Text 27]
Dakṣa Curses Lord Śiva
69
knowledge about Brahman. In the  Vedānta-sūtra  also it is stated,  athāto brāhma-jījñāsā : this human form of life is meant for realization of the Supreme Brahman or Absolute Truth, or, in other words, human life is meant for one's elevation to the post of a  brāhmaṇa . Unfortunately the modern  brāhmaṇas , or so-called  brāhmaṇas  who come in originally brahminical families, have left their own occupational duties, but they do not allow others to occupy the posts of  brāhmaṇas . The qualifications for  brāhmaṇas  are described in the scriptures, in  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ,  Bhagavad-gītā  and all other Vedic literatures.  Brāhmaṇa  is not a hereditary title or position. If someone from a non- brāhmaṇa  family (for example, one born in the family of  śūdras ) tries to become a  brāhmaṇa  by being properly qualified under the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, these so-called  brāhmaṇas  will object. Such  brāhmaṇas , being cursed by Nandīśvara, are actually in a position where they have no discrimination between eatables and noneatables and simply live to maintain the perishable material body and its family. Such fallen conditioned souls are not worthy to be called  brāhmaṇas , but in Kali-yuga they claim to be  brāhmaṇas , and if a person actually tries to attain the brahminical qualifications, they try to hinder his progress. This is the situation in the present age. Caitanya Mahāprabhu condemned this principle very strongly. During His conversation with Rāmānanda Rāya, He said that regardless of whether a person is born in a  brāhmaṇa  family or  śūdra  family, regardless of whether he is a householder or a  sannyāsī , if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa he must be a spiritual master. He had many so-called  śūdra  disciples like Haridāsa Thākur and Rāmānanda Rāya. Even the Gosvāmīs, who were principal students of Lord Caitanya, were also ostracized from  brāhmaṇa  society, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His grace, made them first-class Vaiṣṇavas.
TEXT 27
तस्यैवं वदतः शापं श्रुत्वा द्विजकुलाय वै ।  
 भृगुः प्रत्यमृजच्छापं ब्रह्मदण्डं दुरत्ययम् ॥२७॥
tasyaivam vadataḥ śāpam  
 śrutvā dvija-kulāya vai  
 bhṛguḥ pratyasṛjac chāpam  
 brahma-daṇd luratyayam
tasya —his (Nandīśvara's);  evam —th: ,  vadataḥ —words;  śāpam —the curse;  śrutvā —hearing;  dvija-kulāya —unto the  brāhmaṇas ;  vai —indeed;  bhṛguḥ —