Category:Worshiping Brahmanas
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes the foundational Vedic principle of worshiping qualified brāhmaṇas. He explains that a genuine brāhmaṇa is a transparent representative of the Supreme Lord, and worshiping such a personality is equal to, or even better than, worshiping the Lord Himself. To teach human society, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, personally exhibits the behavior of worshiping His devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that a civilized society or government that protects and worships the brāhmaṇas, the cows, and Kṛṣṇa will always prosper and remain undefeated. However, he also firmly warns against the mechanical caste system, noting that one should respect a brāhmaṇa based on qualifications and transcendental knowledge, not merely by birthright.
- The Standard of a Civilized Society: True human civilization is measured by its reverence for the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the Supreme Lord; any government maintaining this standard remains universally protected and undefeated.
- The Lord's Personal Example: Although the Supreme Lord lacks nothing and is worshiped by everyone, He personally worships the brāhmaṇas to set the perfect example for human society.
- The Supremacy of Worshiping the Devotee: Kṛṣṇa openly declares that worshiping His pure devotees—the qualified brāhmaṇas and vaiṣṇavas—is actually more valuable and pleasing to Him than direct worship of Himself.
- Genuine Qualifications over Birthright: Reverence must be directed toward those who possess actual brahminical qualities and spiritual knowledge; mechanically worshiping unqualified persons based solely on their family heritage leads to the ruin of civilization.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Following Kṛṣṇa's Example of Worshiping Brāhmaṇas.
Pages in category "Worshiping Brahmanas"
The following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total.
A
- A brahmana is a worshiper of the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman worships the brahmana. In other words, the devotee is subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and the Lord is inclined to see to the satisfaction of His devotee
- A brahmana who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a brahmana or Vaisnava
- After completing the bathing ceremony for the child (Krsna), mother Yasoda received the brahmanas by worshiping them with proper respect and giving them ample food grains and other eatables, clothing, desirable cows, and garlands - SB 10.7.5
- Although a brahmana or Vaisnava is worshiped as being as good as the SP of Godhead, such a devotee always remains a faithful servant of the Lord and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord's representative
- As soon as this standard method was changed into mechanical - a person born in brahmin family, he may be less than a dog-eater's family; he is worshiped as brahmin - this has ruined the Indian civilization
B
- By offering the remnants of prasada, flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and ornaments, one should daily worship the brahmanas and worship women who peacefully live with their husbands and children
- By purificatory ceremonies, birth is purified; by austerity, the senses are purified; and by worship and charity offered to the brahmanas, material possessions are purified - SB 10.5.4
- By worshiping the fire and the brahmanas, a householder can achieve the desired goal of residing in the higher planets, for the sacrificial fire and the brahmanas are to be considered the mouth of Lord Visnu, who is the Supersoul of all the demigods
I
- If a government worships the brahmanas, the cows and Krsna, Govinda, it is never defeated anywhere; otherwise it must always be defeated and condemned everywhere
- If one is trained to honor and worship the cows and brahmanas, he is actually civilized. The worship of the Supreme Lord is recommended, and the Lord is very fond of the cows and brahmanas
K
- Kings or others who have determined faith in the mercy of brahmanas, cows and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and who always worship these three are always strong in their position
- Krsna said, "By worshiping them (sages and brahmanas) faithfully, you will be worshiping Me more diligently. I consider worship of My devotees to be better than direct worship of Me"
M
- Maharaja Khatvanga thought: Not even my life is dearer to me than the brahminical culture and the brahmanas, who are worshiped by my family. What then is to be said of my kingdom, land, wife, children and opulence?
- My dear King Yudhisthira, the brahmanas, especially those engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord throughout the entire world, are recognized and worshiped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the heart and soul of all creation
O
- O Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have accepted the brahmanas as Your worshipable deity. Your knowledge and memory are never disturbed by anxiety
- One should worship dhatri trees, banyan trees, cows, brahmanas and devotees of Lord Visnu. (11) One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name
- One should worship the brahmanas & Vaisnavas by offering them all kinds of endowments & sweet words, & if one has no means to offer anything, he must at least use sweet words to pacify them. The Lord personally exhibited this behavior towards the Kumaras
P
- Prthu Maharaja said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead attained this opulence of eternal fame simply by worshiping the lotus feet of the brahmanas. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Lord does not need to work to achieve material gain
- Putting on washed clothing, being always pure and being adorned with turmeric, sandalwood pulp and other auspicious items, before breakfast one should worship the cows, the brahmanas, the goddess of fortune and the Supreme Personality of Godhead
S
- Since He (God) is perpetually supremely perfect, He does not need to obtain anything, but still it is said that He obtained His opulences by worshiping the lotus feet of the brahmanas. These are His exemplary actions
- Sudama thought, "I was rendered service by the Supreme Personality of Godhead because of His high regard for the brahmanas, and by massaging my legs and feeding me with His own hand, He practically worshiped me"
T
- The ancient, eternal Godhead, who is foremost amongst all great personalities, obtained the opulence of His staunch reputation, which purifies the entire universe, by worshiping the lotus feet of those brahmanas and Vaisnavas
- The brahmanas want to worship Krsna, and similarly Krsna wants to worship the brahmanas. In conclusion, brahmanas and Vaisnavas who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord must be worshiped by religionists, philosophers and people in general
- The cowherd men performed a ceremony whereby they worshiped the cows, brahmanas & Govardhana Hill. At that time Krsna expanded Himself & declared - I am Govardhana Hill. In this way He accepted all the paraphernalia & food offered to Govardhana Hill
- The followers of Lord Caitanya cannot blindly accept that everyone born in a brahmana family is a brahmana. Therefore one should not indiscriminately follow the Lord's example of showing respect to brahmanas by drinking water that has washed their feet
- The poor man should not be unprotected, but the brahmana should especially be treated as the representative of Narayana and should be worshiped like Him
- The sixty-four regulative principles (of devotional service) are as follows: (9) To observe fasting days, such as Ekadasi. (10) To worship cows, brahmanas, Vaisnavas, and sacred trees like the banyan
- The son of Mahinara will be Dandapani, and his son will be Nimi, from whom King Ksemaka will be born. I have now described to you the moon-god's dynasty, which is the source of brahmanas and ksatriyas and is worshiped by demigods and great saints
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is go-brahmana-hitaya ca: He is always very kind to cows and brahmanas. Therefore one who worships Govinda must satisfy Him by worshiping the brahmanas and cows
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped with the words namo brahmanya-devaya, which indicate that the Supreme Lord accepts the brahmanas as worshipable gods. The Supreme Lord is worshiped by everyone, yet to teach others He worships the brahmanas
- There are ten items in the beginning of devotional service, up to the point of worshiping the dhatri trees, banyan trees, cows, brahmanas and devotees of Lord Visnu
- They (the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas) should be worshiped. When their protection is performed, it is just like worshiping God. That is not exactly protection; it is a duty
- They do not know what is civilization. This is civilization, huh? Brahmana. And they will think, "What is this nonsense, to worship a brahmana, to give food to the brahmana-bhojana?"
- They have directed the path of good fortune, the path of Vedic civilization, and because they are the only worshipable objects within this world, they are offered prayers and worshiped even by the great demigods, the directors of the various planets
W
- We (Jamadagni and Parasurama) are all brahmanas & have become worshipable for the people in general because of our quality of forgiveness. It is because of this quality that Lord Brahma, the supreme spiritual master of this universe, has achieved his post
- When the brahmana was seated on the golden throne, Lord Sri Krsna began to worship him exactly as the demigods worship Krsna. In this way, He taught everyone that worshiping His devotee is more valuable than worshiping Him
- Who is a better worshiper of brahmanas than Maharaja Nabhi? Because he worshiped the qualified brahmanas to their full satisfaction, the brahmanas, by their brahminical prowess, showed Maharaja Nabhi the Supreme Personality of God, Narayana, in person
- With attention and devotion, he worshiped Krsna and all the greatly fortunate brahmanas who were free from material desires