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So-called daridra narayana

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Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

The so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa, a misconception of the Supreme Lord by unauthorized persons, is never to be found in the śāstras as the object of charity.
SB 1.12.14, Purport:

The word tīrthavit is significant because the King knew well where and when charity has to be given. Charity is never unproductive or blind. In the śāstras charity was offered to persons who deserve to accept charity by dint of spiritual enlightenment. The so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa, a misconception of the Supreme Lord by unauthorized persons, is never to be found in the śāstras as the object of charity. Nor can a wretched poor man receive much munificent charity in the way of horses, elephants, land and villages. The conclusion is that the intelligent men, or the brāhmaṇas specifically engaged in the service of the Lord, were properly maintained without anxiety for the needs of the body, and the King and other householders gladly looked after all their comforts.

SB Canto 9

Although it has now become fashionable to give preference to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa, or "poor Nārāyaṇa," Rantideva had no reason to give preference to any one person.
SB 9.21.6, Purport:

"The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste)." A paṇḍita, or learned person, perceives the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living being. Therefore, although it has now become fashionable to give preference to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa, or "poor Nārāyaṇa," Rantideva had no reason to give preference to any one person. The idea that because Nārāyaṇa is present in the heart of one who is daridra, or poor, the poor man should be called daridra-nārāyaṇa is a wrong conception. By such logic, because the Lord is present within the hearts of the dogs and hogs, the dogs and hogs would also be Nārāyaṇa. One should not mistakenly think that Rantideva subscribed to this view. Rather, he saw everyone as part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ). It is not that everyone is the Supreme Godhead. Such a theory, which is propounded by the Māyāvāda philosophy, is always misleading, and Rantideva would never have accepted it.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

One should not accept the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas as incarnations, because they are completely unable to show the opulence of the genuine incarnations of God.
CC Adi 12.35, Purport:

Although it is contradictory to say that the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His incarnation is poverty-stricken, we find in the revealed scriptures that when the Lord incarnated as Vāmana, He begged some land from Mahārāja Bali. Everyone knows, however, that Vāmanadeva was not at all poverty-stricken. His begging from Mahārāja Bali was a device to favor him. When Mahārāja Bali actually gave the land, Vāmanadeva exhibited His all-powerful position by covering the three worlds with three steps. One should not accept the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas as incarnations, because they are completely unable to show the opulence of the genuine incarnations of God.

CC Antya-lila

Haridāsa Ṭhākura never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas (“poor Nārāyaṇas”) or any other such persons. The Vedic civilization recommends that one give charity to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs, not to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas.
CC Antya 3.136, Purport:

Haridāsa Ṭhākura's instruction that the prostitute should distribute to the brāhmaṇas all the property she had at home is very significant. Haridāsa Ṭhākura never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas ("poor Nārāyaṇas") or any other such persons. According to Vedic civilization, charity should be given only to the qualified brāhmaṇas. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.42):

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

The brahminical qualifications are truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, practical application of transcendental knowledge in one's life, and full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Persons engaged in pursuing spiritual understanding have no time to earn their livelihood. They depend completely on the mercy of the Lord, who says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.22) that He personally carries to them all their necessities (yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham).

The Vedic civilization recommends that one give charity to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs, not to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas. Nārāyaṇa cannot be daridra, nor can daridra be Nārāyaṇa, for these are contradictory terms. Atheistic men invent such concoctions and preach them to fools, but charity should actually be given to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs because whatever money they get they spend for Kṛṣṇa. Whatever charity one gives to a brāhmaṇa goes to Kṛṣṇa, who says in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Here everyone is daridra because everyone is lacking knowledge. So nobody is rich. Here the so-called rich is also daridra because he has no knowledge. And the so-called daridra is also daridra.
Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Nowadays a fashion has become, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. This is nonsense. What is the daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā? Why you are taking care of the daridras? If you have got such vision, such outlook, that in everyone's heart... That is a fact. Everyone's heart there is Nārāyaṇa. There is no denial. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in everyone's heart." If you have got such vision—you are seeing in everyone the Supreme Nārāyaṇa—then why should you designate only the daridras? Others also, you should see dog-nārāyaṇa. You should see kukkura-nārāyaṇa. Why daridra-nārāyaṇa?

If you have got such broad vision, why you are taking particular? That is imperfect vision. You cannot send the chāga-nārāyaṇa, goat-nārāyaṇa, to the slaughterhouse and allow the daridra-nārāyaṇa to eat the meat. This is not bhakta's business. This is demonic. Bhakta's business is... Here it is clearly stated, adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām. You should be equally kind to everyone, to the daridras, to the dhanīs also. Here everyone is daridra because everyone is lacking knowledge. So nobody is rich. Here the so-called rich is also daridra because he has no knowledge. And the so-called daridra is also daridra.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Practically there is no respect from the side of Lakṣmī to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa. But there, thousands and thousands of Lakṣmīs are very respectfully serving the Lord.
Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

When we go to India, why we see so many daridra-nārāyaṇas are lying on the footpath?" These questions are being made. One of the big Ramakrishna Mission swamis, Swami Nikhilananda, he told me. It is not my manufactured story. Actually, people are claiming welfare society, welfare activities. But what welfare they are doing actually? The welfare activities are increasing, and the candidates for receiving the welfare, they are increasing. You are trying to serve the daridra-nārāyaṇa, but actually the number of daridra-nārāyaṇas are increasing daily. So that is the position. Here, practically, Nārāyaṇa cannot be daridra. That is another illusion. Nārāyaṇa is the husband of the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī. How He can be daridra? It is also manufactured word. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.29). Here we keep one Lakṣmī, but as soon as there is any little discrepancy, the Lakṣmī immediately becomes angry and there is divorce. Practically there is no respect from the side of Lakṣmī to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇa. But there, thousands and thousands of Lakṣmīs are very respectfully serving the Lord. You'll read in the story of Rukmiṇī, the prime Lakṣmī of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One day Kṛṣṇa was a little joking, and she took it very seriously, and she immediately fainted. So much respect. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa might be thinking of leaving me." So she fainted immediately. So much sambhrama. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ (Bs. 5.29). These are the statements of scripture. And when Kṛṣṇa was actually present on the planet, He showed it, how much He is respectfully served by His sixteen thousand wives, and how much comfortably He kept all of them in different palaces, and expanding Himself into sixteen thousand forms. That is God. That is God.

Page Title:So-called daridra narayana
Compiler:Laksmipriya, Serene, Rishab
Created:30 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=2, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:6