Shréla Prabhupäda wanted gurukulas, to give children the opportunity to easily perfect their lives and go back home, back to Godhead. Shréla Prabhupäda: “If one practices devotional service from the beginning of his life, surely he will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.” (SB 9.9.42) Whatever deficiencies ISKCON gurukulas may have had, they are special because they are centered around Krishna. Because Shréla Prabhupäda saw the modern schools as indoctrinating the helpless children in sense gratification and mental speculation, he called the schools “slaughterhouses.” (Conversation, 09/07/73)
What about the rest of us, who joined ISKCON in youth or later? Can we become students of Krishna consciousness? The answer is yes—we must become serious devotee students. Traditionally, brahmacärés studied Vedic knowledge under the guidance of their guru and rendered him menial service. Both elements are there for ISKCON brahmacärés also. The aspects of study and training should never be minimized. The guru accepts service from a disciple simply to make him a candidate worthy of receiving Vedic knowledge. Unless there is an awakening of transcendental knowledge within the heart of the devotee, there is no meaning to the guru-disciple relationship. That knowledge is contained within the scriptures, and Shréla Prabhupäda has given us, in straightforward language, the deepest mysteries of spiritual understanding in his Bhaktivedanta purports. But the ability of the student to actually comprehend the message of the scriptures depends on his being favored by a bona fide spiritual master.
Gradually, many new books on Krishna consciousness are being published in English, and Shréla Prabhupäda wanted that. However, Prabhupäda’s books are the basis of our movement. Shréla Prabhupäda gave us plenty to read. The philosophy is nondifferent from Krishna: vast and unlimited. “Even if we read the entire Bhagavad-gétä every day, all eighteen chapters, in each reading we shall find a new explanation. That is the nature of transcendental literatures.” (SB 7.14.8)
Before going on from the brahmacäré-äshrama to the grihastha- or sannyäsa-äshramas, the brahmacäré should have a proper understanding of Shréla Prabhupäda’s books. Every devotee must have at least a basic understanding of the philosophy. Otherwise his Krishna consciousness will not develop properly. If a brahmacäré doesn’t have a taste for Vedic knowledge, what is the meaning of his being a brahmacäré? If, on the other hand, a brahmacäré makes a habit of carefully and regularly studying Shréla Prabhupäda’s books, that will be sufficient to make his life successful.
In addition to philosophy, Krishna consciousness is a transcendental kaleidoscope of culture, art, and science. Those who take the trouble to learn any aspect will be enriched. Everyone has latent abilities, so why not develop some talents to use in Krishna’s service? As stated by Närada Muni, a brahmacäré should be daksha, expert. (SB 7.12.6) Shréla Prabhupäda elaborated on this by stating that a brahmacäré should be expert in everything. (Told by Prabhavishnu Swami)
As far as possible, every devotee should learn to give class, receive guests, preach, quote Sanskrit shlokas, cook, perform fundamental Deity worship, lead a kértana, sing bhajanas, and play the mridanga. And there are other abilities which are useful for all-rounder brahmacärés in the modern age to learn, such as basic vehicle maintenance, computer skills, and elementary accounting.
Devotees should know and apply Vedic etiquette (appropriate use of right and left hands, not stepping over books, etc.) and codes of health and hygiene.* They should be self-reliant in every way, from washing their clothes and keeping themselves and their quarters clean, to looking after themselves in any situation. So devotees who come to our movement have to be trained. The junior brahmacärés of today are the senior brahmacärés of tomorrow. Today’s trainee is tomorrow’s teacher.
If you have the inclination to excel in any aspect of devotional service, take permission from your authorities and go ahead, get into it. One of the duties of gurus and Krishna conscious leaders is to guide the brahmacäré according to his inclination so that he will always be productive and happy. So take guidance and become an expert speaker, cook, pujäré, or whatever, for Krishna. Learn to play harmonium or mridanga nicely; learn hundreds of shlokas. If from pre-Krishna conscious life you have some extra expertise, for instance, in gardening, art, or computers, by all means develop that skill in Krishna consciousness. Learn something, do something for Krishna, and train others to do it also. Make your life successful in Krishna consciousness. Don’t go away feeling unfulfilled, thinking that karmé life can offer anything which Krishna consciousness cannot. Whatever propensity we have can be satisfied in Krishna consciousness.
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