SB 1.5.25 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 25
Uchhistalepan anumodito dwijaih Sakrit sma bhunje tadaspasta kilmisah Ebam pravirtasya visuddhachetasas Tad dharma eva atma ruchih prajayete
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Uchhistalepan—the remnants of foodstuff, Anumodito—being permitted, Dwijaih—by the vedantist Brahmins, Sakrit—once upon a time, Sma—in the past, Bhunje—took, Tad—by that action, Apasta—eliminated, Kilmisah—all sins, Evam—thus, Pravirtasya—being engaged, Visuddhachetasa—of one whose mind is purified, Tad—that particular, Dharma—nature, Eva—certainly, Atmaruchi—transcendental attraction, Prajayete—became manifested.
TRANSLATION
Once only by their permission I took up the remnants of their foodsuff and by doing so all my sins were at once eliminated. Thus being engaged when I became purified by the heart at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive for me.
PURPORT
Pure devotional accumulation is as much infectious, in good sense, as the infectious diseases. A pure devotee is cleared off from all kinds of sins. The Personality of Godhead is the Purest Entity and as such unless one is not equally pure form the infection of material qualities, one cannot become a pure devotee of the Lord. The Bhaktivedantas as above mentioned were pure devotee and the boy became infected with their qualities of purity by their association and by eating once the remnants of the foodstuff taken by them. Such foodstuff remnants may be taken even without permission of the pure devotees. There are sometimes pseudo-devotees and one should be very much cautious about them. There are many things which hinders one in the matter of entering in the realism of devotional service. But by the association of pure devotees all these obstacles are removed. The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead's Name, Fame Quality, Pastime etc. Infection of the qualities of the pure devotee means to imbibe in character the taste of pure devotion always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. This transcendental taste at once makes all material things detasteful and therefore a pure devotee is not at all attracted by material activities devoid of relation of the Personality of Godhead. After the elimination of all sins or obstacles on the path of devotional service, one can become attracted, one can have steadiness, one can have perfect taste, one can have transcendental emotions and at last one is situated on the plane of loving service of the Lord. All these stages develop by the association of pure devotees and that is the purport of this stanza.