1278 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 27

TRANSLATION

Approaching the King of the Yavanas, Kalakanya addressed him as a
great hero, saying: My dear sir, you are the best of the untouchables. I am
in love with you, and I want you as my husband. I know that no one is
baffled if he makes friends with you.

PURPORT

The words yavananam rsabham refer to the King of the Yavanas. The
Sanskrit words yavana and mleccha apply to those who do not follow the
Vedic principles. According to the Vedic principles, one should rise early
in the morning, take bath, chant Hare Krsna, offer mavigala-arati to the
Deities, study Vedic literature, take prasadda, and engage in dressing and
decorating the Deities. One must also collect money for the temple
expenditures, or if one is a householder he must go to work in accordance
with the prescribed duties of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or siidra. In this
way one should live a life of spiritual understanding, and this is the Vedic
way of civilization. One who does not follow all these rules and regulations
is called a yavana or mleccha. One should not mistakenly think that these
words refer to certain classes of men in other countries. There is no
question of limitation according to nationalism. Whether one lives in
India or outside of India, he is called a yavana or mleccha if he does not
follow the Vedic principles. One who does not actually follow the hygienic
principles prescribed in the Vedic rules and regulations will be subjected
to many contagious diseases. Because the students in this Krsna conscious-
ness movement are advised to follow the Vedic principles, they naturally
become hygienic.

If a person is Krsna conscious, he can work like a young man even if he
is seventy-five or eighty years old. Thus the daughter of Kala(time) cannot
overcome a Vaisnava. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami engaged in writing
Caitanya-caritamrta when he was very old, yet he presented the most
wonderful literature of the activities of Lord Caitanya. Srila Ripa Gosvami
and Sanatana Gosvami began their spiritual lives at a very old age, that is,
after they retired from their occupations and family lives. Yet they
presented many valuable literatures for the advancement of spiritual life.
This is confirmed by Srila Srinivasa Acarya, who praised the Gosvamis in
this way:

nana-sastra-vicadranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau
lokanam hita-k@rinau tri-bhuvane manyau saranyakarau
