Text 3] Instructions for Civilized Human Beings 201
situated.” Thus it doesn’t matter whether a devotee comes from a
brahmana family or non-brahmana family; if he is fully devoted to
Krsna, he is a sadhu.
TEXT 3
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a 23 fiend fees TT
Aa aaa oS Fata FATT Ut 3 Ut
dvau daive pitr-kdrye trin
ekaikam ubhayatra va
bhojayet susamrddho ‘pi
Sraddhe kuryan na vistaram
dvau—two; daive—during the period when oblations are offered to
the demigods; pitr-karye—in the sraddha ceremony, in which oblations
are offered to the forefathers; trin—three; eka—one; ekam—one;
ubhayatra—for both occasions; va—either; bhojayet—one should feed;
su-samrddhah api—even though one is very rich; sraddhe when offer-
ing oblations to the forefathers; kuryat—one should do; na—not;
vistaram—very expensive arrangements.
TRANSLATION
During the period for offering oblations to the demigods, one
should invite only two brahmanas, and while offering oblations to
the forefathers, one may invite three brahmanas. Or, in either
case, only one brahmana will suffice. Even though one is very opu-
lent, he should not endeavor to invite more brahmanas or make
various expensive arrangements on those occasions.
PURPORT
As we have already mentioned, Srila Advaita Acarya, during the
generally observed ceremony to offer oblations to the forefathers, invited
only Haridasa Thakura. Thus He followed this principle: na me "bhaktas
catur-vedi mad-bhaktah sva-pacah priyah. The Lord says, “‘It is not
necessary that one become very expert in Vedic knowledge before he can
become My bhakta, or devotee. Even if one is born in a family of dog-
eaters, he can become My devotee and be very dear to Me, in spite of
