In this way (refraining from sinful activities, taking bath and chant Hare Krsna) harijana can be made, but not that you pick up somebody nonsense and rubber-stamp this "harijana" No. There must be process

Expressions researched:
"in this way harijana can be made, but not that you pick up somebody nonsense and rubber-stamp this "harijana" No. There must be process"

Lectures

Festival Lectures

Gandhi thought that, "I shall make these bhaṅgīs and camars as harijana, as great devotees." But simply by rubber-stamping, how one can become devotee? That is not possible. Without going the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī, they remain the same unclean drunkard and the all nonsense habits. And simply by rubber-stamping, harijana? No. Here, what we are doing, it is not rubber-stamp. It is actually training according to the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī. We are training all boys to become Brahmin: to refrain from four kinds of sinful activities, to take bath, to take this, take that. And above all, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam (CC Antya 20.12, Śikṣāṣṭaka 1), cleansing of all sinful activities. So in this way harijana can be made, but not that you pick up somebody nonsense and rubber-stamp this "harijana" No. There must be process.

690716 - Lecture Festival Installation, Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha - Los Angeles

But in this age, because it is very difficult to find out a person who is born of a qualified brāhmiṇ, therefore Nārada Pañcarātra is there. So these Gosvāmīns, Rūpa Gosvāmī especially, recommends, śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañc . . . (Brs. 1.2.101). Either you follow the principles of śruti, Vedas, followed by smṛti, purāṇādi, or you follow the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī. The pāñcarātrikī-vidhī . . . just like we are introducing in this temple for worshipping Deity, but actually the Deity can be worshipped by the bona fide Brahmins.

There was agitation in India, perhaps you know, that Gandhi stamped some persons as harijana. Harijana. They were coming from the bhaṅgīs. Bhaṅgīs means sweepers or the cleaners of the toilet room. So Gandhi accepted them. The government was creating . . . British government was creating faction between the caste, low caste. So Gandhi thought that, "I shall make these bhaṅgīs and camars as harijana, as great devotees." But simply by rubber-stamping, how one can become devotee? That is not possible. Without going the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī, they remain the same unclean drunkard and the all nonsense habits. And simply by rubber-stamping, harijana? No.

Here, what we are doing, it is not rubber-stamp. It is actually training according to the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī. We are training all boys to become Brahmin: to refrain from four kinds of sinful activities, to take bath, to take this, take that. And above all, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Ceto-darpaṇa-marjanam (CC Antya 20.12, Śikṣāṣṭaka 1), cleansing of all sinful activities. So in this way harijana can be made, but not that you pick up somebody nonsense and rubber-stamp this "harijana" No. There must be process.

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 haijana 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.