So śūdras also should not be given independence. They should be given protection, but no independence. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ, in the Bhagavad-gītā there is. Striyaḥ means woman, śūdra and vaiśya—they are put into the same category. In Bhāgavata also, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). So one has to be enlightened. As the śūdra can be enlightened under good protection, similarly, a woman can also be enlightened. There is no, I mean to say, barricade to enlighten woman. Everyone can be enlightened. Everyone has got the light. But ordinarily, the śūdra and the vaiśyas, they are not to be considered very intelligent.
Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone is born śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By saṁskāra . . . just like we follow. Not all of a sudden we accept anyone as brāhmaṇa. We give saṁskāra, chanting. First of all, association. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ (SB 3.25.25). By good association, by the association of devotees, one can understand automatically what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa.
(aside) Let him sit properly.
So saṁskāra . . . saṁskāra . . . although the śūdras are not given any saṁskāra . . . because those who are in the very lowest stage of life, it is very difficult for them to accept saṁskāra, reformatory method. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, under the direction of Gosvāmīs and pañcarātra system, they are giving the opportunity everyone to become a brahmin. Because without becoming brahmin, nobody can understand what is Kṛṣṇa or what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
One must be on the platform of goodness. When one is fixed up on the platform of goodness, the other two qualities—namely, ignorance and passion—cannot disturb him. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18).
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. If you kindly continue to hear about Him, as you are doing, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased, "Oh, this person is now interested in me." Because nobody's interested in Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is also silent to them. But as soon as you become interested, oh, Kṛṣṇa becomes very active: "Oh, he's trying to do something. I shall help him."
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām. What is that verse? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa says. He's silent for the nondevotees, but he speaks to the devotees. That is very natural. If some big man . . . he talks with men who are intelligent, who is businesslike. Why he wastes his time talking with some rascals and fools? So Kṛṣṇa talks, but talks to the devotee. Who are devotee? Satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Those who are twenty-four hours engaged in rendering loving devotional service to the Lord. To such person Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence, not others.
So this process of hearing from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, must be continued. That is our life. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Śravaṇam means hearing. Kīrtanam means chanting about Lord Viṣṇu. Not for others. "Now I am hearing and chanting about Nixon," (chuckles) that will not help. Because everyone is busy in newspaper, "What Nixon said, what he is doing . . ." Everywhere.
The politicians, they have made the minds of general people, general public, that they're very much interested in what the politician says. Every day he sees that he's simply speaking all nonsense, still he's interested. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). They are called "chewing the chewed again and again." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām.