Verse 2.2.54

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.54:

श्री-महर्षय ऊचुः— भो गोप-वैश्य-पुत्र त्वम् एतल्-लोक-स्वभाव-जम् ।
प्रदीयमानम् अस्माभिर् विप्रत्वं स्वी-कुरु द्रुतम् ॥ ५४ ॥

śrī-maharṣaya ūcuḥ— bho gopa-vaiśya-putra tvam etal-loka-svabhāva-jam |
pradīyamānam asmābhir vipratvaṃ svī-kuru drutam || 54 ||

śrī-mahā-ṛṣayaḥ ūcuḥ–the great sages said; bhoḥ–O; gopa-vaiśyaputra–son of a cowherd; tvam–you; etat–that; loka–by this planet; svabhāva-jam–naturally generated; pradīya-mānam–bestowed; asmābhiḥ–by us; vipratvam–the state of a brāhmaṇa; svīkuru–accept; drutam–at once.

The maharṣis said: O Gopa-kumāra, you are the son of a vaiśya. We are granting you brahminical status. Quickly accept it. By the influence of this abode, one naturally develops the qualities of a brāhmaṇa.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Here, Śrī Gopa-kumāra is called gopa-vaiśyaputra because he was the son of a vaiśya, or one whose profession is to protect the cows. This type of address implies that Gopa-kumāra naturally possessed the qualification of one who is twice-born [The twice-born classes are brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas]. The exalted sages say, “O son of a gopa-vaiśya! You ought to accept the status of a vipra (priest). Become a brāhmaṇa.”

Gopa-kumāra might object, “But I am the son of a vaiśya. How can I ever become a brāhmaṇa?”

“Have no doubts. We maharṣis grant you this status.”

“Will this require some special endeavor on my part?”

“No, you will not be obliged to perform penances or any other practices. By the inherent nature of this planet of sages (ṛṣi-loka), the nature of a brāhmaṇa automatically manifests. You will only have to follow some external behavior. If you don’t, it will be inappropriate for you to reside here.”