tac chrūtvācintayaṁ brahman vaiśyatve syāt sukhaṁ mahat
tac chrūtvācintayaṁ brahman vaiśyatve syāt sukhaṁ mahat |
prabhor eṣāṁ ca viprāṇāṁ tad-bhaktānām upāsanāt ||
eṣāṁ yajñaika-niṣṭhānām aikyenāvaśyake nije jape ca |
sad-gurūddiṣṭe māndyaṁ syād dṛṣṭa-sat-phale |
tatas tān anumānyāham anaṅgīkṛtya vipratām |
tatrāvasaṁ svato jāta-prājāpatya-mahāsukhaiḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.56–58)
“Hearing that [i.e., the instruction of the great ṛṣis in Maharloka to become a brāhmaṇa and perform worship of the Lord of the universe by means of fire sacrifice (yajña) as is done by these ṛṣis in Maharloka], O brāhmaṇa, I thought, ‘Greater joy shall come about by being a vaiśya [rather than a brāhmaṇa] because of [the] worship [a vaiśya and not a brāhmaṇa can perform] of Prabhu and of these brāhmaṇas [here in Maharloka] who are his bhaktas. Also, slacking in regard to my own japa, which is imperative, which was taught [to me] by a genuine guru, and which has had genuine observable results, shall arise as a result oneness with those of singular fixity upon yajña [i.e., if I were to become one of these brāhmaṇas who engage solely in yajña].’ Therefore, honoring them [i.e., the brāhmaṇas of Maharloka] but not accepting brāhmaṇahood (vipratā), I dwelled there in the great joy manifested of its own accord among the Prajāpatis [i.e., among Bhṛgu and the other sages of Maharloka].”