SB 2.4.18

किरातहूणान्ध्रपुलिन्दपुल्कशा आभीरशुम्भा यवनाः खसादयः ।
येऽन्ये च पापा यदपाश्रयाश्रयाः शुध्यन्ति तस्मै प्रभविष्णवे नमः ॥१८॥

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ

kirātaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkirāta

a province of old Bhārata; or of an uncivilized aborigine; the aborigines named Kirātas; the black people called Kirātas (mostly the Africans).—a province of old Bhārata; hūṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighuna

the Hūnas; uncivilized hill tribes.—part of Germany and Russia; āndhraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāndhra

a province of southern India; Āndhras.—a province of southern India; pulindaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpulinda

Pulindas; the Greeks; unregulated.—the Greeks; pulkaśāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpulkasah

a caṇḍāla.—another province; ābhīraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigābhīra

of a cowherd boy; part of old Sind; Ābhīras.—part of old Sind; śumbhāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsumbhah

Śumbha.—another province; yavanāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyavanāḥ

even the unclean; persons who do not follow the Vedic injunctions and who eat cow's flesh; the kings of Persia and other adjoining places; the Turks; the Yavanas; Yavanas.—the Turks; khasaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkhasa

the Mongolian province.-ādayaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigādayaḥ

all of them surrounding Lord Indra; all these together; and other creatures; and others; and so on; and such others; etc; headed by; others; such persons.—the Mongolian province; yeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigye

all; all of them; all of them who; all of which (duration of life, opulence, etc.); all of which; all of which persons; all of whom; all of you; all of you who; all such; all such devotees who; all that; all these; all they; all those; all those persons who; all those who; all who; also others who; although; anyone; anyone who; as also others; as we are; both of whom; certainly; even those; he who; his; indeed; one; one who; one who is; others; others who; persons who; since; so that; some of the demons who; such persons; such persons who; that; that one who; that which; the devotees who; the one who; the one who is; the person who; they; they who; those brāhmaṇas who; those; those devotees; those devotees of Mine who; those devotees who; those persons; those persons who; those Vaikuṇṭha persons; those which; those who (are); those who; those who are; what; whatever; whatever they are; which; which desires; which others; which personalities; which persons; which two parts; who; who are; who is; who were; whoever.—even those; anyeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganye

all; another; another debauchee; besides them; different persons; in the other; many others; other; other person; others (nondevotees); others (the ominous planets); others; similar others; still others; the others; to another; unto others.—others; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—also; pāpāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpapah

a most sinful person; all sins personified; although sinful (getting the body of a demon); being sinful; extremely sinful; most sinful; personified sin; representative of sin; sinful; the most sinful; the sinful activity; the sinful Hiraṇyakaśipu; the sinner.—addicted to sinful acts; yatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyat

which; about whom; all these; all those; although; and as; and whichever; anything; as; as a matter of fact; as it is; as its; as much as; as they are; because; because of; because of which; because of whom; by the result of which; by the Supreme Lord; by which; by which way; by whom (the Supreme Lord); by whom; by whose; by whose merciful; even though; everything that was required; fixed under Your direction; for; for which; from both of whom; from him; from which; from whom; from whose; from Yuyudha; he whose; his; His eternal form which; his son; if; in which; in whom; inasmuch as; Kṛṣṇa; now further; of him (Somāpi); of him; of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; of the fire-gods; of the Lord; of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of which (the intermediate space); of which; of whom (of the Supreme Lord); who; who is; whom; whose; whose form; Your.—whose; apāśrayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapāśraya

having taken shelter of the devotees of the Lord.-āśrayāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasrayah

depending on; dwelling in; endowed with; object of; of the shelter; one who has taken shelter; reservoir; resort; shelter; the summum bonum; the basis; the master; the original foundation; the support; the ultimate shelter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.—having taken shelter of the devotees of the Lord; śudhyantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśudhyanti

at once purified; become purified.—at once purified; tasmaiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtasmai

(because You are not to be understood from the material platform, we simply offer obeisances) unto Him; at him; for him; for Lord Indra; therefore; thereupon; to him (a pure devotee, even though born in a very low family); to him (the pure devotee); to him; to punish Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; towards him (Lord Śiva); unto him (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); unto him (Bali Mahārāja); unto him (Dakṣa); unto him (Lord Brahmā); unto Him (Lord Rāmacandra); unto Him (Lord Vāmanadeva); unto him (the brāhmaṇa); unto Him (the form of Hayagrīva); unto Him (the Supreme Lord); unto Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); unto Him (the Supreme); unto him (Vasiṣṭha); unto Him; unto him, King Hariścandra; unto Him, Lord Viṣṇu, because of whom they become purified; unto him, Rajī; unto it; unto Lord Brahmā; unto Mahārāja Indradyumna; unto Prahlāda Mahārāja; unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead; unto Vasiṣṭha; unto You.—unto Him; prabhaviṣṇaveplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprabhaviṣṇave

to Lord Viṣṇu, the most powerful; unto the powerful Viṣṇu.—unto the powerful Viṣṇu; namaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignamah

again and again; again I offer my respectful obeisances; again offering our obeisances; all my obeisances unto You; all obeisances; all obeisances unto; all obeisances unto You; all respectful obeisances; all respectful obeisances unto you; bowing down; I do bow down; I do offer my obeisances; I offer all obeisances unto You; I offer my obeisances; I offer my respectful obeisances; I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; let me offer my obeisances; let me offer my respectful obeisances; my due obeisances; my obeisances; my obeisances unto You; my respectful obeisances; my respectful obeisances unto You; obeisances; obeisances again; offer my obeisances; offer my respects; offer obeisances; offering my obeisances; offering obeisances; offering obeisances unto the Lord; offering our obeisances; offering respects; our obeisances; our respectful obeisances; our respectful obeisances unto You; our respects; respectful obeisances; we offer our obeisances; we offer our respectful obeisances; we offer our respects; we therefore offer our respectful obeisances.—my respectful obeisances. ¶

Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. ¶

Kirāta: A province of old Bhārata-varṣa mentioned in the Bhīṣma-parva of Mahābhārata. Generally the Kirātas are known as the aboriginal tribes of India, and in modern days the Santal Parganas in Bihar and Chota Nagpur might comprise the old province named Kirāta. ¶

Hūṇa: The area of East Germany and part of Russia is known as the province of the Hūṇas. Accordingly, sometimes a kind of hill tribe is known as the Hūṇas. ¶

Āndhra: A province in southern India mentioned in the Bhīṣma-parva of Mahābhārata. It is still extant under the same name. ¶

Pulinda: It is mentioned in the Mahābhārata (Ādi-parva 174.38), viz., the inhabitants of the province of the name Pulinda. This country was conquered by Bhīmasena and Sahadeva. The Greeks are known as Pulindas, and it is mentioned in the Vana-parva of Mahābhārata that the non-Vedic race of this part of the world would rule over the world. This Pulinda province was also one of the provinces of Bhārata, and the inhabitants were classified amongst the kṣatriya kings. But later on, due to their giving up the brahminical culture, they were mentioned as mlecchas (just as those who are not followers of the Islamic culture are called kafirs and those who are not followers of the Christian culture are called heathens). ¶

Ābhīra: This name also appears in the Mahābhārata, both in the Sabhā-parva and Bhīṣma-parva. It is mentioned that this province was situated on the River Sarasvatī in Sind. The modern Sind province formerly extended on the other side of the Arabian Sea, and all the inhabitants of that province were known as the Ābhīras. They were under the domination of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and according to the statements of Mārkaṇḍeya the mlecchas of this part of the world would also rule over Bhārata. Later on this proved to be true, as in the case of the Pulindas. On behalf of the Pulindas, Alexander the Great conquered India, and on behalf of the Ābhīras, Muhammad Ghori conquered India. These Ābhīras were also formerly kṣatriyas within the brahminical culture, but they gave up the connection. The kṣatriyas who were afraid of Paraśurāma and had hidden themselves in the Caucasian hilly regions later on became known as the Ābhīras, and the place they inhabited was known as Ābhīradeśa. ¶

Śumbhas or Kaṅkas: The inhabitants of the Kaṅka province of old Bhārata, mentioned in the Mahābhārata. ¶

Yavanas: Yavana was the name of one of the sons of Mahārāja Yayāti who was given the part of the world known as Turkey to rule. Therefore the Turks are Yavanas due to being descendants of Mahārāja Yavana. The Yavanas were therefore kṣatriyas, and later on, by giving up the brahminical culture, they became mleccha-yavanas. Descriptions of the Yavanas are in the Mahābhārata (Ādi-parva 85.34). Another prince called Turvasu was also known as Yavana, and his country was conquered by Sahadeva, one of the Pāṇḍavas. The western Yavana joined with Duryodhana in the Battle of Kurukṣetra under the pressure of Karṇa. It is also foretold that these Yavanas also would conquer India, and it proved to be true. ¶

Khasa: The inhabitants of the Khasadeśa are mentioned in the Mahābhārata (Droṇa-parva). Those who have a stunted growth of hair on the upper lip are generally called Khasas. As such, the Khasa are the Mongolians, the Chinese and others who are so designated. ¶

The above-mentioned historical names are different nations of the world. Even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts are all corrigible to the standard of perfect human beings if they take shelter of the devotees of the Lord. Jesus Christ and Muhammad, two powerful devotees of the Lord, have done tremendous service on behalf of the Lord on the surface of the globe. And from the version of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī it appears that instead of running a godless civilization in the present context of the world situation, if the leadership of world affairs is entrusted to the devotees of the Lord, for which a worldwide organization under the name and style of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already been started, then by the grace of the Almighty Lord there can be a thorough change of heart in human beings all over the world because the devotees of the Lord are able authorities to effect such a change by purifying the dust-worn minds of the people in general. The politicians of the world may remain in their respective positions because the pure devotees of the Lord are not interested in political leadership or diplomatic implications. The devotees are interested only in seeing that the people in general are not misguided by political propaganda and in seeing that the valuable life of a human being is not spoiled in following a type of civilization which is ultimately doomed. If the politicians, therefore, would be guided by the good counsel of the devotees, then certainly there would be a great change in the world situation by the purifying propaganda of the devotees, as shown by Lord Caitanya. As Śukadeva Gosvāmī began his prayer by discussing the word yat-kīrtanam, so also Lord Caitanya recommended that simply by glorifying the Lord’s holy name, a tremendous change of heart can take place by which the complete misunderstanding between the human nations created by politicians can at once be extinguished. And after the extinction of the fire of misunderstanding, other profits will follow. The destination is to go back home, back to Godhead, as we have several times discussed in these pages. ¶

According to the cult of devotion, generally known as the Vaiṣṇava cult, there is no bar against anyone’s advancing in the matter of God realization. A Vaiṣṇava is powerful enough to turn into a Vaiṣṇava even the Kirāta, etc., as above mentioned. In the Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 9.32)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 9.32

O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination. it is said by the Lord that there is no bar to becoming a devotee of the Lord (even for those who are lowborn, or women, śūdras or vaiśyas), and by becoming a devotee everyone is eligible to return home, back to Godhead. The only qualification is that one take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord who has thorough knowledge in the transcendental science of Kṛṣṇa (Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam). Anyone from any part of the world who becomes well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa becomes a pure devotee and a spiritual master for the general mass of people and may reclaim them by purification of heart. Though a person be even the most sinful man, he can at once be purified by systematic contact with a pure Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava, therefore, can accept a bona fide disciple from any part of the world without any consideration of caste and creed and promote him by regulative principles to the status of a pure Vaiṣṇava who is transcendental to brahminical culture. The system of caste, or varṇāśrama-dharma, is no longer regular even amongst the so-called followers of the system. Nor is it now possible to reestablish the institutional function in the present context of social, political and economic revolution. Without any reference to the particular custom of a country, one can be accepted to the Vaiṣṇava cult spiritually, and there is no hindrance in the transcendental process. So by the order of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the cult of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the Bhagavad-gītā can be preached all over the world, reclaiming all persons willing to accept the transcendental cult. Such cultural propaganda by the devotees will certainly be accepted by all persons who are reasonable and inquisitive, without any particular bias for the custom of the country. The Vaiṣṇava never accepts another Vaiṣṇava on the basis of birthright, just as he never thinks of the Deity of the Lord in a temple as an idol. And to remove all doubts in this connection, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has invoked the blessings of the Lord, who is all-powerful (prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ). As the all-powerful Lord accepts the humble service of His devotee in devotional activities of the arcana, His form as the worshipable Deity in the temple, similarly the body of a pure Vaiṣṇava changes transcendentally at once when he gives himself up to the service of the Lord and is trained by a qualified Vaiṣṇava. The injunction of Vaiṣṇava regulation in this connection runs as follows: arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ śrī-viṣṇor nāmni śabda-sāmānya-buddhiḥ, etc. “One should not consider the Deity of the Lord as worshiped in the temple to be an idol, nor should one consider the authorized spiritual master an ordinary man. Nor should one consider a pure Vaiṣṇava to belong to a particular caste, etc.” (Padma Purāṇa) ¶

The conclusion is that the Lord, being all-powerful, can, under any and every circumstance, accept anyone from any part of the world, either personally or through His bona fide manifestation as the spiritual master. Lord Caitanya accepted many devotees from communities other than the varṇāśramites, and He Himself declared, to teach us, that He does not belong to any caste or social order of life, but that He is the eternal servant of the servant of the Lord who maintains the damsels of Vṛndāvana (Lord Kṛṣṇa) [Cc. Madhya 13.80]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 13.80

" 'I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.' ". That is the way of self-realization. ¶