Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Extracts from Parbhupadas books
The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities.
The symptoms of a devotee are meekness and humility
The symptoms of a Mahatma is a mahatma is always under the guidance of the internal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.The mahatmas are not under the clutches of the illusory energy but are under the protection of the spiritual energy. Because of this, the real mahatma is always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord.
A learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother, looks on others' property as garbage in the street, and treats others as he would treat his own self. These are the symptoms of a learned person as described by Canakya Pandita.
Srila Viraraghava Acarya states that in the Chandogya Upanisad there are eight symptoms of a jivan-mukta, a person who is already liberated even when living in this body. The first symptom of one so liberated is that he is freed from all sinful activity (apahata-papa).
The Symptoms of a ignorant person is He is very lazy sleeps for 10 to 12 hrs not interested in God Conscious activities.
The symptoms of a brahmana are control of the mind, control of the senses, austerity and penance, cleanliness, satisfaction, forgiveness, simplicity, knowledge, mercy, truthfulness, and complete surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
To be influential in battle, unconquerable, patient, challenging and charitable, to control the bodily necessities, to be forgiving, to be attached to the brahminical nature and to be always jolly and truthful -- these are the symptoms of the ksatriya.
The symptoms of a ksatriya are given in Bhagavad-gita. One of the qualifications is the willingness to give charity (dana). A ksatriya does not refuse to give charity when requested by a brahmana, nor can he refuse to fight another ksatriya. A king who does refuse is called low-minded.
Being always devoted to the demigods, the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord, Visnu; endeavoring for advancement in religious principles, economic development and sense gratification [dharma, artha and kama]; believing in the words of the spiritual master and scripture; and always endeavoring with expertise in earning money -- these are the symptoms of the vaisya.
SB 7.11 Summary - Narada Muni also described that the symptom of a brahmana is controlled senses, the symptoms of a ksatriya are power and fame, the symptom of a vaisya is service to the brahmanas and ksatriyas, and the symptom of a sudra is service to the three higher classes. The qualification for a woman is to be a very faithful and chaste wife. In this way, Narada Muni described the characteristics of higher and lower grades of people and recommended that one follow the principles of his caste or his hereditary occupation. One cannot suddenly give up a profession to which he is accustomed, and therefore it is recommended that one gradually be awakened. The symptoms of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras are very important, and therefore one should be designated only by these symptoms, and not by birth. Designation by birth is strictly forbidden by Narada Muni and all great personalities.
In the institution of varnasrama-dharma, the symptoms of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi are all described. The ultimate aim is acyutatmatvam -- to think always of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or Visnu. To make advancement in Krsna consciousness, one has to become a brahmana, with the above-mentioned symptoms.
The symptoms of a paramahamsa is like that of python. A person who has attained the paramahamsa stage knows very well the distinction between matter and spirit. He is not at all interested in gratifying the material senses, for he is always deriving pleasure from devotional service to the Lord. He is not very anxious to protect his material body. Being satisfied with whatever he attains by the grace of the Lord, he is completely independent of material happiness and distress, and thus he is transcendental to all regulative principles. Sometimes he accepts severe austerities, and sometimes he accepts material opulence. His only concern is to satisfy Krsna, and for that purpose he can do anything and everything, without reference to the regulative principles. He is never to be equated with materialistic men, nor is he subject to the judgments of such men.
Adi 14.15 - "‘There are thirty-two bodily symptoms of a great personality: five of his bodily parts are large, five fine, seven reddish, six raised, three small, three broad and three grave.'
Madhya 1.208 - A member of the sahajiya-sampradaya does not change his name; therefore he cannot be accepted as a Gaudiya Vaisnava. If a person does not change his name after initiation, it is to be understood that he will continue in his bodily conception of life.
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