Varnasrama College Now! We Can Do It

New Book: Varnasrama College Now! We Can Do It
by Madhava Priya devi dasi with Krsnasraya dasa

In ISKCON in many ways we suffer from ungroundedness and dysfunction. We try
to be spiritual but our foundation is unstable, and that is why Srila
Prabhupada in his great wisdom instructed us to establish varnasrama dharma.
Whether or not we ever succeed in establishing the whole varnasrama culture,
if we delve into this study it will go a long way toward healing our
emotional wounds and curing our ungroundedness and dysfunction, because
varnasrama's very purpose is to create a stable foundation to support
devotional service.

We all know that Prabhupada said he left 50% of his work for us to do,
namely the setting up of varnasrama dharma. Until now, we in ISKCON have
been more or less stuck in a debate about how to do it, or whether it is
even possible.

But here is something we can do: we can follow his instructions to set up
varnasrama colleges in our centers. And we can do it very easily, very
naturally and very inexpensively with the resources we already have. How can
it be so easy? It can, if we understand the essence of this instruction
(which was given in the so-called "varnasrama walks" in Vrindavan in March
1974 and are compiled with other spoken instructions on varnasrama in the
book Speaking About Varnasrama, compiled by Hare Krishna devi dasi and
available from Krishna.com.)

The essence, the purpose, of varnasrama colleges would be to create three
classes of men, namely brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. Therefore, the
colleges would not primarily be about the teaching of specific or
traditional skills of those varnas. They would be primarily about teaching
the qualities and duties of those varnas. A set of skills does not alone
make a class of men, but a set of qualities along with a knowledge of and
acceptance of duties does make a class of men. The skills are secondary and
would come automatically once the classes of men are created, because the
material world is full of resources for all kinds of traditional and
specific skills. Qualified men can search out those sources themselves, and
will do so, and will develop classes on them for the varnasrama colleges as
time goes on.

This book is an in-depth study of the varnas, based on quotes from
Prabhupada's books and instructions, focusing on qualities, duties and
relationships, seeking to apply these elements in our modern situations. It
also points out some material-world resources for information on skills, and
suggests ways of organizing the colleges.

Using the format "Discovery, Understanding and Application" this book hopes
to stimulate further discussion by giving the example.

The book is available in paperback for $10.00 and ebook for $5.00 at
Lulu.com, at this link:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=Varnasrama+College+Now%21&catego
ryId=100501

If there is any difficulty for anyone who wants the book or any feedback
please contact the author at
madhavapriya7@yahoo.com