Category:Accepted as a Brahmana
Theme Analysis
This category explores the authentic Vedic definition of a brāhmaṇa, establishing that status is determined by qualification and character rather than birthright. While contemporary caste society often bases social status solely on lineage, Śrīla Prabhupāda, following the instructions of Nārada Muni and the śāstras, asserts that anyone who manifests the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa—such as truthfulness, cleanliness, and devotion—must be accepted as such. Conversely, one born in a high family who lacks these qualities is merely a "friend of a brāhmaṇa" (brahma-bandhu), not a true spiritual leader.
- Symptoms Over Lineage: The central principle found in the scriptures, specifically cited from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.35), is that a person's varṇa is judged by their characteristics. If a person born in a śūdra family exhibits brahminical qualities, they must be accepted as a brāhmaṇa.
- The Necessity of Reformatory Processes: In the age of Kali, everyone is born a śūdra. However, through the pāñcarātrika-vidhi (process of initiation) and training under a bona fide spiritual master, any person can be purified and elevated to the position of a brāhmaṇa.
- Rejection of Caste Brahmanism: The idea that one is automatically a brāhmaṇa simply by birth, regardless of behavior, is rejected as a distortion of the Vedic system. A person who acts against Vaiṣṇava principles or lacks knowledge of the Absolute Truth cannot be accepted as a brāhmaṇa.
- Universal Eligibility: This standard opens the door for people from all backgrounds—including Europeans, Americans, and those from families traditionally considered lower-caste—to be recognized as bona fide brāhmaṇas if they follow the regulations and chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Qualification, Not Birth: The True Standard to be Accepted as a Brāhmaṇa.
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Accepted as a Brahmana"
The following 52 pages are in this category, out of 52 total.
A
- A brahmana is accepted on the merit of qualification and not on the merit of simply being the son of a brahmana
- A brahmana means purified. So those who are going to be sacred-threaded today, they should remember that they are being accepted as sucih, as brahmana
- A so-called brahmana who is born in the family of brahmanas but performs activities aimed against the Vaisnavas cannot be accepted as a brahmana, because brahmana means Vaisnava and Vaisnava means brahmana
- According to the Narada Pancaratra system, even if one is lowborn, he can be accepted as a brahmin by this reformatory process. Because kalau sudra sambhavah - everyone in this age is a sudra
- Although Srila Haridasa Thakura was born in a Muslim family, he was accepted as a properly initiated brahmana
- As soon as one is trained as a pure Vaisnava, he must be accepted as a bona fide brahmana. This is the essence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instructions in this verse - CC Madhya 8.128
B
- Because one happens to take birth in a brahmana family, even if he has no qualifications and is rascal number one, he claims to be a brahmana, and although his qualifications are less than those of a sudra, people accept him as a brahmana
- By the process of initiation by the spiritual master, a person is accepted as a brahmana in his purified state of chanting the holy name of the Lord
I
- If a guru is completely qualified as a Vaisnava, he must be accepted as a brahmana even if he is not born in a brahmana family
- If a person is born in a sudra family but has the qualifications of a brahmana, he should be accepted as a brahmana
- If a person is born of a brahmana father but has no brahminical qualification, he is called brahma-bandhu or dvija-bandhu. This means that a brahmana or a ksatriya is not accepted simply by birth
- If a sudra acquires the qualities of a brahmana, although he was born in a sudra family, he is not a sudra; because he has developed the qualities of a brahmana, he should be accepted as a brahmana
- If brahminical qualifications are found in the person of a sudra, he should immediately be accepted as a brahmana. To substantiate this there are many quotations from SB, Mahabharata, Bharadvaja-samhita & the pancaratra, as well as many other scriptures
- If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification
- If one was born in a brahmana family and has acquired the brahminical qualifications, he is to be accepted as a brahmana; otherwise, he should be considered a brahma-bandhu
- If our brahmanas do not take their second initiation seriously, then we will be deserving of criticism. So on this basis, if you think the men you have recommended are still eligible, you can resubmit their names to me and I will accept them
- If you acquire the qualification of a brahmana and if you work as a brahmana, then you are accepted as a brahmana. Similarly ksatriya, similarly vaisya. This is the authoritative statement of Narada. Yasya hi yad laksanam - SB 7.11.35
- In India, although a person born in a brahmana family, but his guna, qualities, are less than sudra, but still he's being accepted as a brahmana. That is the difficulty. Therefore, India's condition is so chaotic
- In India, they're very conservative, perverted. So they accuse that "Swami Maharaja is spoiling the Hindu system of religion because he's accepting brahmin from outside." So actually they're also not aware
- In Kali-yuga, caste brahmanas are accepted as brahmanas
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 7.11.35) Sri Narada Muni tells Maharaja Yudhisthira what a brahmana is. He states that if brahminical qualifications are observed in ksatriyas, vaisyas or even sudras, one should accept them as brahmanas
- It is not a fact that because one is born in a brahmana family he is automatically a brahmana. He has a better chance to become a brahmana, but unless he meets all the brahminical qualifications, he cannot be accepted as such
O
- One has to qualify himself for the particular position; only then is he accepted as a brahmana or a ksatriya
- One who has attained the qualifications of a brahmana, regardless of where he was born, should be accepted as a brahmana
- One's status does not depend upon birth. As confirmed in SB 7.11.35 by Narada: If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms
- Out of his humbleness, Haridasa condemned himself a Muhammadan, but Advaita Prabhu, being an experienced devotee, accepted him as a real brahmana
S
- Sometimes caste brahmanas argue that unless one changes his body he cannot be accepted as a brahmana, for since the present body is obtained as a result of past actions, one who has in the past acted as a brahmana takes birth in a brahmana family
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself accepted invitations from sudra-mahajanas, and this confirms the fact that anyone initiated by a Vaisnava mantra can be accepted as a brahmana. One can accept an invitation from such a person
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult must be preached all over the world. This does not mean that people should take to His teachings and remain sudras or candalas. As soon as one is trained as a pure Vaisnava, he must be accepted as a bona fide brahmana
T
- The brahmanas from these places (Kanyakubja, Sarasvata, Gauda, Maithila, Andhra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Dravida and Maharashtra) are considered to be very strict followers of the Vedic principles, and they are accepted as pure brahmanas
- The brahmanas in India are sometimes very much against my movement because I train and accept brahmanas from Europe and America. But we do not care about their arguments, nor will any other reasonable man
- The brahmanas, the members of the most elevated varna, are teachers, but a person in a lower family, such as a family of ksatriyas, vaisyas or even sudras, may be accepted as a teacher if he has knowledge
- The European and American devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement are sometimes accepted as brahmanas, but the so-called caste brahmanas are very much envious of them
- The sastra enjoins that even if good qualifications are seen in a person born in a family other than that of a brahmana, the qualified man has to be accepted as a brahmana
- There are also nondevotees who compose unauthorized songs, who establish different temples for money, who worship the Deity as priests for salaries, who accept caste brahmanism as all in all, and who do not know the value of a pure Vaisnava
- There is a difference between the smarta process and the gosvami process. According to the smarta process, one cannot be accepted as a brahmana unless he is born in a brahmana family
- They (caste brahmanas) contend, without such a brahminical body, one cannot be accepted as a brahmana
- This (accepting someone whose qualification is less than sudra as brahmana) has caused the downfall of the Vedic civilization
- This (the term sudra-mahajana) indicates that one who is born in a non-brahmana family has accepted the brahmana status by initiation. Such devotees extended invitations to Balabhadra Bhattacarya
U
- Unless one is qualified with all these attributes (peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom & religiousness), he cannot be accepted as a brahmana. It is not a question of simply taking birth in a brahmana family
- Upon your recommendation, I am accepting the following twice born brahmanas; Koshalendra Das Adhikari, Jyoti Das Adhikari. Enclosed please find their threads sanctified by me
W
- We are accepting these boys as brahmana because they have learned. Of course, due to their past habits sometimes they commit some mistakes, but they have concentrated their mind in Krsna
- When one is accepted as a brahmana in the sacred thread ceremony under the pancaratrika system, then he is dvija, twice-born. That is confirmed by Sanatana Gosvami: dvijatvam jayate
- When we established a Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, we were obliged to have Vedic ceremonies enacted by brahmanas because the inhabitants of Vrndavana, especially the smarta-brahmanas, would not accept Europeans and Americans as bona fide brahmanas