196 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 9
apranasyaiva dehasya
mandanam loka-rafijanam
“If one is born in a high family like that of a brahmana, ksatriya or
vaisya but is not a devotee of the Lord, all his good qualifications as a
braéhmana, ksatriya or vaisya are null and void. Indeed, they are con-
sidered decorations of a dead body.”

In this verse Prahlada Maharaja speaks of the vipras, the learned
brahmanas. The learned brahmana is considered best among the divi-
sions of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and Sidra, but a devotee born in a
low candala family is better than such braéhmanas, not to speak of the
ksatriyas, vaisyas and others. A devotee is better than anyone, for he is
in the transcendental position on the Brahman platform.

mam ca yo vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gundn samatlityaitan
brahma-bhiydaya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in
any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and
thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bg. 14.26) The twelve qualities of
a first-class brahmana, as stated in the book called Sanat-sujata, are as
follows:
jfidnam ca satyam ca damah srutam ca
hy amatsaryam hris titiksanasiiya
yajnas ca danam ca dhrtih samas ca
mahd-vrata dvddasa brahmanasya
The European and American devotees in the Krsna consciousness move-
ment are sometimes accepted as brdhmanas, but the so-called caste
brahmanas are very much envious of them. In answer to such envy,
Prahlada Maharaja says that one who has been born in a braéhmana
family but is falsely proud of his prestigious position cannot even purify
himself, not to speak of his family, whereas if a candala, a lowborn per-
son, is a devotee and has fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the
Lord, he can purify his entire family. We have had actual experience of
