“One in the vanaprastha order of life should always practise taking charity from others, for one is thereby freed from illusion and quickly becomes perfect in spiritual life. Indeed, one who subsists on food grains obtained in such a humble manner purifies his existence." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.25)
Curious how kali-yuga plays tricks with the practical interpretation of sastra. In this case, any ISKCON vanaprasthas attempting to follow this classic instruction would quickly find themselves starving and diseased. Where is the program to give in charity to vanaprasthas? They will succumb quickly to weakness depending on charity form householders or ISKCON in these days.
The vanaprasthas should be living in our temples and asramas, preaching and spearheading the harinama sankirtana movement! Instead, there is no widely organized facility, that I am aware of. If there is, it is not advertised much, or enough. The vanaprasthas must nowadays exist by grace of God and a bank account, otherwise they are fools!
As well, modern sastra and Srila Prabhupada basically forbid following severe vanaprastha, or severe anything except book distribution! One can grow quickly weak and unable to even concentrate on one's japa and service; better, and more useful, to be moderate.
“The saintly vanaprastha, practising severe penances and accepting only the bare necessities of life, becomes so emaciated that he appears to be mere skin and bones. Thus worshiping Me through severe penances, he goes to the Maharloka planet and then directly achieves Me." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.9)
"If the vanaprastha is overtaken by old age and because of his trembling body is no longer able to execute his prescribed duties, he should place the sacrificial fire within his heart by meditation. Then, fixing his mind on Me, he should enter into the fire and give up his body." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.11)
Indirectly, this is partially an answer to overpopulation and cancer! Cancer rates are currently at 100% . People nowadays live so long amidst modern medicine and artificial life extenders, and pollutants that sooner or later the immune system weakens, and if you live long enough, 100% of us get cancer! It is just a question of when, ask any oncologist. Thus the prospect of a morphine-doped end.
Costs of old-age nursing homes, Alzheimers or dementia and memory loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, deafness, weakness, spinal curvatures, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. are what face all modern seniors over 75 or so. The Bhagavatam suggests a path of austerities, which will lead to purification and concentration of the consciousness, and a death while younger and still all of one's mind, rather than a typical languishing old age and then death in a ghost-filled western hospital.
But for us, of Prabhupada's and Mahaprabhu's ISKCON, again we follow merciful and practical Srila Prabhupada, not the old glorious ways of sastra from Lord Sri Ksna's time. We perform austerities in moderation, such as sankirtana, and we preach and serve other devotees and the Deities and dhamas. If one can actually come up to the exalted standards of Raghunath dasa Goswami, that is another thing. But it is not required, by grace of guru. It is an aim, one does one's practical best, but the principle is to serve the harinama sankirtana movement, not sit in the forest forever.
"If the vanaprastha, understanding that even promotion to Brahmaloka is a miserable situation, develops complete detachment from all possible results of fruitive activities, then he may take the sannyasa order of life." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.12)
And here is the meaning of vanaprastha life! To realize the futility of material aspirations, or even elevationism, once and for all! No more material wanting at all! To do this, one actually must come to the position of relishing and desiring and seeking opportunities to SATISFY THE SENSES OF KRSNA! Not just rote and imitation, but concentration on real surrendered non-sensual enthusiastic service!
This is not a neophyte's mentality any longer. Mahaprabhu wants all the living entities delivered! Those who serve Radharani by satisfying Her desire to spread love and mercy are satisfying Krsna's senses fully! Thus, it is better to act as servant of this order, and not to sit as a baba in the kunda for too long.
"Having worshiped Me according to scriptural injunctions and having given all one's property to the sacrificial priest, one should place the fire sacrifice within oneself. Thus, with the mind completely detached, one should enter the sannyasa order of life." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.13)
"One in the vanaprastha order of life should always practice taking charity from others, for one is thereby freed from illusion and quickly becomes perfect in spiritual life. Indeed, one who subsists on food grains obtained in such a humble manner purifies his existence." (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.25)
But at the end, Srila Prabhupada forbade any more ISKCON sannyasis, did he not? So why are we enduring cardinal-rubber-stamped-sannyasis, when it is a simple stage of life that ALL brahmanas are normally supposed to enter, and it doesn't even matter much who one takes it from, it is a material stage, like getting married! It is for all, not just a handful of corporate boot lickers. But again, Srila Prabhupada forbade.
So why do we still have sannyasis?? RSVP.
Grhasta, then simply Vanaprastha, is better for all. But in kali yuga, we in the vanaprastha stage cannot depend currently upon any program that I know of. Not that we shall need any fool's program of slavishness. We are slaves of our Guru. Is there a website or are there any annual camp melas, ISKCON or Rtvik ISKCON asramas in India, hutment camps by the Ganga, or anything at all? Vanaprasthas should be the height of renunciation in ISKCON, according to Srila Prabhupada, as best I have heard. Any other definitive evidence otherwise?
Of course, Srila Prabhupada himself took sannyasa. He also accepted disciples. He told us to not take sannyasa. ---------- See the pattern here?
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