True brahminhood comes not from birth but from surrendering everything to Krishna in devotional service.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Anantarām Śāstrījī: [chants verse, with Prabhupāda and devotees repeating] [break] viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābhapādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārthaprāṇam punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ [SB 7.9.10] Dayānanda: [chants synonyms; devotees chant responsively] [03:52] Translation "Prahlāda Mahārāja continued to think that a brāhmaṇa who has qualified himself with all the brahminical qualities, twelve in number, as they are stated in the book known as Sanat-sujāta, such a brāhmaṇa, if he is not a devotee and averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is especially lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater even, but his mind, words, activities, wealth and life—everything—is dedicated to the Supreme Lord. Such a low person is better than a brāhmaṇa as above mentioned because such lowborn person can purify his whole family, whereas a so-called brāhmaṇa falsely in prestigious position cannot purify himself." Prabhupāda: viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābhapādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham This is the verdict of the śāstra: śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārthaprāṇam punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ [SB 7.9.10] Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186]. This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that don't be falsely proud unless you have got the qualification. That is our mistake, dambha, dambha.
And the pure life begins when we give up dambha, false prestige. Adambhitvam amānitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam [Bg 13.8]. This is the begin... One who is falsely proud, he is... [aside:] What is that sound? One should not be falsely proud.
Everyone... Material world means everyone is falsely proud. Everyone is thinking, āḍhyo 'smi dhanavān asmi ko 'sti mama samaḥ. [Bg 16.15] Everyone.
This is the disease. "I am the richest," "I am the powerful," "I am the very intelligent." Everything, "I am." This is called ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra vimudhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg 3.27]. This false prestige, when one is absorbed with false things, he becomes vimūḍha, rascal.
Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate. This is false prestige. We have to give up this false prestige. Ahaṅkāra must be there, because you are a reality.
You are not false. Your body is false, but you are reality: "I am soul." That realization must come: ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Not that ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, "I am dog," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this." This is ahaṅkāra, this false ahaṅkāra. But giving up all these nonsense prestigious position...
A dog is also thinking he's in a prestigious position: "I am dog. I can bark very loudly. Gow! Gow!" He's also thinking that.