Who is a Brahmana?

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 16

Lord Vishnu received the 4 sons of Lord Brahma (Kumaras) and glorified them while describing the greatness and qualities of a Brahmana.

• A Brahmana is the highest and most beloved personality for the Lord

• A person doesn’t become a Brahmana by birth

• Anyone (including a dog eater) can become a Brahmana and can develop qualities of goodness and virtuousness by the regular recitation of Lord’s names, activities and glories

• A devotee of the Lord is naturally a Brahmana

• The Lord is always looking forward to serving Brahmanas who have developed devotion to him

• The Lord eradicates any sinful reactions of anyone who feeds Brahmanas

• The Lord considers Brahmanas and cows as non different from him

The Kumaras with their hands folded were delighted to listen to the Lord. Then they glorified the Lord as follows:

• No one can understand what you intend to do; not even self-realized souls like us

• You are the supreme worshiped deity

• You are the protector of Brahmanas

• You are the protector of Dharma

• Lakshmi Devi, who is the most worshiped always resides in your heart

• You are highly attached to your devotees

• Your form is fully spiritual and overflows with pure goodness

The Kumaras also said that they will approve of whatever punishment the Lord chooses for Jaya and Vijaya.

The Lord told Kumaras that their curse wasn’t theirs but actually ordained by him. They were just the actors. Jaya and Vijaya will take birth in the womb of Diti and will have demoniac qualities. They will get killed by the Lord and will gradually return to him.

Without the Lord’s sanction, nothing can happen. It is to be understood that there was a plan in the cursing of the Lord’s devotees in Vaikuṇṭha, and His plan is explained by many saints. The Lord sometimes desires to fight. The fighting spirit also exists in the Supreme Lord; otherwise how would fighting be existing among his children like us? Because the Lord is the source of everything, anger and fighting are also inherent in His personality. When He desires to fight with someone, He has to find an enemy, but in the Vaikuṇṭha world there is no enemy because everyone is engaged fully in His service. Therefore He sometimes comes to the physical world as an incarnation in order to manifest His fighting spirit. He gives an opportunity to his associates to take birth in the physical world made of matter and the Lord will incarnate to fight with them to satisfy his desire.

The Lord told Jaya and Vijaya that Lakshmi Devi also desired that they take birth in the physical world for some period of time because they had stopped her from meeting the Lord in the past.

When something is arranged by the Supreme Lord, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one’s calculations. One who continues to serve the Lord even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual plane of existence.