The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a worldwide movement representing the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya# within the broad Hindu family of faiths, unequivocally opposes a birth-based caste system, and strongly condemns the use of such a system to discriminate against any person or group, or to preclude their participation in any aspect of religious or secular life.

 

ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, was an outspoken critic of the erroneous belief that one’s birth in a particular “caste” determined one’s occupation or station in life. Prabhupada boldly offered a more forward-thinking reading of references to varna# in Vedic#, or Hindu scriptures, arguing that such passages describe a system of natural social stratification intended to help people find the opportunities best suited to them, not to prevent them from making religious or secular progress. Prabhupada stressed that a person’s qualities and activities, not a person’s birth, determined one’s varna#. He strongly condemned discrimination based on a birth-based caste system as a harmful and unauthorized misinterpretation of Vedic scriptures and tradition.

 

 

Perhaps most significantly for members of ISKCON and the Gauidya Vasihnava sampradaya, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu# (1486-1533) himself demonstrated his opposition to caste: among his inner circle of confidential, trusted associates and followers are counted Haridasa Thakura, Rupa Goswami, and Sanatana Goswami—all considered untouchables, by birth or circumstance, according to the prevailing caste system of their day.

 

Following the example set by his predecessors, Srila Prabhupada was unfaltering in his belief that no one should be denied opportunity on the basis of birth or caste. At the same time, Prabhupada was also critical of some efforts to eradicate caste-based discrimination through political slogans and shallow calls for equality, or by attempting to expunge the Hindu tradition of any mention of varna. He rejected such efforts, well intentioned as they might be, as superficial remedies that failed to address the underlying disparity of educational opportunities that lay at the heart of the issue.

 

For his part, Prabhupada sought to attack caste-based discrimination at its root. He worked tirelessly to share the keys to spiritual upliftment and self-realization with all. Not only did he offer such opportunities to those downtrodden by caste-based discrimination within India, but he also extended those opportunities – arguably for the first time in history on such a massive scale – to men and women not born into Indian families (also considered “untouchables” by defenders of a birth-based caste system). In doing so, Prabhupada practically demonstrated that anyone, whatever their caste or status, could achieve the highest spiritual and secular success promised in the scriptures, without bar or restriction.

 

ISKCON devotees strive to follow in Prabhupada’s footsteps and to build upon the work he began. ISKCON continues to initiate and foster opportunities designed to give all people the tools needed to access a dynamic and rewarding spiritual life. ISKCON’s educational and religious activities are open to all, irrespective of caste, creed, race, gender, or background. Some ISKCON projects, particularly grass-roots food distribution and educational work, also specifically reach out to those routinely neglected because of their socio-economic status. In promoting Sanatan Dharma through the proper understanding of the Vedic sacred texts, ISKCON devotees strive to replace the divisive and restrictive misapplication of caste based on birth with a renewed appreciation that every soul in every status of life should be afforded respect and dignity, and be given every opportunity to cooperatively serve God and his creation.

 

 

Question: Will the fundamental values of the Hindu religion be in any way affected by the eradication of the caste system, toward which a concerted effort is now being made at all levels?

 

Srila Prabhupada: The Vedic system of religion we have been describing—the varnashrama system created by Krishna—is not to be confused with the present-day caste system—determination of social divisions by birth. But as to eradication of all social divisions, it cannot be done… But the difficulty is that this so-called caste system has come in, on account of the false notion that in order to be a Brahmin, one must be the son of a Brahmin. That is the caste system. But Krishna does not say that. He says “according to quality and work.” He never says “according to birth.” So this so-called caste system in India is a false notion of catur-varnyam, the system of four social divisions. The real system of catur-varnyam means guna-karma-vibhagasah, determination of the four social divisions according to quality and work. One must be qualified.

 

 

 

Q: You’re saying the natural system is to classify a person and train him for a particular duty, according to his particular inner qualities and his particular propensity to act.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. That classification is wanted. That must be there.

 

Guest: “Being a Brahmin by birth, does it mean anything?"

 

Prabhupada: “No, they [disciples coming from non-Brahmin families] are not born of Brahmin father. Now they are Brahmins."

 

Guest: “But you were saying about Brahmins, so I..."

 

Prabhupada: “Brahmins means qualified Brahmins. When you say engineer, that means qualified engineer, not born engineer. An engineer is not born. “Because his father is an engineer, he is an engineer.” What is this? You become an engineer. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. Catur-varnyam maya srstam (Bhagavad Gita 4.13). There must be qualification and work; otherwise what kind of Brahmin?"

 

 

"So shastra says if these qualities are anyatrapi drsyeta, if these qualities are found somewhere else…. Suppose a [so-called] Shudra or a Chandala [Harijana], if these qualities are found there, then he should be accepted by those qualities, not by birth…. So, this is shastric injunction. Then later on this caste “Brahminism,” “Shudraism” made the whole thing, the whole Hindu culture, Vedic culture, spoiled."