Goals and Practices of DVS

The Goals of Daiva Varnashrama Sangam:

1. to pursue the stated objectives of Srila Prabhupada’s original articles of incorporation for ISKCON
2. to bring people into contact with Krishna Consciousness through harinam sankirtan, and book distribution
   
3. to free the energies of all members to contribute to the spreading of the yuga dharma in whatever way they are inspired and support them in doing so
   
4. to liberate people from the shackles of modern civilization by creating alternative means of support based largely on agriculture and simple living
5. to create a social system based on dharma and not money, aka Daiva Varnashrama culture, and train members in that culture
6. to build village communities to give both physical and spiritual support to the members
7. to provide the means and methods for members to work according to their nature, i.e., guna and karma, in the context of dharma
   
8. To make participants aware, at the very outset of their participation, that the goal of our effort is to establish our divine relationship with Sri Krishna
9. to introduce members to the concepts of raganuga bhakti and train them in the practical steps to attain it, leading ultimately to Krishna prema
   
10. to give free expression to individual spiritual sentiments
11. to provide a place and environment for all persons may grow to their full extent
12. to give personal care and training to each person who enters our Sangam
13. To bring up our children and enthuse them with eagerness for life and Krishna Consciousness
14. to localize and minimize the control of the leaders and minimize the demands made on them
15. to create a confederation of independent temples that adhere to the stated values of the Sangam using the chaordic principles
16. to provide leadership by example to the world for an appropriate and sustainable way of life, successful both materially and spiritually
    

The practices of Daiva Varnashrama Sangam:

1. the yuga dharma, the public congregational chanting of the maha-mantra
2. surrender of one’s material life and identity to accept a new life and new spiritual identity based on spiritual sangam
   
3. learning of a new way of living independently of modern society through self-sufficiency, cow protection, and agriculture
   
4. focus on purity: avoiding food cooked by non-devotees; avoiding materialistic association; giving up fruitive work;
5. learning to depend on, and surrender to, Sri Krishna in all circumstances
6. learn and practice humility as an avenue to pure chanting
7. practice of sadhana and viddhi as instructed by Srila Prabhupada
8. appreciating all of our spiritual teachers, especially our shiksha gurus
9. everyone is a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, as shisya. He will always remain our acharya for all members
10. all diksa gurus must be bona fide according to Srila Prabhupada explanation of that term. They must qualify themselves first before giving diksha
11. all members should aspire to anarta-nivritti, then brahma bhuta; then nista, ruci, bhava and then prema
12. new members are given careful training in Krishna consciousness; with new classes beginning every April and October.
13. Full-time members must do harinam while also learning about Krishna Consciousness and self-sufficiency skills
14. Upon initial urban training members will relocate to villages
    

Daiva-varnashrama Sangam does NOT, or is NOT

1. focus on book distribution alone as the mark of its success
2. focus on being a global society--It is a local society
3. centralized--It is decentralized, with each center self-independent following the principles established by Srila Prabhupada.
4. have an institutional hierarchy that interferes with the service of others, and where climbing the corporate ladder, and the attendant perks is confused by some with spiritual advancement
5. compromise with the dominant culture--the purpose of the sangam is to rescue people from the dominant culture, to take them out of it and give them shelter in a spiritual culture

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