Text 85] Ramananda Raya Instructs Pradyumna Misra 157

According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’'s philosophy, yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei
‘guru’ haya: anyone who knows the science of Krsna can become a spiritual
master, without reference to whether or not he is a brahmana or sannydsi. Ordi-
nary people cannot understand the essence of sastra, nor can they understand the
pure character, behavior and abilities of strict followers of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu’s principles. The Krsna consciousness movement is creating pure, ex-
alted Vaisnavas even from those born in families considered lower than those of
sddras. This is proof that a Vaisnava may appear in any family, as confirmed in
Srimad-Bhagavatam:

kirata-hGnandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasddayah

ye ‘nye ca papa yad-apdasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah

“Kirata, Hina, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, 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. | beg to offer my respect-
ful obeisances unto Him.” (Bhag. 2.4.18) By the grace of the Supreme Lord Visnu,
one can be completely purified, become a preacher of Krsna consciousness, and
become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all
Vedic literature. Evidence can be quoted from authoritative sastras showing how a
lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the entire world. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu is to be considered the most munificent personality, for He dis-
tributes the real essence of Vedic sastras to anyone who becomes qualified by be-
coming His sincere servant.

TEXT 85
ole’, caln’, SY cz aca aia” “ae |
airifa agrafqat-ns Sy “CANS! Nee |

‘bhakti’, ‘prema’, ‘tattva’ kahe raye kari’ ‘vakta’
4pani pradyumna-misra-saha haya ‘srota’

SYNONYMS

bhakti—devotional service; prema—ecstatic love; tattva—truth; kahe—He
says; raye—Ramananda Raya; kari’—by making; vakta—the speaker; dpani—
Himself; pradyumna-misra—Pradyumna Misra; saha—with; haya srota—be-
comes the listener.
