Category:Brahmanas and Charity
Pages in category "Brahmanas and Charity"
The following 102 pages are in this category, out of 102 total.
2
A
- A brahmana is sometimes offered land and cows in charity, and thus for his livelihood he may act in the same way as a vaisya, by cultivating land, giving protection to cows and trading off his surpluses
- A brahmana is supposed to be qualified with twelve qualities. As stated in the Mahabharata: He must be detached, humble and tolerant. He must not envy anyone, and he must be expert in performing sacrifices and giving whatever he has in charity
- A brahmana or sannyasi is qualified to ask charity from others, but if he takes more than necessary he is punishable. No one can use more of the Supreme Lord's property than necessary
- A brahmana should do this (adhyayana, adhyapana, yajana and yajana) without remuneration, but he is allowed to accept charity from a person whom he teaches how to be a human being
- A ksatriya does not refuse to give charity when requested by a brahmana, nor can he refuse to fight another ksatriya. A king who does refuse is called low-minded. In the dynasty of Bali Maharaja there were no such low-minded kings
- A ksatriya's business is not to beg. A brahmin can beg. A brahmin can accept charity, but ksatriya cannot accept any charity from anyone else, neither he can come down to do business like the vaisyas. That is not
- A ksatriya's duty is to give charity, & a brahmana's duty is to accept charity, but not more than needed to maintain body & soul together. Therefore, when the brahmanas were given so much land by Lord Ramacandra, they returned it to Him & were not greedy
- A learned brahmana should become a teacher, a priest and a recipient of charity. A bona fide brahmana is authorized to accept such professions
- A man who is charitably disposed is recommended to give cows to the brahmanas. From King Nrga's statement, it appears that he followed this principle earnestly; however, as a result of a slight discrepancy he was forced to take birth as a lizard
- According to the Vedic system, charity is given to the brahmanas. It is stated in the Vedic sastras that only the brahmanas and the sannyasis can accept charity
- According to the Vedic system, one should give charity to sannyasis and brahmanas because one who thus gives charity becomes free from sinful activities
- According to the Vedic system, whenever there is an auspicious ceremony in the ksatriya king’s palace, out of joy the king gives many things in charity. Cows decorated with golden ornaments are delivered to the brahmanas and sages
- According to Vedic injunction one should purify such wealth by giving cows and gold in charity to the brahmanas. A newborn child is also purified by gifts of grain in charity to the brahmanas
- Advaita Gosvami, after performing the sraddha ceremony for his father, offered charity to Haridasa Thakura, although it was known to everyone that Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family, not a brahmana family
- After arriving there, all of them took bath, and with the water of this place of pilgrimage they offered their respects to the forefathers, demigods and great sages and thus satisfied them. They gave cows to the brahmanas in royal charity
- All the people gathered there asked the elderly brahmana, "If you have already promised to give him your daughter in charity, why are you not fulfilling your promise? You have given your word of honor"
B
- Bali Maharaja possessed all the lands of the universe, and he happened to be charitably disposed toward the brahmanas. The Lord therefore pretended to be a beggar brahmana, and He asked Bali Maharaja for a measurement of three footsteps of land
- Bali's spiritual master and family priest, Sukracarya, repeatedly warned him about this, yet Bali did not hesitate to give in charity whatever the brahmana wanted, and at last he gave up everything to that brahmana
- Being so pleased by Krsna's return, Maharaja Nanda gave many cows and much gold in charity to the brahmanas. While Nanda Maharaja was thus engaged, mother Yasoda simply embraced Krsna and made Him sit on her lap while she shed tears continuously
- Brahmana's business is dana-pratigraha. He will collect. Brahmana has the right to collect from his disciples, spiritual master. But he will distribute it. Dana-pratigraha. He will be also a man charitably disposed, spending that money for public welfare
- Brahmanas have six occupational duties, of which three are compulsory - namely, studying the Vedas, worshiping the Deity and giving charity. By teaching, by inducing others to worship the Deity and by accepting gifts, they receive the necessities of life
- By purificatory ceremonies, birth is purified; by austerity, the senses are purified; and by worship and charity offered to the brahmanas, material possessions are purified - SB 10.5.4
C
- Charity is generally given to high-class brahmanas, but Krsna and Balarama did not appear in a brahmana family. Balarama was known as the son of Vasudeva, a ksatriya, and Krsna was known in Vrndavana as the son of Nanda Maharaja, who was a vaisya
- Charity is offered to the brahmanas because since they are always engaged in higher spiritual service, they have no time to earn their livelihood. BG 1972 purports
- Charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brahmana or a Vaisnava or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. BG 1972 pur
- Charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brahmanas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause. BG 1972 purports
- Charity should actually be given to brahmanas and sannyasis because whatever money they get they spend for Krsna. Whatever charity one gives to a brahmana goes to Krsna
D
- Danaih refers to charity which is offered to a suitable party. such as those who are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas. BG 1972 purports
- During this ceremony, Vasudeva gave various ornaments in charity to the brahmanas and endowed them with cows decorated with silken cloths and golden ornaments
F
- Following this custom (vag-datta), which is very old in India, the elderly brahmana promised to give his daughter to the younger brahmana in charity, and he promised this before the Gopala Deity
- Formerly the brahmanas, real brahmanas, they refused to take any charity from others, even up to this date, because according to Vedic system, when charity was to be given, it is to be given to the brahmanas or the sannyasis. That is real charity
I
- If a learned brahmana takes charity from others only according to his needs, he does not become entangled in sinful activities
- If one offers charity to a brahmana who is not a devotee, the Lord does not accept; but if something is offered to a devotee, the Lord accepts. In other words, whatever a person wishes to offer the Lord may be given to His devotees
- If our family has given charity to the proper persons, if we have performed ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices I wish, in exchange, that this brahmana be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarsana cakra
- If someone says, 'Place this charity in the hand of the husband of the wife of the brahmana,' when we hear these contradictory words we immediately understand that the brahmana's wife has another husband
- If the money is given in charity to a learned & fully qualified brahmana, the money is returned a hundred & a thousand times, if the money is given to a veda-paraga (one who has realized the path of the Vedas) it is returned by unlimited multiplication
- If the money is given in charity to a non-brahmana (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brahmana, even then the money is returned double
- In another palace He (Krsna) was found (by Narada) giving well-decorated cows in charity to the brahmanas
- In the formation of a body, the head is the principal factor. The brahmanas are born from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to accept charity for worship of Visnu and to spread Vedic knowledge
- In the presence of all the townspeople, Lord Gopala bore witness that the elderly brahmana had offered his daughter in charity to the young brahmana
- It is a custom of Vedic culture that whenever there is any auspicious ceremony, one should give valuable cows in charity to the brahmanas
K
- King Jarasandha was very liberal in giving charity to brahmanas, and thus he informed Lord Krsna, Bhima and Arjuna: "My dear brahmanas, you may ask from me whatever you like. If you so desire, you may take my head also. I am prepared to give it"
- Krsna said, "The brahmanas should be given all kinds of grain in charity. Then decorate all the cows and feed them well. After performing this, give money in charity to the brahmanas"
- Krsna used to give cows in charity to the brahmanas, with opulent decorations and paraphernalia. Then, wishing for the welfare of all living entities, He would touch auspicious articles such as milk, honey, ghee (clarified butter), gold, jewels and fire
- Krsna, Bhima & Arjuna together went to Jarasandha in the dress of poor brahmanas & begged charity from King Jarasandha. Jarasandha never refused charity to any brahmana, & he performed many sacrifices also, yet he was not on a par with devotional service
M
- Maharaj Bali once told his priest, Sukracarya, "As far as this brahmana dwarf (the incarnation Vamanadeva) is concerned, if He is Lord Visnu, a simple brahmana, or even my enemy, I have decided to give to Him in charity all the land He has asked for"
- Maharaja Ambarisa satisfied all the guests who arrived at his house, especially the brahmanas. He gave in charity sixty crores of cows whose horns were covered with gold plate and whose hooves were covered with silver plate
- Maharaja Virocana, Bali's father, was so pleased with the brahmana community that even though he knew that those approaching him for charity were the demigods in the dress of brahmanas, he nonetheless agreed to give it
- Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brahmana
- Mother Yasoda called for the brahmanas, and through her children she gave many cows in charity for the occasion of Krsna's birthday. In this way she performed the birthday ceremony of Krsna at home
- Mother Yasoda told Krsna, "Today is Your birthday ceremony; therefore You should come back home and give cows in charity to the brahmanas. Don't You see how Your playmates are decorated with ornaments by their mothers?"
N
- Nanda Maharaja distributed to the brahmanas 200,000 cows, which were well decorated with cloth and ornaments. He gave the brahmanas not only cows in charity but also hills of grain decorated with ornaments and golden-bordered cloth
- Nanda Maharaja first fed the brahmanas sumptuously and then gave them in charity first-class cows fully decorated with golden necklaces, garments and flower garlands
- Nanda Maharaja gave two million cows, completely decorated with cloth and jewels, in charity to the brahmanas. He also gave them seven hills of grain, covered with jewels and with cloth decorated with golden embroidery - SB 10.5.3
- Neither belonged to the brahmana community. Therefore, Krsna considered that the brahmanas engaged in performing sacrifices might not be induced to give charity to a ksatriya and vaisya
O
- Of the six occupational duties of the brahmanas, three are compulsory - namely, worship of the Deity, study of the Vedas and the giving of charity. In exchange, a brahmana should receive charity, and this should be his means of livelihood
- On this occasion (of Krsna's first birthday), mother Yasoda arranged to distribute a large quantity of grain, and first-class cows decorated with golden ornaments were made ready to be given in charity to the learned, respectable brahmanas
- One should give charity to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas, for thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be worshiped
- Only brahmanas may engage in Deity worship, and they may accept as prasada whatever people offer the Deity. Although a brahmana may sometimes accept charity, it is not for his personal maintenance but for the worship of the Deity
P
- Priests and brahmanas were sumptuously fed and, according to ritualistic ceremony, were given sufficient wealth and cows in charity. In this way, they were engaged in chanting Vedic hymns
- Pure consciousness can be revived by the process of sacrifice, charity, pious activities, etc., but when one pollutes his Krsna consciousness by offending a brahmana or a Vaisnava, it is very difficult to revive
S
- Simply by bathing for three days there (Kumbha-mela), one attains the results of such a pious activity (of giving hundreds and thousands of cows in charity). Because of this, the Sanodiya brahmana was very eager to go to Prayaga and bathe
- Since it is a Vedic custom to give in charity as much as possible during the hours of the eclipse, the members of the Yadu dynasty distributed many hundreds of cows in charity to the brahmanas
- Srimati Radharani continued, "Before that birth as a ksatriya, He (Krsna) took His birth as a brahmana boy known as Vamanadeva and asked charity from Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was so magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had"
- Such brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas, purified by their family traditions and by their behavior, should worship the Lord, study the Vedas and give charity. In this system, they should follow the principles of the four asramas
- Sukadeva narrated: "My dear King, you must have heard the name of King Bali. He was a great devotee who gave away in charity all that he had - namely, the whole world - to Lord Vamana, the incarnation of Visnu as a dwarf brahmana"
T
- Taking advantage of the occasion of the lunar eclipse, Advaita Acarya, by His mental strength, distributed various types of charity to the brahmanas
- The brahmana accepts all kinds of contributions (pratigraha) from his followers - namely, the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. But he does not keep all the money. He keeps only as much as required and gives the balance to others in charity - dana
- The brahmana is always engaged in the worship of Lord Visnu. Therefore the brahmanas are eligible to accept all kinds of charity. But if the brahmanas receive excess charity, they are to distribute it for the service of Visnu
- The brahmanas were not only given well-fed cows in charity, but also gold, gold coins, bedding, clothing, animal-skin seats, blankets, horses, elephants, girls and sufficient land for maintenance
- The charity was substantial in the shape of gold, land, villages, horses, elephants and food grains, with other materials for cooking complete foodstuff. The brahmanas were not, therefore, poor in the actual sense of the term
- The cowherd men from Vrndavana gave the brahmanas cows decorated with golden ornaments and beautiful garlands. The brahmanas are given charity because they are not engaged in any business profession
- The demigods and demons then observed a fast. After bathing, they offered clarified butter and oblations into the fire and gave charity to the cows and to the brahmanas and members of the other orders of society, namely the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras
- The demons said "The Vedic injunctions, the brahmanas, the cows, austerities, sacrifices, performances of charity and distribution of wealth are all for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu"
- The grhastha cannot accept charity. But a grhastha-brahmana, he can accept charity, but he will not, I mean to say, accumulate money by taking charity. Whatever he gets, he must spend
- The householders are required to rise early in the morning, and after bathing they should 1) offer respects to the Deities at home by prayers, by offering fuel in the sacred fire, by giving the brahmanas in charity land, cows, grains, gold, etc
- The injunction is that charity should be given to the brahmanas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. BG 1972 purports
- The King (Nrga) continued, "In spite of all this, unfortunately one of the brahmanas' cows that I had given in charity chanced to enter amongst my other cows. Not knowing this, I again gave it in charity, to another brahmana"
- Then this gentleman said in front of the Gopala Deity, 'My dear Lord, please bear witness. I have offered my daughter to this brahmana in charity'
- Then Vasudeva remembered the cows he had wanted to give in charity to the brahmanas after the birth of Krsna & Balarama. But being imprisoned by Kamsa at that time, Vasudeva had been able to do so only within his mind, for Kamsa had stolen all his cows
- There was arguing and fighting between the two brahmanas, and they came before me (King Nrga) and charged that I had taken back a cow I had previously given in charity
- There were also many learned brahmanas present (at the birth ceremony of Krsna), and Nanda Maharaja, being very satisfied on this occasion, gave them different kinds of garments, ornaments and cows in charity
- These cows (given by Nanda Maharaja), fully qualified to give ample milk, were given to the brahmanas in charity, and the brahmanas accepted them and bestowed blessings upon the whole family, and especially upon Krsna - SB 10.7.16
- They (the ksatriyas) should also arrange for charity to be given to the brahmanas, sannyasis and temples. This is the godly arrangement of brahminical culture
- This is an instance of a marriage negotiation between an elderly brahmana & a youthful one. The elderly brahmana was certainly willing to give his daughter in charity to the young brahmana, but his son & relatives became impediments to this transaction
- This knowledge and method (of Krsna consciousness) is distributed by the sannyasis; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brahmanas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause
- Those (brahmanas) who were not married were given wives, maidservants, grain, silver, utensils, garments, jewels, household furniture, chariots, etc. This charity was nicely performed as a sacrifice according to the Vedic rituals
U
- Uddhava said, "Bhimasena should approach Jarasandha in the dress of a brahmana, beg charity from him and then personally engage in fighting him. And in order to assure Bhimasena's victory, I think that Your Lordship should accompany him"
- Unless a brahmana is very pure, he cannot accept charity from others. Charity should be given to those who are pure. Even if one is born in a family of brahmanas, if one acts as a sudra one cannot accept charity, for this is strictly prohibited
- Unto the brahmanas who took part in the ritualistic ceremony the King gave charity of gold, silver, garments, ornaments, villages, horses and elephants, as well as sixty crores of cows (six hundred million cows)
W
- Whatever money came because of the influence of his transcendental son, he gave it in charity to the brahmanas for the satisfaction of Visnu
- When Krsna appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaj, in clear consciousness Nanda Maharaj desired all auspiciousness for his son and thus began to give in charity valuable cows to all the brahmanas
- When Lord Ramacandra gave everything in charity to the brahmanas, the brahmanas, being qualified, wisely considered that brahmanas are not meant to possess property to make a profit from it
- When one performs great sacrifices he must give charity, not only to the brahmanas, but also to the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. It is assured here (in SB 4.9.24) that Dhruva Maharaja would be able to perform such activities
- When the cows were given in charity to the brahmanas, the brahmanas also were given nice silken garments, and each was given a deerskin and sufficient quantity of sesame seeds
- When Vasudeva, who is also called Anakadundubhi, was looking at his newborn baby, he was so happy that he wanted to give many thousands of cows in charity to the brahmanas