(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 28 February 2013, Vrndavan, India, Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar 3)
From the Caitanya Caritamrta, everything can be restored. Everything is in there but what is actually in there? A detailed description of the process of devotional service is given. Throughout the book, it is found. It is described in the teachings to Rupa and Sanatana. It is described in the explanation that Ramananda Raya gave to Sri Caitanaya Mahaprabhu. It said, “Ramananda Raya was like a cloud that had taken water from the ocean and then rained back on the ocean.” Like that, he spoke the transcendental knowledge that Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed to him.
So in this way, everything is there. There is the principle of sad-ācāra, of how a vaisnava should behave, in the Caitanya Caritamrta. So many times we see Jagadananda Pundit. When Sanatana Gosvami had sores on his body, Jagadananda Pundit was instructing him, “Why don’t you go to Vrndavan. Lord Caitanya told you to go to Vrndavan so why are you staying here in Puri, in this condition?” Sanatana Gosvami was complaining, “Everyday Mahaprabhu was coming and embracing me and the horrible juices coming from these sores were touching the body of the Lord. It is a great offence!”
Then when Caitanya Mahaprabhu found out, he became so upset. He said, “This Jaga, who does he think he is? He is just a boy. Who is he to instruct you? You are very learned and respectable. Even I go to you for advice, and he is instructing you? I will never tolerate anyone who doesn’t adhere to vaisnava etiquette!’
So like this, we see in the Caitanya Caritamrta, the emphasis on vaisnava etiquette – we see how vaisnavas behave and so on. And we also see in the Caitanya Caritamrta how vaisnavas misbehave, how they commit offences and how they get reactions for it. We heard of how Isvara Puri served his spiritual master, Madhavendra Puri so nicely and humbly at the end of his life but then there was Ramachandra Puri who criticized his spiritual master and as a result he became more and more critical! He criticized his spiritual master, his spiritual master told him, “Get out of my sight!” And he criticized more and more and more, until he finally criticized the Supreme Lord. So his offences just increased and increased. So everything is there – how to become a devotee. So in that respect Srila Bhaktisiddhanta spoke and emphasized the Caitanya Caritamrta and he himself was reading the Caitanya Caritamrta as his favourite book.
