Page 37 - Powerful Feminine Qualities

There is fortunately forgiveness and always a path of rectification that are readily available for an offender if he will
surrender to a genuine devotee(s) and follow his advice. In the case of a wife or husband who has a spouse adverse to
Krishna consciousness, patience and perseverance through faith in Krishna and regulated practice of devotion at home
by chanting and offering food to Krishna and then offering the prasadam to the family members may eventually lead
to a happy outcome. In the case of absolute intransigence of the spouse, separation is recommended until the spouse
can rectify his behavior.
Amogha received the mercy of the Lord and rectified himself. He was forgiven. With the guidance of mature and
knowledgeable devotee mentors, it is possible to find a solution to marital problems in most cases. The ultimate
solution is for all members of the family to take up Krishna consciousness seriously. If this is not possible, then
patience and tolerance are necessary. A redoubling of one’s faith and regulated practice of hearing and chanting will
sustain the devotee’s spouse until a solution is found.

No one is prohibited from advancing in Krishna consciousness
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In Bhagavad-gita, 9 Chapter, 32 Verse, Krishna says:
mam hi partha vyapashritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaishyas tatha shudras
te 'pi yanti param gatim
“O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaishyas [merchants] and
shudras [workers] — can attain the supreme destination.”
This verse sometimes gets women upset. Because they say, “What do you mean by lower birth? My husband is lower
than I am; I can prove it.” He might be a vaishya or he might be a shudra. In fact everyone is born a shudra in this age.
Kalo shudras sambava. Anyone born today, even if they are born in Brahmin families, are shudras. As soon as you
work for somebody else, irrespective of whether you were born in Brahmin family or whether you have a PhD, you are
a shudra. When you come to United States, you apply for a job at a university or a company. If you accept a job, you
are a shudra, not a Brahmin. Brahmins are independent. They never work for anybody, because they are free to speak
honestly, and are not afraid of the threat of losing a job. They are not salaried by anyone. However, as soon a person is
salaried, he is no longer a Brahmin.
There is not one person that is better than the other is by birth in Kali yuga. However, by practicing Krishna
consciousness everyone has a chance to be elevated to the position of a Brahmana or even better a Vaishnava. Shudra
is a designation in the varna system or the social system. However, Krishna consciousness is varnashrama system.
Therefore, even though one may be a shudra, he can participate in the ashrama system and be elevated. Through
proper brahmacari life, then proper grhastha life, then proper vanaprastha, and then proper sannyasa life. Even
though one is born a shudra, there is no impediment to rising through the ashrama system and becoming the top
spiritual practitioner. So being a shudra is not a disqualification, as long as the ashrama system is present and one is
willing to be trained by a Vaishnava mentor.

Inclusiveness of Krishna consciousness
The purpose of the Hare Krishna ISKCON temple is achieved by the daiva varnashrama system - God-centered
varnashrama. Most people from Indian origin who are in this country are usually well educated. They have already
figured out their varna (life’s work). ‘I am an I.T. person’, or ‘I have my own company’, or ‘I am a professor in a
university’. They have figured out how to make their living honestly. That is called varna; not dishonestly, but honestly.
However, what they have not figured out is their ashrama, because that training is broken down even in India, not
completely but largely. It has broken down completely in United States.
When people visit an ISKCON temple, no one questions them, “What is your family caste? What is your family name
and gotra? Oh, your family name is Chaudhary. That means you are a shudra.” The process of becoming Krishna

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