276 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Antya-lila, 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

StHA SCS, — “ACA Haz Stace Sa aA |
G8 UCF BiH’ Sofa Iz fasta 1 sot

thakura kahe, —“gharera dravya brahmane kara dana
ei ghare dsi’ tumi karaha visrama

SYNONYMS

thakura kahe—Srila Haridasa Thakura said; gharera—at home; dravya—articles;
braéhmane—to the brahmanas; kara dana—give as charity; ei ghare—in this room;
4si’—returning; tumi—you; karaha visrama—stay.

TRANSLATION

Haridasa Thakura replied, ‘Immediately go home and distribute to the
brahmanas whatever property you have. Then come back to this room and
stay here forever in Krsna consciousness.

PURPORT

Haridasa Thakura’s instruction that the prostitute should distribute to the
braéhmanas all the property she had at home is very significant. Haridasa Thakura
never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called daridra-narayana
(“poor Narayana’) or any other such persons. According to Vedic civilization,
charity should be given only to the qualified brahmanas. As stated in Bhagavad-
gita (18.42):

samo damas tapah saucarm
ksantir arjavam eva ca

jfianam vijianam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam

The brahminical qualifications are truthfulness, control of the senses and mind,
tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, practical application of transcendental knowl-
edge 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-gita
(9.22) that He personally carries to them all their necessities (yoga-ksemam
