Dhanesvara Das joined Srila Prabhupada’s Movement in Gainesville, Florida in 1973 after completing his MS degree in Engineering at UF. He has served the society as a book distributor, pujari, temple commander and temple president. He was the production manager for BBT for the 10-12 cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. For the past five years he has been traveling and preaching in Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltics, Sweden, Poland, Moldova, and Russia, where he has inspired the Gitagrad family of Daiva-varnashrama communities. He is the author of “Lessons in Spiritual Economics from the Bhagavad-gita - Part 1 -Understanding and Solving the Economic Problem.” He is a renunciate in the vanaprastha ashrama.
This seminar will cover the following topics:
Acharyas desire to establish Varnashrama Dharma
The purpose of the varnashrama culture. The source of varnashrama culture
What is Varnashrama Dharma?
Is Varnashrama Dharma possible at this time?
The diifferences between modern culture and varnashrama culture
Why do We Need Varnashrama Dharma? Varnashrama for who?
Varnashrama provides a ksetra, a place, from which to grow
Explanation of the varnas
Dharma shastra and duties the varnas and ashramas
Relationships between the varnas
The relationship between varna and ashrama
Second birth (diksa) brahmana or brahmana by guna and karma?
Difference between varnashrama and Daiva-varnashrama
The necessity of Daiva-varnashrama
Varnashrama culture as it was in the past
Varnashrama culture as it will be in the future
Varnashrama as a process
What is your role in the varnas? Are you qualified for Varnashrama Dharma?
Economics of Varnashrama Dharma
Political organization of Varnashrama Dharma
In Varnashrama Dharma the emphasis is on DHARMA
Role of women in Varnashrama Dharma
Varnashrama culture compared to present ISKCON culture
Discussion: SB 5.1.14: My dear boy, all of us are bound by the Vedic injunctions to the divisions of varṇāśrama according to our qualities and work. These divisions are difficult to avoid because they are scientifically arranged. We must therefore carry out our duties of varṇāśrama-dharma, like bulls obliged to move according to the direction of a driver pulling on ropes knotted to their noses.
