Brahmana vaisnava

Expressions researched:
"brahmanas vaisnavas " |"vaisnavas brahmanas" |"brahmana-vaisnava" |"vaisnava brahmana" |"brahmana vaisnavas" |""brahmanas vaisnava" |"vaisnava brahmanas" |"brahmana vaisnava"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 6.41, Purport: The unsuccessful yogīs are divided into two classes: one is fallen after very little progress, and one is fallen after long practice of yoga. The yogī who falls after a short period of practice goes to the higher planets, where pious living entities are allowed to enter. After prolonged life there, one is sent back again to this planet, to take birth in the family of a righteous brāhmaṇa vaiṣṇava or of aristocratic merchants.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

SB 3.6.33, Purport: A brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra can perfect his occupational duties only by rendering service unto the Lord. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to know this fact due to his perfection in Vedic wisdom. The other sections are supposed to follow the direction of the brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava (one who is a brāhmaṇa by qualification and a Vaiṣṇava by action). That will make the entire society perfect in regard to the order of its social construction. A disordered society cannot satisfy either the members of the society or the Lord.

SB 3.29.32, Purport: Artha jña brāhmaṇa refers to one who has made a thorough analytical study of the Absolute Truth and who knows that the Absolute Truth is realized in three different phases, namely Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. If someone not only has this knowledge but is able to clear all doubts if questioned about the Absolute Truth, he is considered better. Further, there may be a learned brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava who can explain clearly and eradicate all doubts, but if he does not follow the Vaiṣṇava principles, then he is not situated on a higher level. One must be able to clear all doubts and simultaneously be situated in the brahminical characteristics.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.14.41, Purport: In their elevated condition, the brāhmaṇas are called Vaiṣṇavas. There are two types of brāhmaṇas—namely, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita and brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. A qualified brāhmaṇa is naturally very learned, but when his learning is advanced in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Unless one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, one's perfection of brahminical culture is incomplete.

SB 4.21.37, Purport: The simple definition of Vaiṣṇava is given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: a person who immediately reminds one of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is a Vaiṣṇava. In this verse, both Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmaṇas are mentioned. A Vaiṣṇava is a learned brāhmaṇa and is therefore designated as brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita or as a Vaiṣṇava and brāhmaṇa. In other words, a Vaiṣṇava is supposed to be a brāhmaṇa already, but a brāhmaṇa may not be a pure Vaiṣṇava.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.10.4, Purport: The other palanquin carriers were śūdras, whereas Jaḍa Bharata was not only a high-caste brāhmaṇa but also a great devotee. Śūdras do not sympathize with other living beings, but a Vaiṣṇava cannot act like a śūdra. Whenever a śūdra and a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava are combined, there will certainly be imbalance in the execution of duties. The śūdras were walking with the palanquin without at all caring for the ants on the ground, but Jaḍa Bharata could not act like a śūdra, and therefore difficulty arose.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.14.38, Purport: One should give charity to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas, for thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be worshiped. In this connection, Śrīla Madhvācārya comments:

brahmādi-sthāvarānteṣu

na viśeṣo hareḥ kvacit

vyakti-mātra-viśeṣeṇa

tāratamyaṁ vadanti ca

Beginning from Brahmā down to the ant, everyone is conducted by the Supersoul (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]). But because of a particular person's advancement in spiritual consciousness, he is considered to be important. Therefore, the brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava is important, and, above all, the Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, is the most important personality.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.4.15, Translation: Therefore, after getting up from bed in the morning, those who desire their own welfare—especially the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and in particular the brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇavas—should chant this narration as it is, without deviation, to counteract the troubles of bad dreams.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.4.21, Purport: The Lord has given perfect advice in Bhagavad-gītā, and Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, as the ideal executive head, ruled the entire world as a Vaiṣṇava, taking advice from Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas. The śāstras enjoin that even though a brāhmaṇa may be well versed in the occupational brahminical duties and may be very learned in Vedic knowledge, he cannot give advice as a guru until he is a Vaiṣṇava.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.48, Translation: At this time a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava following the Vedic principles came and offered obeisances. He fell flat before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and invited Him for lunch.

CC Madhya 8.49, Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the invitation of the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa. Even though one is a brāhmaṇa strictly following all the rules and regulations of brahminical culture, if he is not a devotee, a follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one should not accept his invitation. At the present moment people have become so degraded that they do not even follow the Vedic principles, to say nothing of Vaiṣṇava principles. They eat anything and everything—whatever they like—and therefore the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be very cautious about accepting invitations.

CC Madhya 8.128, Purport: A Vaiṣṇava is understood to be above the position of a brāhmaṇa. As a preacher, he should be recognized as a brāhmaṇa; otherwise there may be a misunderstanding of his position as a Vaiṣṇava. However, a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa is not selected on the basis of his birth but according to his qualities. Unfortunately, those who are unintelligent do not know the difference between a brāhmaṇa and a Vaiṣṇava. They are under the impression that unless one is a brāhmaṇa he cannot be a spiritual master.

CC Madhya 9.82, Purport: Śrī Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa and an inhabitant of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra. He belonged to the disciplic succession of Śrī Rāmānujācārya. Śrī Raṅga is one of the places of pilgrimage in the province of Tamil Nadu. The inhabitants of that province do not retain the name Veṅkaṭa. It is therefore supposed that Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa did not belong to that province, although he may have been residing there for a very long time.

CC Madhya 9.91, Translation: All the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas residing in Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra invited the Lord to their homes. Indeed, He had an invitation every day.

CC Madhya 9.93, Translation: In the holy place of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra, a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava used to visit the temple daily and recite the entire text of the Bhagavad-gītā.

CC Madhya 19.160, Purport: One may become attached to the four sinful activities—illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating—or one may consider a Vaiṣṇava to belong to a mundane caste or creed. One may think, “This is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava, and this is a European Vaiṣṇava. European Vaiṣṇavas are not allowed to enter the temples.” In other words, one may consider Vaiṣṇavas in terms of birth, thinking one a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava, another a śūdra Vaiṣṇava, another a mleccha Vaiṣṇava and so on. One may also try to carry out a professional business by means of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or one may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. Also, one may become a cheap Vaiṣṇava by trying to chant in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputation by making compromises with nondevotees concerning one’s philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system. All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes known as a sādhu, mahātmā or religious person. All this means that the so-called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real creeper, the bhakti-latā, has been stunted.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 81: Not only must a brāhmaṇa be well qualified according to the requirements stated in scriptures such as Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but at the same time he must be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The vivid example is Sudāmā Vipra. He was a qualified brāhmaṇa, unattached to all sorts of material sense enjoyment, and at the same time he was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enjoyer of all sacrifices and penances, is very fond of a brāhmaṇa like Sudāmā Vipra, and we have seen by the actual behavior of Lord Kṛṣṇa how much He adores such a brāhmaṇa. Therefore, the ideal stage of human perfection is to become a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava like Sudāmā Vipra.

Krsna Book 86: “Moreover, the very purifying potency of pilgrimages or worship of different demigods is also achieved by the grace of saintly persons. A pilgrimage site becomes a holy place because of the presence of the saintly persons. My dear Śrutadeva, when a person is born as a brāhmaṇa, he immediately becomes the best of all human beings. And if such a brāhmaṇa, remaining self-satisfied, practices austerities, studies the Vedas and engages in My devotional service, as is the duty of the brāhmaṇa—or in other words, if a brāhmaṇa becomes a Vaiṣṇava—how wonderful is his greatness! My feature of four-handed Nārāyaṇa is not so pleasing or dear to Me as is a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa means ‘one well conversant with Vedic knowledge.’ A brāhmaṇa is the insignia of perfect knowledge, and I am the full-fledged manifestation of all gods. Less intelligent men do not understand Me, nor do they understand the influence of the brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. They are influenced by the three modes of material nature and thus dare to criticize Me and My pure devotees. A brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava, or a devotee already on the brahminical platform, can realize Me within his heart, and therefore he definitely concludes that the whole cosmic manifestation and its different features are effects of different energies of the Lord. Thus he has a clear conception of the whole material nature and the total material energy, and in every action such a devotee sees Me only, and nothing else.