Gaudiya Kanthahara 14th Jewel Who is a brahman?

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

14th Jewel

VARṆADHARMA-TATTVA

The Ontology of Social Classes

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by

B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan

Decadence of Brahmana Class: 

The Evidence from Caitanya-Bhāgavata

১৪.২৯

এই সকল রাক্ষস "ব্রাহ্মণ" নাম মাত্র এই সব লোক য়ম-য়াতনার পাত্র

কলিয়ুগে রাক্ষস-সকল বিপ্র-ঘরে জন্মিবেক সুজনের হিংসা করিবারে

এ-সব বিপ্রের স্পর্শ, কথা নমস্কার ধর্ম-শাস্ত্রে সর্বথা নিষেধ করিবারে

14.29

ei sakala rākṣasa "brāhmaṇa" nāma mātra ei saba loka yama-yātanāra pātra

kaliyuge rākṣasa-sakala vipra-ghare janmiveka sujanera hiṁsā karivāre

e-saba viprera sparśa, kathā namaskāra dharma-śāstre sarvathā niṣedha karivāre

All these demons are "brāhmaṇas" in name only. All of them will be finished by

the agents of the king of death, Yamarāja. In Kali- yuga, demons take birth in

the houses of brāhmaṇas to harass saintly persons. All the dharma-śāstras

forbid one to touch, hear from or offer obeisances to such materialistic and

demoniac brāhmaṇas. (Cb. Ādi 11.293-295) 

The Smṛti on how the Brāhmaṇa Caste was Debased

१४.३० ३१

जतिरत्र महा-सर्प मनुश्य़त्वे महा-मते सङ्करात् सर्व-वर्णानां दुष्परीक्ष्य़ेति मे मतिः सर्वे सर्वास्व पत्य़ानि जनय़न्ति सदा नराः वाङ्घैथुनमथो जन्म मरणञ् च समन् नृणाम्

14.30 and 31

jatiratra mahā-sarpa manuśyatve mahā-mate saṅkarāt sarva-varṇānāṁ duṣparīkṣyeti me matiḥ sarve sarvāsva patyāni janayanti sadā narāḥ vāṅghaithunamatho janma maraṇañ ca saman nṛṇām

[Yudhiṣṭhira told Nahūṣa] O noble-minded and great serpent, it is very difficult

to ascertain one's caste because of promiscuity among the four orders. 

This is my opinion. 

Men belonging to all castes beget offspring among women of all the different castes. And among men of different caste the speech, sexual intercourse, birth, and death have become are common to all. 

(Mahābhārata, Vana Parva 180.31-32)

The Opinion of the Truth-Loving Vedic Rishis

१४.३२

न चैतद्-विद्मो ब्राह्मणः स्मो वय़म् अब्राह्मण वेति

14.32

na caitad-vidmo brāhmaṇaḥ smo vayam abrāhmaṇa veti

"We don't know whether we are brāhmaṇas or non-brāhmaṇas.

(Mahābhārata, Vana Parva 179.33) 

The Śruti, Smṛti, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas on the Essential Definition of the Brāhmaṇa Varna

४.३३

ब्रह्म-क्षत्रिय़-वैश्य़-शूद्रो इति चत्वारो वर्णास् तेषां वर्णानां ब्राह्मण एव

प्रधान इति वेद-वचनानु-रूपं स्मृतिभिर् अप्य़् उक्तम्. टत्र चोद्य़म् अस्ति को

वा ब्राह्मणो नाम. 

किं जीवः किं देहः किं जातिः किं ज्ञानं किं कर्म किं

धार्मिक इति. टत्र प्रथ्मो जीवो ब्राह्मण इति

चेत्तन, अतीतानागतान् एक

देहानां जीवस्य़ैक-रूपत्वात् एकस्य़ापि कर्म- वशादन्-एक-देह सम्भवात्

सर्व शरीराणां जीवस्य़ैक-रूपत्वाच्च. 

तस्मान् न जीवो ब्राह्मण इति. टर्हि

देहो ब्राह्मण इति चेत्त्न्न, आचाण्डालादि- पर्य़न्तानां मनुष्य़ाणां पाञ्चभौतिकत्वेन. देहस्य़ैक-रूपत्वाज्-जरा-मरण धर्माधर्मादि साम्य़दर्शनाद्

ब्राह्मणः श्वेतवर्णः क्षत्रिय़ो रक्त-वर्णो वैश्य़ः पीत-वर्णः

शूद्रः कृष्ण-वर्ण इति निय़माभावात्. ড়ित्रादि- शरीर दहने पुत्रादीनां

ब्रह्म-हत्य़ादि-दोष-सम्भवाच्च तस्मान् न देहो ब्राह्मण इति. टर्हि जाति

ब्राह्मण इति चेन्न. तत्र जात्य़न्तरजन्तुषु अनेक-जाति-संभवा महर्षय़ो

बहवः सन्ति. 

एष्य़-शृओगो मृग्य़ाः कौशिकः कुशात् जाम्बूको

जम्बूकात्.वाल्मीको वल्मीकात्. Vय़ासः कैवर्त्त- कन्य़ाय़ाम्. शशपृष्ठात्

गौतम. वसिष्ठः उर्वश्य़ाम्. आगस्त्य़ः क्लसे

जात इति श्रुतत्वात्. 

एतेषां जात्य़ा

विनाप्य़ग्रे ज्ञान-प्रति-पादिता ऋष्य़ो बहवः सन्ति. टस्मान् न जातिः ब्राह्मण

इति. तर्हि ज्ञानं ब्राह्मण इति चेत्त्न्न. क्षत्रिय़ादय़ोऽपि परमार्थदर्शिनोऽभिज्ञा बहवः सन्ति. तस्मान्ह ज्ञानं ब्राह्मण इति. 

तर्हि कर्म

ब्राह्मणह् इति चेत्तन्न. सर्वेषां प्राणिनां प्रारब्ध-सञ्चितागामि कर्म-सा

धर्म्य़-दर्शनात् कर्माभिप्रेरिताः सन्त् जनाः क्रिय़ाः कुर्वनीति. 

तस्मान् न

कर्म ब्राह्मण इति. तर्हि धार्मिको ब्राह्मण इति चेत्त्न्न. क्षत्रिय़ादय़ो

हिरण्य़दातारो बहवः सन्ति. तस्मान्न धार्मिको ब्राह्मण इति. तर्हि को वा ब्राह्मणो नाम. य़ः कश्चिद्-आत्मानम्- अद्वितीय़ं-जाति-गुण-क्रिय़ाहीनम्

षडूर्मिषड्-भावेत्य़ादि-सर्व-दोष-रहितं सत्य़- ज्ञानानन्दान्त-स्वरूपं

स्वय़ं निर्विकल्पं अशेष-कल्पाधारं अशेषभुताह्तर्य़ामित्वेन वर्तमानं

अन्तर्बहिश्-चाकाशवदनु-स्य़ूतम-खण्डानन्द- स्वभावम्-अप्रमेय़ मनु

भ वै कवेद्य़ परोक्षतय़ा बासमानं करतलामलकवत् साक्षाद्-अपरोक्षीकृत्य़ कृतार्थतय़ा काम-रागादि-दोष-रहितः शम दमादि-सम्पन्नो चेता

वर्तत, एव मुक्त-लक्षणो य़ः स एव ब्राह्मण इति श्रुति-स्मृति-पुर्णेतिहासानामभिप्राय़ः. आन्य़था हि ब्राह्मण्त्व-सिद्धिर् नास्त्य़् एव.

14.33

brahma-kṣatriya-vaiśya-śūdro iti catvāro varṇās teṣāṁ varṇānāṁ brāhmaṇa eva

pradhāna iti veda-vacanānu-rūpaṁ smṛtibhir apy uktam. Tatra codyam asti ko

vā brāhmaṇo nāma. 

kiṁ jīvaḥ kiṁ dehaḥ kiṁ jātiḥ kiṁ jñānaṁ kiṁ karma kiṁ

dhārmika iti. Tatra prathmo jīvo brāhmaṇa iti

cettana, atītānāgatān eka

dehānāṁ jīvasyaika-rūpatvāt ekasyāpi karma- vaśādan-eka-deha sambhavāt

sarva śarīrāṇāṁ jīvasyaika-rūpatvācca. 

tasmān na jīvo brāhmaṇa iti. Tarhi

deho brāhmaṇa iti cettnna, ācāṇḍālādi- paryantānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ pāñcabhautikatvena. dehasyaika-rūpatvāj-jarā-maraṇa dharmādharmādi sāmyadarśanād

brāhmaṇaḥ śvetavarṇaḥ kṣatriyo rakta-varṇo vaiśyaḥ pīta-varṇaḥ

śūdraḥ kṛṣṇa-varṇa iti niyamābhāvāt. Pitrādi- śarīra dahane putrādīnāṁ

brahma-hatyādi-doṣa-sambhavācca tasmān na deho brāhmaṇa iti. Tarhi jāti

brāhmaṇa iti cenna. tatra jātyantarajantuṣu aneka-jāti-saṁbhavā maharṣayo

bahavaḥ santi. 

eṣya-śṛogo mṛgyāḥ kauśikaḥ kuśāt jāmbūko

jambūkāt.vālmīko valmīkāt. Vyāsaḥ kaivartta- kanyāyām. Śaśapṛṣṭhāt

gautama. vasiṣṭhaḥ urvaśyām. Agastyaḥ klase

jāta iti śrutatvāt. 

eteṣāṁ jātyā

vināpyagre jñāna-prati-pāditā ṛṣyo bahavaḥ santi. Tasmān na jātiḥ brāhmaṇa

iti. tarhi jñānaṁ brāhmaṇa iti cettnna. kṣatriyādayo'pi paramārthadarśino'bhijñā bahavaḥ santi. tasmānha jñānaṁ brāhmaṇa iti. 

tarhi karma

brāhmaṇah iti cettanna. sarveṣāṁ prāṇināṁ prārabdha-sañcitāgāmi karma-sā

dharmya-darśanāt karmābhipreritāḥ sant janāḥ kriyāḥ kurvanīti. 

tasmān na

karma brāhmaṇa iti. tarhi dhārmiko brāhmaṇa iti cettnna. kṣatriyādayo

hiraṇyadātāro bahavaḥ santi. tasmānna dhārmiko brāhmaṇa iti. tarhi ko vā brāhmaṇo nāma. yaḥ kaścid-ātmānam- advitīyaṁ-jāti-guṇa-kriyāhīnam

ṣaḍūrmiṣaḍ-bhāvetyādi-sarva-doṣa-rahitaṁ satya- jñānānandānta-svarūpaṁ

svayaṁ nirvikalpaṁ aśeṣa-kalpādhāraṁ aśeṣabhutāhtaryāmitvena vartamānaṁ

antarbahiś-cākāśavadanu-syūtama-khaṇḍānanda- svabhāvam-aprameya manu

bha vai kavedya parokṣatayā bāsamānaṁ karatalāmalakavat sākṣād-aparokṣīkṛtya kṛtārthatayā kāma-rāgādi-doṣa-rahitaḥ śama damādi-sampanno cetā

vartata, eva mukta-lakṣaṇo yaḥ sa eva brāhmaṇa iti śruti-smṛti-purṇetihāsānāmabhiprāyaḥ. Anyathā hi brāhmaṇtva-siddhir nāsty eva.

The four varṇas are: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. 

Among these, the brāhmaṇas are foremost. 

This is the verdict of the Vedas and the Smṛti. 

In these places the question is asked, "Who is a brāhmaṇa? On what basis is someone a brāhmaṇa? Among life (jīva), body (deha), birth (jāti), knowledge (jñāna), work

(karma), and duty (dharma) what is it that constitutes a brāhmaṇa?"

The first question is: Since the jīva is part of Brahman, and alive, does that

make him a brāhmaṇa? No. It is incorrect to call any jīva a brāhmaṇa by definition. There

are countless jīvas who have accepted innumerable material bodies according to

their karma and mentality, but they cannot all be called brāhmaṇas).

The next point is whether one's body (deja) makes one a brāhmaṇa. The answer

is no. The body of a caṇḍāla as well as that of all other men are subject to

infirmity and death. It is only with respect to the way in which the mentalities of

different classes of men are colored by different conceptions of religion and

irreligion that brāhmaṇas are called "white," (śveta-varṇa) kṣatriyas "red,"

(rakta-varṇa) vaiśyas "yellow," (pīta-varṇa) and śūdra "black" (kṛṣṇa varṇa).

In this way, it should be clearly understood that one is not a brāhmaṇa on the

basis of his body (deha). By burning up one's body one does not become free

from the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa; nor is that sin transferred to one's son. In

the same way one's brahminical status is not based on one's bodily condition,

nor can brahminical status be transferred simply by seminal discharge and the

procreation of children. Therefore it is concluded that the body (deha) does not

make one a brāhmaṇa.

The next point is whether one becomes a brāhmaṇa by birth (jāti). The answer is

no.

 In the midst of mixed ancestry have come great-souled ṛṣīs. 

For example, the ṛṣī Śṇṛga took birth from a deer, and Kauśika was born from straw, Jāmbḥka ṛṣī was raised by a jackal, and Vālmikī came from an anthill. 

Vyāsa was born from a fisherman's daughter and the sage Gautama was born from a rabbit. Vaśiṣtha was born from the dancing girl Urvaśī.

 From a pitcher (in which semen was stored) the sage Agastya took birth. There are many examples of great saints who did not know in what circumstances they took birth. 

Therefore birth does not make one a brāhmaṇa.

And what of jñāna? Knowledge does not make a brāhmaṇa either.

 Many kṣatriyas are vastly experienced in knowing the supreme goal of life. Therefore

knowledge does not make a brāhmaṇa.

What about fate or karma? Karma does not make one a brāhmaṇa either. All living beings

have amassed karma from previous lives and have their karmic destinies to live

out in the future along with their karmas and dharmas. According to one's

karmic desires he is further implicated in karmic fate and continues to live in

the world of action and reaction.

 A "brāhmaṇa" is more than this, and therefore karma does not make one a brāhmaṇa.

Then what about dharma, religion? Mundane piety does not make a brāhmaṇa

either. There are many examples of great kṣatriyas who were highly religious

and gave much gold in charity, but they were not brāhmaṇas.

Then what is a brāhmaṇa? A brāhmaṇa is one who is absorbed only in the

Supreme Self. He is free from all mundane attributes of birth, work, and

materialistic qualities, who is free from all faults. His very nature is that he

takes pleasure in the knowledge of the limitless Supreme Truth. 

A real brāhmaṇa is completely absorbed in the infinite, limitless, absolute Supreme

Person (present within the heart of every living being as the Supersoul just as

ether pervades everything). That Supreme Lord is indivisible, and His very

nature is divine ecstasy. The infinite is not a mango that can be grasped through

sense experience; neither can He be known, directly or indirectly, through

mental speculation.) Such a brāhmaṇa is free from faults such as lust, anger,

greed, pride, illusion, and envy. He has all twelve brahminical qualities

beginning with peacefulness and self-control (śamo, dama, tapa, etc.). He is

never envious and is free from illusion and from any touch of pride and false

ego. One who has these qualitiesmay be called a brāhmaṇa. This is the opinion

of the Śruti, Smṛti, Purāṇas and Itihāsas. No other endowments of perfection

can confer brahminical status.