What is the meaning of the child Krishna putting His foot into His mouth?

Swami replied: The Veda says that the brāhmaṇa is born from the face and the śūdra is born from the foot of God. The act of Krishna putting His foot in His mouth shows that a born-śūdra can become a brāhmaṇa by his qualities and deeds. Krishna Himself has said in the Gita that caste is not determined by birth, but only by qualities and deeds (Guṇa karma vibhāgaśaḥ). With this action, Krishna demonstrated the concept preached by Him. With His hands, He pulls the foot to His mouth. Hands represent the ruling kings or kṣatriyas, since they are said to have originated from the hands of God. This means that the government should follow this policy and help in implementing it. The thigh represents vaiśyas or the caste of businessmen and traders. When the foot representing śūdras is pulled up to the mouth, the thigh is also pulled up. This means that the so-called lower castes must become upper castes in their qualities and deeds. The hands, the thigh and the foot are all turned towards the face. This means that kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras can all progress to becoming brāhmaṇas by changing their qualities and deeds. Hinduism will really flourish if the caste system based on qualities and deeds is accepted by all. A son born to a good father need not be a good son in quality. The son of a teacher need not be a teacher in his deeds or profession. A good person is always a good person, irrespective of the qualities of his parents. A teacher is a teacher, irrespective of the profession of his parents.

| Shri Dattaswami | Guna karma vibhaagashah Brahmana Shudra Kshatriyas Vaishyas

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