SB 4.22.46

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped with the words namo brahmanya-devaya, which indicate that the Supreme Lord accepts the brahmanas as worshipable gods. The Supreme Lord is worshiped by everyone, yet to teach others He worships the brahmanas. Everyone should follow the instructions of the brahmanas, for their only business is to spread sabda-brahma or Vedic knowledge all over the world. Whenever there is a scarcity of brahmanas to spread Vedic knowledge, chaos throughout human society results. Since brahmanas and Vaisnavas are direct servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they do not depend on others. In actuality, everything in the world belongs to the brahmanas, and out of their humility the brahmanas accept charity from the ksatriyas, or kings, and the vaisyas, or merchants. Although everything belongs to the brahmanas, the ksatriyas and the vaisyas keep everything in custody, and whenever the brahmanas need money, they supply it. It is like a savings account with money which the depositor can draw out at his will. The brahmanas, being engaged in the service of the Lord, have very little time to handle the finances of the world, and therefore the riches are kept by the ksatriyas or the kings, who are to produce money upon the brahmanas' demand. Actually the brahmanas or Vaisnavas do not live at others' cost; they live by spending their own money, although it appears that they are collecting this money from others. Ksatriyas and vaisyas have no right to give charity because whatever they possess belongs to the brahmanas. Therefore charity should be given by the ksatriyas and vaisyas under the instructions of the brahmanas. Unfortunately at the present moment there is a scarcity of brahmanas, and since there is no one to advise the ksatriyas and vaisyas, the world is in a chaotic condition.