Volume 3 - Prabhupada Books

164 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
yasya yal-lak$ar:mn proktaril
purilso varf)abhivyanjakam
yad anyatrapi drsyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiset
[Madhya-lila, Ch. 8
If a person is born in a sOdra family but has all the qualities of a spiritual master, he
should be accepted not only as a brahmaf)a but as a qualified spiritual master also.
This is also the instruction of SrT Caitanya Mahaprabhu. SrTia Bhaktisiddhanta
Thakura therefore introduced the sacred thread ceremony for all Vai�l)avas ac­
cording to the rules and regulations.
Sometimes a Vai�l)ava who is a bhajananandi does not take the savitra­
sarilskara (sacred thread initiation), but this does not mean that this system should
be used for preaching work. There are two kinds of Vai�l)avas-bhajananandi and
go$thyanandi. A bhajananandi is not interested in preaching work, but a go$thya­
nandi is interested in spreading Kr�J;�a consciousness to benefit the people and in­
crease the number of Vai�l)avas. A Vai�l)ava is understood to be above the posi­
tion of a brahmaf)a. As a preacher, he should be recognized as a brahmaf)a; other­
wise there may be a misunderstanding of his position as a Vai�l)ava. However, a
Vai�l)ava brahmaf)a is not selected on the basis of his birth but according to his
qualities. Unfortunately, those who are unintelligent do not know the difference
between a brahmaf)a and a Vai�l)ava. They are under the impression that unless
one is a brahmaf)a he cannot be a spiritual master. For this reason only, SrT Caitanya
Mahaprabhu makes the statement in this verse:
kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sadra kene naya
yei k[$f)a-tattva-vetta, sei 'guru' haya
If one becomes a guru, he is automatically a brahmaf)a. Sometimes a caste guru
says that ye kr$Qa-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya means that one who is not a
brahmaf)a may become a sik$a-guru or a vartma-pradarsaka-guru but not an initia­
tor guru. According to such caste gurus, birth and family ties are considered
foremost. However, the hereditary consideration is not acceptable to Vai�l)avas.
The word guru is equally applicable to the vartma-pradarsaka-guru, sik$a-guru and
dik$a-guru. Unless we accept the principle enunciated by SrT Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, this Kr�J;�a consciousness movement cannot spread all over the
world. According to SrT Caitanya Mahaprabhu's intentions: prthivite ache yata
nagaradi-grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama. SrT Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult
must be preached all over the world. This does not mean that people should take
to His teachings and remain sOdras or caf)c;falas. As soon as one is trained as a pure
Vai�l)ava, he must be accepted as a bona fide brahmaf)a. This is the essence of SrT
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instructions in this verse.