Meaning of Catuṣpaṭhī

So He (Lord Caitanya) had a small school. The brāhmaṇas, generally they keep a small school, which is called catuṣpaṭhī. C-c-h-a-a-t-u-s-p-a-t-h-i.

Catuṣpaṭhī. Catuṣpaṭhī means that a school where up to the four Vedas are taught. Grammar and religion and everything is taught there. So there… In every village that was system, the brāhmaṇas should keep up a school like that.

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Śrīla Prabhupāda and Hayagrīva, April 5–6, 1967, San Francisco

Formerly all the brāhmaṇas, they had catuṣpāṭhī

Brāhmaṇa, he is supposed to know six kind of activities, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ means six. What is that six kinds of? Paṭhana pāṭhana. Brāhmaṇa must be very learned, very expert, expertly learned in Vedic knowledge. That is called paṭhana. And pāṭhana: and he must teach others. He must be teacher, not that “I know, and keep all the knowledge in my belly.” No. Therefore formerly all the brāhmaṇas, they had catuṣpāṭhī. The brāhmaṇa will sit down anywhere and begin teaching others. The student will come. That is brāhmaṇa’s business. Paṭhana… But unless he is himself learned, how he can teach? So therefore, first of all he must be learned, paṭhana, and then pāṭhana, then he can teach others. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He must worship the Supreme Lord, and he must teach others how to worship the Supreme.

Śrīla Prabhupāda Lecture, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.4, Mumbai, December 16, 1974

The spiritual knowledge must be distributed

A brāhmaṇa is very qualified, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ-karma, six kinds of activities. The six kinds of activities are paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Paṭhana means he must be very much serious in understanding the Vedic literatures. That is brāhmaṇa’s qualification…very much studious, high-class scholar in Vedic literature, paṭhana. And pāṭhana, he must teach the Vedic knowledge. Formerly, therefore, you know, everyone, that in every village the brāhmaṇa had a catuṣpāṭhī. The brāhmaṇa had no other business. He would sit down in his cottage, and he would teach Vedic literature. Even in Muhammadan, the, what is called, maulanas, they also teach Koran. That is brahminical quality, paṭhana-pāṭhana. Not that “I am very much learned; I will not distribute it. That is called jñāna-khala, envious, even he has knowledge. The spiritual knowledge must be distributed. That is the system of our Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.41–42, December 23, 1970, Surat

Brāhmaṇa should not accept any service

Actually in our India, formerly, the brāhmaṇas, they usually become teachers. In any village, a brāhmaṇa has no other business. He sits down. He’s called catuṣpāṭhī, the higher scholars. But for ordinary also. A brāhmaṇa… Guru-mahāśaya. We studied under guru-mahāśaya in our childhood. Pāṭha śālā. So anywhere a brāhmaṇa can sit down and the village boys, small boys, children would come there. He doesn’t charge anything, but their father, mother sends everything—rice, ḍāl, cloth. So he has no much demand for bodily necessities. This was paṭhana. This is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa should not accept any service.

The Nectar of Devotion, January 28, 1973, Calcutta

Brāhmaṇa is always satisfied

Teaching is the business of the brāhmaṇa. No salary. Formerly, all the brāhmaṇas, they used to have that… It is called ṭola, catuṣpāṭhī. Catuṣpāṭhī [A school where up to the four Vedas are taught]. Brāhmaṇa, he’ll sit down anywhere and invite that “If you like, you can come and take some teachings from me.”

Brahmānanda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu did that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So still in villages you’ll find the brāhmaṇa is sitting somewhere, and the small children are coming, and they’re bringing some presentation. Somebody’s bringing rice, somebody… And brāhmaṇa was satisfied, satisfied: “Whatever Kṛṣṇa sends, that’s all right.” This is brahminical qualification. He doesn’t want more. There was a brāhmaṇa teacher in Krishnanagara. So the zamindar of Kṛṣṇa…, Rāja-kṛṣṇa-candra, he went that “Brāhmaṇa, what can I help you?” “No, I don’t want your help.” “No, you are… Your house is not very good, and your…” “No, I am quite satisfied.” “How you are pulling on?” “No, I have got my student. They bring some rice. And here is a tamarind tree. My wife collects some leaves, boils it, and that becomes nice soup. And these boys bring some rice. I am quite satisfied.”

[break] “…as your production is there, give me twenty-five percent. I’ll give you protection.” That is kṣatriya business. Brāhmaṇa’s business: teaching. And vaiśya: till the field, agriculture, get your food. Now, where is dependence? Only a śūdra, he cannot take up all these things. “Give me some service, sir. Give me some service.” In the modern education, they… The more and more industries increasing, there śūdras are being trained up, technology.

Bhagavad-gītā 4.13, August 5, 1974, Vṛndāvana