Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Mercantile class - vaisya (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"Mercantile Class" |"vaisya" |"vaisya's" |"vaisyas"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

The status is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. In every human society these natural division of the society are already there. The intelligent class of men, they should study all the śāstras, all these Vedic literatures, thoroughly, and they should advise the politicians, "My dear Mr. Minister, you get rule, make the rulings like this, on this principle." They will advise, the brāhmaṇas, intelligent class of men. And the kṣatriyas, they will administer and see that the people are executing actually religious life. That is the duty of the state. The police is there not for harassing you if you take a twig from the tree and he'll come, "Why you have taken?" You have got that experience? Because they have no other business than trifle things, they are very busy: "Oh, come on with me," arrested. They have built up their empire by exploiting the whole world, and if somebody takes a twig from the St. James Park, he's arrested. You see? Because there is no religious life. Fools, rascals, they do not know how to rule over. On trifle things they will, "Come on." And when there is a pickpocket, they will go away. You ask police, they will pass by.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Or at that time the whole world was Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore greater India, history in Mahābhārata is there. So Mahābhārata especially was written for three classes of men. What are those? Strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu. Strī means woman, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but they're degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture. Just like at the present moment. They are introducing themself as brāhmaṇa, but degraded. Actually, they are not brāhmaṇa-degraded. Dvija-bandhu, friends of brāhmaṇa. Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become a high-court judge I cannot say myself, "I am high-court judge." No. Simply by becoming the son of high-court judge, one does not become a high-court judge. He must have the qualification. So when one is simply proud of his high parentage, he is called dvija-bandhu.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

When his friends inquired from him, "My dear Prahlāda, you are the son of a king and you do not go outside your palace, and we are sent here in this school, teaching. Our teacher is the same. How you have learned all these nice things?" Then he said, "My dear friends, these nice things I learned from Nārada, the same spiritual master. You require spiritual master." He then described that "The instruction was actually meant for my mother, but being woman, she has forgotten." (laughter)

This is the unqualification of... Don't be sorry. (laughter) But Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy, even if she's woman, striya... Woman is considered to be less intelligent, but Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
(BG 9.32)

"It doesn't matter whether he is woman or śūdra or a vaiśya. If he takes shelter of My lotus feet, according to the regulative principle, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, they also go back to home, back to Godhead." Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Then what to speak of the persons who are born in brāhmaṇa family and those who are devotee? They must go, provided he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Even striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ, who are considered less intelligent or born in lower degrade species of life, still, they can go.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

This sex life, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra... This is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, just to beget first-class children. That kind of sex life, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life." This is saṁskāra. So formerly, at least those who were on the higher status of the society, namely the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they had to observe this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. It is not a secret thing. Because one is going to beget child, so the child must be worth, a human being, Therefore there is saṁ... First of all, the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Then, when the wife is pregnant, there are other saṁskāras. Then upanayana-saṁskāra, vivāha-saṁskāra, up to the point of death. From before birth and up to the point of death, there are saṁskāras.

Asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnā mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ. That is stated in the Śrīmad... Asaṁskṛta. The present government men, they did not go any saṁskāra. Formerly, the kings, they... The higher castes, never mind he is king or not, but higher caste... Therefore they claimed higher. Not claimed. Actually they were. The brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas especially, and also the vaiśyas, they went the saṁskāra, reformatory. Just like saṁskāra means educational process, to elevate one.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

Similarly, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa says that "This division, the social division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—is made by Me according to quality and work." Not that simply work or simply quality. You must have the quality and work, both. Means you must be bona fide candidate to work for something. If you want to work as a brāhmaṇa, then you must have all, you must possess all the bona fide qualities of a brāhmaṇa. If you want to act as a kṣatriya, then you must have all the kṣatriya qualities and act. The kṣatriya means they are especially the... Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. A kṣatriya is never afraid of fighting; neither, if somebody challenges, "I would fight with you, I want to fight with you," the kṣatriya will never deny. If somebody comes forward to a kṣatriya, that "I want to play chess or gamble..." Gambling was allowed to the kṣatriyas. It is by gambling all the Pāṇḍavas, they lost everything. The Kauravas, his brother, they made a trick to challenge—because a kṣatriya cannot deny—that "We want to play games with you and betting." So they betted their kingdom, their wife, and their everything.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

So the supreme destination, back to Godhead, back to home, is for everyone. It is not that God... God means for everyone. God does not say, "Only the brāhmaṇa class of men, please come here. Others all rejected." No. He is inviting everyone. Even the lowest of the lowest, low-born, pāpa-yonayaḥ, women, śūdra, or vaiśyas, everyone.

Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone has got the potency of coming to Me, go back to home, back to Godhead." That is admitted by Kṛṣṇa. Now, who will make them qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead? That is the Vaiṣṇava, those who are actually very sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. It is their duty. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone is competent to come to Me if he is following the rules and regulations." Vyapāśritya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said that children should be taught about religious principle, especially Bhāgavata dharma. What is dharma and Bhāgavata dharma? Bhāgavata dharma means the dharma of the soul, and ordinary dharma means the dharma of this body. Generally we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā śṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras, brahmacārī, gṛhasta, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So actually this is our..., Vedic principle is varṇāśrama-dharma. So this varṇāśrama-dharma is in relationship with this body. But we are not this body. Dehāntaraṁ prāp..., we are changing our body. So sometimes we may become a śūdra, sometimes we may become brāhmaṇa—that is change.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

"It doesn't matter whether one is woman or a mercantile class of man or a śūdra. It doesn't matter." Because these classes are understood less intelligent. But Kṛṣṇa is opening the path for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya. If one accepts Kṛṣṇa very seriously, vyapāśritya... Vi-pūrvaka... Vi means... Vi means specifically, vi, viśeṣaṇam, viśeṣaṇam, particularly. Āśritya, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa specifically, then either he may be woman or he may be śūdra, or laborer class, or may be mercantile class. It doesn't matter. He or she can go to the highest perfection.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Formerly every brāhmaṇa used to learn these two sciences, Āyur-veda and Jyotir-veda. Jyotir-veda means astronomy..., astrology not astronomy. Because any other, the less intelligent than brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, the śūdras, they would need the brāhmaṇas for health and future. Everyone is very inquisitive to learn what is future, what is going to happen next, and everyone is concerned with the health. So brāhmaṇas, they would simply advise about health and the future, so that is their profession and people give them eatables, cloth, so they have nothing to do for working outside. Anyway this is a long story. So this body is a bag of the three elements, yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). (baby cries) That baby. So Bhāgavata says yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, I am not this body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:

This is a speech of Sūta Gosvāmī in Naimiṣāraṇya. Formerly, great sages used to assemble in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya. Those who are Indians, they will know Naimiṣāraṇya. There is a station, Nimsara, still. And it is near Lucknow. Still it is very nice place. So there was a great meeting of saintly persons. As nowadays ordinary persons meet together to find out the ways and means for people's prosperity, formerly the great saintly persons, sages, brāhmaṇas, they used to meet, and they used to give formula to the people, to the king, that "You follow this. You will be happy." This was the system, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So the brāhmaṇas will give the direction, and the kṣatriya king would execute it. And the vaiśyas will produce foodgrains. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). For vaiśyas, three work, three kinds of occupation: first of all, agriculture, produce food, and then, give protection to the cows. Because cow is important animal, cow protection is very necessary. So kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). And where there is scarcity of food, transport food there, make business. These three things for the vaiśyas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

Ātmā, ātmā means this body, ātmā means the mind also, and ātmā means the soul, and, above that, the Paramātmā, Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So yayā ātmā suprasīdati. Su means very much. Not only prasīdati but suprasīdati, very much. Everyone. The body becomes satisfied, the mind becomes satisfied, the soul becomes satisfied, and the Supreme Paramātmā, He also becomes satisfied. So that is called paro dharmaḥ. Paro dharmaḥ means... Paraḥ means superior, and dharmaḥ means occupational duty. Everyone has got occupational duty. It doesn't matter, either you are a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Everyone has got occupational duty. That is human society. Human society means when the society is divided into these eight divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Varṇāśrama-dharma. That is Vedic civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

That is also stated in this chapter, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ... This meeting was presided by Sūta Gosvāmī, and there were many learned brāhmaṇas, learned scholars, sages. Therefore he was addressing the audience, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother, and the second birth by saṁskāra, or by culture. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they have got saṁskāra. Śūdras have no saṁskāra. Saṁskāra-varjita means śūdra. In this age nobody observes the saṁskāras. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga almost every person is a śūdra. Therefore there is so much chaos. The government is managed by the śūdras or less than śūdras, mleccha. Mleccha-rājendra-rūpiṇaḥ. Mlecchas have taken the post of government. It is meant for the kṣatriyas, means qualified kṣatriya, very brave, very powerful, very charitable, not going away when there is fight. That is kṣatriya's position. Brāhmaṇa means satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. So people should be trained up as brāhmaṇa, as kṣatriya, as vaiśya. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). The vaiśya's duty is to produce food grains, agriculture, and give protection to the cows, and if you have got surplus foodstuff, you can make trade where there is shortage.

So actually this statement of the śāstras, that kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ, hardly there is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya because nobody is doing their duty. Instead of producing food grains, vaiśyas are engaged in running on big, big factories.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

When you become actually a devotee, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), there will be no scarcity. Whatever you want, it will come. It will come. So this is the position. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching, educating, all over the world. There is no distinction. There is no distinction. Don't think that "These Europeans, Americans, they are mlecchas and yavanas. They cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is only meant for the brāhmaṇas or kṣatriyas." They are brāhmaṇa. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. Anyone who becomes a devotee, he is better than a brāhmaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). It doesn't matter wherever he is born. Pāpa-yonayaḥ. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So what is the value of this democracy? You elect somebody by your vote, again condemn. That means the electors, the voters, have also no experience, and neither the man who is voted, he is also very good man. Otherwise, why you should change your opinion once you have elected a person to act as your head executive? So the democracy has proved a farce. It has no meaning, because people are not educated. People are mostly śūdras. There must be four classes of men. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, first class, second class, third class, fourth class. So at the present moment there is no first-class men, neither second-class men. All third class, fourth class. All of them. So on the votes of third-class and fourth-class men, how you can expect good government? That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

We cannot avoid it. Let us suffer." That is not intelligence. If you are suffering, then you must find out the remedy. And actually, we are doing that. But because we do not know what is the actual remedy, we are missing the point. But there is solution. And for this solution, one must go to the spiritual master. That is described. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya **. They... This materialistic life is always like the blazing fire in the forest. So trāṇā. How to get out of it. Trāṇā it is called. Trāṇā means to relieve from the suffering. Kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam. So how these sufferings can be mitigated? So people have become so dull-headed, they cannot understand what is the real suffering, and neither they have any inquiries how to mitigate the sufferings. This is the position. Therefore they are called śūdras. Śūdras, they are like. A brāhmaṇa is intelligent. A brāhmaṇa... Therefore we are trying to make people brāhmaṇa so that he may become intelligent. Not śūdras. Others are trying to make them śūdras. Śūdras means to remain in ignorance, and brāhmaṇa means to remain in knowledge. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and śūdra. And these two other classes, via media, kṣatriya and vaiśya. The brāhmaṇas are supposed to be the first-class men in the society. The kṣatriyas, the second class, the vaiśyas, the third class, and the remaining, all fourth class and fifth class.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So formerly there was no meetings of the śūdras. The meeting was held about, amongst the brāhmaṇas, saintly persons, to consider how people will remain happy, how their spiritualistic life will be advanced. Therefore the brāhmaṇas were the heads, and others, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas and śūdras, they used to take instruction from the brāhmaṇas, for their livelihood. That was very good system. That is natural. Just like in this body there are the same brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa is the head, the brain, and the kṣatriya the arms, and vaiśya the belly , and śūdras is the legs. So when the body is healthy condition, the brain is very nice, then the brain gives direction to the legs, to the hands, to the belly. Brain, if one has got good brain, he does not eat much. "Why should I eat more? When I am not hungry, why shall I load the belly?" It requires brain. And "No, here is a very nice palatable thing. Let me load it." Because he has no brain. And after loading, then dysentery. You see? So in every action, the brain is required.

So therefore the brāhmaṇas, they were first-class brain of the society, and they used to give direction to the people in general, beginning from the kṣatriya, vaiśyas and śūdra. They used to give instruction to the kṣatriyas, next intelligent class of men, for administration. And the kṣatriyas used to rule over the government according to the brāhmaṇa's instruction. And the vaiśyas also, they used to produce food grains and give protection to the cows. In this way, they were discharging their duty. And the śūdras, they were carrying out the orders of these three higher classes.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So you will find in this instruction, in this chapter, these sages decided at the end of the meeting, that ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ (SB 1.2.13). The resolution was passed like this, because there were all brāhmaṇas. Therefore the president, Sūta Gosvāmī, he said all the brāhmaṇas, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. He addressed. Dvija means twice-born: one birth by the father and mother, and next birth by the spiritual father and the Vedic knowledge. This is second birth, initiation. The spiritual father, or spiritual master, he gives the second birth through the mother, Vedas. Therefore they are called dvija, twice-born. Twice-born. Unless one has accepted bona fide spiritual master, he is once born, śūdra. Śūdra has no such thing as twice-born. Only the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Because śūdras were less intelligent, they were not initiated. They were not initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas, dvija.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

That is spiritual master. If one does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, neither he speaks, just vibrate the Kṛṣṇa's word, he is not spiritual master. He cannot be spiritual master. Spiritual master does not manufacture his own ideas. That is not spiritual master. Spiritual master is he who speaks exactly the words which is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. That is the secret. You cannot change.

So in the Naimiṣāraṇya, the resolution was made like this, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. So everyone has got his dharma, particular duty: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So one must be intelligent enough whether by his, by the discharge of his particular duty he has satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Then he has satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Just like the different parts of the body, their duty is how to keep this body fit. That means to keep the body satisfied. Fit means when everything, all the metabolism, organization of the body, is going nicely, then it is fit. And as soon as there is some discrepancies in the regular process... There are so many processes going on within the body. Kapha-pitta-vāyuḥ. There is very good mechanical arrangement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

So dharma is the life of human beings. And there are different types of dharmas. Not that, as some rascals say, that all dharmas are equal. No. According to qualities. There are three qualities, three modes of material nature. So one who is attached to the lowest quality, ignorance, his dharma is different from the person who is in the highest level of goodness. Therefore there are brāhmaṇa's dharma, kṣatriya's dharma, vaiśya's dharma and śūdra's dharma. So what is śūdra's dharma, that is not brāhmaṇa's dharma, because śūdra cannot execute the dharma of the brāhmaṇa. And the brāhmaṇa also cannot come down to the status of śūdras. These are Vedic principles. Therefore in the Vedic society there are divisions: this class of men are brāhmaṇas, this class of men kṣatriyas, this class of men are vaiśyas. Everything, their qualities and their activities, are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Samo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Śauryaṁ vīryaḥ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca. Just like seven qualities for the kṣatriyas, seven qualities, nine qualities for the brāhmaṇas, three qualities for the vaiśyas, and one quality for the śūdras.

But the ultimate goal of life is to attain bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So long we have upādhi, "I am American," "I am Indian," or "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," or "I am black..." These are upādhi, because this is all bodily designation. This brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these designation to make a systematic progress of human life. But actually, when one becomes pure devotee, he is above all these things. He is above all these things. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. "Even one is caṇḍāla, if he becomes a pure devotee, then he becomes better than a brāhmaṇa." They are not ordinary things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

So everyone can bhakti-yoga practice, simply under the guidance of proper spiritual master who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. From him you take lesson. And it is not difficult, this bhakti-yoga practice. Actually, this was the practice in India in every home. There was Deity. At least, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they had Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Sītā-Rāma, or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, or Nārāyaṇa śilā. Every house, it was being worshiped. But we have lost our culture. Vāsudeve bhakti-yogaḥ..., bhakti-prayojitaḥ. We have lost this culture. Revive it. Don't lose this opportunity of human life. Practice bhakti-yoga and be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and make your life successful. That is our mission. We are teaching. It is not a business, that "Give me some money; I will teach you." It is open. We are asking everyone, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." What is the difficulty? There is no loss. You haven't got to pay anything. Simply as these boys have learned to chant and dance, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. This is the Gosvāmīs' teachings,"Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." And why should you go to see dancing elsewhere? Dance at home. Make family organization in that way. You will be happy. Then you will understand what is your position.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So people, having no information of the spirit soul, they are interested in body and mind, and they have created some concocted religious system for benefit of the body and mind. So the varṇāśrama-dharma, beginning... Dharma begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma, which is now going on in the name of Hindu religion. Actually there is no such word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. It is a concocted word given by the Muhammadans. Real Vedic system of religion is varṇa and āśrama. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So one has to execute... The brāhmaṇa must execute his system of life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). A brāhmaṇa must execute all these principles of life. Similarly, kṣatriya, he should be very brave, not to go away from fighting. He must have a ruling capacity. He must be charitable. In this way, kṣatriya must execute his system of life. Similarly vaiśya, he must also execute his system of life: kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). Agriculture, cow protection. Nowadays, either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, practically everything is lost. Nobody is executing his occupational duties. Simply śūdra, without any knowledge, without any enlightenment. Try to get some money and fill up your belly and go on sleeping, that's all. This is śūdra-karma-svabhāva-jam. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma. Therefore śāstra says kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age practically 99.9% population are śūdras, because they have given up, they have forgotten everything, what is the duty of brāhmaṇa, what is the duty of a kṣatriya, what is the duty of a vaiśya. Maybe some vaiśyas are there and śūdras are there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So even one executes his sva-dharma very nicely, but if he does not develop his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). This is also simply spoiling the life. On the other hand, Nārada Muni gives his opinion, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), "If one gives up his occupational duty and takes shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa," caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, "so even he is not mature and falls down from the devotional service on account of so many reasons, still, he is not loser, whereas a person who is executing his occupational duties very nicely, but he has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't get anything. He's loser." Ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ. Sva-dharmataḥ, keeping in his own position as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, if he is executing his duties very nicely, but has not developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has lost everything. This is the verdict of śāstra.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, discharging one's own occupational duties. Svanuṣṭhi-tasya dharmasya. According to Vedic system, there are four kinds of social orders, and each one of them have particular duties. Just like the brāhmaṇas, they have got their particular duties; kṣatriyas, they have got their particular duties; vaiśyas, they have also, and the śūdras. And those who do not follow the Vedic principle, they are called pañcamal, or sometimes, if they do not follow the rules and regulation, then they are called mlecchas and yavanas.

So, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. A brāhmaṇa must be truthful: satya sama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānam vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma svabhāva (BG 18.42). So the brāhmaṇas, those who are actually qualified brāhmaṇas, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Lord Kṛṣṇa said that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā śṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: by division of quality and activities. So everyone, brāhmaṇa must be qualified and must be engaged in his particular duties. Kṣatriyas also, they should be engaged in their particular duties. Vaiśyas and śūdras also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

If one does not observe the regulative principle, then he should not declare himself as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So, just like at the present moment, the government has got inspectors to see, inspect the schools, whether the teachers are duly discharging their educational curriculum, similarly, formerly the king, he was rāja-daṇḍa-vit. So not only he was inspecting that everyone is discharging his professional or particular duties, but everyone has got employment. That was also the king's duty. No one should be unemployed. The brāhmaṇa should be employed, the kṣatriya should be employed, the vaiśya should be employed, and the śūdra should be employed. If there was any difficulty, then it was the duty of the king to give them employment. So since we have lost our responsible monarchical government, the four divisions of social order—means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśyas and śūdra—they are deviated due to unemployment. The brāhmaṇa could not get sufficient engagement in their duties, yajana yājana paṭhana pāṭhana dāna pratigraha. People become neglectful, so they thought, "What is the use of calling a brāhmaṇa for pūjā part? There is no necessity. Stop it." So naturally the brāhmaṇas were obliged to accept to the business or occupational duties of the kṣatriyas or the vaiśyas or even śūdras. What can be done? But in the śāstra it is said that a brāhmaṇa, if he's in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or up to vaiśya, but never accept the occupation of a śūdra. These are described in the śāstras.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Besides that, the higher castes, the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas especially, and the vaiśyas also, they must observe the dāsa-veda saṁskāra, ten kinds of reformatory methods. The first method is garbādhāna-saṁskāra. Before giving birth to a child. There is a ceremony which is called garbādhāna-saṁskāra, and it is stated in the śāstras that if the higher castes do not perform the garbādhāna-saṁskāra and beget children like cats and dog, then he immediately comes to the position of śūdra. These are the sastric injunction. There are twenty kinds of dharma śāstra, so they have to be followed. That is human society. Not that to live like animal. That is human society. According to Vedic system, unless the human society comes to the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, they are not to be accepted as human society. The system, the whole system was to gradually educate people to be elevated to the spiritual platform for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was the whole scheme. Viṣṇu, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo, to train people to become civilized, sūrayo, means that they will observe(?) to the ultimate goal of life, viṣṇu paramaṁ padam: how to approach Lord Viṣṇu, how to approach the Vaikuṇṭha, paraṁ dhāma, by spiritual progressive life. That was there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

So by executing the process of dharma, if one does not come to the point of understanding Viṣvaksena, or Kṛṣṇa, then what is that? Now, notpādayed ratiṁ yadi. Rati means attachment. If one is not inclined to hear about Kṛṣṇa after executing his dharma, occupational duties, whatever he may be... Actually, occupational duty is meant, according to Vedic civilization: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa has got his occupational duty, kṣatriya has got his occupational duty, vaiśya has got his occupational duty, and śūdra also, occupational duty. So when it is described, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ, sva means "own." So one must be either a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra. Or nowadays one may be a medical man, engineer, or a businessman, or this or that. Everyone has got some occupation. Either you take this way or that way. But it is very systematic.

When we think in terms of Vedic civilization—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—this is very scientific. Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

There must be the head, there must be the hands, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. So brāhmaṇa is the head of the society, brain of the society. And the kṣatriyas are the arms of the body. And the vaiśyas, the belly of the body. The stomach and the belly must be kept in order. If you do not eat, if you do not digest your food, the brain will not also work, hand will not also work.

So for proper upkeep of the human society, there must be a brahminical class, brāhmaṇa class, the kṣatriya class. They are all equal because my hand is as much important as my brain. But although comparatively my brain is more important than my hand, that is comparative. But you require the brain. So at the present moment, why the society is chaotic condition? Because there is no brāhmaṇa. That is the defect. So society must be divided in the material stage of this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brāhmaṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then he will understand what is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:

So... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that "These four principles, cātur-varṇya, four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, mayā sṛṣṭam, it is created by Me." But people are not interested in God's creation. But without this division of human society... A class of men should be brāhmaṇa, simply interested in knowledge. Actually, that is going on. Some class of men in the human society, they are engaged in broadcasting knowledge, scientific knowledge. They are supposed to be on the brahminical qualification because to distribute knowledge mean must have good brain, must have good learning, education. Then there is question of distributing knowledge. A fool, rascal cannot distribute. Then next class, the politicians, administrative class, they are under the guidance of the intelligent class. They administer to keep the society in peaceful condition, in order. The next class, vaiśya, the productive class. There must be business, trade, production, agriculture; otherwise how man will live? And the śūdra class, general class, worker class, they have neither brain nor administrative power, nor can produce anything, but they can work under the direction of some higher authority. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdras.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. This is meant for getting out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is real... The first step is religiosity. Unless you are pious, religious, there is no possibility of getting liberation. Therefore there are different types of dharma prescribed, twenty types of dharma. The beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma. The people have lost even varṇāśrama-dharma, what to speak of other dharmas. The first beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma, to become brāhmaṇa, to become kṣatriya, to become vaiśya. So in the Kali-yuga the time is so bad that even there is no fixity of this varṇāśrama-dharma. Nobody knows who is brāhmaṇa, who is śūdra. Because the quality is the same now, eating, sleeping, mating—animal quality. You can become a brāhmaṇa by sacred thread. That is a different thing. But there are brāhmaṇa and brahminical qualifications. That is real brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974:

So dharma, first of all this dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma... (BG 4.13). This is dharma: brāhmaṇa-dharma, kṣatriya-dharma, vaiśya-dharma, and śūdra-dharma, brahmacārī-dharma, gṛhastha-dharma... We call gṛhastha-dharma. Otherwise, wife and children..., the cats and dogs, they have also wife and children. Then why? This is called dharma. Dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi. Kṛṣṇa says, in the Bhagavad..., dharma aviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex life, sense gratification, which is not against dharma, that is I." So there must be dharma, characteristic. This is the characteristics of brāhmaṇa. This is the characteristics of kṣatriya. This is the characteristic of vaiśya. This is character of śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This must be systematically organized. That is called dharma. Because the real purpose is, dharmasya hy āpavargyasya: just to nullify this miserable condition of material life, not... Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthaḥ arthāya upakalpate.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974:

So execution of dharma, religion—never mind, Hindu religion or Christian religion or—the purpose is not for any material gain. Na upakalpate. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthāya upakalpate. Then what about our sense gratification? We must have. We have got this body. We must have some facility. So that is also described here, na arthasya dharma ekāntasya. Arthasya, one who is actually a student of dharma, ekāntasya. Na arthasya dharma ekāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. Not for sense gratification. You require some money. So by your profession, either as a brāhmaṇa or as kṣatriya or as a vaiśya or as a śūdra... A brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, that is for spiritual advancement. And for material—this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So you require some money. Because without money, without source of income, how you can live? But that is not meant for sense gratification. Therefore it is said, na arthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So sarva upādhi, when you become completely freed, no more thinking like American, Indian, brāhmaṇa, śūdra, no... "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave His identification in this way: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, neither I am a king, neither I am a vaiśya, neither I am a sannyāsī. I am nothing of this." Because this material designation, varṇa-āśrama. Four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So anybody must be within these eight categories. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "I don't belong to any of these categories." Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na ca yatir vā. Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, gopī-bhartuḥ, and the master of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, pada-kamalayoḥ, lotus feet—I am His servant, dāsa, and his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, in this way servants' servant."

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

So actually human civilization begins when there is varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, four varṇas and four āśramas. Here is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Unless human society is scientifically divided in this varṇāśrama system, it is animal society. It is not man's society. Therefore he is stressing varṇāśrama. Not others who are not within the category of varṇāśrama, they are animals. So when the human society comes to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, then they can think about God. Otherwise it is not possible. Animal, how they can think about God? Because you are all first-class boys and girls, therefore you have come to hear about God. Now if you call first-class dogs, they will not come, that is not possible. So unless the human society is organized in the varṇāśrama-dharma, it remains animal society. And in animal society you cannot expect any intelligence or any sense of goodness or any idea of God. This is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Ataḥ pumbhir-dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa and āśrama. This varṇāśrama is very important thing in the human society. Unless one accepts these principles of varṇa and āśrama, they're animal society. That is not human society. Four varṇas—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra, four divisions of the society; and āśrama, spiritual order—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is Vedic culture, varṇa and āśrama. Any society which is devoid of this vedic culture varna and asrama. That is not accepted as human society.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. In that meeting of Naimiṣāraṇya, there were all best brāhmaṇas. Dvija means twice born. Twice born, the brahmanas the kṣatriya and the vaiśyas. They are supposed to be twice-born. One birth by the father and mother, and the other birth is by the guru and Vedic knowledge. The guru is the father and Vedic knowledge is the mother. This is in Aryan civilization, this varṇāśrama, varṇa: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdras are once-born. They have no ceremony for twice-born. Or one who is not twice-born, he's a śūdra. If the twice-born ceremony is not observed, is not observed, then it is śūdra. Or act..., practically at the present moment, even in India, these ceremonies are not accepted or they do not care for it. And what to speak of other countries. Therefore the conclusion of the śāstra is kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age of Kali, there are only śūdras. Practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśyas. Maybe some vaiśyas. But this is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

That is the system. Not that so-called brāhmaṇa and so-called kṣatriya, they have no information of Viṣṇu, and they are declaring, "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya." They are called, according to śāstra, brahma-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu. One who is born of a brāhmaṇa family or a kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, but do not act as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they are called dvija-bandhu. They are not accepted as dvija. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25).

This Mahābhārata was compiled by Vyāsadeva for this purpose because strī, women; śūdra, the fourth class of the society, laborer class, worker class; strī, śūdra; and dvija-bandhu, and persons who are born in the families of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but they do not act, they are called dvija-bandhu. For them, this Mahābhārata was compiled. It is called "Fifth Vedas." Four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Atharva..., Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva. So this Vedic language cannot be understood by the less intelligent class of men who are known as woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
(BG 9.32)

So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, it does not matter whether he's a strī or a śūdra or a dvija-bandhu. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. They also can be elevated to the highest platform of perfection.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So this requires intelligence. That intelligence is divided into this varṇāśrama-dharma. There must be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. They are called intelligent class of men. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). The society must be divided into four classes for cooperation—I have explained yesterday. So at the present moment, two classes are wanting: the brāhmaṇa class and the kṣatriya class. The vaiśya class and the śūdra class and less than śūdra class are there. Because in the Kali-yuga, it is stated, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kalau, in this age, most, major portion of the population will be śūdras. Śūdras means fourth-class men. Fourth-class men means śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. What is that? Paricaryātmakaṁ karma (BG 18.44). Just like dog. A dog, unless it has got a nice master, it is street dog. A street dog. It has no value. Anyone can kill, and it has no shelter, loitering in the street. So śūdra means dog's position. If he does not get a nice master, then he's street dog. In spite of high education, M.A., Ph.D, D.A.C, and this and that, if he does not get any employment, he's street dog. What is his value? Eh? "Oh, I have studied high technical education." But if you do not get a service for using your education, then you are a street dog. Is it not?

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. At the present moment, 99.9%, they are śūdras. Therefore the society is chaotic condition. Therefore in your country, you are the richest country in the world, you are producing hippies, frustration, confusion. Chaotic condition. And if you continue this, then you'll lose all your opportunities. Artificially, you cannot remain opulent for many days. There were so many empires-Roman Empire, British Empire, Moghul Empire. These were artificial. If you systematically follow the Vedic principles as it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You must divide the society according to quality and work, four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And less than śūdra, they are neglected. Not neglected, they are incorrigible. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, even those who are incorrigible, they can be devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So this is kṣatriya. And brāhmaṇa, giving direction. All the kṣatriya kings were taking direction from highly learned sages and brāhmaṇas... Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. So these two classes are now wanted. Here is stated, cātur-varṇyam..., eh, varṇāśrama, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Otherwise, this present human civilization is dead. There must be these two classes of men: brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Śūdras and vaiśyas are there. There are so many shopkeepers and workers and laborers. There is sufficient number. Now there is no brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So you American boys and girls, you are intelligent, you have got all facilities. At least in your country, create these two classes, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. The world will be saved, and you will be saved, and Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. Brāhmaṇa's business means that people should know what is God, what is our relationship with Him. That is brāhmaṇa's... And kṣatriya's business is to give protection to the people so that may all know what is God. That is kṣatriya's... And vaiśyas business is to provide food for them, production. And śūdras is to help all these three classes by their labor. This is social organization. It is not that everyone will become brāhmaṇa or everyone will become kṣat... No. At the present moment, the Communists are trying: "Everyone should be Communist." That is not possible. You cannot make everyone of the same class. No. That is not possible. You have to use your intelligence in such a way that these four divisions can work cooperatively and become perfect.

And that is suggested here, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). That common platform means how to please Kṛṣṇa. Never mind you are brāhmaṇa, you are kṣatriya, you are vaiśya. But so long we are in the material world, there must be four divisions. The kṣatriyas should give protection; otherwise the demons will disturb. So there is the necessity of war with the demons, for kṣatriya. So these three classes are required, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, to give protection. And as soon as the social system is organized, the perfectional point is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

So vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. There is no ruci because they are conditioned by the material nature, by the three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa... Tamo-guṇa is the lowest, rajo-guṇa is the via media, and one who is the sattva-guṇa, he can understand. Therefore the whole Vedic civilization is meant for making people brāhmaṇa. Not to keep him in ignorance, not to keep him in the position of a śūdra. The whole Vedic scheme is that from the lowest grade of li..., existence, one can be elevated to the highest grade. Śudhyanti. Śudhyanti, purification. That is purification. In ordinary life also, there are purificatory methods, daśa-vidha-saṁskāra. That purificatory method begins before the birth, which is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Not that a man, a high-caste brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or even vaiśya... Especially brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Especially brāhmaṇa. He's not meant for giving birth to a child like cats and dogs. He has to observe the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. In the śāstra it is said in a brāhmaṇa family, if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, he immediately falls down to the śūdra class.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Brāhmaṇa means the head. Therefore brāhmaṇa is offered so much respect. Because head, without head, in the head, in the brain, you conceive something, and the hands and legs, they execute the order. Similarly, the head of the society, they should be the brāhmaṇas. They are not interested in capturing political power. No. Brāhmaṇa is to give instruction. We find from Vedic literature. There were committees, privy council committees of great sages and brāhmaṇas. They would give the king advice that "You rule in this way." And if the king is disobedient, sometimes the brāhmaṇas would dethrone them. Or kill them. That was the Vedic system. We find from the life and ruling of Mahārāja Pṛthu, how he was ruling over the world, how he was observing that every community, either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, they were properly employed. There was no unemployment question. It was the duty of the king to see that not a single man is unemployed. He must be engaged. So they made arrangement like that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

So these are the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Here it is also, the same thing. The same thing is said in a different way. That is śāstra. Actually, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā... What is Veda? There are four Vedas and 108 Upaniṣads, then Vedānta-sūtra, then so, so many books. All of them are Vedas. And what is the purpose? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). You read all the Vedas, all the Purāṇas, Brahma-sūtra, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. What is the purpose? To understand Kṛṣṇa. If you don't understand Kṛṣṇa, then it is useless. Your so-called study of Vedas are useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. That is the confirmation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
(SB 1.2.8)

You are spoiling your energy. You are... Dharma... A brāhmaṇa is executing his brahminical culture very nicely. It is very good. A kṣatriya is doing his duty very nicely. That's all right. A vaiśya, he's dutying... But the test, whether he's perfect or not, or simply working for nothing, wasting his time, what is that test?

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

Simply by this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23), hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is, we were discussing. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu, simply by hearing. Abhadreṣu, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, all the dirty things within heart, being almost cleansed, you come to the stage of goodness. There are three stages, three platforms-ignorance, passion and goodness. So simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted immediately to the platform of goodness. And as soon as you come to the platform of goodness, then, tadā, at that time, rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Because there are three platforms: ignorance, passion and goodness. So you have come to the point, to the platform of goodness, means that you have passed over the other lower stages. If you have come to the college, that means you have passed your school stages. It is to be understood. Therefore we offer sacred thread. The idea is one who has become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has already passed the stage of becoming a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means to come to the stage of goodness. That is brāhmaṇa. Kṣatriya means to remain on the stage of passion. Vaiśya means to remain on the stage of mixture, passion and ignorance. And śūdra means to remain on the stage of ignorance. There are four divisions of the three modes. So when we come to the stage of becoming a devotee, that means we have already passed all these lower stages. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19).

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

. Kṣatriya means one who protects from injury kṣata, kṣatriya, trāyate, one who protects people from being injured. Therefore the kṣatriya class, they were royal families, and the brāhmaṇas, they were meant for giving spiritual education. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. And the vaiśyas, they were meant for trading, agriculture and cow protection. As the kṣatriyas were interested, entrusted for protecting the citizens, similarly the vaiśyas were entrusted for protecting the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So now vaiśyas, they have got big, big factories, they can maintain big, big factories, but they cannot maintain a cow. That is the position. Similarly, Kṣatriyas, they have taken different occupational duties. Brāhmaṇas also, they have left their occupation. Only everyone has come to the platform of śūdras. Therefore it is very difficult to convince them about spiritual life. Mostly people are śūdras. Śūdras, less intelligent. They cannot understand. Mūḍha. Less intelligent means mūḍha. The symbol of less intelligence is ass, mūḍha. The ass... Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has described the karmīs as mūḍha because they work very hard. Although the necessity of life is very little, still they work very hard, day and night. The ass is the symbol because the ass eats only a morsel of grass, but for the washerman, he works so hard. So mūḍha. Because the people are mūḍhas, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, the division of the society is given there: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to guṇa and according to karma, there are four classes of men. The first class men, the brāhmaṇas, because they are on the platform of goodness. Goodness means they can see. One who is qualified brāhmaṇa, he can see what is what, what is this world, what is God, what the human being... Everything is clearly prakāśa. It is called prakāśa, illumination. If one is situated in the modes of goodness, platform of goodness, he can see things as they are. Prakāśa. And the next stage is passion, productive. Productive, ruling, administrating, like that. Creation. Just like the king's royal orders, they want to conquer expansive kingdom. And next stage is mixed-up—ignorance and passion. That is the stage of vaiśyas. They want simply money, somehow or other. They do not care for anything, the vaiśya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Śūdra, they are completely ignorant. They cannot produce anything, neither they have got any enthusiasm for ruling or administration. So their business is to submit to the higher classes and live peacefully. These are the divisions of the society. But all of them are required for upkeep of the society.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Those who are on the platform of the modes of goodness, brāhmaṇa platform, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. This, these are the qualities of brāhmaṇa. Not that because one is born of a brāhmaṇa father, he will be brāhmaṇa. No. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). He must have the qualities of brāhmaṇa and must act as a brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be accepted as brāhmaṇa. Otherwise he'll be called brahma-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhu. Strī, woman, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born of a brāhmaṇa father but his actions are like something else. He's called dvija-bandhu. Or born of a kṣatriya father. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya also—those who are born for the second time by initiation. First birth is by the father and the mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and spiritual master is the father. So when one approaches a bona fide spiritual master, his second birth is there by advancement of spiritual knowledge, and that sacred thread is offered to him. Upanayana. Upa means "near," and nayana means "bringing."

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

The whole aim of varṇāśrama-dharma... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, the śūdras, the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī—this is called varṇāśrama. This is the form of human civilization. Unless one comes to this point of executing the varṇāśrama-dharma, he's animal. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. This is dharma, to execute varṇāśrama-dharma. That is dharma. So if anyone is not executing this varṇāśrama-dharma, he's animal. Paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. That is not accepted as human civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So in that Naimiṣāraṇya, all the sages assembled, and the conclusion, the resolution was: ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. All the great brāhmaṇas, learned brāhmaṇas, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ... Dvija, dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but śreṣṭha means brāhmaṇa. Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Because human civilization means accepting this varṇa-āśrama. There must be classification. Not that everyone is the same, everyone on the same level. Everyone on the same level means śūdra, no knowledge. No knowledge, no philosophy, no culture, simply eat, sleep and... Animals' life.

So ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama... Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ must be there. The present civilization is suffering because there is no such thing as varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is no selection that there must be the most intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa, the real kṣatriya who can give protection to the people, kṣatriya. That is real kṣatriya. And vaiśya who can actually give protection to the cows and produce agriculture, agricultural products and trade. And śūdras, ordinary laborer class. There must be divisions. They must be trained up. I have repeatedly said in America that there is draft board.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So according to this varṇāśrama, there must be training. Some classes of men must be trained as nice brāhmaṇas. Some people must be trained as nice kṣatriyas. Some people must be trained as nice vaiśyas. And śūdra does not require any... Everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By training, one becomes vaiśya, one becomes kṣatriya, one becomes brāhmaṇa. Where is that training? All śūdras. And how can you expect good government, śūdra government? All the śūdras are taking vote by hook and crook. And they are occupying government post. Therefore their only business is..., Kali, in this age especially, mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ, eating and drinking, eating flesh, drinking wine. Mlecchas, yavanas, they are accepting government post. What good government you can expect? Forget, forget good government for millions of years, unless you establish this varṇāśrama-dharma. There is no question of good government. There must be first-class kṣatriya who can take charge of the government. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He was on his tour, and as soon as he saw that one black man was trying to kill a cow, immediately he took his sword: "Who are you, rascal, here?" That is kṣatriya. That is vaiśya, who can give protection to the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Everything is there clearly. Where is the culture?

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So vāsudeva-parā yogā vāsudeva-parā kriyāḥ. All the activities should be... The same thing. Kriyā means varṇāśrama-dharma, everyone is engaged in his own work. Brāhmaṇa is engaged in his own work. Kṣatriya is engaged in his own work. That is all right. But the ultimate goal should be hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. It doesn't matter whether you are brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya and śūdra. It doesn't matter. Just try to see by your work whether Kṛṣṇa or Vāsudeva is being satisfied. Vāsudeva-parā kriyāḥ. Vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānam. Jñānam, cultivation of knowledge. What is that cultivation of knowledge? To understand Vāsudeva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). So-called knowledge, speculation, philosophical speculation, without understanding of Vāsudeva, means he has to continue such speculation for life after life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Jñānam, jñānam means knowledge. So if you immediately take to Vāsudeva... Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Vāsudeve bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca. The ultimate goal of knowledge is to know Vāsudeva, but if you take to Vāsudeva directly, then vairāgya and jñāna... Janayaty āśu vairāgyam jñānam. Immediately, very soon, automatically, ahaitukam, without any cause, you understand what is knowledge and what is vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

Here it is also stated, sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam. Āśrama. Sarva-āśrama. Āśrama. I have several times described that the brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. Sarvāśrama, all orders of life. Varṇāśrama. The Vedic civilization is based on four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So Lord Ṛṣabhadeva planned in such a way to teach His sons—He had one hundred sons—that it will be honored by all the āśramas. Out of His one hundred sons, nine became sannyāsī. Nava Yogendra, very highly elevated spiritually, nine sons. And eighty-one sons... Out of hundred, nine gone, ninety-one sons? So out of them, eleven became kṣatriyas, and others became brāhmaṇas, like that. So this proves that not that by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, but it is by different qualification. Otherwise how Ṛṣabhadeva's son... He was kṣatriya, supposed to be kṣatriya. So His sons are also kṣatriya. How they became brāhmaṇa? No. That was the Vedic culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. As soon as one is born, he is accepted as śūdra. Neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... Raw. By training, either he becomes a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So this Veṇa was made king by the desire of the saintly person. The significance is that formerly the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras, these four departments, they must remain. Varṇāśrama. That must be maintained, class division. So the brāhmaṇas, the saintly persons, sages, they used to recommend that "Yes, this person is fit for becoming king." Then the coronation was celebrated. Or... This means that the kṣatriyas were under the order of the brāhmaṇas. So when Veṇa become king, of course, the rogues and thieves, they were immediately subdued. Because rogues and thieves, and here the king is also greater rogue. So the smaller rogues were subdued immediately. That was one of the benefit, because he was very strong and cruel. Immediately, caught a rogue, he will immediately cut off his head. So they were subdued. But he himself is a rogue. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. This is our experience. "Might is right." If you are stronger, then you can subdue less strong. But he became very much disturbing. He was atheist, and he ordered that "There is no God. I am God. So what I say, you have to abide." The brāhmaṇas were also... "You cannot perform yajñas. This is not required." In this way, he became too much disturbing.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So Pṛthu Mahārāja did it. The brāhmaṇas... Not that a brāhmaṇa will be employed as a śūdra. No. A brāhmaṇa must be employed as a brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya must be employed for a kṣatriya. A vaiśya must be employed for a vaiśya. And śūdra... That was the system. The brāhmaṇas are rejected in the present society because they have no more interest in religious activities. They don't care for the śāstra, sādhu. No, don't care. They simply sense grati... Dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. Udaraṁ bharita. At the present moment people will be satisfied... Just like animal. If animal has got sufficient food to fill up the belly and sufficient arrangement for sex, then he is satisfied. He doesn't want anything.

Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:

So the responsibility was that time to the administrator. They would see that everyone, every brāhmaṇa, is following the rules and regulation of a brāhmaṇa; every kṣatriya is following the rules and regulation of kṣatriya. Vaiśya, śūdra... And nobody can interfere the other's business. Everyone is employed in his own business. And tax. Tax. The brāhmaṇa had to pay no tax. Only kṣatriyas, they were tax collector. And śūdra also, they had no property; therefore there was no tax. Only the vaiśya class, the productive class, they had to pay tax. And that tax also was very simple. There was no encroachment. You simply give one fourth of your profit to the government. That's all. No more tax. Sales tax, this tax, income tax, excise tax, this tax—simply tax, tax, tax. No. Not like that. Whatever he has got profit. "Got" means whatever profit he has made... If he has no profit, there is no tax. That was the government system. So how he will pay if he has not made any profit this year? Just like we are hearing there is no good monsoon in India this year. So there will be no very much good production. But if there is no good production, the government should not levy any tax. But now, at the present moment, "You go to hell, but you must pay the tax. And we divide the tax amongst ourself." That's all. Finished. Or we employ the taxes for fighting, for declaring war. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

Just like Cāṇakya, in his moral lessons, he says that viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam. When there is a tub of poison, but, if there is little nectar, then you take it. Don't think that "It is in the poison pot, why shall I take it?" No, you can take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam. Suppose in a very filthy place where people pass stool, urine, there is some gold. So you should take it. Don't think that because the gold is in the polluted place, gold has become polluted. No. You take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. Vidyā, education, was to be received from a brāhmaṇa, because it was the brāhmaṇa's business to become highly learned scholar and make others educated. Teacher's business was entrusted to the brāhmaṇas, administration to the kṣatriyas, production to the vaiśya, and labor to the śūdra. So because generally we have to take education from highly learned brāhmaṇa, but if a person born in low family, he has got some talent, education, so don't hesitate. Take from him. Not that, "Oh, he is low born. Why shall I take education from him?" No. The śāstra says, "No, you can take. It doesn't matter. He has got the learning. You take that. Make him a teacher." Nīcād apy uttamā vidyā strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Strī-ratnam. If a girl is very qualified, beautiful, even she is born of a low family, you can accept her. This is the injunction of the śāstras.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So this was the society principle, how to keep principle. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. A very exalted status of society. So this Satyavatī is a famous woman in the history. Satyavatī. The whole Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa from Satyavatī. So now, here it is said that tataḥ saptadaśe jātaḥ satyavatyāṁ parāśarāt. Parāśarāt, semina given by Parāśara Muni in the womb of Satyavatī, satyavatyām. And cakre veda-taroḥ śākhāḥ. Veda, the knowledge, he divided. Vyāsadeva divided into many branches. Therefore Vyāsadeva is known as Veda-vyāsa. He expanded the Vedic knowledge. Formerly there was only one Veda, Atharva-veda. And this Atharva-veda was learned by tradition, by hearing from the spiritual master. There was no book. Therefore Veda is known as śruti. Śruti means hearing. The spiritual master will recite Vedic mantra, and the disciples will hear. Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or any other Vedic mantra. You hear. But there was no need of book. His memory was so sharp that once heard from the lips of the spiritual master, the students become completely well versed. There was no need of book.

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

So these families, dynasties, are very, very old. Every... According to Vedic system, any family—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, those who are higher caste—they must give at least seven generations account. Otherwise he is not a respectable family. Seven generations. His father, his father, his father, his father, his father, like that. When there is marriage, then there is check corroboration. The bride's party and the bridegrooms party, they should narrate their seventh generation. If within their seventh generation it, what is called, collide, becomes the one man, then there will be no marriage, because it becomes the same family. One cannot marry in the same family. He must pick up another family. Otherwise one could marry his own sister. No. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

So here it is said, "My dear Vyāsadeva, you have compiled a great literature, Mahābhārata. And in that Mahābhārata you have introduced everything that is knowable for understanding." Mahābhārata was originally written for the women class and strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). Because the Vedic literature is very stiff. Not only because it is written in old Sanskrit language, but the meaning is very deep. Vedic literature... Because at that time people were very intelligent, so simple one hint gives them lots of meaning. Just like Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra, you'll find simply some clues. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The source of all emanation." Now we can think over, "the source of all emanation." So Vedic literature requires explanation, authoritative explanation. So the original Vedas, they, it was not possible for understanding for ordinary class of men. And who are ordinary class of men? Now, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhu. Strī, woman class, are taken as less intelligent. It is not partiality; it is stated in the śāstra and practically it is so. So woman class, strī, and śūdra. Śūdra means laborer class. Strī, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born of a high family... The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and the vaiśyas, they are considered as in the higher status of social life, and the śūdras... It is everywhere. It is not that...

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So ordinary literature, they're full with all this, I mean to say, grāmya-kathā. The man and woman's behavior, that is good literature. There is a hero; there is a heroine. So those who are saintly persons, they do not take interest. So Nārada was advising Vyāsadeva that "You have written this Mahābhārata. That's all right. It is a great epic, history. But the, mostly... History means the ordinary dealings of the worldly men. So what benefit there is? That is nothing. No saintly person will take interest." Actually, this Mahābhārata was written by this, by Vyāsadeva for giving instruction, Vedic instruction to the less intelligent class of men. He has given introduction, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā: (SB 1.4.25) "The Vedic knowledge is difficult to be understood by these classes of men and women: strī-śūdra-śūdra class, woman class, strī, śūdra—and dvija-bandhu." And dvija-bandhu means born in high family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but their behavior is different, like śūdras. They cannot understand Vedas. Therefore there is restriction, that "The śūdras cannot read Vedas." They are restricted.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

Nowadays, at the present moment, there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśyas. Everyone is a śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. The situation is different. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made the thing very easy. Either you become brāhmaṇa or śūdra or kṣatriya or less than śūdra, caṇḍāla, or, or anything, it doesn't matter. Take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and if you stick to this and if you follow the regulative principles, your success is sure. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. And that is confirmed here by Nārada Muni, that "There is no loss even one falls down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform." That does not mean we shall fall down. We must be very steady and rigid and with vow, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that te dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ. How we can become fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam: "Anyone who is completely free from all sinful reaction..." Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. And who can be completely free from all sinful reaction? They are always engaged in pious activities. Such persons... Because if you engage yourself in pious activities, there is no chance of your being engaged in sinful activities.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

"Kṛṣṇa" means... When I say "Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa means God. God is one. That is Kṛṣṇa. Others, they admit that God is one. But they do not know who is that one God. That is their defect. That is the difference between us and others. They do not know... Just like if I say that "Have you got any father?" So he'll say, "Yes, I have got my father." "Now, who is your father?" "I do not know." That's not a very good credit. Because without father, mother, there is no existence. So everyone knows I have got a father. But who is my father, that I do not know. At least, in India, one who cannot say his father's name, immediately he becomes degraded. Just like the Jābāla Satyakāma. Jābāla Satyakāma, he, he was... He went to Gautama Muni, "Please initiate me." And according to Vedic conclu..., initiation is meant for the brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Not for the śūdras. Śūdras are not initiated. And in the Kali-yuga, because everyone is a śūdra, therefore he's first of all given training to become a brāhmaṇa. Then the sacred thread is offered. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So, so in this way our proposition is that if we want perfection, then in whatever position we are, either I am a brāhmaṇa, or I am a kṣatriya, or I am a vaiśya, or I am a śūdra—it doesn't matter, if we simply take this vow, that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything... A śūdra is also a, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the cause of the śūdras. You should not hate anyone, because everyone is born of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu. It doesn't matter in what form the living entity is there, but Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the father, He is the father. So either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or mleccha, yavana, or white, black, European, American—anyone—he should know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So if everyone says that "Original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter. Not that a brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and kṣatriya is the arm of Kṛṣṇa, and vaiśya is the belly of Kṛṣṇa, and śūdra is the leg of Kṛṣṇa. But do we distinguish that "Here is Kṛṣṇa's mouth, or head; all the flowers should be offered here, not to the leg"? Do we make any such distinction? When we worship Kṛṣṇa, rather, our first duty is to offer to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says that śūdra, in Bhāgavata says, śūdra is the leg. So there may be distinction of profession, occupation, caste, creed, color... It doesn't matter. But if everyone tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that "The original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," then there is life... Life is perfect. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Not blindly, but by research work, that how the original cause is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the original cause of everything. Everything emanates from Me." How can I deny that Kṛṣṇa is not cause? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, those who are advanced devotee, he does not see anything else but Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is the cause of everything. That is required. Therefore he's Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

He'll die of starvation. He'll not accept any employment. That is brāhmaṇa. Kṣatriya also that, and vaiśya also. Only śūdra. A vaiśya will find out some business. He'll find out some business. So there is a practical story. One Mr. Nandi, long, long ago, in the Calcutta, he went to some friend that, "If you can give me a little capital, I can start some business." So he said, "You are vaiśya? Mercantile?" "Yes." "Oh, you are asking money from me? Money's on the street. You can find out." So he said, "I don't find." "You don't find? What is that?" "That, that is a dead mouse." "That is your capital." Just see.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

That is actually fact, actually fact, that if one wants to live independently... In Calcutta I have seen. Even poor class vaiśyas, and in the morning they'll take some ḍāl, bag of ḍāl, and go door to door. Ḍāl is required everywhere. So in morning he makes ḍāl business, and in evening he takes one canister of kerosene oil. So in the evening everyone will require. Still you'll find in India, they... Nobody was seeking for employment. A little, whatever he has got, selling some ground nuts or that peanuts. Something he's doing. After all, Kṛṣṇa is giving maintenance to everyone. It is a mistake to think that "This man is giving me maintenance." No. Śāstra says, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. It is confidence in Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa has given me life, Kṛṣṇa has sent me here. So He'll give me my maintenance. So according to my capacity, let me do something, and through that source, Kṛṣṇa's maintenance will come." Just like we are maintaining so many people in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So what business we are doing? But we are confident that Kṛṣṇa will send us our maintenance. That confidence required. A śūdra means he becomes disturbed. He becomes disturbed. "Oh, I have no employment. How shall I eat? Where shall I go? Where shall I live?" He has no faith in Kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇa has got full faith. The kṣatriya has got little less faith, the vaiśya, little less faith, and the śūdra has no faith. This is the difference.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

That is Gandhi's proposal. "Noncooperate with the British government, and it will wind up." And actually so happened. Because people are now śūdras, they depend for their bread to others, the others exploit them: "Come here. You work and I shall give you bread." They do not believe any more, "O God, give us our daily bread." They think that "This, our master give us daily bread." That is śūdra. Śūdra means one who is dependent on others. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. This is the description, definition of śūdra. And vaiśya: kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). The vaiśya is doing the kṛṣi, agriculture. Why he should depend on...? Take some land from the government. You produce your food. Where is the difficulty? Keep some cows. You get milk. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva... Go-rakṣya. If you have got excess, then make trade. Why you should depend on others?

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

I'll give you protection." That is kṣatriya business. Brāhmaṇa's business, teaching. And vaiśya: till the field, agriculture, get your food. Now, where is dependence? Only a śūdra, he cannot take up all these things. "Give me some service, sir. Give me some service." In the modern education, they... The more and more industries increasing, there śūdras are being trained up. Technology. Technology means he must get some service. Otherwise, useless. Simple life, teaching, brāhmaṇa; and kṣatriya, give protection; and vaiśya, till the ground. This is... Where is the question of scarcity? The scarcity is that nobody's doing his real duty. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). And people are exploiting. There is competition, dissatisfaction, fight. So many things, sinful activities. The whole society is polluted. Actually, the whole human society is now conducted by the śūdras. But śūdras cannot run on government. That is not possible. Because that śūdra, your Nixon, is a śūdra, he is exalted post, therefore everything is not in order.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

He was punishable. It was the duty of the government to see that "You are posing yourself as brāhmaṇa. Whether you are doing the duty of a brāhmaṇa?" If he's not doing, then he was punished. Therefore nobody was unemployed. A brāhmaṇa is doing his duty, kṣatriya's doing his duty, vaiśya his duty. We get this information from Mahārāja Pṛthu's kingdom. He, he was very strict, that whether one is doing his duty. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). If the brāhmaṇa is doing his duty, the kṣatriya is doing his duty, and vaiśya is doing his duty, then where is the unemployment? And it is the duty of the government to see that everyone is doing his duty.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty. That I was explaining, that at the present moment mostly persons, they are śūdras. Just like in your body there are four divisions. Your head division, your arm division, your belly division, and your leg division. And if you cut off everything, simply you keep the legs, then what will be done? So at the present moment there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya. Maybe some vaiśyas only. Only śūdras. Therefore there is chaos. If the division is made, kept, as it is advised in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), according to guṇa and karma, then the society is maintained very nicely, properly. If your head is working nicely, if your arms are working nicely, if your stomach is working nicely, leg is working..., then you are fit. But if you have got only legs, and head, there is no head, there is no arm, then what is the...? Dead society.

So we are giving education at the present moment to become śūdras. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). To serve others. A brāhmaṇa will not serve anyone else. A kṣatriya will not serve anyone else. A vaiśya will not serve anyone else.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

No, that was another thing. That was for, fight for the right cause. Not for... It may be politically like that, but the division was there, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And the last, Kṛṣṇa's compromising plan was that "After all, they are kṣatriyas, these five brothers. They cannot take the business of a vaiśya or brāhmaṇa. So give them five villages so that they may be satisfied, ruling over these..." "No, not even land holding the upper portion of the needle." Then there was fight. Then there was fight.

So as far as possible... Of course, our, this movement is creating brāhmaṇas. People now require a brāhmaṇa, the head. Of course, we are not manufacturing anything. Everything is there. Everything is there in the śāstra. We do not invent anything. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23).

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

All the people who are less than the śūdras. They are called pañcamas, fifth grade. First grade, brāhmaṇa, second grade, kṣatriya, third grade, vaiśya, fourth grade, śūdra, and all others—fifth grade. They are called caṇḍālas. The caṇḍālas... The sweeper, the cobbler, and the... Low grade. Still, in India, these fifth-grade persons only, they eat meat, pigs, and sometimes cows. Fifth grade. Now it has become a practice. And he's a first-grade man. So just see. What was the business of the fifth-grade men, that has become the business of the so-called politicians. You see. So if you are ruled by the fifth-grade men, then how you can be happy? That is not possible. How there can be any social tranquillity? That is not possible. But even the fifth-grade man, he can be purified by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.5.28 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

One who is under the material energy, they are entangled with these three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. The lowest is the tamo-guṇa, and via media is the rajo-guṇa, and the topmost, goodness, is sattva-guṇa. So even in sattva-guṇa, that is also entanglement. Rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is certainly entanglement, but even rajo-guṇa, even one is situated in the sattva-guṇa... Sattva-guṇa means perfect brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Even if you become a perfect brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa, with qualities, still, it is bondage. In bondage because, in this way, that even if you become a brāhmaṇa you'll think yourself, "Now I have got so much knowledge, Vedic knowledge. I speak truth, satya. I can control my senses. Satyaṁ śamo damaḥ. I can control my mind. I have got knowledge. I can tolerate." So all these qualities, one becomes bound up. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ, that "Even... I am not even a brāhmaṇa. I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a vaiśya. I am not a śūdra." He says. This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Even if you become a brāhmaṇa, still, that is upādhi, designation.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

So that realization is here. Therefore Nārada Muni says, tāpa-traya-cikitsitam. Cikitsitam means treatment. By the grace of guru, he could understand that "I am in this condition, material condition, means suffering from threefold types of miseries, and I am uselessly wasting time for material comforts, for economic development." Śrama eva hi kevalam. "Even I act as a perfect brāhmaṇa or as a perfect kṣatriya or a perfect vaiśya or śūdra, still, I am wasting time. Still, I am wasting time." How? That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
(SB 1.2.8)

Dharma... Dharma means own dharma, brāhmaṇa's dharma, kṣatriya's dharma, vaiśya's dharma. There are different occupational duties. Do it. But side by side, you should test "Whether I am going to be perfect?" That is required.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

That perfection, how it is made perfect? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sa... What is that? Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). What is that verse? Dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya... Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. This is the word by Śukadeva Gosvā..., Sūta Gosvāmī. "You are all learned brāhmaṇas..." Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. But śreṣṭhāḥ means brāhmaṇas. They have got... Brāhmaṇas, they are interested for spiritual advancement of life. Kṣatriyas are not so much interested, neither the vaiśyas, and what to speak of the śūdras. And in the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. It is very difficult to find... So how they can be interested? Therefore training should be given how to become brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be interested. Otherwise, nobody is interested.

Therefore it is addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "O the best of the dvijas, twice-born." Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for the brāhmaṇa, one who is brāhmaṇa, for him, the four āśramas are recommended. One... First of all he must become brahmacārī, a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a gṛhastha. Not should, but if he likes.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Just like my Guru Mahārāja was. He never married. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, then not to stuck up with the family affairs up to the end of death. No. At a certain stage, after fifty years, he must give up. That is called vānaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vānaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyāsa. This is brāhmaṇa's..., four āśrama. And for the kṣatriya, up to vānaprastha. Up to vānaprastha. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and all the brothers, they left home, but the wife was there. That is called vānaprastha. They did not take sannyāsa. Kṣatriya. Up to vānaprastha. Vaiśyas. No vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. Up to gṛhastha. Brahmacārī... Brahmacārī is compulsory for the dvija. Because there is the training. And for the śūdra there is no brahmacārī. Only gṛhastha, married. Otherwise, life will be very irregular. So in this way varṇāśrama. So there are duties.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

The division of work must be there; otherwise the society cannot go on very nicely. If everyone is brāhmaṇa, not interested in anything material or simply... Because it is, after all, material world, if everyone becomes brāhmaṇa, now it will not go. There must be others. Kṣatriyas means the statesman, protector, politician, diplomat, kṣatriyas. And there must be vaiśyas also, productive class of men. They must produce. Economic development, that is also required. Otherwise, how human society will go on? Not only intelligent class of men—the protector class of men, the productive class of men, and the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing this temple. If we devotees remain Hare Kṛṣṇa, then who will construct this temple? Everything is required. We do not say that "Stop this" or "Stop that." No.

So that division, different division, is scientifically made in the Vedic conception of life, varṇāśrama. Four varṇas and four āśramas. Āśrama for spiritual advancement and varṇas for material advancement. So we want both of them because our life is combination of spirit and matter.

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

This māyā will go. If you remain without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is said, yayā sammohito jīva. You will be revealed that illusion. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. Ātmānam. We ourself, the spirit soul, we are covered by this body, tri-guṇātmakam. This body means it is created by the material nature. In somebody the quality of goodness is prominent, somebody the quality of passion is prominent, and in somebody the quality of ignorance is prominent. So according to this prominence of the particular modes of nature, quality, there is division: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Where there is prominence of the quality of goodness, that is brāhmaṇa. When there is prominence of the quality of passion, that is kṣatriya. When there is prominence of the quality of mixture—there is mixture also—that is vaiśya. And when there is quality of the prominence of ignorance, that is śūdra.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. As you take precaution that "I may not be attacked with malaria or smallpox or this or that"—so many, we take precaution—similarly we have to be very precautious for our next body. If we become precautious, then there is chance of being promoted. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you keep yourself in the sattva-guṇa, the brahminical qualification, śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, satyaṁ śaucaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam, āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam... (BG 18.42). Similarly, there are kṣatriya qualities, there are vaiśya qualities, there are śūdra qualities, and there are śūdrādhama quality, less-than-the-śūdra quality. So in any quality, in any position, even by sentiment, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the greatest profit from any position. It doesn't matter in which position he is, either he is on the brāhmaṇa position or kṣatriya position or vaiśya position or śūdra position or caṇḍāla position.

That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni, lower class, very, very lower class... Pāpa-yoni, their description in the śāstra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So these pāpa-yoni, these black, they are also considered pāpa-yoni, but for everyone Kṛṣṇa consciousness is open.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

You keep yourself in your original position. So our original position is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are part and parcel of the body of Kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and the kṣatriyas are the arms of Kṛṣṇa. The vaiśyas are the abdomen of Kṛṣṇa, and the śūdras are the legs of Kṛṣṇa. Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ jajñire catvāro varṇā viprādayo guṇair pṛthak. The... Nobody should be hated. Just like in your body your leg is as important as your head, especially of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is advaya-jñāna, absolute. We may make some difference from head to leg. Leg is less important, head is... No. But Kṛṣṇa's any part is as important as other part. So you become the part of... You are already. But if you come to realize that you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's body, so either you act as Kṛṣṇa's leg or as Kṛṣṇa's head, there is no difference. There is no difference. Here in the material world we have misunderstood that "Because I am head, therefore I shall hate the legs." Why? We first of all offer tulasī and flower to the legs of Kṛṣṇa, not to the head. The bhakti-yoga begins from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So how you can say the legs of Kṛṣṇa are inferior than the heads of Kṛṣṇa? This is called anartha. So if we enter into the process of bhakti-yogam, these anarthas will go out.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

So Vyāsadeva, vidvān. Vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). He is learned; we are all fools. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). If we... He has made for us. He is compassionate. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). Those who are actually advanced brāhmaṇa, they take care of. But those who are not brāhmaṇas-strī, śūdra, vaiśya and dvija-bandhu... Dvija-bandhu means born in higher family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya, but does not take care of the real values of life or does not know what is spiritual life. He is called dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means "a friend of a dvija." He cannot be called the born of a dvija. This particular name is very significant, dvija-bandhu. Just like a son of a high-court justice. You can call him the son of the justice, but he is not justice. Similarly, a son born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, higher circle, if he does not act like that, then he should be called according to his qualification. Tat tenaiva vinirdiśet yady anyatra vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). This is the instruction of Nārada Muni. If the son of a brāhmaṇa has acquired the qualities of a śūdra, then he should be called a śūdra, not a brāhmaṇa. Unfortunately the..., in India especially, where we have got all the śāstras, against the śāstras, without any qualification of a brāhmaṇa one is claiming to be brāhmaṇa. In Mahārāja Pṛthu's time, he was especially supervising whether a brāhmaṇa is engaged in his brahminical activities, whether a kṣatriya is engaged in his kṣatriya activities. Not that a brāhmaṇa is engaged in śūdra activities and he should be called a brāhmaṇa. That was restricted formerly.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

So these anarthas will increase as long as we are godless rascals and demons. Therefore here it is suggested, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. If you want to be a right gentleman, means according to your position... If you are a brāhmaṇa, you should act as a brāhmaṇa; if you are a kṣatriya, you should act as a kṣatriya; if you are a vaiśya, you act as a vaiśya; and if you are none of them, then you are a śūdra. In this way, if we live like a gentleman, then we can make progress further in spiritual advancement. If we live foolishly, whimsically, as we like, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23), whatever we like, and others engaged, "Yes, whatever you do, it is right," yata mata tata patha, this is rascaldom. No, you must act according to the śāstra. But there may be question that "Whether it is possible now to revive the old cultural position?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore not condemned but rejected. When He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu was putting question, and Rāmānanda Rāya was answering. So in the beginning Caitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Rāmānanda Rāya, "What is the aim of life?" Sādhya-sādhana. "What is the aim of life and how to achieve it?" So Rāmānanda Rāya, he was a learned scholar and devotee, he prescribed the varṇāśrama-dharma. He said, "This is the beginning of human life."

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

Only the śūdras can become servant. Brāhmaṇa never becomes servant. They are instructed, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is brāhmaṇa's qualification. They will train the brahmacārīs and the gṛhasthas how to become perfect, discipline. First discipline is truthfulness. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lies. That is the first qualification. So who is going to take training in that way? Nobody is interested. This is Kali-yuga. We are trying to train people "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." Still, there are some failures. And if we teach in our institution, "Please do not speak lies," people will laugh: "What is this nonsense? Nowadays is it possible to remain in this society without speaking lies?" This is the position. This is called Kali-yuga. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a brāhmaṇa. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a kṣatriya, neither as a vaiśya. They are all śūdras. Therefore it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. There is no training. It is very very difficult to train them to become purified by training. These statuses of life were different status of training so that ultimately one can become brāhmaṇa, and when he's fully trained up as a brāhmaṇa then he transcends the brāhmaṇa's position, and he becomes a Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

So this Aśvatthāmā was an aggressor. Therefore Arjuna decided to kill him. He is, although he's born in a brāhmaṇa family... Naturally a person born in a brāhmaṇa family is expected to become a brāhmaṇa by qualification. That was the training. The brahmacārī... Generally the sons of brāhmaṇa and kṣatriyas especially, these two sects, up to vaiśya, they were trained up as brahmacārīs. And śūdras were not interested. The door is open for everyone, but the lower class, except brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, they are not interested to become brahmacārī or their parents are not interested. Just like we are going to open this brahmacārī school, or āśrama, but I am doubtful whether we'll get many children. Because in this age people are interested to become śūdras. Nobody is interested to become brāhmaṇa. Technology. Technology means śūdra. Technology is not the business of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, or vaiśya. No. Just like blacksmith, goldsmith, carpenter, craftsman. These are technology. They are meant for the śūdras. Brāhmaṇas, they are to be trained up how to become truthful, how to become controller of the senses, how to become simple, how to become tolerant.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

That village was given to the brāhmaṇas for maintaining the temple. So charity, that is kṣatriya's business, and perform yajñas, give in charity, to rule, not to go away from fighting, challenge, very strong, stout—these are kṣatriya qualification. And the vaiśya qualification—agriculture. Kṛṣi. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya, and cow protection. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyam. And if there is excess, then vāṇijya, trade. Otherwise there is no question of trade. And vaiśya... And śūdra, paricaryātmakam (BG 18.44)—to work for some payment. That is this blacksmith, goldsmith, weaver. You take some work from him and pay him something, maintain him. That is śūdra. So in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. You'll find they're interested in accepting some service. Even one is born of a brāhmaṇa family, he is looking after some good job. That is śūdra mentality. That is not brāhmaṇa's business. Brāhmaṇa will not accept anyone's service, neither the kṣatriyas, neither the vaiśyas. Only śūdras.

So considering all these points, Aśvatthāmā is accepted here as brahma-bandhu. And at the same time he's aggressor. Brahma-bandhoḥ ātatāyinaḥ. Therefore Arjuna promised, "I shall kill him." Arjuna did not promise to kill a brāhmaṇa. No. That was not his business. Because he's proved to be brahma-bandhu and ātatāyinaḥ, he deserved to be killed. Therefore it is sanctioned (?). So, next verse you can read. This verse is finished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.20-21 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1976:

You had some engagement previously, undoubtedly. You may be you were a student, you may be businessman or so on, so on. Everyone has got... At least you had some business for LSD. So you have given up all this. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Somehow or other you were all engaged in some business. That is called sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means one has selected some business. That is his sva-dharma. Generally, if it is systematic, then sva-dharma means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is systematic, sva-dharma. Otherwise, everyone must have some engagement. Suppose a thief, he has taken the occupation or profession of stealing. That is also sva-dharma. But that is not systematic; that is whimsical. So anyone must have some engagement. That engagement is called sva-dharma, his own business occupation. Sva-karma or sva-dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. You can also become learned in the higher science of military art. You can also utilize. But that requires brain, good brain. That is not possible now, because the culture is lost. Now everyone is śūdra. Nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is brāhmaṇa. By the time... Kalau śūdra sambhava. The śūdras cannot learn all these veda. Because śūdras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaiśyas. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. They are rejected, woman and vaiśya and śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa says te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: "Even woman, and śūdra and vaiśyas, low grade, they can also get parāṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world." How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas... Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

So according to Vedic system, the government has to look after about the ultimate goal of life also. The modern government, they are anxious to give material comforts, but formerly the aim was to, how to educate people for spiritual advancement of life. Therefore the society was divided into four higher and lower divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. You cannot make one class of men. That is not very good arrangement. There must be different departments according to capacity. You cannot engage a śūdra in a brāhmaṇa's position, neither you can engage a brāhmaṇa in the śūdra's position. But every one of them should be cooperating. Not that everyone has got the same capacity. Combinedly, they should make progress, and that progress is yajña. Yajña. Yajña means how to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu's another name is Yajña-pati, Yajñeśvara. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated... (coughs strongly) Water. Hmm. Another rascal. While drinking water they have to take. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). People have to be trained up to work for Yajña. Yajñārtha. If you do not act for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, yajñārthe, yajñārthe karma, otherwise karma-bandhanaḥ: you become bound up or conditioned by your work.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

The idea is that, as described in the śāstra, who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a śūdra, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya... It is all described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Karma, guṇa and karma. Here Aśvatthāmā, although he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, he did not possess the quality of a brāhmaṇa, neither the work of a brāhmaṇa. He degraded himself. First of all, he was engaged as a soldier to assist, to flatter Duryodhana. He wanted to please Duryodhana by killing the Pāṇḍavas. But he was such a fool, instead of killing the Pāṇḍavas, he killed the five sleeping sons of the Pāṇḍavas. How much abominable he is, just imagine. Here it is said, suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān. First of all, they were minor aged, and they were sleeping, and they were killed at night. Just see. What kind of brāhmaṇa he is! A brāhmaṇa's business is not to kill.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

So therefore one who does not know all these laws, he commits so many sinful activities. Vikarma. Karma, vikarma, akarma. Karma means what is prescribed. Guṇa-karma. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Karma means, as it is in the śāstra, as you have developed a certain type of modes of nature, your karma is according to that: brāhmaṇa-karma, kṣatriya-karma, vaiśya-karma. So if you follow... That is the duty of the spiritual master and śāstra, to designate when he's brahmacārī, that "You work like this." "You work like a brāhmaṇa," "You work like a kṣatriya," "You work like a vaiśya," and others, "Śūdra." So this division is made by the spiritual master. How? Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam. The spiritual master will say that "You work like this." So that should be determined. That is karma, guṇa-karma. Spiritual master sees that he has these qualities. That is natural. Just like in the school, college, somebody is being trained up as a scientist, somebody is trained up as an engineer, as a medical man, as a lawyer. According to the tendency, practical psychology of the student, he is advised that "You take this line." Similarly, these four divisions of the society, it is very scientific. So by the instruction of the guru, when he's in the gurukula, he will be specified a particular type of duty, and if he does it faithfully... Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). The real purpose is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

Nothing is bad provided it is meant for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. The varṇāśrama-vibhāga must be there. But what is the aim of varṇāśrama? Simply by becoming a brāhmaṇa he's successful? No. Nobody can become successful unless he satisfies Kṛṣṇa. That is real success. Just like Arjuna did. By the military art, he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, by your vaiśya-vṛtti, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44), you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. By your brāhmaṇa-vṛtti you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Even by your śūdra-vṛtti you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That possibility is here, that Kṛṣṇa says sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya. The aim should be how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya. Kṛṣṇa confirms it, api cet su-durācāraḥ... No. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni means below the vaiśyas, the śūdras, they are pāpa-yonis. Vaiśyas also. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So there is no impediment to approach Kṛṣṇa because you are a śūdra, or caṇḍāla or woman or vaiśya. No. Everyone can... That facility is there. Therefore our duty should be, "Never mind in whichever position I am posted. Let me satisfy Kṛṣṇa." It is not that... Suppose we are worshiping Deity.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

Also it is said, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Because generally we take divisions, varṇa and āśrama. So Sūta Gosvāmī says in the meeting of Naimiṣāraṇya, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. They are all big, big, very learned scholars and brāhmaṇas, so they were addressing, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. One who has got the right to take the sacred thread, they are called dvijas. But out of the three, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, the brāhmaṇa is called dvija-śreṣṭha. Therefore he addressed,

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

Saṁsiddhi. Never mind what you are. Either you may be sannyāsī or may be gṛhastha or may be brahmacārī or a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya, or vaiśya, śūdra. Never mind. Try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Try to please Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Otherwise, you are pramatta, mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). So long you shall remain a pramatta, you shall act just opposite function, and you'll be entangled. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. If you do not work for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, then that work will entangle you in the cycle of birth and death.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

This is the difference, how to calculate whether one is brāhmaṇa or not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa and brahma-bandhu, these two words are there. Just like if you are the son of a high-court judge, you can be called, you have got the right, that "son of a high-court judge." That is all right. But you cannot claim to become the high-court judge. That is not possible. Unless you are qualified, unless you are actually acting as high-court judge, you cannot be called a high-court judge. Simply by becoming the son of a high-court judge you cannot become the high-court judge. Similarly, simply by becoming the son of a brāhmaṇa, you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. A woman, vāma-svabhāvā, she can accept that "Because he's the son of a brāhmaṇa, he's brāhmaṇa." Therefore this word is used, vāma-svabhāvā. Because woman are considered less intelligent. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Their heart is very soft. Just like children, their heart is very soft. But their intelligence is not very sharp. That is the difference. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā... They have been put in one group: woman, vaiśya and śūdra. Because they are not very intelligent. They can be molded by another intelligent man to the proper channel. Therefore they require guidance. They require guidance.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Others, those who are paramahaṁsa... How... Kṛṣṇa does not become visible, because He is visible only to the paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means the supreme position of a human being. That is called paramahaṁsa. There are... You know, according to Vedic system, there are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The eight stages. The sannyāsī is to be supposed the first-class stage. So amongst the sannyāsa stage also, there are four stages: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Not that all sannyāsīs on the equal status. The first status is kuṭīcaka. Sannyāsa means one has to give up the relationship with family. So in the beginning of stage, because he is newly entered in the sannyāsa life, it is not possible for him to give up immediately his village or... Of course, when there was systematic sannyāsa system, then that anyone had to take sannyāsa at a certain stage. Nowadays there is... Sannyāsa, accepting sannyāsa life, is also forbidden because nobody can actually follow strictly the rules and regulations. And neither anybody has got any inclination to accept sannyāsa. Therefore in this age sannyāsa is sometimes forbidden. Kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164). But if you ask that "Why you have taken sannyāsa?" or "You have got some sannyāsīs," this sannyāsa is not karma-sannyāsa. This sannyāsa is devotion, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa. Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī means anyone who gives up everything and devotes simply his time for pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is also sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

So as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ (BG 9.32). In another place in the Bhāgavata it is said, strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnām. Śūdra, strī and dvijabandhu. Dvijabandhu means those who are born in brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family, high caste... According to Vedic system, there are four divisions: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma... (BG 4.13). According to quality and work, the first-class man is the brāhmaṇa, intelligent. The next, kṣatriya; the next, vaiśyas; and next, śūdra. So according to this classification, women, śūdra and dvijabandhu, dvijabandhu, they are taken in the same category. Dvijabandhu means born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, but has no qualifications. The thing is to be considered by qualification. It is very practical. Suppose one man is born the son of a high-court judge. So it does not mean that because he's a son of a high-court judge, he is also high-court judge. This is going on. Because one happens to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family, without any qualification, he claims to become a brāhmaṇa. That is the falldown of Vedic civilization in India. A rascal number one, he's claiming that he's brāhmaṇa—without any qualification. His qualification is less than a śūdra; still he's claiming. And that is being accepted.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says. Although ordinarily we take striya, means women, śūdra and vaiśyas in the lower-class grade, but when one becomes a devotee, the, the, he is or she is no more in the lower grade. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. The devotional service is so nice that anyone... Ordinarily women is taken less intelligent; śūdra is taken less intelligent; vaiśya is taken less intelligent. But if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the most intelligent. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. This is the statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Anyone who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the most intelligent. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), kona bhāgyavān jīva. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not for the wretched, unfortunate class of men. No. It is meant for the most fortunate man. Anyone who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is to be considered as the most fortunate man because he has got the line of action how his life will be perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So here Kṛṣṇa comes to teach bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is bhakti-yoga. When we do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ. Kuntī appeared to be as woman. So woman generally, they are not interested in spiritual matter. That is the fact. Therefore, if they are somehow or other interested... That is also accepted. Kṛṣṇa says, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Striyo vaiśyās..., these three names, why He has taken specifically? So women, they are not very much interested. Generally. Maybe a special woman. But they are... Otherwise, they sometimes become devotee. Devotee... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. As soon as they become devotees, they also promoted. But generally, they are not interested. The vaiśyas, the mercantile men, they are interested after money. The woman is interested after sense gratification. And śūdra means they are ignorant rascals. Therefore He has mentioned these three names: striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ (BG 9.32). But even they, although they are not interested, even they become interested, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Not that even though they become interested, they keep behind. No. On the... With the equal force with men, they also promoted.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So following her footsteps, any woman can also understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ready to be understood by anyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ... (BG 9.32). Simply we have to follow the path how to appreciate Kṛṣṇa, how to understand Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to talk with Him, how to walk with Him. These things are there. That is called bhakti-yoga. Where you learn this science of bhakti-yoga—that we have mentioned, Nectar of Devotion, the perfect science of bhakti-yoga. So if one is interested in seeing Kṛṣṇa, then there is no hindrance, there is no block. Anyone. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

Because the main business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇāśrama. There are four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. So these are the scientific divisions of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. So... So according to Vedic civilization, every department, division, has got a particular duty.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

Similarly, everyone has got particular type of business. Kṣatriya has got; vaiśya has got. So yat karoṣi, whatever you are doing, you must do it for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Kṛṣṇa's satis... If you have got some knowledge, you distribute the knowledge for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. How you can do that? Whatever knowledge you have got, you try to describe Kṛṣṇa. Kavibhir nirūpitaḥ yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22). This is the first-class distribution of knowledge. Whatever you know, you try to explain Kṛṣṇa by that knowledge. Just like our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He's a scientist, and now he is trying to explain Kṛṣṇa through his scientific knowledge. Similarly, if you are a medical man, you can explain also Kṛṣṇa through medical science. If you are engineer, you can explain also Kṛṣṇa through engineering. Kṛṣṇa can be explained. But the person who is explaining, he must be intelligent. Because Kṛṣṇa is everything, so simply we must have the intelligence how to explain engineering and come to the conclusion of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was doing that. He was teaching grammar. So when there was question of dhātu, He was explaining Kṛṣṇa. So the students, some of the students, they did not like that explanation. So therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had to wind up His school because they did not like.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

So Nanda Mahārāja was rich because he possessed nine lakhs of cows, not... And Kṛṣṇa had to take care of. Although Kṛṣṇa was Nanda Mahārāja's son, king's son, still He had to go... When He was young, five, six years old, He had to take care, not only Kṛṣṇa, but all His friends. That was the system. Small boys, they would take care of the calves, and after sixth year, they would take care of the cows. So in this way, fifteen, sixteen years, they would pass. Then they would... They may go to school, but the ordinary vaiśyas... Nanda Mahārāja happened to be vaiśya, not kṣatriya. His father, Kṛṣṇa's father, was Vasudeva. He was kṣatriya. His uncle, Kaṁsa, he was kṣatriya. He belonged to the kṣatriya family because born as the son of Vasudeva, but because He was transferred in His..., just after His birth to Nanda Mahārāja, so in the boyhood, in childhood, he remained a vaiśya.

Actually Kṛṣṇa is neither vaiśya nor śūdra nor kṣatriya nor brāhmaṇa. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prakṛteḥ param. That has been described by Kuntī.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

So īśvaraṁ prakṛteḥ param. He is beyond the jurisdiction of this material world, prakṛteḥ param. So He is neither brāhmaṇa... This brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahma..., they are these material designations. They are not actually fact. So, as Kṛṣṇa is not belonging to this material world... He belongs to the spiritual... Prakṛteḥ param. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, para. Para means "another," or "the superior." Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that... You are seeing this material world up to the sky. Your vision is up to the sky, although you do not know what are these planets, how they are existing. You have no knowledge. But still, at least, you can get experience that this universe is covered by this round sky, and within this universe there are so many planets.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

Then mṛdhe mṛdhe aneka-mahāratha astrataḥ (SB 1.8.24). Then at last, after all these tribulations, at last it was decided... Kṛṣṇa wanted to settle up that "You have given these Pāṇḍavas so much trouble. Never mind. But they are kṣatriyas. They cannot become vaiśya or śūdra or brāhmaṇa. So they must have some place to rule over. So you give these five brothers five villages so they can rule and live." "No, that is not possible. We are not going to leave a spot of land which can contain the upper portion of the needle without fight." So then there was fight. The Battle of Kurukṣetra was forced upon the Pāṇḍavas by the Kurus. Still, Arjuna was not willing to kill them. Just see. He's Vaiṣṇava. He never thought of, that "My, these cousin-brothers, they have given us so much trouble. Why I shall be sympathetic upon them?" No. Still, he was sympathetic. Why? Now, because he was a Vaiṣṇava. That is Vaiṣṇava. Para-duḥkha-duhkhī kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254). Vaiṣṇava is so tolerant. They suffer; still, they do not want others' suffering. So this is Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Mayapura, October 19, 1974:

So Cai... Jagāi-Mādhāi in those days were taken as very, very sinful, although they were born of brāhmaṇa family. But by bad association, they became thieves, rogues, guṇḍā and drunkards, meat-eaters, woman-hunters. These are all good qualification now, very good qualification. If one is woman-hunter and drunkard and meat-eater, oh, his social position is very nice, up-to-date. Up-to-date. This is modern civilization. But formerly, especially a gentleman-gentleman means born of high caste: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—if they would be woman-hunter, drunkards, meat-eaters, immediately they'll be rejected from the position. Immediately. That was Hindu society. No gentleman could... Still now, in some provinces, the high caste men, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, they'll never take, touch these things. This is sinful. So Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars, very rich men, and brāhmaṇa. But because they were addicted to these habits, they were taken as the most sinful. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu delivered them: pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

This is the plan of varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama-dharma is not meant for planning something, and you remain in the family. No. The Varṇāśrama... Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa, not everyone is qualified in the same way. Therefore you... The ācārya will pick up that "They are meant for becoming brāhmaṇas. They are meant for kṣatriyas." Or for coming from kṣatriya family, or the brāhmaṇa family... So first of all, these varṇas, then āśrama. The brāhmaṇa, one who is qualified as a brāhmaṇa, he has to observe the four āśramas, a brāhmaṇa: the brahmacārī-āśrama, the gṛhastha-āśrama, the vānaprastha-āśrama and sannyāsa-āśrama. The kṣatriya, they'll have to observe three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha and vānaprastha. And the vaiśyas, two āśramas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And śūdra, only one āśrama, only gṛhastha. A śūdra is never offered sannyāsa. A... Only the brāhmaṇa is offered.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

This para-upakāra, doing welfare activities to others, that is meant for India. But the Indian should first of all make his life perfect. Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra, janma sārthaka kari (CC Adi 9.41)'. First of all the Indians are requested to make his life perfect, because how to make life perfect, the process and everything is in India, because here there is varṇāśrama-dharma, the division of the human society: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and āśrama. Now these things are rejected by the Indians, but this is the most scientific method for making life perfect. This is the most scientific method. This was the answer of Rāmānanda Rāya when he was questioned by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "What is the aim of perfection of life, and how to accomplish it?" This is the question was given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So the answer was, immediately,

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)
Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

There was discussion between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Rāmānanda Rāya began from varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected-rejected not wholly. Eho bāhya āge kaha āra: "Yes, this is not bad, but it is not so important." Eho bāhya āge kaha āra: "If you know something more..." In this way, gradually, step by step, Rāmānanda Rāya said, "The ultimate goal of life is this," "is that," "is that." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said all of them as external, at least in this age. It is very difficult. Just like in the beginning Rāmānanda Rāya said that varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). He gave stress on the institution of varṇa and āśrama, to observe the rules and regulation of varṇas, four varṇas—to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, bāhya: "Yes, it is good, but it is not so, mean, important, not so important."

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

So there are many... This is actually Vedic culture. You will find all this from Mahābhārata. Bhāgavata also, we are trying to explain as far as possible. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, this is natural division. So for fighting, kṣatriya. In India, because still there are some kṣatriyas, there is no such draft board. The kṣatriya class, they would come forward to be recruited by the military department. They will not go away. They will be very glad to accept military service, because in their blood the kṣatriya spirit is there. In India there is no scarcity to find out a fighter. But when people are trained as śūdra, how he can fight? Therefore it is very scientific. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brāhmaṇa, this boy is kṣatriya, this boy is vaiśya, and this boy is śūdra." So they should be given separate employment. Then there will be peace. If a person is employed according to his natural tendency, he becomes successful, he becomes successful. But if you give some employment, just like to put a cart before a horse, like that, no, that will not be successful.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that... You can say that "There is no need of kṣatriya; let there be all śūdras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brāhmaṇa must be there, the kṣatriya must be there, the vaiśyas must be there and the śūdras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that... You can say that "There is no need of kṣatriya; let there be all śūdras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brāhmaṇa must be there, the kṣatriya must be there, the vaiśyas must be there and the śūdras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business. He must see that the kṣatriyas, those who are kṣatriya spirited, they are being trained up as kṣatriya. The brāhmaṇas are being trained up as brāhmaṇa. Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate some brāhmaṇas. If the society take our help and conduct the business of the society—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be chaos and confusion.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

Dvija, dvija, especially meant the brāhmaṇas, although dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, because all of them are twice-born—once born by father and mother, and the next birth is by the spiritual master and spiritual knowledge. So therefore to specify especially the brāhmaṇas, they are called dvija-śreṣṭha. Amongst the dvija, the most important dvija, the brāhmaṇa. Of course, others, they are as good, provided they take instruction from the dvija-śreṣṭha. Dvija-śreṣṭha. Śreṣṭha means the best. Best of the dvijas.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

So their welfare is first considered. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. Before that, go, cows, cows' protection. In the modern society they do not know even the preliminary knowledge of worshiping the Supreme Being by giving protection to the cows and the brāhmaṇas.

Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:

So I have fought with my friends, with my relatives, with my brothers. Therefore I am most abominable." That is the nature of the Vaiṣṇava. They always think of themselves as very humble, meek. That is the tṛṇād api... Personally, one should remain very humble and meek, but that does not mean that when there is... For a kṣatriya, to kill the enemies, that is dharma-yuddha. That is religious. Therefore there was section—kṣatriya section, the brāhmaṇa section, the vaiśya section—that everyone is engaged in his own occupational duty. So other section, brāhmaṇa, vaiśya, śūdras, if they are in difficulty, they should lodge complaint to the king. Just like in these days also, suppose one is wrong-doer. He has done wrong to me. I cannot take directly to punish him. No. That you cannot do. You have to lodge the complaint to the government agent, and if required, government can kill him, sanction, "Kill this man. He is a murderer." So the sanction should come from there. Similarly, these divisions, very scientific. Killing business is for the kṣatriya, not for the brāhmaṇas. Kṣatriya, he can kill; there is no sin for him. The brāhmaṇas are not going to kill.

So this system—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—very scientific system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). But now everything is lost.

Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:

That is brāhmaṇa business. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He should be a great worshiper of Viṣṇu, and he should teach others also. Just like we are not only worshiping Kṛṣṇa in our temple, but we are making propaganda. This is brāhmaṇa's business. But if the government calls all our students to the draft board, "Come on, fight," that is nonsense. Of course, they have got clauses not to disturb the ministerial class. That exception is there. Many of our students was excused from being called by the draft board on the ground that they have adopted the religious, ministerial order. That rule is prevalent everywhere, at all times.

So at the present moment the society is chaos because there is no proper training for the particular class of man. A brāhmaṇa should be trained up, a kṣatriya should be trained up, a vaiśya should be trained up, a śūdra should be trained up, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), according to quality. Why Vedic culture has failed in India, it is simply remaining in name? Because everyone claims to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, by birth only, no qualification. The brāhmaṇa has no qualification of a brāhmaṇa, and because he is born of a brāhmaṇa father or brāhmaṇa family he is claiming, "I am brāhmaṇa." This is not śāstra's sanction.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

So in another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: "You are all brāhmaṇa, the topmost of the human society." There are divisions of the human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men, fourth-class men, that, in the Vedic civilization. Not that all, all one class. No. Why? There must be a division. That I have already explained. So the qualified brāhmaṇas, they are first-class men. The topmost class. And the second-class men, the kṣatriyas. And the third-class men, vaiśyas, mercantile, simply "Where to get money?" And they are, according to Vedic civilization, third-class men. But at the present moment those who are acquiring money somehow or other, they are first-class men. It doesn't matter what is his qualification. If he has acquired some money some way or other, then he is a first-class man. This is Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga there is no honor for qualification. There is honor for money only. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

Vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be division. But people are very much anxious to make classless society, no division. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. We have no such division. Division means under the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature. That is division. Otherwise, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions are calculated when one is under the control of the material nature. But if you become devotee, the material nature has no more any control over you. That is the difference between a perfect Kṛṣṇa conscious person and a perfect, I mean to say, mundane person. The difference is that a Kṛṣṇa conscious, a devotee, is no more under the influence of the three modes of material nature. But ordinarily, everyone should be..., is—"he should be" not.(?) He is under the control. Therefore they are called dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, the best of the brāhmaṇas. Even a brāhmaṇa is also under the control of material nature. But the same brāhmaṇa, when he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, he becomes the best of the brāhmaṇas. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ (SB 1.2.13). Or he becomes ṛṣi. Viprarṣe. Rathena. Rathena. They were not walking, all these respectable personalities, brāhmaṇas and bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So people are misled in this way. They undergo hardship for some temporary gain, which is condemned. Śāstra says that if you take hardship, if go under, undergo tapasya, it must be for realization of God. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That will give you permanent happiness. And if you accept hardship for anything material, it may give you temporary so-called happiness, but with the end of your body, everything will be finished. Therefore this tapasvinī, this Gāndhārī... Tapasvinī. She has been described as tapasvinī. She wanted to be a faithful, chaste wife. What is the result? If a woman becomes faithful, chaste wife, then the next life there is chance of her becoming a male. Because according to Vedic literature, to take a birth as woman is low-grade. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā the... As there are higher grade and lower grade births, so according to Vedic understanding, the women, the body of woman is lower grade birth. Therefore if she's fortunate to have a good husband, devotee, and if she becomes faithful to that husband, then her life is successful. That is called tapasya.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

That is called dharma. Compulsory. If you don't do it, then you will suffer. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And wherefrom this dharma comes? It comes from Bhagavān, God. He gives these dharmas. And the king, the spiritual master, being representative of God, it is their duty how to guide people to develop that God consciousness. This is called human civilization, dharmeṇa. So it is the king's duty to observe his dharma, kṣatriya. Kṣatriya's duty is to give protection to the citizens, security of life and property, and guide them gradually to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is kṣatriya's duty. Brāhmaṇa's duty is to guide the kṣatriyas, whether he is actually executing his duty according to śāstra. That is brāhmaṇa's duty. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Similarly, vaiśya's duty is to see economic development of the state, and the śūdra's duty—because śūdra means fourth-class men; they have no intelligence—therefore their duty is to serve the three higher classes, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. This is the system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality and work—brāhmaṇa's quality and brāhmaṇa's work; kṣatriya's quality and kṣatriya's work; vaiśya's quality and vaiśya's work.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

So whenever a medical practitioner gives you a prescription along with his name, he gives his title, M.D., B.S. and registered number. That means he is approved. Then he can practice. This is common sense affairs in the every state, a lawyer is given certificate by the government. Then he is allowed. Similarly, it is the duty of the state or of the monarch to see that one who is claiming as a brāhmaṇa, whether he is qualified, whether he is acting as a brāhmaṇa. Similarly, a man claiming kṣatriya, whether he is qualified as a kṣatriya and he is acting as a kṣatriya. Similarly, the vaiśya. And śūdra is general. Śūdra means one who has no education, no culture. That is called śūdra. So that is the remnants. First of all, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśyas, and others, those who have no sufficient brain, they are counted as śūdra. Still, śūdras have also prescribed duties. If there are others, those who are less than śūdras, or even the śūdra qualities are wanting, they are doing anything and everything without any control, they are called mleccha-yavana. Mleccha-yavana. This is the pañcama, fifth-grade. First grade, brāhmaṇa; second grade, kṣatriya; third grade, vaiśyas; fourth grade, śūdras; and all others, rejected, fifth grade, they are called caṇḍālas, caṇḍāla.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So others may criticize you, that "These American Vaiṣṇavas, they do not know how to do this, how to do that." Let them criticize. But Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā. "You remain perfect devotee." Then your life is perfect. Kṛṣṇa does not say that the Indian devotee who discriminates between touchable and untouchable and big, big paṇḍitas or deva-gosvāmī, not dāsa-gosvāmī... Kṛṣṇa does not discriminate like that. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa wants to see how much sincere devotee you have become. That is His business. Kṛṣṇa does not see, "Oh, whether you are coming from brāhmaṇa family or śūdra family, this family or...?" No. Therefore in the śāstras it is forbidden: vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. Vaiṣṇava does not belong to the material caste. He is transcendental, because He is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa on the transcendental platform. He is not in the material platform. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). That is guṇa. These brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they belong to the category of the three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But those who are pure devotees, they are transcendental to these three guṇas. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. They transcend. They do not belong to these guṇas. No. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena se... (BG 14.26). Anyone who is engaged in devotional service, avyabhicāreṇa, without any deviation, just to the rules and regulations, just to the standard, then immediately, sa guṇān samatītya etān, the plural number... All these guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... He is above brāhmaṇa. Vaiṣṇava is above brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

Kāmam. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). In the human society, to make everything very regulated, the prescription is dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Dharma means to be situated in one's position. That is called dharma. Dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not dharma. Just like we say, varṇāśrama-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī. This combination of eight makes dharma, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not dharma; it is sentiment. But that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if dharma is accepted on the principles of this varṇāśrama-dharma, that is... For material purpose. That is not for spiritual purpose. Although there is hint of spiritual life, still, they are prākṛta.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

That's it. Everything is cycle. If you execute your prescribed duties as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, or as a śūdra, as a brahmacārī, as a gṛhastha, as a vānaprastha, or as a sannyāsī... Divisions are there. Division must be there. Just like government. For executing nicely the governmental business, there are so many departments. Not that one department, only king, queen. Then government... Why the government is spending so much money, maintaining so many building? Simply queen's palace, that Buckingham, that is sufficient? No. There must be departments. So these are departments, this brāhmaṇa, this kṣatriya, the vaiśyas, the śūdras. Just like in your body there are departments. This department, brain, head. Therefore it is called head, head office, head office. Why do you refer to the head office? It has come from this head. Why Godhead? The Supreme Godhead, the Supreme. Therefore we say, "Godhead. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior person than Me." So the divisions required. The divisions required.

So for these divisions, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Without the divisions... So what is... Read the verse again.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña, karma. Karma means, according to the varṇāśrama, brāhmaṇa should work according to his own position. They will chant Vedic mantra. That is also one karma, activity. They must understand what is Vedas; they must explain. That is brāhmaṇa's business. And kṣatriya's business, karma... This is called kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. By nature, one has got a particular type of work. So yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ, what is that?

Pradyumna: Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah, karma-samudbhavaḥ. If everyone is doing his duty nicely as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or as a śūdra, then no..., there is no question of that you are do... Everyone has to do his work according to his capacity. Just like in ordinary life also, we do not see that everyone is able to do everything. No. There are certain class of men. If you want some help for repairing your electric wiring, you must call for an electrician, not a carpenter. But when you want to repair a door, you require a carpenter. That is Vedic division. Therefore there was caste system. Everyone... I have seen in India still. In you country also you'll find. The potters, during Diwali system, they make small dolls. So I have seen the potter's house. The children, five or ten years old, they are also making small dolls, small dolls. Because by tradition, by family, the father is making doll, the mother is making doll, and the children also learning. Similarly, the weaver, you will find. You supply the... Still there are this system. You supply. Gandhi wanted to introduce this system. You produce your thread and give to the weaver, and weaver will give you cloth. Why you are looking after this Manchester cloth? By this movement... (end)

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

So brāhmaṇa means this portion, head, brain. And kṣatriya means this portion, arm. And vaiśya means this portion, belly. And śūdra means this, leg. So no part is unimportant. Every part is important for upkeep of the body. But comparative study, this part is more important. If my head is cut off, then all other parts may remain. It will not act. Similarly, at the present moment there is no brāhmaṇa. All śūdras, simply legs. If you keep the legs of the body, what is the value of this body? There must be head. Everything must be there. Everything must be there. The head must be there, arms must be there, the abdomen must be there, the legs must be there. Then it is complete body. Similarly, this scientific division, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), the division of the human society according to quality, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā sṛṣṭam: "This is My creation for upkeep of the social system."

So there is necessity of the śūdras and there is necessity of the brāhmaṇa. There is necessity of the kṣatriya. Everyone is required to do, to function, in his particular position. Then the society will be nādhayo vyādhayaḥ kleśāḥ. No more anxiety and no more disease. Everyone is peaceful, cool-minded, cool-brained. Then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa without any disturbance and go back to home back, to Godhead.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

First deference is given, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, jagad-dhitāya. If you actually want to do some welfare activity for the benefit of the whole world, then these two things must be taken care of, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, cows and brāhmaṇas. They should be given first protection. Then jagad-dhitāya, then there will be actual welfare of the whole world. They do not know. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ, go-rakṣya, vāṇijyam, vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. This is the duty of the mercantile class of men: to improve agriculture, to give protection to the cows, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. And vāṇijyam. And if you have got excess food, you can trade, vāṇijyam. This is the business. The brāhmaṇa is meant for doing the brain work. He will give advice. Just like we, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, we are not meant for the ksatriya's business or vaisya's business, the devotees, but if required they can take. Real business is, brāhmaṇa's business is to know the Vedas, the Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth. He, he must know, and he must distribute the knowledge. This is brāhmaṇa. Kīrtayanto. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This is brāhmaṇa's business.

So, we have taken this business that preach that there is God. We have got an intimate relationship with God. So if you act, act accordingly, then they will be happy. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. These rascals, they have forgotten, or they do not care to know, God, and that is the cause of their suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

I think this editing was wrong, "purified." What is called, fermented, petrified? Putrefied. So instead of "putrefied," it has been "purified." Editing. Yes, rice... They, in India still... Because in India still, no gentleman, brāhmaṇa, at least brāhmaṇas, those who are strictly following brāhmaṇa principles, they do not drink. Neither the kṣatriyas. Kṣatriyas, they are allowed to drink in some particular function. That is also very rarely. And vaiśyas, they do not drink. Śūdras, some of them. Those who are less than śūdras, they drink, and they make their own liquor at home. They boil the rice, and with water, they keep it for few days, it becomes fermented, putrefied, and it becomes intoxicating, home-made liquor. And if you distill it, then it becomes first-class, brandy. So it is not that liquor drinking was not existing. There was. But who drunk, that is stated here, that vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām, those who were cursed, vimūḍhānām. And being cursed, they were bewildered. Vipra-śāpa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So this is called vāruṇīṁ madirāṁ pītvā madonmathita-cetasām, ajānatām. Ajānatām, without any knowledge. We are fighting one another without any knowledge. Why the Americans were fighting with Arabians and the Arabians are fighting? The fighting is going on. The United Nations means fighting settlement arena. That's all. But the fighting is going on. So unless we are self-realized, unless we know that "We are all sons of God; this outward dress is māyā. I am not American, I am not Indian." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. He said like that, that... He is taking the varṇāśrama-dharma: brāhmaṇa kṣatriya vaiśya śūdra brahmacārī gṛhastha vānaprastha... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied all these: "No, I am a not brāhmaṇa, nor I am a śūdra, nor am I gṛhastha, nor I am kṣatriya." "Then what You are?" Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, who provides the gopīs." This is our real identities.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

We are different parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, God, so we must act accordingly. Just like my hand. Hand is there. If the hand is in proper place, he can act nicely. But if I cut the leg and make hand or hand make the leg, then it is all lost. All lost. One must act according to his qualification. That, according to that qualification, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. This brāhmaṇa means, these are the symptoms, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is human civilization. We must train people in such a way that we must see there what is his quality. According to quality. Just like a physician gives medicine according to the symptom of the disease, then it is cured. Not that any medicine. In the drug house, there are so many medicines. You cannot say "Any medicine will do." No. It is the physician who will pick up the real medicine and he'll administer to the patient. Then he'll be cured.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

Some years ago there was a big exhibition in Delhi. The show was that India had manufactured cycle and sewing machine. That is their proud. The cycle, I think, two hundred years ago (laughs) was manufactured in the western countries and so also sewing machine. So India was very much proud, that "Now we have got cycle." When they are manufacturing big, big 747 airplane, we are manufacturing cycle. (laughter) Just see. Medicine also. Technology, that is also technology. They are advanced in... They were meant for this... They have got brain. They can advance in material civilization because fully... So we cannot compete. We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the business of the śūdras. Technology is not the occupation for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, or vaiśyas, no. In our country still, there are blacksmith, weaver, oil crusher. Still they are in the village. But they are śūdras. So this technology means craftsmanship. That is not knowledge. That is not knowledge. Just like I do not know how this microphone is working. If it is wrong, some man who knows the art, he repairs it immediately. That does not mean he has got knowledge. That particular department, he has got knowledge, that's all. Knowledge means that one who knows God. That is knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This is knowledge. So the western countries, they have taken-advancement of knowledge means manufacturing a big motor car. That's all. That is also good. But simply for manufacturing motor car, simply for driving motor car, if we forget our real business, God realization, then it is ruinous. Mūḍha. Mūḍha, then we become mūḍha.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

So women, by nature they should remain subordinate. It does not mean, "Because somebody is my subordinate, therefore I shall cut his throat or her throat." No. Just like sometimes the Christian philosophers say, "The animals are given under the control of man. Therefore they should be slaughtered." This is their philosophy. Control of man does not mean they should be slau... They should be taken care of. That is the law. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). The productive class, they should give protection to the cows. The cows are given under their protection, not that "Because the cows are given under my protection, therefore I must open a slaughterhouse and kill them." Similarly... So children under the protection of father and mother... Just like this child is sitting on the lap of... He is comfortable. But if the father thinks, "He is under my protection; therefore I shall cut throat..." Now it is going on. The abortion means that. The child is taken shelter of the mother's womb for protection, but now she is being killed. The time is so bad. You see?

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

So this is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is that at a certain age, you must retire. Never mind. The age is divided into four parts: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So Vedic civilization means varṇāśrama-dharma, accepting the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. Social and spiritual order. For social order there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and for spiritual order, there must be brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the system. So unless you accept this institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, you are not considered as civilized man, Ārya, Āryan.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

So this varṇāśrama-dharma means one has to accept these principles of varṇāśrama-dharma and act accordingly. A brāhmaṇa should act accordingly to brāhmaṇa principles. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. The kṣatriya should act accordingly. The vaiśya should act according. The same example, as we have given many times, that I have got my head department, arms department, belly department, and leg department. To keep the body fit, everyone should act very nicely. Brain should work nicely, arms must be strong, belly must be fit to digest foodstuff, and legs must work. Similarly, these things... The varṇāśrama-dharma is necessary. It is not a convention. It is not a convention, that "The Hindus or the Indians, they are our only brāhmaṇas." No. Here are also brāhmaṇas. Because it is creation of God. God's creation must be there.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

So it doesn't matter whether he is a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or caṇḍāla. One who is powerful in getting votes, he will occupy the presidential post or the royal post. Just see. Formerly the system was that not the brāhmaṇa, er, vaiśya, or śūdra can occupy the royal throne. Only the kṣatriyas. Now, in the Kali-yuga, there is no such thing, who is a kṣatriya, who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a... Anyone, hook and crook you get your votes, democracy, and occupy... And whatever you may be... You may be rascal number one, but you will be posted on the supreme exalted presidential post.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So in kṣatriya marriage it was not so easy. The boy had to show how much powerful he is. Then the girl would be offered. Not only that; there will be killing. The opposite party may be killed. When there is fight, there is killing. And by killing, the blood is smeared over here. That is the red sign. That is the red sign, now used with vermillion. Not by killing. Yes, it has become... It is made easier. (laughter) Formerly the red sign was not so easy. There must be blood. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means the fighting race, fighting caste, king, royal. They must be very chivalrous fighting, not timid. A kṣatriya cannot be timid. Brāhmaṇas kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdra, they are trained differently. Brāhmaṇa—for understanding Vedic knowledge and guide the other three subdivisions, namely kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, not śūdras. Śūdras were not supposed to understand Vedic knowledge. Especially brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

There are three guṇas. The material world is conducted by three guṇas, means the quality of goodness, the quality of passion, the quality of ignorance, and mixed. So first, second, third, and the mixed is called fourth. That is called varṇāśrama. Cātur-varṇyam. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality and karma. So the first, second, and third-class division, they are all dvijas, twice-born. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Dvija means saṁskāra, reformation, to mold the character. That is called saṁskāra. Just like you can train even a tiger, even an animal, to dance according to your desire. That is practical. So you cannot train a human being to become a brāhmaṇa? With such intelligence? But there is no such training. They are simply training all cats and dogs. But the Vedic civilization takes this opportunity of human being, to make him perfect in his life. What is that perfection? That perfection is to understand God and become His devotee. That is perfection, not that to become very stout and strong, as strong as the tiger, or as cunning as the jackal. Not that. That is not training.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

So similarly, vaiśya. Vaiśya, they should be trained in three things, productive—kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44)—kṛṣi, agriculture; go-rakṣya, cow protection. Go-rakṣya. That is essential, agricultural and cow protection. And vāṇijyam. Vāṇijyam means trade. If there is excess milk product, if there is excess grain product, then you can sell to others. Nowadays the trade is that you take as much milk as you can, and then kill the animal and sell the flesh to other countries. That is going on. No. Go-rakṣya. Go-rakṣya. Cow protection is very, very essential in human society because it gives the milk, the miracle food. You can prepare hundreds and thousands of preparation, all not only delicious, but brain-maintaining. You can get good brain. Therefore go-rakṣya, cow protection is especially recommended, not that animal protection. If you want to eat meat, you can eat many other animals. There are. But don't eat the cows. This is Vedic civilization. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. And those who are neither brāhmaṇa... They have no brain to become brāhmaṇa or to become kṣatriya or vaiśya, they are called śūdras. And śūdra's business is to serve the other upper three classes, laborer, worker classes, and satisfied with some service.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So he distributed utensils. That is the system, that to the brāhmaṇa who attends the sacrifice, they are given money, utensils, cloth, bedding. Because brāhmaṇas, they do not care for material possessions. They are simply engaged in Brahman consciousness, God consciousness. Therefore it is the duty of the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas to give them in charity so many things, so that they may not feel any want of material necessities. They do not beg. So this king, he arranged for distributing to the brāhmaṇas so many golden utensils that when they were given to the brāhmaṇa, each and every brāhmaṇa, some of them thought, "What is the use of such load?" This is brāhmaṇa. So after coming out from the sacrificial arena, they threw away. "Throw! Who will carry such a load?" Just see. This is brāhmaṇa. A big load of gold they neglected. They threw it away. "I don't want it. This king has given. All right, take. But I will throw away." (laughing) This is brāhmaṇa, yes. He doesn't care for all these things. Brāhmaṇa's another par..., is yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. He accept charity, huge quantity, and next moment he spends or throw it away. That's all. Again poor man. That is brāhmaṇa. Again collect money. Spend it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is brāhmaṇa. That is brāhmaṇa. So bhūri-dakṣiṇān. Those... In very long, long years ago this was done.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

So nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Śūdra, actually he was a śūdra, but he dressed like a king. Just like if a woman dresses like a man, that is artificial. Or a man dresses like woman, that is also artificial. So everyone has his original dress and position. There, because a śūdra took the dress of a king, therefore it is called nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Artificially, he was dressed like a king. That is the position of Kali-yuga. Now the government men, they are elected by votes. People do not consider whether he's a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. As he likes... People are śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga everyone is a śūdra. Therefore naturally he will elect one śūdra. The śūdra is not fit for government management. As such we find so many difficulties in the government because the head or the head man, they are all śūdras. They have dressed like administrator, but they are śūdras. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There is no brāhmaṇa, there is no kṣatriya, there is no vaiśyas. Maybe a few vaiśyas, and all śūdras. A brāhmaṇa means the good quality, first-class quality. That is very, very rare to be found.

So it was the business of the king to see that things are going on. First of all, there is classification: intelligent class or brāhmaṇa; and the administrator class or kṣatriya; and the mercantile class, money-producing class. So everyone is engaged, and he's doing his own business. But this division must be there. Without division the society will be in chaos.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

There are many instances. Just like Satyakāma-jābāla, a boy, Satyakāma, he went to Gautama Muni: "Sir, I want to become your disciple." "Oh, very good. Are you brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇa's son?" Formerly, in Vedic ways, nobody could be accepted as a disciple unless he's born in high class family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—especially brāhmaṇa. So this question was asked, "Which family you belong to?" So he said, "I do not know what is my classification." "Now, who is your father?" "That I do not know." "Ask your mother." Then he went to his mother, "Who is my father?" "My dear boy, I do not know." So actually his mother was maidservant. So maidservants have so many men, and by whom she was pregnant she cannot remember. She also told the truth. And this Satyakāma, he also came to Gautama Muni, he said, "Sir, my father, my mother also do not know who is my father." "Oh, that's all right. You are a brāhmaṇa, because you are truthful. You do not hide yourself, that 'I am a prostitute's son.' You say this is the position. 'I am plainly speaking that my mother does not know who is my father. I do not know!' " So because he was truthful... That is the symptom of brāhmaṇa. He accepted, "Yes, I'll accept you as my disciple."

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

You do... Don't disturb. So this is the process, that the four castes—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya... They were caste system when they actually things were going on. Just like a carpenter. His son naturally becomes a carpenter by seeing the father's work. So he can be very easily classified as a carpenter. Similarly, formerly, the brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, vaiśya family, they were following the rules and regulations in such a way that naturally a brāhmaṇa's son became a brāhmaṇa. Because he has learned already the brāhmaṇa principle from the parent. So naturally little touch will make him... That is initiation. Even though one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, why does he required initiation and sacred thread ceremony? Because simply by taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family one does not become a brāhmaṇa. He has to be raised to the brāhmaṇa standard. Otherwise, there was no initiation, there was no necessity of initiation or offering the sacred thread. That is called saṁskāra. Otherwise, by birth everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

The king's duty is to see that actually one who is presenting himself as brāhmaṇa, he's acting as a brāhmaṇa, he has acquired the qualities of a brāhmaṇa. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). He has got the quality and acting. Similarly, a kṣatriya also, he must act as a kṣatriya. Similarly, vaiśyas. These are all, statements are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). Śauryaṁ tejo yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam. Everything is given. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam. Everything is given there. So it is the duty of the government, that this man is professing as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, whether he is acting, or whether he's cheating others. No cheating will be allowed. That is government's duty.

So here, this man was cheating. Because here it is said: nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. He was dressed like a king. Just like king is very gorgeously dressed. But his bodily feature, he was a black man. The black man means śūdra. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they were not black. But the śūdras were black. From external point of view, these things are there. Śūdras, another name is kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means black. So this black man was dressed like a king, and what was he, was he going to do? Ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā. He was trying to kill a pair of cow and bull. So naturally he could understand.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was not that kind of government. It is the duty of the government or the king to see that the citizens are properly raised to the spiritual platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the duty of the government. Therefore the social division is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The brāhmaṇas should be ideal teachers of Vedic understanding. The kṣatriyas should follow, even by force... Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. As soon as he heard that Kali, these four principles of Kali has already entered, he immediately took his bows and arrows and... "Who is that rascal, he is drinking? Kill him." That was king. "Kill him, that rascal." So if one is killed because he was drinking, then others will be very careful. That was king's duty. "Anyone who has got illicit sex, kill him. Anyone who is drunkard, kill him. Anyone who is eating meat, kill him. No other consideration. Directly kill him." Then you see within a few years all these things will stop. Within a few years. But the government must be strong. But the government wants that "You go to hell by drinking, but we are making profit.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

It is mentioned in Bhāgavata, Eleventh Canto, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in this age, Kali-yuga, will be kṛṣṇa-varṇam, always describing Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa, but kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. Varṇa means also category. Just brāhmaṇa-varṇa, kṣatriya-varṇa, vaiśya-varṇa, śūdra-varṇa. In the horoscope, as we discussed the other day, jāta-karma, after the birth of the child, everything, characteristic, what will be his future, everything is mentioned in the horoscope. So in the horoscope it is stated, brāhmaṇa-varṇa, kṣatriya-varṇa, śūdra-varṇa, like that, in which category this child belongs. Even if he is born in a non-brāhmaṇa family, but what will be his characteristic, that is stated. That is called brāhmaṇa-varṇa. Similarly, kṣatriya-varṇa, vaiśya-varṇa. So everything is predicted by astrological calculation.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

That is Malthus's theory also, that as soon as there is overpopulation, there must be something disturbance, war, pestilence, epidemic, and finished, finished. The extra population, unnecessary. Varṇa-saṅkara. They are called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara... Because by nature there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, by nature. That should be organized. Head is head, tail is tail, not that head, tail, everything is one. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna has argued that if the family members... If the woman becomes widow, then there will be varṇa-saṅkara population. Varṇa-saṅkara population means a population who cannot say who is his father. That is varṇa-saṅkara. Or which caste does he belong, what is his father, what is his family. No, nothing, no information. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. So when the varṇa-saṅkara population increases, then the whole world becomes hell.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The first-class faithful men are the Vaiṣṇavas and the brāhmaṇas, then the kṣatriyas, then the vaiśyas, then the śūdras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas, and at last the caṇḍālas. The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas..."

Prabhupāda: Caṇḍālas means the dog-eaters. In the human society, the division of higher class and lower class is determined by the standard of eating. So first-class men, just like brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, they eat very purified prasādam. Their responsibility practically does not depend on them. Because Vaiṣṇava... Brāhmaṇa also. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become Vaiṣṇava. So when you speak of Vaiṣṇava, it is to be supposed that he's already brāhmaṇa. Therefore, to bring the neophyte devotees to the perfectional stage, we offer the brāhmaṇa's sacred thread. But if people, after promising everything, and break their promise, that is very abominable. When they're initiated before the Deity, before the Lord, before the fire, they should not break it. That is most sinful if you break your promise. Otherwise, you should not be coming forward for initiation if you cannot keep your promise.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:

It is not that because one has taken birth in the lowest class family—suppose caṇḍāla, dog-eaters—it does not mean that he'll have to remain in that position. Just like uneducated persons. It is not that he'll have to remain in that uneducated standard, but he can become educated. He can become educated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that there is no check on any particular person, community, to become God conscious. Became God Himself says, Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni, to take birth in lower class of human society, is called pāpa-yoni. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind, pāpa-yoni.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
(BG 9.32)

Formerly, in the Vedic civilization, even women and śūdra, and vaiśya, they were also considered amongst the pāpa-yoni, what to speak of others. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind whatever pāpa-yoni one may be." Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya: "If one takes shelter of My devotee," vyapāśritya, "and works under his direction, then..." Vyapa. That is called vyapāśritya. Viśeṣa rūpeṇa āśritya. "Then he also...," te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, "he can also go back to home, back to Godhead." There is no bar.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Just like we perform marriage ceremony under fire sacrifice, mantra. So that is legalized. Similarly, meat-eating also... First of all, the first-class men, second-class men and third-class men, means the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya, they were not interested in meat-eating. Only the fourth-class men and fifth-class men, they were allowed or they were eating meat. Nobody is allowed. But the first-class, second-class men, they have got sense. They voluntarily give up. But the third-class fourth-class, fifth-class men, they do not. Up to fourth-class, they also abide. From the fifth-class men—they are called pañcama—they are very irregular. They don't care for any rules and regulation or any śāstra, scripture. They do whatever they like, fifth class. So what is legal meat-eating? Legal meat-eating is that you sacrifice one animal before the goddess, deity Kālī, Goddess Kālī, and there are so many rules and regulation. Under regulative principle one was allowed to eat meat. Not that maintain big, big slaughterhouse and purchase from the butcher shop and eat meat. This is illegal.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Nitāi: "Since dharma, or the principles of religion, will be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three-fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of man will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of the proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class faithful men are the Vaiṣṇavas and the brāhmaṇas, then the kṣatriyas, then the vaiśyas, then the śūdras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas and at last the caṇḍālas. The gradation of human instincts begins from the mlecchas, and the caṇḍāla state of life is the last word in the human degradation. All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth. They are different qualifications of human beings in general. There is no question of birthright or community. One can acquire the respective qualifications by one's own efforts, and thus the son of a Vaiṣṇava can become a mleccha or the son of a caṇḍāla can become more than a brāhmaṇa, all in terms of their association and intimate relation with the Supreme Lord."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if we qualify ourself as Vaiṣṇava and devotee, then all other good qualities will automatically manifest in the body. That is the purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you accept this movement... For example... There are many examples. This is also one practical example. In your state the government has spent millions and millions of dollars to stop the intoxication habit, but it was failure. But as soon as the same person comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness camp, he immediately gives up. This is practical. And there cannot be any comparison of the qualities of our students with any religious institution or any school, college. You cannot have. Because they are devotee. As soon as you become devotee, all good qualities... Therefore if the government takes this movement seriously, they make everyone a devotee, then everything will be solved. There will be no need of criminal court or jail or... Everything will be finished. Or, what is called, liquor house and slaughterhouse and manufacturing cigarette and advertising them two sides of the road. Although (chuckles) it is written there it is dangerous, still it is highly advertised and people smoke. These contradiction things are going on on account of godlessness.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

In the last verse, the another question was vṛṣalaiḥ. Vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. All these questions are being asked by Dharmarāja to the unprotected cows. Cow is the representative of earth, so if there was one question, ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam. The cow is being questioned, "Whether you are afraid of the meat-eaters who want to eat you?" Vṛṣalaiḥ. What is the meaning of vṛṣalaiḥ? Unlawful meat-eaters. Unlawful meat-eaters. Just like at the modern age everyone is unlawful meat-eaters. There is a certain class of men always who are meat-eaters; not the higher class. The society is divided into four classes: the first class, namely the brahminical class; second class, the kṣatriya, less important; the third class, the mercantile, less important; and the fourth class, less important. And below the fourth class, they are not counted amongst human beings. This is the Vedic division. So, the first class means the brāhmaṇas; kṣatriyas second class; and third class, vaiśyas. They did not eat meat. Among the fourth class, fifth class men, they used to eat meat. Fifth class means caṇḍāla, pañcama, fifth class. Caṇḍāla, they eat pigs and dogs, dog-eaters, pig-eaters. Just like even at the present moment, there are different classes of men, and pig-eaters or dog-eaters, at least dog-eaters, that is not very much common. But more or less, everyone is meat-eater. And when they begin to eat meat, they do not care whether it is pig's flesh or dog's flesh or cow's flesh.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So, there is a process how to appreciate, how to become qualified to appreciate, and that system is called varṇāśrama-dharma, to divide the whole human society into four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And those who are not regulated, they are pañcamas, below the śūdras. So the, our subject matter was unlawful meat-eaters. So even the śūdras, who are meat-eaters, they're lawful meat-eaters. What is that lawful meat-eating? Lawful meat-eating is... In any religion, formerly, even the Muhammadans or Hindus or the Jews, they used to kill one animal as sacrifice. They used to kill. Not in the slaughterhouse. Even up to date, those who are strictly religious followers... Suppose the Muhammadans. There in the Koran, the injunction is that "You should sacrifice one animal in the mosque." The Jews also, they sacrifice animal in the synagogue. I have read one book, Lord Jesus Christ, when he was a young boy he was very much shocked when he saw that animal-killing is going on in the synagogue. Therefore he differentiated from the Jews and he started his own religion, Christian religion. Is it not a fact? Am I right? Why... He was also a Jew. Why he deviated? Why he deviated from the Jews? Because when he saw in his young age that animals are being killed in the synagogue, he differed, "No, no, this is horrible. This should be stopped."

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So the king's duty is to see that everyone is following the brahminical culture. The brāhmaṇa is executing his occupational duties nicely, the kṣatriyas are doing nicely in their occupational duties; similarly, vaiśyas, śūdras. That is the duty of the government, that everything is going on nicely. Otherwise, it will be a great concern and people will be always filled up with anxieties. There will be so many troubles and problems. We cannot solve them. And it is very difficult to solve in this age of Kali. Therefore śāstra has given us injunction that

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)

Because we are so weak in this age and there are so many problems, it is very, very difficult to make a solution. Therefore śāstra says that "You simply take to the chanting of the holy name of God."

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

So they are very much proud. Here, you have no such thing here because there is no question of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Everyone is the same. So, but India still, there are four classes of men—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Here it is in Kali-yuga. Therefore kukarmaṇy abrahmaṇye rāja-kule kulāgryān. Brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya... Brāhmaṇa means the persons learned, very intelligent, the Vedic culture, knowledge in Vedas. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam. These are the brahminical qualification. Control the senses, control the mind, very clean. Śamo damas titikṣā, tolerant, ārjava, simplicity. These are the brahminical qual... Then jñānam, full knowledge. Not that I am talking of becoming a brāhmaṇa, but I have no knowledge. That is not brāhmaṇa, allowed. A brāhmaṇa must be very much learned. Brāhmaṇa's another title is paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means very learned, paṇḍitajī.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

Whether a man who is professing to become a brāhmaṇa, whether he is following strictly the brahminical rules and regulations. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, kṣatriyas, whether he is powerful, he is brave, he has got forwardness to fight. When there is fight he does not go back, and whether he is making charity. The kṣatriya qualifications also there. And similarly, the vaiśya qualification. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). Whether one who is professing to become vaiśya, whether he is making agricultural attempt, giving protection to the cows and making trade. And śūdra-karma, paricaryātmakam. Śūdra's business is to serve these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra cannot live independently. That is śūdra. Nowadays the education is that nobody can live independently. Higher education means if he does not get a suitable service, then it is useless. Nobody. The education means nobody can live independently. So one takes titles in education degrees, "agriculturist." But he does not go to the field actually to act as agriculturist, kṛṣāṇa, no. He is finding some job in some school, college, how to teach agriculture. Nobody goes to the land practical, how to plow the land, how to produce foodgrains. Simply theoretical knowledge. "I am teaching you; you are teaching," that's all. This is going on. No independence.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

So why this has happened? Because here it is said, kiṁ kṣatra-bandhūn. Kṣatriya, the administrator class, the government. So in Kali-yuga they will take charge of the administration or government, but they are not real kṣatriya. They are less than śūdra. So how the government will be nice? Therefore it is lamentable, that those who are not kṣatriyas, they are taking the position of government officers. And further it is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twelfth Canto: kriyā hīnā... They are not following the rules and regulation of kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa. Still they are claiming to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya. And there is a mercantile class nowadays, interested in business, but business is one of the items of the vaiśya. The first business is to become agriculturist. Vaiśya. Vaiśya class, they are meant for making arrangement for our eating. That is also required. Kṣatriya is meant for give us protection. And the brāhmaṇa means to give us the ideal life, what is the goal of life, and śūdras, they cannot do anything of these... Therefore they are śūdra.

So in the Kali-yuga the śūdras... Śūdra means the last. Less than śūdra, the caṇḍāla, they are taking the part of kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa or vaiśya. That is the effect of this Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Well, a devotee is neither kṣatriya, neither brāhmaṇa; he's servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. These brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are on the material platform. On the spiritual platform, there is no such distinction. Spiritual platform, the master and the servant. You remain a servant. If you have to act as kṣatriya, act like that. If you act as a brāhmaṇa, act like that. If you... That is our superficial... A devotee's always servant of God. Whatever service is required, as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, it doesn't matter. We are ready. It does not mean that because we are fighting, we become kṣatriya. No. Sa guṇān... These are the divisions of the three qualities. But a devotee's above... (break) ...all these things. Kṛṣṇa's devotees are above all these things. You have to become a pure devotee, not a kṣatriya, not a brāhmaṇa, not an all... That is not required. All right.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was like that. So to get the chance of having good father, śucīnāṁ... Śucīnām means brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, especially brāhmaṇa. And śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very rich. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given his comment: śucīnām means highly cultured brāhmaṇa, and śrīmatām means highly rich vaiśya. So to take birth in this family, cultured family, rich family, is not ordinary thing. It is not ordinary thing. It is the result of pious activities, pious activities. The pious activities means you get your birth in a very good, aristocratic family, rich family or brāhmaṇa family. That is the result of pious activities. You become very beautiful. You become very learned. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Four things. Janma means birth. Aiśvarya means riches, wealth. Aiśvarya. Janma aiśvarya and śruta. Śruta means education. To become learned man, to become very educated, that is also a result of pious activities.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Now here is one significant factor. The Suta Gosvāmī, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he is addressing a king, rājendra. Formerly, that was the system. The saintly persons, learned brāhmaṇas and sages, they would give instruction to the kings because the king was in charge of the public affairs. So they would take instruction from the learned and by their direction, they would rule over the citizens. This is the division of four orders of life: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men in the society. Kṣatriya means the administrators, the politicians, the rulers of the society. Vaiśya means the productive class, traders, industrialists, those who are producing money or food, vaiśya. And śūdra means ordinary workers. That is the Vedic social system. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), "The social order, the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra, they are created by Me." So anything created by God is present everywhere within the universe. So point is that don't think that the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions of society are in India only, no. Everywhere. Everywhere there are men who are very intelligent. They are supposed to be brāhmaṇa class. Then less, the politicians, the rulers, kṣatriya class. Then less, the traders, industrialists, they are vaiśyas. And the ordinary workers, they are śūdras.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

So public contributes. So we can accept contribution. But a king is not allowed to take contribution. Because he is administrator, he can tax, so his source of income is tax. And the brāhmaṇas' source of income is contribution because they are rendering transcendental service. Similarly, the vaiśyas or the mercantile class, their means of living-trade, cow protection, and agriculture. And those who are śūdras, laborer class, they will serve these three higher classes, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, because they have no independent means. They cannot do anything, neither they are educated, nor they are king, princely order, nor they have money to do business. Therefore they have to serve.

Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdra means they earn their livelihood by serving others. And in the Kali-yuga, in this age, ninety-nine percent or at least ninety percent, they live by serving others. Therefore it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali, in this age, almost everyone is śūdra." There is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya. Of course, there are vaiśyas. Factually, at the present moment the population are the vaiśyas and the śūdras. And there is fight, that your American nation, they are vaiśyas, and the Russians, they are śūdras. So there is always fight between the vaiśyas and śūdras. Actually, there is no brāhmaṇa or kṣatriyas. They are extinct. And because the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are extinct, therefore social orders are in chaos. There is no brain; there is no good administration. That's all. Without kṣatriya, there cannot be any good administration, and without brāhmaṇa, there is no good brain.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Even they are śūdras, they should be given that opportunity. And that opportunity is given by Lord Caitanya very liberally: "Whatever you may be, come on, sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you become more than a brāhmaṇa." This is the highest gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if you take otherwise from the social conventional life, oh, there is no brāhmaṇa, there is no gṛhastha, there is no brahmacārī. There is all gone, all finished. So those rules and regulation are not now applicable because amongst the śūdras there is no such rules and regulation. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and those are gone. They are finished. Now, even though the people are in the status of śūdra, they should be given opportunity for spiritual advancement, and that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special gift, and very easy, that "Whatever you may be, you may be a brāhmaṇa, you may be a kṣatriya, vaiśya, that doesn't matter. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and gradually realize."

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī was in renounced order of life from the very beginning of his life. As soon as he came out of the womb of his mother he immediately left home. He was within the womb of his mother for sixteen years. So he was in favor of renounced order of life, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. There was no question of him following the other āśramas. Generally, for ordinary man, there are four āśramas..., eight āśramas. For social upkeep there are four āśramas, namely brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for spiritual. And called social, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is social division. And there is spiritual division also, because we are combination of matter and spirit. I am the soul. I am living within this material body. This is actual position. I am not this body. This is the beginning of spiritual education, that "I am not this body." One who understands fully well that he's not this body, then the spiritual education begins. And so long we are in the bodily concept of life, there's no question of spirituality. Spiritual education for whom? For the human being. Also very advanced human being, not ordinary human being. At least the civilized human being.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So there must be the brāhmaṇa, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa means four divisions of society. Varṇa means class. It has been taken now as caste; but actually class. Class is not caste. Caste, of course... Throughout the whole world there is no such thing as caste. But anyway, in India there is caste. But Kṛṣṇa says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam: (BG 4.13) "Four divisions of classes I have created—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra." Who is a brāhmaṇa? That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: satya, śama, dama, titikṣā, ārjava, āstikyam, jñāna, vijñāna, so many qualifications required to become a brāhmaṇa. Not that because I was born in a brāhmaṇa family... This is discussed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family is not all. You must be qualified, śamo damas titikṣā. That is required. The Indian culture has failed at the present moment because instead of considering the qualifications, they accept only the birth: The birth in a brāhmaṇa family makes a man a brāhmaṇa. No. That is not the shastric injunction. Qualities. There must be qualities.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he's a sannyāsī. He's renounced order from the very beginning of his life. He never entered into any āśrama or varṇa. He's paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means the topmost amongst the sannyāsīs. Sannyāsī's the topmost. Above... Within the sannyāsī the paramahaṁsa is the topmost. Sannyāsīs are also, they are called kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka means after accepting sannyāsa order... One has to accept the sannyāsa order. After gṛhastha there is vānaprastha and then sannyāsa; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. In the beginning we, especially the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas, two classes, higher classes, they have to take sannyāsa. If not, at least the brāhmaṇas must take sannyāsa. The brāhmaṇas have got four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The kṣatriya have got three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. And the vaiśya two āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha. Neither vānaprastha or sannyāsa. And the śūdras, they are simply one, gṛhastha, that's all. This is the Vedic order.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

So śūdras also should not be given independence. They should be given protection, but no independence. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is. Striyaḥ means woman, śūdra, and vaiśya—they are put into the same category. In Bhāgavata also, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). So one has to be enlightened. As the śūdra can be enlightened under good protection, similarly, a woman can also be enlightened.

There is no, I mean to say "barricade" to enlighten woman. Everyone can be enlightened. Everyone has got the light. But ordinarily the śūdra and the vaiśyas, they are not to be considered very intelligent. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone is born śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By saṁskāra... Just like we follow. Not all of a sudden we accept anyone as brāhmaṇa. We give saṁskāra, chanting. First of all, association. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. By good association, by the association of devotees, one can understand automatically what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. (aside:) Let him sit properly.

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:

At the same time, he could fight thousands of warriors, mahā-ratha. A kṣatriya who alone can fight with another thousand kṣatriyas, he's called mahā-ratha. So it does not mean to become bhāgavata means, to become devotee, one has to stop all other activities. No. Here it is called, mahā-ratha. Mahā-ratha means a great commander. So a great commander can also become bhāgavata, a great merchant can also become bhāgavata, and a great brāhmaṇa, learned scholar, he can also become bhāgavata. There is no restriction. Not that simply one who is Vedantist, who is a very learned scholar, he can become bhāgavata. No. The social system was so nice that everyone could become bhāgavata. The brāhmaṇa could become bhāgavata, a kṣatriya could become bhāgavata, a vaiśya could become bhāgavata, or a śūdra could also become bhāgavata. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says personally, "Never mind whether he's woman or a śūdra or a vaiśya, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, "all of them can go back to home, back to Godhead."

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

Therefore, after education you'll have to write application, "My dear sir, I am such and such qualified dog. (laughter) If you'll kindly give me some service." And the tail is like this. (laughter) You see? Just imagine. If by education he becomes independent ... Just like Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriya, the vaiśyas, they are independent. The śūdras are compared with the dogs because they cannot live without a master. Brāhmaṇa, he will not accept anyone's service. That is real brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya will never accept anyone's service. Why the battle of Kurukṣetra was there? The Kurus, they took away the whole kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas. But they were kṣatriyas. How they will live? Therefore the fight was necessity. The kṣatriyas must be, must have some land to collect taxes. That is the kṣatriya's source of income. The brāhmaṇa's source of income, paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana ... They must be learned scholar, they must teach others, they must be devotee and teach others how to become devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

They must take contribution and must spend for Kṛṣṇa. This is brāhmaṇa. No service. Formerly, no brāhmaṇa ... Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were born in high-class brāhmaṇa family, Sārasvata brāhmaṇa, but because they accepted the service of Nawab Hussein Shah, immediately they were rejected from brāhmaṇa society. It is by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu that they again became gosvāmī. Otherwise, they were rejected. No brāhmaṇa could take service and especially service of a low-class man. That is ... In Bhāgavata you will see especially that if a brāhmaṇa is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or utmost of a vaiśya, but never take the profession of a śūdra. What is the profession of śūdra? Śūdra ... Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma śvabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). One who is hankering after service, he is śūdra. He has no capacity to live independently. The brāhmaṇa, real brāhmaṇa, he will starve, he will die out of starvation.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Now, this is the important point. I understand that some of our householder devotees are ordering for Deities in India. But here is the point. The point is that they "worship strictly, following the direction and regulation of arcanā-vidhi." Don't make a play. If you follow strictly the Deity worship method, then you establish; otherwise, don't establish. It will be offense. One who is able to manage... Just like we are showing the example, how to worship Deity in the temple. In the same way, if one can... The idea is, as here, our devotees are engaged in the worship of the Deity, similarly, a householder, when all the family members are trained up how to worship the Deity, then they can establish. Not that make a farce. Cleanliness, and the rules and regulation, that must be... That is the duty of every... Actually, the higher castes in India still, everyone—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—they must have Deity worship at home. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41).

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Māyā's three guṇas, modes. So somebody is in passion, somebody is in ignorance, somebody is in goodness. Even one is in goodness, goodness is also another. It may be higher quality, but that is māyā quality. One has to go above goodness. Here there are many persons, they are very clean. That is a brahminical quality, sattva ṣama śauca, very clean, truthful, controlled, so many qualifications, but still, that is māyā. Still that is māyā. To become on the platform of brahminical, satya śama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So even This is the platform of goodness, brahminical qualification. So even in brahminical qualification, it's still māyayā. He is thinking, "I am brāhmaṇa. I am so pure. I am better than him." But he does not know that he is identifying himself with māyā. "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not śūdra, I am not kṣatriya, I am not vaiśya, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha. Nothing of the sort." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). I am the's qualities. So this identification also will not help. Today I may be brāhmaṇa, and tomorrow I shall become a bhangi. A (indistinct), nothing of the sort." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This pari bhram (?) Kṛṣṇa's servant. First servant Brahmā, next servant, his servant, Nārada, his servant, Vyāsa, his servant, Madhvācārya, his servant, the servant's servant's servant, then Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then Caitanya Mahāprabhu's ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs. In this way, when we think that we are servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, that is our perfection.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate. Nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. Yes. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate. One should not execute religious principles for getting better financial or material facility. That is not the purpose. But they have taken it purpose. "We have supported this religious community—we must become victorious of our whimsical declaration of war." That Kṛṣṇa supported the Battle of Kurukṣetra, it was not whimsical declaration of war. Before declaring war, Pāṇḍavas, even Kṛṣṇa tried to stop it in so many ways. When Duryodhana clearly said that "Not even that portion of land which can hold the tip of a needle can be given to you without war..." They were, Kṛṣṇa personally requested that "They are kṣatriyas. They cannot take up the work of a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a vaiśya. So better you give them five villages only. Let the five brothers rule over them." He replied, "What do You say of five villages? Not that portion of land which can hold the tip of a needle I can give them without war." Therefore the war was declared: "All right. Decide by war." That was not a whimsical war manufactured and maneuvered by the politician. That is dharma-yuddha. When you encroach upon my right, there must be. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam (ISO 1). You cannot encroach upon others' right.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

You Write books on this principle, that they are sticking to their so-called religious principle, so if anyone giving up his own religious system or occupational duty..." Religion means this sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means that the whole human society is divided into four classes—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in different names maybe: intelligent class, administrative class, mercantile class, and laborer class. It may be in different names, but these four classes, division, is there all over the world in different names. So sva-dharma means, intelligent class means they are interested in philosophy, in religion, in uplifting the human society to the proper position. That is intelligent class. And administrator class means they are interested in giving protection to the people. Now it is under nationalism. And give them protection from the enemies, from thieves, from rogues. That is the duty of the kṣatriya. Kṣat. Kṣatta means injury, and tra means one who protects or liberates. "One who protects a human being from being hurt by others"—that is called kṣatriya. And brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth. And vaiśya means those who know visampati, the economic problem. And śūdra means laborer. So each word has got meaning. So everyone has got his particular type of occupation, either as intelligent class of men, or as the administrator class of men, or as vaiśyas, traders, or merchants, or as a laborer. Everyone has got.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So Vidura... Kṛṣṇa consciousness includes varieties of activities. They, in..., the press representatives they asked me, "Whether your students, do you take part in politics? Is it sanctioned?" Why not? Our Bhagavad-gītā is produced in battlefield, in battlefield. So why should I deride battle? No. When there is need for fighting, there must be fighting. This world is like that. Otherwise there is no need of fighting. But there is a class of men who will fight. Still it is existing. When there is fight, those who are meant for military purposes, they fight. Not the civilians go and fight. No. Similarly, in the society, there must be divisions. Not that everyone should be called, "Come on, you go to fight." Where is his training? That was not the system. First of all, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). These children, according to strict Vedic principle, by practical psychology, they should be tested, "What is the tendency of this boy?" There can be four kinds of tendencies: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Some child is to become a brāhmaṇa, some child is to be become a kṣatriya, some child is to become a vaiśya, and the rest, śūdras. They do not... Śūdras does not require any training. Śūdra means no training. Ordinary worker class. Otherwise other three, especially two, namely the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, they require very magnificent training. Because they will administer the whole affairs of the society.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So anyway, this human life is not meant for imitating the hog's life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is Vedic civilization, tapasya, the state, different grades of tapasya—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—give them chance—gṛhastha, vānaprastha, brahmacārī. They are all meant for inducing people to come to this perfectional stage of understanding God. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Real purpose of this is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Why? Now,

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

The whole aim is how to worship the Supreme Lord. That is human life. So if we make these divisions, so any class of men, if he comes to this social system of varṇāśrama-dharma, then automatically... Just like if you admit your son in a school, there is first class, second class, third class or eighth class. In this way he makes progress. One day that son comes out as a graduate. So the human society must accept.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

So behind this material energy... Material energy, just like we see, there is cloud, there is thundering sound, there is rain. And from the rain, there is crops, there is food grain. Then we eat those food grains. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Then, yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14). These things are already stated. Everything, the origin is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajña. Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña means we have to satisfy the Supreme Person. That is called yajña. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varṇas and āśramas. Varṇa means four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. They have got their respective duties. So unless the human society is divided into these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there cannot be any peace in the world. That is called varṇāśrama.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

Sthāne sthitāḥ means the varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization. That is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthāne sthitāḥ means to remain in these regulative principles of varṇāśrama. That is called sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your position. It doesn't require you have to change. It is not that a śūdra, without becoming a brāhmaṇa... Of course, śūdra will become brāhmaṇa—by hearing. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. If he hears, even a śūdra, he can understand what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa. So this is required. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. With great attention, body, mind and words, intelligence—with everything, one must hear.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

So that Kapila Muni is explaining to His mother the glories of devotional service. So if we follow Him, then we also get informed what is the truth of devotional service. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Here another feature is that pitari prasthite araṇyam. So it is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One who has passed over fifty years of age, he must give, leave home, and go to the forest, and completely devote his life for spiritual realization. That is the system, varṇāśrama-dharma. The name "Hindu" is a foreign name, given by the Muslims on the other side of the ocean. They used to say the inhabitants of this part of the world as "Hindu." Actually, you won't find this word Hindu in any Vedic literature. The Vedic literature you'll find: varṇāśrama-dharma. Civilized human being means who are following strictly the varṇāśrama institution, four varṇas and four āśramas. So four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for brāhmaṇas, the four āśramas should be followed. Brāhmaṇa should become a child born in brāhmaṇa family and trained up nicely as brahmacārī. Then he becomes a gṛhastha. Then he gives up the home. That is called vānaprastha. And after that he takes sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

So He knew that "Father left My mother in My charge, and therefore I must take charge of My mother and keep her always pleased." Mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. This... The boy is not irresponsible. He is always ready to please His mother. Here we have given these pictures in this Bhāgavatam. Here Kapiladeva in a brahmacārī dress, and mother is taking lesson from the son. Now, sometimes it is asked, "How the mother will take lesson from the son?" That is the prerogative of the male. Strī... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), striyaḥ... Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. A woman is considered in the level of śūdra. Although a woman is married with a brāhmaṇa, the woman is not offered the sacred thread. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also accepted like that by the Supreme Personality... Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. And another place it is said that Mahābhārata was compiled by Vyāsadeva because the direct Vedic knowledge is not understandable... Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Trayī means Vedic literature. They cannot understand. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām: women, and the śūdras, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brāhmaṇa family, but not qualified as brāhmaṇa. They are called not brāhmaṇa. They are called dvija-bandhu.

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He said, when He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya... Rāmānanda Rāya was a śūdra by caste. We have got the four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So he was, Rāmānanda Rāya was by caste a śūdra, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a high-class brāhmaṇa. Not only brāhmaṇa, He was a sannyāsī, the most exalted post. First of all He's brāhmaṇa. Of course, unless one is brāhmaṇa, he cannot take sannyāsa. That's a fact. So He was, from social point of view, He was son of Jagannātha Miśra, grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī. Personally, He was learned scholar, born in a very high class brāhmaṇa, very beautiful body, young man—all qualified. And He was taking instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya, who was a śūdra. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta, you'll find. So Rāmānanda Rāya, he was not only śūdra, he was gṛhastha. And he was a politician, governor of Madras. Governor of Madras. But he was very exalted in spiritual knowledge. So after converting Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to go to the southern part of India, South India, at that time... Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was a very learned scholar, logician, nyāyī.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He presented Himself, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ, no vanastho yatir vā. He presented Himself... Because He was Hindu and Vedic, followers of Vedic... But actually, He was not Hindu, because He's describing Himself, nāham. Nāham means "I am not, I am not." He's declining. What He's declining? "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not kṣatriya, I am not vaiśya, I am not śūdra, I am not brahmacārī, I am not gṛhastha, I am not vānaprastha, I am not sannyāsī." The Vedic system of human life is divided into eight departmental activities, and that is going on under the name of Hinduism. It is now broken and degraded and so many things have happened. But actually, what is called Vedic system, that Vedic system is not meant for a particular class of men, but it is meant for the human society. Actually, human activities actually begins when they observe these eight principles of social divisions. More or less, they observe in any human society. What is that? Brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men of the society. Philosophers, scientists, astronomers, so many, intelligent class. So in every society there is a class of men who are very intelligent than ordinary men. Then kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means... Kṣat means harm. One who protects others from being harmed. Suppose I am trying to harm you. And the person who protects you, he's kṣatriya. And who protects you? The king or the government. Therefore, those who are engaged in governmental affairs or takes the administrative charge, they are called kṣatriyas. So the kṣatriyas, they are in every human society, the administrator class, politicians, diplomats. Next vaiśya, mercantile class. That is not to be explained. In your country there are so many mercantile class. And śūdras. Śūdra means neither intelligent nor administrator nor merchant. General laborer. Give them something, they'll work. They have no intelligence. So they are called śūdras.

So these four divisions there are. And... This is... So far our material necessities are concerned, there is need of intelligent class of men to guide, there is need of administrators or martial class of men, there is need of mercantile class of men, and there is need of laborer class of men. So these four divisions... And next, culture. Culture means brahmacārī. First, student life. He's educated in the value of life. They are called brahmacārī. They're not allowed to mix with women. Just like nowadays, the schools and colleges, the boys and girls freely mix. The brahmacārī is not allowed to mix with girls and boys.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says personally. It doesn't matter, pāpa-yoni, low-grade family, pāpa-yonayaḥ, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye anye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18). Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. It is all-embracing. There are many... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means everyone has got his occupational duty, sva-dharmam. Generally, we consider brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brāhmaṇa has got his duties, kṣatriya has got his duty. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So sva-dharma means... Suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, but bhajann apakvaḥ, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down... This is Nārada's statement. So he says, "What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma, but has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then what is the gain?" There is no gain.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

So that yoga system, ādhyātmika, is being explained by Kapiladeva, that you'll never fall down. Permanent, fixed-up position. Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Not only brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is statement of Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Varṇāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṇur ārādhyate, Viṣṇu becomes very pleased. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. If you execute as a pakka brāhmaṇa, that means Viṣṇu will be pleased. If you execute your duties as a perfect kṣatriya, then Viṣṇu will be pleased. If you execute your duty as a perfect vaiśya, then Viṣṇu will be pleased. And if you execute your duties as a perfect śūdra, Viṣṇu will be pleased. The purpose is to please Viṣṇu. Therefore na te viduḥ... The purpose they do not know. They have forgotten.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

So there are two kinds of yonis, pious and impious. Those who are pious, they are getting chance of birth, in very aristocratic, high family, educated, learned brāhmaṇa family. Jñāna. Then aiśvarya, opulence, riches; education, śruta; śrī, beauty. These are the symptoms of pious life. And just the opposite, ugly-looking, born in very low-grade family, almost animal, then no education, no character, these are impious life. So... But the sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), even by, one is born in low-grade family, pāpa-yoni, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya, if one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "If one takes shelter of Me..." Kṛṣṇa never denies anyone. Socially, we may deny a caṇḍāla to enter into my house, but Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee does not deny. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They never, they'll never deny. "Yes, you are welcome. You take also education in the spiritual life. You also become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Sometimes we are criticized. But Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). He is giving, offering shelter. "Come on. Never mind you are born in low family or impious family. It doesn't matter." Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33).

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Similarly, brāhmaṇa qualification is also... Satyaṁ śaucaṁ samo damas titikṣā. Titikṣā, tolerant, ārjava, simplicity, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So similarly, sādhu. There must be a class of men in the society, first-class sādhu. Then the society will improve. If everyone is debauch and śūdra, then how the society will be peaceful? There is... Therefore, to organize the society, Kṛṣṇa recommends, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be ideal brāhmaṇa. There must be ideal kṣatriya, ideal vaiśya. And balance, all śūdras. But nobody's caring that.

So sādhu means devotee, Kṛṣṇa's devotee. That is called sādhu. Here it is stated, sa eva sādhuṣu kṛtaḥ. The same association, sādhu-saṅga. (CC Madhya 22.83)So who is sādhu? Sādhu means devotee. It is defined by Kṛṣṇa Himself: sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He's sādhu. Who? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He's sādhu. Anyone who is, without any reservation, has begun serving Kṛṣṇa and engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the definition of sādhu. Titikṣava.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

So the whole world is going like that, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. So guṇa means we are, according to our position or according to our mentality, we are infecting some guṇa, sattva-rajas-tamo-guṇa. So guṇa-karma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Very scientific this is. You can become... If you acquire the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, then, and if you work as a brāhmaṇa, then guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, you become a brāhmaṇa. If you have the qualities of a kṣatriya and if you work as a kṣatriya, then you are kṣatriya. If you have the qualification of a mercantile man, businessman, and if you work as a businessman or cultivator, then you become vaiśya. This is very scientific. Not that one is classified according to the birth. No. According to qualification. Just like there is medical association. Medical association does not mean all the medical men in the association, they are born of the same family. No. They are born in different families. But because they have got qualification and working as medical man, they are admitted as the member of medical association or member of bar association. This is practically. Similarly, if you acquire the qualification of a brāhmaṇa and if you work as a brāhmaṇa, then you are accepted as a brāhmaṇa. Similarly kṣatriya, similarly vaiśya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

The Vedic principle is that you remain family life for some time, not for all the days. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. As soon as you're fifty years old, you must give up family life. Compulsory. Therefore we have got... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So for brāhmaṇa, the four āśramas are compulsory. He must become a brahmacārī. Then from brahmacārī he becomes gṛhastha. Then from gṛhastha he must become vānaprastha. Then he must become a sannyāsī. But when he becomes a sannyāsī, that is the... Tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. Tyakta-karmāṇaḥ. So long we are in this material world we have to work. Karma. Karma means to gain some profit. Karma, akarma, vikarma. Vikarma means against the law. Just like ordinary laws. If you are working honestly, business or karma, that's all right. But if you do something wrong, then you are punishable. So karma and vikarma. Vikarma is punishable. Karma you can do. You ripe (reap) your own fruit by working.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

Everyone is engaged in some occupational duty. Formerly it was the varṇāśrama: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī. Everyone has got some particular duty according to his position. Now, the different occupational duties have expanded. It doesn't matter. If you are engineer, if you are medical man, if you are something else, it doesn't matter. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). But try to serve Kṛṣṇa by the result of your work. That is bhakti. That we have to learn. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not mean that we are going to stop all activities. No, this is not our mission. You be engaged in your activities, but don't forget Kṛṣṇa. This is our mission. Be always Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

So these are the symptoms of sādhu, and Kapiladeva is summarizing, "Mother," ta ete sādhavaḥ sādhvi sarva-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ, "these symptoms are visible when one has no more any material attachment." Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). This is sādhu, no more designation, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American"—these devotees, they have got no such conception. They are... Every one of them is thinking, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. These are upādhi. Even this varṇāśrama, that is also... "I am sannyāsī," "I am gṛhastha," "I am vānaprastha." Caitanya Mahāprabhu has rejected all these things. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ: "I am neither brāhmaṇa, nor kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra." Then what You are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "This is My position." This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), no more designation.

So if we become no more designation, then immediately the whole world becomes Vaikuṇṭha. We are fighting—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German." The whole disturbance is there. "This is my land. This is your land." The whole world is doing. As soon as they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately this hellish world become Vaikuṇṭha, immediately, tat-kṣaṇāt. Simply one has to learn.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi (SB 1.5.17). If one takes to devotional service, tyaktvā sva-dharmam, giving up his routine duty... Sva-dharma means the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got the all..., or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. They have got their particular duties. But nobody is following any duty. They are creating their own duty. So anyway, somehow or other, if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and practices for some time regularly, then again, due to bad association or by something, he falls down, so śāstra says that "What is the loss? There is no loss. On the other hand, if a person is executing his occupational duties very nicely, but he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then what is the gain? There is no gain." No gain. Even if you become very pious by acting as a strict brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī, but if you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then there is no gain. It is simply waste of time.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

This is the verdict of Vyāsadeva. Śrama eva hi kevalam. You are very nice, executing your occupational duties. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitaḥ. You are brāhmaṇa. That's nice. You are executing the brāhmaṇa's duties very nicely, or a kṣatriya, or a vaiśya, or a medical man, engineer, whatever you may be. That's all right. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. But if, by executing your professional or occupational duties, you do not develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness... That is the main business of human life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So then dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathā... (SB 1.2.8). Viṣvaksena-kathā means kṛṣṇa-kathā. Notpādayed yadi ratim. If you do not become inclined, śraddhā, this śraddhā of kṛṣṇa-kathā, then whatever you are doing—simply wasting your time, and it is a labor of love only, that's all. Śrama eva hi kevalam. And a devotee, even if he falls down by chance... There is every possibility of falling down because māyā is very strong. And it is a fight against māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Duratyayā. Māyā is very strong. We are getting experience. Some of them are falling down. But still, whatever he has done sincerely, that is a permanent credit of his account.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Formerly, especially in India, the cātur-varṇyaṁ, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, so at least the most intelligent class of men, the brāhmaṇas, they were interested to understand brahma-jijñāsa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. But at the present moment they are all śūdras. They are not interested about brahma-jijñāsā. They are interested how to get more money, where is the cinema, where, what picture is going, they are interested in that, not about brahma-jijñāsā. But the human life is meant for that purpose. Therefore we learn from Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna is personally teaching us. He is accepting Kṛṣṇa as guru, śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7), "Kṛṣṇa now I become Your servant, not that I remain as Your friend." Friend to friend talk is not very serious. Now I want to talk with serious. You become my spiritual master, you teach me, and I will take your lesson. This should be the It is not meant for only Arjuna. It is meant for everyone, that if you, you must find out the guru. The first guru is Kṛṣṇa, and anyone who is Kṛṣṇa's representative, he is guru. Guru is Kṛṣṇa, the original guru, and if Kṛṣṇa representative is found, is available, then he is also guru.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Therefore He began instructing that we are not this body, we are soul. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptam (BG 2.13), in this way He gave first instruction that we are not this body. So here also Devahūti is woman. Everyone is less intelligent before his guru, especially woman. Striyo śūdra tathā vaiśya te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, but God, or Kṛṣṇa, is open for everyone. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is open for the brāhmaṇas, the learned scholars or the Hindus or the Muslims or Christian, no, Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Striyo śūdra tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti param, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), even pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni means low class. Just like in our country we have got low class people, the cobbler muci, the caṇḍālas the dog-eaters. They are considered as low class. So Kṛṣṇa is open even for the low class.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

So how this purification is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: (Brs. 1.2.234) by engaging oneself in service of the Lord, and the first service begins from the tongue, jihvādau. We have got many senses, sense organs, but devotional service begins from the tongue, jihvādau, by chanting. It is very difficult subject matter, but it is made easy because... Devahūti says, sukhaṁ buddhyeya: "Very easily I can understand, because I am woman." Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone: striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ (BG 9.32). Although they are considered less intelligent, still, Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone. And especially in this age, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ, "one becomes liberated, and then paraṁ vrajet, he is transferred to the spiritual world. Although this Kali-yuga is full of faulty things, everyone is embarrassed with so many difficulties, still, very easy metho..."

This is spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī after describing the faults of Kali-yuga. There are many, many hundreds and thousands of faults. People will suffer. They are all described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. People's intelligence, bodily strength, mercifulness—everything will be reduced. And so many things are described.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya. So the process of approaching the Supreme Lord... So he first of all explained the varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). The human life is for viṣṇur ārādhanam. That is the human life, Viṣṇur ārādhanam. In varṇāśrama, the system... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13), Kṛṣṇa says. Why establish this cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam? Because through the cātur-varṇya, systematic institution, following the rules and regulations of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, one can approach Lord Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhyate. This varṇāśrama-dharma is very important. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that it is very difficult even to execute the rules and regulation of varṇāśrama-dharma in this age. Actually that is a fact. Therefore, after explaining varṇāśrama-dharma before Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya: "Yes, it is one of the processes, but in this age it is very difficult." Who is going to be brāhmaṇa? It is very difficult. Especially it has become very difficult in India. We are advertising, we are soliciting, "Please come here in this Hare Kṛṣṇa Land and just become a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, and we shall try to serve you by giving you good place," but nobody is coming. Therefore it is very difficult to revive the old varṇāśrama-dharma culture.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

So he requested all his student, "What you will give me, contribution?" Formerly the teacher was not taking any salary. But whatever he wanted, the students will bring either from parents' house or by begging. That was the system. The teacher would not charge anything. A brāhmaṇa cannot be..., charge anything. Generally, the brāhmaṇas were teachers. That is one of the profession of the brāhmaṇa. Everyone must have livelihood. So brāhmaṇa livelihood is paṭhana pāṭhana. He must become a learned scholar, and he will make others also learned scholar. That is brāhmaṇa's business. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. Ṣaṭ-karma. Six kinds of profession for the brāhmaṇas. And kṣatriya's profession is to give protection to the citizen and levy some tax, twenty-five percent, not more than that. Whatever is income your, give twenty-five percent to the kṣatriya king. That's all. That includes sales tax, this tax, that tax, so many tax, income tax. All finished. You give twenty-five percent. And if you have no income, no tax. Not like that even you have no income, "No, last year you gave so much tax. You must give it. Otherwise your property will be sold." Not like that. So that is kṣatriya's income. Similarly, vaiśya's income, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44), agriculture, cow protection, and if there is excess foodstuff, then he can sell, make trade. And śūdras, they will simply help.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

So we have to understand Bhagavān and we have to hear from Him. And He's speaking perfectly in the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And if you take it yad viditvā, if you are fortunate enough to understand the words of Kṛṣṇa and Kapiladeva, then the result will be vimucyeta: immediately become liberated. If you are fortunate enough, if you are intelligent enough to understand the words of Kapiladeva or Kṛṣṇa or Ṛṣabhadeva—there are so many incarnations—then puruṣaḥ prākṛtair vimucyeta. Vimucyeta means become free, uncontaminated. What is that contamination? Prākṛta-guṇa, these material infection that "I'm brāhmaṇa," "I'm kṣatriya," "I'm vaiśya," "I'm śūdra," "I'm American," "I'm Indian," "I'm this," "I'm that." These are all prakṛti. Prakṛti, material qualifications. Even if you are perfect brāhmaṇa, that is also material qualification. But in the platform of pure brāhmaṇa you can have the chance of understanding the aprākṛta, adhokṣaja. Therefore you have to become brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa. Then there is chance.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Just like within the earth you have seen, you go to the beach, you'll find within the sand, there are so many living entities. But they are inferior, and the plants on the sand, we have seen there are many green plants, herbs, they are better. They have improved their consciousness. But better than these plants and herbs are the crawling insects, snakes, snail, because they can move. The herbs, they cannot move, and within the sands there are living entities, they cannot sprout. So in this way, this is called evolution, one after another. So the insects, the reptiles, they are better than the standing herbs and plants, and these insects, the worms, they grow wings at the end of their life. In this way they are elevated to the bird's life. In this life they could not attain the bird's life, but on account of very strong willingness they grow the wings, and next life they become small birds, they fly. So they are better, the small birds, they are better than these insects. Then there are birds, big, big birds, the eagle birds, they can fly very high. In this way, beast life, that is better. In this way, beast life, then human life, uncivilized life, that is better. And then civilized life, that is better. Then civilized life, those who are organized, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are better. And amongst the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, the brāhmaṇa is the best, because they are on the platform of spiritual realization. This is the evolution. Evolution, we are coming in that evolution. Bahu-sambhavānte. Bahu-sambhavam, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), bahu-sambhavānte.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

So to accept your service, to make you nirguṇa, prakṛteḥ paraḥ, Kṛṣṇa accepts this arcā-vigraha to accept your service. Kṛṣṇa is standing here, you offering, and He is ready to accept your service. "No, I am very poor man." No, the poor, rich, He doesn't concern. Ahaituky apratihatā. Service rendering to Kṛṣṇa cannot be checked in any material circumstance. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means it cannot be checked. Any position, you can do. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even if you are born in the low-grade family, pāpa-yoni, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parām, everyone is delivered. These things are there.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

Jāti—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—that is within this material world, not in the spiritual world. Spiritual world, everyone is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. There is no more jāti, no more distinction. Everything serving. That one. The master is also spiritual, and the servant is also spiritual, and there is no other relationship. Here in the material world we artificially want to become..., we want to become God. But in the spiritual world there is no such conception. In the spiritual world there are also living entities. They are called nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha means eternally perfect. There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha, eternally conditioned. Yesterday we were reading that nitya-supta-buddhiḥ. Here in this material world, however we may be acting, we are sleeping. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānām. They are sleeping. We may show very good activities everywhere, but a saintly person will see that "All these rascals are sleeping." And these rascals will see the devotee is sleeping. Because they will see that "These rascals, they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, doing nothing for their bodily comfort and sense gratification. They are sleeping. They are misusing this life." And the devotees are seeing that "These rascal, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are sleeping." So yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. We become purified. This is purificatory process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means purification. On account of impure life, we are embarrassed with so many designation, impure life. So we have to become designationless, no designation, sarvopādhi... "I am not Hindu. I am not Mussalman. I am not Christian. I am not brāhmaṇa." This is designation. Even sannyāsī... Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir yatir vā, He described Himself, "No, I am not kṣatriya. I am not brāhmaṇa. I am not sannyāsī. I am not gṛhastha. I am not vaiśya." simply negation. He simply said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of servant of servant of the gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa."

So that is pure life, when we think like that, that "We are no more servant." Nāyaṁ kiṅkaram, that is, what is called, indemnifying this contaminated existence of material life. "Simply I identify as servant of the Supreme Lord." Then you become purified, designationless.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

So Vedic culture or the representative of Vedic culture, Mahārāja King Ṛṣabhadeva, He advised His sons, "My dear sons, this human life, human form of life, is not meant for working hard like the animals. This is not." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kaṣṭān kāmān. Kāmān means we require some necessities of life, but civilization should not be made in such a way that one has to live at the cost of sacrificing everything. This is not human civilization. Kaṣṭān kāmān. Everyone wants something. That is required. So long the body is there, we must have to eat, we must have to sleep, we require sense gratification and protection or security. This is required. But the Vedic civilization was very simplified, simplified. A class of ideal men, the brāhmaṇa, they are ideal. They are simply assimilating the Vedic knowledge and guiding others—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—how to live peacefully. The kṣatriya, they are meant for giving protection to the people, security. And the vaiśya is meant for producing food. And śūdra, because they cannot do anything independently, they must serve these three masters: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So this is very scientific.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

This is the division. The brāhmaṇa is to be considered the mouth of the Virāḍ-rūpa Bhagavān, the universal form of the Lord; kṣatriya, the bāhu, the arms; and vaiśya, the belly; and śūdra, the leg. So they are meant for cooperation, not that simply falsely becoming proud that "I am brāhmaṇa. You are śūdra." No. The brāhmaṇa is equally important than the śūdra, though both of them are required. But comparatively, because brāhmaṇa is considered to be the brain, he's very important. So the brain must be there. Otherwise, simply possessing hands and legs, what is the meaning if there is no brain?

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). This sarva-dharmān means everyone has got a particular type of occupational duty. That is called sva-dharma. Generally, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they have got particular type of duties. And as Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up your brāhmaṇa-dharma, or kṣatriya-dharma, or vaiśya-dharma or śūdra-dharma, or Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, this dharma, that dharma." Sarva-dharma means everything. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). If we are little inclined, that is called..., that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). He gives up all other duties: "I am no more any followers of any dharma. I am followers of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet." If this determination is there, then everything is possible.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

There were kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras also. So the resolution was passed. The president was Sūta Gosvāmī.

So ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. They addressed the learned brāhmaṇas, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means twice-born, twice-born: one birth by the father and mother, and the other birth by the spiritual master and spiritual knowledge. Mother, Gāyatrī or Veda, Veda-mātā, and the father, the spiritual master. This is another birth. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they are allowed, especially the brāhmaṇas. Therefore the brāhmaṇas are called dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: "Amongst the twice-born, the best, the best of the twice-born." So it was addressed to the best of the twice-born. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. They have got different occupational duties as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, as vaiśya and śūdra, so how they can become successful by discharging their duties? Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). You never mind whether you are a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. It doesn't matter. See that by your activities, by your occupational duty, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is satisfied. Then your occupational duty is successful. Otherwise śrama eva hi kevalam, simply wasting time and energy.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

It is not possible to worship all the incarnations, all the demigods, all the parts and limbs and parts of the body of the Kṛṣṇa, but simply by surrendering to Him, the origin of Saṅkarṣaṇa, you can worship everyone. And it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He can accept the surrendering and service even of the poorest of the poorest. Ahaituky apratihatā. If you want to become devotee of God, Kṛṣṇa, no material things can check. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means without any impediment. Any condition of life... Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te, pāpa-yonayaḥ, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Everyone can worship. Kṛṣṇa is not monopolized by any section or any religion or any nation, any country. No. Kṛṣṇa claims, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). All the species of life, as many forms of life as there are, Kṛṣṇa claims, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: "I am the original seed-giving father." So Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. And by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you worship everything. If you have got a mentality to worship different demigods, different incarnation, that is not possible. Therefore you can concen... Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā, by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, everyone is worshiped. You have no more obligation.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So he is designated as rākṣasa. So avaiṣṇava, who is not devotee of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, gurur na sa syāt, he cannot become guru. That is not possible. And vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ. Śva-paca. Śva-paca means the dog-eaters, the lowest of the mankind, dog-eaters, caṇḍāla. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. If somehow or other he has become Vaiṣṇava, then he can become guru, not this brāhmaṇa, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. Because that one disqualification is there, that he is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. But a person born in the lowest of the human society, pāpa-yoni, which is called pāpa-yoni... Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes shelter of Me, even he belongs to the pāpa-yoni..." Pāpa-yoni means the caṇḍālas, less than the śūdras. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ... Again He mentions. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So they are eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. There are so many instances. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ: (SB 2.4.18) "Lower than them, still more sinful," śudhyanti, "they can be purified," prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ, "if he becomes a Vaiṣṇava."

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

From the very childhood this dharmān bhāgavatān must be given lessons to the children. Therefore, from the very beginning we have opened this gurukula in Texas and in New Vrindaban, West Virginia. But here, practically, India, we don't get this opportunity. Before starting this movement, I approached many friends that "You have got four sons. Give me one. I will train him to become a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa." Nobody agreed. You see? But in the European countries, in America... Of course, they are all children of my devotees. I got them married. They have got now children, and they are being taught in gurukula. That is strictly according to the Vedic science, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, from the very beginning of life. So life should be utilized properly, and the children, not all... Some of them may become kṣatriya; some of them become śūdra or vaiśya. But an ideal class of brāhmaṇa must be there to guide the society. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

So Rāmānanda Rāya was feeling a little agitation, that "How is that? I am a gṛhastha, householder, not even born in high family, brāhmaṇa family. And I am engaged in politics, I am governor, and He is a sannyāsī, renounced order of life. How is that that He is asking question and I am replying? The question is enquired by the student, and the answer is given by the spiritual master. So how is that?" He was feeling little agitation. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately encouraged him, "Don't hesitate." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's example. He is teaching everything by His personal example. His purpose was that in this Kali-yuga the distinction between brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra will be almost finished. Then who will instruct? Because the instructor's position is brāhmaṇa. One must be brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa's business is paṭhan pāṭhan yajan yājan dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa should be personally very highly learned scholar. Therefore brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita. Even in India, still a brāhmaṇa is addressed, "paṇḍitji." He may be a fool number one, but he is addressed like that, "Paṇḍitji." So because without becoming a learned scholar nobody can become a brāhmaṇa... We are also giving our student position as brāhmaṇa, 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.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

Sva-dharma. Sva-dharma will be explained, and it is explained in the Bhagavad... Sva-dharma means one may be in goodness, one may be in passion, one may be in darkness, and one may be in mixture. So that is divided into four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. So Bhagavad-gītā teaches us that anyone, if he worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead by sva-dharma, by his occupational duty, he also becomes perfect. For example, just like Arjuna. He was a military man, and his sva-dharma, his occupational duty, was to fight. So that fighting capacity he engaged himself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, and he became a devotee. Kṛṣṇa certified, bhakto 'si. What did he do? He did not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Of course, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra constantly because he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other business than to think of Kṛṣṇa. But by formality he did not become a Vaiṣṇava or chanting. But he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is certified as the foremost yogi. Yoginām api sarveṣām (BG 6.47).

So that is the trick—how we shall always think of Kṛṣṇa even we are engaged in our occupation duty. That will make us perfect. Actually, real sva-dharma is to be attached to Kṛṣṇa. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, but because we have got this material body, we have got this bodily concept of life. Therefore the Vedic injunction is divided that one class should be brāhmaṇa, one class should be kṣatriya, one class should be vaiśya, another should be śūdra. In this way they should cooperate for the ultimate benefit of life, just like in our body there is the head, there is the arm, there is the belly, and there is the leg.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

You cannot accuse Kṛṣṇa that "Oh, You have done like this." Whatever He has done, it is right. So just last evening one boy was criticizing Kṛṣṇa that "Why Kṛṣṇa makes this distinction stri-śūdra-vaiśya as pāpa-yoni?" So this is Godlessness, that we dare to criticize Kṛṣṇa. We should not criticize Kṛṣṇa. But those who are unaware of Kṛṣṇa's position, they do, we have to inform them rightly what is the right thing. So actually Kṛṣṇa says that even the stri-śūdra-vaiśya, they are also elevated to the highest position if they take the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni, the pious man or impious man, that is consideration of this material world. So long we are in this material world, there must be "this is good" and "this is bad." Although there is nothing good in this material world—everything is bad—but we have concocted some formulas that "This is good and this is bad." Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja says, dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. In the material world, bhadra-abhadra, anything bhadra and abhadra, good and bad, they are simply mental concoctions.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

He said that every man should execute his particular duty of life. That is called dharma. Now, we manufacture our duty, that is another thing, but according to śāstra, just like Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Duty means according to this cātur-varṇyaṁ, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is called dharma, sādharma. The brāhmaṇa must execute his brahminical duties, a kṣatriya must execute his kṣatriya duties, similarly vaiśya, a śūdra, a brahmacārī, a gṛhastha, a vānaprastha, sannyāsī. That is called dharma. This is material dharma, this is not spiritual dharma. Material dharma means so long we are under the concept of this body, there are certain duties. That is called material dharma. Just like we eat, this is also one of the duty, because if I don't eat, then I shall die. But what kind of food I shall eat, that is described in the śāstra, that sattvic, rajasic, tamasic bhojana.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

According to quality and according to work, the social order is divided into four. The most intelligent class of men are called the brāhmaṇas, and the next intelligent class of men, namely the politicians, or one who wants to take part in administration, they are called kṣatriyas. And the next intelligent class of men, those who are busy in production—because we want food—so the productive class of men is called vaiśya, mercantile. And the laborer class of men, namely one who is neither intelligent nor administrator nor trader, but wants to live at the shelter of somebody, master, they are called śūdras. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, they would never accept subordination, service, under anyone. But the śūdras, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). By nature, a śūdra wants to take shelter of somebody else and live.

So at the present moment, the Kali-yuga, the śāstra says, almost everyone is a śūdra because nobody can live independently. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kalau means in this age, this iron age, almost everyone is a śūdra. It is very difficult to find out really brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Vaiśyas maybe there are. But mostly śūdras. Because the other three orders of life are missing, therefore at the present moment there is no peace. In every step there is fight, there is quarrel. Kali means disagreement and quarrel. So this age is called Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So first-class, the first-class men, means they should be trained as brāhmaṇa, at least one class of men. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). In order to realize the highest goal of life there must be division in the society and there must be division in spiritual life. The social life is divided into brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, one who can understand God. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. First-class man means not first-class dress. First-class man means he has got full knowledge: jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Full knowledge.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

Brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-vaiśya. Vaiśya means the productive class of men. Their business is how to produce food for all the society and give protection to the cows. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). There must be sufficient milk in the human society. If you drink more milk and milk products, then your brain will be very sharp. You will understand things very nicely, corectly. Therefore milk is very important. In the Vedic śāstra cow protection is recommended. Why? Because milk is very, very important thing. Milk is... What about the meat-eaters? If there are meat-eaters, they can eat other animals, but especially they should not eat the cow. They should give them protection. So because the vaiśyas, the first class, second class, third class, they are meant for producing food for the society... So milk is very important. Therefore it is recommended, kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyam. And if there is excess, they can trade. And this is the first class, second class, third class. And those who cannot act as first-class men or as second-class men or third-class men—that means fourth-class men—they are called laborer or worker class of men.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

This is civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This is creation of God, cātur-varṇyaṁ: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇa, and as spiritual cultivation, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So our civilization, Vedic civilization, means varṇāśrama-dharma, following the four principles of varṇas and four principles of āśrama. The ultimate goal is God realization. That is the human civilization. If there is no God realization, simply working hard day and night for sense gratification, it is accepted as hog civilization, dog civilization. That is stated here: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1).

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Similarly, you'll find the history of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was a great politician, prime minister of Emperor Candragupta. Those who have read history of India, they know it. The Candragupta was during the time of Alexander the Selkar(?) in Greece. He also visited India to conquer. That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And he was not charging a farthing. And he was vastly learned man. You see. His politics is studied in the M.A. class in India university. And those who are the students of politics, they might have known this gentleman's name, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And in India, New Delhi, there is a quarter where foreign ambassadors are supplied place. So that quarter is known as Cāṇakyapuri. Cāṇakyapuri. Because he was politician, under his name that place is ascertained Cāṇakyapuri. So the prime minister, the great scholar, the great scientist, they used to live in a cottage. They gave us so much contribution how to make scientific advancement. Because the brāhmaṇas, they were meant not for material enjoyment. Simply for... Therefore four classes. Only the kṣatriyas and vaiśyas were meant for economic development.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

The Ṛṣabhadeva says that tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1). Sattva means existence. Your existence is eternal. That is the first information in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriyate vā. This is the first instruction. There are so many commentator or instructor of Bhagavad-gītā, but they are missing the first instruction. They are not interested that "What is going to happen my next life?" They are not interested. Nobody takes care. They have concluded they have no life after death. This body is finished, everything is finished. Most irresponsible life. This is not to be carried on. Ṛṣabhadeva says that "My dear sons, don't live this irresponsible life like animals, hogs and dogs, but take the responsibility of human life. Undergo austerities, penances, as they ae recommended in the śāstras and make your life..." It is individual. If this movement cannot be taken massively, every individual can practice it. That is Indian culture. Every Indian was educated how to become a brāhmaṇa, for coming to this platform of austerity. And following the examples of brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya and the vaiśyas and the śūdras, they also benefited.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

So if you perpetually remain as Andhra, that is very good. "But that is not allowed, sir." You'll be kicked out of your, this Andhra concept of life by nature's law. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34), Kṛṣṇa says, "When death will come, 'Oh, my dear death, you cannot touch me. I am Andhra, I am Indian, I am American.' " No. "No, sir. Get out!" So where is that knowledge? Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). This kind of civilization is the civilization of the cows and asses, go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So we must understand what we are. Kṛṣṇa... Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this. He said, "I am not brāhmaṇa. I am not kṣatriya. I am not vaiśya. I am not śūdra. I am not brahmacārī. I am not sannyāsī." "Not, not," neti, neti. "Then what you are?" Gopī-bhartuḥ pāda-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is self-realization. When we shall deny all this designation and we shall realize that I'm part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, that is self-realization. And so long we identify with this body and mind and do not know what I am, that is go-kharaḥ civilization, cows and asses civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

That is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava qualification means completely dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Even if I consider myself that I am a learned brāhmaṇa, that is also misconception. That is also not svarūpa. When one understands that "I am not brāhmaṇa, not kṣatriya, not vaiśya, not śūdra, nor American, nor Indian, nor this, nor that; simply I am spiritual part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and my only business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167), that is first-class life. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam. Not pratikūlyena. Pratikūlyena means against the will of Kṛṣṇa. That is pratikūla. Bhakti means ānukūla. Just like Kamsa. He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa: "Whether Kṛṣṇa is born? I have to kill Him. Whether this or that..." He was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. But pratikūlyena, not ānukūlyena. One Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always making plan how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and another Kṛṣṇa cons..., how to kill Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

These two brothers, they were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. Practically they became Muhammadans; their name were changed. Because in those days the brāhmaṇa community was very strict. Any brāhmaṇa accepting service, he'll be immediately excommunicated: "No, you are not brāhmaṇa." Brāhmaṇa's business is not to serve others. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. They should remain... Everyone was independent. Brāhmaṇa independent, kṣatriya independent, vaiśya independent. Simply śūdra's dependent. So in those days, five hundred years ago, these two brothers were born of a very high class brāhmaṇa. They were learned scholar, but because they accepted the service of Nawab, they were excommunicated. So practically they become Muhammadans. Their names were changed: Dabira Khāsa, Sākara Mallika. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them gosvāmī. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They were rejected by the brāhmaṇa community, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

So if by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa you practice this process, then you'll see Kṛṣṇa always. There is no... Kṛṣṇa is not concealed. He is prepared to be revealed. He comes Himself, "See Me. See My feature. Here I am. Here is my līlā, Vṛndāvana līlā." But you don't see, don't like to see. That is our defect. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is always ready to be revealed. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38), sadaiva, twenty-four hours you'll see. So Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), it doesn't matter you are born in a low-grade family. It doesn't matter. Still, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, you'll get the highest result of life by seeing Kṛṣṇa. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti is ahaituky apratihatā. It cannot be checked by any material condition if you are serious about it. Then Kṛṣṇa will help you. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10), "I'll give you intelligence how to see Me." These things are there. So if you are serious to see Kṛṣṇa then Kṛṣṇa is ready to be seen by you. It is not very difficult task.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This is very important. Ṛṣabhadeva says, yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehāṁ svārthe pramattaḥ sahasā vipaścit. So we have to become intelligent that guṇehā... Guṇa, guṇa means these three guṇas, goodness, three modes of material nature. Everyone is trying to love one of these three guṇas: goodness, passion and ignorance. That is material existence. Somebody is trying to become brāhmaṇa, that is goodness. And somebody is trying to become a kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these are under the influence of different modes of material nature. So even one is brāhmaṇa, he is also under the grip of material nature. And what to speak of one who is a śūdra or less than a śūdra. Everyone is trying to improve himself under the influence of certain modes of material nature. So when one becomes vipaścit, viveki... Vipaścit means enlightened. These, my activities under the influence of different modes of material nature, this is waste of time. Even if I become a brāhmaṇa, that is also waste of time, and what to speak of if I become a kṣatriya, passionate. Passionate... This vaiśya, this mercantile class of men, they are passionate and ignorance mixture. They are very active: "I am very running, I am very busy," but running here and there in ignorance.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

There was no education for even the vaiśyas. There are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. But vaiśya and śūdra, there is no need of education. The brāhmaṇas, because they will guide the society, they require education. And the kṣatriya, they will give protection to the society; therefore there was education guided by the brāhmaṇa. And for the vaiśyas, kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma... (Bg 18.44). Where is the education? He can see, learn from his father how the field is to be cultivated with a plow. He doesn't require. He can see. And fifty years ago we have seen that those who were in the lower status of life, they never sent their children to school. I have seen it. Never sent. "Oh, what is the use of wasting time? Better admit him in some working shop or in some business." The Marwaris still do that: "Please keep my son in your firm." And small children, by seeing Just like our children, they are seeing this Deity worship, this kīrtana—they will learn.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

Just like karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, there are different. But the real yoga means loving Vāsudeva, Bhagavān. Therefore Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yogināṁ api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). All other yoga systems there is little tinge of vāsudeva-bhakti, but not cent percent pure. It is mixed. Miśra-bhakti. Miśra-bhakti will not be immediately fruitful. It will take long, long time. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Everything, there is some bhakti-yoga, but if it is not pure, then it will take very, very, very, very long time, bahūnāṁ janmanām. One janma means hundreds of years. We are not talking of any other janma. Even human form of life. Because those who are advanced in spiritual life, there is every possibility for getting next life a human being. Otherwise nobody knows. Those who are ignorant, they do not know. There will be change of body—tathā dehāntara prāptir—that is a fact. But those who are in the sattva-guṇa, they are sure to get next life in the human society. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). This śucīnāṁ, pure brāhmaṇa, and śrīmatāṁ, very rich vaiśya, or kṣatriya. Kings and mercantile community, they are rich, śrīmat. Śrī means opulence, and mat means one who has. Śrīmatām.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

One must be well expert, experienced, well aware of the science of Kṛṣṇa. He shall be guru." Not that particularly because one is born in a brāhmaṇa family or one has taken sannyāsa, he is immediately by the dress, or by birth, one can become guru. No. That is going on. Now it is diminishing. Formerly, in India it was the practice. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "It doesn't matter." Kibā vipra, kibā śūdra. Vipra means brāhmaṇa, and śūdra means the fourth class, less than the vaiśyas. So kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsī kene naya. Nyāsī means sannyāsī. Never mind nyāsī, or without nyāsī, because śūdra cannot be sannyāsī. Without becoming brāhmaṇa, there is no question of becoming sannyāsa. In the Śaṅkara-sampradāya they are very strict. Unless one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is not awarded the sannyāsa. That is the stricture. But according to our Vaiṣṇava, according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, pāñcarātrikī-viddhi, if there is little tendency of the person to become devotee, he is given the chance.

Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976:

Therefore our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Whatever by God's grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). That was the end. In India we find not that... The great sages, ṛṣis, they wrote so many books, but they used to live in a cottage. Only the kings, the kṣatriya, because they had to rule over, they used to construct big, big palaces. No one else. They lived very simple life, very simple life. Not waste time for so-called economic development, skyscraper building, subways and so on, so on. This was not Vedic civilization. This is asuric civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

If you want to manage things, there must be two classes of men, and two classes can be divided into so many other classes. Therefore the intelligent way of civilization is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be four classes. In order to manage things very nicely, you cannot make classless society. Four classes. The most intelligent class, brāhmaṇa, and then next intelligent, the kṣatriyas, and the next intelligent, the vaiśyas, and the last one, who has no intelligence, śūdra. These four classes must be there. Without this division of classes, society, who will guide them? At the present moment, without any class the government has made adult vote. Anyone who is above certain age, say eighteen years or twenty years, he can vote. But there is no class, that "This class can vote; this class cannot vote." There is no such thing. Anyone who is above eighteen years old, he is competent to cast his vote. And people are not educated in this division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They are all classless.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

You must make, train. Just like you are training some men as engineer, some men as medical men, some men as lawyer, some men as technologist. There are so many divisions in the society. Therefore, similarly, if you want to make the human society perfect, then you must have these four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Otherwise there is no possibility. If you make all classes one, very liberal—"Very good idea. There is no classification"—no, there must be classifi... But that classification is not by birth. That is not by birth. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa never said, "This classification should be by birth." No. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth everyone is rascal, śūdra. That is to be accepted. Even if one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is to be accepted as śūdra, janmanā, by birth. Otherwise why, even a person is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he requires to be educated, he requires to be initiated, sacred thread? Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. There must be saṁskāra. If he is born brāhmaṇa, then where..., there is no need of saṁskāra. There is no need of education.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

A person born in brāhmaṇa family, if that family is strictly following the brahminical rules and regulation, in the śāstra it is said that in higher section, brāhmaṇa specially, if garbhḍhṇa saṁskāra is not observed the whole family immediately becomes śūdra. They cannot be called even brāhmaṇa family. That is the injunction of śāstra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra. That must be strictly observed; otherwise he is śūdra. Śūdra has no saṁskāra. Śūdra has only one saṁskāra—marriage. And the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they have got daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra. Before birth, when the child is in the womb, there is ceremony. Then when he is born there is ceremony. Then he's little more, little more... Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he was born, immediately all the brāhmaṇas came. Jāta-karma ceremony. A child is born. There will be some pūjā, pāṭha, and then there will be horoscope made immediately, in what moment this child is born, what will be his feature. All the brāhmaṇas made immediately horoscope. You'll find in this Bhāgavata. This is called saṁskāra. Not that like cats and dogs they are born without any saṁskāra, and because he is born in a certain family he becomes brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. No.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

This is human life. This is human life, not that upstart, foolish, rascals, śūdras, that is human society. That is dog society. That is not human society. Human society must be intelligent class of men. They will train the other people. Everything is required. The kṣatriya is required, the vaiśya is required, the śūdra is also required. Just like it is given in the śāstra that to keep a fully equipped body there must be head, there must be arm, there must be belly, and there must be leg. Leg is also required, not that simply brain is required. Brain is required to direct the way: "Go this way; go that way." In that sense śūdra is also... Brain cannot walk; the leg will walk. So the brain will give direction, the hand will give protection. Everything is required. Therefore we have named this "Kṛṣṇa conscious society." "Society" means all classes of men required. But we train them how to make life perfect. That is wanted, not that one-sided, simply brāhmaṇa. That variety. This is called variety, not nirviśeṣa-vada, classless: "No brāhmaṇa required, no śūdra required." No, everything is required. Everything is required, but they should be properly trained up.

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything will be failure. Therefore Bharata Mahārāja, er, Ṛṣabhadeva Mahārāja is advising that "You concentrate your service to Bharata." (break) ...it is advised to a brāhmaṇa that if, when that time comes, you can come to the position of a kṣatriya or even up to vaiśya, but never to the position of a śūdra. This is dog's business. They are... At the present moment everyone is being trained up to become śūdra, dogs. High education, big, big degrees, but if the dog is not appointed by a master, his all qualification useless. Therefore it is doggish civilization. And Aryan civilization means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra means one who cannot live independently—he has to depend on some master—he's a śūdra. That's all. The brāhmaṇa should live by education, by knowledge. Everyone will honor them. They will give advice to the śūdras, er, to the kṣatriyas. When Paraśurāma killed eleven..., twenty-one times all the kṣatriyas, his father chastised him that "This is not the business of a brāhmaṇa. My dear son, you are so angry, you have killed all the kṣatriyas and you have killed Kārtavīryārjuna by anger. Oh, you have done great sinful activities. It is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. Therefore you should retire for some time and go to holy places to counteract your sinful activities." This was spoken to Paraśurāma by his father.

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

So there must be division. A brāhmaṇa can kill anyone simply by words. He is so powerful. But he does not do that. When Viśvāmitra was disturbed by Taraka Rākṣasī in the forest, he came to Dasaratha Mahārāja for help. He could kill that Taraka Rākṣasī simply by his word, but he would not do that. This is not brāhmaṇa's business. He wanted to take the help of a kṣatriya and kill the rākṣasī. Kṣatriya can kill. Brāhmaṇa can take charity. A kṣatriya can exact taxes, and vaiśya be engaged in producing food grains. Kṛṣi gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). This is civilization. Aryan civilization means the division must be there. Kṛṣṇa personally says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma (BG 4.13). The varṇāśrama must be there because the whole aim is how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to be satisfied.

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

So the meaning is clearly described in the translation. So the brāhmaṇas, why they are accepted as the supreme in the human society? On account of these qualities. We have discussed this point, that either brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, especially dvijottama... The brāhmaṇas are called dvijottama. Dvija-śreṣṭhā. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā. Dvija means twice-born, one birth by the father and mother and the other birth by Vedic knowledge and spiritual master. Twice-born. So the daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra, purificatory processes... Saṁskarād bhaved dvijaḥ. Unless one undergoes the purificatory process, he cannot be called twice-born. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth everyone is a śūdra, fourth-class man." Practically we see that children, they are sent to school. Why they are sent to school? Because by birth he is foolish, abodha-jātaḥ. There is no knowledge. Therefore he should be sent to school, as he makes progress, to colleges, to learn higher, higher. This is the material arrangement.

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

There must be education. The twice-born, he must approach the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Just like the Sattva Satyakāma, Jabala-Satyakāma Upaniṣad. The boy approached Gautama Muni that "Kindly accept me, your disciple. Initiate me." Formerly, without becoming a brāhmaṇa specially, they were not initiated. So in those days all the families were very pure. Therefore born of a brāhmaṇa father is understood that he has got the training of a brāhmaṇa. That is a facility. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). By pious activities or by practice of bhakti-yoga, if one has not completed, yoga-bhraṣṭa, one who falls down from the yoga practice, such person is given another chance to take birth in a nice family, a brāhmaṇa family or a rich mercantile family. The brāhmaṇa family is rich in knowledge, and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, they are rich in opulence, wealth, material riches. And śūdras, they are not rich either in material wealth or in knowledge. Therefore they are called śūdras.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

So democracy Sometimes I say to my American students that "Your country is opulent in every respect." Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26), four kinds of opulences, everyone is trying for. Now everyone is trying for money, because if you get money, then, although you are born in the lowest family, chamar, bhangi, if you have got money, you'll be respectful, everything. Now there is no question of caste because everyone is lost. Kalau śūdra-sambhavāḥ. So you cannot find out who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, who is vaiśya, who is śūdra. Everyone is the same. Now they are trying for classless society. Classless society means śūdra. So how a śūdra can be equal to the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya? But if you earn money, then you are more than brāhmaṇa, you are more than a sannyāsī. This is Kali-yuga. So therefore people are after money only.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya quoted this when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from him what is sādhya-sādhana. "What is the business of the human society and what is the aim of human society?" This was the question put forward by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He first of all quoted varṇāśrama. The human society begins when there is varṇāśrama-dharma. Otherwise it is animal society. There is no human society. That is beginning of human society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). My Guru Mahārāja also wanted to establish daiva-varṇāśrama. Yes. There must be the human society, not this, daiva-varṇāśrama, not this āsuric varṇāśrama. Āsuric varṇāśrama... Just like Rāvaṇa. He was also son of a brāhmaṇa, but he was rejected, that "You are not brāhmaṇa; you are rākṣasa because you do not care for Bhagavān Rāmacandra." So this is the verdict of the śāstra. So therefore daiva-varṇāśrama. Varnāśrama should be established on the principles of devata, to make people devata. Devata means viṣṇu bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Unless one is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot be a devata. He cannot be a civilized man.

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

So you should learn from the... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), learn from the mahājana. Mahājana means the devotees. Mahājana. Mahājana is also addressed in India to the baniers, means the mercantile class, mahājana. The brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita, and the kṣatriya is addressed as ṭhākura, and the vaiśyas are addressed as mahājana, and the śūdras are addressed as chaudhuri. This is Indian etiquette. So we are not talking of this banier mahājana. Mahājanas are described in the śāstra, twelve mahājana:

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
(SB 6.3.20)

So they are twelve mahājanas, and we have to follow these mahājanas. The Ṛṣabhadeva is also mahājana, and the greatest mahājana is Kṛṣṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Jana, jana means life, and mahājana, the supreme person.

Lecture on SB 5.6.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1976:

They want to say classless society. Classless society cannot be. Even in Russia, the Communist country, they wanted to break down the classless society, but they cannot manage. They have now created a manager class and the worker class. Why manager class? Make it classless. But that is not possible. Therefore in the society there must be managers and the workers. Without this you cannot work, you cannot make, keep any systematic... So managers... The varṇāśrama-dharma: the managers, the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas; and the workers, the vaiśyas and the śūdras. And less than that, less than the śūdras, the caṇḍālas, they have to be fully controlled, kirata-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), because they do not know the regulative principles of life. They are called caṇḍālas. So they are described in the śāstra. So the kṣatriyas, they used to keep these caṇḍālas under full control. Otherwise the society would be lost.

Unfortunately, there is no kṣatriya, there is no brāhmaṇa, there is no control of the caṇḍālas, and the whole world is in chaotic condition. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt. Because the caṇḍālas are majority and we are very minority. But still little portion of good thing is still good, and large amount of bad thing, that is bad. That is not good.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

These are the different steps, how one person can become civilized. So first thing is tapasā. Tapasā brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13), austerities. Therefore in the Vedic civilization the children, they are taught from the very beginning brahmacarya. Tapasā brahmacarya. A small boy, five-years-old boy... That is gurukula. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). This is a way of life, to teach the brahmācārya, brahmacarya, celibacy, to restrain from sex life. That is brahmacarya. So this is the beginning of civilization. The unlimited, unrestricted sex life like hogs and dogs, that is not civilization. Civilization, the first of all, to learn how to observe celibacy, to come to the point, no sex life. That is perfect civilization: no sex life. Therefore in the Vedic civilization you'll find the human society is divided into four orders and four spiritual or..., material and spiritual, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

So you are all initiated to become brāhmaṇa. You have become brāhmaṇa. Don't become false brāhmaṇa. Real brāhmaṇa. It is not by birth; it is by education, by practice, by knowledge. So we are offering the sacred thread to the Americans and Europeans in the Western countries, and some of our Indian contemporaries, they are not very happy with my action. They are under contemplation that a brāhmaṇa can be, I mean to say, seen by birthright. No. No. Brāhmaṇa is by qualification. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is the verdict of Kṛṣṇa. We are concerned with Kṛṣṇa, not any other else. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "By division of quality and, guṇa, and work, one must have the symptoms, the quality of a brāhmaṇa, and work as a brāhmaṇa." Not that... Quality will be tested by work. Suppose if you are engineer. You have got the quality of... But if you sit down at home, what is your value? You must be engaged in some engineer work. Suppose you are lawyer, and if you don't go to the court and sleep at your home, then what is the worth of your studying law? Therefore guṇa-karma. One should not be simply qualified as engineer or lawyer, but he must work also, as engineer, as lawyer. Then he's bona fide.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

So to fulfill the human life aim of human life, we have to become first-class human being. The first-class human being, ideal human being, is the brāhmaṇa. And the second class, the kṣatriya; the third class, vaiśya; and fourth class, śūdra. So at the present moment, Kali-yuga, kalau śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. In Kali-yuga there is no first class, second class, or even third class. All fourth-class men, śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. So therefore they are unable to perform all these tapasya or brahmacarya. Then what is their hope for progress? That has been enunciated in the śāstra, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us the formula that,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

So there is nothing to change, nothing to give up. Simply it is clearing process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). This clearing process is we should we free from the designations. Just like these boys, American and European or Australian, Japanese, so many... We have got all kinds of students, but they are now devoid of all designations. They are not thinking that "I am American." They are not thinking, "I am Indian." They are thinking always, "I am Kṛṣṇa's servant." This is purification. This is purification. Sarva upādhi. Upādhi. This is designation. I am not American, nor Indian. This is body. This is circumstantial. I am, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, and Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Brahman, and I am Brahman, His eternal servant. This is self-realization. This is called mukti. Muktiḥ hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. This is mukti. Now we are anyathā rūpam. I am thinking Even there are so many human beings here, suppose in Auckland Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American." Somebody is thinking, "I am Englishman." So upādhi, that is upādhi. But if we give up this upādhi, designation, that "I am not this..." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught that "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a vaiśya. I am not a śūdra. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a brahmacārī." These are all upādhi. Then what You are, Sir? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is called upādhi-less, or free from all designation. When we become free from all designation, then, in that purified state, if we engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa activities, that is our success of life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

So this science is unknown to the rascal civilization, how to utilize things for the best purpose. So in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśyas... First-class men, brāhmaṇa; second-class men, the kṣatriya; third-class men, the vaiśyas; and fourth-class men, all others, the worker class, śūdras. So the first-class men, the brāhmaṇa, they should give instruction, nice instruction, so that the whole human society will profit. By seeing the character of the brāhmaṇa, the behavior of the brāhmaṇa... Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā kṣāntir eva ca, jñānaṁ vijñānam. A brāhmaṇa is not, never recommended, a brāhmaṇa will make some trade or become a engineer. No. Śamo damas titikṣā, these are the qualification, characteristics, of brāhmaṇa. And śāstra says yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). When there is characteristics of a brāhmaṇa, then you should accept him as a brāhmaṇa. Not whimsically. Similarly, kṣatriya, he must be very strong and chivalrous and never be go, I mean, fly away from battle. They should come forward when there is some battle, riot. They should give protection. They are kṣatriyas. And vaiśya means... Now, the brāhmaṇas, they are not going to produce food or other things. They are simply for knowledge, giving the best knowledge to the human society. There is a need of brāhmaṇa. Everyone śūdra, simply working hard and because they are accusing, "Oh, you people are escaping..." What is escaping? We are giving the best knowledge to the human society.

So it is specially mentioned, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). The vaiśyas, food production means produce food grains, agricultural. By agriculture, you can. So much land is vacant all over the world.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

Just try to understand. Here it is said that in a Kānyakubja city... There is a city, now it is called, by the British period, it is now known as Kanauj, a city in the northern India near Kanpur city... So that is very old city, because it is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, and Bhāgavata was written five thousand years ago. So it means that city is famous since five thousand years ago, and it was inhabited by learned brāhmaṇas. So here it is said, kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścid. Dvijaḥ, dvijaḥ means brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Especially it is meant the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas. Just like in this morning we had ceremony, initiation. The second ceremony will be for offering sacred thread. So one who has got this sacred thread, he is called dvijaḥ, twice-born. Twice-born. Once born by the father and mother, and the next birth is given by the spiritual master and Vedic literature. Vedic literature is the mother and the spiritual master is the father. As in every birth the necessity of father and mother is there, similarly, in this birth also, spiritual rebirth, there is necessity of mother and father. The mother is this Vedic knowledge, and the father is the spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

So he lost all sadācāra. Kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścit. Kaścit, kaścit means "some are..." Every brāhmaṇa was very elevated. One, somebody, kaścit. Kaścid dāsī-patiḥ. And why he fell down? Because he married one maidservant, prostitute. The prostitute class, you will find in the history of India, but they are a class, a low-class woman. Otherwise, in gentleman class or higher class, namely the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya, it is not possible to mix freely. That is not possible. They still, in respectable families, the young girls, they are not allowed to go out, not to mix with any... The first young man, this, her husband, when the father-mother selects, then... This is the process. So prostitution was existent. Now I do not know what is the position. But in the low class, dāsī-pati, maidservant, sweeper, maidservant. One could mix and have the advantage of prostitution in the lower class, not in the higher class. So therefore it is stated that kaścid dāsī-patiḥ, dāsī-pati. Not the married wife, but dāsī-pati, a maidservant. And his name was Ajāmila.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

And the third class, vaiśya. Vaiśya means produce food grain, kṛṣi, agriculture, not produce food in the slaughterhouse. No. Slaughterhouse, even the sixth-class, seventh-class men... They did not know how to produce food, how to live. That means the aborigines in the jungle. They were hunting one animal, then eating, not that civilized nation, organized slaughterhouse. Oh, how horrible it is. If you want to eat an animal, then you go to the jungle, kill one animal, and eat. The government is not going to maintain a slaughterhouse for you. You see? This is the civilization. So our eatables should be food grains—kṛṣi-go-rakṣya—and milk. Kṛṣi means by agriculture process you can produce fruits, flower, vegetables, then rice, wheat, and pulses, and you have got milk. Then where is your want, scarcity? This is civilization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

So dāsī-pati. Dāsī-pati means... Formerly, if one is prostitute-hunter, then the maidservant... Still in India the lower class, the servant class, they become prostitute. First of all no gentleman is prostitute-hunter, but if he is... He cannot make in the society a innocent girl a prostitute. That is a... There is no possibility in India still, because no respectable man's daughter will mix with any unknown young man, still. So how he (she) can become prostitute? There is no possibility. So if anyone wanted prostitute, there is this professional. The prostitute... Even in Kṛṣṇa's time there were prostitute. We have seen. When Kṛṣṇa came from, came back from Hastinapura, many prostitute devotee went to receive Him. So that means in the Vedic society prostitutes are allowed. Those who are not satisfied with one wife or legitimate wife, they can go to the prostitute. But they cannot intermingle in the society and spoil the society. So this rascal became a prostitute-hunter, dāsī-pati. Therefore it is called dāsī-pati. Dāsī means śūdra, śūdra, fourth class. The first class, brāhmaṇa; second class, kṣatriya; third class, vaiśya; and the śūdra, the fourth class, the servants, they are women.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:

That will be explained. He was brāhmaṇa. He was well trained as a brāhmaṇa, but one day while he was coming home with the ingredients of worshiping the Deity, he saw one śūdra embracing another śūdra girl, embracing, kissing, because they have no shame. No brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya will do that. It is not etiquette. But because a śūdra, now it is everywhere we can see, embracing, kissing, open to everyone. So young man, seeing this, how he can restrain, check his lusty desire? It is not possible. Kali-yuga is so fallen. If a young man sees another young man he's enjoying with another young girl, then naturally his lusty desires increases. So these things are forbidden therefore. Still in some places it is forbidden that you cannot... India this is strictly forbidden. There is no such thing in the public street a young man can embrace or kiss. No. That is not possible. Then it will be criminal. Neither a young boy can dare to speak with another young girl on the street. Still it is criminal. She'll begin immediately protest that is incivility.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

If anyone does not follow regulative principles, it is very hard for him to come to the standard of śreyaḥ. But in this age, in Kali-yuga, every man is so fallen that he cannot follow any regulative principles according to the Vedic scriptures. As such, they have been accepted as śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age everyone should be accepted as śūdra." But then how to elevate them? For elevating them, this..., not the Vedic system is to be followed but Pañcarātriki. Pañcarātriki... Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed. It is not that Indians should not follow; only the others will. No. It is for everyone, Pañcarātriki-vidhi. The Pañcarātriki-vidhi means that if anyone has got little tendency for being elevated to the śreyaḥ platform, he should be given chance. That is called Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Just like dīkṣā, initiation. Śūdras are not given initiation. A śūdra cannot be initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas can be initiated, or dvija, or the vaiśyas and the kṣatriyas, the higher caste, not the śūdras. But according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, not by others. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything, whatever we see, it has got a source of generation, and that is Brahman, Absolute Truth. So these guṇas, these material guṇas, they are also generated from the Absolute Truth. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā also. But here everything is perverted reflection. Therefore we see in a different way it is represented. Guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair vibhāvyante yathā-tatham. And those qualities, guṇa-nāma, guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpaiḥ, when the qualities begin to act, they are represented in different varieties, these qualities. These qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance, when they are interacted, they represent in different varieties of representation. Just like when there is quality of goodness, then it is brahmanism. That is the representation of the quality of goodness. And when the quality of passion is represented, that is the quality of kṣatriya. And when the quality of ignorance is represented, that is the presentation of the śūdras. And mixed-up quality of ignorance and passion, that is vaiśya. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "These four qualitative representation, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya..."

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Now we are acting under the influence of different guṇas. Therefore we find the brahminical class of men, the kṣatriya class of men, the vaiśya class of men, the śūdra class of men. That is natural. Natural. A śūdra class of man, his behavior, and a brāhmaṇa class of man, his behavior, is different. And Nārada Muni says, and Bhāgavata also says, that we have to see the symptoms, how one is acting. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam. Varṇa, this catur-varṇa-brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—there are symptoms. By symptoms... Just like a physician diagnoses the disease by the symptoms of the disease, similarly, we have to accept one as brāhmaṇa by the symptoms of his behavior, not by birth. It is not said in the Bhagavad-gītā or any śāstra. That is going on in India at the present moment. By birthright one is claiming "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya." That is the cause of falldown of India's civilization. Without any qualities they are claiming, and it is passing on. Here, in every śāstra, the Nārada Pañcarātra, Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā, everywhere... It is said, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. Yasya: the varṇasya, of the varṇa, of the class, there are symptoms.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

So therefore it is coming down to Communism, dictatorship. You see? So in this way things are changing. But actually, if they follow the symptoms of a kṣatriya, then it is good for the kṣatriya king and the citizens.

But they are not following. Therefore śāstra says that the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... If one is... Kṛṣi-vāṇijyam, go-rakṣya. That is the symptom of the vaiśya. As the kṣatriyas are entrusted to protect the human beings, the vaiśya is expected to protect the cows. Unfortunately, they are not doing that. There is no kṣatriya; there is no brāhmaṇa; there is no vaiśya. Therefore the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali-yuga there is only śūdras." There is no more brāhmaṇa. Of course, there is, not "no more," but very minor quantity, very... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Brāhmaṇa means one who is aware of the Supreme Absolute Truth. And one who is above brāhmaṇa, when the Absolute Truth is worshiped, that is Vaiṣṇava. A brāhmaṇa may be qualified in so many ways, but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot be a spiritual master. That is also stated in the śāstra: ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ. A brāhmaṇa is very qualified, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ-karma, six kinds of activities. The six kinds of activities are paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Paṭhana means he must be very much serious in understanding the Vedic literatures. That is brāhmaṇa's qualification, very much studious, high-class scholar in Vedic literature, paṭhana. And pāṭhana, he must teach the Vedic knowledge.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- Detroit, June 12, 1976:

We have begun that history, kānyakubje dvijaḥ. He was born in a brāhmaṇa family of Kānyakubja city, historical fact. Kānyakubja is still there in India; it is now called Kanauj. (break) ...family. Everything was there. But accidentally, one day he was bringing flowers and other paraphernalia for worshiping Deity for his father. On the way, he saw one śūdra, fourth-class man, was embracing one śūdrāṇī. This kind of embracing, kissing, on the public street, they're never indulged in India. Especially among the high class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. No. The śūdras, they also do it very carefully. But śūdras can do. Prostitution, these things are the low-class. The high-class, no, not allowed. The high-class society, a woman cannot mix with any man. Especially unmarried. The fathers, parents, will not allow. So this person, this Ajāmila, happened to see that a young śūdra, he's embracing another young śūdrāṇī, and naturally, he became excited. And then he made contact with that prostitute, and whatever money he had he was spending for her. In this way he fell down, sadācāro. That is stated here, that naṣṭa-sadācāro, on account of mixing with a prostitute, he became completely fall down.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- Detroit, June 12, 1976:

So in that meeting Sūta Gosvāmī said, dvija-śreṣṭhā: "You are all selected first-class brāhmaṇa in this meeting." So, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇa and āśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Now, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, everything has got varieties of duties. Brāhmaṇas have got varieties of duties. Kṣatriya has got varieties. Just like brāhmaṇa: sattva śamo-damas-titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). There must be a class of men, brāhmaṇa. Otherwise, society will go to hell. Who will guide? Just like in this body there must be the head. Otherwise, what is the use of these hands and legs? There is no use. Who will give direction? They are now trying to make classless society. Therefore they are bringing the whole human society into ruination. It cannot be done. There must be classes. Just like in my body there are four divisions: brain, arms, belly, leg. So they are required. Leg is also required, hand is also required, belly is also required. Similarly, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī—varieties. And when the varieties center around Kṛṣṇa, it becomes beautiful. Kṛṣṇa center, and the circle, rasa dance, it becomes very beautiful.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

Celibacy, yes. Life of celibacy, controlling the sex desire. This is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). These things are education. And what is this nonsense education how to become a big mechanics of motorcar parts? This is not education. This is śūdra, śūdra education. It is not education. It is called śilpa. Śilpa-vidyā, brahma-vidyā. Vidyā means brahma-vidyā. Therefore, in the Vedic society, education was meant for the brāhmaṇas. Education was not meant for the śūdras. Education was meant for the brāhmaṇas, and partially of the kṣatriyas, neither of the vaiśyas nor of the śūdras. What education? Vaiśyas livelihood is, or his occupational duty is, how to produce food, how to give protection to the cows, and if there is excess stock, how to trade with it. So anyone can learn by seeing only. It doesn't require any high education. If the father is tilling the field, the son can learn it by seeing it. If the father... Just like in Vṛndāvana, we... Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa was going to tend the cows and calves of Nanda Mahārāja. There was no education. It can be learned simply by seeing others doing that. So at the present moment education means many Indians are coming to America to learn how to polish motorcar parts or how to create technology.

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

Everyone can do that, provided he lives in the village, he lives in the village and produces his own food, little labor, vegetable, food grains. Anyone can produce. This is human civilization. Therefore... Not that all, everyone has to do. The third class... First-class men, they should cultivate knowledge to guide the human society, brāhmaṇa. Śama dama titikṣa... (BG 18.42). They should learn, ideal men. Under their advice... Brāhmaṇa is considered to be the guru of other sections: kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So anyone can live very peacefully without any hard labor. What is this civilization? For getting foodstuff one has to go hundred miles away from home, daily passengers. And some of them are going in the foreign countries also. Recently there was news that in Africa, Uganda, that, the President Amin, he asked some very respectable English gentleman to carry his palanquin just to insult them. But the Englishmen, now they are in a precarious condition. The British Empire is now finished. Now they had to carry this man. And under protest they could not go away because they have got business.

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

So about his going to the forest for collecting all these things he was going. Yes. Ādāya tata āvṛttaḥ phala-puṣpa-samit-kuśān. In this way he collected all the things required for sacrifice, yajña. Sacrifice, yajña is It doesn't require any money. You can collect. Just like flowers you can collect, leaves you can collect, kuśa, a kind of grass, you can collect, and nobody will object. Even you collect from a nice garden nobody will object. So while he was coming back home with all these things, what happened? Dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic chūdraṁ saha bhujiṣyayā. Kāma, a lusty ś\ udra. There are four classes—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. So he saw one lusty śūdra, fourth class. Dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic chūdraṁ saha bhujiṣyayā. What he saw? That this śūdra was embracing another śūdrāṇī, woman śūdra. So nowadays it has become a fashion—young man is kissing another young woman on the street. So this embracing of young man and young woman on the public street was strictly prohibited, especially for the higher castes. But the śūdras, the lower class, fourth-class men, they used to do such things sometimes, not always.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

So the sannyāsīs especially, they are begging from door to door. So they have no fixed up program in which door he will go on which date. No. Anywhere they approach. Therefore atithi means generally the brahmacārī and the sannyāsa. Brahmacārī is also begging alms from door to door, and a sannyāsī also allowed, but door to door does not mean that he would collect more than is necessity. But he does not cook. A sannyāsī goes to a pure householder's life, er, home, because generally in a brāhmaṇa's house or kṣatriya or vaiśya... But not to a śūdra. This is restriction. Why? Because the three upper classes, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, especially the brāhmaṇa—they are considered the topmost—they have got Viṣṇu worship at home. Still in all brāhmaṇa's family, ancestral śālagrāma-śilā is worshiped in a brāhmaṇa family. So also in kṣatriya family also. So these sannyāsīs go to a brāhmaṇa family because it is known fact the brāhmaṇas are engaged in worshiping Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

So śūdra... This kind of business on the public street... Just like cats and dogs, they have sex pleasure without any shame on the street. Similarly, the śūdras, they embrace the opposite sex in the public street, and sometimes they have got sex also. I have seen in the Western countries—without any shame... So he saw, this brāhmaṇa boy. The brāhmaṇa boy saw. He is young man. Although he is qualified with the brāhmaṇa... Not exactly qualified; otherwise he would not have fallen. He was on the neophyte stage. Therefore we restrict, "No illicit sex." Completely forbidden. Otherwise it will be very difficult to keep oneself in the brahminical standard and make spiritual progress. Without being in the platform of brāhmaṇa, you cannot make any spiritual progress. That is not... A śūdra, a vaiśya... But they can be trained up. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo śūdrās tathā vaiśyās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
(BG 9.32)

In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a śūdra, a caṇḍāla, the lowborn, he can be elevated to the highest stage of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is higher stage than brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

So this is the beginning of saṁsāra. So there is attraction between man and woman, and as soon as the attraction becomes little intimate, they unite. Then they have children. Then they require money, apartment, so many things. This man became sinful. He gave up his real wife, married wife, coming from very good family, but he became attracted with that śūdrāṇī, fourth class. Śūdra means fourth class, worker class. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So śūdra women, they are not chaste. Some of them are practically professional prostitute. But that is not in higher caste family—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. But at the present moment it is very difficult to distinguish who is brāhmaṇa and who is śūdra. But formerly this is the system of Vedic civilization—ideal character, ideal behavior of the brāhmaṇa; less, little less, kṣatriya; little less, vaiśya; and less than the vaiśya, the śūdra; and less than the śūdras are called caṇḍālas. First class, second class, third class, fourth class, and then fifth class.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

So he became sinful because he left his married wife and he became attracted with a śūdrāṇī immediately. That has been described in the previous verse. Visasarjācirāt pāpaḥ. Pāpaḥ means sinful man. He became sinful immediately. Therefore we stress on marriage. They cannot understand why this association stresses so much for marriage, not to live... They live as friend. That is śūdra. There is no legal marriage. Śūdra and śūdrāṇī. Just like he was living with the śūdrāṇī—he was not married—as friend. So even śūdra's marriage there is. For the śūdra there is one āśrama—that is gṛhastha āśrama. And for the brāhmaṇas, four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. For the kṣatriya: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. For the vaiśyas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And for the śūdras: no brahmacārī, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a śūdra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the śāstra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe, it is stated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

So he became a śūdra. Although he was born in a brāhmaṇa family, he was being trained up, but on account of the association of a śūdrāṇī, prostitute, he fell down and he became a pāpaḥ, most sinful man. So as a pāpaḥ, he did not know how to earn money honestly. He is neither brāhmaṇa, nor kṣatriya, nor vaiśya. He is now not even śūdra, less than that. Therefore it is said, yatas tataś ca upaninye: "Somehow or other..." According to classification, a brāhmaṇa has got specific function for earning his livelihood, a kṣatriya has got a specific action for livelihood, a vaiśya has got specific action for livelihood, and a śūdra has got a specific action for livelihood. But he became less than śūdra. Therefore yatas tataś ca—"Somehow or other, bring money, bring money." This is called yatas tataś ca, no fixed up.

A brāhmaṇa... Everyone has to earn livelihood. That is a fact. Without working, you cannot live. So there are specific... Just like brāhmaṇa-yajan yājan paṭhan pāṭhan dānaḥ pratigrahaḥ. He must be very good worshiper of the Lord, and he must induce his yajamāna, his dependent. Brāhmaṇa is the head, and the kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are yajamāna. So they should induce, just like we are inducing all over the world, "Open temple. Worship Kṛṣṇa." This is brāhmaṇa's business.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

Unless the governor or the government does not give you protection, they have no place to tax. That is not. That is illegal. Therefore kṣatriya can levy tax because he gives protection. And a brāhmaṇa, he elevates the society to spiritual standard. Then simply protection and advancing in spiritual life will not do. We must have food also. So that is vaiśya's business. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). The vaiśyas should produce food. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Unless people eat, how they will live? Simply becoming king for levying tax and simply becoming brāhmaṇa to teach how to worship, but if you have no food, then what you will do? There must be arrangement for food. That is entrusted to the vaiśyas. In this way this is classification. Not by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa, and working less than a śūdra, and he is still brāhmaṇa. This is nonsense. One must be Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society is divided. According to the quality, he is working accordingly.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

So this man is a rogue, he is sinful, but because still he has got children and wife, therefore he has to earn money. But because he is sinful, he cannot earn money honestly. Yatas tataś ca upaninye. Yena tena prakāreṇa: "Bring money. Somehow or other, bring money." Yatas tataś ca upaninye nyāyataḥ anyāyataḥ. Nyāyataḥ means legally, lawfully. Nyāya means law. Anyāyataḥ, "without legal..." Just like we can earn money by stealing, but that is anyāyataḥ. You cannot touch others' property. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam (ISO 1). This is Vedic instruction. Whatever you are allotted you can "A brāhmaṇa, you can earn like this. A kṣatriya, you can earn like this. A vaiśya, you can earn like this." But don't encroach upon others' property. But he became sinful, yena tena prakāreṇa. Nyāyataḥ anyāyataḥ. Nyāyataḥ is finished because he was a brāhmaṇa. No more he is brāhmaṇa. So anyāyataḥ, simply unlawfully. Anyāya. Why? Babhāra, maintaining, asyāḥ kuṭumbinyāḥ, the family members, wife and children. Kuṭumbaṁ manda-dhīr ayam. Manda-dhīḥ. Manda means very bad, very bad intelligence. In this way he began to earn his money and gradually he degraded and that will be described, how he became degraded.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Viṣṇu, and we have to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore there is varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśramas. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varṇāśrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varṇāśrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varṇāśrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

So the Bhāgavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavān Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. So He says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says. That is bhāgavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is śūdra, no brāhmaṇa. That brāhmaṇa means guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ-guṇa, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, "by birth." Anyone who is qualified... Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title "doctor," "medical practice," not that a doctor's son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhāgavata-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). And in another place it is stated, yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañjakam. It it said by Nārada Muni to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. There are symptoms that he has... Here are the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa: satva śama dama titikṣa ārjavaṁ, jñāna-vijñāna āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So then Nārada Muni said that yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktam: "In the śāstra, as the symptoms are described, if such symptom," yadi anyatra vidṛśyeta, "if such symptoms are visible in other place," tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35), "if the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa is found in a place, other place than, either in the śūdra family or vaiśya family or kṣatriya family, then he should be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. Similarly if somebody in a brāhmaṇa family, his symptoms are like kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, then he should be designated like that." So this is bhāgavata-dharma, strictly following the words and the injunction of God. That is bhāgavata-dharma. And that is real dharma.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

Very important verse. Ideal class of men therefore needed in the society. Therefore Vedic society is divided—ideal men: the brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa, the saintly person, the sannyāsī, the rājarṣi. This is required. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the Bhagavad-gītā was taught to the rājarṣi, not to the third-class men. Rājarṣi, rāja and ṛṣi at the same time. Although king, but they were saintly king, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the ideal king. Bhagavān, Rāmacandra, the ideal king, ideal king, so ideal that because some citizen criticized that "Lord Rāmacandara, King Rāmacandra, has accepted His wife who was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa," and he was a low-class man, washerman, and still, the king, Lord Rāmacandra, thought that "My citizens are criticizing Me." Immediately He separated Lakṣmī-devi, Sītā. This is ideal king, no criticism from the citizen, even Lord Rāmacandra. This is called rājarṣi.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

So this vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), we are distributing on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. People may take that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are preaching vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—no compromise, only Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If people can take it without any hesitation... As Kṛṣṇa says, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be worried." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says Even out of sentiment we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, believing on the word of Kṛṣṇa, out of sentiment, still, we are benefited. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). It is said that if by sentiment one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmam Everyone has got his occupational duty. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or anyone—everyone has got some particular duty, obligation. But Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no need of executing all this obligation.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

Because he has begun this line of devotional service, even it is stopped at a certain point circumstantially, he is not loser." He is not loser because he will get the opportunity of another human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate: (BG 6.41) "Even one has fallen down, still, he will get the chance of taking birth"—śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe—"in the family of brāhmaṇa, first-class brāhmaṇa," śucīnāṁ, śucī, "very pure," or śrīmatām, "or very rich man, a rich vaiśya." Generally the vaiśyas are rich. So he will get chance either in a very good family of brāhmaṇa or vaiśyas. Vaiśyas are generally devotees. Therefore he gets the chance of taking birth in a nice family. And if he is fortunate or if he is guided, then he begins again Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the point where he lost it. Therefore he is not loser, whereas others who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he may be diverted, and there is no guarantee what is the next birth. Kṛṣṇa does not guarantee. Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma... (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, yathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. He will get another body. But what kind of body he is going to get, that is not certain.

Lecture on SB 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975:

So amongst the Aryans there is the division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. The Aryans, they do follow it, these Vedic principles, varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). What is the purpose of varṇāśrama? Now, viṣṇu ārādhana. Why Viṣṇu ārādhana? There are so many other demigods. That is also answered by Lord Śiva. When he was asked by Pārvatī, "What is the best form of worship?" he recommended, ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣām: "There are many different types of worship." Sarveṣam. Viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param. He never said, Lord Śiva, that "My ārādhana is..." Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, but no other demigod has ever said. No. You'll never find. Here Lord Śiva says, viṣṇur ārādhanaṁ param. Then again he stresses, tasmāt parataraṁ devī madīyānāṁ, tadīyānām ārādhanam: "Viṣṇu ārādhanam is the best, but better than this best there is another ārādhanam." What is that? Tadīyānām ārādhananam: "To worship the Vaiṣṇava." Viṣṇu ārādhana is the topmost, but Vaiṣṇava ārādhana is still more. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says, chādiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistara payeche kebā. The Vaiṣṇava ārādhana is so important.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

When people become mlecchas... Mleccha means not following the Vedic principles. Those who are following the Vedic principles, they are classified guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), in four divisions. And beyond these four divisions, who are less than śūdras, they are called mlecchas and yavanas and caṇḍālas. Their behavior is so abominable that they cannot be accepted as civilized man. Civilized man, not by so-called material advancement. Civilized man is this four division of society—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras. That is civilized society. Where there is no such division, everyone is a śūdra, that is not a civilized form of society. At the present moment the whole world is... (break)

Drakṣye tan-nabhita-susta-māyā sattva-pradhāna api kim tato me. Anye ca ye vrsyasi yo maresa bhrgradayaḥ spṛṣṭa-rajas-tamasya sapta-pradhāna..., drakṣye hi tam na viduḥ spṛṣṭa-māyā sattva-pradhāna api kim tato 'smi.(?) Bhṛgv-ādayaḥ. There are seven ṛṣis headed by Bhṛgu: Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya, like that. There are seven great ṛṣis. The seven planets you see on the northern side, they are supposed to be their abodes, bhṛgv-ādayaḥ, centering Dhruvaloka, the polestar.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

But according to our Bhāgavata school or the Vedānta school... Bhāgavata is the Vedānta, you should always remember. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. It is the right commentary on the Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta. So the falldown takes place not only of the brāhmaṇas, but also of the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and the śūdras. How the falldown takes place?

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād
ātma-prabhavam īśvaram
na bhajanty avajānanti
sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

When these classes of men forget that we are all parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as soon as they neglect... Always remember: being parts and parcel, our duty is to serve the Supreme. The same example: the finger, hand, being part and parcel of body, is always engaged in the service of the whole. So these brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, they are also parts and parcels, the same position. Brāhmaṇa is the head, kṣatriya is the arm, vaiśya is the belly, and the śūdras... But everything is required. If you want to keep up your body in sound condition of... Any part of the body is important.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So for preliminary study of Kṛṣṇa, there is Bhagavad-gītā, how to understand Kṛṣṇa. And next... Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, primary entrance to the understanding of spiritual life. This is ABCD. But people are so fallen that they cannot understand even ABCD, what to speak of becoming graduate or postgraduate. In this age people are so fallen. This Mahābhārata... Mahābhārata was given by Vyāsadeva for the less intelligent class of men: strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Śruti means Vedas. Vyāsadeva considered that stri, woman; śūdra, the fourth-class men... Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām... Dvija-bandhu means those who are born in higher-class society—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—but they are not qualified. They are simply proud of getting birth in higher families. They are called dvija-bandhu. They are equal to woman and the śūdra. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā. Trayī means the Vedas. Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, upāsana-kāṇḍa. There are three methods in understanding Vedas, and their language, their process, is very difficult. Therefore Vyāsadeva, considering the immediate inauguration of Kali-yuga... Because Vyāsadeva appeared at the end of Dvāpara-yuga. So before writing these Vedas, Vyāsadeva, by Vyāsadeva, there was no written scripture.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

They have gone away. Pakistan, twenty years ago, it was India, but they have left you. The Mussulmans, they left you because you could not control them. That is your fault. And the fault is depreciation of the Vedic culture. In the Vedic culture there is no such thing that once one has become fallen, he cannot be reclaimed. He can be reclaimed. It doesn't matter however fallen he is. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni. According to Vedic culture the lower class of people... Lower class of people means one who cannot be educated to the Vedic culture. He is called lower class. Otherwise the Vedic culture is open for everyone. So Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Never mind, papa-yoni. He can be claimed. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So suppose these Muhammadans or others in India... The Muhammadans, these Muhammadans did not come from any other part of the world. They were lower class and they, after Aurangzeb's propaganda of Obzevier(?) tax, some of them or more of them, they became Mussulmans. This is the historical fact. So why they were not reclaimed again? Reclaimed. Of course, some of the sannyāsīs, they tried to reclaim, but that was not the proper way; therefore it was failure.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, by the grace of Nārada Muni, he became a great devotee, and... From the beginning of his life. This is another advantage. If you become a devotee of the Lord, then your next life is guaranteed as human being. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). One who is a devotee but could not finish the devotional function in one life, he is given chance another, another chance to take birth in a very good family. Good family means śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe: either in the family of a very highly elevated brāhmaṇa, śucīnām, or śrīmatāṁ, or very rich family. Brāhmaṇa or vaiśya family or kṣatriya family. So either brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, it doesn't matter—a human being. So yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate. Let us begin our life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life. It doesn't matter if we cannot finish, but whatever we can finish, that is our eternal asset. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even if we slightly touch only Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then mahato bhayāt. Just like Ajamila, he was saved.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in any Vedic literature, "Hindu." It is a foreign word. Real word is varṇāśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa parā pumān. That is Vedic civilization, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. One who follow this system of civilization, they are called varṇāśramī. So the "Hindus" is a foreign name given to these Indians by the neighborhood Muhammadans. Actually, Hindu is not to be found. So when we call ourselves Hindus, that is misconception of Indian civilization. Real concept of Indian civilization, Vedic civilization, is varṇāśrama dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we shall think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This teaching we have got from the greatest authority, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am not a kṣatriya; I am not a vaiśya; I am not a śūdra; neither I am a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. I am simply servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80)." Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. So the more we advance in the matter of becoming designationless, no designation... Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we have got upādhis, designations, there are many desires, material desires. But we have to become zero about these material desires. Karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all material desires. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī-sakali 'aśānta'. Because they are in the material world. The karmīs, they are in the material world. The jñānīs, they are simply trying to get out of the material world, but their attempt will be failure because they do not catch up the real spiritual work.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Suppose a brahmacārī, he's supposed to follow the laws of celibacy, but he could not. He falls down. There are so many rules and regulations. And fall down.(?) He began the execution of devotional service, but some way or other māyā catches him and he falls down. Nārada Muni says, "Oh, there is no loss for him."Yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ ko vā artha āptaḥ abhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ. Nārada Muni says that even if he falls down he does not lose anything. But what does he gain if one is engaged in his occupational duty as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, or this or that? If he sticks to his occupational duty and does not understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what does he gain? He does not gain anything. Suppose if one follows the rules and regulations of a brāhmaṇa. His next life he may get a brāhmaṇa birth or a very, I mean to say, learned family. Like that he can get. But that is not a very good gain. But Nārada Muni says if one has begun the occupational duty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, giving up all other occupational duties, even if he falls down, that one percent, two percent, remains as his asset so that he will be able to begin from next life again Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So it is so nice that even one falls down, it will not Whatever he has done, whatever you have done, that is your permanent asset. Permanent because it is spiritual. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spiritual. As spirit soul is eternal, permanent, similarly, any activity on the spiritual platform is eternal. It will never be lost. So there are many instructions like this.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

That is your perfection. (break) Kṛṣṇa does not say that you change your occupation. Just like Arjuna. He is a kṣatriya. His business is to fight. The division of human society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, is very scientific. A kṣatriya is meant for fighting. A brāhmaṇa is meant for intelligent work. A vaiśya is meant for business. A śūdra is meant for labor. But because there is no such division, people are not trained from the very beginning. Therefore a śūdra is called by the draftboard, "Come on," to fight. Now, how he can fight? He is not a kṣatriya. So they are flying away. They're taking visa for another country and going away. How he can fight? He is not kṣatriya. So Kṛṣṇa said Arjuna that, "You are kṣatriya." He did not say... Kṛṣṇa wanted, Arjuna wanted to become a false brāhmaṇa. He said, "Oh, I shall become nonviolent, and even though I don't get my kingdom I shall beg like a brāhmaṇa and shall live away. Kṛṣṇa, don't ask me to fight." This is false brahmanism. "Oh," Kṛṣṇa said, "you are kṣatriya. You must fight." It cannot imitate a brāhmaṇa's business. This is false. So anyone has got a particular duty, as I explained in the beginning. So he, let him do that particular duty. He doesn't require to change. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). But try to see whether by execution of your particular type of duty you have satisfied God. That is your perfection. (break) ...life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

There is a very nice verse in Cāṇakya-śloka that... He gives the example, I mean to say, broadmindedness. Na hi harate jyotsnā chandraś caṇḍāla-veśmani. Caṇḍāla. Caṇḍāla, according to Vedic conception, a caṇḍāla, a class who are dog-eaters, and they are meant for very low-class duty. So they are out of the caste system. Caṇḍāla means fifth dimension. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—these four classes are accepted. And beyond that, they are called caṇḍāla. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Even one is caṇḍāla, that does not mean that moonshine will not be delivered there." The moon is so liberal that it doesn't matter whether it is the house of brāhmaṇa or it is the house of a caṇḍāla. It doesn't matter. Just like when rain falls... You have seen, experienced. There is no necessity of rain on the sea. A vast mass of water there is, but rain is falling there also. Why? It is liberal, meant for everyone. Rain is not only meant for land. It is meant for the sea also. Similarly, any God consciousness movement, it does not mean that it is meant for that particular country or for that particular section. No. Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, don't consider it, that it is meant for the Hindus or for the Indians. It is meant for everyone. Just see. Dharmān bhāgavatān.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

By nature's law we have to transmigrate in so many species of life, from aquatics to plants, trees, then insects, then flies, then birds, then beast, then uncivilized human being. Then we have got this civilized form. Especially those who are born in India. Because in India the varṇāśrama-dharma is here. India, Hindu, Hindu is a foreign name given by the Mohammedans. Actually our real position is followers of the varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas. This is the stepping stone for civilized life, varṇāśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This system of social order, I mean to say, spiritual and material, it is so systematically done that one who follows this system, automatically he becomes at the end Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the highest objective. Unfortunately they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are enchanted by the glaring materialistic, material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni means to take birth in low class family or demonic family. So pāpa-yonayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says openly, ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Anyone, it doesn't matter, even if he is born in a pāpa-yoni Pāpa-yoni means generally less than the śūdras. According to our Vedic system, four classes, varṇāśrama, social and spiritual division, the social division is brāhmaṇa first, then kṣatriya, then vaiśya, then śūdra. This is social division, and there is a spiritual division: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is compulsory regulation for becoming human being. Without varṇāśrama institution there is no recognition of human being. Without being trained up in the varṇāśrama system there is no question of becoming human being. So actually it is not by birth as human being but by culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

The real aim is to go back to home, back to Godhead, Viṣṇu. So this is the process. If we execute this varṇāśrama-dharma rightly, then we gradually make progress towards spiritual realization. It is so arranged in that way, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, not by birth but by qualification. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). If these qualifications are found anywhere else, you should accept that. Even...

That is explained by Nārada, that yasya hi yal-lakṣanaṁ proktaṁ varṇabhivyañjakam. Just like in the court, there is no such race or caste as lawyers. Anyone who knows law, he is accepted a lawyer. Similarly, the quality of brāhmaṇa is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śamo dama titikṣa satyaṁ śaucam ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So you can train anyone.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

That is the normal rules and regulation, that especially brāhmaṇa, he must go through the four āśramas, first of all become brahmacārī, then gṛhastha, then vānaprastha, then take sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. And for the kṣatriyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. And for the vaiśyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha. And for the śūdras, only gṛhastha. This is the process. This is normal process. But either one is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vai\ zya and śūdra, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness he becomes above these rules and regulations. (applause) Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

So this is required at the present moment, that you remain whatever you are, either brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, Englishman, Indian. It doesn't matter. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you do that, then everything will be perfect. And that can be very easily done by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given this mantra—it is from śāstra-harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). In this age, in Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to bring back the fallen population again to the standard of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. It is practically lost now. The best thing is that all of them combine together, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or even less than śūdra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18). Take to this process of chanting and hearing of the Lord's name. Everything will be all right. (break) ...entities, we have no such distinction.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

Even they can be raised to the highest perfection. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni. Pāpā-yoni, there are different types of pāpa-yoni. Except civilized human being, advanced human being, those who are called āryan. Āryan means those who are advanced. Below that position they are all pāpa-yoni. In the Aryan civilization there is a system of four divisions of social order and four division of spiritual order. Social order is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Therefore what is going on at the present moment as Hindu... This word you won't find in the Vedic literature. Varnāśrama. This is real Vedic system, varṇāśrama. And human life begins when one observes the varṇāśrama regulations. Varnāśrama. Human life means to elevate oneself to spiritual consciousness or God consciousness. That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim... (break)

...is the life. Because there is no education, there is no Bhāgavata-dharma preaching, people are kept completely in darkness. This is modern civilization. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. In this age, first of all, the duration of life is very small.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 5, 1975:

Varnāśrama-dharma is called dharma. Dharma... There is brāhmaṇa. He has got his duties, prescribed duties. Kṣatriya, he has got his prescribed duties. This is all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And vaiśya, he has got his prescribed duties. So even if you are executing your occupational duties very perfectly, but if you do not enhance your Kṛṣṇa consciousness it is useless. Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). It is useless. You can say, "I am executing my brāhmaṇa-dharma very nicely." No. Even if you are executing,

dharma-svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viśvaksena kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed ratiṁ yadi
śrama eva hi kevalam
(SB 1.2.8)
Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

The human life is meant for viṣṇu-ārādhanam. That is therefore the varṇāśrama: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The aim is viṣṇu-ārādhanam. Viṣṇu-ārādhanam param. We are flattering so many people to get some benefit. Everyone has to flatter. Businessman has to flatter his customer; a servant has to flatter his master; and so on, so on, some friend, some minister to get some favor. But Lord Śiva says, "So why don't you flatter Viṣṇu? Viṣṇu-ārādhanaṁ param." Tadīyānām ārādhanam. This is the sastric injunction.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Now, in another place you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the perfection of varṇāśrama, these four divisions as we have stated... And in the gṛhastha there are still four divisions. That divisions are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Those who are doing intellectual works, just like studying philosophy, science, astronomy, so many intellectual works, they are called brāhmaṇas. And those who are in the administration class, they are called kṣatriyas. Those who are in production, mercantile industry for producing things, they are called vaiśyas. And those who are laborer class, they are called śūdras. So these eight divisions. And that is known as varṇāśrama-dharma, the institution of eight divisions. The Hindus means those who follow these eight divisions of human society. That is called Hindu. Now it has become a name only, but actually this is... Actually this is Hindu religion..., this is not Hindu religion.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

So non-Aryan and Aryan, what is the difference? The Aryan civilization means this varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśramas. And non-Aryan means there is no division. Everyone is one or equal. That is advocated now at the present moment. In India also, they think of casteless society, no caste. But it is not caste. It is division of culture. Brāhmaṇa means advanced in culture, kṣatriya means less advanced than the brāhmaṇa, and vaiśya means less advanced, and śūdra is less advanced, and the pañcamas, fifth grade, sixth grade, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), they are less. In this way high grade and low grade division of the society, one who follows the high grade culture, they are called Aryans, Arya. In many places in Vedic literature the superior person is addressed as Arya.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

One who is inquisitive to understand Brahman—brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11)—he should be given chance. Just like there is a little fire. Fan it. Fanning, fanning, fanning, and it becomes a big fire. So our process is that. Anyone, we pick up anyone, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā, what to speak of the śūdra. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ. In the ordinary way the stri, woman, śūdra, the fourth-grade man, and vaiśya, they are taken together, not very intelligent. But Pāñcarātriki-vidhi offers facility even persons who are lower than these striya, śūdra, vaiśya. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). And less than that, ye 'nye ca pāpa yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ... A devotee, a pure devotee of the Lord, and if these persons take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord, then śudhyanti—they become purified by following the injunction of the spiritual master. He knows how to deal with them, how to elevate them to the brahminical position. So that is not artificial. Śāstra says, Bhāgavata says, "Yes. By such expert management these kirāta-hūṇāndhra, lower than the śūdras, śudhyanti..." Śudhyanti.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

So here is one condemnation, that taskaraḥ, sevakaḥ and vaṇik. Similarly, there is another verse in Bhagavad-gītā, striyaḥ vaiśya tathā śūdra. So stri śūdra quality, vaṇik quality, they are very backwards. So here it is said, sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. Professor Marshall, he has given reason for economic development: the family affection. Unless one has got family affection, he is not interested in money. So therefore I sometimes say that these hippies, they are little advanced because they have no affection for family and they have no affection for money also. This is... In the other way, these are good qualification: no interest, no affection. Everyone is working on account of family affection, sneha-pāśair. He has got wife and children, and he requires money to make the family happy. So..., and for maintaining the family, he requires money. Ato gṛheṣu sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

One who is situated in the sattva-guṇa, he is also existing on these eight material elements. And one who is existing in the modes of passion, he is also existing on the... Brāhmaṇa's body, take for example. Brāhmaṇa is in the sattva-guṇa, and kṣatriya is in the raja-guṇa. Vaiśya is mixed up and śūdra is the tamo-guṇa. So existing means the consciousness according to the contamination of different condition of the guṇas... This condition is the guṇas. Sattva-guṇa, one who is in sattva-guṇa, his consciousness is different from the consciousness of the raja-guṇa. One whose consciousness is raja-guṇa, his consciousness is different from the tamo-guṇa. In this way you will find different types of consciousness. In pure there are three. If they're mixed up-three into three, it becomes nine. Again mixed up-nine into nine, it becomes eighty-one. Again mixed up-eighty-one... In this way you will find varieties of life. But they're based on the three types of consciousness—sattva-guṇa consciousness, raja-guṇa consciousness, tamo-guṇa consciousness. So when one is transcendental to this contaminated consciousness, polluted by the three qualities of material nature, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1976:

Real purpose of yoga is to control the senses. Very, very difficult. Even five thousand years ago when Arjuna was being instructed on the yoga system, concentrating the mind, fixing up the mind on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the same thing. So Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is very difficult." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). It is not possible, for me at least. Yes, those who are busy, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas. Brāhmaṇa may be able. Not nowadays brāhmaṇa, those who are actually brāhmaṇa, because they practice samaḥ, damaḥ, satyam, śaucam, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, brahmacārī. They can do that. But the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas they cannot, because they have not practice samaḥ, damaḥ. But at the present moment in this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is śūdra, nobody is brāhmaṇa, by the caste system or by birthright. Śudra, kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ. So, in this age, how to concentrate the mind upon Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Actually, śāstra is not for the loafer class. For highly learned brāhmaṇas and highly elevated kṣatriyas. And the vaiśyas and the śūdras, they are not expected to become very learned in śāstra, but, being directed by proper brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, they are also perfect. The first perfect class, munayo, as it is said, sattvaikatāna gatayo munayo, "Great sages..." Generally, "great sages" means brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavas. They are situated on the sattva-guṇa by devotional service. Rajas, tamo-guṇa cannot touch them. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). The bhadra and abhadra, good and bad... So the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is bad, and sattva-guṇa is good. If we are situated, as it is said, sattvaikatāna-gatayo... If you are always situated on the sattva-guṇa, then everything is clear to be done. Sattva-guṇa means prakāṣa. Everything is clear, full knowledge. And rajo-guṇa is not clear. The example is given: just like the wood. There is fire, but the first symptom of fire, wood, you'll find smoke.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

When one is very advanced in knowledge, brahma-bhūtaḥ... Brahma-bhūtaḥ means one who has understood the Brahman, the Supreme. And a brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, one who has advanced to such knowledge. Therefore in India it is said that a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍitajī. Not paṇḍitajī like our late Jawaharlal Nehru. Paṇḍitajī means one who knows Brahman. Therefore brāhmaṇa's title is paṇḍita. And a kṣatriya's title is ṭhākura saheb, mahārāja. Not mahārāja-ṭhākura saheb. And a vaiśya's title is sethjī, and a śūdra's title is chowdari. There are respectable terms for the different classes of men. So this bhakti, it is not simply sentiment, but it is to understand actually what is God. It is science of God. Otherwise how it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā that brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā? One who has understood the Supreme, the Absolute, he is called brāhmaṇa, brahma-bhūtaḥ. And the symptom is that... How can I understand that he is a brāhmaṇa and has understood Brahman? The immediate answer is brahma-bhūtaḥ. The test is, one who is completely in knowledge of Brahman, the symptom will be prasannātmā: he will be always cheerful. There is no question of anxiety for him. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ. Prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no lamentation; there is no desire. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. There is no desire.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

Material consideration is that personal beauty, personal strength, wealth, education. These are all material. But when there is bhakti, this is from spiritual platform. The spiritual platform, the spirit soul has no connection with these material qualifications. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Even though a brāhmaṇa has got all the qualifications..." They are all, after all, material qualifications. The brāhmaṇas means they are situated in the modes of material goodness, the kṣatriya means they are situated in the quality of material passion, the vaiśya means they are situated in the mixed quality of passion and ignorance, and a śūdra means who is situated in the material quality of the modes of ignorance. And those who are less than that, the śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas or śvapaca. So a brāhmaṇa is estimated the high-class man. Why? That is also materially estimation. But if he has no devotion to the Lord, then that is... That means he has no spiritual qualification. Then a person who is born in the family of dog-eaters, if he has got this bhakti, spiritual qualification, he is more than that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

Goodness is not perfection, because this world is so that even in the platform of goodness there is passion and ignorance. It is not unmixed. Sattva, sattva-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa is the goodness. So one has to transcend the platform of goodness. That is called śuddha-sattva. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, traiguṇya-viṣaya-veda nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "My dear Arjuna, so far the Vedic injunctions are concerned, they are material, traiguṇya." Somebody is in goodness, somebody is in passion, somebody is in ignorance. Therefore the division is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. "But," He advised him, nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna, "just transcend to the three qualities of this material nature." That transcendental position is this bhakti. So unless one comes to the platform of bhakti, simply by dharma artha kāma mokṣa will not give him the highest perfection. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, therefore, begins with this understanding: dharma projjhita-kaitavo 'tra. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating. So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the so-called religiosity, which is more or less cheating, is projjhita, prakṛṣṭa-rūpena ujjhita, is completely swept over.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976:

Ojasā means strength. Just like kṣatriya, they are tejaḥ. A kṣatriya cannot tolerate that a man is being tortured before him. No, he'll take immediately. Why man? Even animal. Even animal. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed. Immediately he took his sword. And in the modern civilization, even in a city like New York, if a man is killed before one man, nobody will take care. Nobody will take care. Is it not? "Let him be killed. I am going in my own way." So this is not civilization. There is no brāhmaṇa. There is no kṣatriya. There is no vaiśya. Simply all śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. So you cannot be happy under the government of the śūdras. That is not possible. Must be tejaḥ. Government must be very, very powerful. Even, say, not more than hundred years ago, the Kashmir king was so powerful that there was no stealing in the state, on the whole state. There was no stealing. There was no thief. That is government. In the, at night I have to become concerned that thief may come, a burglar may come, so... That is not the government. One should lie down very freely: "The government is there."

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

So to come to this platform of confidence or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-mārga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles. So this whole varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, the different caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—they are very scientifically designed to elevate one gradually to the standard of "no fear," "fearfulnessless," no more fear, confident. So vipra means just the previous stage of becoming completely a brāhmaṇa. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth everyone is born a śūdra." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: "When he goes to the spiritual master and the spiritual master initiates him, at that time his second birth is there, dvija." Dvija. The birds are called also dvija because they get twice birth. Once they come as egg, the form of birth in the egg, and then, when they come out from the egg and the shell, break the shell and come out, that is real life. Similarly, we are in the egg, within the shell of ignorance. So when we come out from the shell of ignorance, that is our second birth. The first birth is by father and mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. There is also mother. The Vedic knowledge is mother, and the spiritual master is the father. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. The spiritual master trains the student gradually. That is called initiation. That is called dvija. Janmana jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth by the father and mother, everyone is śūdra." It doesn't matter where he takes his birth, not that only India they are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Everywhere. Cātur-varṇyam mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that these four system of social division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—they are all over the universe, not that... Don't think that it is in India. Everywhere.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

They say that without becoming a Hindu or born in India, nobody can become brāhmaṇa, nobody can become sannyāsī. But here is the proof. In the śāstra it says, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. The dog-eater is also highly praised. When? Tad-arpita-mano-vacana: "When he sacrifices everything—his body, his mind, his words—only for Kṛṣṇa." This is called tri-daṇḍa-sannyāsa. So why the low-grade man cannot be offered tri-daṇḍa if he is qualified? If he has dedicated everything to Kṛṣṇa, why he should be prohibited? No. That is not the śāstric injunction. Śāstric injunction is for anyone. Nobody is prohibited to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says even pāpa-yoni, less than the śūdra... Śūdra is also pāpa-yoni. Even woman is called pāpa-yoni according to strict... Striyaḥ śūdras tathā vaiśya. Vaiśya. Except brāhmaṇa and kṣatriyas, everyone is considered to be lowborn, according to the Vedic injunction. But not that because he is lowborn, he cannot elevate himself. That is not the fact. The present, so-called Hindu society is degraded because if one is born in higher family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya—he may be less than a śvapaca—he's accepted as a brāhmaṇa. That is the fault.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

So here it is stated that all these demigods, they are in the modes of goodness. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. Modes of goodness means those who are brāhmaṇas. And who are brāhmaṇas? Brahma jānāti: one who knows what is Brahman or the Absolute Truth, he is called brāhmaṇa. And he is situated in the modes of goodness. The less intelligent, that means those who are less aware of the Absolute Truth, according to the less awareness, the position is different. The first-class position is one who is aware of the Absolute Truth, he is in the goodness. Less awareness is the kṣatriya, or in the modes of passion. Less awareness is the vaiśyas, the mercantile class of people. They are in the third position. And the śūdra, they are in the fourth position, in the darkness, unawareness. And again, the degree of unawareness makes more and more abominable condition of life. Just like animal life. So here Prahlāda Mahārāja says that you have nothing to be disturbed by these people because they are in the modes of goodness. Therefore if we can produce population in the modes of goodness, there will be no problem in this material world even. Just like in the Satya-yuga, they were all brāhmaṇas, in the modes of goodness, so there was no trouble. And again, Tretā-yuga, seventy-five percent, modes of goodness. In the Dvāpara-yuga, fifty percent, and the Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent calculated to be in the modes of ignorance. Therefore we are feeling so much disturbances in the social condition, in the political condition.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness. Kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guṇa, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guṇa." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guṇa. Adhika 'smin jātaḥ sure... "Otherwise why I am born in this family?" That is the test. Now they are... By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is śūdra. That is an... Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, then antaja, (?) caṇḍāla, mean, so many, kirāta, hūṇa, pulinda, pulkaśā, abhīra, śumbha—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

Real yoga means to control the mind and the senses. That is yoga. Because without controlling the mind and the senses, there is no question of spiritual advancement. That is not possible. Without controlling the mind, there is no question of spiritual advancement. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advised to Arjuna that "You practice yoga," in the Sixth Chapter, "so that you'll be able to control the mind." But Arjuna said that "Control the mind is very difficult for me, Kṛṣṇa. I cannot practice this yoga system." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "Mind is very restless, and it is very difficult to control." Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram: "I think to control the mind is still more difficult than to control the wind." Nobody can control the wind. So Kṛṣṇa... Arjuna said, "Even though I am able to control the wind, I cannot control my mind. It is so strong." So Kṛṣṇa recommended... Kṛṣṇa not discouraged Arjuna. Arjuna is a family man, and he went to the war field to gain his victory. So everyone is engaged in some such engagement, occupational duty, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, in this world. And so mind is very difficult to control.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

Although this culture—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—is Indian culture, unfortunately we have given up. Varnāśrama-dharma, varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas, they're simply giving up. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriyas, no more vaiśyas, no more śūdras. They are less than śūdras. Pañcama. Less then śūdra means caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. There are so many divisions of caṇḍālas. Pañcama. They are called pañcama. So the whole thing is topsy-turvied. We have given up our own culture and imitating the foreigners and the Western country. That also we cannot do very properly because we are meant for different purpose in India. In India, one who has taken birth in India, it is understood that in his previous birth he tried to cultivate spiritual culture; therefore he has been given the opportunity to take birth in India. India is so fortunate. But as soon as he takes birth, the rascal leader spoils him, the rascal father spoils him, the rascal teacher spoils him. So what can they do, the poor younger generation? They are being taught that "The spiritual culture is useless. Because we are so much spiritually inclined, the foreigners came and they ruled over us. Now give up all this nonsense. Become technologist." This is going on.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

Because unless one comes to the institute of varṇāśrama-dharma—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa, gṛhastha—they are not considered as civilized. So he began from this, Rāmānanda Rāya. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said eho bāhya āge kaha, "This is external. If you know something more, you can explain." Then he recommended karma-tyāga. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, "It is external." In this way, when Rāmānanda quoted one verse from Brahmā's prayer in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Jñāne prayāsam. Brahmā recommended that one should not endeavor by his individual effort to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's business should be that he may not change his position. Means he may remain a gṛhastha, he may remain a brāhmaṇa or śūdra or a sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. In whatever position he is, he is all right.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

Then he says, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Viprād, brāhmaṇa, dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa, a brāhmaṇa not by birth but with quality. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. That is śāstra. Śāstra means, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). A brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra or a brahmacārī or a gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī, they are divided according to the quality. According to the quality. Never says janma. Quality. So here also it is said viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Dvi means double, twice, and ṣaḍ means six, then means twelve. Twelve kinds of qualities a brāhmaṇa meets. The twelve kinds of qualities are also mentioned here. (reads from Śrīdhara Swami commentary:) Evaṁ bhaktyeva kevalaya hari (indistinct) sambhavati tukta idaniṁ bhaktiṁ vinā na kiñcit toṣa (indistinct) dviṣaṭ (indistinct) guṇa (indistinct) variṣṭhaṁ manye.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

So anyone who is born of father and mother, he is accepted as śūdra. And Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is born a śūdra, the lower class. And saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And if that man, the boy, or the child, is reformed by education gradually, then he is, saṁskārad bhaved dvijaḥ, his second birth is there. So amongst the higher class, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, especially amongst the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriya, the boys were trained very nicely. Very nicely. So by reformation, when the boy is, I mean to say, mature, at the age of twelve years or thirteen years, he goes automatically to a spiritual master. He automatically goes to a spiritual master for becoming initiated. Just like sometimes some students come to me also: "Swamiji, get me..." That is the process. When one understands the importance of spiritual life, that is reformation. So automatically he offers to a learned person to accept him as his disciple. That point is, acceptance of a disciple, is the second birth. He is called dvija. Dvi means second, and ja means janma, or life. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Dvija, second life, means reformation and acceptance of spiritual master. Then education, spiritual education, begins.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

One man can purchase a two-cent worth this thread and put it on the..., "Oh, I come from a brāhmaṇa family." Without any education, without any acceptance of spiritual master and without anything, simply by showing the thread, that "I have got this thread," he becomes a brāhmaṇa or vipra, or twice-born or... Nonsense. But this will be done in Kali-yuga. Actually, these things are being done in India especially. Because here, in your country, there is no sacred thread ceremony, but in India there is this division of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and still the sacred thread ceremony is there. So in order to pose oneself as born of high family, one can simply purchase two-cent-worth thread and put on the breast and he can introduce himself, "Oh, I am brāhmaṇa." And nobody is going to inquire whether he is actually a brāhmaṇa. As soon as one sees that sacred thread: "Oh, he's a brāhmaṇa." That's all. So this is the, another symptom of Kali-yuga, that simply by two-cent-worth sacred thread one becomes a brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

It is the Kali-yuga's conspiracy." Anyway he sent the news to the king that "My son foolishly has cursed you. This is... But what can I do? It is God's wish. It has been done. So you be prepared." Now, just see, even a boy born of a brāhmaṇa, how much he was powerful. If a ten years old, he could curse such a great king and he had to abide by that. This was the condition of kṣatriya, brāhmaṇa, and vaiśya and śūdra.

Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society, by the will of God there are four classes of men. The first-class is the brāhmaṇa; the second-class, the kṣatriya; the third-class, the vaiśyas; and all others, fourth-class, śūdras. So at the present moment, practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, only śūdras, fourth-class men. So you cannot expect any happiness guided by the fourth-class men. That is not possible.

Page Title:Mercantile class - vaisya (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Mayapur
Created:28 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=307, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:307