20220729 The prostitute becomes a celebrated devotee

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 29th,2022 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today's chapter is entitled as:

The prostitute becomes a celebrated devotee
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.119

āra dina rātri haile veśyā āila
haridāsa tāre bahu āśvāsa karila

Translation: The next night, when the prostitute came again, Haridāsa Ṭhākura gave her many assurances.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.120

‘kāli duḥkha pāilā, aparādha nā la-ibā mora
avaśya karimu āmi tomāya aṅgīkāra

Translation: “Last night you were disappointed. Please excuse my offense. I shall certainly accept you.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way Haridāsa Ṭhākura was reassuring the prostitute.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.121

tāvat ihāṅ vasi’ śuna nāma-saṅkīrtana
nāma pūrṇa haile, pūrṇa habe tomāra mana’

Translation: “Please sit down and hear the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra until my regular chanting is finished. Then your desire will surely be fulfilled.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the prostitute listened to Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s chanting the whole night.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.122

tulasīre tāṅke veśyā namaskāra kari’
dvāre vasi’ nāma śune bale ‘hari’ ‘hari’

Translation: After offering her obeisances to the tulasī plant and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, she sat down at the door. Hearing Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, she also chanted, “O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari.”

Purport: Herein one can clearly see how a Vaiṣṇava delivers a fallen soul by a transcendental trick. The prostitute came to pollute Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but he took it as his duty to deliver the prostitute. As clearly demonstrated here, the process of deliverance is very simple. With faith and reverence the prostitute associated with Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who personally treated her material disease by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Although the prostitute had an ulterior motive, somehow or other she got the association of a Vaiṣṇava and satisfied him by occasionally chanting in imitation, “O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari.” The conclusion is that associating with a Vaiṣṇava, chanting the holy name of the Lord and offering obeisances to the tulasī plant or a Vaiṣṇava all lead one to become a transcendental devotee who is completely cleansed of all material contamination.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there is a saying in Caitanya-caritāmṛta

sādhu-lakṣaṇa, sādhu-saṅga, sarva sastra kohe
lava matra sadhu sanga, sarva siddhi hoye

So, by Haridāsa Ṭhākura having the prostitute listen to the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra she was being purified even though she may not have realized it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.123

rātri-śeṣa haila, veśyā usimisi kare
tāra rīti dekhi’ haridāsa kahena tāhāre

Translation: When the night came to an end, the prostitute was restless. Seeing this, Haridāsa Ṭhākura spoke to her as follows.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.124

ṭhākura haridāsera svīya mahā-mantra-dīkṣā varṇana o daikṣa brāhmaṇatāḥ—

“koṭi-nāma-grahaṇa-yajña kari eka-māse
ei dīkṣā kariyāchi, haila āsi’ śeṣe

Translation: “I have vowed to chant ten million names in a month. I have taken this vow, but now it is nearing its end.

Purport: If one regularly chants 333,333 names daily for a month (30 days) and then chants ten more names, he will thus chant ten million names. In this way a devotee worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such worship is called yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: those whose intelligence is brilliant accept this hari-nāma-yajña, the yajña of chanting the holy name of the Lord. By performing this yajña, one satisfies the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus attains perfection in spiritual life. According to external vision, Haridāsa Ṭhākura belonged to a Muslim family. Nevertheless, because he engaged himself in performing the yajña of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he became a regularly initiated brāhmaṇa.

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.33.6):

Even if a devotee comes from a family of dog-eaters, if he surrenders to the Personality of Godhead he immediately becomes a qualified brāhmaṇa and is immediately fit to perform yajña, whereas a person born in a family of brāhmaṇas has to wait until completing the reformatory processes before he may be called saṁskṛta, purified.

It is further said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.1.40):

“In the Age of Kali, mlecchas, or lowborn people who have not undergone the purifying process of saṁskāra, who do not know how to apply that process in actual life, and who are covered by the modes of passion and ignorance will take the posts of administrators. They will devour the citizens with their atheistic activities.”

A person who is not purified by the prescribed process of saṁskāra is called asaṁskṛta, but if one remains kriyā-hīna even after being purified by initiation — in other words, if one fails to actually apply the principles of purity in his life — he remains an unpurified mleccha or yavana. On the other hand, we find that Haridāsa Ṭhākura, although born in a mleccha or yavana family, became Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura because he performed the nāma-yajña a minimum of 300,000 times every day.

Herein we find that Haridāsa Ṭhākura strictly followed his regulative principle of chanting 300,000 names. Thus when the prostitute became restless, he informed her that first he had to finish his chanting and then he would be able to satisfy her.

Actually Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted the holy name of the Lord for three nights continuously and gave the prostitute a chance to hear him. Thus she became purified, as will be seen in the following verses.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was having the prostitute to listen to his chanting and that was his transcendental trick, that by hearing him chant and chanting with him, she became purified.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.125

āji samāpta ha-ibe,—hena jñāna chila
samasta rātri niluṅ nāma samāpta nā haila

Translation: “I thought that today I would be able to finish my performance of yajña, my chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. I tried my best to chant the holy name all night, but I still did not finish.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.126

kāli samāpta habe, tabe habe vrata-bhaṅga
svacchande tomāra saṅge ha-ibeka saṅga

Translation: “Tomorrow I will surely finish, and my vow will be fulfilled. Then it will be possible for me to enjoy with you in full freedom.”

Purport: Haridāsa Ṭhākura never wanted to enjoy the prostitute, but he tricked her to deliver her by giving her a chance to hear the holy name of the Lord while he chanted.

Pure devotees chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and simply by hearing this chanting from a purified transcendental person,one is purified of all sinful activities, no matter how lowborn or fallen one may be. As soon as one is thus completely free from the reactions of sinful activities, he is eligible to render devotional service to the Lord.

This is the process for engaging the fallen souls in devotional service.

As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the duality of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, following this practice of engaging the conditioned souls, chanting and hearing the māhā-mantra and doing some devotional service Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda he delivered thousands of devotees all over the world.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.127

veśyā giyā samācāra khāṅnere kahila
āra dina sandhyā ha-ite ṭhākura-ṭhāñi āila

Translation: The prostitute returned to Rāmacandra Khān and informed him of what had happened. The next day she came earlier, at the beginning of the evening, and stayed with Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.128

tulasīke, ṭhākurake namaskāra kari’
dvāre vasi’ nāma śune, bale ‘hari’ ‘hari’

Translation: After offering obeisances to the tulasī plant and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, she sat down on the threshold of the room. Thus she began to hear Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s chanting, and she also personally chanted “Hari, Hari,” the holy name of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, she sat and heard Haridasa Thakura chanting and chanted the holy name of Hari and she also paid obeisances to the tulasī plant and to Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.129

‘nāma pūrṇa habe āji’,—bale haridāsa
‘tabe pūrṇa karimu āji tomāra abhilāṣa’

Translation: “Today it will be possible for me to finish my chanting,” Haridāsa Ṭhākura informed her. “Then I shall satisfy all your desires.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that he would satisfy her desire. We can never be satisfied by any material sense gratification but will be satisfied by devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.130

sādhu-saṅge veśyāra nirveda evaṁ ṭhākurera kṛpā-yāñāḥ—

kīrtana karite aiche rātri-śeṣa haila
ṭhākurera sane veśyāra mana phiri’ gela

Translation: The night ended while Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting, but by his association the mind of the prostitute had changed.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol! So, the association with the holy name and her association with Haridāsa Ṭhākura had finally changed her mind.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.131

daṇḍavat hañā paḍe ṭhākura-caraṇe
rāmacandra-khāṅnera kathā kaila nivedane

Translation: The prostitute, now purified, fell at the lotus feet of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and confessed that Rāmacandra Khān had appointed her to pollute him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.132

“veśyā hañā muñi pāpa kariyāchoṅ apāra
kṛpā kari’ kara mo-adhame nistāra”

Translation: “Because I have taken the profession of a prostitute,” she said, “I have performed unlimited sinful acts. My lord, be merciful to me. Deliver my fallen soul.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.133

īśvaradveṣī khāṅnera prati ṭhākurera upekṣāmūlaka-uktiḥ—

ṭhākura kahe,—khāṅnera kathā saba āmi jāni
ajña mūrkha sei, tāre duḥkha nāhi māni

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “I know everything about the conspiracy of Rāmacandra Khān. He is nothing but an ignorant fool. Therefore his activities do not make me feel unhappy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura knew everything, he was still compassionate to this prostitute and was trying to deliver her.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.134

veśyāra prati kṛpodaya : —

sei-dina yāitāma e-sthāna chāḍiyā
tina dina rahilāṅa tomā nistāra lāgiyā

Translation: “On the very day Rāmacandra Khān was planning his intrigue against me, I would have left this place immediately, but because you came to me I stayed here for three days to deliver you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura remained there for three days jut to deliver the prostitute.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.135

veśyākarttṛka svīya uddhāra-prārthanā :—

veśyā kahe,—“kṛpā kari’ karaha upadeśa
ki mora kartavya, yāte yāya bhava-kleśa”

Translation: The prostitute said, “Kindly act as my spiritual master. Instruct me in my duty, by which I can get relief from material existence.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the prostitute accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura as her spiritual master and want to know what sādhana she should do to be delivered from material conditioning.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.136

veśyāke saṁsāra o sarvasva tyāga karite upadeśaḥ—

ṭhākura kahe,—“gharera dravya brāhmaṇe kara dāna
ei ghare āsi’ tumi karaha viśrāma

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Immediately go home and distribute to the brāhmaṇas whatever property you have. Then come back to this room and stay here forever in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Purport: Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s instruction that the prostitute should distribute to the brāhmaṇas all the property she had at home is very significant. Haridāsa Ṭhākura never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas (“poor Nārāyaṇas”) or any other such persons. According to Vedic civilization, charity should be given only to the qualified brāhmaṇas.

As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.42):

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

The brahminical qualifications are truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, practical application of transcendental knowledge in one’s life, and full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Persons engaged in pursuing spiritual understanding have no time to earn their livelihood. They depend completely on the mercy of the Lord, who says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.22) that He personally carries to them all their necessities (yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham).

The Vedic civilization recommends that one give charity to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs, not to the so-called daridra-nārāyaṇas. Nārāyaṇa cannot be daridra, nor can daridra be Nārāyaṇa, for these are contradictory terms. Atheistic men invent such concoctions and preach them to fools, but charity should actually be given to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs because whatever money they get they spend for Kṛṣṇa. Whatever charity one gives to a brāhmaṇa goes to Kṛṣṇa, who says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27):

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.”

Everything actually belongs to Kṛṣṇa, but so-called civilized men unfortunately think that everything belongs to them. This is the mistake of materialistic civilization. The prostitute (veśyā) had earned money by questionable means, and therefore Haridāsa Ṭhākura advised her to distribute to the brāhmaṇas whatever she possessed. When Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī retired from family life, he distributed fifty percent of his income to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. A brāhmaṇa knows what the Absolute Truth is, and a Vaiṣṇava, knowing the Absolute Truth, acts on behalf of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Generally, one earns money by many questionable means. Therefore at some time one should retire and distribute whatever one has to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas who engage in devotional service by preaching the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here Śrīla Prabhupāda is instructing how the Aryan culture is to donate the accumulated wealth to the qualified brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and he is also stating how Nārāyaṇa is the Lord of all wealth, He is Bhagavān, He has six qualities and one of which is all wealth. It is not possible for Nārāyaṇa or Bhagavān to be daridra or poor. So, someone had invented the statement daridra-nārāyaṇa to indicate the poor people but Śrīla Prabhupāda is saying this is improper. So, here we can see that Haridāsa Ṭhākura is instructing his disciple what to do.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.137

vaiṣṇava-sevā o nirantara kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-phalei jīvera prayojana-siddhiḥ—

nirantara nāma lao, kara tulasī sevana
acirāt pābe tabe kṛṣṇera caraṇa”

Translation: Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra continuously and render service to the tulasī plant by watering her and offering prayers to her. In this way you will very soon get the opportunity to be sheltered at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.”

Purport: At least five thousand years ago, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa expressed His desire that everyone surrender to Him

(sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja).

Why is it that people cannot do this? Kṛṣṇa assures,

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ:

“I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Everyone is suffering from the results of sinful activities, but Kṛṣṇa says that if one surrenders unto Him, He will protect one from sinful reactions. Modern civilization, however, is interested neither in Kṛṣṇa nor in getting relief from sinful acts.

Therefore men are suffering. Surrender is the ultimate instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā, but for one who cannot surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, it is better to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra constantly, under the instruction of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are teaching our followers to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra continuously on beads. Even those who are not accustomed to this practice are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads so that they may be trained.

Otherwise, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended:

tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”

Sadā means “always.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura says, nirantara nāma lao:

“Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without stopping.”

Although Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender to His lotus feet, because of people’s sinful activities they cannot do this.

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ

Rascals and fools, the lowest of men, who engage in sinful activities, cannot suddenly surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Nevertheless, if they begin chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and rendering service unto the tulasī plant, they will very soon be able to surrender. One’s real duty is to surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but if one is unable to do so, he should adopt this process, as introduced by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His most confidential servant, Nāmācārya Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura. This is the way to achieve success in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Jayapatākā Swami: This Kali-yuga is arranged in such a way that even if one is not desirous they must engage in some sinful acts. They accumulate bad karma which makes them suffer So the process given by Haridāsa Ṭhākura, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa māhā-mantra and worshipping the tulasī plant is a method which quickly purifies one.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.138

veśyāke mahā-mantra-dīkṣā pradānaḥ—

eta bali’ tāre ‘nāma’ upadeśa kari’
uṭhiyā calilā ṭhākura bali’ ‘hari’ ‘hari’

Translation: After thus instructing the prostitute about the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Haridāsa Ṭhākura stood up and left, continuously chanting “Hari, Hari.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.139

veśyāra gurura ājñā pālanaḥ —

tabe sei veśyā gurura ājñā la-ila
gṛha-vitta yebā chila, brāhmaṇere dila

Translation: Thereafter, the prostitute distributed to the brāhmaṇas whatever household possessions she had, following the order of her spiritual master.

Purport: Sometimes the word gṛha-vṛtti is substituted for the word gṛha-vitta. Vṛtti means “profession.” The gṛha-vṛtti of the prostitute was to enchant foolish people and induce them to indulge in sex. Here, however, gṛha-vṛtti is not a suitable word. The proper word is gṛha-vitta, which means “all the possessions she had in her home.” All the girl’s possessions had been earned by professional prostitution and were therefore products of her sinful life. When such possessions are given to brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas who can engage them in the service of the Lord because of their advancement in spiritual life, this indirectly helps the person who gives the charity, for he is thus relieved of sinful reactions.

As Kṛṣṇa promises, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi:

“I shall save you from all sinful reactions.”

When our Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees go out to beg charity or collect contributions in the form of membership fees, the money thus coming to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is strictly employed to advance Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. The Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees collect the money of others for the service of Kṛṣṇa, and they are satisfied with Kṛṣṇa’s prasādam and whatever He gives them for their maintenance. They do not desire material comforts. However, they go to great pains to engage the possessions of prostitutes, or persons who are more or less like prostitutes, in the service of the Lord and thus free them from sinful reactions. A Vaiṣṇava guru accepts money or other contributions, but he does not employ such contributions for sense gratification. A pure Vaiṣṇava thinks himself unfit to help free even one person from the reactions of sinful life, but he engages one’s hard-earned money in the service of the Lord and thus frees one from sinful reactions. A Vaiṣṇava guru is never dependent on the contributions of his disciples. Following the instructions of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, a pure Vaiṣṇava does not personally take even a single paisa from anyone, but he induces his followers to spend for the service of the Lord whatever possessions they have.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here it is mentioned that money is considered as Lakṣmī and Lakṣmī is possessed by the Supreme Lord, so we should use all the funds collected in the service of the Lord. Devotees receive the maintenance, they take that but do not ask anything more. They engage everything in Kṛṣṇa's service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.140

guru-gṛhe vairāgyera sahita nirantara nāma kīrtana-sevā:—

māthā muḍi’ eka-vastre rahila sei ghare
rātri-dine tina-lakṣa nāma grahaṇa kare

Translation: The prostitute shaved her head clean in accordance with Vaiṣṇava principles and stayed in that room wearing only one cloth. Following in the footsteps of her spiritual master, she began chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day. She chanted throughout the entire day and night.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this prostitute had become a pure Vaiṣṇavī and was chanting the holy name and living very austerely and like this she had received the mercy of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.141

nāmasādhana-phale dhṛti, indriyajaya o siddhi-lābha vā premodaya:—

tulasī sevana kare, carvaṇa, upavāsa
indriya-damana haila, premera prakāśa

Translation: She worshiped the tulasī plant, following in the footsteps of her spiritual master. Instead of eating regularly, she chewed whatever food she received as alms, and if nothing was supplied she would fast. Thus by eating frugally and fasting she conquered her senses, and as soon as her senses were controlled, symptoms of love of Godhead appeared in her person.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is universal and anyone from any tradition of the world if they practice this system of chanting and taking kṛṣṇa-prasāda, worshipping tulasī or deities and then they can purify their senses and awaken their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.142

tāṅhāra vaiṣṇavī-pratiṣṭhā o gurutva-lābhaḥ—

prasiddhā vaiṣṇavī haila parama-mahāntī
baḍa baḍa vaiṣṇava tāṅra darśanete yānti

Translation: Thus the prostitute became a celebrated devotee. She became very advanced in spiritual life, and many stalwart Vaiṣṇavas would come to see her. 

Purport: Stalwart, highly advanced Vaiṣṇava devotees are not interested in seeing prostitutes, but when a prostitute or any other fallen soul becomes a Vaiṣṇava, stalwart Vaiṣṇavas are interested in seeing them. Anyone can be turned into a Vaiṣṇava if he or she follows the Vaiṣṇava principles. A devotee who follows these principles is no longer on the material platform. Therefore, it is one’s strict adherence to the principles that should be considered, not the country of one’s birth. Many devotees join our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement from Europe and America, but one should not therefore consider them European Vaiṣṇavas or American Vaiṣṇavas. A Vaiṣṇava is a Vaiṣṇava and should therefore be given all the respect due a Vaiṣṇava.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, just as this Vaiṣṇavī was respected by all the Vaiṣṇavas and she became a very advanced spiritual devotee, a mahāntī. Similarly, any man or woman from any culture if they know Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and if they follow the process of devotional service they can be recognized as an advanced devotee or a spiritual master.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.143

pāpa haite śiṣyera uddhāralābha o aprākṛta sādhu-caritra darśane gurura māhātmya-khyātiḥ—

veśyāra caritra dekhi’ loke camatkāra
haridāsera mahimā kahe kari’ namaskāra

Translation: Seeing the sublime character of the prostitute, everyone was astonished. Everyone glorified the influence of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and offered him obeisances.

Purport: It is said, phalena paricīyate: one is recognized by the result of his actions. In Vaiṣṇava society there are many types of Vaiṣṇavas. Some of them are called gosvāmīs, some are called svāmīs, some are prabhus, and some are prabhupāda. One is not recognized, however, simply by such a name. A spiritual master is recognized as an actual guru when it is seen that he has changed the character of his disciples. Haridāsa Ṭhākura actually changed the character of the professional prostitute. People greatly appreciated this, and therefore they all offered obeisances to Haridāsa Ṭhākura and glorified him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Similarly, we should appreciate the activities of any spiritual master who is able to instill Vaiṣṇava principles in his disciple.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The prostitute becomes a celebrated devotee
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura