View source for Simply studying Vedic literature will not do. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. He must realize what is Brahman. Then he becomes brahmana. Brahmana is a qualification. It is not by birth

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{{terms|"simply studying Vedic literature will not do. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. He must realize what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa"|"Brāhmaṇa is a qualification. It is not by birth"}}
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{{compiler|Nabakumar}}
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[[Category:Simply]]
[[Category:Study]]
[[Category:Vedic Literature]]
[[Category:Will Not]]
[[Category:Must]]
[[Category:Realize]]
[[Category:What Is]]
[[Category:Brahman]]
[[Category:Become a Brahmana]]
[[Category:Brahminical Qualifications]]
[[Category:It Is Not]]
[[Category:Not By Birth]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - NABAKUMAR]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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A vipra, a brāhmaṇa, a learned . . . vipra means a learned brāhmaṇa. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. One who has learned, studied all the Vedic literatures and has acquired knowledge, he is called vipra. So simply studying Vedic literature will not do. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. He must realize what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is a qualification. It is not by birth. Brāhmaṇa . . . just like high-court judge is a qualification. It is not by birth. The high-court judge's son is not a high-court judge unless he has the qualification of a high-court judge. Similarly, a son of a brāhmaṇa by birth is not a brāhmaṇa. When he has got the brahminical qualification, then he becomes brāhmaṇa. That qualification are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not imagination. Śamo damas titikṣavo 'rjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).
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[[Vanisource:730926 - Lecture BG 13.03 - Bombay|730926 - Lecture BG 13.03 - Bombay]]
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We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman; therefore we, being part and parcel, we are also Brahman. Just like particles of gold is also gold. So there is no question of becoming Brahman. Brahman we are already. Simply we have to know that "I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." That is knowledge. Jñānaṁ jñeyam. Jñeyam, this knowledge, that "I am Brahman." And as soon as we are perfectly situated in that spiritual knowledge, aham brahmāsmi, then brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). There is no lamentation.

Everyone is lamenting, because he's a śūdra. Śūdra's business is to lament. But when one understands, brāhmaṇa, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, he does not lament. We have seen many brāhmaṇas, they are not very materially opulent, but they are happy. They are happy with Kṛṣṇa. That is brāhmaṇa's business. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa must be a Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa conscious. If a brāhmaṇa is not Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the śāstra. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ (Padma Purāṇa). A vipra, a brāhmaṇa, a learned . . . vipra means a learned brāhmaṇa. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. One who has learned, studied all the Vedic literatures and has acquired knowledge, he is called vipra. So simply studying Vedic literature will not do. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. He must realize what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa.

Brāhmaṇa is a qualification. It is not by birth. Brāhmaṇa . . . just like high-court judge is a qualification. It is not by birth. The high-court judge's son is not a high-court judge unless he has the qualification of a high-court judge. Similarly, a son of a brāhmaṇa by birth is not a brāhmaṇa. When he has got the brahminical qualification, then he becomes brāhmaṇa. That qualification are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not imagination. Śamo damas titikṣavo 'rjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam ([[Vanisource:BG 18.42 (1972)|BG 18.42]]).

So these things are lost. Therefore India's position is now chaos and confusion, because we have lost this Vedic civilization, we have lost Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have lost God consciousness. We are being directed by the whims. So it is very lamentable condition of India, although this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is India's original culture, Kṛṣṇa culture. Kṛṣṇa appeared on this land. Although Kṛṣṇa is not for any particular land, but still, Kṛṣṇa appeared in this holy land of Bhārata-varṣa, Mathurā. So it is the duty of the Indians to understand Kṛṣṇa culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cultural movement, and take part in it seriously.
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