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TEXTS 23–24
nabhago dista-putro ’nyah
karmana vaisyatam gatah
bhalandanah sutas tasya
vatsapritir bhalandanat
vatsapriteh sutah pramsus
tat-sutam pramatim viduh
khanitrah pramates tasmac
caksuso ’tha vivimsatih
SYNONYMS
nabhagah—by the name Nabhaga; dista-putrah—the son of Dista; anyah—another; karmana—by occupation; vaisyatam—the order of the vaisyas; gatah—achieved; bhalandanah—by the name Bhalandana; sutah—son; tasya—of him (Nabhaga); vatsapritih—by the name Vatsapriti; bhalandanat—from Bhalandana; vatsapriteh—from Vatsapriti; sutah—the son; pramsuh—was named Pramsu; tat-sutam—the son of him (Pramsu); pramatim—was named Pramati; viduh—you should understand; khanitrah—was named Khanitra; pramateh—from Pramati; tasmat—from him (Khanitra); caksusah—was named Caksusa; atha—thus (from Caksusa); vivimsatih—the son named Vivimsati.
TRANSLATION
Dista had a son by the name Nabhaga. This Nabhaga, who was different from the Nabhaga described later, became a vaisya by occupational duty. The son of Nabhaga was known as Bhalandana, the son of Bhalandana was Vatsapriti, and his son was Pramsu. Pramsu’s son was Pramati, Pramati’s son was Khanitra, Khanitra’s son was Caksusa, and his son was Vivimsati.
PURPORT
From Manu, one son became a ksatriya, another a brahmana, and another a vaisya. This confirms the statement by Narada Muni, yasya yal laksanam proktam pumso varnabhivyanjakam (Bhag. 7.11.35). One should always remember that brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas should never be regarded as members of a caste by birth. A brahmana may be changed into a ksatriya, and a ksatriya into a brahmana. Similarly, a brahmana or ksatriya may be changed into a vaisya, and a vaisya into a brahmana or ksatriya. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]). So one is a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya never by birth, but by quality. There is a great need of brahmanas. Therefore, in the Krsna consciousness movement, we are trying to train some brahmanas to guide human society. Because at present there is a scarcity of brahmanas, the brain of human society is lost. Because practically everyone is a sudra, no one at the present moment can guide the members of society to the proper path by which to achieve perfection in life.
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