The Erroneous System of 'Love' Marriages

In my Anthropology of India course, there was the following quote from an article by an Indian feminist, Madhu Kishwar, who admits the failings of self-arranged 'love' marriages. It's quite interesting and may be useful in defending the Vedic system of marriage:

"From what I have seen of them, "love marriages" compel me to conclude that most of them are not based on love and often end up being as big a bore or fiasco as many arranged marriages. Among the numerous cases I know I have found that often there is nothing more than a fleeting sexual attraction which does not last beyond the honeymoon period. And then the marriage is as loveless or even worse than a bad arranged marriage...

...more often, it turns out that young people are making marriage choices that are impetuous and based on no more than a flush of sexual passion, which does not carry a marriage very far...

...In the West, almost all marriages are self contracted. Yet, there is no dearth of marital violence, and abuse in those marriages. In fact, many women in the West get beaten not just by husbands, but as often by their lovers or boyfriends...

...Hollywood and Bollywood propaganda tells us that passionate romance is the foundation of a real marriage; according to these myth makers marriage is and ought to be an affair between two individuals. Marriages between people who defy caste, class, community and other prevalent norms are seen as demonstrating thereby their true love for each other and are glorified. This is not only over simplistic but highly erroneous..."

From an article entitled "Love and Marriage" from the feminist women magazine, Manushi.
http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/projects/asia/asiaunits/india/LoveandMarriage.html

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Lord Brahma - False Prestige

Lord Brahma

"I pray only to engage in the Supreme Lord's service in the creation of the material world, and I pray that I not be materially affected by my works, for thus I may be able to give up the false prestige of being the creator."

Shrimad Bhagavatam 3.9.23

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Jai Nitai dasa - Surrender to God bestows the highest benefit

H.G. Jai Nitai dasa

"We see from the example of Bali Maharaja and his guru Shukracharya. When Vamanadeva appeared as a brahmana boy, he asked Bali for three steps of land. But Shukracharya knew that this was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he warned Bali not to fulfil the brahmana's request. Shukracharya wanted to manipulate the situation for the material benefit of Bali. But Bali thought that if this is God, then it will be even more beneficial for me to accept His request. It teaches us that no matter the outward dress of Shukracharya being a brahmana, a kshatriya like Bali was more advanced spiritually because he was a pure devotee inside. Everyone in this age of Kali is trying to manipulate or trick God by making their own material arrangements without keeping Krishna in the centre. But Bali had transcendental intelligence. What's the point of making our own arrangements? If God wants to take everything away, He can do it in an instant - so might as well surrender it all to Him voluntarily and be benefited spiritually."

Paraphrased from a Shrimad Bhagavatam Class.
22nd February 2006, ISKCON Radha-Krishna Temple, Soho St, London.
Jai Nitai dasa, disciple of H.H. Radhanath Swami, is Temple President of ISKCON Soho St.

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Jai Nitai dasa - The Lord's Forms are all Perfect

H.G. Jai Nitai dasa

"The Lord has innumerable forms and his potency is so incredible and inconceivable that every single form is perfect for it's purpose. When Krishna incarnated as Nrsimhadeva, the form was so perfect that it fulfilled all of Lord Brahma's boons to Hiranyakashipu. For example, Hiranyakashipu demanded that he would not be killed by a human or an animal, so Lord took the form of half-man, half-lion. Then the form of Mohini-murti. So perfect for the purpose of bewildering the demons, because the demons are easily enchanted by the form of a beautiful woman. Also, the advent of Vamanadeva was perfect because Bali Maharaja would never shirk his duty to give charity to brahmanas, so the Lord assumed the form of a little brahmana boy.

"But perhaps the most perfect form of the Lord was in His advent as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, because He was in the most merciful mood, distributing love of Godhead for free. This is perfect for this Age of Kali, when we are too sinful to be able to surrender to God or perform austerities."

Paraphrased from a Shrimad Bhagavatam Class.
22nd February 2006, ISKCON Radha-Krishna Temple, Soho St, London.
Jai Nitai dasa, disciple of H.H. Radhanath Swami, is Temple President of ISKCON Soho St.

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Shrila Prabhupada - The Credit Goes to the Pure Devotees

H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

"Sometimes the Lord Himself descends for missionary activities, as He did in the form of Lord Chaitanya, but mostly He sends His bona fide representatives, and thus He shows His causeless mercy towards the nondevotees. The Lord is so satisfied with His pure devotees that He wants to give them the credit for missionary success, although He could do the work personally. This is the sign of His satisfaction with His pure, nishkama devotees, compared to the sakama (self-interested) devotees. By such transcendental activities the Lord simultaneously becomes free from the charge of partiality and exhibits His pleasure with the devotees."

From purport to SB 3.9.12

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Shrila Prabhupada - Drunkards on the Holy Name

H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prajapati: "You utilize your time, Shrila Prabhupada, in such a way that every second is engaged in Krishna's service. And our advanced Godbrothers, they've also learned this art. The vast majority of us, we haven't quite got the hang of it yet."

Prabhupada: "It is achieved through practice. Just as by practicing you can become a first-class drunkard, similarly by practicing you can become first-class Krishna conscious. They are equal. Abhyasa-yoga-yuktena chetasa nanya-gamina [Bg. 8.8]. Abhyasa. Practice. In association the practice is very easy to do. Just like you are saying, you are always engaged. So by association you can also learn. That association is very important."

Prajapati: "Shrila Prabhupada, you're very, very regulated, almost down to the minute in your activities. Is this also a big help in utilizing time?"

Prabhupada: "Yes. Avyartha kala tam. This should be our aim, that not a single moment is wasted. If you realise that "I'm wasting my time," then you'll utilize it. You should always remember. Not a single moment should be wasted. That is advised by Rupa Gosvami. Avyartha kala tam. Vyartha means spoiling. Avyartha means not spoiling. Avyartha kala. He should be always conscious that "I am not wasting my time." Then it will be done. I've seen on the streets. The bums, they also utilize their time to see that not a moment is wasted without drinking. (devotees chuckle) Yes, they actually do that. They only want to drink, twenty-four hours. As soon as the bottle is finished, they're finding somebody who will pay one dollar, and purchase another small bottle. Their only business is doing this."

Prajapati: "So you want us to become drunkards on the holy name?"

Prabhupada: "Yes, yes."

From a Morning Walk, entitled "Dance, Eat and Live Eternally".
January 5th 1974, Los Angeles, California, USA.

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Sometimes it pays to call ourselves Hindu

'Strictly speaking we are Gaudiya-Vaishnavas, but sometimes for preaching purposes, it pays to categorise ourselves as part of Hinduism. I am invited by schools across the UK to give presentations on "Hinduism" under the guise of which I go and give Krishna Conscious philosophy, kirtan and prasadam. But I wouldn't have been invited in the first place if I didn't market myself as a Hindu, because the national curriculum for Religious Education is unconcerned with teaching pupils about Vaishnavism, because it is such a small minority faith. Consequently a massive preaching opportunity would have been missed.'

Paraphrased from a Shrimad-Bhagavatam class by a Prabhupada disciple.
February 2006, ISKCON Radha-Krishna Temple, Soho St, London.

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Lord Brahma: No devotion to God = Frustation

Lord Brahma:

'Non-devotees engage their senses in very troublesome and extensive work, and they suffer insomnia at night because their intelligence constantly breaks their sleep with various mental speculations. They are frustrated in all their various plans by supernatural power. Even great sages, if they are against Your transcendental topics, must rotate in this material world.'

Shrimad Bhagavatam 3.9.10.

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Brahmaji's Compassion

Lord Brahma:

'O great actor, my Lord, all these poor creatures are constantly perplexed by hunger, thirst, severe cold, secretion and bile, attacked by coughing winter, blasting summer, rains and many other disturbing elements, and overwhelmed by strong sex urges and indefatigable anger. I take pity on them, and I am very much aggrieved for them.'

Shrimad Bhagavatam 3.9.8.

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Chaitanya Charana dasa - Strong Scientific Evidence for God and the soul

H.G. Chaitanya Charana dasa

'We should remember that science has never disproven the existence of God or the soul. Rather the reductionistic approach chosen by most scientists for studying the universe just presumes the non-existence of any spiritual reality. Strikingly enough, even in the scientific framework some scientists conclude that the evidence strongly suggests a super-intelligent designer of the cosmos (God) and a non-material source of consciousness within the body (soul).'

From Back to Godhead magazine, Jan/Feb 2006, p.30.
Chaitanya Charana dasa is a disciple of H.H. Radhanath Swami based at ISKCON Pune and runs a free cyber magazine, The Spiritual Scientist.
To subscribe, write to iyfpune@vsnl.com.

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Chaitanya Charana dasa - Morality becomes pointless to a pure materialist

H.G. Chaitanya Charana dasa

'The Bhagavad-gita (16.8-15) explains that a materialistic worldview leads to insatiable lust and greed, which impel corrupt actions. When people are surrounded and bombarded by matarialistic allurements, they may feel that by being moral they stand to lose a lot and gain nothing tangible. Moreover, our godless education gives no knowledge about any higher natural laws of cosmic accountability. And the fallibility of our penal system is all too well known. The result? Morality appears dispensible, especially for the shrewd or powerful. In such an environment, how can we expect mere platitudes to inspire people to be moral?'

From Back to Godhead magazine, Jan/Feb 2006, p.28.
Chaitanya Charana dasa is based at ISKCON Pune, a disciple of H.H. Radhanath Swami, and runs a free cyber magazine, The Spiritual Scientist.
To subscribe, write to iyfpune@vsnl.com.

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Lord Brahma - Material Anxieties

Lord Brahma

'O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by all material anxieties — they are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body and friends, they are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and paraphernalia, and they avariciously base their undertakings on the perishable conceptions of "my" and "mine." As long as they do not take shelter of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties.'

Shrimad Bhagavatam 3.9.6.

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