Text 222] The Glories of Haridasa Thakura 321
PURPORT
Srila Advaita Acarya was not afraid of the strict brahminical culture and customs
of society. As stated in the Sastric injunctions, which are the true medium of evi-
dence or proof, anyone can go back to Godhead, even if born of a low family.
Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita:
mar hi partha vyapasritya
ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te ‘pi yanti param gatim
“O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—
women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sidras [workers]—can approach the
supreme destination.” (Bg. 9.32) Though having taken a low birth in human
society, one who accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is quite
competent to go back home, back to Godhead; and one who is a bona fide can-
didate for going back to Godhead should not be considered lowborn, or candala.
That is also a SAstric injunction. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
kirata-hGnandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasddayah
ye ‘nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
Not only the yavanas and khasddayah but even those born in still lower families
can be purified (sudhyanti) by the grace of a devotee of Lord Krsna, for Krsna em-
powers such devotees to perform this purification. Advaita Acarya had confi-
dence in the astric evidence and did not care about social customs. The Krsna
consciousness movement, therefore, is a cultural movement that does not care
about local social conventions. Following in the footsteps of $ri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acarya, we can accept a devotee from any part of the
world and recognize him as a brahmana as soon as he is qualified due to following
the principles of Vaisnava behavior.
TEXT 222
Bia wae en CH aree- cetera |”
CS SAH, SHENG FAA Coto L221
tumi khdile haya koti-braéhmana-bhojana”
eta bali, sriddha-patra karaila bhojana
