Does Bhakti include a culture that we need to adopt in order to be able to serve Krsna? Can I just keep my own culture, continuing to dress in the same way, eat the same type of food, and so on, and at the same time worship Krsna?
It’s possible to put forward arguments on both sides. Yes, Bhakti includes a form of culture, in the form of the classic Vedic culture and the system of Varnasrama, which is favorable for the cultivation of love for Krsna, but at the same time, bhakti can be practiced by people in all ways of life, regardless of which type of culture they identify with. Both ideas are simultaneously acceptable, and we can see that Prabhupada emphasizes one or the other side while talking to different people in different circumstances. Just following rules is not as important as understanding the essence of it.
Over the centuries there were many theories that tried to classify human beings into different species, resulting in different types of racist theories. The whole issue of slavery was based on the idea that some human beings were inherently inferior to others, and thus could be enslaved and exploited. Even in the United States, people of dark skin continued to be openly discriminated against and segregated up to the 1960s, with some vestiges of discrimination persisting up to today. In India, discrimination during the medieval period was based on caste. Brahmans were considered inherently different from other social classes, with many believing that the only way to progress to the state of a Brahmana was taking another birth, and thus receiving a “Brahmana body”.
What does the Vedas have to say about it? Does the Vedas support the idea of human beings being divided into different species with some being higher than others? What about genetics? Does the Vedas support the modern theory of monogenesis, where it’s believed that all modern human beings come from a common ancestor and share the same DNA? The Vedas describe a race of evolved human beings called “Arians”, who were believed to be stronger, more intelligent, and more culturally refined than others. Would the Arians be different from other human beings at a genetic level? If not, how could the differences be explained?
There are many great men described in the scriptures, such as Kardama Muni, the five Pandavas, and so on, who set the golden standard for the rest of us. One may of course not be like Kardama Muni or Yudhistira Maharaja, but we should at least try to follow in their footsteps.
Good qualities are essential especially when we speak about family life. One can’t demand to have a wife like Sita if he is not like Rama, and vice-versa. The scriptures explain that marriage and friendship should be made between equals, therefore the first step to get a good wife (of a good husband) is to develop our personal qualities. Once one has good personal qualities and is confident about the value of such qualities, one may be able to select a suitable spouse.
When we study the example of great men like Kardama Muni or Yudhistira Maharaja, we find that they have three main important qualities:
1- They know the goal of life. 2- They energetically strive in the direction of this goal, regardless of all obstacles and impediments. 3- They are kind and generous.
There are many other important qualities, such as being able to control one’s senses, being free from lust and greed, and so on, but all these other qualities derive from these three. These three central qualities are the engine that propels us in the direction of all other good qualities, we can say.
People who also have these qualities, or are at least striving to obtain them are attracted to others who have it, and this is the basis for the formation of sangas of advanced devotees, families of pure Vaishnavas, and so on. There are many foolish ladies, as well as many foolish men who don’t value such qualities, but if one understands their value one will be able to eventually find his peers.
As human beings, we strive for acceptance from others. When a devotee associates with materialistic people, this is something that works against us, since we will tend to lower our spiritual standards to be better accepted in the group. That’s why great personalities mentioned in the scriptures would normally renounce life in society at a certain point in their lives and go to live in the forests or mountains. Of course, this is not possible (nor recommended) in our age, but we can get an even greater benefit by associating with pure Vaishnavas.
When we speak about “pure Vaishnavas” we imagine that there is some group here or there where only pure Vaishnavas live, but it’s not really like that. Even spiritual communities contain a mixture of devotees in different levels of advancement, going from materialists who have just a slight devotional inclination, all the way to pure devotees. The point is that advanced devotees tend to form bounds between themselves, both in friendship and marriage. Therefore, one of the keys to finding such souls is to strive to develop these qualities ourselves.
When we speak about marriage, there is another point that comes into view: Lady devotees who cultivate these spiritual qualities feel attracted to men who have them. They feel automatically inclined to follow such a man, and therefore when such qualities are present in the man, all the ideas about chastity and other good feminine qualities become quite natural. If on the other hand, the man lacks such qualities, the marriage will always be full of problems, no matter how qualified the wife may be. There are also cases of abusive men, that can make the life of any woman miserable, regardless of her personal qualifications.
So, let’s try to best understand these three qualities.
To understand the goal of life means to have a sense of mission, have a greater goal, and strive for it. Naturally, the ultimate goal of life is Krsna Consciousness, but there are different paths that lead to this goal. Each devotee can find a particular service, or a particular project, develop it well, and thus offer some tangible contribution. There are also secondary goals, like maintaining one’s family, that can’t be neglected. If the man has a tangible goal and works energetically to achieve it, the wife automatically becomes inclined to assist him in his mission, and therefore cooperation becomes natural. Such a man will also be able to control his senses and act in a proper way, which will inspire natural admiration on the part of the wife.
If on the other hand, the man lacks a clear purpose in life, he will tend to be lazy and under the control of his mind and senses. He will be restless, frustrated, propense to become angry, etc. Women have great difficulty in following such a man. One may speak as much as he wants about Vedic culture, chastity, etc. but without good personal qualities, he will not have the respect of his wife. Ladies respect men who walk their talk.
Although desirable, these first two qualities are by themselves not sufficient. There are many who understand that the goal of life is to advance in Krsna Consciousness, have a sense of mission, and strive to improve their spiritual practice, but without simultaneously developing kindness and generosity become just dry ascetics. Kindness and generosity are some of the main symptoms that one is advancing in spiritual life since it shows one is developing the soft heart of a Vaishnava. Different from just mechanical activities, that can be imitated, these qualities are very difficult to fake.
The quality of being kind and generous applies not only to the wife and children but also to friends, relatives, fellow devotees, etc. A man who is generous will not quarrel about minor things in the house, he will guide by example instead of trying to control. He will put the well-being of others ahead of his personal comfort, he will solve problems, give attention and good advice, and donate his time and energy. He will be kind, patient, and wise. A man with such good qualities will naturally be admired by others, and this will inspire a great deal of trust and admiration in the wife.
Naturally, a marriage is made of two parts. The husband has to have good qualities, and the wife also has to have good qualities. Even the best man can face a failed marriage if he marries an unqualified lady, and the opposite is also true. My point here is that when a man cultivates good qualities in himself, instead of just demanding good qualities from the wife, everything works much better and more naturally. This is why much of the talk about chastity we see in our movement is so caustic: it fails to take into account the necessary qualities in men. It’s time for us to start changing that.
At the end of the 5th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami describes the hellish planets to Maharaja Pariksit. Being a compassionate Vaishnava, Pariksit immediately asks how people can save themselves from all this suffering, which leads Sukadeva Goswami to speak about the glories of the holy names, using the story of Ajamila as an example.
Ajamila was originally a Brahmana from a good family, who fell down into a life of sins and crime after seeing a prostitute having an affair with a drunk man on the street. He eventually went to live with the same prostitute he saw and engaged in various criminal acts to get money to keep her satisfied. It’s mentioned that Ajamila spent most of his life with this prostitute, begetting 10 children.
Srila Prabhupada spoke quite frequently about the necessity of performing Garbhadhana samskara for conceiving good children. This idea is frequently repeated by his disciples and grand disciples in lectures, seminars, and books. However, not so much is done to explain what “Garbhadhana samskara” is really about. As a result, most of us are quite lost in this regard. We understand that “Garbhadhana samskara” is important, but we don’t really know what it is.
There are many different injunctions in different scriptures, and some of the rituals don’t seem to make much sense in the context, like eating a certain type of dhal. Is it sufficient to just chant 50 rounds, or there is more? This article contains some conclusions I reached after researching the subject. You are free to comment adding whatever other information you have on this topic.
First of all, what is Garbhadhana samskara? It happens that children are not tabula rasas, but bring their previous impressions, personal traits, and desires from past lives. The upbringing and the education a child receives from the parents and tutors play a great role in who he or she is going to become, but a great deal is brought from his previous life. A highly enlightened soul will be able to ascend to the highest level of spiritual practice with just a little help, while a soul at a lower level of spirtual development may struggle to follow basic moral principles even with the best education.
The whole idea of Garbadhana samskara is based on attracting an enlightened soul to take shelter in the new body that is being created during conception. Considering how an important part of our lives our children are, the choice of the soul who will come into our family is quite important.
When Brahma woke up at the beginning of the current day, there was just darkness. Everything had to be re-created from the material elements stored in the lotus flower from which he was born. This process continued all the way to the creation of Svayabhuva Manu and his wife Satarupa.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, it is described that Svayabhuva Manu had 5 children: three daughters and two sons. The first daughter, Ākūti, was given in marriage to the sage Ruci, the middle daughter, Devahūti, to the sage Kardama, and the youngest, Prasūti, to Prajapati Dakṣa. From the two sons, the first, Priyavrata, became a renunciant, while the second, Uttanapada, became the father of Dhruva Maharaja and his half-brother Uttama.
By studying this description, one could question from where the rest of humanity came from, as well as all the animals, plants, and other beings who populated the different planets. Early in the current day of Brahma, when Kardama Muni was meditating (before accepting Devahuti, the daughter of Manu as his wife), the earth was not a desert. On the Srimad Bhagavatam (3.21.40-44) it is described that his hermitage was a very beautiful place, surrounded by all kinds of plants and animals.
“The shore of the lake was surrounded by clusters of pious trees and creepers, rich in fruits and flowers of all seasons, that afforded shelter to pious animals and birds, which uttered various cries. It was adorned by the beauty of groves of forest trees. The area resounded with the notes of overjoyed birds. Intoxicated bees wandered there, intoxicated peacocks proudly danced, and merry cuckoos called one another. Lake Bindu-sarovara was adorned by flowering trees such as kadamba, campaka, aśoka, karañja, bakula, āsana, kunda, mandāra, kuṭaja and young mango trees. The air was filled with the pleasing notes of kāraṇḍava ducks, plavas, swans, ospreys, waterfowl, cranes, cakravākas and cakoras. Its shores abounded with deer, boars, porcupines, gavayas, elephants, baboons, lions, monkeys, mongooses and musk deer.”
Similarly, when Uttanapada, the son of Manu, became the king, even before begeting his children, there were already people living on the planet. So, from where did they come?
One tendency we often have is to equate material talents and spiritual advancement. That’s probably one of the greatest mayas of our movement.
Ordinary people have a tendency to worship materially powerful persons, like rich or famous people, artists, etc. and it usually doesn’t bring anything good, since these people are usually not very good examples. This comes from a mixture of two things: identification and the desire to be like them. Just like we identify with our own bodies, we may identify with other people, and thus feel happy when we see these people enjoying. From this identification, comes a desire to be like them, which leads us to try to be close to and imitate them. That’s why people who are beautiful and materially talented become celebrities on social networks, for example, everyone wants to be like them. Celebrities are respected and even worshiped, becoming authorities and role models.
Understandably, devotees are not free from this propensity. We are also inclined to worship materially powerful people, as well as to create stars out of entertainers. Anyone who has a special talent for singing, acting, cooking, speaking in public, and so on, may become be object of worship. If one can sing very beautifully this means he or she must be a pure devotee, right?? We thus equate such material qualities with spiritual advancement and prematurely elevate people to the position of spiritual authorities and role models.
Some pure devotees were great singers, like Narotama Dasa Thakura, but not all of them. Similarly, many great singers were not pure devotees. Many pure devotees were very rich, like Pundarika Vidyanidhi, but no one in the right consciousness would argue that it is a rule that all rich people are pure devotees. Similarly, Maharaja Patraparuda was a very powerful political leader, but not all politicians are devotees. In this way, when we carefully analyze, we see that material qualities have little correlation with one’s level of spiritual advancement. Some advanced devotees show a great deal of material talent, but most appear to be just humble and unassuming people.
Material talents are just skills one gets due to his past karma. If one uses these talents for Krsna, this can surely help him or her to advance, but it’s a mistake to equate these talents with spiritual advancement. Material talents are just a tool that a person can use. Spiritual advancement can come over time from correctly using the tool, but not from the procession of the tool itself.
The test of spiritual advancement is not in measuring the skills one has, but the determination he shows in using these skills for Krsna. One may chant very beautifully, but how many hours per day he is chanting for Krsna? One may manage well, but how busy he is in using this talent for Krsna? One may speak well, but how tirelessly is he using this talent to spread Krsna Consciousness?
Actually, even the determination one shows in using his talents for Krsna is not a direct measure of his advancement, but it is usually a more reliable parameter. Anyone may have talents, but only a sincere devotee will be able to use his talents for Krsna incessantly, for many years, without stopping. By acting in this way one may gradually become advanced, although the determination itself is not a direct measure of advancement.
Another measurement is to observe how one is able to control his senses. Srila Prabhupada mentions that the symptom of one who is advancing in spiritual life is that he becomes averse to sense gratification. Therefore, a truly advanced devotee will not just incessantly serve Krsna, but he will be very serious in following the principles of spiritual life and avoiding questionable activities.
By observing these two things in parallel, we may be able to better differentiate real spiritual advancement from mere material opulences due to past karma and gradually learn to find truly spiritually advanced people whom we can take as role models, avoiding the maya of taking entertainers and talented public speakers as pure devotees.
Many men in our society have the opinion that ladies should not receive an academic education, being instead trained to be good mothers and wives.
Indeed, when we examine the history of Vedic societies, this seemed to be the norm. Ladies would not have to work independently, being instead protected by their parents at a younger age, by their husbands in adult life, and by the grown-up children in older age. Men in such societies would be responsible, and even the worst demons like Ravana or Hiranyakashipu would properly protect their wives. There were no known cases of divorce, and even women who would lose their husbands untimely due to wars or other causes would be taken care of by surviving members of the family, or by some arrangement by the king. There were no cases of helpless women having to fight alone for survival. Srila Prabhupada mentions this in several places.
If it would be somehow possible to re-establish such a society, it would be hard to argue that it would not be a better arrangement than modern societies, where the ladies have to compete with the men in the work market, fighting for survival.
The problem is that we don’t have such a structure in any place in the world nowadays. Men usually don’t properly protect their wives, and grow-up sons abandon their mothers after they leave the house. The safety net previously offered by the extended families is not in place, and there are no saintly kings to protect vulnerable members of society. Marriage nowadays is a gamble at best, where very few ladies can count on receiving support from their husbands for all their lives. Even if we examine only inside our own movement, the situation is not much better. How many old ladies can you remember that are still being properly taken care of by their husbands? You will probably be hard-pressed to make a list with 10 names. Divorces are now the rule, not the exception, and abuse is rampant inside families. In most cases the husbands leave after a few years, giving little or no support for the previous wife. In many cases, the woman is left with small children and has to somehow find ways to provide not only for herself but also for the children. And these are the lucky ones who can at least get married, many ladies don’t even have such a chance, being just exploited by different men at different stages of their lives.
One of the points Vedic literature emphasizes is that we should surrender to superior authorities, culminating with Krsna Himself. As one learns to be respectful to seniors, parents, rulers, spiritual teachers, etc., and get valuable instructions from them, he gradually learns to curb his false ego and his rebellious nature and thus learns how to surrender to Krsna. In other words, the Vedic idea is that we start by surrendering to Krsna’s representatives and gradually learn how to surrender to Krsna Himself.
The problem is that if the superiors don’t give a good example, or worse, if they exploit their subordinates, a great scar is created: someone sincerely surrenders to an authority, but the authority betrays him, and now he has difficulties in surrendering to other authorities, which creates a problem for his spiritual advancement since without surrendering to proper authorities it becomes much harder to surrender to Krsna.
Once, Srila Prabhupada was giving a lecture to a small group of disciples in India, when a cat unexpectedly appeared and laid on his lap. Srila Prabhupada didn’t seem disturbed by the cat and allowed it to stay there for some time. Later he used this situation to illustrate the point that betraying someone who takes shelter of us in good faith is an extremely serious sin. He said: “If I take shelter of you, if I put my head on your lap, and you cut my throat, that’s the worst sin.”
A few days ago I wrote about how the Mayavada philosophy contradicts the Vedanta Sutra, the book on which their philosophy is based. The Vedanta Sutra is not a very difficult book to understand when the direct meaning is accepted, but by twisting it the Mayavadis impose an artificial and contradictory interpretation that is actually much harder to understand than the book itself.
During the time Caitanya Mahaprabhu was present on the planet, most of the great logicians of the time accepted his direct interpretation of the Vedanta Sutra, abandoning the imaginary and contradictory explanations of Sankaracarya, and most of their followers went on the same path, becoming Vaishnavas. However, not everyone accepted it. Even after the advent of Lord Caitanya, the Mayavadi philosophy remained popular, and it ended up serving as a basis for most of the modern gurus and spiritualist movements.
We may not notice it at first, but Mayavada philosophy is not so much about being an impersonalist and believing everyone is God, as it is a process of mental speculation that allows one to milk out the conclusion he wants from the scriptures. Mayavada philosophy is thus more about a certain mental mindset, when one ignores the authorized acaryas and instead accepts some bogus interpretation of the scriptures, which he further deviates using his own speculations. We can see that Mayavadis in India started as a group of austere sannyasis who passed their time studying Vedanta and gradually morphed into an eclectic group of so-called “sadhus” who go to the West to teach hedonism.
Srila Prabhupada explained that there are two great dangers for an aspiring Vaishnava. The first is to become a sahajiya, the second is to become a Mayavadi. It’s just like a straight road, where one can get off course by going too much to the left or to the right. Just like Sahajism is not just about men dressing in saris, Mayavada is not just about people thinking that they are Narayana.
