864
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 21]
plicity, knowledge of the Absolute Truth, firm faith in the scriptures, and practical application of the brahminical qualities in life. In addition to all these qualifications, when one fully engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he becomes a Vaiṣṇava. Pṛthu Mahārāja warns his citizens who are actually engaged in the devotional service of the Lord to take care against offenses to the  brāhmaṇas  and Vaiṣṇavas. Offenses at their lotus feet are so destructive that even the descendants of Yadu who were born in the family of Lord Kṛṣṇa were destroyed due to offenses at their feet. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot tolerate any offense at the lotus feet of  brāhmaṇas  and Vaiṣṇavas. Sometimes, due to their powerful positions, princes or government servants neglect the positions of  brāhmaṇas  and Vaiṣṇavas, not knowing that because of their offense they will be ruined.
TEXT 38
ब्रह्मण्यदेवः पुरुषः पुरातनो नित्यं हरिर्यच्चरणामिवन्दनात् । अवाप लक्ष्मीमनपायिनीं यशो जगत्यवित्रं च महत्तमाग्रणीः ॥३८॥
brahmaṇya-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purātano nityam harir yac-caraṇābhivandanāt avāpa lakṣmīm anapāyinīm yaśo jagat-pavitram ca mahattamāgraṇīḥ
brahmaṇya-devaḥ —the Lord of the brahminical culture;  puruṣaḥ —the Supreme Personality;  purātanaḥ —the oldest;  nityam —eternal;  hariḥ —Personality of Godhead;  yat —whose;  caraṇa —lotus feet;  abhivandanāt —by means of worshiping;  avāpa —obtained;  lakṣmīm —opulences;  anapāyinīm —perpetually;  yaśaḥ —reputation;  jagat —universal;  pavitram —purified;  ca —also;  mahat —great;  tama —supreme;  agraṇīḥ —foremost.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ancient, eternal Godhead who is foremost amongst all great personalities, obtained the opulence of His staunch reputation, which purifies the entire universe, by worshiping the lotus feet of those  brāhmaṇas  and Vaiṣṇavas.
PURPORT
The Supreme Person is described herein as  brahmaṇya-deva .  Brahmaṇya  refers to the  brāhmaṇas , the Vaiṣṇavas or the brahminical culture,