Imagine, briefly, the scene. It is a battlefield. The ground is strewn with dead and wounded soldiers. The medical teams are on a rescue mission. They pick up the wounded, they pick up the ones missing arms or legs, but the ones with no heads… they are unable to save. We can live without the arms, without the legs, even without the stomach, but not without the head.
A healthy human society requires the intellectual class, the ruling class, the mercantile class, and the laborers. The intellectual class is compared to the head of the body, the ruling class to the arms, the mercantile class to the stomach, and the laborer class to the legs. This is an intrinsic part of the Vedic varņāśrama system, where society is organized according to the psycho-physical nature of the individual and his spiritual āśrama.
The varņa, or occupational role, is determined by qualities, not birth, as is currently misunderstood and misrepresented by what is known as the caste system. In the true system of varņāśrama, the brahminical class is composed of teachers, medical practitioners, priests, and spiritual advisors. They are considered the intellectual class, and Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, states, “Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness- these are the qualities by which the brāhmaņas work.” (B-G 18.42) Their role is essential to society, even though they are the least in number. The kșatriya class, or administrative rulers and military personnel, are generally more numerous than the brahminical class, but also constitute a minority of the population. They are described in the same literature- “Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the kșatriyas.” The qualities and duties of the mercantile class and the laborer class are also described. “Farming, cow protection and business are the qualities of work for the vaiśyas, and for the śūdras there is labor and service to others.” (B-G 18. 44)
The āśramas, or spiritual classifications, are- brahmacārī, or celibate student, gŗhastha, or pious householder, vānaprastha, or retired life of spiritual pilgrimage, and sannyāsa, or the renounced order of life.
The varņāśrama system is meant for peaceful organization of society wherein the individual can gradually, and with integrity, be elevated in spiritual consciousness. It is important that the society is not just mundanely organized, but is in fact organized where at least the leaders of it are God conscious so that others may be properly guided. This is the role of the head, or the brahminical class. They must provide Godly guidance. The ruling class must accept this guidance and govern the citizens in a way that gives the best opportunity for spiritual progress. This is called Daivi-varņāśrama, a properly organized society based on God consciousness.
What we have now is a headless society. There is no proper spiritual guidance, and accordingly, everyone is falling into a hellish condition of life. Society is in its death throes. It cannot live, let alone thrive, without a head.
Someone can live with a prosthetic leg or arm, or even medical valves to bypass or replace the stomach. Of course, it is not a comfortable situation at all, but it can be done. However, there is no prosthesis for the head or brain, try as they might to create one.
Artificial intelligence might be regarded as a prosthetic or replacement brain for a society that has no brains. AI takes some intelligence to create, but it is misapplied intelligence only. Any intelligence that does not serve to lead people back to their innate connection with God is misguided. AI cannot give spiritual guidance to a society. Anything created materially cannot lift one out of material consciousness or open a gateway to God’s Kingdom. AI has no good uses. It does not support Godly arts and culture, it does not support creativity or proper leadership or real religiosity, no matter what anyone claims. Technology cannot replace us redeveloping our own innate intelligence and reclaiming our brains in alignment with the science of self-realization. Real intelligence comes with the application of real knowledge. Real knowledge is passed down from the Lord Himself via a lineage of qualified and realized spiritual mentors, like the way delicate fruits are carefully passed down from the top of the tree, hand to hand, until they are placed in unadulterated and perfect condition into the basket. Real knowledge cannot be accessed by any level of mental exercise, and humankind is not meant to be governed by technology.
The only solution for a headless and brainless society is for the introspective and intelligent people of this world to again become most intelligent and lead others with that transcendental intelligence. They must become the brains of society. This is true greatness. It is not dependent on birth. Bhagavad-Gītāstates, “Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (B-G 3.21) We cannot remain brainless and follow false leadership and think that there will be any good outcome for ourselves or anyone else. We must ourselves become empowered in guiding society out of the deep fissure into which it has fallen and towards a future of spiritual prosperity.
To become the brains of society requires that we apply ourselves to the process of devotional service to the Lord under proper guidance of one who is already self-realized. That means accepting, studying, applying, and sharing the literatures of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. These literatures delineate the science of again knowing ourselves in relation to God and becoming fully satisfied in that most confidential and pleasing relationship. There are no resources available on this planet to that end more valuable than the literary works that His Divine Grace so painstakingly produced for the benefit of all humanity. Please accept this great gift that he offered to all of humankind for its spiritual perfection. Please visit PurelyPrabhupada.com to purchase pre-1978 editions of his works, or to peruse them for free online. These books stand on their own as the shining guide lamps in this dark age of quarrel and hypocrisy.
