Change of Consciousness

BY: D. DAS

Jun 22, 2016 — VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (SUN) — 

Despite so many quotes by Srila Prabhupada from the revealed sastras and vivid practical examples on the topic of the incompatibility of stri-dharma and the leadership role in society, and the need for its implementation as part of the varnasrama-dharma for the peace and spiritual prosperity of the movement and the world, the personal aspirations of few matajis bent on becoming “recognized” leaders and even diksa gurus, perhaps without fully realizing the spiritual implications for one opposing or violating the sastric injunctions, still complicate the situation. 

To my undoubtedly limited understanding, the movement’s problems lie in the lack of effort on the individual level to defeat oneself rather than to promote the “uniqueness” of each individual, as is becoming increasingly popular within the culture of this confused civilization and slowly is also polluting the movement’s atmosphere.

It is clear that one can substantially develop, within one’s present life, both the subtle and gross body. Through the physical exercise one can transform a weak gross body into a strong one and through the cultivation of knowledge one can go from a very simple form of the subtle body to an advanced stage of material sophistication. 

It is important to note though, that all such changes are merely superficial, because they do not involve any real change, the change of consciousness. That is proven by the fact that qualities like lust, anger, greed, pride, selfishness, stubbornness, backbiting, gluttony, etc. remain. Only when the intellectual realization of being under control of one’s lower nature dawns, the desire to finally get free slowly shifts one’s awareness. Then only will the Supersoul lead one to a spiritual path suitable for one’s level of readiness to start his spiritual journey.

An illustration of what such a change of consciousness means is described, for example, in Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Bhagavad-gita 13.5, where he quotes the Taittiriya Upanisad’s description of the stages of development of awareness as annamaya, pranamaya, jnanamaya, vijnanamaya and anandamaya. 

According to Srila Prabhupada himself a mere endeavor to please Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, purifies one’s consciousness by saturating one’s subtle body with spiritually tinged emotions which, at the time of death, will protect one from the cycle of birth and death by making it possible to remember Krsna even when one hasn’t reached the full Consciousness of Him.

Even though all of us understand that the sadhana bhakti of Krsna Consciousness is far superior to the different gradual processes for elevation of one’s awareness, this summary of different material and spiritual stages is mentioned because they form part of the so-called secondary effects of sadhana bhakti. It can therefore only be beneficial to observe where on the scale one is, whether one is progressing and if not, to reflect on where one may be lacking in his sadhana. Because Krsna Consciousness, as the topmost spiritual practice, if performed correctly, must inevitably be producing some tangible purification of awareness going hand in hand with subjective feelings of spiritual progress.

In the purport Srila Prabhupada points out, that on the material platform of jnanamaya, where one mainly identifies with the processes of thinking, feeling and willing (a further graduation of awareness within the jnanamaya as elaborated, for example, in the purport to Bg 18.18), the lowest platform is that of thinking, a quality of one’s mind (manas) and that part of the false ego where a certain kind of mental activities are its prominent features that identify one as a jnani, which in the language of pure Vedanta, translates as a mental speculator, or one who has reached the starting stage of jnanamaya awareness. 

Because the feminists do not seem able to feel their own duty and therefore are not willing to accept, to their thinking inferior duty of stri-dharma as their own, they seem to be situated on this particular stage of awareness (the lower end of the jnanamaya). One may be involved in Krsna Conscious activities, nevertheless one’s awareness doesn’t necessarily change, because one’s hidden aspirations remain. The proof of this is that even devotees do fall from their practice.

One’s consciousness is one’s identity. Every change of it results in corresponding change of one’s perspective and therefore in change of one’s attitude. Thus solving the problems plaguing the movement means raising the level of material awareness to properly reflect the level of spiritual aspirations.

Feminism is inherently material emotion because the feminists’ dominant awareness is the notion of bodily difference rather than spiritual equality, as understood from the fact that aspirations for equality cannot spring from the brahman platform, where all are equal. If they were aware of their spiritual equality with all, they would not feel restricted by anyone and would preach from the position and within the framework of their stri-dharma, for good of all and themselves.

Because the bodily differences cannot be changed, for the souls within the female body to follow their stri-dharma is the proper way, as ordered in the sastras, just as Bharat Maharaja had to follow the dharma of deer even though his subtle body was on the brahman platform.

So many times we read and hear how the divisions of varnasrama-dharma are meant exactly for this world of duality, as proven by the superiority of the Vedic culture, and will lead us all to unity (in purpose) through different roles for the sexes based on our clear differences. Exactly all this and more is discussed in detail in the book called Women: Masters or Mothers?This book accurately presents Srila Prabhupada’s vision for the movement and the better world as chalked out in his teachings. Because personally I do not find anything in it that should cause it to be banned from anywhere, and especially from ISKCON, where it should instead be promoted, for my own sake I have to add my insignificant voice against its ban. Maharaja’s main reason for writing it is clearly his genuine concern for the movement’s future due to its presently non-fulfilling the implementation of the varnasrama-dharma, and that is its best endorsement.

As is well known among the Hare Krsnas, to claim to be transcendental to one’s own dharma is dangerous because of the unwillingness to follow: “….in human life the cycle of sacrifice (dharma) established by the Vedas….(and thus)….such a person lives in vain.” “Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties (dharma). Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work (dharma).” (Bhagavad-gita 3.16, 20)

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