Equal opportunity

Expressions researched:
"equal opportunity"

Festival Lectures

Harijana means the servants of the Supreme Lord. So that is not ordinary thing. There is no harm to create Harijana by regular process, but you cannot make Harijana simply by stamping. Bhagavad-gītā says, equal opportunity for everyone.

Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha Deity Installation -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

There is no hindrance for anyone to become Harijana. Harijana means God's person or devotee. Hari means God, Kṛṣṇa, and jana means His person. Just like we have got here government servant, special, or ordinary person. So Harijana means the servants of the Supreme Lord. So that is not ordinary thing. There is no harm to create Harijana by regular process, but you cannot make Harijana simply by stamping. Bhagavad-gītā says, equal opportunity for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśrityā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Low-class born birth is understood due to sinful activities. Low-class birth, animal birth. Sinful activities. But Kṛṣṇa says, pāpa-yonayaḥ, born in sinful families, never mind. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśrityā... If he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by bona fide process, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśrityā. Vyapāśrityā means bona fide process. Not an imitation, bona fide. And bona fide means as they are depicted, as they are described, as they are enjoined in the authorized śāstra like śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañca... (Brs. 1.2.101). Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśrityā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Never mind in whatever family one is born, sinful family, never mind. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ, including woman and śūdras and vaiśyas, they are considered as less intelligent. They are considered as less intelligent. Therefore, according to Vedic system, a boy born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is allowed all the saṁskāras, reformatory, purificatory process, but the girl is not. Why? Now, because a girl has to follow her husband. So if her husband is brāhmaṇa, automatically she becomes brāhmaṇa. There is no need of separate reformation. And by chance she may be married with a person who is not a brāhmaṇa, then what is the use of making her a brāhmaṇa? That is the general method.