542 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 12
TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya recommended: One should chant of the character
and activities of Dhruva Maharaja both in the morning and in the evening,
with great attention and care, in a society of brahmanas or other twice-
born persons.

PURPORT

It is said that only in the association of devotees can one understand
the importance of the character and pastimes of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead or His devotees. In this verse it is especially recommended
that Dhruva Maharaja’s character should be discussed in a society of the
twice-born, which refers to the qualified brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas.
One should especially seek the society of brahmanas who are elevated to
the position of Vaisnavas. Thus discussion of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which
describes the character and pastimes of devotees and the Lord, is very
quickly effective. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness
has been organized for this purpose. In every center of this society—not
only in the morning, evening or noon, but practically twenty-four hours a
day—there is continuous devotional service going on. Anyone who comes
in contact with the Society automatically becomes a devotee. We have
actual experience that many karmis and others come to the Society and
find a very pleasing and peaceful atmosphere in the temples of ISKCON.
In this verse the word dvijanmanam means “‘of the twice-born.” Anyone
can join the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and be initiat-
ed to become twice-born. As recommended by Sanatana Gosvami, by the
process of initiation and authorized training, any man can become twice-
born. The first birth is made possible by the parent, and the second birth
is made possible by the spiritual father and Vedic knowledge. Unless one
is twice-born one cannot understand the transcendental characteristics of
the Lord and His devotees. Study of the Vedas is therefore forbidden for
sidras. Simply by academic qualifications a sidra cannot understand the
transcendental science. At the present moment, throughout the entire
world the educational system is geared to produce siidras. A big technolo-
gist is no more than a big siidra. Kalau siidra-sambhava: in the age of
Kali, everyone is a siidra. Because the whole population of the world
consists only of sidras, there is therefore a decline of spiritual knowledge,
and people are unhappy. The Krsna consciousness movement has been
started especially to create qualified brahmanas to broadcast spiritual
knowledge all over the world, for thus people may become very happy.
