“Our whole program is to train the untrained.”
ISKCON and Varnasrama-Dharma: A Mission Unfulfilled
This is a paper presented at the Conference ‘30 Jahre ISKCON Deutschland’, Köln, Germany, 29 January 1999 by His Grace Ravindra Svarupa Dasa. Printed by permission of ISKCON Communication Journal.
Ravindra Svarupa Dasa (Dr William H. Deadwyler, III), an early disciple of Srila Prabhupada, here looks at one of Prabhupada’s more controversial directives; the need to establish varnasrama-dharma (the organization of society according to the quality and work of the members of the society). He looks at the internal logic of the varnasrama system and then describes some of the understandings of that system, which have arisen in ISKCON. The question of how to establish varnasrama-dharma in a modern context has been the source of a longstanding debate within ISKCON, and in this paper Ravindra Svarupa contributes to the debate with his analysis of the situation. This analysis focuses on the need to encourage a brahminical (intellectual) class within society — a brain for the social body.
Parikrama to Dhamesvara Mahaprabhu Temple in Navadvipa
article by Krishna-kripa dasa, illustrations by Sarvabhauma dasa
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The Saturday parikramas to local pilgrimages sites are one of several great additions to this year's Bhakti Sastri and Bhaktivaibhava courses. Other new features this year include a great line-up of senior devotee teachers, especially for the Men's Bhakti Sastri course, regular thematic discussions led by senior devotees for the Bhaktivaibhava course, and sponsored lunch prasadam on weekdays for all students, teachers, and staff. On Saturday, November 11, MIHET students went on parikrama to the Dhamesvara Mahaprabhu temple in Navadvipa. Kadamba Kanana Swami led harinama sankirtana to Navadvipa for two hours with amazing enthusiasm. We started at the ISKCON main gate, walking to Hulor Ghat, continuing on the boat, and finally through the streets of Navadvipa to the temple. There we saw Vishnu-priya's tall, yellow Deity of Lord Caitanya. The kirtana continued and so many devotees danced for the Lord with such eagerness it was beautiful to see. Several devotees liberally purchased maha-prasadam from the temple and distributed it to the other devotees after the kirtana. Then Kadamba Kanana Swami spoke for half an hour or so on Lord Caitanya's pastimes: |