Page 39 - Powerful Feminine Qualities

jump over all these steps; you go immediately. That lift and the staircase. By staircase you go step by step. By lift you
can go immediately, faster.” (Morning walk conversation in Mayapur on February 9, 1976)
Srila Prabhupada emphasizes this, “In the conditional state, people are attracted to worshiping demigods, ghosts, or
Yakshas like Kuvera. The mode of goodness is better than the modes of passion and ignorance, but one who takes
directly to Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all three modes of material nature. Although there is a process
of gradual elevation (Varnashrama), if one, by the association of pure devotees, takes directly to Krishna
consciousness, that is the best way. And that is recommended in this chapter. To achieve success in this way, one must
first find the proper spiritual master and receive training under his direction. Then one can achieve faith in the
Supreme. When that faith matures, in course of time, it is called love of God. This love is the ultimate goal of the living
entities. One should therefore take to Krishna consciousness directly. That is the message of this Seventeenth
Chapter.” (Bg 17.28)

My personal experience
I was born into a meat-eating Christian family, which would be considered less than a shudra. Yet Prabhupada and his
disciples accepted me, and taught me to chant Hare Krishna, and live a devotee life style following the rules of Krishna
consciousness. I was also integrated into the Krishna conscious daiva Varnashrama system by living in the ISKCON
temple. When I got married, I learned to make an honest living by not cheating people. I have always been able to
advance in Krishna consciousness because Prabhupada situated me properly, and he educated me properly.
There is no disqualification when you come to Krishna consciousness because of birth in a certain type of family, or
social position. Everyone can advance spiritually in the daiva varnashrama system and join Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtana movement. The Sankirtana movement does not recognize caste. It simply recognizes you as
the servant of Krishna in a particular body. It does not matter whether one is white, black, North Indian, South Indian,
Latino, Russian, or whatever. As long as a person chants Hare Krishna, takes prasadam, bows down to Krishna and
hears Bhagavad-gita, he can advance spiritually and become a lover of Krishna whether one is a man or a woman.
We do not prohibit women from becoming a pujari (priest) and intimately serve the Deity. If they are educated
properly and qualify themselves, they can perform the same service as men. It is clearly declared here by the Supreme
Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower and higher classes of people whether men or
women. In the material conception of life, there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental
devotional service to the Lord there are not. This non-discrimination between men and women in respect to service
opportunities in the Vedic Cultural Center is encouraged. Everyone is eligible for the supreme destination of going
back to Godhead.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam (2.4.18) it is stated that even the lowest of human beings, who are called candalas
(dog-eaters), can be spiritually elevated by association with a pure devotee. Therefore, devotional service and the
guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of
people; anyone can take to it. Any person taking shelter of the pure devotee spiritual master can be purified by proper
guidance. According to the different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of goodness
(brahmanas), the mode of passion (ksatriyas, or administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance (vaishyas,
or merchants), and the mode of ignorance (shudras or workers). Those lower than them are called candalas, and they
are born in sinful families.
Candala is my category. I was born in a sinful family. Generally, the higher classes do not accept the association of
those born in sinful families. However, the process of devotional service is so strong that the pure devotee of the
Supreme Lord can enable people of all the lower classes to attain the highest perfection of life. This is possible only
when one takes shelter of Krishna with the guidance of pure devotees. As indicated here by the word vyapasritya, one
has to take the complete shelter of Krishna. Then one can become much more qualified in love of Krishna than
scholars and yogis. This is an explanation of Krishna consciousness and real Vedic culture.

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