Even these sinful men can be delivered by the mercy of a pure devotee

EVEN THESE SINFUL MEN CAN BE DELIVERED BY THE MERCY OF A PURE DEVOTEE

(S.B.4.14.43-46 The Story of King Vena)

After making a decision, the saintly persons and sages churned the thighs of the dead body of King Vena with great force and according to a specific method. As a result of this churning, a dwarf-like person was born from King Vena’s body.

This person born from King Vena’s thighs was named Bāhuka, and his complexion was as black as a crow’s. All the limbs of his body were very short, his arms and legs were short, and his jaws were large. His nose was flat, his eyes were reddish, and his hair copper-colored.

He was very submissive and meek, and immediately after his birth he bowed down and inquired, “Sirs, what shall I do?” The great sages replied, “Please sit down [niṣīda].” Thus Niṣāda, the father of the Naiṣāda race, was born.

It is said in the śāstras that the head of the body represents the brāhmaṇas, the arms represent the kṣatriyas, the abdomen represents the vaiśyas, and the legs, beginning with the thighs, represent the śūdras. The śūdras are sometimes called black, or kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇas are called śukla, or white, and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas are a mixture of black and white. However, those who are extraordinarily white are said to have skin produced out of white leprosy. It may be concluded that white or a golden hue is the color of the higher caste, and black is the complexion of the śūdras.

After his [Niṣāda’s] birth, he immediately took charge of all the resultant actions of King Vena’s sinful activities. As such, this Naiṣāda class are always engaged in sinful activities like stealing, plundering and hunting. Consequently they are only allowed to live in the hills and forests.

The Naiṣādas are not allowed to live in cities and towns because they are sinful by nature. As such, their bodies are very ugly, and their occupations are also sinful. We should, however, know that even these sinful men (who are sometimes called Kirātas) can be delivered from their sinful condition to the topmost Vaiṣṇava platform by the mercy of a pure devotee. Engagement in the transcendental loving devotional service of the Lord can make anyone, however sinful he may be, fit to return home, back to Godhead. One has only to become free from all contamination by the process of devotional service. In this way everyone can become fit to return home, back to Godhead. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32):

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter of Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.”

COMMENT BY URDHVAGA DAS

Misguided people mistranslate this verse deliberately and sometimes through ignorance. Especially Isk’Con women-hater and homo-perverts like to misinterpret this verse, saying that only women are of lower birth, although the Supreme Lord promises that the highest goal is available to all people without distinction of sex, race, caste, etc. The societal distinction of low-born, high-born, women, men, varnas (including Sudras, Vaishyas, etc.) are irrelevant from the Supreme Lord’s point of view, and he promises salvation to all people who look to him and take refuge in him.

To all of you Iskcon machos, purushas, gays, GHQ, homo perverts, woman and child abusers/ haters: Concerning your mistranslation – misinterpretation:

Isk’Con people apply “pāpa-yonayaḥ” as an adjective to “striyah” and infer that women are lowly born, but that clearly is not the intention in the verse, as “pāpa-yonayaḥ” is a noun that applies to all people who have had lowly tendencies, men or women. Kṛṣṇa promises that every one is raised to the highest level, who takes shelter in him. Women, unfortunately, undergo discrimination in most societies throughout history, and so do Sudras and Vaishyas, many times, and even Kshatriyas and Brahmanas. The infinite compassion from the Supreme Lord is very clear from this verse, as well as in the rest of the Gita, and there should be no doubt as to its meaning, importance and relevance, to contemporary society. So, all of you Sanskrit-Idiots please stop your misinterpretation.

PURPORT: It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower or higher classes of people. In the material conception of life, there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the Lord, there are not. Everyone is eligible for the supreme destination. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that even the lowest, who are called caṇḍālas (dog-eaters), can be elevated by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking center of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to the different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of goodness (brāhmaṇas), the mode of passion (kṣatriyas, or administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance (vaiśyas, or merchants), and the mode of ignorance (śūdras, or workers). Those lower than them are called caṇḍālas, and they are born in sinful families. Generally, those who are born in sinful families are not accepted by the higher classes. But the process of devotional service and the pure devotee of the Supreme God are so strong that all the lower classes can attain the highest perfection of life. This is possible only when one takes center of Kṛṣṇa. One has to take center completely of Kṛṣṇa. Then one can become much greater than great jñānīs and yogīs.