276
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
[Antya-līlā, Ch. 3]
TRANSLATION
The prostitute said, “Kindly act as my spiritual master. Instruct me in my duty by which to get relief from material existence.”
TEXT 136
ঠাকুর কছে,—“ঘরের জব্য ব্রাহ্মণে কর দান। এই ঘরে আসি’ তুমি করছ বিশ্রাম ॥ ১৩৬ ॥
ṭhākura kahe,—“gharera dravya brāhmaṇe kara dāna ei ghare āsi’ tumi karaha viśrāma
SYNONYMS
ṭhākura kahe—Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura said; gharera—at home; dravya—articles; brāhmaṇe—to the brāhmaṇas; kara dāna—give as charity; ei ghare—in this room; āsi’—returning; tumi—you; karaha viśrāma—stay.
TRANSLATION
Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Immediately go home and distribute to the brāhmaṇas whatever property you have. Then come back to this room and stay here forever in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
PURPORT
Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s instruction that the prostitute should distribute to the brāhmaṇas all the property she had at home is very significant. Haridāsa Ṭhākura never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called  daridra-nārāyaṇa  (“poor Nārāyaṇa”) or any other such persons. According to Vedic civilization, charity should be given only to the qualified  brāhmaṇas . As stated in  Bhagavad-gītā  (18.42):
śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam
The brahminical qualifications are truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, practical application of transcendental knowledge in one’s life, and full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Persons engaged in pursuing spiritual understanding have no time to earn their livelihood. They depend completely on the mercy of the Lord, who says in  Bhagavad-gītā  (9.22) that He personally carries to them all their necessities ( yoga-kṣemaṁ