Sports and Varnasrama Dharma
By Atma-nivedana dasa

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I appreciated very much Madhava Ghosh Prabhu's very balanced reaction to His Holiness Danavir Maharaja's interesting article. My response comes from a philosophical perspective -- focusing more on the principle than on the detail.

One who has pure Krishna Consciousness only wants to perform activities that inspire him to be absorbed in the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. Such person is a niskama (without desire) bhakta and always engages in one of the nine kinds of devotional activities as described by Sri Prahlada Maharaja: "Sravanam kirtanam visnoh..." Other activities are prohibited for renunciates, which include brahmacaris, vanaprasthas, and sannyasis. For them, small talk, frivolous sports, too much prasada, etc., are subtle falldowns, which eventually must lead to gross falldown, unless such habits are curbed.

As most of us are aware, the majority of our devotees in ISKCON are not members of any of the above asramas; most are grhasthas. Generally, one enters grhastha asrama because one has material desires to such an extent that it would be pretentious for them to attempt to maintain the lifestyle and appearance of a renunciate. Grhastha asrama provides a license for sense gratification, a license to be a sakama (with desire) bhakta. However, if one takes shelter (asrama) properly of the prescribed activities and habits of a grhastha, then one's material desires gradually diminish. Ideally, towards the end of an elevated grhastha's life, the devotee develops the unwavering desire to engage in pure devotional service, has the consciousness of a niskama bhakta, and is ready to take shelter of the sannyasa asrama -- without pretension -- in which frivolous activities, such as sports, are a disgrace.

While it's true that one who wants to engage in, say, soccer is probably not, at that very moment, wanting more than anything in the world to take shelter of Krishna's lotus feet, it's similarly true, that one who feels any attraction for the opposite sex also lacks that same desire. And yet, Srila Prabhupada sanctioned and encouraged devotees who were attracted to the opposite sex to become married, and to dovetail their material desires in the service of the Lord by regulating them while using them for Krishna, and while also following various prescribed activities of the niskama bhakta. Srila Prabhupada taught us yukta-vairagya: how to be honest about our level of devotional service and to live our life in such a way that, if not immediately, we will eventually develop pure love of God.

It is thus perfectly acceptable for a devotee to have material desires and to engage in some activities that do not inherently direct the mind towards Krishna. It is unacceptable for a real brahmacari or sannyasi to engage in such activities. However, it is also perfectly acceptable -- and desirable -- for a member of the renounced order to remind us that material desires lead to our downfall.

As for the detail, the ascertainment of whether the particular activity, sports, is sanctioned for a grhastha devotee, it may demand lots of research in sastra and in the words of our founder-acarya and other acaryas. Still, analysis of the research may for many be inconclusive and effect debate, especially since we are now in Kali-yuga which is ever-changing -- and while our parampara's teachings are clear as to philosophy and sanatana dharma, amongst our acaryas there are different instructions which suit the particular time, place and circumstances of their respective audiences.

While figuring out such details is necessary as we establish our Krishna Conscious culture, so we and others know who we are and what we do, there will most likely be many differences of opinion. But understanding the principle of yukta-vairagya, understanding how we should be motivated in the performance of our activities and how we should choose our respective duties, is essential for us to make advancement as individuals and as a whole society.

Your aspiring servant, Atma-nivedana dasa

© CHAKRA 26-December-2000

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