Sanātana Gosvāmī says, because he has enunciated this rule for the so-called rigid Brahmins, they say, "Without taking birth in a Brahmin family there is no possibility of one's becoming a Brahmin." But Bhagavad-gītā does not say like that. Bhagavad-gītā says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "These four principles of caste—Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—I have created that division." Now, it is creation of God. Nobody can nullify it.
So that division is everywhere. Not only in India or Hindu society or . . . no. Everywhere. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: by classification of quality and work. Here also the same thing is there. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also confirms this by Nārada Muni, when he describes about these four principles of social division, he says, yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyañjakam (SB 7.11.35). Now there is classification who is a Brahmin, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya, the qualities. Because according to quality, the divisions shall be there. Now in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the Brahmin's quality, the vaiśya's quality, the śūdra's quality.
So Bhāgavata also confirms that yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ syāt. The symptoms of a person qualifying himself to become a Brahmin or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, that is the main principle. If that symptom is found elsewhere, he should be accepted in that classification. Suppose a man is born in a śūdra family or less than a śūdra family, but if his qualities are just like Brahmin, then he should be accepted as Brahmin. That is Bhāgavata's . . .
So this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a manufacturing process of Brahmin, Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means surpassing the Brahminical stage. Brahma jānātī iti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who has realized Brahman, he is called Brahmin. After realization of Brahman, then realization of Paramātmā, then realization of Bhagavān.
And one who comes to the stage of understanding Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, he is called Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava means he is already a Brahmin. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said:
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
The devotional service begins when one has already realized Brahman. Because to whom rendering devotional service? To the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. And Bhagavān is the last word in the Absolute Truth.
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas
- tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti
- bhagavān iti śabdyate
- (SB 1.2.11)
The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: first impersonal Brahman realization, then localized Paramātmā realization, and then the last word is to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
- jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
- vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
- sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
- (BG 7.19)
One who has accepted that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa is Vāsudeva—sa mahātmā, he is the greatest soul. And Bhāgavata confirms:
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- bhakti-yogaḥ-prayojitaḥ
- janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
- jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
- (SB 1.2.7)
If one is engaged in the transcendental loving service to Vāsudeva, then automatically the stage of Brahman realization automatically becomes revealed.
So this ceremony is just according to the strict principle of Vaiṣṇava smṛti. And today . . . and Sanātana Gosvāmī confirms this, that yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.12). By chemical process, one can turn the bell metal into gold. That is alchemistry, that bell metal, if it is treated with mercury properly, then it can become gold. Formerly people knew it. So the example is given that as bell metal, a base metal, can be turned into gold by a chemical process.