Text 63
haridāsa kahe — muñi pāpiṣṭha adhama
bāhire eka muṣṭi pāche karimu bhojana
haridāsa kahe — Haridāsa said; muñi — I; pāpiṣṭha — sinful; adhama — the lowest of men; bāhire — outside; eka — one; muṣṭi — palmful; pāche — later; karimu — I shall do; bhojana — eating.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “I am the most sinful and lowest among men. Later I shall eat one palmful of prasādam while waiting outside.”
Although the Hindus and Muslims lived together in a very friendly manner, still there were distinctions between them. The Muslims were considered yavanas, or low-born, and whenever a Muslim was invited, he would be fed outside of the house. Although personally called by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu to take prasādam with Them, still, out of great humility, Haridāsa Ṭhākura submitted, “I shall take the prasādam outside of the house.” Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura was an exalted Vaiṣṇava accepted by Advaita Ācārya, Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, nonetheless, in order not to disturb social tranquillity, he humbly kept himself in the position of a Muslim, outside the jurisdiction of the Hindu community. Therefore he proposed to take prasādam outside the house. Although he was in an exalted position and equal to other great Vaiṣṇavas, he considered himself a pāpiṣṭha, a most sinful man, and adhama, the lowest among men. Although a Vaiṣṇava may be very advanced spiritually, he keeps himself externally humble and submissive.