# Qualification Not Birth *On the importance of qualification over birth in determining status* --- ### Qualification Not Just Birth > So this human society should be divided into eight divisions. That is first-class human society. Just like any organization, any establishment, there are divisions of labor: the directing board, board of directors there are, then the secretarial board, then ordinary clerks, then menial, then workers. There must be division; otherwise it is chaotic. Nowhere you'll find without division it is going on very smoothly. There must be division. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ*. It is ordered by God that there should be four divisions for the materialistic condition of life and four divisions for spiritual upliftment. So there must be the *brāhmaṇa, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam. Varṇa* means four divisions of society. *Varṇa* means class. It has been taken now as caste; but actually class. Class is not caste. Caste, of course. Throughout the whole world there is no such thing as caste. But anyway, in India there is caste. But Kṛṣṇa says that *cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam*: "Four divisions of classes I have created—*brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.*" Who is a *brāhmaṇa?* That is also described in the *Bhagavad-gītā: satya, śama, dama, titikṣā, ārjava, āstikyam, jñāna, vijñānam,* so many qualifications required to become a *brāhmaṇa.* Not that because I was born in a *brāhmaṇa* family. — [[spoken/1975/750305sb.ny|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.5, New York, March 5, 1975]] --- ### Why Indian Culture Failed > This is discussed in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* that to take birth in a *brāhmaṇa* family is not all. You must be qualified, *śamo damas titikṣā.* That is required. The Indian culture has failed at the present moment because instead of considering the qualification, they accept only the birth: "The birth in a *brāhmaṇa* family makes a man a *brāhmaṇa.*" No. That is not the śāstric injunction. Qualification. There must be qualification. — [[spoken/1975/750305sb.ny|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.5, New York, March 5, 1975]] --- ### Foreigners Becoming Brāhmaṇas > So sometimes I am very much criticized that I am making foreigners a *brāhmaṇa.* The caste *brāhmaṇas* in India, they are very much against me. But this is not fact. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that all over the world His message will be broadcast, does it mean that it will be simply a cinema show? No. He wanted that everyone should become perfect Vaiṣṇava. That is His purpose. It is not to make a farce—some lecturing and., or some mutual praising society. No. It is Kṛṣṇa Society. Everyone who will join this Kṛṣṇa Society movement, he is more than a *brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa,* what is *brāhmaṇa? Brāhmaṇa* is also material. A devotee is more than *brāhmaṇa.* The brahminical culture is included already. *Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ:* "*Brāhmaṇa* means one who knows the Absolute Truth, Brahman." He is *brāhmaṇa.* — [[spoken/1975/750302ba.atl|His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda's Appearance Day Lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975]] --- ### Developing Quality > So this is Vaiṣṇava *paddhati. Tava bhṛtya-sevām.* Vaiṣṇava does not approach Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not Vaiṣṇava. This is impudency. You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us, *gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ*. This is the process. You have to. As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the *paramparā* system—*imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam*, similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the *paramparā* system. — [[spoken/1976/760306sb.may|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.28, Māyāpur, March 6, 1976]] --- ### Pure Vaiṣṇava Doesn't Invent > Why the spiritual master position is so great? Because he is very, very confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa; therefore his position is so great. So this is the process: *tava bhṛtya-sevā.* We have to. *Ādau gurvāśrayam.* [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.74] First beginning of Vaiṣṇava life is to accept *guru,* spiritual master, *ādau gurvāśrayam,* then other things. Because who will teach you? So we have to approach a pure Vaiṣṇava as spiritual master, follow his instruction. And what is his instruction? His instruction is as he was instructed by his spiritual master. He does not invent instruction. This is instruction. The pure Vaiṣṇava, he does not invent anything new. *Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa.*. — [[spoken/1976/760306sb.may|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.28, Māyāpur, March 6, 1976]] --- *5 verified verbatim quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on qualification not birth*