Prabhupāda: In a brahmin family, if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not taken, it is said that immediately the whole family becomes śūdra, no more brahmin. Then where is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is going on? Nobody takes care of garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Still, they are declaring that, "I am brāhmaṇa." Therefore the conclusion is kālau śūdra-sambhavaḥ (Skanda Purāṇa): "Everyone is śūdra." (break) . . . no education. Still, one is called paṇḍitjī. What is the meaning of this "paṇḍitjī"? If he is not learned, then why do you call him paṇḍitjī? (laughing) (break)
Girirāja: ". . . ceremony takes place after the . . ."
Prabhupāda: That paṇḍiya is also another form of paṇḍita.
Indian man (4): . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Yes. From paṇḍiya, pāṇḍiya. From paṇḍitya, from paṇḍitya, it comes paṇḍiya.
Indian man (4): He is not a paṇḍita. He is a pukka businessman. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: I say this is going on. But the śāstra says if one is engaged in particular type of occupation, he should be called that. Yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañjakam (SB 7.11.35). To designate into certain type of varṇa, there are symptoms. That symptoms, yadi anyatra vidhiṣyeta, if it is found somewhere else, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35), one should ascertain by the symptoms. This is the śāstra injunction.
Indian man (5): According to the work it is known.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Even a man is born in the brahmin family, but if he is working as something else, so he should be . . . practically also . . . just like somebody is paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa, but if he is doing the work of an engineer or doctor, he is addressed as "Doctor Saheb." That is practical, "Doctor Saheb," "Engineer Saheb." Not "Paṇḍitji."
Indian man (5): By birth he may be brahmin, like that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No. By birth, there is no brahmin. By saṁskāra.