“According to the three gunas and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me.”- Lord Krishna, in Bhagavad-gita 4.13
Vaishnava devotees follow the Varnashrama Dharma as elaborated in Vedic scriptures. Devotees residing in New Mayapur abide by them. In the Vedic culture, society is organized as per varna (social divisions), depending on their tendencies to work and ashrama (stages in life), related to family and relationships, which is a natural system and not a man-made system.
There are four varnas namely Brahmana (priestly class), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants) and Shudras (laborers) and four ashramas such as Brahmachari (student life), Grihasta (householder), Vanaprastha (retiree) and Sanyasi (renounced).
The ashramas are meant for men and not women as in Vedic culture women remain in the household forever and do not enter the retired or renounced order of life. Besides, scriptures state that people in Kali Yuga are so degraded that everyone in Kali Yuga is a shudra.
The Hare Krishna community have students practising bhakti yoga under the guidance of a spiritual master, householders serving the temple or the community while working within or outside the community, retired folks and renounced monks dedicated to travelling and preaching.
