Brāhmaṇas – Page 4 – Anuśīlana.in

mātur yad agre jāyante dvitīyaṁ mauñji-bandhanāt

mātur yad agre jāyante dvitīyaṁ mauñji-bandhanāt |
brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśas tasmād ete dvijāḥ smṛtāḥ ||
(Yājñavalkya Smṛti: 1.39)

“Since they are born first from a mother [i.e., by way of seminal birth] and second by the tying of mauñji [i.e., the upanayana-saṁskāra, which involves a ritual in which mauñji, a type of cane grass, is tied as a girdle around the initiate’s waist], these brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas are known as the twice-born (dvijas).”

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janmanā brāhmaṇo jñeyaḥ saṁskārair dvija ucyate

janmanā brāhmaṇo jñeyaḥ saṁskārair dvija ucyate |
vidyayā yāti vipratvaṁ tribhiḥ śrotriya-lakṣaṇam ||
(Yājñavalkya; cited in Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā and Vaiṣṇavānandinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.16.2)

“One is to be known as a brāhmaṇa by birth. One is called a twice-born by saṁskāras. One attains vipratva [i.e., the status of being a vipra, a learned person] by learning. The characteristic of a śrotriya [i.e., one who is conversant in the Veda] is by these three [i.e., one who is born in a brāhmaṇa family, receives the necessary saṁskāras, and attains the necessary learning is accepted as being śrotriya, that is, conversant in the Vedas].”

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na brāhmaṇān me dayitaṁ rūpam etac catur-bhujam

na brāhmaṇān me dayitaṁ rūpam etac catur-bhujam |
sarva-vedamayo vipraḥ sarva-devamayo hy aham ||
duṣprajñā aviditvaivam avajānanty asūyavaḥ |
guruṁ māṁ vipram ātmānam arcādāv ijya-dṛṣṭayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.86.54–55)

“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] This four-armed form of mine is not dear [to me] more so than a brāhmaṇa since a brāhmaṇa is constituted of all the Vedas and I am constituted of all the devas. Not understanding this, detractors [of brāhmaṇas] lacking insight, who are seers of worshipability [only] in the deity and so on [i.e., not in the brāhmaṇa], disregard the brāhmaṇa—the guru, me, the Self [i.e., they disregard the brāhmaṇa, who is worshipable just by virtue of his caste, and even more worshipable because (1) he is the guru, that is, the teacher of all other castes in society, (2) he is me, that is, non-different from me by virtue of being a paramount dwelling place (adhiṣṭhāna) of mine, and (3) he is the Self, that is, a form of the Supreme Self (Paramātmā)].”

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brāhmaṇo janmanā śreyān sarveṣāṁ prāṇinām iha

brāhmaṇo janmanā śreyān sarveṣāṁ prāṇinām iha |
tapasā vidyayā tuṣṭyā kim u mat-kalayā yutaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.86.53)

“A brāhmaṇa by birth is the best of all living beings here, and all the more so [is superior to others when] endowed with austerity, learning, contentment, and worship of me.”

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tvaṁ hi brahma-vidāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ saṁskārān kartum arhasi

tvaṁ hi brahma-vidāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ saṁskārān kartum arhasi |
bālayor anayor nṝṇāṁ janmanā brāhmaṇo guruḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.8.6)

“[Nanda Mahārāja to Garga Muni:] Since you are the best of knowers of Brahman, you are fit to perform the saṁskāras for these two boys [viz., Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma]. A brāhmaṇa by birth is the guru of human beings.”

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jāti kula kriyā dhane kichu nāhi kare

jāti kula kriyā dhane kichu nāhi kare |
prema-dhana ārti vine nā pāi kṛṣṇere ||
ye te kule vaiṣṇavera janma kene nahe |
tathāpiha sarvottama sarva-śāstre kahe ||
ei tāra pramāṇa—yavana hari-dāsa |
brahmādira durlabha dekhila parakāśa ||
ye pāpiṣṭha vaiṣṇavera jāti-buddhi kare |
janma janma adhama-yonite ḍubi mare ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.10.99–102)

“Caste [i.e., birth in a high caste], family [i.e., birth in a noble family], accomplishment [i.e., performing great worldly works], and wealth do not do anything [i.e., cannot enable anyone to attain Kṛṣṇa]. Without the wealth of prema and heartache (ārti), one does not attain Kṛṣṇa. A Vaiṣṇava’s birth may be in any family. Why not? Still, all the śāstras say the Vaiṣṇava is the most exalted of all [i.e., exalted above and beyond all who neglect to engage in bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān, regardless of their caste, family, accomplishments, and wealth]. The evidence of this is Yavana Hari Dāsa, who saw a manifestation [of Śrī Bhagavān] difficult to attain [even] for Brahmā and others. A sinner who considers a Vaiṣṇava to belong to a caste [i.e., be no different than others in the caste of his birth] sinks to a lowly form of life and dies birth after birth.”

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sarvajñera cūḍāmaṇi viśvambhara-rāya

sarvajñera cūḍāmaṇi viśvambhara-rāya |
jāne ‘vipra lukāiyā āchaye ethāya’ ||
rahiyā rahiyā bole prabhu viśvambhara |
‘āji kena prema-yoga nā pāṅa nirbhara ||
keha ni āsiyā āche bāḍīra bhitare |
kichu nāhi bujho̐, satya kaha dekhi more’ ||
bhaya pāi śrīnivāsa bolaye vacana |
‘pāṣaṇḍera ithe prabhu nāhi āgamana ||
sabe eka brahmacārī—baḍa subrāhmaṇa |
sarva-kāla payaḥ-pāna, niṣpāpa-jīvana ||
dekhite tomāra nṛtya śraddhā tā̐ra baḍa |
nibhṛte āchaye prabhu jāniyācha daḍha’ ||
śuni krodhāveśe bole prabhu viśvambhara |
‘jhāṭa jhāṭa bāḍīra bāhira niñā kara’ ||
mora nṛtya dekhite uhāra kon śakti |
payaḥ-pāna karile ki mohe haya bhakti?’ ||
dui bhuja tuli prabhu aṅgulī dekhāya |
‘payaḥ-pāne kabhu more keha nāhi pāya ||
caṇḍāleho mohāra śaraṇa yadi laya |
seha mora, muñi tāra, jāniha niścaya ||
sannyāsīo yadi mora nā laya śaraṇa |
seha mora nahe, satya balilu vacana ||
gajendra-vānara-gopa ki tapa karila |
bola dekhi tārā more ki tape pāila ||
asureo tapa kare, ki haya tāhāra |
vine mora śaraṇa laile nāhi pāra’ ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.23.34–46)

“The crest jewel of the all-knowing, Viśvambhara Rāya, knew, ‘A brāhmaṇa is hiding here.’ Prabhu Viśvambhara, stopping [his dancing] again and again, said, ‘Why do I not feel an abundance of prema’s presence today? Someone has been brought inside the house. I don’t understand anything? Look and tell me the truth.’ Feeling fear, Śrīnivāsa spoke this statement, ‘No heretic has arrived here, Prabhu! In all there is [just] one bramacārī, who is an exalted and excellent brāhmaṇa. He drinks milk all the time and has a sinless life. He had a great desire to behold your dancing. He is hidden [here], Prabhu. You have understood rightly.’
“Upon hearing [this], absorbed in anger Prabhu Viśvambhara said, ‘Quickly, quickly take him out of the house! What ability does he have to see my dancing? Does one attain bhakti to me [merely] by drinking milk?’
“Raising his two arms, Prabhu showed his [index] fingers [and said], ‘No one ever attains me [merely] by drinking milk. If even a caṇḍāla accepts my shelter, [then] know for certain that he is mine, and I am his. If even a sannyāsī [however] does not accept my shelter, [then] he is not mine. I have spoken a truthful statement. What austerity did Gajendra, the forest monkeys, or the cowherds perform? Look and say by what austerity they attained me? Even asuras perform austerities. What do they attain [merely by that]? If they do not accept my shelter, there is no deliverance [for anyone].”

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namo brāhmaṇa-rūpāya nija-bhakta-svarūpiṇe

namo brāhmaṇa-rūpāya nija-bhakta-svarūpiṇe |
namaḥ pippala-rūpāya go-rūpāya namo’stu te ||
nānā-tīrtha-svarūpāya namo nanda-kiśora he |
sarvadā loka-rakṣārtha-rūpa-pañcaka-dhāriṇe ||
(Kṛṣṇa-līlā-stava: 407–408 (105))

“Obeisance unto you in the form of the brāhmaṇa,
And unto you in the form of your own bhakta.
Obeisance unto you in the form of the sacred fig tree.
May my obeisance be [offered] unto you in the form of the cow.
Obeisance unto you in the form of various holy places.
O Adolescent Son of Nanda!
[Obeisance] Unto you who always assume these five forms
For the sake of protecting the world.”

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Uddhava-gītā

Uddhava-gītā

Six verses in praise of the Vraja-gopīs expressed by Śrī Uddhava after delivering Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s messages from Mathurā.

Excerpted from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.47.58–63.

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rājā paśyati karṇābhyāṁ dhiyā paśyanti paṇḍitāḥ

rājā paśyati karṇābhyāṁ dhiyā paśyanti paṇḍitāḥ |
paśuḥ paśyati gandhena bhūte paśyanti barbarāḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“A king sees through his ears [by hearing from his ministers, spies, subjects, and so forth]. The wise see through their intellect. An animal sees through scent [i.e., their sense of smell]. Fools [however] see [only] the past [i.e., they have no foresight at all].”

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