# Varṇāśrama-dharma *On the Vedic social system of four varṇas and āśramas* --- ### Four Varṇas, Four Āśramas > This is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma—four kinds of varṇas and four kinds of āśrama. It is very scientific. The whole idea of human civilization should be how to push one to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to Viṣṇu. — [[spoken/1970/701215sb.ind|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.27, Indore, 1970]] --- ### Beginning of Śreyaḥ > Those who are after śreyaḥ, they should follow the catur-āśrama, varṇāśrama. The varṇāśrama, according to Vedic system, the four kinds of varṇas, or social caste, and four kinds of spiritual order, āśramas, that is the beginning of preyaḥ. Without this acceptance of these principles, according to Vedic principles, one is not considered as a human being or civilized man. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Gradually Rise to Śreyaḥ > Because that is a system, if we follow that system, gradually we rise to the platform of śreyaḥ. If anyone does not follow regulative principles, it is very hard for him to come to the standard of śreyaḥ. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Training in Gurukula > According to Vedic civilization, therefore, a child—he may be a king's son or a poor man's son—must go to gurukula and live for some time under the training of the spiritual master to be very thickly connected with Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1970/701215sb.ind|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.27, Indore, 1970]] --- ### Cannot Forget Kṛṣṇa > So if a child is trained up in that way, then he becomes automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if a child becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious up to the age of twenty, twenty-five years, then naturally he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So when he enters his family life, although he accepts wife and children, he cannot forget Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1970/701215sb.ind|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.27, Indore, 1970]] --- ### Gradual Progression > Therefore his household life also continues Kṛṣṇa conscious. Naturally, at the age of fifty he leaves the family connection and accepts the vānaprastha. And then, when he is fully trained, he accepts sannyāsa. — [[spoken/1970/701215sb.ind|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.27, Indore, 1970]] --- ### Kalau Śūdra-sambhavaḥ > But in this age, in Kali-yuga, every man is so fallen that he cannot follow any regulative principles according to the Vedic system. As such, they have been accepted as śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age everyone should be accepted as śūdra." — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Pañcarātriki-vidhi > But then how to elevate them? For elevating them, this..., not the Vedic system is to be followed, but pañcarātriki. Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed. It is not that Indians should not follow, only the others should. No. It is for everyone, pañcarātriki-vidhi. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Anyone Can Be Initiated > But according to pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. Everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa; not by others. That is the system. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Cleansing Method > All these reformatory measures—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha—they are simply the cleansing method. And bhakti is also cleansing method, vidhi-bhakti. But by engaging oneself in this Deity worship, he also becomes cleansed. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on varṇāśrama-dharma* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]