Cow Quote #22

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Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Ch.29 Text15

 

>From every position, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä, sva-karmaëä tam

abhyarcya: one can serve the Supreme Lord by performing one's prescribed

duty. It is not that only the brähmaëas can serve the Supreme Lord and not

the çüdras. Anyone can serve the Supreme Lord by performing his prescribed

duties under the direction of a spiritual master, or representative of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one should think that his prescribed

duties are inferior. A brähmaëa can serve the Lord by using his

intelligence, and the kñatriya can serve the Supreme Lord by using his

military arts, just as Arjuna served Kåñëa. Arjuna was a warrior; he had no

time to study Vedänta or other highly intellectual books. The damsels in

Vrajadhäma were girls born of the vaiçya class, and they engaged in

protecting cows and producing agriculture. Kåñëa's foster father, Nanda

Mahäräja, and his associates were all vaiçyas. They were not at all

educated, but they could serve Kåñëa by loving Him and by offering

everything to Him. Similarly, there are many instances in which caëòälas, or

those lower than çüdras, have served Kåñëa. Also, the sage Vidura was

considered a çüdra because his mother happened to be çüdra. There are no

distinctions, for it is declared by the Lord in Bhagavad-gétä that anyone

engaged specifically in devotional service is elevated to the transcendental

position without a doubt. Everyone's prescribed duty is glorious if it is

performed in devotional service of the Lord, without desire for profit. Such

loving service must be performed without reason, without impediment, and

spontaneously. Kåñëa is lovable, and one has to serve Him in whatever

capacity one can. That is pure devotional service.