Sudra supposed to become a brahmana? No kidding.

[Guest guest]

Haribol to everyone.

 

I've just find in mailbox a message from "Ask HDG" conference

about a topic, which is significant. I wanted to fully understand

the same thing about this verse long time ago. So let's try

a brainstorm session about it, shall we?

I'm still a bit confused, even with HDG answer.

 

>Thu, 11 Mar 99 18:25 -0500

>"COM: Bharata Srestha (das) HDG (IPSET, CA - USA)"

> <Bharata.Srestha.HDG (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se>

>Sender: Bharata.Srestha.HDG (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se

>Bharata.Srestha.HDG (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se, Ask.HDG (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se

>"COM: Ask HDG" <Ask.HDG (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se>

>QUERY

>[Text 2152999 from COM]

>

>Several devotees don't understand two of the statements (marked by

>asterisks) in the following purport. It says that sudras are expected to

>become brahmanas. Would you please help us out? According to the devotees

>who presented this question, it's difficult to understand how a sudra by

>guna and karma can adopt the guna and karma of a brahmana, as specified by

>Srila Prabhupada.

>

>Bhag. 5.26.23

>

>TRANSLATION

>The shameless husbands of lowborn sudra women live exactly like animals, and

>therefore they have no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life. After

>death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Puyoda, where they are

>put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar

>things. Sudras who could not improve themselves fall into that ocean and are

>forced to eat those disgusting things.

>

>PURPORT

>Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung,

>karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, kevala visera banda,

>amrta baliya yeba khaya

>nana yoni sada phire, kadarya bhaksana kare,

>tara janma adah-pate yaya

>He says that persons following the paths of karma-kanda and jnana-kanda

>(fruitive activities and speculative thinking) are missing the opportunities

>for human birth and gliding down into the cycle of birth and death. Thus

>there is always the chance that he may be put into the Puyoda Naraka, the

>hell named Puyoda, where one is forced to eat stool, urine, pus, mucus,

>saliva and other abominable things.

>

>It is significant that this verse is spoken especially about sudras. If one

>is born a sudra, he must continually return to the ocean of Puyoda to eat

>horrible things. ***Thus even a born sudra is expected to become a

>brahmana;*** that is the meaning of human life. Everyone should improve

>himself. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam maya srstam

>guna-karma-vibhagasah: "According to the three modes of material nature and

>the work ascribed to them, four divisions of human society were created by

>Me." ***Even if one is by qualification a sudra, he must try to improve his

>position and become a brahmana. No one should try to check a person, no

>matter what his present position is, from coming to the platform of a

>brahmana or a Vaisnava.*** Actually, one must come to the platform of a

>Vaisnava. Then he automatically becomes a brahmana.

>

>This can be done only if the Krsna consciousness movement is spread, for we

>are trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Vaisnava. As Krsna says in

>Bhagavad-gita (18.66), sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja:

>"Abandon all other duties and simply surrender unto Me." One must give up

>the occupational duties of a sudra, ksatriya or vaisya and adopt the

>occupational duties of a Vaisnava, which include the activities of a

>brahmana. Krsna explains this in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):

>mam hi partha vyapasritya

>ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

>striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

>te 'pi yanti param gatim

>"O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower

>birth-women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]-can approach

>the supreme destination." Human life is specifically meant for going back

>home, back to Godhead. That facility should be given to everyone, whether

>one be a sudra, a vaisya, a woman or a ksatriya. This is the purpose of the

>Krsna consciousness movement. However, if one is satisfied to remain a

>sudra, he must suffer as described in this verse: tad evatibibhatsitam

>asnanti.

 

And then HH HDG answered:

 

>[Text 2153000 from COM]

>

>I think that Prabhupada's purport is clear. To become a brahmana means to

>cultivate and develop the brahminical qualities. That is the effect of

>seriously practicing Krishna consciousness.

>With best wishes,

>Hridayananda das Goswami