WEEK 10
THE VEDIC CULTURE (Verse to learn Bg 18.66)

(1) Religion

Dictionary definition--"obligation", "bond" or, in other words "to relink
with God"--the same meaning as "yoga".

Srila Prabhupada explains that religion means the following:
   (i) to know who I am
  (ii) to know who God is
 (iii) to know my relationship with Him
  (iv) to know and to carry out my duty to Him
   (v) to know my destination after leaving this body (SB 1.3.43p)

or "basically..........of God" (Tape-London '73-53B)
(See Quote 3 on page 46)

*Religion must have philosophy; for religion without philosophy is
 sentiment and sometimes fanaticism, on the other hand philosophy without
 religion is simply mental speculation (Bg 3.3p)
*the highest perfection of religion is the attainment of devotional
 service in the association of great acaryas (Bg 9.2p, 8th para)
*the principles of religion can only be laid down by the Lord Himself (Bg
 4.16p last para)
*and cannot be manufactured by man (SB 6.3.19/SB 9.3.10p 2nd para onwards)
*the twelve authorities on religion (Bg 4.16p last para)
*Lord Krsna's mission is to establish real religion (Bg 4.8) as opposed to
 mundane sectarianism in the name of religion which He rejects (Bg 18.66)

Dharma

*"that which is constantly existing with a particular object"
*or/"service" (Bg Intro pages 19-20, or 17 Mac)
*"occupation" or/ "that which sustains one's existence" (SB 1.2.6p)
*the dharma or function of salt is saltiness, the dharma of fire is heat
 (if salt has no saltiness, fire no heat, they are counterfeit). Similarly
 the dharma, or inseparable quality, of the living entity is to serve, and
 if he thinks his position is anything else then he is in illusion.

Sanatana-dharma

*explained (Bg Intro pages 17-19, or 15-17 Mac)
*the "eternal function of the living being"--to serve Krsna
*the real meaning of religion, the idea of a "kind of faith or belief"
 that we have in the West is inadequate and material
*Srila Prabhupada writes: "...if one is...That is Bhagavata-dharma" (See
 Quote 4 on page 46)

Mundane Religions

*a "kind of faith" that may change (Bg Intro page 19 or 17 Mac)
*involves 4 principles: (i) Dharma-religious rituals and prayers (ii)
 artha-economic development (iii) kama-sense gratification (iv) moksa-the
 desire for liberation from distress.
*Bhagavata dharma (the transcendental or real religion of service to
 Bhagavan), or Krsna consciousness, rejects these 4 mundane principles (Bg
 18.66) but still a devotee automatically achieves the benefits of them all
 without separate endeavour (Bg 9.22)

The Pillars of Religion

(1) cleanliness (2) mercifulness (3) truthfulness (4) austerity. These
four principles are universally applicable to any religious system. They
are destroyed by the following irreligious activities which form the basis
of all sinful life:-
 (1) illicit sex (as opposed to sex according to religious principles--Bg
     7.11+p/NOI page 12)
 (2) intoxication (Bg 3.24p last para/PQPA page 95)
 (3) meat eating (foods and intoxicants which should be given up-NOI page
     10) Note: the underlying cause of meat eating is pride, or the desire
     to dominate and subjugate others (see SB 1.17.24&25p)
 (4) gambling, including lying, propaganda, idle sporting and speculation

*by following the four prohibitive principles of Krsna Consciousness and
 serving the Supreme Lord under the direction of the spiritual master one
 can easily surpass all other systems of tapasya (NOI page 4 1st half)
*to follow religious principles is the responsibility of human life (Iso
 3+p)
*the principle of isavasya or God-centered society (Iso 1+p, paras 5-7)

(2) Varnasrama Dharma

Four Varnas: (a) brahmana (b) ksatriya (c) vaisya (d) sudra (Bg 4.13+p/see
also BTG Vol 14 No. 11 "The Anatomy of the Social Body")

Four Asramas: (e) brahmacari (celibate student) (f) grhastha (householder)
(g) vanaprastha (retired from material duties) (h) sannyasa (renounced
preacher or monk)

*the aim of all individual orders and corporate systems is to satisfy
 Krsna (Bg 2.48p, last para/Bg 3.9p)
*and in this way reach the ultimate goal of life (Bg 3.7p)
*Duty must be executed by everyone (materially as a brahmana, ksatriya
 etc. and spiritually as a disciple) (Bg 3.35+p)
*the varnasrama system as a stepping stone from material to spiritual (Bg
 2.31p last para)
*as a means to perfection (Bg 18.45,46)
*by serving the Lord according to one's nature (as a brahmana, ksatriya,
 vaisya or sudra) or the duties assigned to him any person can achieve
 perfection, even if there appears to be some fault (Bg 18.46,47+p's) for
 every endeavour is covered by some sort of fault, as fire is covered by
 smoke (Bg 18.48+p)
*is not meant to divide society by birth (the present caste system is a
 fabrication of the real concept of the classification of human society by
 qualities (guna) and work (karma)--not birth (janma)) (Bg 16.1-3p 3rd
 para/ Bg 4.13)
*duties of members (Bg 18.47,48+p's)
*better to perform one's prescribed duty according to the system of
 varnasrama Dharma than to falsely renounce action (Bg 3.4-8)
*Devotees not required to perform the rituals of family tradition because
 they are above social divisions etc. (however, they can, and do act in any
 capacity for the sake of preaching) (Bg 1.41p)
*transcendental qualities that should be cultivated by the different
 members of the varnasrama institution (Bg 16.1-3p 15th para)
*simplicity should be manifested by every member of the varnasrama system
 (Bg 16.1-3p 12th para)
*Aryan--those who know the value of life and form a civilization based on
 spiritual realization (Bg 2.2p last para)

(a) The Brahmana

*qualifications (Bg 18.42)
*anyone and everyone can qualify as a brahmana (Iso 13p last 2 paras)
*a "krpana" is the opposite of a brahmana (Bg 2.7p 2nd&3rd paras)
*is situated in the mode of goodness (Bg 4.13p)
*is the spiritual master of the other three sections of society (Bg
 16.1-3p 4th para)
*only a devotee can factually be called a Brahmana, knowing fully what is
 Brahman (Bg 7.29+p)
*is unfit to be a spiritual master unless he is a Vaisnava (Bg 2.8p 1st
 para)
*must always be truthful, presenting the facts as they are for the benefit
 of others (Bg 10.4-5 3rd para)
*receives charity (Bg 10.4-5p 9th para)
*chants the gayatri mantra (Bg 10.35p 2nd para)

(b) The Ksatriya

*meaning of the word (Bg 2.31p beginning)
*training of (Bg 2.31+p)
*qualities of work (Bg 18.43)
*in mode of passion (Bg 4.13p)
*duty of (Bg 2.3p/Bg 2.32+p)
*sinful reaction for not killing (Bg 2.27p/Bg 2.31,32+p's 1st paras/Bg
 2.33)
*for a ksatriya to kill an enemy is transcendental and to refrain from
 duty is demoniac (Bg 16.5p)
*although the Vedic injunction is that one should never commit violence
 (Bg 2.19p)
*must be unflinchingly strong (Bg 16.1-3p 16th para)
*must not attack an unarmed or unwilling foe (Bg 1.45p)
*must not refuse a challenge (if the effect is good) (Bg 1.38p)
*should be saintly but not cowardly (Bg 1.36p)

(c) The Vaisya

*qualities of work (Bg 18.44)
*in mixed modes of passion and ignorance (Bg 4.13p)
*should be clean in his dealings (Bg 16.1-3p 17th para))

(d) The Sudra

*qualities of work (Bg 18.44)
*in mode of ignorance and therefore laments unnecessarily (Bg 4.13p/Bg
 2.1p)
*should not expect honour but should give respect to the higher classes
 (Bg 16.1-3p 17th para)
*mass of peole in the kali yuga ("Kalau sudra sambhavat") (SB 1.9.49p)

Women

*Feminine qualities (Bg 10.34+p 2nd para)
*should be protected (Bg 1.40+p)
*and why (Bg 16.7p 2nd para)

(e) The Brahmacari

*duties of...(Bg 8.28p 1st para/Bg 16.1-3p 10th para)
*training of...(SSR page 187/Bg 6.13-14p)
*the vow of brahmacarya (Bg 6.14p)
*should become a man of perfect character (Bg 8.28p 2nd para)
*takes food only on the spiritual master's order (Bg 8.28p 1st para)
*the sacrifice of the brahmacari (Bg 4.26+p)
*unless one practices celibacy (Brahmacarya) advancement in spiritual life
 is difficult (Bg 8.11p last para)

(f) The Grhastha

*duties of (Bg 8.28p 2nd para)
*allowed after proper training as brahmacari (Bg 8.28p 2nd para)
*can also be called a brahmacari (&why) (Bg 6.14p middle)
*celibacy of the brahmacari and grhastha (Bg 6.13-14p, middle)
*should also control their sex desire (Bg 16.3p 8th para)
*should not beget children like cats and dogs (Bg 16.1-2p 2nd para)
*must give charity and perform sacrifice (Bg 16.1-3p 7th and 9th paras)
*should not become attached to regulated sense gratification otherwise one
 may fall down (Bg 3.34+p)
*sex is the shackle of the conditioned soul (Bg 3.39p)
*sex and attachment to the opposite sex should be reduced to nil (PQPA
 pages 15-20)
*sex should only be for procreation (Bg 7.11+p)
*family life in Krsna consciousness--when to accept, how to practice and
 when to reject (Bg 13.8-12p 10th para)

(g) The Vanaprastha

*marriage, vanaprastha and sannyasa briefly explained (PQPA pages 35-36)
*should practice austerity (Bg 16.1-3p 11th para)

(h) The Sannyasi

*after one has purified his heart (Bg 3.4p)
*definition of (Bg 18.2+p)
*first qualification is fearlessness (Bg 16.1-3p 4th para)
*then he has to purify his existence (especially in relation to women) (Bg
 16.1-3p 4th para)
*and he must cultivate knowledge by hearing and preaching (Bg 16.1-3p 5th
 para)
*spiritual master of the brahmana also (Bg 16.1-3p 4th para)
*charity to... (Bg 10.4-5p 9th para)


