vasudeva was a ksatriya, and Nanda Maharaja was a vaisya. It is the duty of the ksatriya to give protection to the citizens of mankind, and it is the duty of the vaisyas to give protection to the cows. The cows are as important as the citizens. Just as the human citizens should be given all kinds of protection, so the cows also should be given full protection."

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"in the Age of Kali everyone is born sudra" ...that quote simply means that varna is not determined by birth in this age (the smskaras are either ineffective or not performed at all). More important are the verses in Geeta where Krishna proclaims the 4 varnas and declares that everyone fits in that system

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We are brahmanas= We read scriptures and chant "Hare krishna Maha Mantra"

 

We are Kshatriyas= We have protected atleast one person in our life...let it be other people's children, or your own child...

 

We are Vaisyas= We protect cows by not eating meat and protesting against the slaughtering of animals.

 

We are Sudras= Because we do all the dirty work also... there are no maids to do our dirty work unless we are extremely rich. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

We are untouchables... because we are not touched by krishna's grace ?- /images/graemlins/frown.gif Yet.

------------------------

 

So, I think we are above everything, because we are fans of krishna. /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Since we <font color="red">do not</font color> eat Mother Cow - this is a form of cow protection even though most of us are unable for various reasons to personally care for her body and her needs.

 

So it appears we can also be considered Vaisyas or perhaps a mix.

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sorry LE! I spaced out and misunderstood your question...

 

Many things can be cow protection, but not eating cows is just being neutral. I let retired cows graze on my land. That is probably a step towards cow protection on my part ;-)

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I re-read and re-read my question trying to understand if I had actually said that...it disturbed me. But not to worry...I finally came to the conclusion that you had mis-read it.

 

I then deleted the post I made after I found that you deleted your post!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

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several farm animals that were doomed to certain death if I did not do it but no cows yet. I tried to a couple of years ago but our county tied up the process and then I discovered why - one of them wanted her for other reasons!!! I am afraid she is gone now. That was the only reason they would not allow anyone else to take her. I felt horrible. She was at the local animal shelter. I should have been braver and gone in the night and rescued her out of there. But alas I am not a brave warrior.

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as in the cow was once a person who slaughtered cows so now it is his karma to be slaughtered??? Like the famous ISKCON picture of the cow with the man's head and the man with the cow's head prepaing to kill?

 

I remember reading a long time ago that the cow reincarnates into a person in the mode of goodness. Has anyone else read that? I do not remember where this was but it has stuck with me for years.

 

I also remember that the tiger reincarnates to a person in the mode of passion and the monkey to a person in the mode of ignorance.

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