In describing the Vedic educational system of training a person to work according to his varna, Prabhupada revealed an apprehension about the gurukula he is trying to start here. "Naturally a person born in a brahmana family is expected to become a brahmana by qualification. That was the training. Generally the sons of brahmana and ksatriyas especially, these two sects up to vaisya, they were trained up as brahmacaris. And sudras were not interested. The door is open for everyone, but the lower class, except brahmana, ksatriya, they are not interested to become brahmacari, or their parents are not interested. Just like we are going to open this brahmacari school, or asrama. But I am doubtful whether we'll get many children, because in this age people are interested to become sudras, nobody is interested to become brahmana. Technology means sudra. Technology is not the business of a brahmana, ksatriya, or vaisya. No. Just like blacksmith, goldsmith, carpenter, craftsman -- these are technology, they are meant for the sudras. Brahmanas, they are to be trained up how to become truthful, how to become controller of the senses, how to become simple, how to become tolerant. In this way. Ksatriya -- how to become strong, stout, brave, no going away when there is challenge, to possess land, to rule over, isvara-bhavas ca, and charity, the charity was given by the ksatriyas. Even there are instances that Muhammadan rulers in this country, they also gave in charity land and temple in Vrndavana. There are many instances; Aurangzeb gave some land, Jahangir gave some land. There is still one temple, it was constructed by Jahangir, and the other side of the Yamuna there is a village called Jahangir-pura. That village was given to the brahmanas for maintaining the temple. So charity, that is ksatriya's business, and perform yajnas; these are ksatriya qualification."
The second verse he discussed described how Arjuna set off in pursuit of Asvattama, fully armed and with the Supreme Lord Krsna driving his chariot. In the verse Krsna is called Acyuta, the infallible, and so Prabhupada began by condemning the Mayavadis who falsely speculate that God falls to the material world to become an ordinary jiva. He pointed out that our position and Krsna's is vastly different. "Although we are part and parcel of God, mamaivamso jiva-bhutah, because we have cyuta, fallen down from our spiritual atmosphere ... Just like spiritual atmosphere, Krsna's friends, cowherd boys, they're playing with Krsna. That is also playing. And here in this material world the boys they also play football play. But these two plays are different. One is spiritual and another is material." Using the familiar example of a spark and the fire, Prabhupada explained the difference between us and God. "When we fall down from the fire, spiritual world, we associate with three qualities. Purusah prakrti 'stho hi bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan. This is the statement of Bhagavad-gita. In the prakrti, in this material world, there are three modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So there is chance... When you fall down, you can fall down anywhere. A spark falls down from the original fire, so it can fall down on the dry grass, it can fall down on the water, it can fall down on the ground. There are three chances. Similarly, when the living entity, originally part and parcel of God -- the same quality, not the same quantity. Just like spark and fire, they are same quality but not same quantity. Fire is very big; therefore the big fire is acyuta. It is never degraded. But the small fire is degraded. So when Krsna comes, big fire comes, He is not degraded. He's acyuta."
Because people are rascals, he said, they cannot understand the true nature of Krsna's activities. "So many rascals, they think that Krsna's dealing with the gopis is the same as one young boy plays with other young girls. No, they are different. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. This dealing in this material world, between young boys and girls, they're material; they're simply a reflection of the original dealings. The verse in the Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah, from Brahman everything is emanating. Without being in Brahman, nothing can be manifest or existing within this world. So these love affairs between young girls and young boy is there in Brahman -- that is the dealing of Krsna and the gopis. So that dealing is pervertedly reflected within this material world. It is not the same thing; it is different."
He warned us that although there is the greatest benefit to be had in hearing about Krsna's pastimes, one has to be very highly qualified to comprehend them. "It is so nice that actually if one hears about the dealings of the gopis and Krsna, then he becomes so elevated in devotion that he forgets the lusty dealings between man and woman. That is the result. It is stated in the Bhagavatam, bhaktim pratilabhya apahinoti kamam. If one is eligible to hear the dealings of gopis and Krsna, the result will be he'll forget the lusty desires of this material world. Therefore it is not for all. These dealings of gopis and Krsna is meant for the liberated person. They can hear, not the ordinary persons. Therefore this krsna-lila is given in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So don't jump over. First of all you try to understand Krsna, Acyuta. To understand Krsna, the Bhagavad-gita is the ABCD, and Srimad-Bhagavatam begins when one is actually Krsna conscious. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam, then Srimad-Bhagavatam begins. So don't jump over [to] the krsna-lila, or jump over [to] Radha-kunda unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction -- acyuta, you must be also acyuta -- not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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