Madhya24.304

TEXT 304

’api’-śabda--avadhāraṇe, seha cāri bāra

cāri-śabda-saṅge evera karibe uccāra

SYNONYMS

api-śabda—the word api; avadhāraṇe—in the matter of ascertaining; seha cāri bāra—those four times; cāri-śabda—four words; saṅge—with; evera—of the word eva; karibe—one can do; uccāra—pronouncing.

TRANSLATION

"The word api is then used in the sense of ascertainment, and then four times with four words the word eva can be uttered.

Madhya24.305

TEXT 305

“urukrame eva bhaktim eva ahaitukīm eva kurvanty eva”

SYNONYMS

urukrame—unto the most powerful; eva—only; bhaktim—devotional service; eva—only; ahaitukīm—without motives; eva—only; kurvanti—they perform; eva—only.

TRANSLATION

"The words urukrama, bhakti, ahaitukī and kurvanti are added to the word eva again and again. Thus another meaning is explained.

Madhya24.306

TEXT 306

ei ta’ kahiluṅ ślokera ’ṣaṣṭi’ saṅkhyaka artha

āra eka artha śuna pramāṇe samartha

SYNONYMS

ei ta’—thus; kahiluṅ—I have explained; ślokera—of the verse; ṣaṣṭi—sixty; saṅkhyaka—numbering; artha—imports; āra—another; eka—one; artha—import; śuna—please hear; pramāṇe samartha—quite fit for giving evidence.

TRANSLATION

"Now I have given sixty different meanings to the verse, and yet there is another meaning which is also very strongly evident.

Madhya24.307

TEXT 307

’ātmā’-śabde kahe ’kṣetrajña jīva’-lakṣaṇa

brahmādi kīṭa-paryanta--tāṅra śaktite gaṇana

SYNONYMS

ātmā-śabde—by the word ātmā; kahe—it is said; kṣetra-jña jīva—the living entity who knows about his body; lakṣaṇa—symptom; brahmā-ādi—beginning from Lord Brahmā; kīṭa-paryanta—down to the insignificant ant; tāṅra—His; śaktite—as the marginal potency; gaṇana—counting.

TRANSLATION

"The word ātmā also refers to the living entity who knows about his body. That is another symptom. From Lord Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, everyone is counted as the marginal potency of the Lord.

Madhya24.308

TEXT 308

viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā

kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā

avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā

tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate

SYNONYMS

viṣṇu-śaktiḥ—the potency of Lord Viṣṇu; parā—spiritual; proktā—it is said; kṣetra-jña-ākhyā—the potency known as kṣetrajña; tathā—as well as; parā—spiritual; avidyā—ignorance; karma—fruitive activities; saṁjñā—known as; anyā—other; tṛtīyā—third; śaktiḥ—potency; iṣyate—known thus.

TRANSLATION

" ’The potency of Lord Viṣṇu is summarized in three categories-namely the spiritual potency, the living entities and ignorance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are subject to bewilderment; and the third energy, which is full of ignorance, is always visible in fruitive activities.’

PURPORT

Madhya24.309

TEXT 309

"kṣetrajña ātmā puruṣaḥ

pradhānaṁ prakṛtiḥ striyām"

SYNONYMS

kṣetra-jñaḥ—the word kṣetrajña; ātmā—the living entity; puruṣaḥ—the enjoyer; pradhānam—the chief; prakṛtiḥ—the material nature; striyām—in the feminine gender.

TRANSLATION

" ’The word kṣetrajña refers to the living entity, the enjoyer, the chief and material nature.’

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Svarga-varga (7) of the Amara-kośa dictionary.

Madhya24.310

TEXT 310

bhramite bhramite yadi sādhu-saṅga pāya

saba tyaji’ tabe tiṅho kṛṣṇere bhajaya

SYNONYMS

bhramite bhramite—wandering in different forms in different manners; yadi—if; sādhu-saṅga pāya—one obtains the association of devotees; saba tyaji’-giving up everything; tabe—then; tiṅho—he; kṛṣṇere bhajaya—engages himself in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

"The living entities are wandering in different species of life on different planets, but if by chance they get the association of a pure devotee [sādhu] they give up all other engagements and engage in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya24.311

TEXT 311

ṣāṭi artha kahiluṅ, saba--kṛṣṇera bhajane

sei artha haya ei saba udāharaṇe

SYNONYMS

ṣāṭi—sixty; artha—imports; kahiluṅ—I explained; saba—all; kṛṣṇera bhajane—aiming at rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa; sei artha haya—that is the only meaning; ei saba—all these; udāharaṇe—examples.

TRANSLATION

"I have thus explained sixty different meanings, and all of them aim at the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. After giving so many examples, that is the only meaning.

Madhya24.312

TEXT 312

’eka-ṣaṣṭi’ artha ebe sphurila tomā-saṅge

tomāra bhakti-vaśe uṭhe arthera taraṅge

SYNONYMS

eka-ṣaṣṭi—sixty-one; artha—imports; ebe—now; sphurila—has awakened; tomā-saṅge—because of your association; tomāra—your; bhakti-vaśe—by dint of devotional service; uṭhe—there arises; arthera—of imports; taraṅge—waves.

TRANSLATION

"Now, due to your association, another meaning has awakened. It is due to your devotional service that these waves of meaning are arising.

PURPORT

The word ātmā refers to the living entity. From Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant ant, everyone is considered a living entity. Living entities are considered part of the Lord’s marginal potency. All of them are kṣetrajña, knowers of the body. When they become nirgrantha, or free, saintly persons, they engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service. That is the sixty-first meaning of the verse.

Madhya24.313

TEXT 313

ahaṁ vedmi śuko vetti

vyāso vetti na vetti vā

bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ

na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā

SYNONYMS

aham—I (Lord Śiva); vedmi—know; śukaḥ—Śukadeva Gosvāmī; vetti—knows; vyāsaḥ—Vyāsadeva; vetti—knows; na vetti vā—or may not know; bhaktyā—by devotional service (executed in nine different processes); bhāgavatam—the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (called Paramahaṁsa-saṁhitā, the text or treatise readable by the topmost transcendentalists); grāhyam—to be accepted; na—not; buddhyā—by so-called intelligence or experimental knowledge; na—nor; ca—also; ṭīkayā—by imaginary commentary.

TRANSLATION

“[Lord Śiva said,] ’I may know; Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, may know; and Vyāsadeva may know or may not know the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. On the whole, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the spotless Purāṇa, can be learned only through devotional service, not by material intelligence, speculative methods or imaginary commentaries.’ ”

PURPORT

Devotional service includes nine processes, beginning with hearing, chanting and remembering the activities of Lord Viṣṇu. Only one who has taken to devotional service can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the spotless Purāṇa for a transcendentalist (paramahaṁsa). So-called commentaries are useless for this purpose. According to the Vedic injunction: yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. All Vedic literatures maintain that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has to be learned from the person bhāgavata, and to understand it one has to engage in pure devotional service. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam cannot be understood by so-called erudite scholars or grammarians. One who has developed pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness and has served the pure devotee, the spiritual master, can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Others cannot.

Madhya24.314

TEXT 314

artha śuni’ sanātana vismita hañā

stuti kare mahāprabhura caraṇe dhariyā

SYNONYMS

artha śuni’—by hearing the meaning (of the ātmārāma verse); sanātana—Sanātana Gosvāmī; vismita hañā—becoming struck with wonder; stuti kare—offers prayers; mahāprabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; caraṇe dhariyā—touching the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

After hearing all the explanations of all the different meanings of the ātmārāma verse, Sanātana Gosvāmī was struck with wonder. He fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to offer prayers.

Madhya24.315

TEXT 315

"sākṣāt īśvara tumi vrajendra-nandana

tomāra niśvāse sarva-veda-pravartana

SYNONYMS

sākṣāt īśvara tumi—You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vrajendra-nandana—the son of Mahārāja Nanda; tomāra niśvāse—by Your breathing; sarva-veda—all Vedic literatures; pravartana—are vibrated.

TRANSLATION

Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. All the Vedic literatures are vibrated through Your breathing.

Madhya24.316

TEXT 316

tumi--vaktā bhāgavatera, tumi jāna artha

tomā vinā anya jānite nāhika samartha"

SYNONYMS

tumi—Your Lordship; vaktā—the speaker; bhāgavatera—of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; tumi—You; jāna—know; artha—the import; tomā vinā—except for You; anya—anyone else; jānite—to know; nāhika—is not; samartha—able.

TRANSLATION

“My dear Lord, You are the original speaker of the Bhāgavatam. You therefore know its real import. But for You, no one can understand the confidential meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”

PURPORT

Following this statement by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, we have written our introduction to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (First Canto, Part One, pages 7-41).

Madhya24.317

TEXT 317

prabhu kahe,--"kene kara āmāra stavana

bhāgavatera svarūpa kene nā kara vicāraṇa?

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; kene kara—why do you do; āmāra stavana—My personal glorification; bhāgavatera sva-rūpa—the real form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; kene—why; nā kara—you do not do; vicāraṇa—consideration.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Why are you glorifying Me personally? You should understand the transcendental position of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why don’t you consider this important point?

Madhya24.318

TEXT 318

kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata--vibhu, sarvāśraya

prati-śloke prati-akṣare nānā artha kaya

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is identical with Kṛṣṇa; vibhu—the supreme; sarva-āśraya—the origin of everything, or that which controls everything; prati-śloke—in every verse; prati-akṣare—in every syllable; nānā artha kaya—there are varieties of imports.

TRANSLATION

"Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is as great as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord and shelter of everything. In each and every verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and in each and every syllable, there are various meanings.

Madhya24.319

TEXT 319

praśnottare bhāgavate kariyāche nirdhāra

yāṅhāra śravaṇe loke lāge camatkāra

SYNONYMS

praśna-uttare—in the form of questions and answers; bhāgavate—in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; kariyāche—has made; nirdhāra—conclusion; yāṅhāra śravaṇe—hearing which; loke—in all people; lāge—there is; camatkāra—wonderful astonishment.

TRANSLATION

"The form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is given in questions and answers. Thus the conclusion is established. By hearing these questions and answers, one is highly astonished.

Madhya24.320

TEXT 320

brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe

brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi

svāṁ kāṣṭhām adhunopete

dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

SYNONYMS

brūhi—kindly explain; yoga-īśvare—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all mystic power; kṛṣṇe—Lord Kṛṣṇa; brahmaṇye—the protector of brahminical culture; dharma-varmaṇi—the strong arms of religious principles; svām—His own; kāṣṭhām—to the personal abode; adhunā—at present; upete—having returned; dharmaḥ—the religious principles; kam—unto what; śaraṇam—shelter; gataḥ—have gone.

TRANSLATION

" ’Now that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us by whom religious principles are presently protected.’

PURPORT

Madhya24.321

TEXT 321

kṛṣṇe svadhāmopagate

dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha

kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa

purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇe—Lord Kṛṣṇa; sva-dhāma—to His personal abode; upagate—having returned; dharma-jñāna-ādibhiḥ saha—along with religious principles, transcendental knowledge, and so on; kalau—in this Age of Kali; naṣṭa-dṛśām—of persons who have lost their spiritual vision; eṣaḥ—this; purāṇa-arkaḥ—Purāṇa or Vedic literature that shines like the sun; adhunā—at the present moment; uditaḥ—has arisen.

TRANSLATION

" ’After Lord Kṛṣṇa departed for His abode along with religious principles and transcendental knowledge, this Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has arisen like the sun in this Age of Kali to enlighten those who have no spiritual vision.’

Madhya24.322

TEXT 322

ei mata kahiluṅ eka ślokera vyākhyāna

vātulera pralāpa kari’ ke kare pramāṇa?

SYNONYMS

ei mata—in this way; kahiluṅ—I have spoken; eka—one; ślokera—of a verse; vyākhyāna—the explanation; vātulera pralāpa—the talking of a madman; kari’-doing; ke kare pramāṇa—who will accept this as evidential proof.

TRANSLATION

"In this way, like a madman, I have explained the meaning of just one verse. I do not know who will take this as evidence.

Madhya24.323

TEXT 323

āmā-hena yebā keha ’vātula’ haya

ei-dṛṣṭe bhāgavatera artha jānaya"

SYNONYMS

āmā-hena—exactly like Me; yebā—anyone who; keha—a person; vātula haya—becomes a madman; ei-dṛṣṭe—according to this process; bhāgavatera—of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; artha—import; jānaya—he can understand.

TRANSLATION

“If one becomes a madman like Me, he may also understand the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by this process.”

PURPORT

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu plainly explains that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam cannot be understood by those who are materially situated. In other words, one has to become a madman like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Apart from being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is an ācārya who exhibited love of God like a madman. According to His own written verse: yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. He says that for Him, “a moment seems to last twelve years.” Cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: “My tears are flowing like torrents of rain.” Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: “I feel as if the entire universe were vacant.” Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me: “Due to My being separated from Govinda, Kṛṣṇa.”

One can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam only by following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was mad for Kṛṣṇa. We cannot, of course, imitate Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is not possible. However, unless one is very serious about understanding Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the full narration of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental activities. The first nine cantos explain who Kṛṣṇa is, and the Lord’s birth and activities are narrated in the Tenth Canto. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated: janma karma ca me divyam. Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and disappearance are transcendental, not mundane. A person is eligible to return home, back to Godhead, if he perfectly understands Kṛṣṇa and His appearance and disappearance. This is verified by Bhagavad-gītā: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna.

It is therefore concluded that one has to learn about Kṛṣṇa from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, and one has to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Those who do not follow Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Madhya24.324

TEXT 324

punaḥ sanātana kahe yuḍi’ dui kare

"prabhu ājñā dilā ’vaiṣṇava-smṛti’ karibāre

SYNONYMS

punaḥ—again; sanātana—Sanātana Gosvāmī; kahe—says; yuḍi’ dui kare—folding his two hands; prabhu ājñā dilā—Your Lordship has ordered me; vaiṣṇava-smṛti karibāre—to write a dictionary of Vaiṣṇava activities.

TRANSLATION

Folding his hands, Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My Lord, You ordered me to write a directory about the activities of Vaiṣṇavas.

Madhya24.325

TEXT 325

muñi--nīca-jāti, kichu nā jānoṅ ācāra

mo-haite kaiche haya smṛti-paracāra

SYNONYMS

muñi—I; nīca-jāti—belong to a lower caste; kichu—anything; nā—not; jānoṅ—I know; ācāra—about proper behavior; mo-haite—from me; kaiche—how; haya—there is; smṛti-paracāra—propagation of the directions of Vaiṣṇava behavior.

TRANSLATION

“I am a most lowborn person. I have no knowledge of good behavior. How is it possible for me to write authorized directions about Vaiṣṇava activities?”

PURPORT

Actually Sanātana Gosvāmī belonged to a very respectable brāhmaṇa family. Nonetheless, he submitted himself as a fallen, lowborn person because he had served in the Mohammedan government. A brāhmaṇa is never supposed to be engaged for anyone’s service. Accepting service for a livelihood (paricaryātmakaṁ karma) is the business of śūdras. The brāhmaṇa is always independent and busy studying śāstra and preaching śāstra to subordinate social members such as kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Sanātana Gosvāmī felt unfit to write Vaiṣṇava smṛti about the behavior of Vaiṣṇavas because he had fallen from the brahminical position. Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī clearly admits that the brahminical culture should be standardized. Presently in India, so-called brāhmaṇas are almost all engaged in some mundane service, and they do not understand the import of the Vedic śāstras. Nonetheless, they are passing themselves off as brāhmaṇas on the basis of birth. In this connection, Sanātana Gosvāmī declares that a brāhmaṇa cannot be engaged in anyone’s service if he wants to take a leading part in society. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Nārada Muni states that even if a brāhmaṇa is in a difficult position, he should not accept the occupation of a śūdra. This means that he should not be engaged in service for another, for this is the business of dogs. Under the circumstances, Sanātana Gosvāmī felt very low because he had accepted the service of the Muslim government. The conclusion is that no one should claim to be a brāhmaṇa simply by birthright while engaging in someone else’s service.

Madhya24.326

TEXT 326

sūtra kari’ diśā yadi karaha upadeśa

āpane karaha yadi hṛdaye praveśa

SYNONYMS

sūtra kari’—making a synopsis; diśā—direction; yadi—if; karaha upadeśa—You kindly instruct; āpane—personally; karaha—You do; yadi—if; hṛdaye praveśa—entering into me or manifesting in my heart.

TRANSLATION

Sanātana Gosvāmī then requested the Lord, "Please personally tell me how I can write this difficult book about Vaiṣṇava behavior. Please manifest Yourself in my heart.

PURPORT

The writing of Vaiṣṇava literatures is not a function for ordinary men. Vaiṣṇava literatures are not mental concoctions. They are all authorized literature meant to guide those who are going to be Vaiṣṇavas. Under these circumstances, an ordinary man cannot give his own opinion. His opinion must always correspond with the conclusion of the Vedas. Unless one is fully qualified in Vaiṣṇava behavior and authorized by superior authority (the Supreme Personality of Godhead), one cannot write Vaiṣṇava literatures or purports and commentaries on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā.

Madhya24.327

TEXT 327

tabe tāra diśā sphure mo-nīcera hṛdaya

īśvara tumi,--ye karāha, sei siddha haya"

SYNONYMS

tabe—if you do so; tāra—of that; diśā—the process of writing; sphure—manifests; mo-nīcera—of someone lowborn like me; hṛdaya—in the heart; īśvara tumi—You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ye karāha—whatever You cause to do; sei siddha haya—that is perfectly done.

TRANSLATION

“If You would please manifest Yourself within my heart and personally direct me in writing this book, then, although I am lowborn, I may hope to be able to write it. You can do this because You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Yourself, and whatever You direct is perfect.”

Madhya24.328

TEXT 328

prabhu kahe,--"ye karite karibā tumi mana

kṛṣṇa sei sei tomā karābe sphuraṇa

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; ye—whatever; karite—to do; karibā tumi mana—you want; kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; sei sei—that; tomā—to you; karābe sphuraṇa—will manifest.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Whatever you want to do you will be able to do correctly by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s favor. He will manifest the real purport.

PURPORT

Sanātana Gosvāmī was a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee has no business other than serving Kṛṣṇa; consequently Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help him. This benediction was given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was authorized to write Vaiṣṇava smṛti. Sanātana Gosvāmī was a pure devotee of the Lord, and through the blessings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he was able to write the book perfectly.

Madhya24.329

TEXT 329

tathāpi ei sūtrera śuna dig-daraśana

sakāraṇa likhi ādau guru-āśrayaṇa

SYNONYMS

tathāpi—still; ei sūtrera—of the synopsis of this book; śuna—hear; dik-daraśana—an indication; sakāraṇa—the cause; likhi—we should write; ādau—in the beginning; guru-āśrayaṇa—accepting a bona fide spiritual master.

TRANSLATION

"Because you asked me for a synopsis, please hear these few indications. In the beginning one must take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.

Madhya24.330

TEXT 330

guru-lakṣaṇa, śiṣya-lakṣaṇa, doṅhāra parīkṣaṇa

sevya--bhagavān, sarva-mantra-vicāraṇa

SYNONYMS

guru-lakṣaṇa—the symptoms of a bona fide spiritual master; śiṣya-lakṣaṇa—the symptoms of a bona fide disciple; doṅhāra—of both; parīkṣaṇa—the testing; sevya-bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable; sarva-mantra-vicāraṇa—consideration of the different types of mantras.

TRANSLATION

"In your book there should be the characteristics of the bona fide guru and the bona fide disciple. Then, before accepting a spiritual master, one can be assured of the spiritual master’s position. Similarly, the spiritual master can also be assured of the disciple’s position. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, should be described as the worshipable object, and you should consider the bīja-mantra for the worship of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma or any other expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

In the Padma Purāṇa, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide spiritual master, have been described:

mahā-bhāgavata-śreṣṭho
brāhmaṇo vai gurur nṛṇām
sarveṣām eva lokānām
asau pūjyo yathā hariḥ

mahā-kula-prasūto ’pi
sarva-yajñeṣu dīkṣitaḥ
sahasra-śākhādhyāyī ca
na guruḥ syād avaiṣṇavaḥ

The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. It is said: gurur nṛṇām. The word nṛṇām means “of all human beings.” The guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadeśāmṛta of Rūpa Gosvāmī that a guru is a gosvāmī, a controller of the senses and the mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. This is the test of the guru.

In India there are many so-called gurus, and they are limited to a certain district or a province. They do not even travel about India, yet they declare themselves to be jagad-guru, gurus of the whole world. Such cheating gurus should not be accepted. Anyone can see how the bona fide spiritual master accepts disciples from all over the world. The guru is a qualified brāhmaṇa; therefore he knows Brahman and Parabrahman. He thus devotes his life for the service of Parabrahman. The bona fide spiritual master who accepts disciples from all over the world is also worshiped all over the world because of his qualities. Lokānām asau pūjyo yathā hariḥ: the people of the world worship him just as they worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All these honors are offered to him because he strictly follows the brahminical principles and teaches these principles to his disciples. Such a person is called an ācārya because he knows the principles of devotional service, he behaves in that way himself, and he teaches his disciples to follow in his footsteps. Thus he is an ācārya or jagad-guru. Even though a person is born in a brahminical family and is very expert in performing sacrifices, he cannot be accepted as a guru if he is not a strict Vaiṣṇava. A guru is a brāhmaṇa by qualification, and he can turn others into brāhmaṇas according to the śāstric principles and brahminical qualifications. Brahmanism is not a question of heredity. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.32.11) Śrī Nārada Muni tells Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira what a brāhmaṇa is. He states that if brahminical qualifications are observed in kṣatriyas, vaiśyas or even śūdras, one should accept them as brāhmaṇas. In this regard, Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented: śamādibhir eva brāhmaṇādi-vyavahāro mukhyaḥ, na jāti-mātrādīty āha-yasyeti. yad yadi anyatra varṇāntare ’pi dṛśyeta, tad-varṇāntaraṁ tenaiva lakṣaṇa-nimittenaiva varṇena vinirdiśet, na tu jāti-nimittenety arthaḥ.

There is a similar statement made by Nīlakaṇṭha, the commentator on Mahābhārata:

śūdro ’pi śamādy-upeto brāhmaṇa eva
brāhmaṇo ’pi kāmādy-upetaḥ śūdra eva

“Although one may be born in a śūdra family, if he is endowed with the brahminical qualities beginning with śama [control of the mind], he is to be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. Although one may be born in a brāhmaṇa family, if he is endowed with the qualities beginning with kāma [lust], he is to be considered a śūdra.” No one should present himself as a brāhmaṇa simply on the basis of being born in a brahminical family. One must be qualified by the brahminical qualities mentioned in the śāstras, particularly Bhagavad-gītā:

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ
kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

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