Vānaprastha Adventure

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 21 The steps described earlier—to simplify eating, to trim our hair, to live without sex, and so on— entail no serious risk. But there are steps we can take that do involve some risk. Let’s take a look. Retire early from your job “Retirement” especially means retiring from our job, our work—and whatever security may come with it. Our job is what we depend on for money, and money is what we depend on to live. So retiring early from our job may entail some risk to our financial security. Without that money coming in every month, how will I … [Read more...] about Vānaprastha steps with some risk

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 22 In essence, to advance on the path of vānaprastha life there are three things we can do: up our sādhana, up our sādhu-saṅga, and up our sevā. Up the sādhana Sādhana consists especially of our daily routine of spiritual discipline and devotional activities. Ideally, even in householder life we should have a strong program of sādhana. But in any case the vānaprastha āśrama affords us the opportunity to strengthen our sādhana for the sake of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At the most basic: We should strictly follow the four … [Read more...] about In summary: Practical steps for vānaprastha life

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 23 We’ve talked a lot about the role of men as it relates to the vānaprastha āśrama. What about women? First: The goal for women is the same as that for men—to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, fully engaged in devotional service, and at the end go back home, back to Godhead. And as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32), this is a perfection both men and women can achieve. But according to Vedic principles, as Śrīla Prabhupāda taught them, the social role in which women should do this differs from that of men. In the mature stage, men should … [Read more...] about The role of women in vānaprastha life

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 24 As far as possible, the duty of taking care of the elderly should be taken up by their biological children. A son should think, “To take care of my parents is my duty.”1 Gṛhastha life has its obligations, and this is one of them. Family life is not simply a joy ride. It entails serious responsibilities. And one of them is to take care of one’s elderly parents—and, more broadly, to take care of vānaprasthas. Taking care of vānaprasthas is the duty of the gṛhastha community. One āśrama supports three According to the Vedic social system, the … [Read more...] about Who should support the vānaprasthas?

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 25 What are the obstacles one might face to accepting the life of a vānaprastha? I’ve thought of some and grouped them under these categories: attachment; illusion; concern for dependents and unfinished duties; inconvenience; inertia; bad advice; service to ISKCON; late starts; misgivings about boredom; invalidity; fear of the unknown; and lack of a clear path forward. Let’s look at them one by one. Instructions on attachment by Prahlāda Mahārāja The material attachments that may naturally develop in householder life are described by … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vanaprastha āśrama: #1. Attachment

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 26 Attachment and illusion go together. And they spill over into other categories. Still, we can analyze these items separately. The fundamental illusion, of course, is the bodily conception of life, in which one thinks, “I am this body, and this is mine.” As stated by Lord Ṛṣabhadeva (and often quoted by Śrīla Prabhupāda): puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁtayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittairjanasya moho ’yam ahaṁ mameti “The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #2. Illusion

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 27 Our wife, children, and other dependents are naturally objects of our care and concern. But once we age past the time for householder life, we are advised to awaken to the sense that they are ultimately dependent not upon us but upon Kṛṣṇa. Though I may think, “Without me, what will happen to them?” my duty now is to move towards detachment, understanding that ultimately everything is in Kṛṣṇa’s hands. The Bhāgavatam (11.17.56) speaks of the kind of man we don’t want to be—a man whose mind is attached to his home and household life, a man … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #3. Concern for dependents

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 28 Having a good, steady arrangement for life at home is helpful for health and sādhana. Ideally, everything is in its place, meals are on time and agreeable, our schedule is the same every day. In contrast, when we travel we have to put up with uncertainty and irregularity. Traveling can be troublesome and wearisome, especially in old age. And who wants weariness and trouble? But, first of all, our modern idea of travel is sometimes excessive. As vānaprasthas, we need not get on an airplane every few days and travel to a new place. Also, in … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #4. Inconvenience

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 29 Another obstacle is simply inertia. Once we’re in a pattern, whatever it is, we become accustomed to it and stay with it. We don’t like change. And māyā’s “covering energy” (āvaraṇātmikā-śakti) can strengthen the effect, helping us feel that whatever circumstance we’re used to, however humdrum, however miserable, is really quite all right—and will stay all right, as if forever. As we might recall, even when Indra was cursed to become a pig he felt the life of a pig to be just fine. ---------- Our discussion of obstacles will continue in … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #5. Inertia

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 30 In one of my seminars a devotee related that when she mentioned to some of her devotee friends that at some point she and her husband intended to take up vānaprastha life, the friends right away assumed that this couple was having problems with their marriage. There was, of course, a problem with their marriage: Both husband and wife would die. And the friends too, though perhaps not mindful of it, had the same problem. We’re all going to die, and then our family life will be finished. And if we’re more attached to family life than to … [Read more...] about Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #6. Bad advice from other householders