One must be qualified by the brahminical qualities mentioned in the

śāstras, particularly the Bhagavad-gītā (18.42):

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaḿ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca

jñānaḿ vijñānam āstikyaḿ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty,

knowledge, wisdom and religiousness — these are the natural qualities by
which the brāhmaṇas work."

The qualifications of a bona fide disciple are described in Śrīmad-

Bhāgavatam (11.10.6) as follows:

amānya-matsaro dakṣo nirmamo dṛḍha-sauhṛdaḥ

asatvaro 'rtha-jijñāsur anasūyur amogha-vāk

The disciple must have the following qualifications. He must give up

interest in the material bodily conception. He must give up material lust,
anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy. He should be interested only in
understanding the science of God, and he should be ready to consider all
points in this matter. He should no longer think, "I am this body," or, "This
thing belongs to me." One must love the spiritual master with unflinching
faith, and one must be very steady and fixed. The bona fide disciple should
be inquisitive to understand transcendental subject matter. He must not
search out faults among good qualities, and he should no longer be
interested in material topics. His only interest should be Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.14.34

By brahminical culture, the development of the dormant qualities of

goodness, namely truthfulness, equanimity, sense control, forbearance,
simplicity, general knowledge, transcendental knowledge, and firm faith in
the Vedic wisdom, one can become a brāhmaṇa and thus see the Lord as He
is. And after surpassing the brahminical perfection, one has to become a
devotee of the Lord so that His loving affection in the form of proprietor,
master, friend, son and lover can be transcendentally achieved. The stage of
a devotee, which attracts the transcendental affection of the Lord, does not
develop unless one has developed the qualities of a brāhmaṇa
BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 16.1-3, Purport:

As far as the brahminical quality of simplicity is concerned, not only should a

particular order of life follow this principle, but every member, be he in the
brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama or sannyāsa
āśrama. One should be very simple and straightforward.

Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.1, Purport:

When one is successful in chanting the Gāyatrī mantra, he can enter into the
transcendental position of the Lord. One must therefore acquire brahminical
qualities or be perfectly situated in the quality of goodness in order to chant
the Gāyatrī mantra successfully and then attain to the stage of
transcendentally realizing the Lord, His name, His fame, His qualities and so
on.
SB 1.14.34, Purport:

Without cow protection and cultivation of the brahminical qualities in human

society, at least for a section of the members of society, no human
civilization can prosper at any length. By brahminical culture, the
development of the dormant qualities of goodness, namely truthfulness,
equanimity, sense control, forbearance, simplicity, general knowledge,
transcendental knowledge, and firm faith in the Vedic wisdom, one can
become a brāhmaṇa and thus see the Lord as He is.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.8.36, Purport:

The American boys, who have simply been trained as śūdras, are not at all fit
to fight in battle. Therefore, when they are called to join the military, they
refuse because they do not have kṣatriya spirit. This is a cause of great
dissatisfaction in society.
That the boys do not have the kṣatriya spirit does not mean that they are
trained in brahminical qualities; they are trained as śūdras, and thus in
frustration they are becoming hippies. However, as soon as they enter the
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement being started in America, they are trained to
meet the brahminical qualifications, even though they have fallen to the
lowest conditions as śūdras. In other words, since the Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement is open for everyone, people in general can attain the brahminical
qualifications.
SB 4.21.37, Purport:

A brāhmaṇa's qualifications are mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā as truthfulness,

mental equanimity, control of the senses, the power of tolerance, simplicity,
knowledge of the Absolute Truth, firm faith in the scriptures, and practical
application of the brahminical qualities in life.
SB 4.21.38, Purport:

The Lord's exemplary behavior is to teach us. We should learn from His
personal behavior how to give protection to the cow, how to cultivate
brahminical qualities and how to respect the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.1.14, Purport:

While instructing Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about the symptoms of guṇa and

karma, Nārada Muni said that these symptoms must govern the division of
society. In other words, if a person born in the family of a brāhmaṇa has the
symptoms of a śūdra, he should be designated as a śūdra. Similarly, if a
śūdra has brahminical qualities, he should be designated a brāhmaṇa.
SB 5.3.17, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: O great sages, I am certainly

very pleased with your prayers. You are all truthful. You have prayed for the
benediction of a son like Me for King Nābhi, but this is very difficult to obtain.
Since I am the Supreme Person without a second and since no one is equal
to Me, another personality like Me is not possible to find. In any case,
because you are all qualified brāhmaṇas, your vibrations should not prove
untrue. I consider the brāhmaṇas who are well qualified with brahminical
qualities to be as good as My own mouth."
SB 5.19.6, Purport:

Since the Lord is always spiritually qualified, He is attached to servants who

always render transcendental loving service unto Him. He is attached to the
truth in life, not to brahminical qualities. Indeed, He is never attached to any
material qualities.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.21, Purport:

In the city known as Kānyakubja there was a brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila who
married a prostitute maidservant and lost all his brahminical qualities
because of the association of that low-class woman."
SB 6.1.21, Purport, Purport:

The fault of illicit connection with women is that it makes one lose all
brahminical qualities. In India there is still a class of servants, called śūdras,
whose maidservant wives are called śūdrāṇīs. Sometimes people who are
very lusty establish relationships with such maidservants and sweeping
women, since in the higher statuses of society they cannot indulge in the
habit of woman hunting, which is strictly prohibited by social convention.
Ajāmila, a qualified brāhmaṇa youth, lost all his brahminical qualities
because of his association with a prostitute, but he was ultimately saved
because he had begun the process of bhakti-yoga.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.5.15, Purport:

The word śukra means "semen." The sons of Śukrācārya were brāhmaṇas by
birthright, but an actual brāhmaṇa is one who possesses the brahminical
qualities. The brāhmaṇas Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, being seminal sons of
Śukrācārya, did not actually possess real brahminical qualifications, for they
engaged as servants of Hiraṇyakaśipu. An actual brāhmaṇa is very much
satisfied to see anyone, not to speak of his disciple, become a devotee of
Lord Kṛṣṇa.
SB 7.11.35, Purport:

If one was born in a brāhmaṇa family and has acquired the brahminical
qualifications, he is to be accepted as a brāhmaṇa; otherwise, he should be
considered a brahma-bandhu. Similarly, if a śūdra acquires the qualities of a
brāhmaṇa, although he was born in a śūdra family, he is not a śūdra;
because he has developed the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, he should be
accepted as a brāhmaṇa. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to
develop these brahminical qualities. Regardless of the community in which
one was born, if one develops the qualities of a brāhmaṇa he should be
accepted as a brāhmaṇa, and he then may be offered the order of sannyāsa.
SB Canto 8

SB 8.20.19, Purport:

Ārjavam—simplicity or freedom from duplicity—is a qualification of a

brāhmaṇa and a Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava automatically acquires all the
qualities of a brāhmaṇa.
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ

(SB 5.18.12)

A Vaiṣṇava should possess the brahminical qualities such as satya, śama,

dama, titikṣā and ārjava (BG 18.42). There cannot be any duplicity in the
character of a Vaiṣṇava. When Bali Mahārāja acted with unflinching faith and
devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, this was very much appreciated
by all the residents of the higher planetary system.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.18.2, Purport:

Self-realization is the prime objective of human civilization, and it is regarded

seriously by those who are situated in the mode of goodness and have
developed the brahminical qualities.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 15.264, Purport:

As far as killing the body of a brāhmaṇa is concerned, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

(1.7.53) gives the following injunction concerning a brahma-bandhu, a
person born of a brāhmaṇa father but devoid of brahminical qualities:
śrī-bhagavān uvāca

brahma-bandhur na hantavya

ātatāyī vadhār-haṇaḥ

"The Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, "A brahma-bandhu is not to be

killed, but if he is an aggressor, he must be killed.""
CC Madhya 20.59, Purport:

""One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical
qualities, but if he is not devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a
navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as a caṇḍāla who has dedicated
his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to the service of the Lord. Simply
to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have brahminical qualities is not
sufficient. One must become a pure devotee of the Lord. If a śva-paca or
caṇḍāla is a devotee, he delivers not only himself but his whole family,
whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a devotee but simply has brahminical
qualifications cannot even purify himself, what to speak of his family."""
CC Madhya 20.59, Purport, Purport:

The Bhagavad-gītā (18.42) describes the brahminical qualities in this way:

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca

jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge,

wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the
brāhmaṇas work."
CC Madhya 24.330, Purport:

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented: śamādibhir eva brāhmaṇādi-vyavahāro

mukhyaḥ, na jāti-mātrādīty āha—yasyeti. yad yadi anyatra varṇāntare ‘pi
dṛśyeta, tad-varṇāntaraṁ tenaiva lakṣaṇa-nimittenaiva varṇena vinirdiśet,
na tu jāti-nimittenety arthaḥ: "The most important criterion for deciding
whether to deal with someone as a brāhmaṇa or as a member of another
varṇa is the presence or absence of self-control and similar brahminical
qualities. We should not judge primarily according to superficial
characteristics like birth. This is stated in the verse beginning yasya (SB
7.11.35). If the qualities of one varṇa are seen in someone born in another,
he should be designated according to the varṇa of his qualities, not that of
his birth."
CC Madhya 24.330, Purport, Purport:

There is a similar statement made by Nīlakaṇṭha, a commentator on the

Mahābhārata: śūdro ‘pi śamādy-upeto brāhmaṇa eva brāhmaṇo ‘pi kāmādy-
upetaḥ śūdra eva. "Although one may be born in a śūdra family, if he is
endowed with the brahminical qualities, beginning with śama (control of the
mind), he is to be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. Although one may be born in a
brāhmaṇa family, if he is endowed with the qualities beginning with kāma
(lust), he is to be considered a śūdra." No one should present himself as a
brāhmaṇa simply on the basis of being born in a brahminical family. One
must be qualified by the brahminical qualities mentioned in the śāstras,
particularly the Bhagavad-gītā (18.42):
śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca

jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge,

wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the
brāhmaṇas work."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 4.69, Purport:

“"One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical
qualities, but if in spite of being thus qualified he is not devoted to the lotus
feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as
a caṇḍāla who has dedicated his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to
the service of the Lord. Simply to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have
brahminical qualities is not sufficient. One must be a pure devotee of the
Lord. Thus if a śva-paca, or caṇḍāla, is a devotee, he delivers not only
himself but his entire family as well, whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a
devotee but simply has brahminical qualifications cannot even purify himself,
what to speak of his family.""

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu also quoted Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the effect that if a

brāhmaṇa is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, then he is lower than the
lowest of the low, even though he may be qualified with the twelve
brahminical qualities and born in a high family. A devotee, although born in a
caṇḍāla (dog-eater) family, can purify his whole family for one hundred
generations, past and future, by devotional service, whereas a proud
brāhmaṇa cannot even purify himself.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23:

When one attains success in chanting gāyatrī mantra, he can enter into the
transcendental position of the Lord. First, however, one must acquire the
brahminical qualities and become perfectly situated in the mode of goodness
in order to chant the gāyatrī mantra successfully. From that point one can
begin to transcendentally realize the Lord, His name, His fame, His qualities,
etc.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 81:

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.

Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

In the sattva-guṇa or in the modes of goodness, you can simply theoretically

understand that "I am not this body." That is sattva-guṇa. Brahminical
qualities. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñāna. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). When you... brahma-jānātīti
brāhmaṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa means who has got the knowledge of brahma. Veda-
paṭhād bhaved vipro brahma-jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ
saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.
Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

But this Kṛṣṇa, devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is so nice

that simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you come to immediately to the
brahminical platform. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
(SB 1.2.18). Abhadra. Abhadra means these three qualities of material
nature. Even brahminical qualities. The śūdra quality, the vaiśya quality, or
the kṣatriya quality, or even brāhmaṇa quality. They are all abhadras.
Because in brāhmaṇa quality, again the same identification comes. "Oh, I am
brāhmaṇa. Nobody can become brāhmaṇa without birth. I am great. I am
brāhmaṇa." This false prestige comes. So he becomes bound up. Even in
brahminical qualities.
Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Therefore our business should be not to associate with the material qualities.
Even up to goodness. Material quality, goodness means the brahminical
quality. Sattva śama damas titikṣā. So devotional service is transcendental
to these good qualities also. In this material world, if somehow or other, he
has got the birth in a brāhmaṇa family or he's executing his duties exactly a
strict brāhmaṇa, still he's conditioned under the laws of this material nature,
still.
Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

Yad anyatra. If the brahminical qualities are visible, manifest, elsewhere.

Elsewhere, may be he's śūdra, may be caṇḍāla. Tat tenaiva vinirdiśet. So
you, one should accept him as brāhmaṇa. Similarly, if one is born in
brāhmaṇa family but his qualities are like śūdra, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB
7.11.35). He should be accepted as śūdra. This is the injunction given by
Nārada Muni.
Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Therefore, there is sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means, you are in brahminical

quality, your work is this. You are in martial spirit—one who is intelligent, for
him, studying Vedas, understanding the philosophy, preaching for the good
of the society, train them, guide them, this is brāhmaṇa's business.
Brāhmaṇa is not going to work in the factory.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

Just like you qualify yourself as a lawyer, but you do not practice. So who will
call you lawyer? Nobody will call. But if you are qualified and if you are
practicing, everyone says, (Hindi) He will go. People will go to consult with
you. But if you do not practice, simply you have passed legal examination,
nobody will come to you. So two things are required: the brahminical
qualities and work like a brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

But simply by getting birth as a son of medical practitioner is not sufficient.

He has to take education. So cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-
vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa does not say "By birth." By acquiring the
qualities and action. One must have the brahminical qualities and act as a
brāhmaṇa; then he'll be accepted as brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

If you have got engineer's qualification, you are engineer. Otherwise, how
can you be engineer? Similarly, yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ syād
varṇābhivyanjakam. Varṇa. This is brahminical quality.

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣaḥ arjavam. Sauryaṁ

tejo yuddhe cāpy apālayanam. Kṣatriya. Kṣatriya must be very heroic. He'll
never go away from fighting. If a kṣatriya is challenged, "I want to fight with
you." "Yes, come on." That is kṣatriya. Similarly, brāhmaṇa. These are
qualifications. So if such qualification is acquired by somebody else, even
though he's not born in that family, Nārada Muni says, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
(SB 7.11.35).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

One who has accepted a ācārya, it is to be understood that he knows things

as they are. That is the symbol of sacred thread. So those who are not
mumukṣavaḥ, they are to considered under the influence of ignorance and
passion. They are called rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ. Those who are on the
platform of brahminical understanding, brahminical qualities, controlling the
senses, controlling the mind, tolerant, simplicity... And Śrī Baladeva
Vidyābhūṣaṇa has given about this ārjava, "simplicity." He says that a
brāhmaṇa even to a enemy will disclose all his secrets. Even to his enemy.
Lecture on SB 1.3.26 -- Los Angeles, October 1, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa does not say that only the person who is in goodness, who has the
brahminical platform, he can be engaged. Actually, he can be engaged, not
in the passion. But if you be engaged in devotional service, then immediately
you transcend all the qualities. You become more than brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava.
Vaiṣṇava means he is transcendental to the brahminical qualities also. But if
you do not maintain even brahminical qualities, then where you are a
Vaiṣṇava?

So to become a Vaiṣṇava is not so easy thing, because it is transcendental to

the brahminical quality. But it is very easy. Lord Caitanya has made it easy,
provided you stick to the principles.
Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Here there are many persons, they are very clean. That is a brahminical
quality, sattva ṣama śauca, very clean, truthful, controlled, so many
qualifications, but still, that is māyā. Still that is māyā. To become on the
platform of brahminical, satya śama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam
āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So even This is the
platform of goodness, brahminical qualification. So even in brahminical
qualification, it's still māyayā. He is thinking, "I am brāhmaṇa. I am so pure. I
am better than him." But he does not know that he is identifying himself with
māyā.
Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

You have to go step by step. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is adhokṣaja, far

beyond this prākṛta knowledge, prākṛta-guṇa. The highest position of prākṛta
or material life is the standard of brahminical qualities. But that is also
prākṛta. That is not aprākṛta. That is also not the Brahman realization.
Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. That is also the highest stage of prākṛta,
glimpse of the light. But one has to become free from the prākṛta
envelopment. Prākṛta-guṇaiḥ.
Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

The brāhmaṇa had no other business. He would sit down in his cottage, and
he would teach Vedic literature. Even in Muhammadan, the, what is called,
maulanas, they also teach Koran. That is brahminical quality, paṭhana-
pāṭhana, not that "I am very much learned; I will not distribute it. I shall..."
That is called jñāna-khala, envious even he has knowledge. The spiritual
knowledge must be distributed. That is the system of our Vaiṣṇava
philosophy.
Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

So this devotional service means to go above sattva-guṇa. Sa guṇṇ

samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). You have to transcend all
the material qualities, even sattva-guṇa. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is above
sattva-guṇa. So his brahminical qualities is supposed to be included. A
Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa. We give a Vaiṣṇava the sacred thread, the
mark of becoming a brāhmaṇa, because without becoming a brāhmaṇa,
nobody can come to the platform of Vaiṣṇava. That is the idea.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Because in this material world there are three modes of material nature. If
we are associated with the goodness quality, then our spiritual energy again
becomes blazing fire. From the modes of goodness, purity, knowledge, the
brahminical quality... Satya śama dama titikṣa (BG 18.42). When you are put
into that..., the dry grass... Although this satya śama dama, truthfulness or
controlling the senses, or controlling the mind, knowledge, toleration, these
qualities, they are all material qualities. They are not spiritual qualities.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Ceremony of Visnujana -- San Francisco, March 24, 1968:

So these initiation formalities are there. You are instructed, you are guided,
but you have to act. Unless you act, then the same thing as in India—the so-
called brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are degraded. There will be no meaning. So
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You have to stick to the brahminical
qualities, and at the same time work. Brahma-karma. Brahman is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the last word of Brahman. So you have to
engage yourself, brahma-karma, means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

Bhagavad-gītā says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ:

(BG 4.13) "The four classes of men are there. That is My law." How they are
four classes? Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Guṇa means quality, and karma
means work. If you have got very nice quality, intelligence, brahminical
qualities... Brahminical qualities means if you speak truth, you are very clean
and you are self-controlled, your mind is in equilibrium, you are tolerant, and
so many qual... You believe in God, you know scriptures practically. These
qualities are for the higher class, brāhmaṇa.
Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

The living entity is the same, but when he comes into this material world, he
associates with three kinds of material qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa,
tamo-guṇa. So one who is in sattva-guṇa, brahminical qualification, actually,
cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). One who
has got the brahminical qualities by work and actually in life, satya, śama,
dama, titikṣa, ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-
jam (BG 18.42). So he can understand. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ, he can
understand, so how, what is my relationship with the Supreme Lord.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Well that's all right, but for practical purposes they are breaking
promises at every moment.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. He understands this, but his idea, he wants to get to the
basis of morality by saying that...

Prabhupāda: That is a good quality. That is brahminical quality, not to break

promise, to be truthful. That is goodness.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: No. There is no... That is not sanctioned by the śāstra. That is
artificial.

Guest (2): I see. So according to you...

Prabhupāda: Brāhmaṇas means by quality. He must have the brahminical

quality, then he's brāhmaṇa.

Guest (2): So under these principles then, there are no brāhmaṇas in India,
really, then.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Because naturally the children follow the father. So if the father
is a real brāhmaṇa, then he naturally becomes. But if by chance he develops
the śūdra quality, then he must be accepted as śūdra, not as a brāhmaṇa.
That is the śāstra. Yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). If
the qualities, brahminical qualities are found somewhere else in śūdra or a
vaiśya, then he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa. Similarly if śūdra qualities
are found in the son of a brāhmaṇa, he should be accepted as śūdra.

Correspondence
1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

Regarding my Deity worship: I can understand that the regulative principles

are taking much of your time, but you can minimize according to your
convenience. There is no harm. But I am so glad to learn that this
engagement makes one developing the Brahminical qualities. I thank you
very much for appreciating this secret of worshiping the Lord. Generally, we
in the conditioned state, we are contaminated. But, this worshiping system
called "Arcana vidhi" cleanses the polluted heart and one becomes actually
fit for becoming qualified Brahmin.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Turya -- Calcutta January 27, 1973:

I am enclosing the Gayatri mantra sheets for Laksmi-priya Dasi and Kusa
Devi Dasi as you have recommended them. Now you can perform the fire
sacrifice in the assembly of devotees only and teach them to count on the
fingers. They may hear in the right ear the Gayatri mantra chanted by me on
tape recorder. Every one of my disciples should become so nicely trained
that they may all develop the brahminical qualities.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Balavanta -- Paris 10 June, 1974:

You say you plan to run for U.S. Congress. But for this, you can draw no
money from the society. So your plan is utopian. Better concentrate on
developing the brahminical qualities in the devotees there; that is more
important than running for political office. I hope you understand my points.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Honolulu 4 May, 1976:

Hold a yajna and instruct the initiates that they must follow the 4 regulative
principles: no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no illicit sex-
life, and chanting minimum 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily.
The brahmanas must cultivate the brahminical qualities as mentioned in the
Bhagavad-gita and in the other literatures. They must keep clean externally
by bathing regularly each day, and internally clean by always chanting Hare
Krishna. The beads of the first initiates can be chanted on by one of the
sannyasis and the thread for brahmana initiation is herein enclosed. After the
fire yajna you can play a recording of the gayatri mantra played into the
right ear of the brahmana initiate.
I am very sorry, that taking brahminical initiation, he is acting as a
caṇḍāla, angry caṇḍāla.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973: You know, the
brāhmaṇas, they are offered sacred thread. So people will consider, "Now I have got
sacred thread. I have become brāhmaṇa. I may act like the caṇḍāla. It doesn't
matter." That is going on. We introduced this brahminical culture, but things are
deteriorated. I am very sorry, that taking brahminical initiation, he is acting as a
caṇḍāla, angry caṇḍāla. You see? So this is Kali-yuga. He does not understand that
as brāhmaṇa he has got so responsibility. But because he has got the two-cent-
worth sacred thread, he thinks now he has become brāhmaṇa. Vipratve. And strītve
puṁstve ca hi ratir eva hi. And husband and wife, they will remain together because
it was liking. And as soon as there will be sex difficulty, there will be disliking
immediately.

If you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa, you must act as a brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974: So the king, his duty
was that if you are professing yourself as a brāhmaṇa, then it is the king's duty to
see that you are acting as a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is not by birth but guṇa-karma-
vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Guṇa means quality. And karma, and work also. Simply "I
have got now sacred thread, I have become brāhmaṇa, doubly initiated; now my
business is finished. I can work, I can do whatever we like, like less than śūdra,
caṇḍāla." No, sir. If you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa, you must act as a brāhmaṇa.
Truthfulness—satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma [Bg. 18.42]—everything is there. A brāhmaṇa must be truthful. That
is the first business of a brāhmaṇa—truthful. He'll speak truth even before an
enemy. Nobody speaks truth before an enemy because he wants to hide something.
But brāhmaṇa's business is to become truthful even before an enemy. That is
stated.

Suppose you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa. That is not finish, that "Now I
am initiated. I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No.
You must act as a brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Honolulu, May 21, 1976: So this dvijaḥ, brāhmaṇa.

Brāhmaṇa means one who has acquired these qualifications. Satya śama damo
titikṣa. The first qualification of brāhmaṇa is to become truthful. He'll never speak
lies. That is the first qualification. Satya śama, then controlling the senses; dama,
controlling the mind. Śama means controlling the mind, and dama is controlling the
senses. Śama dama titikṣa [Bg. 18.42]. Titikṣa means tolerance. Titikṣa ārjava,
simplicity; and full knowledge, jñānam; vijñānam, practical. Simply theoretical
knowledge, no practical application—he is not brāhmaṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said,
guṇa-karma. Only guṇa is not good. Guṇa and karma. Karma means some act.
Suppose you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa. That is not finish, that "Now I am initiated.
I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No. You must act as a
brāhmaṇa. Then you are brāhmaṇa. You always remember that. They are criticizing
in India that I am giving a brāhmaṇa's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You
should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism. If there are so
many foreign brāhmaṇas in India and I am making brāhmaṇa in the Western
countries, if they are still fallen, then what is this attempt? My attempt is futile. So
kindly be responsible, those who are second initiated. If you fall down, then the
whole movement becomes false. That is happening. So kindly rectify if that is
happening, that guṇa-karma. You must acquire the qualities and must act
accordingly. That is practical.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Actually, we should become on the platform of brāhmaṇa, qualified

brāhmaṇa, qualification Vaiṣṇava so that others may not criticize. That is
our special request.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has commented on this line, śvādo 'pi sadyaḥ, that a dog-
eater, after becoming a devotee, immediately he becomes a qualified
brāhmaṇa, so much so that he becomes competent to become a priest in the
matter of offering sacrifices. But Jīva Gosvāmī says that even a person is
born in brāhmaṇa family, he awaits the qualification of performing sacrifices.
He has to be initiated. He has to be advanced in education, so many things.
But one dog-eater, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately, without
waiting for reformatory method, he becomes immediately competent to act
as priest in performing sacrifices. But we should not take advantage of this.
Actually, we should become on the platform of brāhmaṇa, qualified
brāhmaṇa, qualification Vaiṣṇava so that others may not criticize. That is our
special request. That chance is there, everyone. This path of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness is open to everyone. It does not matter. My position is very
precarious.

Initiation Lectures

So brāhmaṇa qualification is truthfulness, cleanliness, satyaṁ śaucam.

Sama, equilibrium of the mind, without any disturbance, without any
anxiety. Satyaṁ śaucam śamo dama. Dama means controlling the senses.
Śamo dama titikṣa. Titikṣa means tolerance.

Brahmana Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, May 25, 1969:

So brāhmaṇa qualification is truthfulness, cleanliness, satyaṁ śaucam.

Sama, equilibrium of the mind, without any disturbance, without any anxiety.
Satyaṁ śaucam śamo dama. Dama means controlling the senses. Śamo
dama titikṣa. Titikṣa means tolerance. So many things in the material world
will happen. We have to practice to tolerate. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Kṛṣṇa
says, "You have to learn tolerance. The sukha-duḥkha, happiness, distress,
they will come like seasonal changes." Just like there is sometimes rain,
there is sometimes snowfall, sometimes scorching heat. How you can fight?
It is not possible. Try to tolerate. That's all. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamo dama
titikṣa ārjavam. Ārjavam means simplicity, no duplicity. Simplicity, ārjavam.
Jñānaṁ vijñānam, knowledge and practical application in life. Jñānaṁ
vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam means to believe firmly in the scriptures. Just
like Bhagavad-gītā we are studying, or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We should
firmly believe what Kṛṣṇa says, not interpretation. This is called āstikyam.
And nāstikyam means not firm belief, atheism. Just like Lord Buddha. Lord
Buddha simply said that "I don't believe in the Vedas." Therefore he is
immediately calculated as atheist, nāstikyam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,
veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika: "The followers of Buddha, they did
not accept Vedic, I mean to say, direction; therefore they are nāstika." What
is that Vedic direction? In the Dāsavatāra-stotra by Jayadeva Gosvāmī, he
says, nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. In the śruti, in the Vedas, there
is prescription of sacrifice, and in some of the sacrifice there is
recommendation for sacrifice of some animals, goats. So that is... But Lord
Buddha says, "No. I want to introduce nonviolence, no animal killing. So even
there is Veda, prescription, I don't accept Vedas." Therefore he became
nāstika. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that veda nā māniyā bauddha haila
nāstika: "Because Lord Buddha did not accept the authority of the Veda,
therefore he was considered nāstika, atheist." He was Indian. He was Hindu.
His forefathers were kṣatriyas, Vedic. He revolted. So therefore he was called
nāstika. But a brāhmaṇa should not be nāstika; he should be āstik. Āstikyam:
"He must believe in the scriptural injunction." These are brahminical
qualifications.

Purports to Songs

These are the brāhmaṇa's qualification. He must be truthful, so much so

truthful that even to his enemy he will not keep any secret. That is called
truthfulness. And śamaḥ. Śamaḥ means controlling the senses. Damaḥ.
Śamaḥ means controlling the mind.

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1969:

Everyone is interested how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to
defend. That is going on, nationwide, worldwide. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement is interested to make a section of the people
brāhmaṇa, brain. They can guide. It is not that everyone requires; neither it
is possible. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot become brāhmaṇa.
Brāhmaṇa means the most intellectual class of the society. That is
brāhmaṇa. Satya śamaḥ damaḥ titikṣa ārjavaḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These are the brāhmaṇa's
qualification. He must be truthful, so much so truthful that even to his enemy
he will not keep any secret. That is called truthfulness. And śamaḥ. Śamaḥ
means controlling the senses. Damaḥ. Śamaḥ means controlling the mind.
Mind is our enemy; mind is our friend. So if we can control the mind, the
mind can act as very good friend. And if we do not control the mind, then he
acts as enemy. Therefore the yoga system means controlling the mind,
controlling the senses so they can act as my friend. Otherwise they will act
as my enemy. Kāma krodha lobha moha. So there is necessity of a class of
men who will act as the brain of the society. That is called brāhmaṇa.