Caste (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"caste" |"casteless" |"castes"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So these are the some of the glorious points of this fight. But he depended on Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna. Therefore he was successful, victorious. You do, act as kṣatriya. Not that as kṣatriya he should become a brāhmaṇa beggar, no. A kṣatriya cannot be beggar, neither a brāhmaṇa cannot be vaiśya. This is real caste system. But you work as a cobbler, and at the same time you claim to become a brāhmaṇa, this is not allowed. Formerly the king used to see whether a brāhmaṇa is acting like a brāhmaṇa. Otherwise he will be stopped. Then he will be designated as he is working. This was the duty of the king to see that everyone is employed according to his profession. It was the duty of the king to see. Everyone must be employed. A brāhmaṇa must be working like a brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya must be working like a kṣatriya. A vaiśya must be working as a... Otherwise he cannot say.