This document summarizes a seminar on Varnashrama and Krishna consciousness presented by Hari Kirtan das. It discusses the different varnas (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra) based on guna and karma. It then describes the different ashramas (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa) and their duties. It also discusses women's roles and responsibilities within Varnashrama. Finally, it provides the example of Srila Madhavendra Puri to illustrate how advanced devotees can transcend the rules and rituals of Varnashrama by fully engaging in Krishna

1. VARNASHRAMA &
KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
SRI MAYAPUR
FEB’ 12 to FEB’ 17, 2018
Presented by Hari Kirtan das
Part 2

2. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
CONTENTOF SEMINAR
PART 2
VARNAS
ASRAMAS
WOMEN
BEYOND VARNASRAMA

3. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas
• First varna is to be decided then the ashram can be planned.
• VARNA – COLOR ( three primary colors and there are unlimited colors from them)
(like in Ayurveda there are three dosas, kapha, pitta and vata, and so many diseases by the
combination of the three dosas)
Similarly the three gunas decide; sattva- brahmana; rajas- Kshatriya; rajas+tamas- vaishya;
tamas- sudra, sattva sattva- brahmana brahmana; sattva rajas- brahmana kashtriya…… so on
• VARNA – GUNA AND KARMA
“kalau sudra sambhava”= by guna everyone degraded
Thus the basis is inclination to (work) karma- anna prasanna ceremony). In other yugas guna
and karma were purified by the varna and ashrama activities (vishnupurana varnashrama
acaravta puman…., but because we are sudra by guna difficult to transform guna.
Therefore in Kali Yuga we can overcome gunas ( Bg14.20) by only Bhagavata Dharma, no
other means Bg 14.26 . Hari nam – nasty gatir anyatha
And we can perform karma (Varnashrama Dharma ) by offering everything to Lord Krishna.
Sve sve karmani abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah bg18.45.

4. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas
• VARNA – not a birth right (Rsbhadeva’s hundred sons-1 Bharath- sarva
buama; 9- sub continents (nava dvipa); 81- karma kanda brahmins; 9- nava
yogindras ), (Ravana- brahmana by birth).
• (But Sruti part of Vedas demand birth right also)
• Varna- astrology; kula vritti; aptitude;
• Sudra varna very favorable for bhakti; janma- brahmana & kshatriya,
aiswarya- kshatriya & vaisya, sruta- brahmana, sri- kshtriya & vaisya-
mada (madness ) develops.- Kunti devi
• Varna koota one of the eight aspects of matching for marriage ;27 varnas.
(e.g.: Ravana inherited mother’s side qualities; Prahlad inherited father’s
mood at the moment which was influenced by Narada.)
Therefore samskaras play a major role and Arjuna’s prime reason not to fight
was that varna sankaras taking birth.

5. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas
Varna of a person is determined from ones Birth Rashi ( MOON SIGN ).
Examples- Prahlad, Krishna, Rama.
1) BRAHMIN VARNA : A person whose Birth Rashi is Cancer or Scorpio or
Pisces is considered Brahmin nature
2) KSHATRIYA VARNA : A person whose Birth Rashi is Aries or Leo or
Sagittarius is considered Kshatriya nature
3) VAISHYA VARNA: A person whose Birth Rashi is Taurus or Virgo or
Capricorn is considered Vaishya nature
4) SHUDRA VARNA : A person whose Birth Rashi is Gemini or Libra or
Aquarius is considered Shudra nature

6. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas
Varna's of the Grahas as per Parasara muni:
• Brahmana - Jupiter and Venus
• Kshatriya - Sun and Mars
• Vaishya - Moon and Mercury
• Shudra - Saturn

7. VARNASHRAMA AND KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas
• Varna Matching in Astakoota
• Rule: the varna of the groom should be equal
or higher than the varna of the bride.

8. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas Brahmana
• Brahmana- shad karma, Ayurveda, astrology, purohits
(counseling), yagnik. (dvija bandhu, dvija, vipra,
brahmana).
• (brahmana- brahmana- Vasista; brahmana- kshatriya- Dronacharya,
mantri; brahmana- vaisya- treasury of temple/ashram & accounts,
Brahmana- sudra-assistant, cooking, cleaning)
Study- Vedas, Smritis
Svabhava- Bg. 9 qualities- suci- purity
Livelihood- begging/ dakshina
Corrupted- pride, means of livelihood (only kshatriya or vaisya allowed
but all took up sudra- salary)

9. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas Kshatriya
KSHATRIYA-Protection, Administration and Welfare (paw). Police & Army, Politician, Tax
collector (kshatra bandhu (Puri king), samantha raja, maharaj, samrat (emperor),
chakravarthi (whose ratha wheels are moving), sarva bauma (king of earth, planet).
Eg . Chess; Kshatriya – brahmana: mantri; kshatriya- kshatriya: Rathi, maharathi, raja,
samrat etc); kshatriya- vaisya: subedar (tax collector); kshatriya – sudra: sainik, soldier
types.
Study- Vedas , Smritis, Dhanur Veda, Manusmriti, Artha Shastra
Svabhava- BG-7 qualities; isvara bhava: leadership (different from Bg. 16.14 isvar’ham)
Livelihood levying taxes/ lower cadre- vaisya
(no alternatives can do vaisya worst case)
Corrupted- no sense control- women, wine & gambling.

10. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas Vaishya
Vaisya- cow protection, agriculture, business.
Earning skill, MBA, saving skills, Vaisya bandhu,
treasurer, accounts.
Study- Smritis, Artha shastra
Svabhava- BG-3, Go raksha
Livelihood- earn by trading
Corrupted- neglected cows, Agri-business, only
trading.

11. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Varnas Sudra
Sudra- Service, assistance, skills in technologies.
Weaving, pottery, blacksmith, gold smith, carpentry,
etc.
Study- skills, hear shastra.
Svabhava- service attitude
Livelihood- receive from other three varnas, salary
Corrupted- aspiring leadership

12. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Ashrama Brahmachari
Brahmacari: 5 years to (12-25 years).
Activities: respect & serve authorities,
Education: brahmana- gurukula
ksatriya- gurukula
vaisya-gurukula
Home schooling, sudra- home schooling, celibacy.
(Home schooling = Varnashrama College)
Maintenance: parents, guru, begging.
Corrupted- unruly, unclean

13. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Ashrama Grihasta
Grihasta- (12-25years) up to 50 years
Activities- conducting proper vedic samskaras,
maintain household, maintain other three ashrams,
begetting children, wordily affairs, family and social
affairs, panch maha yagna.
Maintenance- earn according to varna.
Corrupted- no (less) charity, neglect of samskaras,
varna sankara progeny.

14. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Ashrama Vanaprastha
Vanaprastha- 50 years onwards
Activities- austerities, leave house spent more time in
forest or pilgrimage, with draw from all worldly
affairs,
Share experience and wisdom, assist running a
gurukula, or varnashrama college.
Maintenance- dependent on children and society
charities.
Corrupted- caught up in family or worldly affairs, not
going to forest or pilgrimage

15. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Ashrama Sannyasa
Sannyasa – (rejected in Kali yuga), taken only for
preaching Sankirtan yagna.
Activities- austerities, travelling, preaching Krishna
consciousness, guiding as head of VA society, social
dead.
Maintenance- begging, dakshina.
Corrupted- hold money for self, too many unqualified
disciples.

16. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Women
Women- responsibility of all men is to protect them. (Arjuna’s grief- Bg.)
Child: protected by parents, trained in respecting & serving elders,
chastity, 64 Arts- home schooling (girls school for
arts=Homeschooling). Eg Sita devi, Kunti devi, Satyabhama, etc.
Youth- married- protected by husband, household duties, child care
and first guru for child. Eg. Suniti, Devahuti, Gandhari
Old age- if husband leaves- under children protection or VA society.
Varna- whomever she marries- Brahmani, kshatrani, vaisyani, sudrani.
e.g.. Satyavati, Devayani

17. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Beyond Varnashrama
• Srila Madhavendra Puri
• Bg 2.52 Purport: There are many good examples in the lives of the great
devotees of the Lord of those who became indifferent to the rituals of
the Vedas simply by devotional service to the Lord. When a person factually
understands Kṛṣṇa and his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he naturally becomes
completely indifferent to the rituals of fruitive activities, even though an
experienced brāhmaṇa. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, a great devotee
and ācārya in the line of the devotees, says:
• sandhyā-vandana bhadram astu bhavato bhoḥ snāna tubhyaṁ namo
bho devāḥ pitaraś ca tarpaṇa-vidhau nāhaṁ kṣamaḥ kṣamyatām
yatra kvāpi niṣadya yādava-kulottaṁsasya kaṁsa-dviṣaḥ
smāraṁ smāram aghaṁ harāmi tad alaṁ manye kim anyena me
• “O my prayers three times a day, all glory to you. O bathing, I offer my
obeisances unto you. O demigods! O forefathers! Please excuse me for my
inability to offer you my respects. Now wherever I sit, I can remember the
great descendant of the Yadu dynasty [Kṛṣṇa], the enemy of Kaṁsa, and
thereby I can free myself from all sinful bondage. I think this is sufficient for
me.”

18. VARNASHRAMA & KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Beyond Varnashrama
• The Vedic rites and rituals are imperative for neophytes:
comprehending all kinds of prayer three times a day, taking a bath
early in the morning, offering respects to the forefathers, etc. But
when one is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is engaged in His
transcendental loving service, one becomes indifferent to all these
regulative principles because he has already attained perfection. If
one can reach the platform of understanding by service to the
Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, he has no longer to execute different types of
penances and sacrifices as recommended in revealed scriptures.
• And, similarly, if one has not understood that the purpose of
the Vedas is to reach Kṛṣṇa and simply engages in the rituals, etc.,
then he is uselessly wasting time in such engagements. Persons in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness transcend the limit of śabda-brahma, or the
range of the Vedas and Upaniṣads.
• To be continued…..