After visiting Raṅgakṣetra, Lord Balarāma gradually proceeded toward Madurai, commonly known as the Mathurā of southern India. After visiting this place, He gradually proceeded toward Setubandha, the place where Lord Rāmacandra constructed the stone bridge from India to Laṅkā (Ceylon). In this particularly holy place, Lord Balarāma distributed ten thousand cows to the local brāhmaṇa priests. It is the Vedic custom that when a rich visitor goes to any place of pilgrimage he gives the local priests houses, cows, ornaments and garments as gifts of charity. This system of visiting places of pilgrimage and providing the local brāhmaṇa priests with all necessities of life has greatly deteriorated in this Age of Kali. The richer section of the population, because of its degradation in Vedic culture, is no longer attracted by these places of pilgrimage, and the brāhmaṇa priests who depended on such visitors have also deteriorated in their professional duty of helping the visitors. These brāhmaṇa priests in the places of pilgrimage are called paṇḍā or paṇḍita. This means that they were formerly very learned brāhmaṇas and used to guide the visitors in all details of the purpose of coming there, and thus both the visitors and the priests benefited by mutual cooperation.
Brahmana means pandita
Expressions researched:
"Brahmana is addressed as pandita"
|"Brahmana is addressed as panditaji"
|"Brahmana is addressed in India as"
|"Brahmana is called pandita"
|"Brahmana is called panditaji"
|"Brahmana is supposed to be very learned; therefore he is addressed as pandita"
|"Brahmana means he must be very learned scholar and a very advanced devotee. Brahmana pandita"
|"Brahmana means naturally pandita"
|"Brahmana means pandita"
|"Brahmana must be very learned scholar. Brahmana pandita"
|"Brahmana priests in the places of pilgrimage are called panda or pandita"
|"Brahmana's another title is pandita"
|"Brahmanas are generally addressed still in India as panditji"
|"Pandita means those who are learned. Learned means brahmana"
|"Pandiya means pandita. Brahmana"
|"brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned"
|"brāhmaṇaḥ paṇḍitaḥ. Paṇḍita means a highly learned person"
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
It is evident from Lord Kṛṣṇa's dealings with Sudāmā Vipra that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very, very much pleased with a person who possesses brahminical qualities. A qualified brāhmaṇa like Sudāmā Vipra is naturally a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, brāhmaṇo vaiṣṇavaḥ: a brāhmaṇa is a Vaiṣṇava. Or sometimes it is said, brāhmaṇaḥ paṇḍitaḥ. Paṇḍita means a highly learned person. A brāhmaṇa cannot be foolish or uneducated. Therefore there are two divisions of brāhmaṇas, namely Vaiṣṇavas and paṇḍitas. Those who are simply learned are paṇḍitas but not yet devotees of the Lord, or Vaiṣṇavas. Lord Kṛṣṇa is not especially pleased with them. Simply the qualification of being a learned brāhmaṇa is not sufficient to attract the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not only must a brāhmaṇa be well qualified according to the requirements stated in scriptures such as Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but at the same time he must be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The vivid example is Sudāmā Vipra. He was a qualified brāhmaṇa, unattached to all sorts of material sense enjoyment, and at the same time he was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enjoyer of all sacrifices and penances, is very fond of a brāhmaṇa like Sudāmā Vipra, and we have seen by the actual behavior of Lord Kṛṣṇa how much He adores such a brāhmaṇa. Therefore, the ideal stage of human perfection is to become a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava like Sudāmā Vipra.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So this bodily conception of life, when we get out of it, that is real knowledge, paṇḍita. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ.
- vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
- brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
- śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
- paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
- (BG 5.18)
Paṇḍita means those who are learned. Learned means brāhmaṇa, not śūdra. Śūdras, they are not learned. Mlecchas, yavanas, śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra (SB 2.4.18), so many. Learned means brāhmaṇa. Learned means that one who knows that Brahman. Brahman, the spirit soul, is part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. So one who has come to that knowledge, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul; ahaṁ brahmāsmi," that is knowledge. Knowledge begins from there. If one does not reach to that point, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then he is animal. The animal thinking like that, "I am rickshaw," "I am motorcar," "I am cat," "I am dog," "I am this," "I am that." That is animal thinking. But a person... Learned thinking is that "I am not this body; I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi." And when you are farther advanced from Brahman knowledge... The knowledge begins from there. When you make further advancement, then you can understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is perfect knowledge. First of all knowledge begins that "I am not this body."
A human being should be inquisitive to learn what is Absolute Truth. So that education is lacking. Therefore without this brahma-jijñāsā education, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. According to Vedic civilization, a brāhmaṇa is learned. Paṇḍita. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita because brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Therefore he is called paṇḍita. In India the brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means a brāhmaṇa is expected to know Brahman; therefore he is brāhmaṇa. Not by birth. Brahma jānāti. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth everyone is śūdra, fourth-class man. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And when he's reformed by the purificatory process...
There are daśa-vidha-saṁskāra, ten kinds of purificatory process. When one undergoes all these processes and at last comes to the spiritual master who gives him sacred thread as recognition of his second birth... Dvija. Dvija means second birth. One birth by the father and mother, and the other birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. That is called second birth. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. At that time he is given chance to study and understand what is Vedas. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. By studying very nicely all the Vedas, one becomes vipra. Then, when he actually realizes what is Brahman and his relationship with Him, then he becomes a brāhmaṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Simply by becoming brāhmaṇa, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He must become a devotee. Because Kṛṣṇa is understood by simply devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa does not say that to "By becoming brāhmaṇa, one can understand Me." No. Brāhmaṇa stage is impersonal realization of Brahman. There is no personal realization. When the personal realization is there, he's called Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. The brāhmaṇa has got two titles: brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Still, in India, a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita, however rascal he may be. Because it is expected, when one is born in the brāhmaṇa family, he must be well-learned. These are the six occupational duties of brāhmaṇa: paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa must be very learned scholar, studying. All Vedic knowledge is meant for the brāhmaṇas. Satyam, tapasya, satyam, śaucam, tapas, ārjavam, titikṣā, jñānam, vijñānam, āstikyam, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These qualifications must be there to become a brāhmaṇa. So in spite of becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified, śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he is expert in his occupational duties. Ṣaṭ-karma means paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana. Six kinds of occupational duties. But avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa, uh,
- ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
- mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
- avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
- vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
This is the injunction of the śāstra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, if he's an avaiṣṇava, if he has not understood Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru.
If you prepare yourself nicely, you get good chance; you get birth in higher planet. Or if you prepare himself, yourself nicely, then you go to Kṛṣṇa even. Now it is your choice. It is your choice. But we must know that "What is my condition." If I am in darkness, I do not understand what is, in what condition I am living, this is conditional life. That's... Everyone can understand. That Sanātana Gosvāmī understood. And we should follow the footprints of Sanātana Gosvāmī.
So he understood that "Although I am minister, although I am very educated..." Educated, what do you mean by educated? He said, grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita: "Some, my neighbors, they call me very learned man, my neighbors." Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita. Because he was minister, and he was Sanskrit scholar, Urdu scholar, actually, from scholastic point of view, very educated... So he was born in brāhmaṇa family. So people used to... A brāhmaṇa family. A brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means learned, because brāhmaṇa's business is to become learned. So he was called "Panditji." But he was thinking that "People call me very learned man, but what sort of learned man I am?" So he submitted his defects to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "These people, my neighbors, they address me 'Panditji,' a learned man, and I am also such a fool that I accept that I am very much learned." "Why you disagree that you are not learned? You are learned." Now, he said that tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "I am so learned that I do not know what is my destination, what is good for me."
If he's a Vaiṣṇava he can become guru. And if one is a brāhmaṇa, if he's not a Vaiṣṇava... Naturally, brāhmaṇa means Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa means paṇḍita. Still, in India a brāhmaṇa is addressed as "Paṇḍitajī." Because a brāhmaṇa and mūrkha, rascal, this is contradictory. It cannot be. Unless one is highly learned, unless one has learned what is Brahman, he cannot become brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So not only one should be brāhmaṇa, but he should become a Vaiṣṇava. Still higher. From brāhmaṇa platform he has to come to the Vaiṣṇava platform.
The brāhmaṇa, their duty is how to practice to control the mind, to control the senses, śamo damas titikṣā, to be tolerant, to be very simple, simple living, not very gorgeous living. Whatever is absolutely necessary, a brāhmaṇa will accept, not more than that. That is simplicity, simple living, high thinking. So this is brāhmaṇa's... Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam. And then jñānam. Jñānam means to understand what is what. People are all in ignorance rascals. The brāhmaṇa should not be rascal. Therefore brāhmaṇa is given the title paṇḍita. Still in India they say, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa must be a paṇḍita, a learned. A brāhmaṇa rascal is not brāhmaṇa. You are... "What you are?" "I am brāhmaṇa." "What do you do?" "Now, I pull ṭhelā." So that is not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means paṇḍita. He must be a learned man. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. These are the brāhmaṇa's occupational duty. He must be learned scholar himself, and he would try to make others also learned scholar, paṭhana-pāṭhana, not that "I know." If you know something better, means very valuable, you must distribute it. Otherwise, in Sanskrit language they are called jñāna-khala: "miser in knowledge." One who has got knowledge... Just like in the modern world, if one is scientifically advanced, he gives the knowledge to others. He goes from university to university and speaks about the new invention. So similarly, brāhmaṇa means that he must have full knowledge and he must distribute the knowledge, not that keep it for himself, reserved: "Nobody should know it." No. Paṭhana-pāṭhana. So jñānaṁ vijñānam.
A person, vipra, brāhmaṇa, he is expert in six kinds of brahminical business, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ means six, and karma means activities. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ. Nipuṇa. Nipuṇa, very expert. He knows all the brahminical activities. What is that? Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. He knows, he is educated. Brāhmaṇa means paṇḍita. He's personally educated, and he educates others. That is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa does not keep himself educated. That education, that means he is brāhmaṇa, he makes others also brāhmaṇa. That is brāhmaṇa, not that "I remain brāhmaṇa. I remain Vaiṣṇava, and others may suffer." No. Paṭhana-pāṭhana. He must educate others. That is the business of brāhmaṇa. Para-duḥkha-duhkhī. That is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means who is unhappy by seeing other's unhappy.
Brāhmaṇa means the persons learned, very intelligent, the Vedic culture, knowledge in Vedas. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam. These are the brahminical qualification. Control the senses, control the mind, very clean. Śamo damas titikṣā, tolerant, ārjava, simplicity. These are the brahminical qual... Then jñānam, full knowledge. Not that I am talking of becoming a brāhmaṇa, but I have no knowledge. That is not brāhmaṇa, allowed. A brāhmaṇa must be very much learned. Brāhmaṇa's another title is paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means very learned, paṇḍitajī. Where is our paṇḍita? He is not here?
Devotee: He's not here.
Prabhupāda: He is not well? (hears response) Hm.
The Vedic system, these brāhmaṇa, the topmost class of the human society, their business is to study the Vedas, paṭhana pāṭhana, yajana yājana, dāna pratigraha. Ideal character, very learned. Still in India... Now it is formality. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍitajī. Paṇḍita means very learned. Without being very learned scholar, one cannot become brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is farther above the brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is the preliminary qualification for becoming a Vaiṣṇava later on.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī was very rich man. Still, he's asking Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni: "These foolish villagers, or my neighbor men, they call me 'Paṇḍitajī.' " He was brāhmaṇa. Actually he was paṇḍitajī. You know, in India, the brāhmaṇa is addressed as "paṇḍita." Because a brāhmaṇa is expected to become very learned. A foolish man cannot be a brāhmaṇa. Learned means Vedic knowledge. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. How one becomes brāhmaṇa? By studying thoroughly the Vedic literature, when one can understand Brahman, he realizes himself, hṛdayānanda, then he becomes brāhmaṇa. Therefore a brāhmaṇa means naturally paṇḍita. But nowadays simply by birth. That is another thing.
Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu.
Brāhmaṇa's business is paṭhan pāṭhan yajan yājan dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa should be personally very highly learned scholar. Therefore brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita. Even in India, still a brāhmaṇa is addressed, "paṇḍitji." He may be a fool number one, but he is addressed like that, "Paṇḍitji." So because without becoming a learned scholar nobody can become a brāhmaṇa... We are also giving our student position as brāhmaṇa, but if he remains a fool number one, then we are misusing our attempt. He should be very learned scholar. That should be the aim. And there is no difficulty to become a learned scholar because we have got so many books. You simply read and digest what we are speaking. Not that we are simply meant for selling books. We are reading. We must read. Then our position as brāhmaṇa will be fulfilled. Because brāhmaṇas are teacher. Anyone who can teach, he is brāhmaṇa. So unless you read thoroughly what you are going to speak to the world, how you can become a brāhmaṇa and paṇḍita? You should carefully note this.
Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ manasas tu parā buddhiḥ. That intelligence required. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, one of the chief disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was the chief minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, and he was born in a very high-class brāhmaṇa family, sārasvata family, and he was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu and Arabic, very learned scholar. So when he submitted himself after resigning his post as minister, submitted to Lord Caitanya, he put this question, that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. A brāhmaṇa... Still in our India, a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, that a... Learned scholar. So in the society he was addressed as "Paṇḍitajī." So he protested against it. He said to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, grāmya-vyavahāre: "In ordinary behavior they call me 'paṇḍita.' " Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "And I am such a fool that I accept myself also as a paṇḍita." It is his humbleness. He was paṇḍita, certainly. But he says, "Why I am not paṇḍita?" Because āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "I am such a learned scholar that I do not know what is actually good for me. This is my learning. And I have become a leader. I do not know what is the aim of my life, what is my identification. People address me as paṇḍita, and I take it as fact. But actually I am not a paṇḍita. I do not know what I am. I am thinking I am this body. I am thinking I am this mind." So that is our position.
One should be inquisitive. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He asked, "Sir, let me know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita: "In ordinary behavior, people say that I am very learned man. They say, 'paṇḍitajī.' " The brāhmaṇa is addressed in India as "paṇḍitajī." Paṇḍitajī means very learned. So Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted that "The general people, they say that I am very learned, but actually I do not know what I am." He admitted. So ask anybody, so-called scholar, doctors, Ph.D., D.H.C Just like that Professor Kotovsky said, "After finishing this body, everything is finished." He does not know what he is. This is the position. Therefore the so-called scholars, learned men, whatever they are doing, they are being defeated because he does not know his identity. Unless you know your identity, then how can you work for the goal of life?
Mahājana means the devotees. Mahājana. Mahājana is also addressed in India to the baniers, means the mercantile class, mahājana. The brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita, and the kṣatriya is addressed as ṭhākura, and the vaiśyas are addressed as mahājana, and the śūdras are addressed as chaudhuri. This is Indian etiquette.
Brāhmaṇa means Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa means paṇḍita. Therefore two words are used along with the word brāhmaṇa: brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Śruta-sampannaḥ. The first qualification is śruta-sampannaḥ. He must be learned scholar in Vedic... Vedic knowledge means śruti. So that is the first qualification. Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ. So therefore brāhmaṇa is paṇḍita. Without becoming a paṇḍita, how one can become brāhmaṇa? Śruta-sampannaḥ. Śruta-sampannaḥ, then guru, agni, very respectful to spiritual master, agni, the fire... Because a brāhmaṇa has to make fire sacrifice every day. Guru, agni, and atithi. Atithi is a sannyāsīs. They are coming to a brāhmaṇa's house for one capātī. They don't want more. They are called mādhu-karī. Mādhu-karī means mādhu... Mādhu is collected by drops, not in lump. The, what is called, bees? Honey bees? What is called? No, honey, and bees, what is called? Mādhumakṣi? Bumblebees. Yes. So they collect a drop—from this flower, drop; that flower, drop; that flower, drop. In this way they make a big honeycomb. So a brāhmaṇas and kṣatriya, er, sannyāsīs, although they are meant for collecting, they do not collect heavy at a place. Little. Because they are collecting not for his sense gratification. He is collecting for satisfying Kṛṣṇa.
When one is very advanced in knowledge, brahma-bhūtaḥ... Brahma-bhūtaḥ means one who has understood the Brahman, the Supreme. And a brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, one who has advanced to such knowledge. Therefore in India it is said that a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍitajī. Not paṇḍitajī like our late Jawaharlal Nehru. Paṇḍitajī means one who knows Brahman. Therefore brāhmaṇa's title is paṇḍita.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
A brāhmaṇa must be very learned scholar. Brāhmaṇa paṇḍita. He must be scholar. Scholar means not ordinary, but in transcendental science. Tad vijñānam. So paṭhana pāṭhana. And he must be expert teacher also. He should not... Actually in our India, formerly, the brāhmaṇas, they usually become teachers. In any village, a brāhmaṇa has no other business. He sits down. He's called catuṣpāṭhī, the higher scholars. But for ordinary also. A brāhmaṇa... Guru-maharṣayaḥ. We studied under guru maharṣayaḥ in our childhood. Pāṭha śālā. So anywhere a brāhmaṇa can sit down and the village boys, small boys, children would come there. He doesn't charge anything, but their father, mother sends everything—rice, dahl, cloth. So he has no much demand for bodily necessities. This was paṭhana. This is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa should not accept any service.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
In the Indian system a brāhmaṇa is addressed as "paṇḍita." Perhaps you know Paṇḍita Jawaharlal Nehru. Although he had no brahminical qualification, but because he was born in a brāhmaṇa family, so this title was... "Paṇḍita." A brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita, a kṣatriya is addressed as ṭhākura, and a vaiśya is addressed seth, sethji, a rich man. The vaiśyas are generally very rich men. Perhaps you have... As you have in your country the Rockefeller, Carnegie and Ford, similarly, in our country we have got many rich men just like Birla, Dalmiya, Bangar (?), and so many. So they are called sethji. So sethji, ṭhākuraji and paṇḍitaji. And the śūdras are called mahājana. Because if they are called śūdra, they will be angry. So mahājana means great personality. So these are some etiquette for addressing different communities.
So in India, still, a brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita, paṇḍitaji. Just like you know our Prime Minister was Paṇḍita Jawaharlal Nehru. He happened to be a Sārasvata brāhmaṇa. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he also a Sārasvata brāhmaṇa by caste. But he has placed himself:
- nīca jāti nīca-saṅgī patita adhāma
- kuviṣaya-kūpe paḍi' goṅāinu janama
He could understand that "These people call me paṇḍita." Paṇḍita means one who knows everything. The ultimate paṇḍita is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍita means he sees every living entity on the equal level. That is real paṇḍita. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ.
- vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
- brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
- śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
- paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
- (BG 5.18)
He's really paṇḍita. That is spiritually. And material paṇḍita, that is also mentioned by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, his moral instruction. He gives description of a paṇḍita:
- mātṛvat para-dāreṣu
- para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
- ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu
- yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
He never said that anyone who has passed his M.A. degree or Ph.D. degree, he is paṇḍita. No. The test of paṇḍita is here, from moral instruction, that anyone who sees all other woman except his wife as mother, he is paṇḍita. Just see. This is the test. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu and para-dravyeṣu, other's property as garbage in the street, nobody touches. And ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu, and treat everyone as his own self. If anyone has learned these three things, then he is paṇḍita. And spiritually, when one sees that all living entities, may be in different types of bodies, he is spirit soul, part and parcel of God, then he is paṇḍita.
So approaching the guru, Sanātana Gosvāmī, his submission was that "People in general, they talk of me as very learned scholar." He was very good scholar in Sanskrit, in Arabic and Persian language because he was minister, very responsible post. So... And he was born in brāhmaṇa family, Sārasvata brāhmaṇa family. So naturally he was supposed to be very learned scholar, paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa paṇḍita. Still we address a brāhmaṇa as paṇḍitajī. Never we address a brāhmaṇa as mūrkhajī. So, that is the etiquette. Brāhmaṇa means he must be very learned scholar and a very advanced devotee. Brāhmaṇa paṇḍita, brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. These are the qualification of brāhmaṇa. So naturally he was addressed as paṇḍitajī, but he denied to accept that he is actually paṇḍita.
General Lectures
One person is very learned. In our country a brāhmaṇa is supposed to be very learned; therefore he is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means very learned. Nowadays he may be a fool number one, but he is called paṇḍita. That is not actually the fact. A brāhmaṇa means very, very learned in Vedic literature. Veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ. One who has studied the Vedas very nice, he is vipra. So one who is actually paṇḍita, he will see a learned brāhmaṇa, a hog, a dog, and a caṇḍāla, an elephant, like that, everyone, all living entities—that means all living entities—on the equal level because he sees to the soul, not to the body.
So I have come to this university with a hope that some of you become really brāhmaṇa. The Sanskrit department is meant for brāhmaṇas. Paṭhan pāṭhan yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita. Why? Because a brāhmaṇa must be learned. Brāhmaṇa is not called a fool. So this department, Sanskrit department, is meant for the brāhmaṇas.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is not on the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. That He explained when He was talking with Sanātana Gosvāmī, that what is the identity of this living entity. Or he said, "What is my identity? Actually people address me as very learned man." He was very learned man. He was minister and was a brāhmaṇa. Naturally in those days he knew Sanskrit very well and Urdu, because Muhammadan kingdom, the Urdu language was state language just like during British period the state language was English. So he was quite conversant with these two languages, Urdu, Parsi, and Sanskrit. So he first of all submitted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear Lord, people address me as panditji." The brāhmaṇas are generally addressed still in India as panditji, means learned. Because brāhmaṇa means learned. A brāhmaṇa cannot be mūrkhaji. That is not possible. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he becomes brāhmaṇa; therefore he is addressed as panditji. So Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted that "These ordinary people address me as very learned man, panditji. But I know my position. I do not know myself, what I am. This is my position." Grāmya-vyavahāre kaha ei paṇḍita satya kori māni: "These fools calls me as paṇḍita, and I also think that I am paṇḍita, but actually I do not know what I am." Just see. This is the position.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The Vedic system does not condemn anyone. "You are a potter. Oh, you are lower." No. You are as good as a priest because you are doing your duty. That's all right. Never condemns. This is development of later age when the so-called brāhmaṇas became, I mean to say, treacherous. They began to condemn so-called lower class. There was disruption, the whole social system. But in the beginning it was not. So they have got respectable terms. Just like a brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita mahārāja. A kṣatriya is addressed ṭhākura saheb, ṭhākur. And a merchant is addressed: sethji. And the laborer class addressed as choudhari, means leader. In this way everyone has got respectable position. Why? Because the test of their success was one, Viṣṇu.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) The people are misled. They do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. Artha-brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita (SB 7.5.31). Pandiya means...
Indian man: Yeah. brāhmaṇa.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's from Benares.
Prabhupāda: Pandiya means paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa.
Correspondence
1976 Correspondence
I have also suggested for the GBC's consideration, that we introduce a system of examinations for the devotees to take. Sometimes there is criticism that our men are not sufficiently learned, especially the brahmanas. Of course second initiation does not depend upon passing an examination. How one has moulded his life—chanting, attending arati, etc., these are essential. Still, brahmana means pandita. Therefore I am suggesting examinations. Bhakti-sastri—(for all brahmanas) based on Bhagavad-gita, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, and all the small paper backs. Bhakti-vaibhava—the above plus first six cantos of S.B. Bhaktivedanta—the above plus cantos 7-12 S.B. Bhakti-sarvabhauma—the above plus Caitanya-caritamrta.
These titles can correspond to entrance, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. So just consider how to organize this Institute. At Mayapur we shall finalize everything.
| Page Title: | Brahmana means pandita |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 13 of Sep, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=24, Con=2, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 29 |