178 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 10
affection and nothing else. Service to Lord Krsna can be rendered in two ways.
One can serve the Lord in affection or in veneration. When service is rendered in
affection, it is the Lord's special mercy. When service is rendered in veneration, it
is doubtful whether Krsna’s mercy is actually involved. If Krsna’s mercy is there, it
is not dependent on any prescribed caste or creed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
wanted to inform Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya that Lord Krsna is the spiritual master
of everyone, and He does not care for mundane caste or creed. Therefore Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu cited the example of Lord Krsna’s accepting food at the
house of Vidura, who was a Sdidra by birth. By the same token, Ivara Purl, an em-
powered spiritual master, could show mercy to anyone. As such, he accepted
Govinda, although the boy was born in a stidra family. When Govinda was ini-
tiated, he became a brahmana and was accepted as T$vara Puri’s personal servant.
In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Sri Sandatana Gosvami states that if one is initiated by a
bona fide spiritual master, he immediately becomes a brahmana. A pseudo
spiritual master cannot transform a person into a brahmana, but an authorized
spiritual master can do so. This is the verdict of sastra, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
and all the Gosvamis.
TEXT 140
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AAT AH VSI AWA AF-AVITH 1 $8e ll
maryadaé haite koti sukha sneha-dcarane
paramananda haya yara nama-sravane
SYNONYMS
maryada haite—greater than veneration and awe; koti—millions of times;
sukha—happiness; sneha—with affection; acarane—in dealings; parama-dnan-
da—transcendental bliss; haya—there is; yara—whose; ndma—holy name; sra-
vane —by hearing.
TRANSLATION
“In conclusion, dealings in affection with the Supreme Personality of God-
head bring happiness many millions of times greater than dealings with Him
in awe and veneration. Simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord, the devo-
tee is merged in transcendental bliss.”’
TEXT 141
os afer citfacnca Cor ciftaa |
citifen sia ciga bad THA I 38> II
