Category:Position of a Brahmana
Theme Analysis
The structure of Vedic society heavily relies on the intellectual and spiritual guidance of its priestly class. In his extensive commentaries, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the exalted status of this class is not a cheap commodity acquired by mere birthright. Instead, it is a prestigious platform of spiritual qualification attained through training, initiation, and the rigorous cultivation of transcendental qualities.
- Qualification Over Birthright: The true standing of an individual is determined by their symptoms and behavior, not the family in which they are born. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that someone born in a lower-class family who develops the qualities of truthfulness and sense control is factually situated in the highest social rank, while someone born in a high-class family who lacks these traits is simply a victim of false prestige.
- The Power of Initiation: The transformative capacity of the authorized spiritual process is absolute. Through the mercy of a bona fide spiritual master and the process of initiation, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that any conditioned soul can be purified and instantly elevated to the highest spiritual and social standard, much like base metal turning into gold.
- Maintaining the Standard: Achieving this respected status is only the beginning; one must continually maintain it through strict adherence to regulative principles. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that a true intellectual or priest does not accept professional service for a livelihood, but depends entirely on the Supreme Lord while discharging their sacred duties.
- The Superiority of the Devotee: While the priestly class is the highest within the material social structure, the pure devotee is situated completely beyond the modes of material nature. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically places one on the transcendental platform, making the devotee superior to even the most qualified material intellectual.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Understanding the True Position of a Brāhmaṇa.
Pages in category "Position of a Brahmana"
The following 72 pages are in this category, out of 72 total.
A
- A bona fide spiritual master, under the guidance of authorities, can turn anyone to the Vaisnava cult so that naturally he may come to the topmost position of a brahmana
- A brahmana cannot take up any professional occupational duty for his livelihood. The sastras especially stress that if one claims to be a brahmana, he cannot engage in the service of anyone; otherwise he at once falls from his position & becomes a sudra
- A pure Vaisnava is a liberated soul and is transcendental even to the position of a brahmana
- A Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. In the material conception, the position of a brahmana is the highest in human society, but a Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. Both the brahmana and Vaisnava are spiritually advanced
- A Vaisnava is understood to be above the position of a brahmana. As a preacher, he should be recognized as a brahmana; otherwise there may be a misunderstanding of his position as a Vaisnava
- According to smarta-brahmanas, a person not born in a brahmana family could not be elevated to the position of a brahmana. Sanatana Gosvami, however, says that anyone can be elevated to the position of a brahmana by the process of initiation
- After finishing His lunch there, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the brahmana, "My dear friend, kindly tell Me what your position is now"
- After satisfying Krsna in this way, King Yudhisthira arranged to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice. He invited all the qualified brahmanas and sages to take part and appointed them to different positions as priests in charge of the sacrificial arena
- Ajamila said: Alas, being a servant of my senses, how degraded I became! I fell down from my position as a duly qualified brahmana and begot children in the womb of a prostitute
- Although these sons of Duritaksaya took birth in a dynasty of ksatriyas, they too attained the position of brahmanas. Brhatksatra had a son named Hasti, who established the city of Hastinapura (now New Delhi)
- Although Visvamitra was born in a ksatriya family, by austerities and penances he achieved the position of a brahmana
- Arjuna's fighting was due to Dronacarya. He learned it from Dronacarya. He was a brahmana. But because he took the position of a teacher, he thought very perfectly
- As bell metal can be turned into gold when treated with mercury, a disciple initiated by a bona fide guru immediately attains the position of a brahmana
- Asvatthama failed to discharge the duties of a brahmana or teacher, and therefore he was liable to be rejected from the exalted position of a brahmana. On this consideration, both Lord Sri Krsna and Arjuna were right in condemning Asvatthama
D
- Devotional service, which begins with chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is so powerful that even if one falls down from the exalted position of a brahmana through sexual indulgence, he can be saved from all calamities if he somehow or other chants
- DS is so powerful that even if one falls down from the exalted position of a brahmana through sexual indulgence, he can be saved from all calamities if he chants the holy name of the Lord. This is the extraordinary power of the Lord's holy name
E
- Even if one is by qualification a sudra, he must try to improve his position and become a brahmana. No one should try to check a person, no matter what his present position is, from coming to the platform of a brahmana or a Vaisnava
- Every human being is expected to elevate himself to the position of a brahmana, the most intelligent man, and then one must transcend that position to become a Vaisnava. This is the perfection of life
- Everyone should respect the position of a brahmana, as indicated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (in CC Adi 17.9). Neither the Lord nor His followers displayed any disrespect to brahmanas
- Everyone was happy in his position, everyone - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. The culture was so nice that nobody was unhappy, even if he is a sudra or even if he is a vaisya or a brahmana or ksatriya
F
- From a pure brahmana, he fell down to the position of a wretched urchin, and it was all due to bad association
- From King Hasti came three sons, named Ajamidha, Dvimidha and Purumidha. The descendants of Ajamidha, headed by Priyamedha, all achieved the position of brahmanas
- From the son of Manu named Dhrsta came a ksatriya caste called Dharsta, whose members achieved the position of brahmanas in this world. Then, from the son of Manu named Nrga came Sumati. From Sumati came Bhutajyoti, and from Bhutajyoti came Vasu
I
- If a brahmana or Vaisnava sticks to his position as an eternal servant of the Lord and executes the will of the Lord, there is no question of scarcity for his personal maintenance or the needs of his family
- If a person born in a sudra family has developed the qualities of a brahmana, such as satya (truthfulness), sama (peacefulness), dama (self-control) and arjava (simplicity), he attains the exalted position of a brahmana
- In brahminical culture a brahmana's transcendental position is eternally maintained because the injunctions of the Vedas are accepted with faith, austerity, scriptural conclusions, full sense and mind control, and meditation
- In India nowadays there is a great movement for removing the caste system because the higher caste, brahmanas, they are claiming, due to their birthright, higher position, and the others, they are in inconvenience
- In India the caste brahmanas have become enemies of the Krsna consciousness movement because we elevate foreigners, who are supposed to be mlecchas and yavanas, to the position of brahmanas
- In Srimad-Bhagavatam Narada Muni states that even if a brahmana is in a difficult position, he should not accept the occupation of a sudra. This means that he should not be engaged in service for another, for this is the business of dogs
- In this verse (SB 5.5.21-22) the brahmanas are given a position superior to that of the Supreme Lord. The idea is that the government should be conducted under the guidance of the brahmanas
- In this verse (SB 7.3.13) the words dvija-gavam paramesthyam indicate the most exalted position of the brahmanas, brahminical culture and the cows
- It is said that even a cobbler or person born in the family of a cobbler can be elevated to the position of a brahmana (suci) if he takes to Krsna consciousness
- It is understood that a devotee who is fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead has already acquired the position of a brahmana
M
- Maharaja Prthu, although situated in the transcendental position of a pure devotee, came down to the position of brahmana and ksatriya for the benefit of human society and thus gave protection to the entire world by his personal prowess
- Many other sannyasis stress the importance of the social position of the body as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra. Such sannyasis are considered the greatest rascals
O
- On the whole, when a person is initiated according to the pancaratrika-vidhi, he has already attained the position of a brahmana
- One has to execute his prescribed duties according to his social position as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. The prescribed duties of the four classes of men in human society are also described in Bhagavad-gītā
- One has to qualify himself for the particular position; only then is he accepted as a brahmana or a ksatriya
- One who chants omkara no longer remains a sudra but immediately comes to the position of a brahmana
S
- Sanatana Gosvami felt unfit to write Vaisnava smrti about the behavior of Vaisnavas because he had fallen from the brahminical position. Thus Sanatana Gosvami clearly admits that the brahminical culture should be standardized
- Sannyasa, the renounced order of life, is the topmost position for a brahmana, a member of the highest of the four varnas - brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra
- Simply becoming initiated does not elevate one to the position of a high-class brahmana. One also has to discharge the duties and follow the regulative principles very rigidly
- Simply by understanding Krsna as He is, as described in Bhagavad-gita (janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah (BG 4.9)), one becomes a perfect brahmana. The brahmana who knows Krsna perfectly well is always in a transcendental position
- So far as sacred thread ceremony is concerned, Bhagavad-gita accepts that anyone, from any place, if he is a pure devotee of Lord Krishna, he is above the position of brahmana
- So he (the brahmana) was not at all sorry for his poor material position, and he used to live very peacefully. He was very openhearted, and sometimes he went to hear some lectures delivered by great realized souls
- Sometimes, due to their powerful positions, princes or government servants neglect the position of brahmanas and Vaisnavas, not knowing that because of their offense they will be ruined
- Sri Ramananda Raya explained that one may stay in his own position, whether as a brahmana, a sudra, a sannyasi or whatever, but one must try to inquire about life's goal (athato brahma jijnasa). This is the proper utilization of the human form of life
- Such a devotee is better than such a brahmana because the devotee can purify his whole family, whereas the so-called brahmana in a position of false prestige cannot purify even himself
- Such brahmanas, having been cursed by Nandisvara, are actually in a position where they have no discrimination between eatables and noneatables and simply live to maintain the perishable material body and its family
- Sukadeva Gosvami wants to impress upon the mind of the reader (in SB 6.1.63) that Ajamila's exalted position as a brahmana was vanquished by his association with the prostitute, so much so that he forgot all his brahminical activities
T
- That was the position of the two brothers, Dabira Khasa and Sakara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated sarasvata-brahmana community, but they were ostracized due to their acceptance of ministerial posts in the government of Hussain Shah
- The first-class position (brahmana) is one who is aware of the Absolute Truth, he is in the goodness. Less awareness is the ksatriya, or in the modes of passion. Less awareness is the vaisyas. And the sudra, they are in in the darkness, unawareness
- The idea is that any man may be given the chance to become a brahmana, but if he improperly uses the position of a brahmana without actual realization, then his elevation to the brahminical position is not valid
- The learned brahmana (Sudama) remained in that position, and thus his love and affection for Lord Krsna increased day after day; it did not deteriorate due to great opulence
- The qualifications for brahmanas are described in the scriptures, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and all other Vedic literatures. Brahmana is not a hereditary title or position
- The Vedic social situation is so planned that persons accepted as sudras can gradually be elevated to the position of brahmanas by the cultural advancement known as samskara, or the purificatory process
- The whole system of society was so well planned that all the members of society in their different positions as brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras had no difficulty in earning their livelihood. There was no competition among the divisions of society
- These servants (of Lord Jagannatha) do not come from very high-caste families (brahmanas, ksatriyas or vaisyas), but because they are engaged in the service of the Lord, they have been elevated to a respected position. Thus they are known as dayitas
- They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brahmana's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism
- This is the way of life, that by reformatory process recommended in the sastras one should be elevated to the position of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisyas and sudra
V
- Vallabha Bhattacarya’s admission of the brothers’ (Rupa Gosvami and his brother Vallabha) exalted position should serve as a lesson to one who is falsely proud of his position as a brahmana
- Visvamitra, the son of Maharaja Gadhi, was as powerful as the flames of fire. From the position of a ksatriya, he achieved the position of a powerful brahmana by undergoing penances and austerities
- Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains the position of brahmanas and ksatriyas as follows...
W
- We are also giving our student position as brahmana, but if he remains a fool number one, then we are misusing our attempt. He should be very learned scholar. That should be the aim
- Whether one has acquired the qualification of a brahmana depends on the judgment of the bona fide spiritual master. He bestows upon the disciple the position of a brahmana by his own judgment