So the Vedas indicate therefore that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you want to understand the Absolute Truth, then you have to follow great personalities, great devotees. Just like in the Western world, Lord Jesus Christ, you have to follow his principles. That is all right, his Ten Commandments. But we do not follow. We simply fight, "Oh, I am Christian, you are Hindu," "I am Muhammadan," "I am this." Nobody tries to follow. You see? That is not the way. You have to follow. If you believe in certain personality . . . of course, not believe, not blind believing; he must be authority.
Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam they have indicated twelve authorities. According to Vedic version, there are twelve authorities, and one of them is Prahlāda Mahārāja. The twelve authorities are:
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
This was explained by Yamarāja to his followers, that there are twelve authorities. So if one has to know the secret of spiritual realization, then one has to follow either of these twelve authorities.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the authority. Therefore I say, when Prahlāda Mahārāja says manye, "I think," it has to be taken as authoritative statement. We have to follow. If we follow the footprints of great personalities, then there is no danger. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Just like in the villages there is a track. One who follows that track, he is not lost. He . . . similarly, if we follow the track of mahājana on which great personality has traversed, then we'll not fall.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he says: "I think." So whatever he thinks, we have to accept. That is very nice. And what he thinks? He thinks, manye viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham (SB 7.9.10). He says that, "If a brahmin . . ." Brahmin is considered to be the highest qualified man in the human society. Why? Because he has got twelve qualification. We don't speak brahmin by birth.
Brahmin does not become by birth. Brahmin is a qualification. That is the injunction of Vedic literatures. The most intelligent man is called brahmin. And how his intelligence is exhibited? There are twelve qualities. If you find those twelve qualities in any person . . . it doesn't matter whether it is in India or in Czechoslovakia or anywhere. Simply you have to find out whether that man is qualified.