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Low-class (Books)

Expressions researched:
"low class" |"low-class"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: Not "low-class man" or "low-class men"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.17.9, Translation:

O son of Surabhi, you need lament no longer now. There is no need to fear this low-class śūdra. And, O mother cow, as long as I am living as the ruler and subduer of all envious men, there is no cause for you to cry. Everything will be good for you.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.5.21-22, Purport:

The evolutionary process is also explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya, Chapter Nineteen), wherein it is said that there are two types of living entities—moving and nonmoving. Among moving entities. there are birds, beasts. aquatics, human beings and so on. Of these. the human beings are supposed to be the best, but they are few. Of these small numbers of human beings, there are many low-class human beings like mlecchas, Pulindas, bauddhas and śabaras. The human being elevated enough to accept the Vedic principles is superior. Among those who accept the Vedic principles generally known as varṇāśrama (presently known as the Hindu system), few actually follow these principles. Of those who actually follow the Vedic principles, most perform fruitive activity or pious activity for elevation to a high position. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: (BG 7.3) out of many attached to fruitive activity, one may be a jñānī—that is, one philosophically inclined and superior to the karmīs. Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ: (BG 7.3) out of many jñānīs, one may be liberated from material bondage, and out of many millions of liberated jñānīs, one may become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

SB 5.6.11, Translation:

Low-class people, due to their gross ignorance, introduce a system of religion that deviates from the Vedic principles. Following their own mental concoctions, they automatically fall down into the darkest regions of existence.

SB 5.18.13, Translation and Purport:

Just as aquatics always desire to remain in the vast mass of water, all conditioned living entities naturally desire to remain in the vast existence of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if someone very great by material calculations fails to take shelter of the Supreme Soul but instead becomes attached to material household life, his greatness is like that of a young, low-class couple. One who is too attached to material life loses all good spiritual qualities.

Although crocodiles are very fierce animals, they are powerless when they venture out of the water onto land. When they are out of the water, they cannot exhibit their original power. Similarly, the all-pervading Supersoul, Paramātmā, is the source of all living entities, and all living entities are part and parcel of Him. When the living entity remains in contact with the all-pervading Vāsudeva, the Personality of Godhead, he manifests his spiritual power, exactly as the crocodile exhibits its strength in the water. In other words, the greatness of the living entity can be perceived when he is in the spiritual world, engaged in spiritual activities. Many householders, although well-educated in the knowledge of the Vedas, become attached to family life. They are compared herein to crocodiles out of water, for they are devoid of all spiritual strength. Their greatness is like that of a young husband and wife who, though uneducated, praise one another and become attracted to their own temporary beauty. This kind of greatness is appreciated only by low-class men with no qualifications.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.21, Translation:

In the city known as Kānyakubja there was a brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila who married a prostitute maidservant and lost all his brahminical qualities because of the association of that low-class woman.

SB 6.16.41, Purport:

Being full of contradictions, all forms of religion but bhāgavata-dharma work under conceptions of fruitive results and distinctions of "you and I" and "yours and mine." The followers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam have no such consciousness. They are all Kṛṣṇa conscious, thinking that they are Kṛṣṇa's and Kṛṣṇa is theirs. There are other, low-class religious systems, which are contemplated for the killing of enemies or the gain of mystic power, but such religious systems, being full of passion and envy, are impure and temporary. Because they are full of envy, they are full of irreligion.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.22.42, Translation:

Because the mind, which is the resting place of the senses, has created the identification with a new body, the threefold material variety of high, middle and low class appears as if present within the reality of the soul. Thus the self creates external and internal duality, just as a man might give birth to a bad son.

SB 12.1.20, Translation:

The last of the Kāṇvas, Suśarmā, will be murdered by his own servant, Balī a low-class śūdra of the Andhra race. This most degraded Mahārāja Balī will have control over the earth for some time.

SB 12.1.34, Translation:

There will then appear a king of the Māgadhas named Viśvasphūrji, who will be like another Purañjaya. He will turn all the civilized classes into low-class, uncivilized men in the same category as the Pulindas, Yadus and Madrakas.

SB 12.1.41, Translation:

The citizens governed by these low-class kings will imitate the character, behavior and speech of their rulers. Harassed by their leaders and by each other, they will all suffer ruination.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.193, Translation:

“The brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi belonged to the brāhmaṇa caste, and their residence was in the holy place of Navadvīpa. They never served low-class persons, nor were they instruments to abominable activities.

CC Madhya 1.194, Purport:

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī presented themselves as being lower than the two brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi, who were delivered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When Rūpa and Sanātana compared themselves to Jagāi and Mādhāi, they found themselves inferior because the Lord had no trouble in delivering two drunken brothers. This was so because, despite the fact that they were addicted to sinful activity, in other ways their life was brilliant. They belonged to the brāhmaṇa caste of Navadvīpa, and such brāhmaṇas were pious by nature. Although they had been addicted to some sinful activities due to bad association, those unwanted things could vanish simply because of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Another point for Jagāi and Mādhāi was that, as members of a brāhmaṇa family, they did not accept service under anyone. The śāstras strictly forbid a brāhmaṇa to accept service under anyone. The idea is that by accepting a master, one accepts the occupation of a dog. In other words, a dog cannot thrive without having a master, and for the sake of pleasing the master, dogs offend many people. They bark at innocent people just to please the master. Similarly, when one is a servant, he has to perform abominable activities according to the orders of the master. Therefore, when Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika compared their position to that of Jagāi and Mādhāi, they found Jagāi's and Mādhāi's position far better. Jagāi and Mādhāi never accepted the position of serving a low-class person, nor were they forced to execute abominable activities under the order of a low-class master. Jagāi and Mādhāi chanted the name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by way of blasphemy, but because they simply chanted His name, they immediately became free from the reactions of sinful activities. Thus later they were saved.

CC Madhya 17.179, Purport:

In northwestern India, vaiśyas are divided into various subdivisions. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura points out that they are divided as Āgarwālā, Kālawāra and Sānwāḍa. Out of them, the Āgarwālās are said to be first-class vaiśyas, and the Kālawāras and Sānwāḍas are considered lower due to their occupational degradation. The Kālawāras generally take wine and other intoxicants. Although they are vaiśyas, they are considered to belong to a lower class. The priests who guide the Kālawāras and the Sānwāḍas are called Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura states that the word sānoyāḍa in Bengal indicates suvarṇa-vaṇik. In Bengal there are priests who guide the suvarṇa-vaṇik community, which is also considered a low class. There is little difference between the Sānwāḍas and the suvarṇa-vaṇiks. Generally the suvarṇa-vaṇiks are bankers dealing in gold and silver. In western India, the Āgarwālās also belong to the banking profession. This is the original business of the suvarṇa-vaṇik or Āgarwālā community. Historically, the Āgarwālās came from the up-country named Ayodha, and the suvarṇa-vaṇik community also came from Ayodha. It therefore appears that the suvarṇa-vaṇiks and the Āgarwālās belong to the same community. The Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas were the guides of the Kālawāras and Sānwāḍas. They are therefore considered to be lower-class brāhmaṇas, and a sannyāsī is not allowed to take alms or food from them. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted lunch cooked by a Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa simply because he belonged to Mādhavendra Purī’s community. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was the spiritual master of Īśvara Purī, who was the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus a spiritual relationship is established on the spiritual platform, without consideration of material inferiority or superiority.

CC Madhya 24.203, Translation:

“Living entities include great personalities like the four Kumāras, and also low-class foolish people, trees, plants, birds and beasts.

Page Title:Low-class (Books)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas
Created:08 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=10, CC=4, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:14