Text 15] The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes 37
the Deity and giving charity. By teaching, by inducing others to worship
the Deity, and by accepting gifts, the brahmanas receive the necessities
of life. This is also confirmed in the Manu-samhita:
sannam tu karmandém asya
trini karmani jivika
yajanadhydpane caiva
visuddhac ca pratigrahah
Of the six occupational duties of the braéhmanas, three are compulsory —
namely, worship of the Deity, study of the Vedas and the giving of
charity. In exchange, a brahmana should receive charity, and this should
be his means of livelihood. A bréhmana cannot take up any professional
occupational duty for his livelihood. The Sastras especially stress that if
one claims to be a brahmana, he cannot engage in the service of anyone
else; otherwise he at once falls from his position and becomes a Sidra.
Srila Ripa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami belonged to a very respectful
family, but because they engaged in the service of Nawab Hussain
Shah—not even as ordinary clerks, but as ministers—they were
ostracized from brahminical society. Indeed, they became like Moham-
medans and even changed their names. Unless a brahmana is very pure,
he cannot accept charity from others. Charity should be given to those
who are pure. Even if one is born in a family of braéhmanas, if one acts as
a Sidra one cannot accept charity, for this is strictly prohibited. Although
the ksatriyas are almost as qualified as the brahmanas, even they cannot
accept charity. This is strictly prohibited in this verse by the word
apratigraha. What to speak of the lower social orders, even the ksatriyas
must not accept charity. The king or government may levy taxes upon
the citizens in various ways—by revenue duties, customs duties, realiza-
tion of fines, and so on—provided the king is able to give full protection
to his subjects to assure the security of their life and property. Unless he
is able to give protection, he cannot levy taxes. However, a king must not
levy any tax upon the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas fully engaged in
Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 15
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