How illiterate brāhmaṇ was reading Gita..

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How the Illiterate Brāhmaṇa Was Reading the Bhagagad-Gita

7 May 2025

In a lecture given on July 5, 1971 in Los Angeles Srila Prabhupada told us the wonderful true story of the Illiterate brahmana. Here it is:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was traveling in South India, He saw one brāhmaṇa reading Bhagavad-gītā. And persons who knew him, that "That man was illiterate," it was not possible for him to read Bhagavad-gītā. But still, he was trying to read it, and crying also.

So while others were criticizing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to him, "Brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand that "This person, He's not come here to criticize me. He's serious." So he talked seriously, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate." Now see. He is illiterate and he is reading Bhagavad-gītā?

Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired that "How is that, you're reading Bhagavad-gītā and you say you are illiterate?" He said, "Yes, actually I am illiterate, but my Guru Mahārāja asked me that 'You should read every day eighteen chapters.' So what can I do? I have to carry out the order of my spiritual master. So I have simply taken this book. I am seeing it."

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, you are not seeing it simply. You are crying also." "Yes, Sir, I am crying also." "Then if you are not reading, how you are crying?" "Sir, I am not reading, but I am feeling." "What is that?" "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand, immediately I feel Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna sitting on the same chariot, and Arjuna is ordering Kṛṣṇa that 'You drive my chariot between the two soldiers,' and Kṛṣṇa is driving. So I am simply feeling how Kṛṣṇa is nice, that He can work as a servant of His devotee. When I feel like that, I cry, how Kṛṣṇa is so kind." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him, that "You are really studying Bhagavad-gītā."

So, unless we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning of reading.

Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for sharing this wonderful true story with us!

Lord Caitanya Was Very Pleased with Him

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Transcendental Reply

Was Srila Prabhupada enlightened?

Answer

While preaching in Hartford, Connecticut I was surprised to be asked this question in an ISKCON temple because it is common knowledge in ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada, being one of Lord Krishna's associates, is on the highest level of spiritual enlightenment.

Regarding enlightenment Srila Prabhupada writes as follows in The Nectar of Devotion.

This tight knot of false ego is due to ignorance. As long as one is ignorant about his identity, he is sure to act wrongly and thereby become entangled in material contamination. This ignorance of factual knowledge can also be dissipated by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as is confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa as follows: "Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest enlightenment, and when such enlightenment is there, it is just like a blazing forest fire, killing all the inauspicious snakes of desire." The example is being given in this connection that when there is a forest fire the extensive blazing automatically kills all the snakes in the forest. There are many, many snakes on the ground of the forest, and when a fire takes place, it burns the dried foliage, and the snakes are immediately attacked. Animals who have four legs can flee from the fire or can at least try to flee, but the snakes are immediately killed. Similarly, the blazing fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so strong that the snakes of ignorance are immediately killed.

So let us take to Krishna consciousness so seriously that all of the snakes of ignorance within our hearts are immediately killed. In this we can attain the highest level of spiritual enlightenment, Bhagavan realization, realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, by full surrender at His lotus feet.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The Animals Can Flee

Fire

But the Snakes are Killed

Multi-headed snakes
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