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Sudra's business

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

To render service to someone else is the business of the śūdras.
CC Adi 13.82, Purport:

A brāhmaṇa does not become anyone's servant. To render service to someone else is the business of the śūdras. A brāhmaṇa is always independent because he is a teacher, spiritual master and advisor to society. The members of society provide him with all the necessities of life. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says He has divided society into four divisions—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. A society cannot run smoothly without this scientific division. A brāhmaṇa should give good advice to all the members of society, a kṣatriya should look after the administration, maintaining law and order in society, vaiśyas should produce and trade to meet all the needs of society, whereas śūdras should render service to the higher sections of society (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas).

CC Madhya-lila

A brāhmaṇa is never supposed to engage in anyone's service. Serving others for a livelihood is the business of śūdras.
CC Madhya 24.325, Purport:

Actually Sanātana Gosvāmī belonged to a very respectable brāhmaṇa family. Nonetheless, he submitted himself as a fallen, lowborn person because he had served in the Muslim government. A brāhmaṇa is never supposed to engage in anyone's service. Serving others for a livelihood (paricaryātmakaṁ karma (BG 18.44)) is the business of śūdras. The brāhmaṇa is always independent and busy studying śāstra and preaching śāstra to subordinate social members such as kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Sanātana Gosvāmī felt unfit to write Vaiṣṇava smṛti about the behavior of Vaiṣṇavas because he had fallen from the brahminical position. Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī clearly admits that the brahminical culture should be standardized. Presently in India, so-called brāhmaṇas are almost all engaged in some mundane service, and they do not understand the import of the Vedic śāstras. Nonetheless, they are passing themselves off as brāhmaṇas on the basis of birth. In this connection, Sanātana Gosvāmī declares that a brāhmaṇa cannot be engaged in anyone's service if he wants to take a leading part in society. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Nārada Muni states that even if a brāhmaṇa is in a difficult position, he should not accept the occupation of a śūdra. This means that he should not be engaged in service for another, for this is the business of dogs. Under the circumstances, Sanātana Gosvāmī felt very low because he had accepted a position of service in the Muslim government. The conclusion is that no one should claim to be a brāhmaṇa simply by birthright while engaging in someone else's service.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

A brāhmaṇa is never engaged in service like śūdra. That is śūdra's business.
Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

Brāhmaṇa has got six kinds of occupation. He must be learned himself, he must be able to teach others Vedic literatures. That is called paṭhana pāṭhana. Then he must worship... Worship means demigods. Or they consider that any demigod or God, the same, some impersonalists. So yajana, yājana. There are other also, religious ritual functions. They perform. That is called yajana. Yajana yājana. And dāna pratigṛha. A brāhmaṇa takes contribution. A brāhmaṇa is never engaged in service like śūdra. That is śūdra's business.

Śūdra's business is to find out a master. Just like a dog. A dog must find out a nice master. Otherwise it is a street dog.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

And there are ordinary class of men, they neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... They cannot live independently. Śūdra means he must find out a master. A master. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdra's business is to find out a master. Just like a dog. A dog must find out a nice master. Otherwise it is a street dog. Its condition is not very good. Similarly, a śūdra means he must have a nice paying master. Otherwise his life is at risk. So if you consider in that way, the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this Kali-yuga, everyone is a śūdra. You hardly find a real brāhmaṇa or real kṣatriya or vaiśya. Because they are after service. In the śāstra it is said that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in difficulty, he may take the profession of a kṣatriya or up to a vaiśya, but never take the business of a śūdra like a dog. That is prohibited. And nowadays we are claiming to become brāhmaṇa and going here and there with application, "If there is any vacancy, sir?"

There is intelligent class of men, but there brain is being misused, and intelligent man is being taught technology, how to manufacture machine. This is śūdra's business. This is śūdra's business.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

That requires brahminical culture, not the dull brain of śūdras and caṇḍālas. They cannot understand. Therefore there must be an institution to educate a brāhmaṇa, to educate kṣatriya. That is required. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). If you don't do it, if you simply produce śūdras, bolt, nut manufacturers, technicians, then how you can be happy? Śūdras. This is the business of the śūdras. This is not business of brāhmaṇa. You keep śūdras, but there must be brāhmaṇas also.

Just like leg is also required, the brain is also required. You cut the leg, simply keep the brain, that is also defective and if you cut off the brain, then everything is finished. This is going on. There is no brāhmaṇa, there is no kṣatriya, there is no vaiśya, only śūdras. So how you can be happy?

Therefore it is very essential to understand this verse. Cātur-varṇyam, train a class of men. Everyone required. There is intelligent class of men, but there brain is being misused, and intelligent man is being taught technology, how to manufacture machine. This is śūdra's business. This is śūdra's business. Misuse, brain misuse. There must be university where brain is properly utilized. Here is a child or here is a boy. He has good intelligence. Train him as brāhmaṇa. Less than that, train him as kṣatriya, train him as vaiśya.

Even though one is sweeping the temple, it may be śūdra's business, but he can be allowed to worship the Deity, the brāhmaṇa's business. Because a devotee is neither brāhmaṇa, neither kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra, because he is above.
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that everyone should be employed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That I am repeatedly saying to my students, that "Nobody sit idly. You must be engaged, either as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya or as a vaiśya or at last, as a śūdra. But there must be..." But anyone who is engaged in the business of.... Superficially, it may be the brāhmaṇa's business, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is no such difference. Even though one is sweeping the temple, it may be śūdra's business, but he can be allowed to worship the Deity, the brāhmaṇa's business. Because a devotee is neither brāhmaṇa, neither kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra, because he is above. He is in the transcendental position. But in this material world, guṇa-karma, if one is not fit for performing the work as a brāhmaṇa, he can work as a śūdra, he can work as a vaiśya, but employment must be there for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Employment must be there.

If you work the same thing sva-karmaṇā, never mind, you are doing the śūdra's business or brāhmaṇa's business. It doesn't matter. Whether you are acting for Kṛṣṇa? That is wanted.
Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

Here it is said that karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet. Although they are acting just like ordinary human being—they are using everything, they are also fighting for the land, for Kṛṣṇa, and everything looks like that—but akarmaṇi, that is akarma, they are not producing any result, because it is being done for Kṛṣṇa. This is the secret. Karmaṇi yaḥ akarma. Akarma means which does not have... I have already explained. So if you work the same thing sva-karmaṇā, never mind, you are doing the śūdra's business or brāhmaṇa's business. It doesn't matter. Whether you are acting for Kṛṣṇa? That is wanted.

Śūdra's business is to lament.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

Everyone is lamenting because he's a śūdra. Śūdra's business is to lament. But when one understands, brāhmaṇa, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, he does not lament. We have seen many brāhmaṇas. They are not very materially opulent, but they are happy. They are happy with Kṛṣṇa. That is brāhmaṇa's business. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa must be a Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa conscious. If a brāhmaṇa is not Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the śāstra.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the business of the śūdras. Technology is not the occupation for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, or vaiśyas, no.
Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

Some years ago there was a big exhibition in Delhi. The show was that India had manufactured cycle and sewing machine. That is their proud. The cycle, I think, two hundred years ago (laughs) was manufactured in the western countries and so also sewing machine. So India was very much proud, that "Now we have got cycle." When they are manufacturing big, big 747 airplane, we are manufacturing cycle. (laughter) Just see. Medicine also. Technology, that is also technology. They are advanced in... They were meant for this... They have got brain. They can advance in material civilization because fully... So we cannot compete. We cannot compete, although it is, this technology is the business of the śūdras. Technology is not the occupation for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, or vaiśyas, no. In our country still, there are blacksmith, weaver, oil crusher. Still they are in the village. But they are śūdras. So this technology means craftsmanship. That is not knowledge. That is not knowledge.

śūdra's business is to serve the other upper three classes, laborer, worker classes, and satisfied with some service.
Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

And those who are neither brāhmaṇa... They have no brain to become brāhmaṇa or to become kṣatriya or vaiśya, they are called śūdras. And śūdra's business is to serve the other upper three classes, laborer, worker classes, and satisfied with some service.

Śūdra's business is to serve these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra cannot live independently.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

And śūdra-karma, paricaryātmakam. Śūdra's business is to serve these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra cannot live independently. That is śūdra. Nowadays the education is that nobody can live independently. Higher education means if he does not get a suitable service, then it is useless. Nobody. The education means nobody can live independently.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Acceptance of service is the business of the śūdra.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

The brāhmaṇa community was so strong that because acceptance of service is the business of the śūdra... The brāhmaṇas, they would not accept anyone's service. The kṣatriyas, they would not accept anyone's service. And the vaiśyas also. They should live independently. Brāhmaṇas, by culture of Vedic knowledge. Kṣatriyas by exacting taxes from the citizens. And vaiśyas by trade, agriculture. They should live. To serve one is the business of the dog. That is mentioned in Bhāgavata. So if there is dire necessity, a brāhmaṇa can accept the profession of a kṣatriya or the, even the profession of a vaiśya, but not the profession of a śūdra. But at the present moment, because everyone accepts the profession of śūdra, therefore śāstra says: kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ.

General Lectures

You can do any business. Any business means the brāhmaṇa's business, the kṣatriya's business, the vaiśya's business and the śūdra's business.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Our Vedic culture means whatever you do, it doesn't matter. You must satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is culture. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya samsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ (BG 18.46). You can do any business. Any business means the brāhmaṇa's business, the kṣatriya's business, the vaiśya's business and the śūdra's business. That is business. Otherwise you can do any business. But business means there are different classes of business. So Bhagavad-gītā it is said that one should satisfy by his own business the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

By serving others, he'll be able to utilize his talent and get some money, then he'll eat. This is śūdra's business. Dog's business.
Room Conversation -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Śūdra. Unless he gets that post, he'll starve. He has got some talent in some particular subject but he must get some service. By serving others, he'll be able to utilize his talent and get some money, then he'll eat. This is śūdra's business. Dog's business. Just like a dog unless he has got a nice master, his position is very precarious. A street dog. Nobody will care neither it is (indistinct).

A brāhmaṇa is doing śūdra's business. Therefore this stress has been given. You have become brāhmaṇa-like, you do like, act like brāhmaṇa.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (5): Sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ.

Prabhupāda: But he does not know what is the sva-dharma. Sva-dharma, that is for the lower stage. Sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ. You have got a brahminical body. All right, discharge your duties as brāhmaṇa. But he's not doing that.

Guest (5): So he's not performing his sva-dharma.

Prabhupāda: No!

Guest (5): And that's why it is dangerous for him.

Prabhupāda: It is dangerous. He's already... A brāhmaṇa is doing śūdra's business. Therefore this stress has been given. You have become brāhmaṇa-like, you do like, act like brāhmaṇa. Janma-karma, uh, guṇa-karma. So you have got good qualification of the brāhmaṇas. Now act like brāhmaṇa.

To accept service is the business of the śūdra. And it is warned in the śāstra. If a brāhmaṇa becomes economically poor, he may act as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, not as a śūdra.
Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Formerly the brāhmaṇas were so strict. Brāhmaṇa cannot accept any service. Then he becomes śūdra. To accept service is the business of the śūdra. And it is warned in the śāstra. If a brāhmaṇa becomes economically poor, he may act as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, not as a śūdra. Then it will be quite degradation. So now this, what is this brāhmaṇa, he's in service?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think he's a physicist now. I think he came here about one year before I came here.

Prabhupāda: So if he's in service, then he's śūdra.

This is their business, śūdra business. Śūdra business. Śūdras, they have no knowledge. They commit mistake over and over. Therefore brāhmaṇa required to guide the kṣatriya, the vaiśya and the śūdra.
Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: This is their business, śūdra business. Śūdra business. Śūdras, they have no knowledge. They commit mistake over and over. Therefore brāhmaṇa required to guide the kṣatriya, the vaiśya and the śūdra. Therefore they are guru. Otherwise, they will commit mistake, more or less. It is practical. Just in your country, you have all elected Mr. Nixon as president, and again you are protesting. Why you are protesting? You have already elected him. What is the reasons?

Karandhara: Well, he's a rascal.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) That's all. This kind of election is rascal election. It has no meaning. Therefore the public must know whom to elect and how to elect. That should be our propaganda.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We are not going to open mills and factories and... No. We are not going to do that. That is śūdra business.
Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Business means if you have got extra grains or extra foodstuff, you can sell where there is necessity, there is want. That is business. We are not going to open mills and factories and... No. We are not going to do that. That is śūdra business. The real business is that you produce enough food grains, as much as possible, and you eat and distribute. That's all. This is business. He does not require any so high technical education. Anyone can till the ground and grow food. Is it difficult? This is the business.

Artist is also business of the śūdra.
Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Yaduvara: What class does the arts and crafts come under?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Śūdra.

Yaduvara: Śūdra.

Prabhupāda: They are śūdras. Little arts and crafts can be trained up to the śūdras. They, at the present moment, they have given too much stress on the arts and crafts.

Yaduvara: Hm. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore the whole people, population, is śūdra.

Hṛdayānanda: It is a fact.

Prabhupāda: That is a... That is the difficulty. All people are being drawn by giving them, I mean to say, attraction for high salary, and they are taking so-called technical education, and all of them working in the factory. Nobody's working on the field. They are śūdras. (break)

Hṛdayānanda: ...artist is accepted as a philosopher in life.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hṛdayānanda: In our society (break) ...accepted (break) ...as a philosopher.

Prabhupāda: Artist?

Hṛdayānanda: Yeah, the artist.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Artist is also business of the śūdra.

Hṛdayānanda: Yes, but in our... I'm saying, in modern society in America, they are considered... (break)

Prabhupāda: Nonsense philosophy. They do not know what is the meaning of philosophy.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

The mercantile class of man, they should produce enough food grains, not motor tires. That is śūdra's business—artisans—that is śūdra.
Morning Walk -- May 10, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: The priestly class, or the brāhmaṇas, they should be trained up to become truthful, how to control mind, how to control senses, and tolerant, and very learned, knowing God also—these things are required. They should be the first-class, ideal men. Similarly, the kṣatriyas, they must be fearless; they must be very boldly, face fighting the enemies; they must have the capacity to govern nicely so that people will not have any complaint against the government. In this way they should be trained up. And the mercantile class of man, they should produce enough food grains, not motor tires. That is śūdra's business—artisans—that is śūdra. The vaiśyas' business is first to see that in the country there is enough food for eating—both for the human being and the animals.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like he is giving massage. That does not mean he's a śūdra. This is actual śūdra's business, servant. But he's not a śūdra.
Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is required. But he must be a Vaiṣṇava. That's all. Actually none of us belong to any group. They are servant of Kṛṣṇa, and for Kṛṣṇa's sake he can act as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or a śūdra. It doesn't matter. It is all Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like he is giving massage. That does not mean he's a śūdra. This is actual śūdra's business, servant. But he's not a śūdra. Similarly, we can act for Kṛṣṇa in any position. We do not belong to this material occupation or platform.

Correspondence

1973 Correspondence

The sudra's business is to somehow or other catch up some nice service under some good master and get a nice wife and home. That is their success in life.
Letter to Niranjana -- Brooklyn 21 May, 1973:

The position is that the whole world is full of sudras. The sudra's business is to somehow or other catch up some nice service under some good master and get a nice wife and home. That is their success in life. This is the position of India especially. The whole of India is now under technological instruction which means to become sudras. Just like a carpenter can manufacture so much nice furniture by his technological education, but in our Vedic society, the carpenter is considered a sudra. Similarly a tannery expert was called a cobbler. So these things are now lost. Everyone is prepared to become a cobbler, a carpenter, a chemist, a physicist, an electrician and so many other things, but they do not know that after such education one has to depend on other's mercy. So-called highly qualified technologists cannot earn their livelihood without getting a suitable job. It is just like a dog, however stout and strong it may be, it cannot be happy without having gotten a wealthy master. Without being protected by a wealthy master it is nothing but a street dog and he is never happy. So all the students at the present moment are getting educated how to become first class sudras. How they can be interested in Krsna Consciousness, which is the business of high class brahmanas and Vaisnavas? Still it is our duty to preach, and our sincere endeavor for preaching work will be appreciated by the Lord. That much we want.

Page Title:Sudra's business
Compiler:Laksmipriya, Labangalatika
Created:23 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=11, Con=8, Let=1
No. of Quotes:22