Civilized Life According to Vedic Injunction
Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently teaches that human civilization is distinct from animal life only when it is guided by dharma, or divine codes. These codes are known as Vedic injunctions. A civilized life is not defined by technological advancement or economic development, but by how strictly a society adheres to the laws of God given in the revealed scriptures. By following these injunctions, human beings regulate their material propensities and gradually elevate themselves to the platform of spiritual realization.
Authority of Scripture
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Vedas are not ordinary literature; they are the breathing of the Supreme Lord and constitute the law of the universe. To be civilized means to accept these injunctions without argument or mental speculation, just as a law-abiding citizen accepts the laws of the state. One cannot understand the Absolute Truth by logic alone; one must follow the authority of the śāstra.
- Here (in SB 3.24.35) it is said that whatever is spoken in the Vedas and whatever is practiced in accordance with the injunctions of the Vedas is to be accepted as authoritative in society.
- The Vedic injunction is that one cannot understand the Absolute Truth simply by mental speculation or logical argument. One has to follow the authorities.
- Although we cannot test, but sastra gives us the chance of testing. We accept spiritual master by testing, not by blind faith. No. According to the Vedic instruction, tad-vijnanartham.
Social Organization and Duty
A civilized society must be organized according to quality and work, known as varṇāśrama-dharma. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that without a class of men trained as brāhmaṇas to guide society and kṣatriyas to enforce the law as God's representatives, there is chaos. The Vedic injunctions provide specific duties for every order of life to ensure social harmony and spiritual progress.
- It is essential for human society to have a section of men perfectly trained as qualified brahmanas according to the instructions of Vedic knowledge.
- According to Vedic system, unless the human society comes to the institution of varnasrama-dharma, they are not to be accepted as human society. The system, the whole system was to gradually educate people to be elevated to the spiritual platform.
- Since the king is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is sometimes called nara-deva, that is, the Lord as a human being. According to the Vedic injunctions, he is worshiped as God on the material platform.
- The government of Prthu Maharaja was perfect because it was administered exactly according to the orders of the Vedic injunctions.
Regulation of Domestic Life
Material life is driven by the propensities for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, but Vedic injunctions regulate these instincts to save humans from degradation. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that sex life is particularly restricted to marriage for the purpose of begetting nice children, and family life is meant to be an āśrama where spiritual cultivation takes place.
- According to the Vedic injunctions, one must accept a wife just to beget a son who can deliver one from the clutches of Yamaraja. Unless one has a son to offer oblations to the pitas, or forefathers, one must suffer in Yamaraja's kingdom.
- Sex and eating are essential, and they are offered to human society under Vedic restrictions so that according to the Vedic injunctions people may eat, sleep, enjoy sex, be protected from fearful life.
- According to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one's wife. All other women are to be considered as one's mother.
Purification through Ritual and Charity
To counteract the contamination of the material world, the Vedic system prescribes various methods of purification, including charity, cleanliness, and diet. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that even substances that seem impure, like cow dung, are pure according to Vedic injunction, showing that spiritual law transcends material logic. From daily bathing to the final funeral rites, every act is meant to purify the existence.
- According to Vedic injunction one should purify such wealth by giving cows and gold in charity to the brahmanas. A newborn child is also purified by gifts of grain in charity to the brahmanas.
- Cow dung is the stool of an animal, and according to smrti or Vedic injunction, if one touches the stool of an animal he has to take a bath to purify himself.
- According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even during the month of Magha (January-February).
Perfection of Vedic Knowledge
While the Vedas contain many departments of knowledge, including rituals for material gain, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the ultimate purpose of all Vedic injunctions is to understand Kṛṣṇa. A truly civilized person goes beyond mere ritualistic adherence to the platform of pure devotional service, realizing that Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything.
- The Vedic information says, kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. If one can understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then everything becomes automatically known to him.
- According to this Vedic injunction (Mundaka Upanisad 1.3), simply by understanding Krsna one understands Brahman, Paramatma, prakrti, the illusory energy, the spiritual energy and everything else. Everything will be revealed.
- According to the Vedic injunctions, sarvam khalv idam brahma: Brahman, the Supreme, is present in everything. Bhagavata-dharma captures this presence of the Supreme.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda presents a vision of civilized life that is deeply rooted in the authority of Vedic injunctions. This is not a life of repression, but of regulation and gradual elevation. By following these divine codes in social interactions, personal habits, and religious duties, a human being washes away the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. However, the perfection of following these injunctions is not simply to attain a better material position or heavenly birth, but to realize one's eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category According to Vedic Injunction. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.
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