Brahmana family (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"brahmana" |"brahmanas" |"brahminical" |"families" |"family"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "brahmana* family"@5 or "brahmana* families"@5 or "brahminical family"@5 or "brahminical families"@5

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they belonged to a very high-class brāhmaṇa, Sarasvata Brāhmaṇa, very rich men. But both the brothers accepted service in Mohammedan government as ministers, and they were immediately rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. It is not very long ago, say, about five hundred years ago. The brāhmaṇa society was so strong. As soon as they will accept service. You know, the Tagore family of Calcutta, Rabindranatha Tagore, they are also brāhmaṇas. But we know, in our childhood, they were also excommunicated from the brāhmaṇa family because they also accepted service.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

Initiation is meant for the persons who are born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, or vaiśya family. The śūdra has no initiation. So in India there are professional gurus. They initiate śūdras, but do not eat foodstuff touched by the disciple. So there are so many things, that if he's initiated, how he can remain śūdra? But they keep him śūdra; at the same time, they become guru.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

If a man from the śva-pacaḥ family, or the caṇḍāla family, he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, strictly according to the orders, then he can become guru, but not a brāhmaṇa if he's not a Vaiṣṇava. This is the stricture. Even one is born in the family of a brāhmaṇa, and he's not only born, he's qualified, sat-karma-nipuṇo... Nipuṇo means qualified.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

Another thing, this Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata. And the Mahābhārata was written for strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, strī, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means a person born in high family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, at least brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but he's not qualified brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity...

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

Our aim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and this can be done perfectly if we follow the regulative principles of jāti-dharma, kula-dharma. Jāti-dharma means if you are born in the family of a brāhmaṇa you have got particular duties. Simply if you think yourself that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family; my duty is all finished. Now I can do whatever nonsense..." They think like that. I have spoken. They are very much proud of taking birth in brāhmaṇa family. So when others are engaged in devotional service, they say, "Oh, you are born in lower family. You have got to do this. We are born in brāhmaṇa... We have nothing to do." You see? But they do not know that jāti-dharma kula-ghnānām, utsanna-kula-dharmānam. If you are actually brāhmaṇa, you must keep your family tradition. That is brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Just like we are propagating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is classless society. Here you will find Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, but they have forgotten that they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians or Americans or Indians. They are all identifying, "We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is classless society. This is classless society. There is no distinction. Here a Hindu coming from very respectable brāhmaṇa family and another man is coming from the dog-eater's family. It doesn't matter. As soon as one becomes Vaiṣṇava he is classless society.