Uploaded Files
Dhanesvara Das
Kiev with hi-speed internet I uploaded some files that might be of
interest. Among them are: Manu Samhita, Make Vrindavana Villages, and
another copy of "Becoming Wealthy on $2 a Day". These can be found in
the "Files" section of this webpage.
This Manu Samhita I recieved from Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, and it is
the version that he teaches from. It is very long (the TOC alone is 38
pages!).
Make Vrindavana Villages is not to be confused with Bhakti Raghava
Swami's book of the same title. Instead, this one is a compilation of
Srila Prabhupada's quotes about varnashrama dharma. It is in 2 parts.
Open "Make Vrindavana Villages" and there you will read key words with
hyperlinks to the full quote. The links refer to the file va.doc,
which must be in the same folder. Click a link and it takes you to the
quote in the other document. It is a nice research tool, allowing one
to browse through topics of varnashrama easily.
After uploading all of this I then noticed that Google changed their
minds and are not going to curtail uploading until mid-January. Ok, if
you have anything that might be of interest to varnashrama-minded
souls please share.
Pancharatna das
> This Manu Samhita I recieved from Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, and it is
> the version that he teaches from. It is very long (the TOC alone is 38
> pages!).
This version is edited by him it seems. For example. Buhlers edition has
this:
-begin-
30. But let (the father perform or) cause to be performed the
Namadheya (the rite of naming the child), on the tenth or twelfth (day
after birth), or on a lucky lunar day, in a lucky muhurta, under an
auspicious constellation.
31. Let (the first part of) a Brahmana's name (denote something)
auspicious, a Kshatriya's be connected with power, and a Vaisya's with
wealth, but a Sudra's (express something) contemptible.
32. (The second part of) a Brahmana's (name) shall be (a word)
implying happiness, of a Kshatriya's (a word) implying protection,
of a Vaisya's (a term) expressive of thriving, and of a Sudra's (an
expression) denoting service.
33. The names of women should be easy to pronounce, not imply
anything dreadful, possess a plain meaning, be pleasing and
auspicious, end in long vowels, and contain a word of benediction.
-end-
His edition leaves much of the above out:
-begin-
2.2.2 Namadheya; name giving
But let (the father perform or) cause to be performed the Namadheya (the
rite of naming the child), on the tenth or twelfth (day after birth), or on
an auspicious lunar day, in an auspicious muhurta, under an auspicious
constellation. [v.2.30.] Let ... a Brahmana's name denote something
auspicious ... [v.2.31.] The names of women should be easy to pronounce ...
possess a simple meaning, be pleasing, auspicious and end in long vowels ...
[v.2.33.]
-end
Note how the apparently derogatory remarks about sudras names are left out.
BTW I checked the translation of the original Sanskrit word here and it
indeed means contemptible.
As Srila Prabhupada said:
[19 May 1977]
<<According to Manu Samhita, you are all mlecchas and yauvanas.
You cannot touch the Manu Samhita, what to speak of translating it. So,
if you try to follow the Manu Samhita, you will become a mleccha and
yauvana and your career is finished.>>
Your servant,
Pancharatna dasa
DRousse
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Yes, the version I uploaded is edited and anotated by him, and is close to,
if not, the version he teaches from. He wanted one of his men to give the
file to me, but they were all out of station, so he gave me what he thought
was the proper file. Perhaps Samba has a better file or can get it and post
it here.
Regarding Srila Prabhupada's statement about Manusamhita, this was made in a
letter to Madhusudhana Das. I wrote to him and asked him about what he had
written to Srila Prabhupada the elicited such a response. He said that he
and his wife were trying to conceive and having difficulty so they wrote to
Srila Prabhupada and asked if they should follow the practices recommended
by Manu. That was Srila Prabhupada's reply. Srila Prabhupada gave us
instructions for Garbhadhana samskara and he wanted us to follow that and
leave the result up to Krishna, not get into the Vedic rituals.
We may be unqualified to follow, and perhaps even properly understand some
of, Manu's instructions, and our saving grace is the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra, which Srila Prabhupada prefered over the Vedic rituals (for
example, see also his statements about the installation of the Deities at
the Krishna-Balarama mandir).
But in many places Srila Prabhupada wrote in support of following the
instructions of Manusamhita:
"One who teaches in that way is called acarya, or the ideal teacher.
Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of shastra (scripture) to
teach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the
principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like
Manu-samhita and similar others, are considered the standard books to be
followed by human society. Thus the leader's teaching should be based on the
principles of such standard çästras. One who desires to improve himself must
follow the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers."
Bhagavad-gita 3.21
" As for behavior, there are many rules and regulations guiding human
behavior, such as the Manu-samhita, which is the law of the human race. Even
up to today, those who are Hindu follow the Manu-samhita. Laws of
inheritance and other legalities are derived from this book." Bhagavad-gita
16.7
"The Manu-samhita is the standard lawbook for humanity, and every human
being is advised to follow this great book of social knowledge."
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.36
"Actually the qualified brahmanas are meant to give direction to the kings
for proper administration in terms of the scriptures like the Manu-samhita
and Dharma-shastras of Parasara." Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.27
My point in bringing attention to Manusamhita is that if we want to fully
understand Varnashrama Dharma we must understand dharma as given by the
dharma shastras, of which Manu is prominent.
Exactly how this should be done must be adjusted according to time, place
and circumstance by a mature devotee with deep understanding, not that we
simply follow it blindly. Plus, in establishing daiva-varnashrama there are
likely instructions of Manu that will be superceded by Pancharatrika viddhi,
as in Srila Prabhupada's instructions for garbadhan samskara.
Given the cultural circumstances we find ourselves in it is unlikely that
some instructions will be applied, particularly the naming of sudras, the
example you give. We do not have the culture, nor understanding, to
establish this.
This brings up a point that I personally want to investigate, which is the
difference between the Vedic and Pancharatrika viddhi. If anyone has some
understanding of this perhaps they will share it with us.
Your servant,
Dhanesvara Das
-begin-
-end-
-begin-
-end
As Srila Prabhupada said:
Your servant,
Pancharatna dasa
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