He says that "Such kind of learned brahmin, even though he is qualified academically and other brahminical qualification, but if his only disqualification is that he is not a devotee, then he is lower . . . he is not even equal to the person who is born in a family of dog-eaters, but he is a devotee."
So two things have to be studied here: that to become a devotee does not require to take birth in high aristocratic family or brāhmaṇa family, because here it is said śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. That means the person who is considered to be the less than the fourth-class man, he also exalted if he is devotee. What is the reason? Because devotee means:
- prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ manye
- tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha
- (SB 7.9.10)
Because a devotee means one who has dedicated—I have already explained the other day—dedicated his body, mind and words for Kṛṣṇa. That is the test of devotee, whether he has engaged these three things to the service of the Lord. Then he is devotee. Body . . . because our all activities are based on these three principles. With mind we plan: thinking, feeling and willing. And willing is given practical shape by the bodily work, or words, by speaking.