ते वै विदन्त्यतितरन्ति च देवमायां
स्त्रीशूद्रहूणशबरा अपि पापजीवाः ।
यद्यद्भुतक्रमपरायणशीलशिक्षा-
स्तिर्यग्जना अपि किमु श्रुतधारणा ये ॥
te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
strī-śūdra-hūṇa-śabarā api pāpa-jīvāḥ |
yady adbhuta-krama-parāyaṇa-śīla-śikṣās
tiryag-janā api kim u śruta-dhāraṇā ye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.7.46; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 115)
“If they become educated about the character of those whose ultimate shelter is he of astonishing step, [then] women, śūdras, Hūṇas, and Śabaras—even sinful living beings—and even animals, can certainly know and cross beyond Deva’s māyā, so how much more so can those who grasp what they have heard?”
Commentary
kiṁ bahunā sat-saṅgena sarve’pi vidantīty āha—te vā iti | adbhutāḥ kramāḥ pāda-nyāsā yasya hareḥ, tat-parāyaṇās tad-bhaktāḥ, teṣāṁ śīle śikṣā yeṣāṁ te tathā yadi bhavanti, tarhi ye strī-śūdrādayaḥ pāpa-jīvās te’pi vidantīty arthaḥ | śrute bhagavato rūpe dhāraṇā mano-niyamanaṁ yeṣāṁ te vidantīti kim u vaktavyam |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“What [is the use] of more [discussion]? Even all [i.e., any living being] can know [Bhagavān] by means of sat-saṅga. Thus, he says te vai … [i.e., Brahmādeva speaks this verse]. If they become they who have an education about the character of those whose ultimate shelter is he of astonishing step (krama), that is, [the character] of bhaktas of Hari, then women, śūdras, and so on—even sinful living beings—can know [Bhagavān and cross beyond his māyā]. This is the meaning. So what more is to be said of they who have steadiness (dhāraṇā), that is, mental control, in regard to that which they have heard, meaning, the form of Bhagavān? [i.e., how much more certain is it that those who can steadily fix their mind on the form of Bhagavān that they have heard about from his bhaktas will come to know him and cross beyond his māyā?].”
adbhuta-krama āścarya-carito’tra bhagavān |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā)
“‘He of astonishing step’ (Adbhuta-krama) refers here to Bhagavān, he of astonishing character.”
tiryag-janā api ity anena bhakty-adhikāre karmādivat jāty-ādi-kṛta-niyamātikramāt |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 171)
“[Śraddhā alone is the cause] In regard to eligibility (adhikāra) for bhakti because of supersedence of the restrictions established in regard to caste and so on in the case of [the path of] karma and so on as per [the statement n SB 2.7.46], ‘Even animals’ (tiryag-janā api) [i.e., as per the statement that even animals can cross beyond Bhagavān’s māyā and come to know Bhagavān if they become educated about the character of those who have taken shelter in Bhagavān, that is, his bhaktas].”
na kevalam ete mahānta eva, api tu dīna-hīnā apīty āha—te vā iti | adbhuta uttamādhama-vivecana-śūnyaḥ kramaḥ pāda-nyāsaḥ yasya tasya bhagavataḥ parāyaṇā ye bhaktās teṣāṁ śīla-śikṣā śīla-śikṣitāḥ tac-chiṣyā bhūtvā śīlaṁ śikṣante ye te | tiryag-janā haṁsa-gaja-śuka-śārikādayaḥ | guru-mukhāt śrutaṁ nāma-rūpādikaṁ śīghraṁ ye dhārayanti manuṣyās te punaḥ kim uta? |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“Not only these mahāntas specifically [viz., Brahmā, Śiva, Nārada, Prahlāda, Svāyambhuva Manu, Dhruva, Amarīṣa, Rāntideva, Bhīṣma, Bali, Uddhava, Vibhīṣaṇa, Hanumāna, Śukadeva, Arjuna, Vidura, and others], but even the humble and lowly too [can become free from ‘my’ or ‘I’ in relation to the material body, overcome māyā, and come to know Bhagavān]. Thus, he says te vai … [i.e., Brahmādeva speaks this verse]. ‘If they become educated about the character of those whose ultimate shelter is he of astonishing step’ (yady adbhuta-krama-parāyaṇa-śīla-śikṣās) means [if they] become disciples and learn about the character of bhaktas of Bhagavān, he whose step (kramaḥ) is free from discrimination between high and low [i.e., he who bestows his grace upon living beings without discriminating between them on the basis of whether they hold a high or low worldly position]. ‘Even animals’ (tiryag-janāḥ) refers to swans, elephants, parrots, mynahs, and so on. [‘How much more so can those who grasp what they have heard?’ (kim u śruta-dhāraṇā ye) means] How much more so can those human beings who quickly grasp the names, form, and so forth [of Śrī Bhagavān which they have] heard from the mouth of the guru certainly succeed in crossing beyond māyā and coming to know Bhagavān]?”