Is a shudra devotee better than a brahmana nondevotee? How?

by Chaitanya CharanNovember 24, 2013

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Chaitanya Charan
2 Comments
  • nitai dasa
    September 11, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    There are lots of verses related to this subject matter in the scriptures ,which i would like to quote .this would make the matter more clear .Srila prabhupada’s purport on antya lila 16.29 quotes many verses .they are as follows :

    Mahabharata (Vana-parva, 177.20), it is stated:

    sudre tu yad bhavel laksma dvije tac ca na vidyate

    na vai sudro bhavec chudro brahmano na ca brahmanah

    “If someone born a sudra possesses the characteristics of a brahmana and someone born a brahmana does not, that sudra should not be known as a sudra, and that brahmana should not be known as a brahmana.”

    Vana-parva, Chapter 203.11-12, it is said:

    sudra-yonau hi jatasya

    sad-gunanupatisthatah

    arjave vartamanasya

    brahmanyam abhijayate

    “If a person born in a sudra family has developed the qualities of a brahmana, such as satya [truthfulness], sama [peacefulness], dama [self-control] and arjava [simplicity], he attains the exalted position of a brahmana.”

    Anusasana-parva, Chapter 163, it is said:

    sthito brahmana-dharmena brahmanyam upajivati

    ksatriyo vatha vaisyo va brahma-bhuyah sa gacchati

    ebhis tu karmabhir devi subhair acaritais tatha

    sudro brahmanatam yati vaisyah ksatriyatam vrajet

    na yonir napi samskaro na srutam na ca santatih

    karanani dvijatvasya vrttam eva tu karanam

    “If one is factually situated in the occupation of a brahmana, he must be considered a brahmana, even if born in a ksatriya or vaisya family. O Devi, even if one is born a sudra, if he is actually engaged in the occupation and pure behavior of a brahmana, he becomes a brahmana. Moreover, a vaisya can become a ksatriya. Therefore, neither the source of one’s birth nor his reformation nor his education is the criterion of a brahmana. The vrtta, or occupation, is the real standard by which one is known as a brahmana.”

    Similarly, in the Padma purana it is said:

    na sudra bhagavad-bhaktas te tu bhagavata matah

    sarva-varnesu te sudra ye na bhakta janardane

    “A devotee should never be considered a sudra. All the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be recognized as bhagavatas. If one is not a devotee of Lord Krsna, however, even if born in a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya family, he should be considered a sudra.”

    Thus one’s varna is never rigid ,some people may inherit the qualities of their parents ,and may occupy the varna same as their parents ,but there are exceptions to this ,if a child is found to be by nature of varna other than what their parents belong to . thus even if one is born in mlechha family ,if he becomes a devotee ,he is to be considered the best of brahmana. That is the verdict of all the scriptures

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