The Need for Varnashrama

The Need for Varnashrama

• The conditioned nature that the spirit soul acquires by its interaction with matter makes it very difficult for the soul to revive its eternal connection with the Lord. It puts the soul in the mode of ignorance - at that platform one does as one pleases further leading to an unregulated mind.

• The unregulated mind pushes one further in the mode of ignorance leaving hardly any scope for the soul to revive its eternal nature of servitude to the Lord.

• If we were transcendental  to the modes of material nature, we simply hear about the Lord and would become devotees immediately and would act on the transcendental platform. E.g Kumaras smelt the tulasi leaves from the Lotus Feet of the Lord and they become self realized. Sukadeva Goswami hears the pastimes of Krishna and he became self realized. We have heard Srimad Bhagavatam many times and have smelt tulasi leaves but many of us haven't become self realized. This is because of the conditioned nature- it takes some practice to change that. 

• Varnashrama Dharma helps us get rid of this conditioned consciousness- this is the most essential point of Varnashrama- all rules and regulations are simply to destroy the material conception we carry that is keeping us away from being situated in our eternal identity as servant of Krishna.

• Thus to elevate men from the animal status,to the mode of goodness the divisions of the four social orders and the four social classes are created by the Lord for the systematic development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Quotes from Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakur about Varnashrama Dharma

• Caitanya Siksamrita 249
• " First, it should be said that without taking proper care of body, mind, society and spirit, a person cannot perform the more elevated activities of bhakti. How can the seed of devotion, faith, awaken in the heart if a person dies prematurely, develops mental problems and never learns anything about spirit? And if a person gives up the rules of varnasrama and acts as he pleases, his physical and mental actions will be like those of a madman. He will be engaged in the worst sins. No sign of bhakti will be visible."
• Bhaktyaloka 216
• "The main purpose of varnashrama-dharma is this: By gradually following varnashrama-dharma a human being will become eligible to perform devotional service."
• Caitanya siksamrita
• "Though a person situated in the world may accept spiritual dharma, he does not give up the rules of mundane dharma, for the rules of varnasrama still assist him in supporting his body, mind and social environment. Being comfortable as a result of proper body, mind and surroundings, he is able to attain the eternal bliss of worshipping the Lord."

Varnashrama includes everyone
 Thus Varnashrama divides society into four natural groups based on the individual characteristics and dispositions.If one follows the rules and regulations of the group they belong to very sincerely - they are able to overcome the dictates of the mind and act from the platform of goodness versus acting from the platform of ignorance.