Vaishnava Brahmachari and Grihastha ashrama

Vaishnava Brahmachari and Grihastha ashrama

Vaishnava Brahmachari and Grihasta ashrama by HH BVP maharaj

We have to understand Brahmacarya and Grhastha asramas in the
context of the spiritual or Daiva Varnasrama as chalked out by the Vaisnava
spiritual masters. Opposed to daiva varnasrama is aasura varnasrama. This is
demoniac because it does not take us to Lord Krishna. Rather it takes us to
the path of sense enjoyment. It is called pravrtti-maarga or smaarta. Daiva
Varnasrama is nivrtti-maarga. In Daiva Varnasrama, all members have the
common goal of making spiritual advancement and detaching ourselves from the
illusory forms of maya and to attain spiritual realization. It is based on
attaching ourselves to Krsna and getting detachment from Maya.

It is very important for the Brahmacaris and Grhasthas to understand
the principles of each others asrama. Both have to develop proper respect
towards and harmony with each other's asramas.

The process of Vedic education has the following 4 steps of learning:
1. Hearing (or sravana)
2. Understanding (or manana or jnaana)
3. Realization (or upalabdhi or vijnaana)
4. Teaching based on realization or siksaa

The difference between understanding and realization is that in the
stage of realization ones activities have changed because they are based on
his realization and they are from one who simply has understood
theoretically the Vedic teachings and who hasn't changed his behavior
despite his theoretical understanding.

Now the Brahmacaris are trained to hear (sravana) and to understand
(jnaana). Since the goal of daiva varnasrama is to develop spiritual
realization, it is essential that one develops a taste for Krsna
consciousness and a distaste towards illusion. Thus the brahmacaris are
trained in this way.

There are two levels of brahmacarya and two kinds of brahmacarya.

The two kinds of brahmacaris are called the naisthika brahmacari and
the upakurvaana brahmacari. They are in the first level of brahmacarya.

The naisthika brahmacari has heard about Krsna and maya; he has
understood about Krsna and maya; and he has developed realization about
Krsna and maya. Therefore he has a taste for KC and distaste for maya.

The upakurvaana brahmacari has heard about Krsna and maya; he has
also understood about Krsna and maya from the hearing; but he hasn't
developed realization of Krsna and maya. Due to previous mental habits and
conditioning, he still thinks that there is some substantial pleasure in a
woman's association. Still, because he has understood the Veda, he practices
KC seriously and in an appropriate time and manner he will take up grhastha
asrama. Therefore he prepares to enter into KC household life.

Both the naisthika and upakurvaana are in the first level of
brahmacarya because both of them have understood that pure KC is worthwhile
and pursuit of pleasure in maya is not but the upakurvaana's mental
conditioning from the past doesn't fully convince him of that and prevents
him from developing realization. Still, because they have understood from
the Veda, they are considered first class.

The naisthika brahmacari hears that association with the opposite
sex is like a deep dark well. [At this point in class, Giri Govardhan das, a
Grhastha devotee, laughs loudly. Maharaja says, "See, this is called
realization. We are talking and the brahmacaris are listening. They are not
saying anythin