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The Direction of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement 3
necessity of the varṇāśrama institution as long as the living
being is bound up in the human body? If it is abandoned, and
the above-mentioned four principles are lacking, the jīva will go
astray and no good whatsoever will accrue to him. One should,
therefore, strictly adhere to the rules governing varṇāśrama
for the sake of the mind, society, and one’s advancement in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But the observance of varṇāśrama-
dharma is not the sole business of the jīva. Therefore, with
the assistance of varṇāśrama-dharma, one must cultivate pure
devotional service. The purpose of the varṇāśrama institution
is to facilitate the practice of devotional service. 1
Śrīla Prabhupāda often emphasized the necessity and urgency
of establishing varṇāśrama-dharma:
There should be a thorough overhauling of the social system,
and society should revert to the Vedic principles, that is, the
four varṇas and the four āśramas. 2
The whole world has now become hell. So the Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement is a very important movement. It is
overhauling the whole human – social, political, religious. So
those who are engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement
should be very, very responsible, sober, try to understand
the situation, and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and everything will
become very successful. 3
Thus Śrīla Prabhupāda’s social vision of establishing
varṇāśrama-dharma, derived from śāstra and the desire of the
previous ācāryas, is clear and is stated profusely throughout his
recorded teachings. Yet conversely, an alternative social vision
that is not based on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books has become
predominant within ISKCON. This vision was articulated in
1. Jaiva Dharma 3.4.
2. SB 4.29.54, ppt.
3. Lecture, 4 Dec 1973.