Chaitanya Bhagavata

by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words

The Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.16.238, English translation, including a commentary (Gaudiya-bhasya). This text is similair to the Caitanya-caritamrita and narrates the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, proclaimed to be the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan) This is verse 238 of Adi-khanda chapter 16—“The Glories of Shri Haridasa Thakura”.

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.16.238:

‘অধম-কুলেতে যদি বিষ্ণু-ভক্ত হয তথাপি সে-ই সে পূজ্য’—সর্ব-শাস্ত্রে কয ॥ ২৩৮ ॥

‘अधम-कुलेते यदि विष्णु-भक्त हय तथापि से-इ से पूज्य’—सर्व-शास्त्रे कय ॥ २३८ ॥

‘adhama-kulete yadi viṣṇu-bhakta haya tathāpi se-i se pūjya’—sarva-śāstre kaya || 238 ||

‘adhama-kulete yadi visnu-bhakta haya tathapi se-i se pujya’—sarva-sastre kaya (238)

English translation:

(238) “If a devotee of the Lord is born in a low-class family, he is still worthy of worship. This is the verdict of the scriptures.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

Taking birth in superior or inferior families indicates the superiority or inferiority of the fruits of one’s karma. The living entity is constitutionally a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, and although by temporary familial identification he may be inferior or superior, he is actually superior or inferior in proportion to his devotion to the Lord. This is loudly proclaimed in all Vaiṣṇava literatures. It is not a fact that one who is born in a lower family is not qualified for devotional service to Viṣṇu. A Vaiṣṇava born in a lower family is a qualified brāhmaṇa, spiritual master, and worshipable by all nondevotees born in higher class families.

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