Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 9.2.23-24

nabhago dishta-putro 'nyah

karmana vaisyatam gatah

bhalandanah sutas tasya

vatsapritir bhalandanat

vatsapriteh sutah pramsus

tat-sutam pramatim viduh

khanitrah pramates tasmac

cakshusho 'tha vivimsatih

SYNONYMS

nabhagah -- by the name Nabhaga; dishta-putrah -- the son of Dishta; anyah -- another; karmana -- by occupation; vaisyatam -- the order of the vaisyas; gatah -- achieved; bhalandanah -- by the name Bhalandana; sutah -- son; tasya -- of him (Nabhaga); vatsapritih -- by the name Vatsapriti; bhalandanat -- from Bhalandana; vatsapriteh -- from Vatsapriti; sutah -- the son; pramsuh -- was named Pramsu; tat-sutam -- the son of him (Pramsu); pramatim -- was named Pramati; viduh -- you should understand; khanitrah -- was named Khanitra; pramateh -- from Pramati; tasmat -- from him (Khanitra); cakshushah -- was named Cakshusha; atha -- thus (from Cakshusha); vivimsatih -- the son named Vivimsati.

TRANSLATION

Dishta had a son by the name Nabhaga. This Nabhaga, who was different from the Nabhaga described later, became a vaisya by occupational duty. The son of Nabhaga was known as Bhalandana, the son of Bhalandana was Vatsapriti, and his son was Pramsu. Pramsu's son was Pramati, Pramati's son was Khanitra, Khanitra's son was Cakshusha, and his son was Vivimsati.

PURPORT

From Manu, one son became a kshatriya, another a brahmana, and another a vaisya. This confirms the statement by Narada Muni, yasya yal lakshanam proktam pumso varnabhivyanjakam (Bhag. 7.11.35). One should always remember that brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaisyas should never be regarded as members of a caste by birth. A brahmana may be changed into a kshatriya, and a kshatriya into a brahmana. Similarly, a brahmana or kshatriya may be changed into a vaisya, and a vaisya into a brahmana or kshatriya. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]). So one is a brahmana, kshatriya or vaisya never by birth, but by quality. There is a great need of brahmanas. Therefore, in the Krishna consciousness movement, we are trying to train some brahmanas to guide human society. Because at present there is a scarcity of brahmanas, the brain of human society is lost. Because practically everyone is a sudra, no one at the present moment can guide the members of society to the proper path by which to achieve perfection in life.

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