The Narakān Level

Dear GBC Members,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupāda. We are feeling somewhat embarrassed that no contribution has been proposed towards the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium on behalf of the Second Generation. This proposal describes a plan to present a scene from one of the planets of the Vedic Cosmology, namely the planet Pitṛloka, the abode of Lord Yamarāja, the God of Death. It is described thusly in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.26.5:

“All the hellish planets are situated in the intermediate space between the three worlds and the Garbhodaka Ocean. They lie on the southern side of the universe, beneath Bhū-maṇḍala, and slightly above the water of the Garbhodaka Ocean. Pitṛloka is also located in this region between the Garbhodaka Ocean and the lower planetary systems. All the residents of Pitṛloka, headed by Agniṣvāttā, meditate in great samādhi on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always wish their families well.”

This level of the universe is known as “Narakān,” translated by Srila Prabhupāda in Śrīmad Bhagavatam 5.26.7 as “the hellish planets.” It is important to note, however, that Pitṛloka is actually considered to be a higher planet, even though it is associated with the hellish regions. In his purport to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.26.6, Srila Prabhupāda writes about this subject:

“Yamarāja is not a fictitious or mythological character; he has his own abode, Pitṛloka, of which he is king. Agnostics may not believe in hell, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī affirms the existence of the Naraka planets, which lie between the Garbhodaka Ocean and Pātālaloka.”

It is proposed that the presentation of this lower region of the universe be made on the lowest level of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, possibly in a basement level, to be known as “The Narakān Level.”

The Diorama Presentation

The primary proposal is to present a diorama of the throne room of Lord Yamarāja, the God of Death, who has been described by Srila Prabhupāda in his purport to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.12.20 as a “great Vaiṣṇava authority.” He is also one of the figures that Lord Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself with in Bhagavad Gita 10.29, stating therein: “among the dispensers of law I am Yama, lord of death.”

We understand from Srila Prabhupāda’s statements about the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium that such diorama presentations would be in line with his Vision for the Temple. For instance, in one conversation, Srila Prabhupāda described how visitors would come to see “the architectural culture, they’ll come to see the civilization culture, the philosophical culture, the religious culture by practical demonstration with dolls and other things” (Morning Walk — February 27, 1976, Māyāpura). “Dolls,” for those unfamiliar with Srila Prabhupāda’s use of the word, meant figures similar to those in the Fate Museum dioramas, like in the picture below:

In another letter, Srila Prabhupāda repeats the idea of dioramas: “Within the planetarium the model will be studied by onlookers from different levels by use of escalators. Detailed information will be given on open verandas at the different levels by means of dioramas, charts, films, etc. (Letter to S.L. Dhani — Vṛndāvana 14 November, 1976). So this Narakān Level Project is proposed to be a diorama, on the lowest level or in an underground level of the Planetarium Temple, rather than an open veranda, since it is said to be situated towards the lower part of the Vedic Cosmos.

The Throne Room Shrine

There are a number of important details which are proposed to be included in the throne room shrine. Firstly, the primary proposed scene is that Lord Yamarāja is on his throne, and there is a group of Ṛṣis chanting Vedic hymns, in general alignment with the description given earlier from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Additionally, there are said to be two four-eyed hounds, and also four doorways, made of gold, silver, iron, and copper. These are some of the most important elements that are proposed to be included in the presentation.

As for the God of Death himself, he is described and depicted in some various ways in the śāstras. He is mentioned quite a few times in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam of course, but there is not really a detailed description. So it is therefore proposed that he be presented as described in the Viṣṇu-dharmottara, which has quite a detailed description, and which has been accepted as an “authoritative scripture” by Srila Prabhupāda (SB 1.3.15pp). In the Viṣṇu-dharmottara 3.51.1-2, the Lord of Death is described as having skin the color of dark clouds, and clothes or armor that appear like heated gold, and also four arms. These details are proposed to guide the artistic conception.

The Viṣṇu-dharmottara 3.51… also says that the Lord of Death should be presented with his wife, the Goddess Dhūmorṇā, who should be holding a citron flower in one hand, and have her other hand on her husband’s back, and who is said to be the Goddess of the Funeral Pyre. Also, the Viṣṇu-dharmottara says that the sacred buffalo carrier of the God of Death should be present, and that the buffalo represents the loss of consciousness at the time of death.

To give a sense of the Throne Room and its surroundings, an account has been given by none other than Lord Viṣṇu himself, in the Preta Kāṇḍa of the Garuḍa Purāṇa, wherein the abode of the Lord of Death is described as follows:

In the middle of the city is the very resplendent mansion of the King of Justice. It is shining with jewels, and splendid like lightning, flame and the sun.

It is supported by thousands of pillars, decorated with emeralds, ornamented with gold, and is full of palaces and mansions.

Pleasing to the mind with cupolas of the splendor of the autumnal sky; with beautiful crystal stairways and walls beautified with diamonds.

It is proposed that the foregoing description guide the artistic conception of the throne room. For the appearance of the Lord of Justice himself and of the assemblage of personalities that surrounds him, they are thusly described by Lord Viṣṇu in the Preta Kāṇḍa of the Garuḍa Purāṇa:

There sits the Lord of Justice, on a throne pure and incomparable, ten yojanas in extent, bedecked with all kinds of jewels, the Best of the Good, his head dignified with the regal umbrella, ornamented with earrings, prosperous, made splendid with a large crown.

Adorned with all ornaments, splendid as a blue cloud, and fanned by celestial damsels bearing in their hands fans of hair.

Multitudes of celestial singers and celestial damsels surround him, and serve him with songs, music and dance.

He is waited upon by Mṛityu with a noose in his hand, by Kāla still more powerful, and by Chitragupta, the recorder of fate.

Due to space constraints, we will unfortunately not be able to build a throne that is 10 yojanas in extent. However, the diorama is proposed to be more or less in line with the foregoing description. Certainly, the important figures of Mṛityu (Death Personified), Kāla (Time), and Citragupta (the Recorder of Fate) are proposed to be included, and we already mentioned the Goddess Dhūmorṇā and the sacred buffalo carrier. Then… we will just have to see how many celestial damsels it is feasible to fit in.

It should be noted that the personality of Kāla, or Time, is another figure that Lord Kṛṣṇa identifies Himself with, in Bhagavad Gita 11.32, declaring therein: “Time I am, destroyer of worlds.” And also in 10.30: “among subduers I am time.” Additionally, the figure of Mṛtyu is also identified with Lord Kṛṣṇa, in Bhagavad Gita 10.34, wherein He states: “I am all-devouring death.” So three of the proposed diorama figures are identified with and by Sri Kṛṣṇa directly in Bhagavad Gita.

The Hounds of Hell: Śārvara & Śyāma

These two four-eyed hounds are mentioned in no less than the original four Vedas themselves! In both the Ṛg and Atharva Vedas, wherein they are described as follows:

Run and outspeed the two hounds, Sarama’s offspring, copper-colored, four-eyed, upon thy happy pathway…. And those two hounds of thine, Yama, the watchers, four-eyed who look on men and guard the pathway…. Dark-hued, insatiable, with distended nostrils, Yama’s two messengers roam among the people. (Ṛg Veda, 10.14.10-12)

The foregoing description is proposed to guide the artistic conception of the Hounds.

The Four Doors

The Four Doors of the different metals appear to have developed as a belief surrounding what is apparently one of the very few dedicated temples to the God of Death, the Yamarāja Temple in Himachal. The local belief in Himachal is that the Four Doors are actually invisible, but the proposal with this Project is to make them visible. The basis of the four different doorways appears to come from Garuḍa Purāṇa, Preta Kāṇḍa 33.16, wherein Lord Viṣṇu states:

“The City of Yama is square in shape with four entrances and seven outer walls.”

Elsewhere in the Garuḍa Purāṇa, the four directions are connected to certain gods, and the gods are also related to the four metals. The gold is related to Lord Viṣṇu, the silver to Lord Brahmā, the copper to Lord Śiva, and the iron to the Lord of Death.

As soon as we learned about the hounds and the doors, they both seemed like unusual, and very appropriate elements to include in the presentation.

The Installation Question

Whether to install Lord Yamarāja as a deity was an important question that came up with this Project, and in the end we propose that it should be carried out. Our impression, from Srila Prabhupāda’s conversations, is that he envisioned a variety of installed deities in the Planetarium Temple, based on the following two conversations:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: “The center of the planetarium will be the temple of Kṛṣṇa.”

Prabhupāda: Just see. It is their manufacture?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: “The planetarium and temple alone will be estimated to cost rupees seventy crores.”

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. But it is not going to be Kṛṣṇa’s temple.

(Conversation — April 19, 1977, Bombay)

Another conversation that same day included the same idea:

Prabhupāda: That temple, what will be the Deity, you do not know?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: I mentioned… We gave them the paper with all the information on it.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: They had been given a paper with all the names of the Deities on it.

Prabhupāda: What is that Deity?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Pañca-tattva, Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Yes. These are… “Kṛṣṇa.”

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa not the central Deity.

Prabhupāda: Everything is spoiled.

So the general sense we get from these conversations is that the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium was not envisioned by Srila Prabhupāda to be a normal “Kṛṣṇa” temple, specifically with regard to the installed deities. So which deities would be present then? Srila Prabhupāda didn’t say, but apparently left it creatively open. It seems he knew that people like us would be along eventually, and propose various exhibits that would include installing a deity or deities. So proposing that the Lord of Justice be installed would appear to be more or less the kind of thing that Srila Prabhupāda envisioned, as far as the installed deities coming out of the Planetarium Temple Project itself.

Besides that, having supporting shrines at major pilgrimage sites is extremely common. Major sites like Purī or Badrinath have hundreds of supporting shrines, both within and without the main temple complex. Most of the supporting shrines have deities installed, and one might only find the occasional odd exception where the deity has not been installed. So this throne room would be, in effect, a supporting shrine of the main temple. It is a very, very normal thing. In fact, if Śrīdhāma Māyāpura and the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium are supposed to be major pilgrimage destinations, it seems almost odd if there are no supporting shrines.

Perhaps it is a little unusual, but the room is envisioned to be kind of a mix between a throne room diorama and a temple room. Some space would be included in front of the throne, so that there can be food offerings, puja, etc. The installed deity/deities are envisioned to be of metal or stone, but the other figures to be diorama-type figures. The proposed name of the deity is “Narakānrāja,” or the “Lord of the Narakān Regions.” The formal Sanskrit name of the shrine is proposed to be “Narakānrāja Mandir.”

Incidentally, none of this is meant to criticize that the main Māyāpura deities are going in the Planetarium Temple. We get that: they are the presiding deities, and they are going into the biggest temple which is available. We just have to make our case for installing an irregular deity. It seems to us the case definitely has to be made for doing something like that, which we expect many readers will very well know.

Did Srila Prabhupāda Mean to Exclude the Narakān Regions?

There is possible evidence that Srila Prabhupāda may have been concerned about any presentations of the hellish regions within the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. In one well-known letter about the subject, Srila Prabhupāda lists out the levels of the universe to be presented, and the bottommost level of the universe is conspicuously missing, with the first entry being “The lower planetary system (pataladi-saptaloka)” (Letter to S.L. Dhani – Vṛndāvana, 14 November, 1976). Strictly speaking, Pātālaloka refers to the seven lower planetary systems, such as Nāgaloka, and then the hellish planets of Narakānloka are described as beneath that. With respect to this Project, it seems important to explain why the lowest level of the universe appears to be missing in such an important letter, and whether its absence indicates that this Project should not be carried out.

It seems possible that Srila Prabhupāda may have been concerned about presentations of the hellish planets. Besides maybe not wanting the screams of the damned echoing through the peaceful paths of Māyāpura Dhāma, it is possible some of the material could be inappropriate. Top of the list might be Lālābhakṣa, the special hellish planet for husbands who forced their wives to drink their semen (SB 5.26.26). So if Srila Prabhupāda were to specifically include the hellish regions in his list, before you know it, some overzealous devotee might come along, wanting to do all sorts of crazy exhibits based on the hellish planets, and claiming that he is just trying to fulfil Srila Prabhupāda’s Vision for the Planetarium Temple. So this seems like one possibility for why the bottommost level of the universe might have been excluded in Srila Prabhupāda’s list.

Having said that, there appears to be substantial evidence that the lowest planetary system was more or less in with all the other levels. For instance, in one conversation, Srila Prabhupāda simply references the Fifth Canto, saying: “Exactly to the description of Fifth Canto, we want” (Room Conversation – Hrishikesh, May 8, 1977). So the description of Pitṛloka that was given earlier actually was indeed from the Fifth Canto.

Additionally, Hari Sauri Prabhu, Srila Prabhupāda’s Personal Servant for some years, certainly appears to have had the understanding that the hellish regions should be included. In his Transcendental Diary, he writes:

“I don’t have any real say, but I can state my case, because it’s what Prabhupāda told me. Prabhupāda instructed me a lot about Mayapur…. All the specifics of what life is like on the hellish and heavenly planets and in Vaikuntha and Goloka should all be in exhibits going up along the inside of the building near the escalators…. His idea is to have displays depicting various levels of material existence. The exhibition is to begin on the lower levels by depicting hellish regions and lower planetary systems. As the visitor ascends the interior of the dome by escalator, various levels of material existence will be revealed, gradually rising to the abodes of the demigods, then Satyaloka, and the Vaikuṇṭha planets.”

So Hari Sauri Prabhu twice mentions how the hellish regions were a part of Srila Prabhupāda’s Vision for the Planetarium Temple. It should be noted that there were many conversations of Srila Prabhupāda that were not recorded, and Hari Sauri Prabhu, as Srila Prabhupāda’s Personal Servant, doubtless heard many of these. In truth, there appears to be a very reasonable argument that even the seriously hellish planets were a part of Srila Prabhupāda’s Vision.

It should also be mentioned that the hellish regions may have been excluded in the letter by the Secretary at the time. The Secretary may have gotten it into his head that the hellish regions were not appropriate to present in the Planetarium Temple, and that Srila Prabhupāda must not have thought about it carefully enough, and that he knew better than his guru. Aren’t people always thinking they know better than their guru? So this is another possibility. Also, the Secretary may have just missed listing the hellish regions by accident.

Lastly, it is possible that Srila Prabhupāda did actually include the hellish regions in his list, since he sometimes used “Pātālaloka” as a kind of general term to refer to the lower part of the universe, like when he said, “We can see innumerable planets, upwards and downwards. So the upper planetary system is called Svargaloka, or the heavenly planets, and the middle planetary system is called Martyaloka or Bhurloka, in which we are staying at the present moment, and the down planetary system is called Pātālaloka or downwards.” (Press Conference, Chicago – July 09, 1975). So the argument could be made that Srila Prabhupāda actually did include the hellish regions in his list in the letter, but maybe just used a more general kind of term.

In the end, the conclusion we will accept here is that Srila Prabhupāda may have possibly been concerned about certain presentations of the hellish regions, but that this Project does not appear to fall into the category of presentations that Srila Prabhupāda might have been concerned about. After considering the evidence, we feel that this present proposal is not actually very controversial at all, with the Lord of the Narakān Regions, one of the 12 Mahājanas, in his throne room, Ṛṣis chanting slokas, and a few other important elements like the four doors and the four-eyed dogs, drawing from no less than the Ṛg Veda itself. It will be a very sattvic presentation. There is nothing about husbands forcing their wives to drink their semen, or screams echoing through the peaceful Māyāpura evening, or anything like that. Also, someone cannot come along in later years, and claim that the Planetarium Temple is missing an entire important level of the universe. The hellish regions would indeed be represented, but in a very sattvic way, with the Throne Room of the King of Justice.

The Golden Door

Moving forward, another question is about whether to make the golden door (and silver door as well) of the solid element, or just gold-plate it. The main argument that we see for making the door of solid gold is that it is described that way, and we think that it will become a famous point, and attract more visitors and pilgrims to Sridham Māyāpura. It will cost a pretty penny though. We just checked on the price of a 1 kg bar of gold, and it was $65,000. So if we say it’s going to be a thin golden door that looks thick, we can say maybe 10 bars of gold will suffice. So that’s $650,000 right there. Still, there are many successful devotees who may wish to contribute, which could make a solid gold door a realistic goal.

Opaque Crystal Barriers

As a final element to include here, it is proposed that behind three of the doors, not including the door used for entering the shrine, there should be a large slab of opalescent or opaque crystal stone. If some child who has consumed too much sugar runs through the exhibit and jerks open one of the Four Doors, we don’t want there to be a brick or concrete wall there. Instead, the kiddos will be informed that Lord Yamarāja appears to have blocked passage through the Door by means of some strange opaque crystalline barrier. This completes the initial proposal regarding what is to be physically present in the Throne Room Shrine, although we are sure that others will have more to contribute to the Vision.

Commissions

For the artistic conception of the Throne Room and its various important parts, we will propose the commission of our godbrother Ācārya dāsa, from Villa Vrindavana in Italy. We consider him the Michelangelo of the Gurukulis, and he is in fact from the very birthplace of Michelangelo, from Florence, Italy. From Ācārya dāsa it is proposed to be commissioned the artistic conception of the Throne Room, including all of the proposed diorama figures, and the main throne, and the Four Doors. It is also proposed that a bas-relief image of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva be included within the throne design, in connection with the kṣatriya matters discussed further on. The hounds would be a sculptural commission, also proposed for Ācārya dāsa.

For bringing the Throne Room into physical reality, we will propose the commission of our godbrother Kuvalesaya dāsa, who has a lot of experience with different kinds of art projects. For making the four doors, making the throne components, and cutting out the large crystal slabs, we will propose the commission of our godbrother Giridhārī dāsa, who is formally qualified as a Machinist. And for any lighting and electrical needs, we will propose the commission of our godbrother JR dāsa (as he is universally known), who is a formally qualified Electrician. That should suffice for the moment as far as proposed commissions, but there will doubtless be a small army of devotee artists to help out. We expect that all of those who are artistically inclined are bound to want to play a part in contributing to this very important project, and it would probably be the most important art project of their lives for most of them.

This completes the proposed Phase 1 of the Narakān Level Project, the construction of Narakānrāja Mandir.

Phase 2: The Fully Operational Throne Room Shrine

The second phase of this project involves the running of day-to-day operations at the Narakānrāja Mandir, such as pujas, and mahāprasād preparation, and general management. For overall management of Narakānrāja Shrine, we will propose the commission of our godsister, Draupadī devī dāsī, who has a formal college degree in Public Administration, and also rendered pujari service to Śrī Śrī Rukmiṇī Dvārakādhīśa in LA for many years. We are sure that some of the GBC Members know her personally, and will approve of her in this position.

With respect to how the Narakānrāja Shrine would operate, just briefly, it is envisioned that there would be regular pujas, and also regular mahāprasād offerings. Some manner of special shrine mahāprasād is also proposed which can be determined further on. It is stated in Ṛg Veda 10.14.14:

“Offer unto Yama holy offerings enriched with butter, and draw near.”

So some special preparation rich in butter is anticipated. For the mahāprasād area, we will propose the commission our godbrother Govinda dāsa to head up this area, with his rather well-known experience. For leading up the pujari service, we will propose the commission of our godsister Kṛṣṇamayi devī dāsī, who served as a pujari in San Diego Temple for some years.

As far as governance of the shrine, it is envisioned to be a separate nonprofit, and there would be a formal legal agreement between the nonprofit and ISKCON. Already, there are many for-profit and nonprofit businesses operating in Māyāpura Dhāma and they also have such legal agreements. So it is the same thing. Donations put in the donation box are envisioned to go towards supporting Mandir operations, and the same with sales of mahāprasād. Much more could be said about Phase 2, but this will suffice for now.

Budget

The proposed initial budget to complete construction of the Narakānrāja Mandir is 2 million dollars, not including the Four Doors. It could go higher of course, but it seems a reasonable enough starting budget for a project of this nature. It is mostly expected to be for compensating the artists nicely, and also covering materials of course, and flights. This appears to be a very unusual project that we believe will be of interest to many, so we believe 2 million is really quite a modest proposed budget.

Phase 3: Yavaneśvara Kṣatriya Academy (Āśrama) & the Soldiers of Death

“The followers of Yavaneśvara [Yamarāja] are called the Soldiers of Death.” (SB 4.29.23)

One large unexpected fruit of working on this Project was the vision of Narakānrāja Mandir acting as the anchor and center of a kṣatriya academy. It has to be said at the outset that founding a devotee kṣatriya academy may be very challenging, mainly because the kṣatriyas (and everyone else probably as well) are bound to have very high expectations for such an academy, and they seem likely be dissatisfied with any vision that is too dull or mundane. The devotees are the ones with the shaved heads and orange robes. that are jumping up and down, singing loudly in streets. So their Kṣatriya Academy cannot be like some boring mundane institution, in our opinion. But it seems to us that guarding the Throne Room Shrine of the God of Death, and its Golden Door, is bound to please everyone. In the end, we predict that all of those within the Movement strongly inclined towards kṣatriya dharma will want to complete a posting at the Academy, and it will become practically a rite of passage for future kṣatriyas.

The Yamadūta Guardians (Kṣatriyas)

As far as justifying the existence of such a kṣatriya academy, the first justification is that Lord Yamarāja’s Throne Room and the Golden Door will of course need guards. Important pilgrimage temples, where many people visit, always have some kṣatriya guards around. As for the nature of these guards, they are the guards of Lord Yamarāja, and are therefore proposed to be known as the “Yamadūta Guardians,” or “Yamadūta Kṣatriyas,” or the “Yamadūta Division,” or simply the “Yamadūtas” (and of course as the “Soldiers of Death” from the verse quoted earlier). The Yamadūtas would presumably receive quite a lot of combat training, and would need a school or academy to give such training, given by the gurus and senseis of the various martial arts who are the faculty of the Academy. The proposed name is “Yavaneśvara Kṣatriya Academy,” coming from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam verse quoted earlier. Or the pure Sanskrit name is proposed to be “Yavaneśvara Kṣatriya Āśrama.” The Academy’s primary purpose is to train up Yamadūta Guardians to guard the Throne Room of the God of Death.

But then it ends up that the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium also needs Guardians, and so does the entire city of Sridham Māyāpura, and so do all the other temples and farm communities around the world. So this is a second justification. There is currently no systematic training program that exists for preparing such Community Guardians, despite the fact that combat training is known to be extremely important for being effective with temple security, and despite the fact that the lives and well-being of devotees throughout the world may depend on such training. This is not a criticism, but simply a fact, stating a need. So this Academy could also train up Kṣatriya Community Guardians for postings at temples and farm communities throughout the world, ensuring that the kṣatriyas are well-prepared to defend the Deities, and defend the Vaiṣṇavas. Effectively, this Academy is envisioned to be “Kṣatriya Central” for the Movement, serving the much-needed function of preparing future kṣatriyas for duty throughout the world. So this is the second justification for founding the Academy.

The reality is that such military or martial arts academies are not particularly unusual. In fact, every little neighborhood martial arts school can be seen as a small kṣatriya academy. However, the challenge of creating a worthy kṣatriya academy for the Hare Krishnas appears much more difficult.

Actually, we know that the GBC has already been thinking about this subject, because there have already been efforts to found a Varṇāśrama College in the City of Māyāpura. As is well-known, the establishment of varṇāśrama dharma was considered by Srila Prabhupāda to be one of his greatest tasks left uncompleted. So this proposal to found a Kṣatriya Academy can also be viewed as fulfilling a very important task that Srila Prabhupāda entrusted to his followers.

“Books are the Basis”

We believe that everyone would agree that basing the various details of this proposed Kṣatriya Order on śāstric accounts is a very sound way to proceed. This idea for the founding of a special Kṣatriya Academy came directly out of the Narakān Level Project, and so we are proceeding with that as the theme. It ends up that the God of Death is a personality who is mentioned many times in the śāstras, and so are his servants. So there is definitely some material to work with, coming straight from the śāstras, like for example with the kinds of weapons that the Yamadūtas are said to have used. We are very sure that everyone would agree that the proposed weapons and so on of this Kṣatriya Order should be based as closely as possible on śāstric accounts.

Having said that, we have a purpose here, which is to produce Yamadūta Guardians to protect Narakānrāja Mandir, and temple communities throughout the world, and we want them to be well-rounded kṣatriyas. So to give an example, we believe absolutely everyone would agree that the kṣatriya students should receive unarmed combat training, such as wresting, or Kung Fu, or other unarmed combat styles. But is there anything in the śāstras about the Yamadūtas practicing wrestling or Kung Fu or some other unarmed combat style? Not that we have seen, that is for sure. The Yamadūtas are most-often described as using small iron clubs. In fact, we have seen absolutely nothing about any unarmed combat. But be that as it may, we believe that everyone will still agree that there should be substantial training in unarmed combat, because those are probably the kinds of situations that the Kṣatriya Guardians will most often encounter, and it is always preferrable to resolve such situations without weapons if possible.

So that is our task, to follow the śāstric accounts where it is feasible and desirable, but we must also bow to modern necessities as well, like giving substantial training in unarmed combat. It is a mix.

On the other side of unarmed combat is armed combat, and while it might not be a common occurrence, it can certainly happen, and has in fact happened, like with the shooting up of the deities in New Vṛndāvana many years ago. The reality is that any so-called Kṛṣṇa Kṣatriya Academy is going to have to teach some hand weapons and missile weapons, or all of the kṣatriya devotees will, in our humble opinion, immediately dismiss it as a sorry joke of a kṣatriya proposal. And what weapons instruction will the kṣatriyas want to see? Well, of course, they will want to see weapons that are described in the śāstras, that the heroes were using, like maces, or bows and arrows, swords, etc.

Now critics could say that such weapons are outdated and antiquated, and better weapons are available now. That is true, but it is our opinion that the devotee kṣatriyas will not care about that. The reality is that there are always supposedly better weapons. You could have a handgun, and an enemy shows up with a semi-automatic assault rifle. Or you could have a semi-automatic rifle, and your opponent could have a bow and arrows, but they still take you down, because they kept their head and aimed better.

One thing is for sure though, although there may be weapons that are more modern than swords or bows and arrows, swords and so on remain deadly weapons. Even modern-day militaries equip their members with swords and daggers and such. The swords tend to be for dress uniform, but daggers remain a standard military-issued weapon, and soldiers receive training in how to fight with such combat daggers, and then go into the field with them. So hand-to-hand weapons remain quite present in the modern day, with combat daggers probably being the best example of such.

Beyond that, we have not even touched on the aesthetic or artistic concerns. Why do even modern-day militaries have swords as a part of their formal dress uniform? We assume part of it is because they look great, and the soldiers look like handsome, dashing heroes! So should not these proposed Kṣatriya Guardians also look as heroic and impressive as possible? Well, of course, we are sure that everyone would agree with that. Part of their job is to be the formal guardians of Narakānrāja Shrine, and to be an important part of that artistic presentation as well. So large hand weapons, such as maces, tridents, and swords can make a big artistic impression, make the warriors look very heroic, impress visitors to the Planetarium Temple, and so on. So this artistic side is a whole different angle, and one that, in our experience, most kṣatriyas tend to take quite seriously.

So for these various reasons, it seems to us that hand-to-hand weapons should probably be featured prominently at the Academy. The top reason, as mentioned previously, is that we believe the kṣatriya devotees will view any Academy proposal that lacks such weapons as a sorry joke. An important question that remains is which weapons should be taught, or which weapon should be the primary weapon. To answer that, the śāstric accounts can help us, and we can use a process of elimination and intuition to narrow down the options.

The Yamadūta Tri- Śikham & Other Armaments

There is a very limited description of Yamadūta armaments in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, with the story of Ajāmila only mentioning nooses and rods, neither of which seem very suitable to be the primary weapon of the Academy and of the Yamadūtas. However, another Purāṇa, the Brahmā Purāṇa, gives a much more detailed description about Yamadūta weaponry, including this verse:

“Those who are guilty of slaying living beings must of necessity go along the path even as they are being pierced and smashed by javelins, iron clubs, swords, maces and arrows or by the sharp pointed tridents.” (Brahmā Purāṇa 105.84)

Out of these weapons, we will propose that tridents be the primary official hand-weapon of the Academy. All of the weapons have to be viewed as legitimate, since they are right there in the verse, but practically every military academy has swords as the official hand weapon, and iron clubs don’t seem suitable. That leaves tridents, javelins, or maces. Out of these three, we just expect that practically every devotee will say that tridents are the best choice for the main official hand-weapon of the Academy. Other weapons are envisioned to be learned and carried as well though.

It should be added that the design of the official trident of the Academy is considered to be of great importance, and is proposed to be commissioned to Ācārya dāsa.

In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, tridents are referred to in many ways, one of which is “tri-śikham” (SB 10.59.9), because of the trident points’ similar appearance to three śikhas. It is here proposed that tri-śikham be adopted as the official name of the Academy Trident, as in the “Academy Tri-Śikham,” or the “Yamadūta Tri-Śikham.” The term can also be used to refer to the kṣatriyas themselves, as in a “Tri-Śikham Guardian,” or a “Tri-Śikham Kṣatriya,” or the “Tri-Śikham Forces.” In fact, ISKCON and the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava kṣatriyas in general may prefer Tri-Śikham as a formal term to adopt, if only because it doesn’t sound quite so Yamadūta-ish, and because Śikham is so perfect for Vaiṣṇavas. From here on, the two terms, “Yamadūta” and “Tri-Śikham” will be used somewhat interchangeably, but “Yamadūtas” more for the kṣatriyas that actually guard Narakānrāja Mandir.

Moving onto missile weapons, it is proposed that the Yamadūta Guardians not carry firearms within the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, because it seems inappropriate. Instead, from the Brahmā Purāṇa verse quoted previously, “arrows” were specifically mentioned there, implying the presence of bows. Therefore, we propose that hand-crossbows be the official Yamadūta missile weapon, because they are about the closest one can get to a gun, without actually being a gun, but rather being a kind of bow. Hence the name “crossbow.” Modern hand-crossbows are often self-cocking, and look something like this:

Regular bows are certainly legitimate as well though, and archery is anticipated to be a part of the training curriculum, especially with so many personalities using the bow, such as Lord Rāma, Arjunaji, etc etc. Full-size bows are maybe just a bit cumbersome for trident-fighting. But if a Yamadūta Guardian wants to guard Narakānrāja Shrine with his bow strapped on, or leaning against the wall by him, that seems fine. And it should not be forgotten that the trident itself is a missile weapon as well, but more a missile weapon of last resort.

The other two proposed mandatory armaments to mention are the ropes (or noose), and a small steel club or rod as well. These two are consistently mentioned in relation to the Yamadūtas, including in the story of Ajāmila in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. If some visitor to the Planetarium Temple goes a little crazy and needs to be restrained, the Yamadūta Guardians will have their ropes ready to restrain him until he cools off a little.

The lethal weapons, such as the tridents and hand-crossbows, are envisioned for dealing with a different kind of threat. The Golden Door may well attract sophisticated thieves, such as Ninja Crews, or High-Tech Crews, who want the Golden Door to gain status and respect, or simply for the monetary value of the gold. This is the Golden Door of the Throne Room Shrine of the God of Death! And any Crew that steals it will immediately achieve worldwide fame! So it appears this danger must be guarded against. If the Yamadūta Guardians see any ninjas, or similar interlopers, they surely must immediately slay them, or there is a very fair chance that the Yamadūtas will themselves be slain, and the Golden Door taken.

That brings us to armor, since High-Tech Crews will probably have semi-automatic firearms. The Yamadūta Forces, it seems to us, must be able to withstand bullets, and it is therefore proposed that they be outfitted with bullet-proof armor, which is available these days in the form of steel or ceramic plates. Now the Yamadūtas in the Purāṇas are not described as having armor, not that we have seen at least, but the Yamadūta Armor can still be based on the general descriptions of the Yamadūtas in the Purāṇas. For instance, the Yamadūtas are described in Garuḍa Purāṇa as being “as black as crows.” So the official armor is proposed to be black in color. Furthermore, in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.1.28, the Yamadūtas are described as having “hair standing erect on their bodies,” and in Brahmā Purāṇa 105.62 as having head hair that is “disheveled and stands erect,” and in Brahmā Purāṇa 105.60 as having “very fierce curved fangs.” So from those descriptions it is proposed that the black armor and helm have spikes included in the artistic conception, and also some manner of “fangs” worked into the helm design. It is also envisioned that both the armor and the Tri-Śikham trident will have a small image of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva embossed in somewhere. The artistic design of the Yamadūta Armor is considered to be an artistic project of the very highest importance, and the artistic conception is proposed to be commissioned to Ācārya dāsa, the Michelangelo of the Gurukulis. Just to give the idea, here is an example of a black, spiked helm design with possible “fangs”:

We are sure that Ācārya dāsa’s artistic conception will be better though, this is just to give the idea. Lastly, it should be mentioned that the descriptions of the Yamadūtas in the Brahmā Purāṇa made them sound quite varied. So while we have here described some standard armaments, if an individual Yamadūta Guardian wants to carry a mace, or some other miscellaneous weapon, we propose they should be able to do so. Just no firearms are envisioned in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, or in the Narakānrāja Mandir.

So when visitors come to see Narakānrāja Mandir, there will be diorama figures of the two Hounds, and of the celestial damsels, and the Ṛṣis chanting hymns, and so on. But the guards will be real people, real Yamadūta Guardians, black as crows, covered in sharp spikes, and wielding their deadly looking tridents and other armaments. The Yamadūta Guardians are considered a part of the Narakān Level presentation as well, a very important part.

Just to be clear about guns, we are not saying that they should be completely prohibited to Tri-Śikham Kṣatriyas, but rather only proposed to be completely prohibited in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. If one of the Tri-Śikham is protecting some Krishna Community in the west, and they feel the need to carry a firearm, they should do so. There are a number of letters from Srila Prabhupāda that have approved this. Possibly the Academy should give firearm training. It seems reasonable enough, or Tri-Śikham Kṣatriyas can get firearm training privately, or in their home country. But firearms are not a proposed part of the official Yamadūta armaments, and it is proposed that they definitely be prohibited in the Planetarium Temple. If visitors come and see the Yamadūtas with firearms, that will probably ruin the whole artistic presentation right there.

Additionally, if children visiting the Planetarium Temple have questions for the Yamadūta Guardians about their armaments, the Yamadūtas should be ready to answer. If the children ask why they have tridents, the Yamadūtas can reply that the tridents are for poking and piercing murderers on their path towards hell (coming from the Brahmā Purāṇa verse quoted at the beginning of this section). If the children ask why the Yamadūtas have hand-crossbows, the Yamadūtas can reference Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.26.24:

“If in this life a man of the higher classes [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya] is very fond of taking his pet dogs, mules or asses into the forest to hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows.”

So the Yamadūtas can politely inform the children that the hand-crossbows are for shooting at sinners who have unnecessarily hunted and killed animals. If the children ask a Yamadūta why he doesn’t use a regular bow, the Yamadūta can reply that he is in fact very expert with regular bows, but he left his at home today, because regular bows are better for outdoors, and hand-crossbows are better for indoors. If the children ask about the black spiked armor, the Yamadūta Guardians can reply, “This is what Yamadūtas look like.” And similarly with all such questions. For instance, if the children ask about the rope, the Yamadūtas will certainly not mention tying up unruly visitors to the Planetarium Temple, but are rather expected to respond that the ropes are for pulling out the souls of sinners.

And if the Yamadūtas get a tough customer, who says that there is nothing about hand-crossbows in the sastras, they can respond thusly:

“Yes, back then we were mainly using regular bows, which are in fact mentioned in the śāstras. The hand-crossbows were a special new armament project carried out by the Yamadūta Armory, and I think they were still working on the design back then. The Yamadūta Armory? Oh sure, just go out the exit, take a left, and it’s down three blocks. You can’t miss it, it’s the building with the huge chimney in the shape of a trident. As I’m sure you know, Prabhu, the Yamadūtas are described as wielding many kinds of weapons, such as tridents, swords, maces, etc. Now all of those weapons did not just magically appear out of thin air of course. They were made by smiths of course, the smiths of the Yamadūta Armory. Where else could they have possibly come from? Do you think they imported the weapons from a different planetary system or something? No, of course, the weapons were manufactured locally, in the Yamadūta Armory. It’s right around the corner. Everyone loves taking pictures of it.”

The Trident of Death (Mṛtyoḥ Tri-Śikham)

Since this is a Kṣatriya Academy, many of the official names will be proposed in a Sanskrit version as well. With the firearm prohibition just discussed, the challenge of protecting the Golden Door appears more challenging, although we have tried to even things up as much as possible with the bullet-proof armor and hand-crossbows. It is here proposed that any Yamadūta Guardian who slays an interloper receive the special title of “Trident of Death” or “Mṛtyoḥ Tri-Śikham.” Just a reminder that Mṛtyu, or Death Personified, is one of the figures that is proposed to be present in the Narakānrāja Throne Room diorama. Also, such a Yamadūta Guardian is proposed to receive a special Kṣatriya Decoration, a small red trident, red like the eyes of the Lord of Death (Garuḍa Purāṇa, Preta Kāṇḍa 5…), which can be displayed on their Yamadūta Armor.

If the attackers are armed with semi-automatic weapons and such, and the Yamadūtas manage to slay them with tridents and hand-crossbows, it will probably be front page news all over the world, and bring a lot of positive publicity to Māyāpura Dhāma, and to the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, and to Srila Prabhupāda, and to the GBC and ISKCON. Probably every late-night talk show is going to want to have them on as guests, the President of India will want to have them for lunch, etc etc.

Initial Instruction

Generally speaking, instruction of the students will of course be given by the Masters of the Academy, the faculty. To begin though, some of the initial Masters are proposed to be outside Senseis, and some of the initial Masters are expected to be devotees who are very expert in some martial art. The top priority would be Trident Masters, which is perhaps a somewhat obscure martial art Weapon Form. There is however a Kung Fu Form known as Hu Cha, translated as the “Tiger Fork” or “Hunting Tiger Trident.” So the topmost Master or Masters of Hu Cha are proposed to be located, and invited to teach at the Academy for two years as part of the initial Masters roster. There must be some other Trident Form martial arts traditions around, in India, or Indonesia, etc. So any other Trident Masters could be located and invited to serve as the initial faculty for two years. A related form is the Spear Form, and Masters of that Form could also be invited to teach initially. Eventually, the Academy is expected develop its own Trident Form, an Armored Form, and there is envisioned to be just one Trident Master. But at the beginning, various outside Trident Masters can give instruction.

For other kinds of martial instruction, there is proposed to be a Wrestling Master, a Boxing Master, Archery Master, Axe Master, Mace Master, Sword Master, and probably a few other specific kinds of Masters. The devotees should be able to furnish the first Wrestling Master without any problem, and probably also the first Boxing Master, and Sword Master. An outside Kali Escrima Master would probably be a sound move to bring in at the beginning as well.

To start out, the first class is proposed to be 108 students, which seems like it should be enough to provide the initial Instructors, and also the first Yamadūta Guardians to guard Narakānrāja Shrine. They are envisioned to prepare for 1-2 years, and then to begin teaching classes themselves. The first regular year of students is also proposed to be 108 students, although it is possible that there will be massive demand, especially from Indian ISKCON members, and there could be thousands of applications right away. We will see.

Tournaments (Tri-Śikham Mahādhana)

It is proposed that there be a major trident fighting tournament at least once a year, and possibly twice a year. This seems sure to be a massive draw for visitors to Sridham Māyāpura, and to be very popular with all the resident devotees as well. It should be noted that the precedent for holding such tournaments comes from śāstric accounts, like for example the tournament where Arjuna won the hand of Draupadi. Lord Kṛṣṇa also participated in such a tournament to win the hand of Princess Nāgnijitī, as related in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.3.4. Also, there is a chariot race mentioned in Ṛg Veda 10.102. These tournaments are envisioned to be open to all Academy faculty, students, kṣatriyas out in the field guarding devotee communities throughout the world, and perhaps outside trident fighters as well. At this moment, it is not necessary to spell out exactly what the tournament rules would be, or what kind of weapons would be used (such as wood, or with special covers over the blades). However, it will be stated here that any winner of the trident-fighting tournament is proposed to thenceforward have the honorary title of “First Trident” for as long as they remain the champion, and to receive a trident decoration for mounting on their Yamadūta Armor.

There is also proposed to be a thrown trident tournament, the winner of which would have the honorary title of “Flying Trident” whilst they hold the title. Also, a wrestling tournament is proposed, and archery with regular bows, and with the hand-crossbows. These five different tournaments events are envisioned to be held as one single grand event once or twice a year. The tournaments will probably extremely popular with visitors, and be a big draw to help keep those Māyāpura hotels full. The tournaments can even be scheduled for quiet periods of the year, when there are not normally many visitors. There can even be pay-per-view, which could bring in significant sums.

For the Sanskrit name of these tournaments, “mahādhana” is proposed, from the Ṛg Veda, which is translated as “great battle” or “great contest” or “chariot race.”

Any winner of the five proposed tournament events is envisioned to receive a special, small, copper, Kṣatriya Decoration, which can be displayed on their Yamadūta Armor (if they have such armor). The copper is from one of the Four Doors.

The Supreme Trident (Narakānrāja Tri-Śikham)

The leader of the Academy is proposed to have the title of “Supreme Trident,” or for the pure Sanskrit name, “Narakānrāja Tri-Śikham,” emphasizing his foremost duty of guarding Narakānrāja Mandir. It is proposed that there be one particular requirement for this position: they must have achieved the distinction of First Trident, Flying Trident, or Trident of Death in the course of their service. In other words, prospective candidates are expected to have either won a trident tournament, or slain an interloper in the Shrine of the God of Death. It cannot be this way at the beginning, but within 10 years or so, this requirement is proposed to be adopted.

For the first person to serve as the Narakānrāja Tri-Śikham, someone suitable must be selected and commissioned to accept the responsibility. Out of the many kṣatriyas known to us, we will propose our godbrother Deva-deva dāsa to fill this role. We have confidence that he will become an extremely expert trident fighter in no time at all, and in combination with his many other gifts, provide inspired leadership to the Yamadūta Forces. We trust that all the devotees will strongly support Deva-deva dāsa taking up this service.

The Trident Council (Vīravaryāḥ Tri-Śikham)

With respect to operational decisions, it is perhaps somewhat well-known that kṣatriya operations do not utilize the democratic model, but rather use the command model. Nevertheless, there is normally a place for a high-level decision-making body. The example can be given of when there was a disputed election for the Presidency of Bhaktivedanta Manor, and Srila Prabhupāda passed the matter to a special panel of three GBC Members to resolve. So there are sometimes issues like this, where it makes more sense to have a voting body deal with the issue. Additionally, there is the task of choosing the next Supreme Trident, which is expected to be an important function of this body, which is proposed to be named the “Trident Council.” For the pure Sanskrit term, we propose “vīra-varya” from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.21.48, which means “the best of the warriors.”

It is proposed that the Trident Council be composed of the following seven members: the Supreme Trident, the Trident Commander, the Master Trident, the Trident Armorer, the Golden Trident, the Trident Gatekeeper, and the Trident of Śāstra. So it would be a diverse body, representing various important areas of Academy operations.

To explain these positions just briefly, the Trident Commander (Sarvabhūtaksaya Tri-Śikham) is seen as similar to a Temple Commander, and is proposed to be the second-in-command at the Academy, to oversee Academy operations, and to be next in line to be Supreme Trident. So when the Trident Council is selecting a new Trident Commander, they would be effectively choosing the next Supreme Trident. This system, which is a fairly common one, ensures that the Supreme Trident has a good knowledge of overall Academy operations. The proposed Sanskrit name, “Sarvabhūtaksaya,” is another name for the King of Justice, taken from Matsya Purāṇa 102.2, meaning something like “He of Limitless Compassion.”

The Master Trident (Antaka Tri-Śikham) is the proposed name for the lead Trident Instructor of the Academy, and the position is proposed to oversee all instruction, and to be the third-in-command. “Antaka” is another name for the Lord of Death, given in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.10.15. Another meaning, given in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.24.35 is “master of disintegration.” We anticipate that the Master Trident will be the “Master of Disintegration by Trident!” Future candidates for the position are proposed to require the achievement of First Trident.

The Trident Armorer (Kārmāraḥ Tri-Śikham) is the proposed name for the person who makes the special bullet-proof Yamadūta armor, and the Yamadūta tridents, and handles various other needs, such as making training equipment, making the Yamadūta Kṣatriya decorations to mount on the armor, etc etc. They are not expected to make the bulletproof armor plates themselves, but they will need to be able to incorporate those plates into the armor. It is seen as an important position at this Academy, and it is therefore proposed that the Trident Armorer have a seat on the Trident Council. The word “kārmāraḥ” is taken from Ṛg Veda 9.112.2, and is believed to have somewhat of a mixed meaning, referring to mix of a smith, mechanic, and artist, which seem very suitable for this position. A lot of the Master Armorer’s work is expected to involve bringing artistic visions into physical reality. It is also anticipated that the Trident Armorer will offer an elective Armorer Class, and it is from such students that future Trident Armorers are envisioned to come.

The Golden Trident (Kāñcanam Tri-Śikham) is the proposed name for the head of the finances department. There are certain kṣatriyas that have this disposition. For instance, when an army is on the march, there is a top-level kṣatriya that makes sure the army has supplies, or that there are funds for buying supplies on the march, or that the warriors have boots, etc etc. So a suitable kṣatriya that has the disposition for this area of responsibility will have to be identified and commissioned to take up the post. The word “kāñcanam” means “golden,” and is taken from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.16.18. The Golden Trident is also anticipated to offer an elective Temple Finances class, and it is from such students that future Golden Tridents are envisioned to come.

The Trident Gatekeeper (Vaidhyata Tri-Śikham) is the name we propose for the Head of Admissions for the Academy. Admissions is under operations, but often has a top-level seat because it is considered so important. The Sanskrit name “Vaidhyata” is apparently the name of the doorkeeper of the Lord of Justice.

The Trident of Śāstra (Śāstra Tri-Śikham) is the name we propose for the śāstric advisor. It’s a religious-based academy, so events from śāstras may come up quite frequently, especially for resolving various important questions in front of the Trident Council. Also, matters come up that need to be researched. There are a few brāhmaṇa-kṣatriyas around, kṣatriyas who are good in Sanskrit, and well-read in the śāstras. One of these should be sought and commissioned to take up the post. Additionally, this person can teach some elective classes at the Academy, such as Ideal Rulers in the Śāstras, and beginning, intermediate, and advanced Sanskrit classes as well. It is from students with an aptitude for these subjects that future Tridents of Śāstra are envisioned to come.

This completes the proposed seven members of the Trident Council. They are envisioned to be the leading Tri-Śikham Vaiṣṇava Kṣatriyas. Just as the peace of the city of the Lord of Death is protected by “seven walls,” so also the seven members of the Trident Council are seen as the protectors of Narakānrāja Mandir, and of the City of Māyāpura, and of Vaiṣṇava communities throughout the world.

Degrees in the Kṣatriya Arts

Degrees are useful sometimes, like with careers in the military. This is, after all, a Kṣatriya Academy, and so it is quite possible that some students will go onto careers in the military, although we are imagining that most graduates will take up kṣatriya duty at a temple. But students may go in many possible directions, and a formal degree may help them. It is a proposed 2-year program, which would normally result in an Associate’s Degree, or some kind of occupational degree. Practicing the kṣatriya arts is certainly a kind of occupation.

Our past policy with degree names has been to follow Srila Prabhupāda’s names for the degrees, namely the “Bhakti-vaibhava Degree,” the “Bhaktivedanta Degree,” and “Bhakti-sārvabhauma Degree.” We have used these names for the Culinary Institute Project. But it seems to us that Degrees in the Kṣatriya Arts may fall into their own special category, one reason being that most of the incarnations are kṣatriyas, and we would like to see such important kṣatriya incarnations present within the vision in some significant way.

The degree for completing the 2-year program is proposed to be named the “Bhakti-Paraśurāma Degree in the Kṣatriya Arts.” One way that Lord Paraśurāma can be thought of is as the Slayer without equal. He is often seen and portrayed in this way, with a pile of the slain around him. So this seems like a very appropriate name for completing the full course of instruction at the Academy. We expect the graduates to be expert Slayers.

The next level of Degree is proposed to be granted to those who are accepted as Instructors at the Academy. It is the Master’s Degree, and it is proposed to be named the “Bhakti-Bhīṣma Degree in the Kṣatriya Arts.” Bhīṣmaji was of course very famous for his martial prowess, but then he is also one of the 12 Mahājanas, or Great Teachers. So this seemed like a very fine name for the Instructor’s Degree or Master’s Degree. The use of the word “bhakti,” in this case, refers not so much to devotion to Bhīṣmaji, but rather to being as fine a teacher as Bhīṣmaji.

And the final level of degree is proposed to be reserved for those that achieve the rank of Supreme Trident, leading the Academy. Probably surprising absolutely no one, we propose that this topmost degree, the Grandmaster Degree, be named the “Bhakti-Narasiṁha Degree in the Kṣatriya Arts.” In fact, this is another way that the leader of the Academy can be referred to, as the “Narasiṁha Tri-Śikham.” Just as Lord Narasiṁha is seen as the foremost protector of the Vaiṣṇavas, so too the Supreme Trident, the Narasiṁha Tri-Śikham, is seen as the foremost protector of the Vaiṣṇavas, at least among mortals.

There is actually one verse in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam where the residents of Pitṛloka are praying to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva:

“The inhabitants of Pitṛloka prayed: Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the maintainer of the religious principles of the universe.” (SB 7.8.44)

We have made a point of including the image of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva in a few places because of his position as the topmost protector of the devotees, but it was unexpected to find this verse where it is specifically the inhabitants of Pitṛloka praying to Him. Apparently, Hiraṇyakaśipu was stealing away the offerings that the descendants were making to their forefathers, the Pitṛs, the inhabitants of Pitṛloka. So the Pitṛs were praying to and thanking Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva for having killed the demon.

Getting back to the Degrees, each level of Degree is also envisioned to include a military-style Kṣatriya Decoration which can be placed on the Yamadūta Armor. For the Bhakti-Paraśurāma Degree, it is proposed to be a small iron axe; and for the Bhakti-Bhīṣma Degree, a slightly larger silver bed of arrows; and for the Bhakti-Narasiṁha Degree, a larger gold-plated medallion with the image of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, hanging centrally on a gold chain, which would be the symbol of the Rank of Supreme Trident. The different metals are taken from the Four Doors.

If any of the kṣatriyas think that we have erred by proposing some different names for the Kṣatriya Degrees, just let us know.

The Student Body

All we can do is say to the GBC that we would like to see the Academy be open to all those who are a part of one of the four bona-fide Vaiṣṇava Sampradayas. What the realistic chances are of the GBC doing that is another question… but they might. That should be, at the minimum, good for inter-sampradaya relations – and good PR in general. Possibly, the Academy could also accept Sikhs who are interested to enroll, and perhaps also those who practice indigenous religions (Native Americans, Druids, etc.), if they are vegetarian. Increasing the number of potential students has to be viewed as legitimate, but there is just a question of how much. The occasional vegetarian Warrior Druid perhaps? Or maybe it should only be Vaiṣṇavas. We will see what others think.

The Curriculum

The curriculum is envisioned to mainly be martial arts instruction and practice, including trident, thrown trident, hand-crossbows, regular bows, swords (ready for Lord Kalki), axes (in honor of Lord Paraśurāma), maces (in honor of Lord Varāha and Lord Viṣṇu), wrestling, and Kung Fu. The swords, axes, and maces are proposed to be electives, which students can train in if they have an interest in those particular weapons. Some training in horsemanship is also envisioned.

For more academic classes, it is proposed that a number of electives be offered, such as Ideal Rulers in the Śāstras, various levels of Sanskrit, Military Classics (such as Sun Tzu’s Art of War), Battlefield Medicine, an Armorer class, Temple Finances, and also a few art classes. The Samurai considered it uncultured for the warriors to only know how to fight, but not be able to practice any kind of art. So some painting, or ceramics, or calligraphy, or other art electives are proposed to be offered.

Besides that, it is also envisioned that students will spend some time, perhaps a month or two in their last semester, covering some kṣatriya duty there in Māyāpura Dhāma, learning the fine art of appearing to be completely absorbed in chanting japa, while actually keeping a close eye on everything. If there are any incidents while they are on duty, like breaking up a fight, or catching a thief, those kinds of real-world experiences are accepted to be very valuable for the students. Then, when the graduates take up Community Kṣatriya duties at one of the worldwide temples, it is not something that will be completely new to them.

Last but not least, there is the “Capstone Experience,” which is envisioned to be a full shift of Yamadūta Guardian duty in the Throne Room of the God of Death. One never knows – that could be the night of an enemy incursion, and the students might slay the interlopers and earn themselves the title of Trident of Death!

The Physical Academy Campus

TThe physical space problems in Māyāpura Dhāma, with where to fit more buildings, are perhaps well-known. Fortunately, a significant part of this Project involves the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, the largest temple on Earth. So the Narakānrāja Shrine is of course envisioned to be situated within the Planetarium Temple itself. Additionally, there is proposed to a be a Yamadūta Guardroom, and also the official office of the Supreme Trident, both also envisioned within the Temple itself.

A great deal more could be said about the campus, and possible artistic projects to include in it, like large battle scene murals in the Training Hall. But it all hinges on the space availability there in Māyāpura, and on the GBC approving the Project. So we will leave it there for now.

Career Prospects

With the deteriorating worldwide situation, and increasing crime rates in most cities, there may be problems in many sectors, but the kṣatriya sector will probably grow. We think it is probably an excellent time to form up a kṣatriya academy.

Some obvious possibilities for graduates are taking up a Community Kṣatriya position in one of the hundreds of temples around the world, taking up a kṣatriya position right in Māyāpura Dhāma, and possibly taking up a position right away at the Academy. Generally speaking, the ideal is to go out into the field for some time, and then maybe come back to teach after some 10-20 years in the field. But there are always exceptions. For instance, if a student wins a trident tournament, achieving the distinction of First Trident, and he is simply the best trident fighter the Trident Master has ever seen, the student might well get taken on right away as an Assistant Instructor. Or if a student truly has some aptitude for armoring, and the Master Armorer just happens to urgently need a good assistant right then, the student might get invited to work in the Armory as soon as he graduates. So there are always certain exceptions.

Then there are also certainly military careers. We think most militaries in the world would probably view the Academy program very favorably. The Academy training program is way beyond what most regular military recruits would have. Private security companies would doubtless view such a strong background very favorably as well.

Graduates could also open a local dojo wherever they live. Weapons dojos are actually not terribly common, so there might be a fair amount of demand. Graduates might also teach wrestling or an unarmed martial art, although those kinds of dojos are much more common.

One further possibility which occurred to us is that big pilgrimage sites like Jagannātha Purī might have an interest in bringing over some graduates. Purī doubtless already has some kṣatriyas, but we rather doubt there’s anything quite like the Yamadūta Guardians. Tridents? Maces? Axes? Tri-Śikham Kṣatriyas in the line of Lord Caitanya? They already have experience guarding a temple pilgrimage site? So Purī might well want to bring a few over, and could even bring over a whole contingent. Not just Purī, but the many other important temples throughout India as well.

So there look to be some very promising career prospects for graduates of the Academy, including perhaps some surprising ones. The idea of taking on a kṣatriya position somewhere like Jagannath Purī is probably very appealing to many kṣatriyas, especially the Indian kṣatriyas. Also, we should add, graduates may find themselves being favored for positions like Temple President or Temple Commander.

Budget

We feel a bit embarrassed about putting out such large projects, but when a society gets larger, it appears logical that some projects will be larger and more expensive as well. We should add that, despite the cost, it appears accepted as very, very important to get such projects done. They seem to often be a logical next step, and provide a way forward, and a path to progress. That is doubtless why ISKCON has been working on a Varṇāśrama College, because it is a logical next step, in our humble opinion. Srila Prabhupāda even gave the names for the different levels of degrees, because, in our humble opinion, he clearly saw that higher education was a logical next step. So these kinds of projects seem generally accepted as important and necessary, but they can certainly be expensive as well.

The general rule, as far as we can tell, is that kṣatriya projects tend to cost even more than regular projects. So we will propose an approximate budget of 30 million dollars to start out, to get the Academy up and running. There are many thousands of very successful Indian businessmen, and many of them may like the Project, and donate generously. We certainly hope so. And there are many other very successful devotees throughout the world, including many kṣatriyas. Also, the artistic commissions are envisioned to be made available as posters, high-quality giclée fine art prints, and more, which should also help with fundraising. So between everyone and everything, $30 million does not seem so much.

This completes the initial vision for the proposed Yavaneśvara Kṣatriya Asrama, but it is a very large project, and we could have added more, and many others will doubtless add much more. We apologize for the length (there is saying we read somewhere, “It takes many bricks to build a wall.”), and for any errors of course.

The GBC

We would be surprised if the GBC had any problem with the Narakānrāja Mandir presentation, and we think they will agree that there is nothing particularly controversial about it, and that it is on theme, and that various supporting shrines are very normal for big pilgrimage sites. It seems to us they will also be pleased about the unusual artistic presentation involving the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

The GBC may have more difficulty with the kṣatriya proposal, with worries about fatalities and that kind of thing, although we think there is probably much that will please them about the proposal. It seems to us they will probably take the safety and security of devotee communities very, very seriously, and doubtless think about how Srila Prabhupāda has specifically given instructions to establish varṇāśrama dharma. There is also the point that, everywhere in the world, at banks or art museums, if a gang of armed robbers invades, it is accepted that they can be shot dead. Srila Prabhupāda even talks about this, in relation to righteous kings, writing that they “are alert always to kill thieves and dacoits” (SB 1.9.27pp). So between these various points, and the kṣatriyas and Indian Yatra pushing for it, the GBC will hopefully approve the Kṣatriya Academy proposal.

Incidentally, it is understood that the GBC may want to review the final artistic conception for Narakānrāja Mandir, or for other proposed elements. That is alright. Right now, simply some broad approval is being sought, giving a go-ahead on the Project, so that fundraising can begin, artistic conceptions can begin, etc.

We hope the GBC is pleased with the proposal, gives their blessings, and quickly approves it, so that it can be quickly executed. Also, all the GBC Members are always welcome to give feedback, ask any questions they may have, make suggestions, and so on, on our official website at oceanofmilk.org, or privately as well.

The Kṣatriyas

We expect the strongest support will come from the kṣatriyas, mainly because we expect they are well-aware of how difficult it is to put together a good “Kṣatriya Central” proposal. We expect they will say, “Do it, and do it right away. And definitely keep everything to do with the Trident of Death.”

We also expect that they will be particularly pleased with the proposed curriculum, with the good selection of both armed and unarmed martial arts, a class on Ideal Rulers in the Shastras, different levels of Sanskrit, horsemanship, the arts, etc.

And there are many other points about the Vision that we think are bound to please the kṣatriyas, and we are sure they will have more to add as well. 

The Indian Yatra

We think there is much that the Indian Yatra will like about this proposal, starting with legitimate material out of the Ṛg Veda, with the two hounds. We expect they will of course also be very pleased that pure Sanskrit names have been proposed for many of the important things connected to the Kṣatriya Academy. We think they will approve of all the proposals made here, and doubtless add more. It is possible that there could be thousands of Indian kṣatriyas wanting to get into the Kṣatriya Academy. We will see.

The Ninjas

We love the ninjas, but if they try to steal the Golden Door, it seems we don’t really have any choice but to impale them on the end of a trident. The problem, in our humble opinion, is that there can be a bit of a win-win situation for the ninjas. If they are successful in taking the Golden Door, of course they win massive face for their Clan. But even if they are slain in action, they appear to still gain face for their Clan. It seems a bit like the kṣatriyas wanting to die on the battlefield. It’s a glorious death for the ninjas (or any other kind of kṣatriya for that matter). So this appears to be the danger.

The Vaiṣṇavas

We expect that everyone else will doubtless be looking forward to the tournaments, looking forward to seeing the artistic projects come to fruition, pleased about the unusual proposed addition to the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, pleased about progress towards the goal of reestablishing varṇāśrama dharma with the Kṣatriya Academy, pleased about enhanced safety and security at devotee communities around the world, looking forward to the future great heroic deeds of the Tri-Śikham Kṣatriyas, and much more.

We can imagine a scene from a Rathayatra, the final big kirtan on stage, and matajīs dancing around with their brightly colored saris, kids hopping around, brahmacārīs in orange, hippies in their tie-dye shirts… and there in their midst a strange figure, one of the Tri-Śikham Warriors, black as a crow in his spiked armor, with his trident in hand, shaking it up and down, and dancing around with the hippies and all the rest. We think it will be about the strangest thing anyone has ever seen.

We hope this proposal pleases everyone and meets with their blessings.

Ambarīṣa Prabhu

We just want to thank Ambarīṣa Prabhu for spearheading the building the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and making all of this possible. We are doing our part here by proposing a unique artistic diorama presentation, a Throne Room Shrine, based on one of the planets in Vedic Cosmology, Pitṛloka, to help fill the Planetarium Temple. We even have a Golden Door we are proposing to install, and even some fine upstanding Yamadūta Guardians, complete with black spiky bulletproof armor, to ensure that peace and justice prevail throughout the Vedic Cosmos! There’s even some strange opaque crystalline barriers!

We hope that our proposal pleases Ambarīṣa Prabhu and receives his blessings. He is always welcome to give feedback, make suggestions, etc., on our website at oceanofmilk.org or privately.

The Princess & the Lord of Death

We are putting this proposal in to the GBC on the sacred full moon day of Jyeṣṭha Pūrṇimā, the background of which is actually associated with the Lord of Death. This full moon is connected to the story of Princess Savitri, from the Mahābhārata. It is said she wished to marry her love, the exiled Prince Satyavān, but Nārada Muni warned that he would die after one year. But Savitri married Satyavān despite that, and when he passed after the year, it is said the Lord of Death came personally to fetch his soul. But Savitri followed and would not be dissuaded, until the King of Justice was so impressed by her perseverance, and said she could wish for anything, except for her husband to be returned to life. So she asked to bear Satyavān’s children… and the Lord of Death eventually granted her wish, and returned Satyavān to life… and they lived happily ever after… so the story goes.

Lord Kalki

There is a minor controversy about something Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja reportedly said about Kalki Avatāra, that He wouldn’t be coming because there has been an appearance of the Golden Avatar, but that if Kalki Avatāra did come, He would be chanting “Hari bol! Hari bol!” We cannot speak to the question about Kalki Avatāra not coming, but we did find ourselves in very strong agreement with the statement that He would be chanting “Hari bol! Hari bol!” To us, what that means is that Kalki Avatāra will be born into this Sampradāya. Truthfully, we would be shocked if Lord Kalki was born anywhere else but in the Brahmā-Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya. And if that is so, it seems logical to us that Lord Kalki would receive his kṣatriya training at the Yavaneśvara Kṣatriya Āśrama that we have proposed here, in the Mandir of the Lord of Death.

We believe we can reasonably predict other events as well, like for example that Lord Kalki would excel in His kṣatriya studies, and win tournaments whilst a student (probably all of them). Naturally, He would take the sword-fighting elective (that we have specifically included in this proposal all ready for Him), and become most expert with the sword, but with the trident and the other weapons as well. Many have seen paintings or sculptures of Lord Kalki on a rearing horse, and we expect He might learn His horsemanship at the Academy, and also Sanskrit.

It also seems practically obvious to assume that Lord Kalki would achieve the distinction of Trident of Death. Perhaps it would be at the end of his studies, when He is guarding Narakānrāja Shrine, or perhaps it would happen some other way. Perhaps He will be walking back to His āśrama quarters late one night, and right then assailants will come bursting out of the Planetarium Temple, having slain the Yamadūta Guardians on duty, and using some strange wheeled contraption to cart off the Golden Door. And Lord Kalki will single-handedly slay them all. There are many such possible scenarios.

And when Lord Kalki begins His mission of destruction, we can also surmise how He will appear. Black He will be, black as a crow, in the spiked black armor of the Servants of the Lord of Death. And upon his chest will lie the Axe of the Slayer, the Axe of Lord Paraśurāma, and the image of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva the Protector of the Devotees, and also the Red Mark of the Mṛtyoḥ Tri-Śikham, the Mark of Death Personified. And all of His top generals and personal guard will be Tri-Śikham Kṣatriyas, black as crows every single one, the Soldiers of Death.

Submitted to the GBC on this auspicious full-moon day of Jyeṣṭha Pūrṇimā,

In service to Srila Prabhupāda, Lord Yamarāja, Goddess Dhūmorṇā, Lord Paraśurāma, Bhīṣmaji, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, Lord Kalki, the many other personalities mentioned, and all the Vaiṣṇavas,

Aniruddha dās.