Cc Antya 16.29

Text

āmi--nīca-jāti, āmāra nāhi kṛṣṇa-bhakti
anya aiche haya, āmāya nāhi aiche śakti"

Synonyms

āmi-I; nīca-jāti-belonging to a lower caste; āmāra-my; nāhi-there is not; kṛṣṇa-bhakti-devotion to Kṛṣṇa; anya-others; aiche haya-may be such; āmāya-unto me; nāhi-there is not; aiche śakti-such power.

Translation

"Such a position may befit others, but I do not possess such spiritual power. I belong to a lower class and have not even a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa."

Purport

In his statement, Jhaḍu Ṭhākura presents himself as being born in a low-caste family and not having the qualifications of a bona fide devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He accepts the statements declaring a lowborn person highly exalted if he is a Vaiṣṇava. However, he feels that these descriptions from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam appropriately describe others, but not himself. Jhaḍu Ṭhākura's attitude is quite befitting a real Vaiṣṇava, for a Vaiṣṇava never considers himself exalted, even if he factually is. He is always meek and humble and never thinks that he is an advanced devotee. He assigns himself to a lower position, but that does not mean that he is indeed low. Sanātana Gosvāmī once said that he belonged to a low-caste family, for although he was born in a brāhmaṇa family, he had associated with mlecchas and yavanas in his service as a government minister. Similarly, Jhaḍu Ṭhākura presented himself as someone who belonged to a low caste, but he was actually elevated above many persons born in brāhmaṇa families. Not only is there evidence for this in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as quoted by Kālidāsa in verses 26 and 27; there is also considerable evidence for this conclusion in other śāstras. For example, in the Mahābhārata, Vana-parva, Chapter 180, it is stated: