ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India @ ISKCON

Mahabandhu Hari Das
Project coordinator
ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry – India
Email ID: manu.idvm@gmail.com
Ph: +91 95640 44131/ +91 97075 16108
ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India
@
ISKCON LEADS Programme, ISKCON Tirupati
Varnasrama Development Course 2013
(April 12th to 15th 2013, Thirupathi)
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
By
HG Bharat Chandra Das
Bharat.Chandra.BRS@Pamho.net
History
Under the direction and inspiration of the GBC Succession Committee, Indian Regional
Governing Body Members and Zonal Secretaries met with top ISKCON educators in India on
numerous occasions since November 2008. This resulted in the birth of the ISKCON LEADS
training program. ISKCON LEADS is an acronym for ISKCON Leadership Education And
Development System.
ISKCON LEADS gives current leaders an excellent opportunity to identify potential leaders within
their temples, regions and zones. Selected candidates enter a comprehensive training program
of seventeen courses of four or five days each. This totals 89 days to be completed within a
period
of
three
years.
The
program
covers
Inter-Personal Spiritual Development, Missionary & Family Spirit Development and ISKCON
Institutional Development.
Introduction:
After successful previous two participation in ISKCON LEADS program in ISKCON Baroda and in
ISKCON Delhi, ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India (IDVM) this year in the month of April
2013, successfully conducted its Varnasrama Development course at the foot hills of holy place
of Tirupati Tirumala Devstanam, in ISKCON Tirupati.
Similar to previous LEADS seminars this year too around thirty six bright and intelligent
participants participated.
The course:
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
The course titled “Daiva Varnasrama Development”
started with ‘Gau-puja’. All of the participants enthusiastically took part in Kirtan and Arati.
Later, everyone treated the cow, bull and the calf with bananas and jaggery.
The course schedule was designed systematically to provide understanding of the concepts,
principles, practices and tools for Daiva Varnasrama development. The course was provided for
a span for four days with a total of 22 hours and included film shows, skits and interactive
discussions.
Sessions started with introduction to the facilitators. This time various we were blessed to have
various experienced facilitators such as Sri Madhava Prabhu from Gokuladham, Sri Ramananda
Prabhu from Krishna Balaram Ksetra, Sri Hari Kirtan Prabhu from Chirala, Sri Kalakantha Prabhu
from Mayapur, Sri Setukara Prabhu from New Vrajabhumi, Brazil, Yogesh Chandra Prabhu from
Mumbai, Mahabandhu Hari Prabhu from Mayapur and Bharat Chandra Das from Hebri.
The topics covered were:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Understanding Daiva Varnasrama Dharma,
Commanding heights of culture,
Srila Prabhupada’s instructions,
Essay of Gita Nagari,
Lessons from Bhagavad-gita,
Elements of Daiva Varnasrama Dharma,
Daiva Varnasrama Dharma development post Srila Prabhupada,
Challenges in implementation,
Leadership lessons from Chanakya Neeti Sastra,
Connecting existing preaching activities in ISKCON,
Varnasrama development through Education,
ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry and finally Critique on Modern civilization.
Spiral bound books were provided as course material along with the book – “Speaking About
Varnasrama” as a reference book for four days.
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
Session one was started by Bharat Chandra prabhu
on Understanding Daiva Varnasrama Dharma. It expounded the topics of dharma, its features,
roots, source and importance of balance between Bhagavat dharma and Varnasrama dharma. It
also touched on various myths and facts related to the concept of Daiva Varnasrama dharma.
Session two was full with information on how previous acharya like that Srila Ramanujacharya,
Sripad Madhavacharya till Srila HDG Srila Prabhupada all in line work for the establishment of
Krishna bhakti and establishment of Daiva Varnasrama.
After lunch break HG Madhava Prabhu lead an interactive session on Srila Prabhupada’s
instructions on Daiva Varnasrama Dharma. He read from he purports of Srila Prabhupada and
drove home a point that definition of brahminical culture is living with bare necessities of
human life.
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
Day two stated with the topic of Essay of Gita Nagari and the vision of Srila Prabhupada.
Next session was a slide show on Daiva Varnasrama Development in timeline.
Day three started with the film –“Make Vrindavan Villages”. This is a documentary about the
experience of developing a community in Indonesia. Interview of many senior devotees like
Krpamoya Prabhu, Drutakarma Prabhu, Lokanath Maharaj, Bhakti Raghava Maharaj and Bhakti
Dhira Damodara Maharaj are part of the film bringing out the theme of Daiva Varnasrama
Dharma. Next was a presentation by HG Kalakanta Prabhu and Setukarna Prabhu. They
presented the success stories, present scenario and planning of project in Brazil as well as the
project in Hungary.
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
Next HG Harikirtan prabhu presented his
experience in village preaching. He also talked about challenges of today’s village’s scenario and
discussed about the positive solution for it.
HG Yogeshchandra prabhu presented for the upcoming leader the moral and ethical lesions
from Chanakaya pandit.
Day five started with an interactive session by HG Madhava Prabhu who spoke about modern
scenario of education system and the need to focus in this are to establish daiva varnasrama. He
also spoke on how important it is to establish traditional educational system. He also spoke
about transition period and how important is it for the new leaders to understand this issue in
order to avoid the repeating the history. HG Madhav prabhu called for the leaders to come
forward and participate actively in this important mission of our Founder Acharya Srila
Prabhupada.
Session concluded with various presentations develop by the participation on various topic
given to them such as Srila Prabhupadas critique on modern civilization, on Economy, on
Agriculture, on Education, Unemployment and Women’s role.
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
The Team (clockwise):
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home
HG Yogesh Chandra Das, HG Rayramananda Das, HG Madhava Das, HG Setukaran Das, HG
Harikirtan das, HG Bharat Chandra Das, HG Kalakanta Das, and in between HG Guna Avatar Das
and behind camera HG Mahabandhu Hari Das.
For more information and Slides, please visit
www.iskconvarnasrama.com
or
#137, chakra building, ISKCON Mayapur
Nadia dist. W.B
©ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry-India.
http://www.iskconvarnasrama.com/home