477. Who is a Brahmin? We can be one if we change our Attitude!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/who-is-a-brahmin-we-can-be-one-if-we-change-our-attitude

There is an incident in Chandogya Upanishad where Gautama Maharshi accepts a boy who is the son of a Sudra woman as his disciple. There is nothing to be surprised and it did not make a flutter then simply because the person was gauged according to his behavioural qualities. When asked by Gautama Maharshi, about his family the boy had frankly told that neither his mother nor he knew who was responsible for his birth. Speaking truth had made him behave like a Brahmin and so Gautama Maharshi accepted him as his disciple.

In the Shanti Prava of Mahabharata Sage Bharadwaja asks Bhrigu Muni to explain how a person can be considered to be a Brahmin? Bhrigu Muni explains very clearly that every single individual is born as a Sudra and it is by his Samskara (good actions) that he becomes a Dvija (twice born) and further if he studies Vedas he is a Vipra (learned person) and ultimately if he is able to comprehend Brahman he becomes Brahmana (Brahmin). Bhrigu Muni never said a son of a Brahmin is a Brahmin. We know that Ravana who was the son of Visrava and grand son of Sage Pulastya was never looked as Brahmin for his heinous deeds.

For a person to be considered a Brahmin he has to posses some qualities like Control over anger and senses, always contemplate on Truth, maintain peace and tranquility in mind, be modest and humble, ready to help others, thrive for spiritual advancement and consistency in spiritual practice.

There was a Purohit family which lived in a remote village in Kashmir. The father and son were priests in a Shiva temple. Mostly in the village there were growers of saffron flowers. The Purohits son fell in love with the saffron grower's charming daughter.

He was sure that his father would never agree for the alliance. He thought, “What if I tell to my father that the girl is from a Brahmin family”. He led the girl to his house and introduced her to his father, “Pita ji, this is a poor Brahmin's daughter. I want you to accept her as your daughter-in-law.” The girl who did not know anything spoke out instantly, “Arey, you are mistaken I am the daughter of a farmer.”

Brahmin smiled at the girl and said, “My child, it does not matter who your father is by profession, he has taught you the qualities of a Brahmin. A Brahmin never takes refuge in lie and falsehood.” Then turning towards his son and said this young man is not a Brahmin. I feel proud to have you as my daughter-in-law, and that will be only if you have no objection to marry this fellow who is a Non-Brahmin.”

 

What has to be Brahmin? Is it this physical body that needs to be a Brahmin? Will the body which is bathed thrice a day become a Brahmin? No, all of us can clean our physical body from outside but inside it is filled with unwanted and unclean stuff. So by cleaning the outward body one does not become a Brahmin. Then is it the Atma which has to be changed to be Brahmin? No, Atma is the same in all of us and it is pure consciousness which is a part of the Divine source hence there cannot be difference between my Atma and the others. So finally what needs to be checked is our Mind. The mind has to be free from impurities it has to be like a clear crystal which has truthfulness, kindness, tolerance, love and compassion. And with such a mind one is a Brahmin and with such a mind he is deemed to gain knowledge of the Brahman and transcend beyond happiness and sorrow. A little change in our attitude can make us live like a Brahmin and help us reach our destination in a jiffy...........What say????