# SB 4.22.46 > स्वमेव ब्राह्मणो भुङ्क्ते स्वं वस्ते स्वं ददाति च । > तस्यैवानुग्रहेणान्नं भुञ्जते क्षत्रियादयः ॥४६॥ ## Text > svam eva brāhmaṇo bhuṅkte > svaṁ vaste svaṁ dadāti ca > tasyaivānugraheṇānnaṁ > bhuñjate kṣatriyādayaḥ ## Synonyms *svam*—own; *eva*—certainly; *brāhmaṇaḥ*—the *brāhmaṇa*; *bhuṅkte*—enjoy; *svam*—own; *vaste*—clothing; *svam*—own; *dadāti*—gives in charity; *ca*—and; *tasya*—his; *eva*—certainly; *anugraheṇa*—by the mercy of; *annam*—food grains; *bhuñjate*—eats; *kṣatriya-ādayaḥ*—other divisions of society, headed by the *kṣatriyas.* ## Translation **The kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras eat their food by virtue of the brāhmaṇas' mercy. It is the brāhmaṇas who enjoy their own property, clothe themselves with their own property and give charity with their own property.** ## Purport The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped with the words *namo brahmaṇya-devāya,* which indicate that the Supreme Lord accepts the *brāhmaṇas* as worshipable gods. The Supreme Lord is worshiped by everyone, yet to teach others He worships the *brāhmaṇas.* Everyone should follow the instructions of the *brāhmaṇas,* for their only business is to spread *śabda-brahma,* or Vedic knowledge, all over the world. Whenever there is a scarcity of *brāhmaṇas* to spread Vedic knowledge, chaos throughout human society results. Since *brāhmaṇas* and Vaiṣṇavas are direct servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they do not depend on others. In actuality, everything in the world belongs to the *brāhmaṇas,* and out of their humility the *brāhmaṇas* accept charity from the *kṣatriyas,* or kings, and the *vaiśyas,* or merchants. Everything belongs to the *brāhmaṇas,* but the *kṣatriya* government and the mercantile people keep everything in custody, like bankers, and whenever the *brāhmaṇas* need money, the *kṣatriyas* and *vaiśyas* should supply it. It is like a savings account with money which the depositor can draw out at his will. The *brāhmaṇas,* being engaged in the service of the Lord, have very little time to handle the finances of the world, and therefore the riches are kept by the *kṣatriyas,* or the kings, who are to produce money upon the *brāhmaṇas'* demand. Actually the *brāhmaṇas* or Vaiṣṇavas do not live at others' cost; they live by spending their own money, although it appears that they are collecting this money from others. *Kṣatriyas* and *vaiśyas* have no right to give charity, for whatever they possess belongs to the *brāhmaṇas.* Therefore charity should be given by the *kṣatriyas* and *vaiśyas* under the instructions of the *brāhmaṇas.* Unfortunately at the present moment there is a scarcity of *brāhmaṇas,* and since the so-called *kṣatriyas* and *vaiśyas* do not carry out the orders of the *brāhmaṇas,* the world is in a chaotic condition. The second line of this verse indicates that the *kṣatriyas, vaiśyas* and *śūdras* eat only by virtue of the *brāhmaṇa's* mercy; in other words, they should not eat anything which is forbidden by the *brāhmaṇas.* The *brāhmaṇas* and Vaiṣṇavas know what to eat, and by their personal example they do not eat anything which is not offered first to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They eat only *prasāda,* or remnants of the food offered to the Lord. The *kṣatriyas, vaiśyas* and *śūdras* should eat only *kṛṣṇa-prasāda,* which is afforded them by the mercy of the *brāhmaṇas.* They cannot open slaughterhouses and eat meat, fish or eggs or drink liquor, or earn money for this purpose without authorization. In the present age, because society is not guided by brahminical instruction, the whole population is only absorbed in sinful activities. Consequently, everyone is deservedly being punished by the laws of nature. This is the situation in this age of Kali.