Harmony Among the Ashrams

Srila Prabhupada explains, on the basis of Vedic knowledge, that the varnasrama system represents the body of society. The body has different parts and each has to serve the whole. Conflict between one part and another creates a diseased body. The head serves the body by giving direction; the arms provide protection; the stomach does the service of nourishing every limb of the body; the legs serve the essential purpose of carrying the rest of the body. Thus all the parts of the body work in perfect harmony.

Similarly, Krishna is the complete whole and all segments of society are meant to harmonize with one another, performing their particular functions to serve Krishna. For many years the war between brahmacaris and grhastas existed. One criticising the other based on false prestige. The Brahmacaris think “We are strict and advanced; grihasthas are in maya, they are fallen. Grihasthas have wives and children and houses, and all I have is my loincloth” whilst the Grhastas think “Look at those useless fools. They are lazy; they are useless; they don't do anything. If they want to do something practical in this world, they should get married and get a job; they are just eating and sleeping.”

Our duty in life is to please the Lord and what pleases the Lord most is that we work together in a spirit of humility. Therefore Srila Prabhupada said, "You can show your love for me by how you cooperate." Krishna is most pleased by that spirit, and daivi-varnasrama is the system by which we can learn to cooperate as Vaisnavas and to respect one another, even within the variegatedness that may be among us.