SB 1.2.2 (1962)

SB (1962) Second Chapter - Divinity and Devotional Service

SB 1.2.1 (1962) - SB 1.2.3 (1962)

Compare Versions: SB 1962 with SB 1972-77

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT No. 2

Suta uvacha Yam prabajantam anupetam apeta krityam Dwaipayana virah katara ajuhava Putreti tanmayataya tarabo' vinedus Twam sarva bhuta hridayam munim anatosmi

ENGLISH SYNONYMS

Suta—Suta Goswami, Uvacha—said, i-whom, Prabajantam—while going for renounced order of life, Anupetam—without being reformed by sacred thread, Apeta—non ceremonised, Krityam—prescribed duties, Dwaipayana—Vyasdeva, Viraha—separation, Katara—being afraid of, Ajuhava—exclaimed, Putreti—oh my son, Tanmayataya—being absorbed in that way, Tarabo—all the trees, Avineduh—responded, Twam—unto him, Sarva—all, Hridayam—heart, Munim—sage, Anatosmi—offer obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Srila Suta Goswami said, "let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the great sage, who can enter everyone's heart and who was addressed 'as my son' by his father Vyasdeva while he was going away for renounced order of life without being reformed by sacred thread or undergoing the ceremonies observed by the higher castes. The trees absorbed in that way responded to the fearful father feeling the separation of the son."

PURPORT

The institution of Varna and Ashrama prescribes many regulative duties for observation by the followers. In such prescribed duties, it is enjoined that a candidate willing to study the Vedas must approach a bonafide spiritual master and request him (the master) for accepting him (the candidate) as his disciple and thus reform him by the sacred thread. The sacred thread is the sign of those who are competent to study the Vedas from the Acharya or the bonafide spiritual master. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami did not undergo any such purificatory ceremonies because from his very birth he was a liberated soul and there was no need for him to undergo such reformatory process.

It is taken for granted that a man is born as an ordinary being and by the purificatory processes he is born for the second time. In other words when he sees a new light of spiritual progress of life and approaches a spiritual master for study of the Vedas, the spiritual master accepts only the sincere enquirer as his disciple and gives him (the disciple) the sacred thread. By this process a man becomes twice born or a Dwija. After being qualified as Dwija, one may study the Vedas and after passing the examination in Vedas one becomes a Vipra. A Vipra or a qualified Brahmin thus realises the Absolute and makes further progress in life for spiritual advancement and thus becomes a Vaishnava. The Vaishnava stage is the post-graduate status of a Brahmin. A Brahmin must be necessarily a Vaishnava which means a self-realised learned Brahmin.

Srila Sukdeva Goswami was a Vaishnava from the beginning and, therefore, there was no necessity for him for undergoing all the processes of the Varnasharam institution. Ultimately the aim of Varnashram Dharma is to turn a crude man to become a pure devotee of the Lord or a Vaishnava. Any one, therefore, who becomes a Vaishnava accepted by the first class Vaishnava or uttamadhikari Vaishnava, is already a Brahmin, never mind in whatsoever family he might have taken his birth by the influence of his past deed. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted this principle and He recognised Srila Haridas Thakur as the Acharya of the Holy Name although Thakur Haridas appeared himself in the family of a Mohamedan. The conclusion is, therefore, that Srila Sukadeva Goswami was a born Vaishnava and, therefore, Brahminism was included in him even though he did not undergo any one of the ceremonies prescribed by the institution of Varnashram Dharma. Any low born fellow may he be a Kirata, Hun, Andhra, Pulinda, Pukkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, Khasadaya or even lower than them can be delivered to the highest transcendental position, by the mercy of Vaishnavas. Srila Sukadeva Goswami was the instructor spiritual master of Sri Suta Goswami and, therefore, he offers his respectful obeisances unto him before he begins his speeches on the questionaires of the sages at Naimisharanya.

(Compare SB 1.2.2 Current Edition)

SB 1.2.1 (1962) - SB 1.2.3 (1962)