Text 29]
The Lord Tastes Nectar
15
TRANSLATION
Hearing these quotations from the revealed scripture Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Jhaḍu Thākura replied, “Yes, this is true, for it is the version of śāstra. It is true, however, for one who is genuinely advanced in devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 29
আমি—নীচজাতি, আমার নাহি কৃষ্ণভক্তি । অম্ভ ঐছে হয়, আমার নাহি ঐছে শক্তি ॥ ২৯ ॥
āmi— nīca-jāti , āmāra  nāhi kṛṣṇa-bhakti   anya aiche haya, āmāya nāhi aiche śakti ”
SYNONYMS
āmi—l;  nīca-jāti —belonging to a lower caste; āmāra—my;  nāhi —there is not;  kṛṣṇa-bhakti —devotion to Kṛṣṇa;  anya —others;  aiche haya —may be such;  āmāya —unto me;  nāhi —there is not;  aiche śakti —such power.
TRANSLATION
“Such a position may befit others, but I do not possess such spiritual power. I belong to a lower class and have not even a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa.”
PURPORT
In his statement, Jhaḍu Thākura presents himself as being born in a low-caste family and not having the qualifications of a bona fide devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He accepts the statements declaring a lowborn person highly exalted if he is a Vaiṣṇava. However, he feels that these descriptions from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam appropriately describe others, but not himself. Jhaḍu Thākura’s attitude is quite befitting a real Vaiṣṇava, for a Vaiṣṇava never considers himself exalted, even if he factually is. He is always meek and humble and never thinks that he is an advanced devotee. He assigns himself to a lower position, but that does not mean that he is indeed low. Sanātana Gosvāmī once said that he belonged to a low-caste family, for although he was born in a  brāhmaṇa  family, he had associated with  mlecchas  and  yavanas  in his service as a government minister. Similarly, Jhaḍu Thākura presented himself as someone who belonged to a low caste, but he was actually elevated above many persons born in  brāhmaṇa  families. Not only is there evidence for this in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as quoted by Kālidāsa in verses 26 and 27; there is also considerable evidence for this conclusion in other śāstras. For example, in the  Mahābhārata ,  Vana-parva , Chapter 180, it is stated: