L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
To lead society and re-establish the system of religion within the universe, the fathers of mankind (Manus) and their descendants embody and impart spiritual principles. The appearance of all fourteen Manus occurs in a ‘day of Brahma.’ From Canto Three, the Srimad-Bhagavatam is essentially a ‘day in the life of Brahma,’ pausing at different Manus to elaborate on the stories.
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L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
To lead society and re-establish the system of religion within the universe, the fathers of mankind (Manus) and their descendants embody and impart spiritual principles. The appearance of all fourteen Manus occurs in a ‘day of Brahma.’ From Canto Three, the Srimad-Bhagavatam is essentially a ‘day in the life of Brahma,’ pausing at different Manus to elaborate on the stories.
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Laws of Mankind
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Laws of Mankind
““This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way.” This parampara system extends from Manu to Iksvaku and from Iksvaku to his sons and grandsons. The rulers of the world in the line of hierarchy execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the parampara system. Anyone interested in peaceful life must participate in this parampara system and perform yajnas . As Gaudiya Vaisnavas in the parampara system of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we must perform sankirtana-yajna all over the world ( yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [ SB 11.5.32 ]).” ( SB 8.14.6 )
Vishnu, as we know, is the unborn, original cause of all causes, as declared by Brahma himself. In this sense He is known as the prapitamaha , the great-grandfather. From the navel of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu comes Brahma, who is known as the pitamaha , the grandfather. In the lineage of Brahma comes the catuh-sana (Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara), the saptarsis (Kasyapa, Atri, Vasistha, Visvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvaja) and the fourteen Manus. These 25 sages are known as the fathers of mankind, and all subsequent population comes from them.
Though Brahma is the demigod in charge of the universe, he does not manage all the intricacies. Just as a ship has a Captain, but also Officers of the Watch, Brahma is the head of this universe, and in each of his days ( kalpa ) there are fourteen Manu-avataras one after another. Each Manu reigns for 71 yuga cycles.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam takes us through the histories of those Manus in Cantos Three to Nine. In Cantos Three to Seven, Svayambhuva-manu and his descendants are elaborately described. In Canto Eight, Maharaja Pariksit asks about the thirteen other Manus. In Canto Nine we hear about the current Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, in whose reign Sri Krishna appears.
The first Manu is called Svayambhuva, and he is the son of Brahma. The second Manu, Svarocisa, is the son of the predominating deity of fire. The third Manu is Uttama, and he is the son of King Priyavrata. The fourth Manu, Tamasa, is the brother of Uttama. The fifth Manu, called Raivata, and the sixth Manu, Chaksusa, are both brothers of Tamasa, but Chaksusa is the son of Caksu. The seventh Manu is called Vaivasvata, and he is born of the sun-god. The eighth Manu is called Savarni, and he is also a son of the sun-god, born of a wife named Chaya. The ninth Manu, Daksa-savarni, is the son of Varuna. The tenth Manu, Brahma-savarni, is the son of Upasloka. The remaining four Manus are known as Rudra-savarni, Dharma-savarni, Deva-savarni and Indra-savarni.
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Extremes
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Laws of Mankind
Extremes
While conservative and liberal members within a tradition are usually always at loggerheads, we need not see their differences as problematic. That tension is pregnant with positive potential. Differences of opinion can bring enlightenment, transformation, wisdom and growth – unfortunately, they can also be the cause of anger, frustration, resentment and fall-out. Just as the opposite ends of a bow help to keep a taut string, which can then fire a powerful arrow, every tradition needs those who are on both ends of the spectrum. The key is to take the essence of conservatism and liberalism, and find a way to marry the principles to discover the golden balance.
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Guru, Sadhu and Sastra
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Laws of Mankind
Guru, Sadhu and Sastra
Understanding Krishna consciousness and its application through spiritual masters (guru), saintly persons ( sadhu ), and scriptures ( sastra ) is the sound methodology that has been employed since time immemorial.
“Sadhu-sastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus , or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorised scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru. Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another.” ( SB 4.16.1 )
Thus, to understand and apply sastra we must first consult a guru. In our modern context we would identify Srila Prabhupada as the pre-eminent siksa-guru (one who instructs and guides, without formally initiating) of all devotees. We must understand how he applied sastra , how he differentiated principles from details, and what he preserved and adapted in his time. Deeply understanding the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada can help one remain relevant and simultaneously authentic. But there will be debates amongst individuals who have different understandings, and thus we must also discuss these matters amongst sadhus . When sincere Vaisnavas come together and sincerely search for the truth based on the statements of sastra and the directions of Srila Prabhupada, we can be hopeful that an appropriate conclusion will be reached.
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Manu Samhita
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Laws of Mankind
Manu Samhita
The Manu-Samhita, spoken by Manu himself, is a lawbook for mankind. It deals with three main subjects: codes of conduct, civil and criminal law, and punishment and atonement. The text thus offers valuable insight into the practical administration of society and defines the various duties of its members.
What role does the Manu-Samhita play in modern spirituality? Although the Manu-Samhita details intricate aspects of social organisation, we don’t find it emphasised amongst the teachers of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Srila Prabhupada focused more on the principles of Manu-Samhita rather than its specific practices. A completely literal application of the Manu-Samhita may be problematic in the current social climate.
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Time, Place and Circumstance
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Laws of Mankind
Time, Place and Circumstance
Krishna unequivocally states that scripture should be the ultimate evidence and guiding light for living beings. Indeed, He declares that “He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.” (BG 16.23) . In relation to this, a critical question arises: How do we understand and apply scripture in today’s day and age?
Scriptures document principles – eternal, unchanging truths that stand the test of time and must be followed and honoured without deviation. The application of principles according to time, place and circumstance are considered details. They invariably change. In the Nectar of Instruction, Rupa Goswami outlines the different things that corrode one’s spirituality. Amongst them he highlights niyamagraha , which has a double meaning. In one sense it means to neglect the injunctions of bhakti (i.e. to mistake principles as details, and to whimsically ignore them). In another sense it means to fanatically hold on to the injunctions of bhakti (i.e. to mistake details as principles, and dogmatically hold to that standard). Thus, one must be able to maturely distinguish between principles and details, and thus preserve the tradition while suitably adapting to the current environment.
One of the great innovators of the modern age was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. When he made ingenious adjustments to the details of Vaisnavism so the tradition could be spread further afield, he became the object of harsh criticism and disapproval. He remained unfazed, however, and once commented: “The Ganges river shifts its course all the time. If you bathe in a dry bed arguing ‘This is where we have always bathed’ what can be said?” Taking that spirit, he kept the Vaisnava mission on the cutting edge.
Making that judgement, however, is not always easy. Once, Srutakirti Prabhu asked Srila Prabhupada how he could distinguish between a principle and a detail. After a long pause, Srila Prabhupada thoughtfully replied – “That requires a little intelligence.”
“Bhismadeva, who was the best amongst the eight Vasus, received and welcomed all the great and powerful rishis who were assembled there, for he knew perfectly all the religious principles according to time and place.” (SB 1.9.9 )
In the purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains: “Expert religionists know perfectly well how to adjust religious principles in terms of time and place. All the great acaryas or religious preachers or reformers of the world executed their mission by adjustment of religious principles in terms of time and place. There are different climates and situations in different parts of the world, and if one has to discharge his duties to preach the message of the Lord, he must be expert in adjusting things in terms of the time and place.”
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Leadership Duties
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Leadership Duties
Chapter 14
Guided by the Lord and His incarnations, the Manus and their descendants, as well as the sages and the demigods, lead society and maintain the spirituality within the universe.
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Manus 7-14
L - Leaders of Society (13-15)
Manus 7-14
Chapter 13
Having named the first six Manus, Sukadeva Goswami next listed the subsequent eight Manus: (7) Sraddhadeva (Vaivasvata) (8) Savarni (9) Daksa-savarni (10) Brahma-savarni (11) Dharma-savarni (12) Rudra-savarni (13) Deva-savarni (14) Indra-savarni.
Within each Manvantara, Sukadeva Goswami explained who would be the prominent descendants of Manu, primary demigods overseeing universal affairs, seven sages ( saptarsi ), incarnations of the Lord, and finally, who would take the position of Indra.
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— S.B. Keshava Swami, Book Bhagavata