Prabhupāda: This is first-class life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). And the lowest class of life . . . practically, nowadays all lowest class of life, the life of a caṇḍāla, dog-eaters. So this is the description in the śāstra. Go on.
Pradyumna: "All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth . . ."
Prabhupāda: It is not that because one has taken birth in the lowest class family—śvapaca, caṇḍāla, dog-eaters—it does not mean that he'll have to remain in that position. Just like uneducated person: It is not that he'll have to remain in that uneducated standard, but he can become educated. He can become educated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that there is no check on any particular person, community, to become God conscious. Because God Himself says, Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni, to take birth in lower class of human society, is called pāpa-yoni. But Kṛṣṇa says: "Never mind, pāpa-yoni.
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
Formerly, in the Vedic civilization, even women and śūdra and vaiśya, they were also considered amongst the pāpa-yoni, what to speak of others. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind whatever pāpa-yoni one may be." Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya: "If one takes shelter of My devotee," vyapāśritya, "and works under his direction, then . . ." Vyapa. That is called vyapāśritya. Viśeṣa rūpeṇa āśritya. "Then he also . . ." te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, "he can also go back to home, back to Godhead." There is no bar.
But one has to purify himself by the purificatory process. That is called saṁskāra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By purificatory process, one becomes purified, and purified means no more sinful life. That is purification. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is fully freed from sinful activities:
- yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
- janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
- te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
- bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
- (BG 7.28)
So kṛṣṇa-bhajana is not very difficult. Simply we have to follow the four principles of sinful life: no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat-eating. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.