Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 9.2.17

dhrishtad dharshtam abhut kshatram

brahma-bhuyam gatam kshitau

nrigasya vamsah sumatir

bhutajyotis tato vasuh

SYNONYMS

dhrishtat -- from Dhrishta, another son of Manu; dharshtam -- a caste of the name Dharshta; abhut -- was produced; kshatram -- belonging to the kshatriya group; brahma-bhuyam -- the position of brahmanas; gatam -- had achieved; kshitau -- on the surface of the world; nrigasya -- of Nriga, another son of Manu; vamsah -- the dynasty; sumatih -- of the name Sumati; bhutajyotih -- of the name Bhutajyoti; tatah -- thereafter; vasuh -- by the name Vasu.

TRANSLATION

From the son of Manu named Dhrishta came a kshatriya caste called Dharshta, whose members achieved the position of brahmanas in this world. Then, from the son of Manu named Nriga came Sumati. From Sumati came Bhutajyoti, and from Bhutajyoti came Vasu.

PURPORT

Here it is said, kshatram brahma-bhuyam gatam kshitau: although the Dharshtas belonged to the kshatriya caste, they were able to convert themselves into brahmanas. This gives clear evidence supporting the following statement by Narada (Bhag. 7.11.35):

yasya yal lakshanam proktam

pumso varnabhivyanjakam

yad anyatrapi drisyeta

tat tenaiva vinirdiset

If the qualities of one group are found in the men of another, those men should be recognized by their qualities, by their symptoms, not by the caste of the family in which they were born. Birth is not at all important; it is one's qualities that are stressed in all Vedic literature.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness