Regaining Our Eternal Heritage
The concept of heritage is frequently misunderstood as merely a matter of ancestry, national history, or social status. In the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, Śrīla Prabhupāda distinguishes between the temporary heritage of the body, which is awarded according to karma, and the eternal heritage of the soul. While a high birth may offer certain material advantages and responsibilities, it is our spiritual connection to the Supreme Lord that constitutes our genuine legacy—one that transcends the limitations of time and birth.
Material Birth and Social Status
According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, one's birth in a particular family or nation is not accidental but is the result of past work and reaction. While good karma may grant one a birth in an aristocratic or wealthy family, Vedic culture also recognizes complex social dynamics, such as mixed marriages, which influence one's classification within the social orders.
- According to the Vedic concept, there are two kinds of mixed family heritage, called anuloma and pratiloma.
- By good work we get good heritage, birth in a very good place, in a high family, in rich family, aristocratic family.
- Romaharsana Suta belonged to a pratiloma family because his father was a kṣatriya and his mother a brāhmaṇa. Because Romaharsana's transcendental realization was not perfect, Lord Balarama remembered his pratiloma heritage.
- Vidura, born in the womb of a śūdra woman, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage along with his brothers Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu.
Obstacles of Pride
Material opulence, including high heritage, often acts as a barrier to spiritual advancement if it generates arrogance. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that those who are puffed up by their lineage or beauty often become blind to the glories of great personalities and fail to offer proper respect to the Vaiṣṇavas.
- Although the six qualities education, austerity, wealth, beauty, youth and heritage are for the highly elevated, one who is proud of possessing them becomes blind, and thus he loses his good sense and cannot appreciate the glories of great personalities.
- If one approaches a transcendental devotee on the strength of one’s material heritage and beauty and does not offer respect to the advanced devotee of the Lord, the Vaiṣṇava devotee may offer formal respects to such a materially puffed-up person.
- It may be argued that since Dakṣa was very learned, wealthy and austere and had descended from a very exalted heritage, how could he be unnecessarily angry towards another.
Duty and Cultural Decline
A prestigious heritage is not meant for sense gratification but carries the burden of responsibility and duty, as exemplified by Arjuna's obligation to fight. However, throughout history, this cultural legacy has been threatened by envy and misuse, such as Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sectarian mentality or the degradation introduced by the Age of Kali.
- From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.
- Both the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra belong to the same family, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra's mind is disclosed herein (BG 1.1). He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of Pāṇḍu from the family heritage.
- Because the age of Kali was seeking an opportunity to spoil the cultural heritage of the four orders of life, the inexperienced boy gave a chance for the age of Kali to enter into the field of Vedic culture.
- In those days, by misusing their brahminical heritage, the brāhmaṇas passed a law to the effect that anyone not born in a brāhmaṇa family was to be considered a śūdra. Thus even the kṣatriyas and vaidyas were also considered śūdras.
Awakening to Eternal Life
Ultimately, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that our actual heritage is not of this world but belongs to the spiritual realm, consisting of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. This divine legacy is freely distributed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and is accessible to everyone through devotional service, regardless of their material background or lineage.
- If we want to participate in the unlimited happiness, knowledge and eternal life which constitute our actual heritage in the spiritual world, we should not waste this life by working hard for sense gratification and worshiping hogs.
- It does not depend that what family, what heritage, what country, what nation, what color, what education. No, nothing. Simply one has to become willing devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
- The benediction of being able to approach the Lord can be achieved after many, many births, yet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has awarded this benediction to everyone, even to the fallen souls who have no heritage of anything in spiritual life.
- Let us jointly distribute this great cultural heritage to the world at large in an organized manner and through the recommended process of Divine Love propagated by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while material heritage plays a role in the social organization of human life, it is fraught with the dangers of pride and is ultimately temporary. Śrīla Prabhupāda urges us to look beyond the superficial designations of birth and caste to discover our true identity. By engaging in the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we not only reclaim our rightful place in the spiritual world but also participate in the highest welfare activity: distributing this eternal heritage of divine love to all of humanity.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Heritage. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.