There is a similar verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.15.7) which describes the reception given to Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa by the peacocks of Vṛndāvana. "O worshipable one, just see how the peacocks that are returning to their nests are receiving You with full pleasure. These peacocks are just like the damsels of Vraja. The cuckoos on the branches of the trees are also receiving You in their own way. The residents of Vṛndāvana are so glorious that everyone is prepared to render devotional service to the Lord." It is stated in another verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.35.11): "O just see how the cranes and swans on the water are singing the glories of the Lord! Indeed, they are standing in the water meditating and worshiping Him." It is stated elsewhere in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18): "Even the aborigines and uncivilized human beings like Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana and Khasa, as well as many other human beings in the lower species, can all be purified simply by taking shelter of the pure devotees." Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī offered his respectful obeisances unto Lord Viṣṇu, whose devotees can work so wonderfully.
Kirata
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a Vaiṣṇava from the beginning; therefore, there was no need for him to undergo all the processes of the varṇāśrama institution. Ultimately the aim of varṇāśrama-dharma is to turn a crude man into a pure devotee of the Lord, or a Vaiṣṇava. Anyone, therefore, who becomes a Vaiṣṇava accepted by the first-class Vaiṣṇava, or uttama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava, is already considered a brāhmaṇa, regardless of his birth due to his past deeds. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted this principle and recognized Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura as the ācārya of the holy name, although Ṭhākura Haridāsa appeared in a Mohammedan family. In conclusion, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was born a Vaiṣṇava, and, therefore, brahminism was included in him. He did not have to undergo any ceremonies. Any lowborn person—be he a Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana, Khasa or even lower—can be delivered to the highest transcendental position by the mercy of Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was the instructing spiritual master of Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī, who therefore offers his respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī before he begins his answers to the questions of the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya.
The devotees of the Lord are purified souls. As soon as the devotees surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord sincerely, the Lord accepts them, and thus the devotees at once become free from all material contaminations. Such devotees are above the three modes of material nature. There is no bodily disqualification of a devotee, just as there is no qualitative difference between the Ganges water and the filthy drain water when they are amalgamated. Women, merchants and laborers are not very intelligent, and thus it is very difficult for them to understand the science of God or to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. They are more materialistic, and less than them are the Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Kaṅkas, Yavanas, Khasas, etc., but all of them can be delivered if they are properly engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. By engagement in the service of the Lord, the designative disqualifications are removed, and as pure souls they become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God.
SB Canto 2
Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa races and even others 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.
Kirāta: A province of old Bhārata-varṣa mentioned in the Bhīṣma-parva of Mahābhārata. Generally the Kirātas are known as the aboriginal tribes of India, and in modern days the Santal Parganas in Bihar and Chota Nagpur might comprise the old province named Kirāta.
According to the cult of devotion, generally known as the Vaiṣṇava cult, there is no bar against anyone's advancing in the matter of God realization. A Vaiṣṇava is powerful enough to turn into a Vaiṣṇava even the Kirāta, etc., as above mentioned. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) it is said by the Lord that there is no bar to becoming a devotee of the Lord (even for those who are lowborn, or women, śūdras or vaiśyas), and by becoming a devotee everyone is eligible to return home, back to Godhead. The only qualification is that one take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord who has thorough knowledge in the transcendental science of Kṛṣṇa (Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam). Anyone from any part of the world who becomes well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa becomes a pure devotee and a spiritual master for the general mass of people and may reclaim them by purification of heart.
Lord Brahmā, being the creator of all living beings in the universe, is originally the father of several well-known sons, like Dakṣa, the catuḥ-sanas, and Nārada. In three departments of human knowledge disseminated by the Vedas, namely fruitive work (karma-kāṇḍa), transcendental knowledge (jñāna-kāṇḍa), and devotional service (upāsanā-kāṇḍa), Devarṣi Nārada inherited from his father Brahmā devotional service, whereas Dakṣa inherited from his father fruitive work, and Sanaka, Sanātana, etc., inherited from their father information about jñāna-kāṇḍa, or transcendental knowledge. But out of them all, Nārada is described here as the most beloved son of Brahmā because of good behavior, obedience, meekness and readiness to render service unto the father. And Nārada is famous as the greatest of all sages because of his being the greatest of all devotees. Nārada is the spiritual master of many famous devotees of the Lord. He is the spiritual master of Prahlāda, Dhruva and Vyāsa, down to the forest animal hunter Kirāta. His only business is to turn everyone to the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Therefore all these features of Nārada make him the dearmost son of his father, and all this is due to Nārada's being a first-class devotee of the Lord. The devotees are always anxious to know more and more about the Supreme Lord, the master of all energies.
SB Canto 4
The Naiṣādas are not allowed to live in cities and towns because they are sinful by nature. As such, their bodies are very ugly, and their occupations are also sinful. We should, however, know that even these sinful men (who are sometimes called Kirātas) can be delivered from their sinful condition to the topmost Vaiṣṇava platform by the mercy of a pure devotee. Engagement in the transcendental loving devotional service of the Lord can make anyone, however sinful he may be, fit to return home, back to Godhead. One has only to become free from all contamination by the process of devotional service. In this way everyone can become fit to return home, back to Godhead.
SB Canto 6
f one somehow becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord, whatever his position, he can be brought to the position of a perfect person. This is possible if an unalloyed devotee tries to serve the Lord by delivering him in this way. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Anyone can be purified if he takes shelter of a pure devotee and molds his character according to the pure devotee's direction. Then, even if one is a Kirāta, Āndhra, Pulinda or whatever, he can be purified and elevated to the position of a mahā-pauruṣya.
The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement offers everyone a chance to be purified, regardless of birth or family. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas, members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Even such sinful persons can certainly all be purified if they chant the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee.
Herein it is said, yan-nāma sakṛc chravaṇāt: the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so powerful that if once heard without offenses, it can purify the lowest of men (kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ). Such men, who are called caṇḍālas, are less than śūdras, but they also can be purified simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord, not to speak of personally seeing the Lord. From our present position, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be personally seen as the Deity in the temple. The Deity of the Lord is not different from the Supreme Lord. Because we cannot see the Supreme Lord with our present blunt eyes, the Lord has kindly consented to come before us in a form we can see. Therefore the Deity in the temple should not be considered material. By offering food to the Deity and by decorating and serving the Deity, one gets the same result that one derives from serving the Lord personally in Vaikuṇṭha.
SB Canto 9
That Mahārāja Yayāti was immediately liberated from the bondage of conditioned life is certainly astonishing. But the example given herewith is appropriate. A tiny baby bird, dependent fully on its father and mother even to eat, suddenly flies away from the nest when its wings have grown. Similarly, if one fully surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is immediately liberated from the bondage of conditioned life, as promised by the Lord Himself (ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66)). As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana and the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Lord Viṣṇu is so powerful that He can deliver anyone at once if He is pleased to do so.
When Mahārāja Bharata was on tour, he defeated or killed all the Kirātas, Hūṇas, Yavanas, Pauṇḍras, Kaṅkas, Khaśas, Śakas and the kings who were opposed to the Vedic principles of brahminical culture.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Significant in verse 211 are the words kṛṣṇera kīrtana kare nīca bāḍa bāḍa, indicating that anyone can join in the saṅkīrtana movement. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18): kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. This is a list of the names of caṇḍālas. The pāṣaṇḍīs say that when these lower-class men are allowed to chant, their influence is enhanced. They do not like the idea that others should also develop spiritual qualities, because this would curb their false pride in having taken birth in families of the elevated brāhmaṇa caste, with a monopoly on spiritual activities. But despite all protests from so-called Hindus and members of the brāhmaṇa caste, we are propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world, according to the injunctions of the śāstras and the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus we are sure that we are delivering many fallen souls, making them bona fide candidates for going back home, back to Godhead.
CC Madhya-lila
The servant of the Lord is also similarly inclined. He gives shelter to any person—any living entity—regardless of whether he belongs to a brāhmaṇa family or a caṇḍāla family. 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 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye ’nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khaśa 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."
There is a difference between the smārta process and the gosvāmī process. According to the smārta process, one cannot be accepted as a brāhmaṇa unless he is born in a brāhmaṇa family. According to the gosvāmī process, the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa and the Nārada-pañcarātra, anyone can be a brāhmaṇa if he is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master. This is also the verdict of Śukadeva Gosvāmī in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of 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."
“"Kirātas, Hūnas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pukkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khaśa 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.""
“"Kirātas, Hūnas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pukkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khaśa 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.""
CC Antya-lila
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
Not only the yavanas and khasādayaḥ but even those born in still lower families can be purified (śudhyanti) by the grace of a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa empowers such devotees to perform this purification. Advaita Ācārya had confidence in the śāstric evidence and did not care about social customs. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, is a cultural movement that does not care about local social conventions. Following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Ācārya, we can accept a devotee from any part of the world and recognize him as a brāhmaṇa as soon as he is qualified due to following the principles of Vaiṣṇava behavior.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is creating pure, exalted Vaiṣṇavas even from those born in families considered lower than those of śūdras. This is proof that a Vaiṣṇava may appear in any family, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
"Kirātas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khasa races, and even others 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." (SB 2.4.18) By the grace of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, anyone can be completely purified, become a preacher of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all Vedic literature.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Sri Isopanisad
The Lord's inner direction cleanses the devotee's heart of all contamination produced by the material modes of passion and ignorance. Nondevotees are under the sway of passion and ignorance. One who is in passion cannot become detached from material hankering, and one who is in ignorance cannot know what he is or what the Lord is. Thus when one is in passion or ignorance, there is no chance for self-realization, however much one may play the part of a religionist. For a devotee, the modes of passion and ignorance are removed by the grace of the Lord. In this way the devotee becomes situated in the quality of goodness, the sign of a perfect brāhmaṇa. Anyone can qualify as a brāhmaṇa if he follows the path of devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18) also says:
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
Any lowborn person can be purified by the guidance of a pure devotee of the Lord, for the Lord is extraordinarily powerful.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
First class, brāhmaṇa; second class, kṣatriya; third class, vaśya; fourth class, śūdra; and below this fourth class, they're all caṇḍālas. Caṇḍālas means pañcama. Untouchable. They are called untouchable. So even the untouchables... Because Kṛṣṇa has said: Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni, caṇḍāla means pāpa-yoni, born of low-grade family... The Bhāgavata says, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, that: Kirāta-hūnāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanā khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavana, mlecca yavana. They, they are called... They are also counted amongst the caṇḍālas. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ, even lower than that. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ śuddhyanti. They becomes purified. How? Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. When they are initiated to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So if a, one may argue, "How it is possible to make a caṇḍāla a Vaiṣṇava?" No, that is possible. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu is so powerful, omnipotent. He can do that. So only by Viṣṇu mantra, by becoming a Vaiṣṇava, one can transcend all this restriction, sociology. They can be. That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇī bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate sa guṇān brahmātītyaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate (BG 14.26).
Paṇḍita means those who are learned. Learned means brāhmaṇa, not śūdra. Śūdras, they are not learned. Mlecchas, yavanas, śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra (SB 2.4.18), so many. Learned means brāhmaṇa. Learned means that one who knows that Brahman. Brahman, the spirit soul, is part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. So one who has come to that knowledge, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul; ahaṁ brahmāsmi," that is knowledge. Knowledge begins from there. If one does not reach to that point, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then he is animal. The animal thinking like that, "I am rickshaw," "I am motorcar," "I am cat," "I am dog," "I am this," "I am that." That is animal thinking. But a person... Learned thinking is that "I am not this body; I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi." And when you are farther advanced from Brahman knowledge... The knowledge begins from there. When you make further advancement, then you can understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is perfect knowledge. First of all knowledge begins that "I am not this body."
Because in this age everyone is a śūdra, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ... There is no culture. There is no brahminical culture, kṣatriya culture. Therefore all together, they are simply śūdras. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to raise the śūdras or less than that. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Plural number. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. The pāpa-yoni. It is.... Kṛṣṇa says. But everyone is open to come to Him. Everyone. It doesn't matter. And there are less than that. Less than they are called caṇḍālas. They are also mentioned in the Bhāgavata. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. Again, less than that. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti. They can be purified. They can be purified. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ.
The Lord Viṣṇu is so powerful that He can make anyone a purified Vaiṣṇava. That is His special... It is not that because one is kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā or pāpa-yoni, he cannot be elevated. He can be elevated. That is possible. Because guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). If you make him qualified like a brāhmaṇa and work like a brāhmaṇa, then he can be elevated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to educate anyone. It doesn't matter. Because kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. Anyone, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. Anyone can be elevated.
The Aryans means those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge. They are called Aryans. Ārya. Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). There are 400,000 species of human beings, different types of human beings. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). There are so many varieties, they are considered lowest, low-grade. They cannot realize what is the aim of life. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Kirāta, the black race. Sometimes it is interpreted: the Africans or the south part of our country. Kirāta. Huns. These Huns are supposed to be inhabitants of the northern region of Russia. Some of them migrated into Germany. Kirāta, hūṇa, āndhra, pulinda, pulkaśa. There are so many different names. Of course, if we research from history, from the world history, we can find out where there are. But there are varieties of human beings. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). All human beings are not of the same standard. There are different standards. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, that anyone out of this human society can be claimed to become a Vaiṣṇava. Anyone. That is the statement of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Kirāta-huṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). These names are mentioned, but there are many others whose names are not mentioned. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. They are called pāpāḥ. Pāpa means very sinful life. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. If such persons, such lower-grade persons even, they take shelter of a pure devotee, then they become purified. Śudhyanti, they become purified. How? Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is the special prerogative power of Lord Viṣṇu. He can deliver anyone in any condition of life. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is extra, extraordinary, inconceivable power.
So manuṣyāṇām, out of the, there are many kinds of men also. Just like kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). The Africans, the Mongolians, the Huns... There are so many. We know so many types of human beings. Out of that, a few who are known as Aryans, they are the best type of human being. And out of the Aryans, those who are followers of the Vedic principles, they are the best. But those who are following the Vedic principles, they say that "We are Vedic, or followers of the varṇāśrama-dharma"—in common sense they call "Hindu"—but actually, they say so, they do not follow the principles. They do not follow them. They act against the Vedic principles. Therefore it is said that even though one gets this human form of life after many, many millions of years, the living soul, still, there are so many divisions in the human form of life; therefore it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of human beings," kaścid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye. Siddhaye means to get the spiritual power, or spiritual rejuvenation. That is called siddhi.
Initiation means making him dvijatvam. Tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. How an initiated person can remain a śūdra? This is going on. Therefore they are thinking that "These American, they are mlecchas and yavana. How they can become sannyāsī?" This is nonsense. How a sannyāsī can become a yavana? He must be elevated from the yavana position.
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā (yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ)
- śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
This is the process. Therefore it is rāja-vidyā. Unless one comes to this rāja-vidyā state, he has no right to make disciples. He has no right. He's himself a fool. He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things. Very, very easy to do it. It is universal. There is no restriction. It is not that "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not an Indian, I am not a Sanskrit scholar, I cannot go to the temple." No, that is not. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Never mind whether he is Indian, brāhmaṇa or this or that. Even if he's born in the lowest, lowest grade of family, pāpa-yoni. They are kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ (SB 2.4.18), there are so many. They're pāpa-yoni, almost animal. Śudhyanti, they also become purified and comes to Kṛṣṇa. It is so wide, universal, easy and especially you are Indian, why you should not take advantage of this facility. You take it and be happy. That is my request. Thank you very much.
The whole process Vedic system is, even if you are asuras, gradually by practice, by good association, by following the principles of śāstra, we can become deva. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, actually we're doing that. These boys, they are so..., according to our śāstras they are born in asura families, but they are coming deva. And they have become devas. So that is not impossible. It doesn't matter, janmana jāyate śūdraḥ saṅskarād bhaved dvijaḥ. Anyone can be born of lowborn, śūdra-born, or lower than śūdra born, but by this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18)—more than, still lower born—śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is the wonderful, I mean to say, power of the Supreme Lord. So we are trying to bring everyone—Hindus, Muslims, or mlecchas, Yavanas, Kirāta, Āndhras—anyone come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no limitation. We don't say, "No. Because you are born in this family, you can not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Everyone can. Just like in Africa, they are also taking. They are becoming Vaiṣṇava.
There are two classes of men within this world, daiva āsura eva ca. One class of men is called daiva, devatā, or the demigod, and the other class āsura. Sura means civilized, and āsura means not civilized. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). These are amongst the noncivilized men.
If he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, they are also eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. So even a muci or a pāpa-yoni born in the low grade family, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes a devatā. This is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Śukadeva Gosvāmī,
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
So it doesn't matter where we are born. If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes a śuddha, śuci, purified, and he is eligible to go back to home, to back to Godhead. So to take the shelter of a pure devotee means he knows what is pravṛtti and what is nivṛtti. All our Vedic literature is meant for nivṛtti. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. These, all living creatures, who are struggling for existence in this material world, that is their pravṛtti, to enjoy this material world.
So nowadays it is going on very strong, "nation." We do not have any such conception in the śāstra, national idea. The division is deva and asura. It doesn't matter where you are born. Even in India... Suppose you are born in a brāhmaṇa family. It does not mean that you cannot become an asura. And even if in Europe and America if you are born or in the mleccha and yavana family, it does not mean that you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. No. Kṛṣṇa says openly, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni, low-born. Pāpa-yoni. There are... They are mentioned in the śāstras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as caṇḍāla, less than the śūdras. Kirāta means Africans, the black. In our country also there are santals, very black. They live in the forest. Every country aborigines. They are called kirāta. So Huns... There are Huns on the northern side of Germany. Āndhra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Many. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that they can be purified, śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave, if they become Vaiṣṇava. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. If one becomes Vaiṣṇava, then he is transcendental to this material designation.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
You must divide the society according to quality and work, four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And less than śūdra, they are neglected. Not neglected, they are incorrigible. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, even those who are incorrigible, they can be devotee. That is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
This movement is so strong that even the fifth class, sixth class... After śūdra, then fifth class, sixth class, go on, unlimited. Only the upper four classes are counted to be really civilized organization.
Until the rainy season is finished, they would not go out. That is called cāturmāsya. This is the meaning of cāturmāsya. So Nārada Muni got this opportunity. Now, you can calculate. This is knowledge. Then he had the opportunity to serve these yogis for four months only. Not more than that. And he became Nārada. Just understand how much powerful is service to the Vaiṣṇavas, devotees. And that is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ means if anyone takes the shelter of the devotee, apāśrayāśrayāḥ... A devotee takes the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, and if somebody else takes the shelter of the lotus feet of the devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And who becomes purified? Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā ya..
So in any quality, in any position, even by sentiment, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the greatest profit from any position. It doesn't matter in which position he is, either he is on the brāhmaṇa position or kṣatriya position or vaiśya position or śūdra position or caṇḍāla position. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni, lower class, very, very lower class... Pāpa-yoni, their description in the śāstra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So these pāpa-yoni, these black, they are also considered pāpa-yoni, but for everyone Kṛṣṇa consciousness is open. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda. Hūṇa, kirāta, andhra, pulinda, pulkaśa, ābhīra, śumbha, yavana, khasādaya... Mongolia, those who do not develop mustaches, khasādaya, ye 'nye ca pāpa, and lower than that, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ—if he takes sincerely the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti, he becomes very purified. There is no, I mean to say, bar for anyone.
We cannot understand directly. It is not possible. So we have to approach tattva-darśī. Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, tattva-darśī. He says śudhyanti. Yes, he's purified. Although he is born of kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ, caṇḍāla. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. So it is inconceivable by us how a caṇḍāla can be dvija-śreṣṭha, more than a brāhmaṇa. It is inconceivable by me. But when we get a statement of the authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and above that, Kṛṣṇa... Because the conclusion of Kṛṣṇa and the conclusion of pure devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī, they are the same. Just see here. Kṛṣṇa says māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim (BG 9.32). So unless one is purified, how he can go to parāṁ gatim? And Śukadeva Gosvāmī also says the same thing. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra. Pāpa-yoni. They are pāpa-yoni. Śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Simply we have to go through the process; otherwise everything is possible. That is the omnipotency of Kṛṣṇa.
The śūdras cannot learn all these veda. Because śūdras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaiśyas. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. They are rejected, woman and vaiśya and śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa says te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: "Even woman, and śūdra and vaiśyas, low grade, they can also get parāṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world." How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas... Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. "Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified." Becomes purified. How? Śudhyanti? Because prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Lord Viṣṇu has got so exalted power that through His devotee He can purify anyone. Never mind, even one happens to be caṇḍāla, and what to speak of others. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33).
That is sa guṇān samatītyaitān, that is mukti. Baddha, conditioned, means we are under the three modes of material nature. That is conditioned. And mukti means you are not under the obligation of the three modes of material nature. That is karma-mukta. So Kṛṣṇa can make you immediately mukta. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. He can make the lowest class of men... Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as the most sinful, less than the śūdras, caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... Or more sinful, śudhyanti. They can be purified by the mercy, by the power, prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu has got so much power. So that power you can have the benefit if you surrender to Viṣṇu.
Kṛṣṇa personally says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni... Those who are born in the family of mlecchas, yavanas, or the śvapacas, they are called pāpa-yoni. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Even they, the born in the pāpa-yoni..." Yathā bījaṁ yathā, yathā bījaṁ yathā yoni. The father is the bījam. He gives the semina, and mother is the source of birth. So combination of father, mother... So pāpa-yoni. Therefore yoni. Yoni means source of birth. So Kṛṣṇa says pāpa-yonayaḥ, plural number, yonayaḥ. Yoni, this word, śabda, so the plural number, yonayaḥ... There are many different types... That is also mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. What are that? Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). These are mentioned, pāpa-yoni. And less than them, if there are still pāpa-yoni, śudhyanti yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, if such persons take shelter of a pure devotee, he's śudhyanti. This is the shastric injunction. He becomes purified because the pure devotee knows how to purify the pāpa-yoni. He knows. That rascal is not a pure devotee. He does not know. Therefore he thinks, "Unless the birth is changed, how one can be purified?" He does not know the process.
Just like if you want to dance in the stage, so you have to perform many rehearsal, how to dance, how to dance, how to dance. Then, if you become expert dancer, then when you dance on the stage, you get acclaim: "Ah." (makes sound of applause:) "Phut, phut, phut, phut." "Very good dancer." But that "very good dancer," you cannot say, "I go immediately to the stage, and I become a good dancer." That is not possible. If one says, "No, no, no, I don't... I shall not attend the rehearsal. You give me the stage. I shall..." No, no. No director will allow him. He's a rascal. He's a rascal. You cannot become all of a..., a nice dancer without practicing it. So real purpose of life is ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante... (BG 8.6). If at the time of death you can remember, you can memorize Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Smaraṇa. So it has to be practiced. (aside:) Where...? You have got that? You could not? Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18).
So in this way Kṛṣṇa should be described in connection with different activities. But those who are impersonalists, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, and being impersonalists, they do not believe in the activities of the Supreme. They think that when the Supreme Absolute Truth comes in the material world, in the material form, then "There is activity?" They cannot understand. Athāpi te deva padām... Therefore nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa without being trained up by a self-realized devotee. If a... If one takes the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative, devotee, then it doesn't matter what he is. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18). If he has taken shelter of a pure devotee—never mind he's a kirāta, hūṇa, āndhra, pulinda, pulkaśā—he is śudhyanti. He becomes purified, and gradually he understands Kṛṣṇa.
But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that even caṇḍālas can be also raised to the platform of brāhmaṇa. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. Even if a caṇḍāla is trained up as a devotee, he can be better than a qualified brāhmaṇa. These are the shastric injunctions. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). The yavanas' names are there also. Yavana-mleccha means generally they are meat-eaters, especially cow meat, cow flesh eaters. They are called yavana-mlecchas. So the higher caste, they cannot become meat-eaters. Meat-eating is there. That is for the lower class, not for the higher class. If anyone gives up meat-eating or the bad habits of lower class, illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, and if he's trained how to become a qualified brāhmaṇa, then he can be accepted. That is sanctioned in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So it is advised that nṛ-loke. Nṛ-loke means the human form of body, in the human society. We don't discard that "This is American society" or "This is European society," "This is Indian society..." No, all human being. All human being. It doesn't matter what he is. All human being. What to speak of civilized men, even uncivilized, anārya. They are also described in the Bhāgavatam. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). These names are there. Kirāta. Kirāta means the black, the Africans. They are called kirāta. Kirāta-hūṇa āndhra. Hūṇa, the nation or the community on the North Pole, above Russian, German, they are called hūṇa. There are so many we do not know. Khasādayaḥ, the Mongolians. Khasādayaḥ means who does not grow sufficiently mustaches and beard, this Mongolian group. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Yavana, the mlecchas, yavanas, means those who are Muhammadans and others. So they are also included. Nṛ-loke. Because it is nṛ-loka. Every human being. Superficially, externally, there may be, this nation is better than that nation. That is fact. The Aryans and non-Aryans. There are divisions: civilized, noncivilized; educated, noneducated; cultured, noncultured; black, white; this and that. There are... Externally these divisions... But that distinction is of the body.
So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says personally. It doesn't matter, pāpa-yoni, low-grade family, pāpa-yonayaḥ, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye anye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18). Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. It is all-embracing. There are many... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17), patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means everyone has got his occupational duty, sva-dharmam. Generally, we consider brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brāhmaṇa has got his duties, kṣatriya has got his duty. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So sva-dharma means... Suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, but bhajann apakvaḥ, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down... This is Nārada's statement. So he says, "What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma, but has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then what is the gain?" There is no gain.
Now, some people came, very prominent men of Bombay, some... They have also invented something to educate or to enlighten the residents of the forest and the mountains. No, no, what you are doing for here? But they are interested... Not interested. It is a hobby. Nobody can be... There is mountain, and suppose, suppose in Africa, there are so many Africans, they are living in the... There is nature's law, but there is a process. This process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by which everyone can be elevated. Not by these material means. Material means, you cannot do that. We are... Just like in the Śukadeva Gosvāmī's statement it is said,
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
You can make everyone happy, even the kirāta. Kirāta means the Africans. They are called niṣāda. Niṣāda was born as the son of the king... I forget just now name. Mahārāja Pṛthu's brother.
Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was very learned scholar, son of a brāhmaṇa, very good scholar, and economically developed, but only fault was avaiṣṇava: he did not care for Rāma. So he is designated as rākṣasa. So avaiṣṇava, who is not devotee of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, gurur na sa syāt, he cannot become guru. That is not possible. And vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ. Śva-paca. Śva-paca means the dog-eaters, the lowest of the mankind, dog-eaters, caṇḍāla. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. If somehow or other he has become Vaiṣṇava, then he can become guru, not this brāhmaṇa, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. Because that one disqualification is there, that he is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. But a person born in the lowest of the human society, pāpa-yoni, which is called pāpa-yoni... Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes shelter of Me, even he belongs to the pāpa-yoni..." Pāpa-yoni means the caṇḍālas, less than the śūdras. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ... Again He mentions. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So they are eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. There are so many instances. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ: (SB 2.4.18) "Lower than them, still more sinful," śudhyanti, "they can be purified," prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ, "if he becomes a Vaiṣṇava."
Not that particularly because one is born in a brāhmaṇa family or one has taken sannyāsa, he is immediately by the dress, or by birth, one can become guru. No. That is going on. Now it is diminishing. Formerly, in India it was the practice. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "It doesn't matter." Kibā vipra, kibā śūdra. Vipra means brāhmaṇa, and śūdra means the fourth class, less than the vaiśyas. So kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsī kene naya. Nyāsī means sannyāsī. Never mind nyāsī, or without nyāsī, because śūdra cannot be sannyāsī. Without becoming brāhmaṇa, there is no question of becoming sannyāsa. In the Śaṅkara-sampradāya they are very strict. Unless one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is not awarded the sannyāsa. That is the stricture. But according to our Vaiṣṇava, according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, pāñcarātrikī-viddhi, if there is little tendency of the person to become devotee, he is given the chance. Never mind he's born in a śūdra family, a caṇḍāla family. That is sanctioned in the śāstra: kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Anyone. Kṛṣṇa also says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). So Nārada Muni, he is a great devotee, he has given allowance to everyone to become a brāhmaṇa, to become a sannyāsī. First of all he must be trained up to become a brāhmaṇa, then sannyāsī. This is a fact. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, there is no question of sannyāsa.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī recommends, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. Tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena. If dīkṣā-vidhāna, initiation process, is done nicely from the right person There are so many śāstric ref... Śuddhyanti yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śuddhyanti (SB 2.4.18). These things are there. So by the disciplic succession, by the instruction of the Gosvāmīs, everyone can be purified because they will properly train up. Avidyāyām antare vartamānam. They will not misguide. Dṛṣṭvā punas taṁ saghṛṇaḥ kubuddhim. Merciful: "Never mind." But there is no disqualification because one is low born and high born. Everyone can take. But he must follow the direction of the proper guide. Just like we say, "No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex." If he follows the rules and regulation and chants Hare Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of proper spiritual master, then everything will be all right. He is no more śūdra or caṇḍāla. He will become... Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭha hari-bhakti-parāyanaḥ. By advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he can be raised to the highest plat... So it is the duty of the guide not to engage him in lower class of occupation. Therefore there must be a class of men first-class who can teach the society how to advance in human civilization.
You cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, that is not possible, but one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you can take shelter of him. That is mad-āśrayaḥ, one, mat-āśrayaḥ: "a person who has taken shelter of Me." That means His devotee, a pure Vaiṣṇava, a Vaiṣṇava guru. You have to take shelter of. Then you can practice bhakti-yoga. Then never mind what you are. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18). If you take shelter of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, then śuddhyanti—you'll be purified. Śuddhyanti. How it is possible that...? He's born in low-grade family, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. How he became so purified that he can see? Now prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa's influence. He can do that. If you take shelter, upāśrayāśrayāḥ, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased to reveal Himself. That is Kṛṣṇa's special power, Viṣṇu's special power. He can be seen even by the kirāta-hūṇāndhra andhra, and He cannot be seen even by the most purified brāhmaṇa. That is His option. He is not exposed to be seen by everyone. That is not possible.
So we must follow the rules and regulation very... Therefore it is said that viśrambham anavasthānasya śaṭha-kirāta iva saṅgacchante. We should not believe our mind, that we have become perfect. By mental dictation we should not be guided. That is a very bad practice, to think of, that "I have now become liberated, I don't require to follow the regulative principles." So we must be very careful.
So we should be very much careful not to be afflicted by the karma. Karmānu bandha. This is very delicate task. Simply... (break) ...but they do not know what is the importance of the varṇāśrama-dharma. They have broken it. They don't like. They want to say classless society. Classless society cannot be. Even in Russia, the Communist country, they wanted to break down the classless society, but they cannot manage. They have now created a manager class and the worker class. Why manager class? Make it classless. But that is not possible. Therefore in the society there must be managers and the workers. Without this you cannot work, you cannot make, keep any systematic... So managers... The varṇāśrama-dharma: the managers, the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas; and the workers, the vaiśyas and the śūdras. And less than that, less than the śūdras, the caṇḍālas, they have to be fully controlled, kirata-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), because they do not know the regulative principles of life. They are called caṇḍālas. So they are described in the śāstra. So the kṣatriyas, they used to keep these caṇḍālas under full control. Otherwise the society would be lost.
This is the process. When you take your birth, that birth is not significant—a śūdra, fourth-class man. Everyone is born fourth-class man. So if you keep them fourth class and degrade them into fifth class, sixth class, then how there will be peace? How there will be peace? Therefore in your country, in America, they are now perplexed, "Crime, Why and What to Do?" Because you kept them fourth class, and they are going down to be fifth class, sixth class, how you can expect peace? It is not possible. If you do not elevate them... He is already born śūdra, janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Now you have to reform him. Saṁskārāt. Saṁskāra means reforming. You are born śūdra. You are inclined to do something, so many things—intoxication, illicit sex and drinking and gambling and meat-eating. These are all śūdra qualities or less than that. Śūdras also, they abide by the Vedic orders. Śūdras also do not do whimsically whatever he likes. Śūdras, they are taken among the, in the Vedic society... Because śūdras also, they are last class, fourth class, they are eager to follow the orders or the orderly things as given by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore śūdras, up to śūdras, accepted as bona fide classification. And below the śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas, caṇḍālas, fifth grade. They are also mentioned, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. Everything is analyzed.
Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed. It is not that Indians should not follow; only the others will. No. It is for everyone, Pañcarātriki-vidhi. The Pañcarātriki-vidhi means that if anyone has got little tendency for being elevated to the śreyaḥ platform, he should be given chance. That is called Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Just like dīkṣā, initiation. Śūdras are not given initiation. A śūdra cannot be initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas can be initiated, or dvija, or the vaiśyas and the kṣatriyas, the higher caste, not the śūdras. But according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, not by others. That is the system.
If you want to open the door of your liberation, then you should engage yourself in serving the mahat, the devotees, a pure devotee. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Tamo-dvāram means the door for hellish condition of life. And if you want that, then you mix with yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Those who are too much attached to women, you associate with them. These things are there in the śāstras. And practically it is said, dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic chūdraṁ saha bhujiṣyayā, pītvā ca madhu maireyam. Not only he was engaged in embracing a prostitute, but the prostitute was drunk. Her eyes were moving by madhu. Wine is made from madhu, sugar, and still, all spirit is made from molasses. This is old system. This is very intoxicating. Rectified spirits, you know, doctor may know, this is made from molasses. Because we were in the chemical line we know. So here it is also said that spirit made, liquor made, whiskey made from madhu... Pītvā ca madhu-maireyam. Maireyam. Another process of manufacturing wine is, from a flower, is called mahuyā, mahuyā flower. Perhaps you know. The jungle people, the kirātas, they take this mahuyā flower from the jungle, and they soak it in water, and when it is fermented, it becomes wine. So such kind of... Everything is there. If anyone wants to manufacture wine, that is also there in Bhāgavata. You see? (laughter) Because it is perfect knowledge, all knowledge you can get.
Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to teach people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, surrender unto Him. Then they will be happy. This is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to create some ideal men. People will see them, and at least they will understand that "Here are the ideal men." They will be ashamed. So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should be śreyān-yad yad ācarati śreyān—the best men in the society. Otherwise useless. If you waste your time to make a free hotel and sleep—useless. That will not make our mission successful, if you take advantage of free hotel and no work. That will not be successful. We must be śreyān, first-class men. That is wanted because there is no first-class men. All fourth-class, fifth-class śūdra. Kalau śūdrā-sambhavāḥ. Śūdra means fourth-class men, and caṇḍāla means fifth-class men. So nowadays they are mainly caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavana and caṇḍālas. By the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this movement is able to pick up even caṇḍālas and yavanās to become brāhmaṇas.
So this is required at the present moment, that you remain whatever you are, either brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, Englishman, Indian. It doesn't matter. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you do that, then everything will be perfect. And that can be very easily done by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given this mantra—it is from śāstra-harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). In this age, in Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to bring back the fallen population again to the standard of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. It is practically lost now. The best thing is that all of them combine together, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or even less than śūdra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18). Take to this process of chanting and hearing of the Lord's name. Everything will be all right. (break) ...entities, we have no such distinction. It is confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya.
Every person under one's control should be trained up in such a way, because he has got this human life, he can be elevated to the highest position. That, how it can be done? By bhāgavata dharma. Not otherwise. Not by karma or jñāna or yoga. No. You cannot change. Simply by acting in devotional service, bhāgavata dharma, anyone can be raised to the highest position. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Pāpā, these are pāpā. Pāpā means very abominable life. Even they can be raised to the highest perfection. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni. Pāpā-yoni, there are different types of pāpa-yoni. Except civilized human being, advanced human being, those who are called āryan. Āryan means those who are advanced. Below that position they are all pāpa-yoni. In the Aryan civilization there is a system of four divisions of social order and four division of spiritual order. Social order is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Therefore what is going on at the present moment as Hindu... This word you won't find in the Vedic literature. Varnāśrama. This is real Vedic system, varṇāśrama. And human life begins when one observes the varṇāśrama regulations. Varnāśrama. Human life means to elevate oneself to spiritual consciousness or God consciousness.
So we are trying to save people from this modern civilization. This is... Modern means in this age it is, excessively has increased, but this process was existent. This is the way of material life. So in the Satya-yuga it was less, in the Tretā-yuga it was more, and the Dvāpara-yuga, it is still more, and Kali-yuga, it is full. This is the difference of ages. Therefore kalau, in this age, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Kalau saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyaiḥ yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. There is no hope for liberation from this material bondage except chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Other things, it is not possible. If you want to revive the old Vedic civilization, brahmacārī and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya... These are all spoiled. Everything is spoiled. Then what is the position? Kalau śūdra samabhavaḥ. In this age simply they are śūdras. "So how the śūdras will be delivered? By your Kṛṣṇa conscious..." Yes. They'll be. Not only śūdras, those who are less than śūdras. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Not only śūdras, the less than the pañcamas, the fifth-grade, sixth-grade, seventh-grade, tenth-grade, all rascals and all sinful men, they will be all delivered simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo. Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and your life will be saved.
Anyone who is advanced in spiritual life, they are called Aryans. Anārya-juṣṭam. Arjuna was chastised by Kṛṣṇa that "You are talking like non-Aryan." Anārya-juṣṭam. So non-Aryan and Aryan, what is the difference? The Aryan civilization means this varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśramas. And non-Aryan means there is no division. Everyone is one or equal. That is advocated now at the present moment. In India also, they think of casteless society, no caste. But it is not caste. It is division of culture. Brāhmaṇa means advanced in culture, kṣatriya means less advanced than the brāhmaṇa, and vaiśya means less advanced, and śūdra is less advanced, and the pañcamas, fifth grade, sixth grade, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), they are less. In this way high grade and low grade division of the society, one who follows the high grade culture, they are called Aryans, Arya. In many places in Vedic literature the superior person is addressed as Arya.
One who is inquisitive to understand Brahman—brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11)—he should be given chance. Just like there is a little fire. Fan it. Fanning, fanning, fanning, and it becomes a big fire. So our process is that. Anyone, we pick up anyone, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā, what to speak of the śūdra. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ. In the ordinary way the stri, woman, śūdra, the fourth-grade man, and vaiśya, they are taken together, not very intelligent. But Pāñcarātriki-vidhi offers facility even persons who are lower than these striya, śūdra, vaiśya. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). And less than that, ye 'nye ca pāpa yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ... A devotee, a pure devotee of the Lord, and if these persons take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord, then śudhyanti—they become purified by following the injunction of the spiritual master. He knows how to deal with them, how to elevate them to the brahminical position. So that is not artificial. Śāstra says, Bhāgavata says, "Yes. By such expert management these kirāta-hūṇāndhra, lower than the śūdras, śudhyanti..." Śudhyanti.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he purifies himself. Never mind wherever he is born. It doesn't matter. He is more than a brāhmaṇa, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa, with all the qualifications. This is certified by Prahlāda Mahārāja. We have to accept it. Nobody can say that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness... There are many so-called, I mean to say, brāhmaṇas. They may say like that, that "How Kṛṣṇa conscious can be spread up in the Western countries?" No. That is not the fact. That fact, as it is said by Prahlāda Mahārāja: even the lowest of the lowest can be purified. There are many other statements. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā (SB 2.4.18). The list has been given. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that anyone who takes to this principle, he becomes greater than the highly qualified brāhmaṇa. That is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja.
An advanced devotee, they're always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness. Kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guṇa, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guṇa." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guṇa. Adhika 'smin jātaḥ sure... "Otherwise why I am born in this family?" That is the test. Now they are... By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is śūdra. That is an... Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, then antaja, (?) caṇḍāla, mean, so many, kirāta, hūṇa, pulinda, pulkaśā, abhīra, śumbha—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.
Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... (SB 2.4.18). Śukadeva Gosvāmī says. Kṛṣṇa says, the Lord says, and it is confirmed by His devotee. These two things we require: whether it is approved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and whether it is approved by His servant, devotee. Kṛṣṇa-guru-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. This is said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. There are so many divisions of caṇḍālas. Pañcama. They are called pañcama. So the whole thing is topsy-turvied. We have given up our own culture and imitating the foreigners and the Western country. That also we cannot do very properly because we are meant for different purpose in India. In India, one who has taken birth in India, it is understood that in his previous birth he tried to cultivate spiritual culture; therefore he has been given the opportunity to take birth in India. India is so fortunate. But as soon as he takes birth, the rascal leader spoils him, the rascal father spoils him, the rascal teacher spoils him. So what can they do, the poor younger generation? They are being taught that "The spiritual culture is useless. Because we are so much spiritually inclined, the foreigners came and they ruled over us. Now give up all this nonsense. Become technologist." This is going on.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So one who becomes engaged immediately in pure devotional service, he immediately becomes liberated. Immediately. Without any distant time. Immediately. Tad kṣaṇāt śraddhā bhavati, śraddhā savanāya kalpate. Jīva Gosvāmī (says) that one who, even one is born in the lowest degree, śva-pācaḥ, śraddhā savanaya kalpate, he becomes immediately eligible for performing sacrifices. There are śāstra evidences. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says,
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti (tasmai) prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
Even born in kirāta family, the aborigines... They, these, these names are of the caṇḍālas. They are not Aryans. Non-Aryans. So kirāta-hūṇā... In the Bhagavad-gītā also Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni. Striya śūdra tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti paraṁ gatim. Immediately. So the devotional service is so nice, practical, that simply if you take to this devotional service, immediately you become sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).
This morning, one man came to challenge me that how I am converting these mlecchas and yavanas to Vaiṣṇava. Yes. But how I an...? It is, it is there in the śāstra.
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādhayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-upāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti...
- (SB 2.4.18)
They becomes purified according to śāstra. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī gives direction, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. By dīkṣā-vidhāna, by proper initiation, any person can attain the stage of dvijatvam. So our method is not against the śāstra. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If we give up the direction of the śāstra, then we are faulty. If we do not deviate the injunctions of the śāstra... Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. In the śāstra it is sanctioned. My Guru Mahārāja, he also ordered. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also ordered.
Daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. So the distinction is being made by Jīva Gosvāmī that a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa, awaits so many ritualistic ceremonies before he is competent to perform yajña. Not that because he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, therefore he becomes eligible to perform yajña. He requires primarily so much purificatory methods. But a Vaiṣṇava, one who has taken to devotional service, for him, it is said, sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate. As soon as he becomes a devotee, he becomes eligible to perform yajña. Savanāya kalpate. That means preference is given to the devotee (more) than to the son of a brāhmaṇa. A devotee, although born in the family of dog-eaters, the lowest of the mankind, but if he's Vaiṣṇava, initiated, dīkṣā-vidhānena, then he becomes eligible to perform sacrifice. That is officially accepted, that a Vaiṣṇava, even born of dog-eaters' family... Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). These are the list of low-grade human society, kirāta-hūṇāndhra. And there may be others also. (Hindi) There may be others. Ye 'nye ca pāpā. Anye—any kinds of sinful man, śudhyanti yad-upāśrayāśrayāḥ, if such men take shelter of a pure devotee, then he purifies him.
European, Americans, they are advanced, civilized people, but even in Africa we are having very good success. They are becoming Vaiṣṇavas. So... And it is, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So these kirātas are the Africans. So they are also becoming interested, hūṇa, āndhra and others who are considered to be low-born according to Vedic civilization. But still, the Vedic civilization does not prohibit anyone to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By our karma, we may be high born or low born. That does not matter. Ahaituky apratihatā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be checked by any material impediment. That is not possible. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is natural. And Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). He says that even though some people are considered to be pāpa-yoni, low-born, it doesn't matter, but he can accept the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanaḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā. Still more low-born than these people, śudhyanti, they can be purified if they actually take shelter of a pure devotee. They can be purified. That is the injunction of the śāstras, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Śudhyanti. People may argue how such low-born people can be purified. That reply is: prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. It is the supreme power of Lord Viṣṇu. It is possible.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Presenting Himself as fool means that the general mass of people, they are not fit for becoming very great Sanskrit scholar or very good philosopher or student of Vedānta philo... That is not possible in this age, in Kali-yuga. Mass of people, they are almost śūdra. Śūdra-sambhava. Scholarship, to study Sanskrit, to study Vedas, Purāṇas, they are meant for the brāhmaṇas. Not even for the kṣatriyas, or what to speak of vaiśya. Vaiśya, śūdra and woman, they have been classified in the Bhagavad-gītā as less intelligent. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdras te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. But Kṛṣṇa is so merciful. If you take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, whatever you may be... You may be scholar or not scholar. You may be rich or poor; women, śūdra, vaiśya, or pāpa-yoni. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. In Bhāgavata also, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbha yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Pāpā means born in low-grade family. They are called pāpā. Śuddhyanti: they become purified. This is the verdict of the śāstras, that bhagavad-bhakti does not depend on any kind of material qualification. Simply you have to become very sincere and serious. That is the only price.
Initiation Lectures
Pāñcarātriki-vidhi means if any one has a little inclination for spiritual development, he should be given chance. This initiation means to give chance. The Bhāgavata says that kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). These are the list of the caṇḍālas or less than the śūdras. So Bhāgavata gives open road for everyone. Even one is kirāta... Kirāta means... Generally they are called aborigines, or the very black aborigines living in the jungles, they are called kirāta. In our country it is called hanta (?). So anyway, Hun, Hun a class of people in the hill side of north Arctic. They are called Huns. So kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā... There are very great list of the caṇḍālas, less than the śūdras. The Bhāgavata says ye 'nye ca pāpā, not these classes, even less than them, even they are born in the family of sinful tribe, they can be also purified. Śudhyanti, they can be also purified. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā śudhyanti. They can be purified by association of Vaiṣṇava. Yad-apa, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. Upāśraya means just like a person who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and if anyone takes shelter of such devotee, he can be purified. This is called paramparā system.
Just like Vasudeva was father of Kṛṣṇa. That means when one is situated in the Vāsudeva stage, śuddha-sattva, pure goodness, Kṛṣṇa is born. Kṛṣṇa born means Kṛṣṇa becomes visible, revealed. So this initiation process is gradually to raise a devotee to that platform. Go on. (break) There is a list of lowborn human beings. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So many. So even they are born in low-graded family, still, they can be elevated to the highest position by purificatory process. The example is given by Sanātana Gosvāmī: just like bell metal, if one can mix with it mercury, it becomes gold. Anyone can try it. Bell metal. Bell metal means mixture of copper and tin. That makes bell metal. Eighty percent copper, eighty percent tin. And along with it, if some suitable percentage of mercury is mixed, it becomes immediately gold. This chemical suggestion is there in the Vedic śāstras.
In India there are many rascals who think that without being born in a brāhmaṇa family nobody can become brāhmaṇa. That is not the verdict of śāstra. Here is a verse in the Bhāgavata, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca papa (SB 2.4.18). Not only all these mentioned, kirāta-hūṇāndhra... Hūṇa. Hūṇa class is found still on the northern side of Russia and Germany. When I went to Moscow I have seen, they're so much addicted to meat-eating. They're simply eating meat. In Russia also. They do not eat much fruits or vegetables, or not available. So these... Low class means the more they are addicted to meat-eating. Just like animals. They may be very strong. A tiger is also strong, but what is the use of it? Nobody cares for the tiger. Although tiger is very strong, one is afraid of it, but if you become a tiger what is the use of it? So this material civilization, they are trying to make this body tigerlike strong. They do not know that what is the usefulness of tiger. No use for... At least, for human society they are simply meant for being killed, shooting. So this demonic civilization is simply meant for being shooted by the laws of nature.
So you are taking this pledge for serving in front of Kṛṣṇa, Vaiṣṇava, guru, and fire. So you shall be very much cautious not to forget your duty. You have got good opportunity. You are going to Africa to deliver these persons. Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). These groups of men are considered very fallen, kirāta, the black men. They are called niṣāda. Niṣāda was born of Vena, King Vena. So they are habituated to steal; therefore they have been given a separate place, African jungles. That is there in the Bhāgavatam. So, but everyone can be delivered. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā. These are known (as) sinful life. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "There may be others which is not mentioned here." Ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ: "If they take shelter of a Vaiṣṇava," śudhyanti, "they become purified." So you have to become very rigid Vaiṣṇava; then you will be able to deliver them. Śudhyanti. How they can be purified without taking another birth? Yes. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Because Vaiṣṇava is going to deliver them, by the power of Viṣṇu they become empowered. So practically we have seen last time when I went to Nairobi, so many, these Africans, they are making progress very nicely. They are making nice questions. They are following rules and regulation. So African people, they are not so much sophisticated or so-called civilized to forget God. But if you work sincerely and if you can deliver one person only by your endeavor, then immediately you become recognized by Kṛṣṇa. Na ca tasmād manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ. This is the quickest way to become recognized by Kṛṣṇa, by preaching work.
Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Just immediately we initiated a devotee, Bhrgu Muni dāsa. He is from Iran. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is this, that
- pṛthivite āche yata nagarādi-grāma
- sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted that in every village and every town on the surface of the globe should at least hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
General Lectures
The supreme man is the first-class man, and the others, who are below God understanding, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are second class, third class, fourth class, fifth class, like that. This is the classification. So below the third-class, fourth-class man, śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas. Caṇḍālas. Caṇḍālas means fifth-grade man. The fifth-grade man also can be elevated to the first-grade man. That is the instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
God is so powerful. Just like sunlight is so powerful it can sterilize any infected thing. Any infected. Infection, we are afraid of being infected. But if you come to the sunlight, no infection. No infection. This is scientific. Similarly, whatever your qualification may be, however you may be impelled by the qualities of this material nature, if you come to the sunlight of Kṛṣṇa consciousness you become immediately purified. There are many instances among my students, how they have become immediately purified.
You cannot execute the yoga system, devotional service, bhakti-yoga, without being under the control of somebody who is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended therefore, yad upāśrayāśraya. One has to take shelter of a pure devotee; then he becomes purified. Yad upāśraya. Upāśraya means to take shelter of a pure devotee. And in that case,
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti (tasmai) prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
So not only those who are highly elevated brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdras... Less than śūdra, they are called kirāta, hūṇa, āndhra, pulinda, pulkaśā, ābhīra, yavanāḥ, khasādayaḥ.
Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ ca...,
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striya vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
Means that "Anyone, even if he is born in the pāpa-yoni, the pāpa-yoni, kirāta, hūṇa, if he takes shelter of Me, then he also gets the supreme perfection." Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Now it is the duty of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to expand this progressive march toward devotional service. Otherwise, how the pāpa-yoni will learn? This is para upakāra.
It doesn't require that you have to pass your Ph.D. examination; then you can think of Kṛṣṇa. No. Anyone, even a child, can think. Man-manā. And who can concentrate on Kṛṣṇa unless he is a devotee? So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru. "By executing these four principles of life you will come back to Me"—mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.65)—"without any doubt." So it is not at all difficult. Had it been difficult... I am collecting my disciples throughout the whole world, and we condemn them according to our... "They are mlecchas, yavanas." Maybe they are mlecchas, yavanas, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that even mlecchas-yavanas, they can be purified.
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
- śudhyanti...
- (SB 2.4.18)
They can become purified by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Philosophy Discussions
Hayagrīva: He also stressed the process of remembering. It's called the, his, Plato's doctrine of recollection. And he says you can ask a boy, who may be ignorant of a subject, you can elicit answers from him, and this answers, he may give you the right answers, and this would suggest that he acquired this knowledge in a previous existence.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we find a student in school is very intelligent and less intelligent. Otherwise both of them of the same age, why one is more intelligent, he grasps the matter very quickly, and why the other is not so intelligent? This is everything that putra-janma dṛḍhaṁ vidyā putra-janma dṛḍhaṁ dhanam. (indistinct) The two things especially, knowledge, education and money, they are earned in the previous birth, not that all of a sudden one has become rich, all of a sudden one has become very learned man. No. It is continuous. So if one man is extraordinarily learned, it is to be understood that it is the result of his previous culture. Similarly, if anyone is extraordinarily rich, it is to be understood it is due to his past pious activities. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26), these four things are achieved on account of previous pious activities: good birth, good opulence, aiśvarya, and good education, and good beauty. These are the results of pious, good activities. So you can see practically in your country between the black and white. The white men are more advanced in everything, and the black man, although he has got the same facilities, they are in inferior position. Why? It is putra-janma dṛḍham. That is the proof of past life. But so far we are concerned, we are not concerned about one black man or white man. Both of them are in the clutches of māyā. We want to educate all of them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they have got equal opportunity, it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ (SB 2.4.18). Never mind what is his body, if he is willing to become trained to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the platform of the soul, that we can do.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Kirāṭa-huṇāndhra-pulin... Huh? (Hindi) (break) ...obeisance to guru. Then his guru, then his guru, up to Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) ...paramparā system. You cannot directly approach God. That is useless. You have no power to approach God directly. That is not possible. Guru kṛṣṇa kṛpayā (CC Madhya 19.151). (Hindi) Let them study this philosophy. We have got books, enough books. One cannot read all these books even throughout whole life. (break)
Guest (2): I am going to...
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) You do actually work.
Guest (2): So I can also accompany certain places like...
Prabhupāda: You arrange. We can go there with all party. Now here in this part... You can get. This... Immediately we can go. From India...
Guest (2): From India, yes.
Prabhupāda: We can go to Indonesia.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
So king should give protection to all living entities. That is king's duty, state's duty. Everyone should have living right. Why the animals should be killed? They are also prajā. Is it not duty of the king to give protection? And that was being done up to the Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Therefore, there was one kingdom. When they deteriorated, gradually part, part, part. Just like what is this Pakistan problem? These Pakistani Muhammadans, they do not come from Muhammadan country. They are our men, Hindus converted. But we could not keep the culture. Just like Kṛṣṇa says,
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
Another in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā (yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ)
- śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
We did not preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore, we created all these things. Whose duty it is? Kṛṣṇa said, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. "Even one is born in pāpa-yoni, he can come to Me." That is now the duty of those who are elevated as brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, to keep the standard. Even one is born in pāpa-yoni, he should be educated to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. But that we did not do. We simply hated. When, during Muhammadan period, if the Muhammadan will take some water from the (indistinct) and put in this way, sprinkle over, "Oh, he has become Muhammadan." This has been done. These are stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now whatever is done is done.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Reporter: Even the śūdras can...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Lower than śūdra. Why śūdra? Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They become purified if they accept the real representative of Kṛṣṇa. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. Everything is there in the śāstras. If you take advantage of the benefit of the śāstras, everything can be remodeled, everything can be good. There is no cause for disappointment. But unfortunately they'll not agree. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti. One who is acting whimsically, without any reference of the authoritative śāstra, he'll never get success, na siddhim avāpnoti. Na sukham: neither happiness. And what to speak of going to the spiritual world? It is impossible. So we have to take the advantage of the instruction in the śāstra. Now Kṛṣṇa is accepted the supreme authority by all the ācāryas. The molder of destiny of India's culture, all the ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, Lord Caitanya...
Reporter: Śaṅkarācārya.
Prabhupāda: Śaṅkarācārya. They all accept Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). They accept it. So how can you defy all these ācāryas and you become better than them? That is nonsense.
Prabhupāda: In another place, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I think Second, Second Canto... Find out this verse: kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18).
Professor: This one?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā...
Pradyumna: We publish these with nice indices.
Professor: Oh, yes, yes. It is so strange to have an index. Yes.
Prabhupāda: Index, there is.
Professor: Śloka-sūcī. Yes, there is index. Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Pradyumna: Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā...
Prabhupāda: The name, yavana, is there.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Indian man (1): Our mental condition has improved.
Prabhupāda: No, that does not mean... There are ghosts. Ghost means subtle life. It is not gross. So people know and has got some idea of the ghost, but they have no descriptive idea. Here is a descriptive idea. That is śāstra. Just like less than the śūdras, it is called pañcamas. How many pañcamas are there, that is described in the Bhāgavata. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanaḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). That is śāstra. Gives full explanation, full knowledge. Śāstra cakṣuṣā. We have to accept through the śāstra. Not that "Because I have not seen, therefore it is false." No. Vyāsadeva has no business to tell you something false. Otherwise he would not have been accepted as the supreme guru by all the sampradāyas. You cannot defy Vyāsadeva. He is saying, you have to accept. "I have seen. I have no experience," that doesn't matter. So many things you do not know. Just like a child has no experience what is the other side of the sea. Does it mean that there is nothing? A child may say like that, but a person who has visited the Arabian countries and others, "Oh no, no, no. There are so many things." So experience should be taken from a person who has got real experience. Not that "Because I cannot see, it is void." That is not experience.
Prabhupāda: Gets the title "Lord." And to maintain their prestige the government supplies the interest of the money. And the first son becomes the inheritor. So in this way the Lord family continues. (break)
Girirāja: "...in the three qualities of material nature."
Prabhupāda: Therefore a man in any quality—it doesn't matter whether he is in goodness or passion or ignorance—anyone can worship Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). So there is no restriction. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra... (SB 2.4.18). Anyone is open to worship Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone.
Bhagavān: They kept many slaves the Romans. They had many slaves.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Slaves? This word is used in Vedic language also, slave. The Africans, they were meant for becoming slaves.
Yogeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, can we take a picture here please?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So the Kirātas, they were always slaves of the Āryans. The Āryan people used to keep slaves, but they were treating slaves very nicely. Later on it degraded. Otherwise, slaves were kept just like family members.
Bhagavān: They had no resentment.
Prabhupāda: No, they were very happy. Just like you keep a dog. It is slave but it is very happy under the protection of good master.
Prabhupāda: Outcaste? There are four castes only.
Swiss Man (1): But there are the outcastes...
Yogeśvara: Do you mean the untouchables?
Prabhupāda: Outcaste means those who are less than the śūdras. They are called pañcamas. These are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra means laborer class but they are also obedient to the other three classes. And less than that, they have been described as caṇḍālas, pañcamas, or untouchable as you say. But for us, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there is no such distinction. Anyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The pañcamas, the fifth class men are called caṇḍālas. Caṇḍāla means untouchable. So they are also many: kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). There is... Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Brahmānanda: Why it took Paraśurāma twenty-one times to defeat?
Prabhupāda: They were not properly doing their duties. So Paraśurāma said, "I will kill all of them." Formerly kṣatriyas were guided by the brāhmaṇas, even Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the rules and regulations. But the brāhmaṇas were the legislative assembly. And kṣatriyas were the executive, and the vaiśyas, productive, and śūdras worker. At the present moment there is no director, neither executive. Some of them are only productive, and some of them are worker, most of them. Therefore it is said, kalau śūdraḥ-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga, mostly all the people are śūdras. Because they are workers. (break) Everyone can be purified, even the caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Yavanas means these European groups, and khasādayaḥ, Mongolian group: China, Japan. So Japanese were there in Vedic age also. Kālayavana. Kālayavana fought with Kṛṣṇa.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (break) So they were very disrespectful actually. But when we started kīrtana, the whole atmosphere changed. Do you think that the young Indian boys in the future, they will become anywhere near as pious as their parents?
Prabhupāda: Why do you take India? We are talking of the whole world. There is no question of India, Europe, America. (break)
Brahmānanda: ...Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the kirātas and so on. That means we can go to any community in the world...
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Brahmānanda: ...and preach, and some will join.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is actually happening.
Prabhupāda: ...not within the Vedic culture. Vedic culture means this varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas, four āśrama. And those who are lower than the śūdras, they are not in the Vedic culture. They are called caṇḍālas. Among these caṇḍālas, the mleccha, yavana, are also there. There are. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). So they are also caṇḍālas, fifth status. Fourth status, up to śūdra, and then all fifth status. So amongst the fifth status, there are all meat-eaters, without any restriction. And there are dog-eaters. So amongst them, the fifth status, one who eats dog, he is considered most abominable.
Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana is not black. (laughter) People have come less due to candra-gana. (break) Kirātuddhara.
Brahmānanda: Kirāta?
Prabhupāda: Uddhara.
Brahmānanda: Udha. Udha means?
Prabhupāda: Uddhara means deliverance.
Brahmānanda: Okay. "Delivering the kirātas." They might object to that. (laughing) They might object to that.
Prabhupāda: They might object?
Brahmānanda: The Africans, if they ask what is the meaning of that, they might object.
Prabhupāda: No, you can say kirāta means African. Actually that is the meaning. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkhaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā...
Yaśomatīnandana: Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ.
Prabhupāda: Śuddhyanti.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Arcita: Śrīla Prabhupāda, those who come up from the animal species, do they automatically get a chance to contact Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or do they, might be born in low family, or...
Prabhupāda: No, they get.... Just like we are opening centers, we are giving chance to everyone. If he takes opportunity, he can become realized.(indistinct) Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18). That is the duty of devotees, to raise everyone to the sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if one is unfortunate, he does not take the advantage.
Hari-śauri: It's a question of fortune then, in the human form, to get that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Obstinacy. If you take the worm from the stool, aside, it will go again to the stool. You see? Again it will.
Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda? Is it possible for people in the most animalistic conditions of life such as the Eskimos, who need meat to survive—is it possible for these people to become purified?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18). By the guidance of the spiritual master.
Devotee (4): You've already proved that, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughter)
Devotee (4): We're worse than Eskimos.
Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda? (indistinct) What about the verse in the Bhāgavatam that says if a devotee falls down that he's not to be considered as the fruitive workers or the karmīs, etcetera.
Prabhupāda: Falls down means again when he revives, he'll begin from that point, where he fell down. (break) ...it is to be understood that polluted.
Satsvarūpa: That's also sinful reaction.
Prabhupāda: Polluted means sinful.
Prabhupāda: Anyone can respectable. That is already described. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32). Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Everyone can be, śudhyanti, they can be purified. But if you take the real process, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. Otherwise, simply by learning Sanskrit, what will be able...? There are so many big, big Sanskrit scholars in India. They are loitering in the street. Huh? What is that? You have met so many scholars. What is their position? That Prabhakara you know? He was my first student.
Indian man (6): This is kind of discrimination though.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa says māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Never mind if he's born in low-grade family, but he's eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Do you mean to say unless one becomes a first-class brāhmaṇa he can go back to home, back to Godhead? No, that is not possible. So, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18). The purificatory process... Just like these Europeans, Americans, they are being recognized as brāhmaṇas because they are pure devotees. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He says kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra (CC Antya 4.67). Kṛṣṇa-bhajane, if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is no such discrimination, even if you make that, because as soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you become the best brāhmaṇa. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He immediately becomes on the brahmam platform. And brāhmaṇa means one who knows brahma. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. So every devotee, if he's purely engaged in devotional service, he's more than brāhmaṇa. And so-called brāhmaṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is not recognized. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ. If a dog-eater, caṇḍāla, he has become a Vaiṣṇava, he can be guru. But a brāhmaṇa, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt. If he's expert, Vedic chanting and everything, mantra-tantra-viśārada, but if he's not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. So according to our Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... That is actually according to Vedic injunction. If you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become more than a brāhmaṇa. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then your life is successful. And Kṛṣṇa is being distributed by Lord Kṛṣṇa. Not only He's giving Kṛṣṇa, He's giving kṛṣṇa-prema, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ (CC Madhya 19.53). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so kind, merciful, He's not only giving Kṛṣṇa, He's giving kṛṣṇa-prema, which is very, very rare.
Prabhupāda: And what was the age of the girl?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: About twelve. So I have personal experience. Especially in the upper part of this park, about Eighty, Ninetieth, Hundredth Street, there it's very dangerous. Where we are on Fifty-ninth street, it's not very dangerous. And on the east side down here it's not that dangerous.
Prabhupāda: Just see these black men living in such a highly rich country, and civilized men, but their nature is not changed. Angara satatau tena(?), but they can be changed only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other way. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... (SB 2.4.18).
Bali-mardana: Fifty-ninth Street.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a good location. This building is for sale.
Prabhupāda: This is that Vedic om or something like that?
Hari-śauri: Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44).
Prabhupāda: Hm. A vaiśya means he should provide food. So food means agriculture and giving protection to the cows. If you have got sufficient food grains and milk, the whole food question is solved. And these rascals, they are not giving protection to the cows, but they are killing cows. So there is no third-class men even. All fourth-class. So how you can be happy under the control of fourth-class men? There is no first-class men, no second-class men, even no third-class. That means all fourth-class, fifth-class. That's all. This is the human society, combination of fourth, fifth, tenth-class men. Tenth-class. The fourth-class... There are fourth-class men and more than that, fifth-class men, uncivilized. Aborigines, they are fifth class. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). There are so many. In the human civilized... Civilization means there must be first-class men, second-class men, third-class men, fourth-class men. Then rest all fifth-class, up to tenth-class. But at the present moment there is some fourth-class men and all fifth-class, sixth-class, up to tenth-class. So how we can be happy? There is no first-class men, there is no second-class men, not even third-class men. Who is caring for agriculture? They are preparing Goodyear tire. Now eat tires. You rascal, eat tires. How long you'll eat tires? If there is no customer for tire, that means... So that is coming. And I went to Detroit about six months ago. There're factories. They have manufactured the wheels, huge stock. That means they are not selling. And the Goodyear Tire, they advertising, "So many millions tires we are manufacturing."
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Ram Jethmalani: (laughing) You don't blame me.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, it is not blaming, it is fact. It is the real understanding. Without evidence, without proof, how law can be established? That's a good method. So he is speaking like lawyer, that "You want evidence, you want witness: see here." Tāra sākṣī jagāi mādhāi. So that is five hundred years ago. Now in our Hare Kṛṣṇa movement you see practically. Drunkards, illicit sex-hunters, and so on, so on, they have become saintly persons. This is the effect of it. So... And Kṛṣṇa also says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). It doesn't matter. Pāpa-yoni. According to our Vedic system, low-class, those who are born in low-grade family, they are called pāpa-yoni. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, lower than that—śūdrādhaḥ. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are called pāpa-yoni, untouchables. Of course, nowadays these things cannot go on. But these are there. So Kṛṣṇa says, ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Anyone born in anywhere, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Mām eva vyapāśritya. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, everyone can be elevated. So what is this harijana? We can do.
Ram Jethmalani: Well, some of these slum-dwellers are not harijanas and some of them are Muslims, some of them are...
Prabhupāda: Anyone, anyone. You see. My all disciples, they are coming. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, every kind. Mostly they are my disciples.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
As I have already informed you that the American people in general are very much inclined to receive something from Indian culture of spiritual knowledge, they would be a first class recipient for the Bhagavatam culture provided an organized attempt is made for this purpose. The organized method is like this. They should have association of bona fide devotees of the Lord, they should join the Kirtana glorifying the Lord, they should hear the teachings of Srimad-Bhagavatam, they should have intimate touch with the temple or place of the Lord and they should be given ample chance to worship the Lord in the temple. Under the guidance of a bona fide devotee they can be given such facilities and the way of Srimad-Bhagavatam is open for every one. Apart from civilized men like the Americans even the Kirata, Andhra, Pulinda, Pukkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, Khasadaya or any other lower caste, all of them can be trained up to be devotees of the Lord under proper guidance of a pure and bona fide devotee. That is the instruction of Sukadeva Goswami imparted to Maharaja Pariksit.
1968 Correspondence
We have got both Brahmacaris and Householders as disciples, and all of them are following the above mentioned principles. The students and disciples are initiated according to authorized Pancaratriki regulations. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, anyone, including so-called low born men, who may take shelter unto the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna or His devotees, is sanctified by initiation process.
- kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
- abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
- ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
- sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
- (SB 2.4.18)
How such thing can be possible is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that by special all-pervading power of Visnu this is possible. So, my above students have been sent to India specifically to study in the Bengali, Sanskrit, and Hindi languages, because we have to present to the world so many English translated authentic literatures on Vaisnavism. Some of my books are being printed in Japan and some of them have been accepted to be published by Messrs. MacMillan and Company of New York.
1970 Correspondence
The verse which you have requested is as follows:
- kirata hunandhra pulinda pulkasa
- abhira sumbha yavanah khasadayah
- ye'nye c papa yadupasrayasrayah
- sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah.
- (SB 2.4.18)
These are different names of non-Aryans or candalas, less than the sudras. They are called pancamas or fifth grade men. Brahmanas are first grade men; Ksatriyas, second grade, Vaisyas, third grade; Sudras, fourth grade. There are many of these different fifth grade men and it is difficult to find who are these fifth grade persons in present society. But the point is that they are all less than Sudra.
Actually they are being trained in such a way, their hearts are being purified by chanting the Mahamantra. And after some days when the Spiritual Master sees that one has followed the regulative principles faithfully and has abstained himself from the restricted items like illicit sex life, etc. and has chanted regularly 16 rounds then say after a year or six months when he appears to be purified in the judgment of the Spiritual Master he is offered the sacred thread, and he is given the chance of Deity worship in the Temple. These Smarta Brahmanas contest that unless one is born in a Brahmana family one cannot be given these facilities. But Narada Muni says no; a man should be judged by the symptoms of his character. And Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the Kiratas, etc. can be purified by a pure devotee because the influence of Lord Visnu is so strong. Prabha Vishnave means the powerful Lord Visnu; prabha means that the light or heat of Visnu is so strong that it is possible to melt them. Only the devotees of Lord Visnu or Krishna can be purified, not the devotees of any demigod. They will have to wait for their next birth according to their own karma.
On this verse, Sridhara Swami has given His commentation that birth is not always the criterion of becoming a Brahmin, but the quality is most essential. In the Bhagavad-gita also the caste system is made by the Lord Himself according to qualities and engagements. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is stated as follows:
- kirata hunandhra pulinda pulkasa
- abhira sumbha yavanah khasadayah
- ye'nye c papa yadupasrayasrayah
- sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
- (SB 2.4.18)
So our initiation process is executed according to authorized regulative principles. This is the sum and substance of our initiation process. In the beginning, they are given Hare Nama and during sacred thread ceremony they are given Gayatris and eighteen letter Krishna Mantra. The disciple chants daily the Gayatri Mantras thrice—morning, noon, and evening. The beads are chanted a minimum of sixteen rounds daily, or in other words, 27,648 Names daily.
| Page Title: | Kirata |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, Serene |
| Created: | 14 of Apr, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=12, CC=7, OB=2, Lec=59, Con=19, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 104 |