Text 18] Maharaja Panksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy 949

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu followed this principle in pursuance of the
Vedic usages, and by His transcendental association He elevated many low-
born, or those disqualified by birth or action, to the status of devotional
service and established them in the position of acaryas, or authorities. He
clearly stated that any man, whatever he may be, whether a brahmana or
Sudra by birth, or a householder or mendicant in the order of society, if
he is conversant with the science of Krsna, he can be accepted as an
acarya or guru, a spiritual master.

Sita Gosvami learned the science of Krsna from great rsis and authori-
ties like Sukadeva, Vyasadeva, etc., and he was so qualified that even the
sages of Naimisaranya eagerly wanted to hear from him the science of
Krsna in the form of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So he had the double association:
of great souls by hearing and preaching. Transcendental science or the
science of Krsna has to be learned from the authorities, and when one
preaches the science, he becomes still more qualified. So Sita Gosvami had
both the advantages, and thus undoubtedly he was completely freed from
all disqualifications of low birth and mental agonies. This verse definitely
proves that neither Srila Sukadeva Gosvami refused to teach Sita Gosvami
about the transcendental science, nor the sages of the Naimisaranya refused
to hear lessons from him because of his inferior birth. This means that
thousands of years ago there was no bar in learning or preaching the
transcendental science because of inferior birth. The rigidity of the so-
catled caste system in Hindu society became prominent within only one
hundred years or so when the number of dvija-bandhus, or disqualified men
in the families of higher castes, increased. Lord Sri Caitanya revived the
original Vedic system, and He elevated Thakur Haridasa to the position of
namacarya, or the authority in the preaching of the glories of the holy
name of the Lord, although His Holiness Srila Hariddsa Thakur was
pleased to appear in a family of Mohammedans.

Such is the power of pure devotees of the Lord. The Ganges water is
accepted as pure, and one can become purified after taking a bath in the
waters of the Ganges. But as far as the great devotees of the Lord are
concerned, they can purify a degraded soul even by being seen by the low-
born, and what to speak of association. Lord Sr Caitanya Mahaprabhu
wanted to purify the whole atmosphere of the polluted world by sending
qualified preachers all over the world, and it remains with the Indians to
take up this task scientifically and thus to do the best kind of humani-
tarian work. The mental diseases of the present generation are more acute
than bodily diseases; it is quite fit and proper to take up the preaching of
Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world without delay. Mahattamanam
