10.54
raya kahe,-ami sudra, visayi, adhama
tabu tumi sparsa,-ei isvara-laksana
SYNONYMS
raya kahe—Bhavananda Raya replied; ami sudra—I belong to the fourth class of the social divisions; visayi—engaged in mundane affairs; adhama—very much fallen; tabu—still; tumi—You; sparsa—touch; ei—this; isvara-laksana—sign of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
After hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s praise, Bhavananda Raya submitted, “I am in the fourth class of the social order, and I engage in mundane affairs.
Although I am very much fallen, You have still touched me.
This is proof that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
PURPORT
As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (5.18):
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste).” Those who are highly advanced in spiritual understanding do not care about a person’s material condition.
A spiritually advanced person sees the spiritual identity of every living being, and consequently he makes no distinction between a learned brahmana, a dog, a candala or anyone else.
He is not influenced by the material body but sees a person’s spiritual identity.
Consequently Bhavananda Raya appreciated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s statement, which showed that the Lord did not consider the social position of Bhavananda Raya, who belonged to the sudra caste engaged in mundane activities.
Rather, the Lord considered the spiritual position of Bhavananda Raya, along with that of Ramananda Raya and his brothers.
The servant of the Lord is also similarly inclined.
He gives shelter to any person-any living entity-regardless of whether he belongs to a brahmana family or a candala family.
The spiritual master reclaims all people and encourages everyone in spiritual life.
By taking shelter of such a devotee, one can make his life successful.
As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye ’nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah “Members of the Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts, can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power.
I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.” Whoever takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure devotee is elevated to the spiritual order and purified from material contamination.
This is also confirmed by Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita (9.32):
mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras