[Advaita-l] Brahmana and Vaishnava

[Rajaram Venkataramani]

In response to the below, though this is not a gaudiya forum:

"ISKCON is well aware of this verse, as evidenced by Prabhupada quoting it
during his talk on Varnasrama. This is a huge problem in ISKCON - their
claim that they are "Vaishnavas who run afoul of Varnasrama" is ridiculous,
to say the least. But they don't stop there, for they also turn around and
claim that they are indeed following Varnasrama, but not according to birth!
The whole situation is a confused mess with no understanding of Varnasrama
Dharma or being a Vaishnava!"

It is not true that ISKCON gives Brahmana or Karma Sannyasa Initiation. The
Brahmana Initiation in ISKCON is to perform Deity worship according to
Narada Pancaratra, which some scholars consider to be apocryphal. ISKCON
brahmanas are not entitled or required to perform fire sacrifice. They are
never given Karma Sannyasa.

The apparent confusion is because of mixing up the categories of devotees in
Baladeva's definition. sanishta devotees have to strictly follow
varnashrama. parinishta devotees follow varnashrama though they are
transcendental to it. nirapeksha devotees do not follow varnashrama