CC Madhya 19.74 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 74
- śuciḥ sad-bhakti-dīptāgni-
- dagdha-durjāti-kalmaṣaḥ
- śvapāko 'pi budhaiḥ ślāgyo
- na vedajño 'pi nāstikaḥ
SYNONYMS
śuciḥ—a brāhmaṇa purified internally and externally; sat-bhakti—of devotional service without motives; dīpta-agni—by the blazing fire; dagdha—burnt to ashes; durjāti—such as birth in a low family; kalmaṣaḥ—whose sinful reactions; śva-pākaḥ api—even though born in a family of dog-eaters; budhaiḥ—by learned scholars; ślāgyaḥ—recognized; na—not; veda-jñaḥ api—even though completely conversant in Vedic knowledge; nāstikaḥ—an atheist.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, " 'A person who has the pure characteristics of a brāhmaṇa due to devotional service, which is like a blazing fire burning to ashes all the sinful reactions of past lives, is certainly saved from the consequences of sinful acts, such as taking birth in a lower family. Even though he may be born in a family of dog-eaters, he is recognized by learned scholars. However, although a person may be a learned scholar in Vedic knowledge, he is not recognized if he is an atheist.
PURPORT
This verse and the next are quoted from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.11,12), a transcendental literature extracted from the Purāṇas.