Madhya 10.54
TEXT 54
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TEXT
রায় কহে, - আমি শূদ্র, বিষয়ী, অধম ।
তবু তুমি স্পর্শ, - এই ঈশ্বর-লক্ষণ ॥ ৫৪ ॥ raya kahe,-ami sudra, visayi, adhama
tabu tumi sparsa,-ei isvara-laksana
SYNONYMS
raya kahe-Bhavananda Raya replied; ami sudra-I belong to the fourth class of the social divisions; visayi-engaged in mundane affairs; adhama-very fallen; tabu-still; tumi-You; sparsa-touch; ei-this; isvara-laksana-sign of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
After hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's praise, Bhavananda Raya submitted, "I am in the fourth class of the social order, and I engage in mundane affairs. Although I am very fallen, You have still touched us. This is proof that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.18):
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini suni caiva svapake ca panditah sama-darsinah "The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]."
Those who are highly advanced in spiritual understanding do not care about a person's material condition. A spiritually advanced person sees the spiritual identity of every living being, and consequently he makes no distinction between a learned brahmana, a dog, a candala or anyone else. He is not influenced by the material body but sees a person's spiritual identity. Consequently Bhavananda Raya appreciated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's statement, which showed that the Lord did not consider the social position of Bhavananda Raya, who belonged to the sudra caste engaged in mundane activities. Rather, the Lord considered the spiritual position of Bhavananda Raya, Ramananda Raya and his brothers. The servant of the Lord is also similarly inclined. He gives shelter to any person-any living entity-regardless of whether one belongs to a brahmana family or is a candala. The spiritual master reclaims all people and encourages everyone in spiritual life. By taking shelter of such a devotee, one can make his life successful. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah "Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and the Khasa races, and even others who are addicted to sinful acts, can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him."
Whoever takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure devotee is elevated to the spiritual order and purified from material contamination. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):
mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te 'pi yanti param gatim "O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination."
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