aho bata śvapaco’to garīyān
yaj-jihvāgre vartate nāma tubhyam |
tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur āryā
brahmānūcūr nāma gṛṇanti ye te ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.33.7)
“Aho bata [i.e., how astonishing]! A dog-cooker on the tip of whose tongue your name is present is thus highly honorable. Those who take your name have undergone austerity, conducted sacrifices, bathed [in all tīrthas], become noble, and studied the Veda.”
yan-nāmadheya-śravaṇānukīrtanād
yat-prahvaṇād yat-smaraṇād api kvacit |
śvādo’pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate
kutaḥ punas te bhagavan nu darśanāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.33.6)
“O Bhagavān by hearing and repeating whose name, by bowing down to whom, and by even occasionally remembering whom, even a dog-eater immediately becomes eligible for savana, what more occurs by [having] the sight of you?”
yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ |
tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṝṇām ||
(Tattva-sāgara; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 2.12; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 5.455; Bhakti Sandarbha: 298)
“As by means of mercury bell metal acquires goldness [i.e., as an alchemical process involving mercury is believed to turn bell metal into gold], so by means of dīkṣā the twice-bornness of human beings arises.”
kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ |
ye’nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.4.18; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.667)
“Kirātas, Hūṇas, Andhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas, Khasas, and so forth, as well as other sinners, become purified upon taking shelter in those who have taken shelter in whom—obeisance unto him, the Almighty.”
viṣṇu-bhakti-vihīnā ye caṇḍālāḥ parikīrtitāḥ |
caṇḍālā api vai śreṣṭhā hari-bhakti-parāyaṇāḥ ||
(Bṛhan Nāradīya Purāṇa: 1.37.12; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.153; Bhakti Sandarbha: 100)
“Those who are devoid of Viṣṇu-bhakti are declared outcastes (caṇḍālas). Even outcastes (caṇḍālas) who are devoted to Hari-bhakti are exalted.”
saṅkīrṇa-yonayaḥ pūtā ye bhaktā madhusūdane |
mleccha-tulyāḥ kulīnās te ye na bhaktā janārdane ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.129)
“Those of mixed caste who are bhaktas of Madhusūdana are pure. Those who are of noble family but not bhaktas of Janārdana are equal to mlecchas [i.e., those of the very lowest caste].”
brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyaḥ vaiśyaḥ śūdro vā yadi vetaraḥ |
viṣṇu-bhakti-samāyukto jñeyaḥ sarvottamottamaḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.106; Bhakti Sandarbha: 100)
“If a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or anyone otherwise is fully endowed with Viṣṇu-bhakti, they are to be known as the best of the best of all.”
aṣṭaitāny avrata-ghnāni āpo mūlaṁ phalaṁ payaḥ |
havir brāhmaṇa-kāmyā ca guror vacanemauṣadham ||
(Mahābhārata; Udyama-parva; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.100)
“These eight are non-breakers of a rite (vrata): (1) water, (2) roots, (3) fruits, (4) milk, (5) ghee, (6) that which is a request of a brāhmaṇa [i.e., something one is requested by a brāhmaṇa to take], (7) that which is an instruction of the guru [i.e., something the guru has instructed one to take], and (8) medicine.”
śvapaco’pi mahī-pāla viṣṇu-bhakto dvijādhikaḥ |
viṣṇu-bhakti-vihīnas tu dvijo’pi śvapacādhikaḥ ||
(Nāradīya Purāṇa: 2.10.37; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.87; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 5.455; Bhakti Sandarbha: 100)
“O King, even a dog-cooker who is a Viṣṇu-bhakta is more [exalted] than a twice-born, whereas even a twice-born devoid of Viṣṇu-bhakti is more [inferior] than a dog-cooker.”
viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-
pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham |
manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-
prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūri-mānaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.10; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.192; Bhakti Sandarbha: 100; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.59)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja:] I consider a dog-cooker whose mind, words, actions, wealth, and life are dedicated to him [viz., Śrī Bhagavān] superior to a brāhmaṇa possessed of [all] twelve [brahminical] qualities who is averse to the lotus feet of he of lotus navel. He [i.e., a dog-cooker who is a bhakta of Śrī Bhagavān] purifies his family, whereas one of great pride does not.”
