TEACHINGS OF LORD CHAITANYA

CHAPTER ONE
"Teachings to Rupa Goswami"
C.C. M. 19.37-236

I. Introduction:
A. Sri Rupa Goswami went to Prayag with his younger brother Sri
Vallabha [Anupama Mallika].
B. They saw Lord Chaitanya from a distance at the Bindumadhava temple,
where He was performing sankirtana before throngs of thousands.
C. The two brothers came to visit the Lord while He was taking His
meal at the house of a Deccan brahmana.
D. The Lord accepted them as His devotees, embraced them, and placed
His lotus feet upon their heads.
E. The Lord went to the other side of the Ganges at the invitation of
Vallabha Bhattacharya. Rupa Goswami remained with the Lord at this
time. At the Dashashvamedha-ghat, Lord Chaitanya instructed Rupa
Goswami about:
1. the truth of Krishna;
2. the principles of devotional service;
3. the transcendental relationships with Krishna.

II. The position of the conditioned living entity (jiva):

A. He is eternal, 1/10,000th part of a tip of hair in size, and is
transmigrating through different species due to his karma.
B. Classifications of conditioned living entities:
1. Non-moving -
a. they remain in one place:
b. example - trees.
2. Moving -
a. those that fly in the sky;
b. those that swim in the water;
c. those that walk on land:
i. there are many millions of entities that
move on the land.
ii. Out of these, very few belong to the human
species.
A) Most of these are totally ignorant of
spiritual life.
B) The arya, or humans who believe in spiritual
advancement, are very few.
1) Of these, there are the unrighteous
2) and the righteous.
a) Generally, these are engaged in
karma-yoga.
b) Out of many fruitive workers, only a
few come to know about the Absolute
 Truth, and they are called jnanis.

3. Further elaboration of the classifications of souls on the path

of elevation:
a. Those attached to Vedic rituals and righteous activity in
order to enjoy material prosperity.
b. Those who try to enjoy the spiritual world by becoming one
with God.
c. Those who desire mystic powers.

4. One must be peaceful in order to make real progress in

spiritual life -
a. One whose mind is agitated by such desires (bhukti, mukti,
siddhi) cannot be peaceful. [C.c. M. 19.149]
b. One who seeks any material perfection must be agitated and
restless.

III. Receiving the favor of Vishnu and the Vaishnavas:

A. By the mercy of the pure devotee, one gets Krishna, and by the
mercy of Krishna, one gets the association of a pure devotee. [C.c.
M. 19.151: brahmanda bhramite kona...]
1. Vaishnavas are always travelling from door to door to give
people the seed of devotional service.
2. The causeless mercy of Krishna is first experienced by one who
meets a bonafide spiritual master.
B. Chanting the name of Krishna:
1. That seed of devotional service received from the pure
devotee is the Lord's Holy Name.
2. When watered by continual chanting, the seed of devotion
fructifies and grows, piercing through the universal
covering and entering the spiritual sky, where it continues
to grow until it reaches the lotus feet of the Lord, where
it blooms in full flower of love of Godhead.

IV. Offenses to the Holy Name of the Lord:

A. The "mad elephant offense", or vaishnava aparadha -
1. when growing any plant, there is a danger that an animal
may come and destroy or eat it.
2. An offense to a pure devotee of the Lord can similarly
wreak havoc with the devotional creeper.
B. The 10 offenses against the Holy Name:
1. Blasphemy of great devotees.
2. Denial of Lord Vishnu as Absolute Truth.
3. Considering the spiritual master to be an ordinary man.
4. Blasphemy of Vedic literature and authorized scriptures
like the Puranas.
5. Considering the glories of the Holy Name to be
exaggeration.
6. Concocting perverted theories about the Holy Name.
7. Committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting.
 8. Considering religious rituals to be equal to the chanting
of Hare Krishna.
9. Preaching the glories of the Holy Name to the faithless.
10. To maintain material attachments while chanting the Holy
Name.
C. Attraction to too many followers.
D. Desiring liberation.
E. Neglecting the 4 regulative principles.

V. Some further considerations of devotional service:

A. No desire should be had by the devotee, except for the desire to
advance in Krishna consciousness.
1. He should not worship any demigod, or any other form of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
2. Should not speculate.
3. Should not engage in fruitive work.
B. The devotee should minimize bodily demands, enough to simply keep
body and soul together.
C. He should engage the senses in Krishna's service.
D. He should reject all kinds of liberation for his personal sense
gratification:
1. Oneness with Lord.
2. Living on the same planet as the Lord.
3. Having the same form as the Lord.
4. Having the same opulences as the Lord.
5. Living side by side with the Lord.
E. The devotee should be totally absorbed in pure devotional service.
If he is haunted by the two witches (material benefit and liberation), he cannot
experience the transcendental bliss of devotional service.

VI. Three stages of devotional service:

A. Beginning of cultivation (9 processes of bhakti-yoga).
B. Realization of service.
C. Attainment of love of Godhead (in different stages, like stages of
sugar): [First 3 stages from C.c. M. 19.178: sneha - melting of
heart; mana - hiding of love by crooked means (distain); pranaya -
love that avoids honor;]
a. raga - transcendental affection [attachment];
b. anuraga - emotion [further attachment];
c. bhava - ecstasy;
d. mahabhava - extreme and intense attachment [great ecstasy].

VII. The elements of Krishna-bhakti-rasa:

A. sthayi-bhava (the context of steadiness itself, where there is no
fear of falling down); this mixes with
B. vibhava [special ecstasy];
C. anubhava [subecstasy];
D. sattvika [natural ecstasy];
E. vyabhichari [transitory ecstasy]. The total ecstasy of love (i.e.
VII.A-E) has two component parts:
 1. the context
a. the subject (the exchange of devotional service),
b. the object (Krishna);
2. the cause of excitement (transcendental qualities).
F. Thirteen transcendental activities in Krishna-bhakti-rasa:
1. dancing;
2. rolling on the floor;
3. singing;
4. clapping;
5. bristling of the hairs on the body;
6. thundering;
7. yawning;
8. breathing heavily;
9. forgetting social conventions;
10. salivating;
11. laughing;
12. aching;
13. coughing.

VIII. Five Transcendental rasas (primary):

A. santa - appreciation.
B. dasya - awe and veneration (servitude).
C. sakhya - love and respect (friendship).
D. vatsalya - parenthood.
E. madhurya - Overwhelming love.

IX. Seven secondary rasas:

A. Laughing.
B. Having wonderful visions.
C. Chivalry.
D. Pity.
E. Anger.
F. Ghastliness.
G. Devastation.

X. Two kinds of attachment to Krishna:

A. Awe and veneration (exhibited in Mathura and the Vaikunthalokas) -
1. There is a lack of freedom of expression of love;
2. Awe and veneration tend to obscure the Lord's actual greatness;
3. One's service to the Lord may be impeded.
B. Familiar love of Krishna as friend, son, lover.

XI. Basic components of the steadfast position in Krishna consciousness:

A. sama - control of the mind; such stability of mind can be attained
by one who has concluded that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the original source of everything.
B. titiksha - toleration of suffering (for controlling the senses).
C. dhritih - control of tongue and genitals.
D. dhirah - pacification.
XII. Qualities of the 5 Rasas:
A. shanta - unflinching faith and cessation of all desires that are
not connected with Krishna.
1. No active interest in Krishna.
2. One may worship Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan on this stage.
B. dasya - great awe and reverence.
C. visrambha - confidential attachment.
D. vatsalya - thinking the Lord is dependent upon the mercy of the
devotee.
E. madhurya - all of the above qualities exist simultaneously.

CHAPTER TWO
"Sanatana Goswami"
C.c. M. 19.3-35; 20.3-97

I. Lord Chaitanya meets the brothers Rupa and Sanatana Goswami:

A. This meeting occurred after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa.
1. The place of the meeting was Ramakeli, district Maldah.
2. Sanatana was known as Dabir Khas and Rupa as Sakara Mallik.
3. They were ministers to Nawab Hussein Shah.
B. They were inspired to join the Lord's sankirtan movement.
1. They engaged brahmanas to perform purashcarya, a Vedic
religious rite that would enable them to get free of their
material duties.
a. This ritual was performed thrice daily.
b. The ritual consisted of five components: time, worship,
offering of respect to forefathers, offering of oblations
into the fire and offering of food to a brahmana.
2. This and other rituals are mentioned in Hari Bhakti Vilas.

II. Rupa Goswami's exemplary distribution of wealth:

A. After performing the ritual, Sakara Mallik (Rupa Goswami), the
younger of the two, returned home with an immense amount of money
in gold and silver, enough to fill a large boat.
1. He gave 50% to the brahmanas and Vaishnavas.
2. He gave 25% to relatives and dependent family members.
3. He kept 25% for personal emergencies (deposited with a
reputable businessman).

B. Rupa Goswami had gotten permission from the Nawab to leave

government service, but Sanatana Goswami had not.
1. Rupa Goswami made plans to meet the Lord in Vrindavana.
2. Sanatana Goswami entrusted his responsibilities to his
assistants and engaged 10 or 20 learned brahmanas as his
tutors in an extensive study of Srimad Bhagavatam. He
notified the Nawab he was sick.

III. Sanatana Goswami's escape from Nawab Hussein Shah:

 A. The Nawab anxiously came to visit Sanatana Goswami and saw for
himself the real situation.
1. The Nawab declared himself completely dependent upon
Sanatana's government work.
2. He desired to conquer and hunt, and required Sanatana for
administration.
B. Sanatana Goswami declared himself ready to face punishment for
neglecting his service, but he would not resume his duties to the
Nawab.
C. The Nawab had Sanatana Goswami placed under arrest, and left to
make war with Orissa.
D. Rupa Goswami informed his brother that he'd deposited 10 thousand
coins with a grocer, and this money was at Sanatana's disposal.
E. Sanatana Goswami offered 5 thousand coins to his jailer. The jailer
hesitated, and Sanatana raised the offer to 10 thousand.
1. Sanatana gave the jailer a plausible story to tell the
Nawab. The jailer agreed, and Sanatana Goswami made good
his escape together with his servant Ishana.
2. Rupa Goswami and his younger brother Sri Vallabha had
already departed.
F. The hotelkeeper's plot:
1. Sanatana Goswami travelled through the jungles toward
Vrindavana until he came to a place called Patada (Bihar).
There he rested in a hotel, but was suspicious of the
hotelkeeper's deference to him.
2. Sanatana learned that Ishana had gold coins with him. The
hotelkeeper had discovered this secret with the help of an
astrologer. He was planning to kill Sanatana for the money.
3. Sanatana brought 7 coins to the hotelkeeper. The
hotelkeeper assisted him that very night in crossing the
hills. Then Sanatana requested Ishana to return with the
one gold coin he had kept.
4. Along his way, Sanatana Goswami received a fancy blanket
from a rich brother-in-law.
5. By this time Lord Chaitanya was in Benares. Sanatana
Goswami learned He was staying at the house of
Candrashekhara Acarya. Sanatana went there and sat at the
door.

IV. Sanatana Goswami meets the Lord in Varanasi.

A. Lord Chaitanya told Chandrashekhara to call in the "great devotee"
seated outside his door, but Chandrashekhara returned to say he'd
seen no devotee but only a mendicant (dervish). The Lord asked to
see the mendicant, and embraced Sanatana Goswami in the courtyard.
Sanatana was very ashamed, and both began to cry in ecstasy.
1. The Lord told Sanatana not to be ashamed, as he was a pure
devotee, even better than a brahmana. "I am touching you
for My own purification."
2. "Krishna has saved you from Maharaurava," the Lord told
him.
 B. The Lord requested Chandrashekhara to take Sanatana to a barber.
Sanatana would not accept new garments, and declared he'd live by
begging. All this was pleasing to the Lord, but Sanatana Goswami
could understand the Lord didn't approve of his fancy blanket.
1. Sanatana Goswami went to the Ganges and exchanged the
blanket for an old quilt worn by a mendicant.
2. The Lord took note of Sanatana Goswami's full renunciation,
and blessed him.
3. Sanatana Goswami put important questions before the Lord,
and He answered them completely.

CHAPTER THREE
"Teachings to Sanatana Goswami"
C.c. M. 20.97-116

I. Lord Chaitanya's instructions to Sanatana Goswami cover the topics of:

A. God's transcendental form [and His conjugal love];
B. God's opulences;
C. Devotional service to the Lord.

II. Sanatana Goswami's self-surrender to Lord Chaitanya [C.c. M. 20.98-103]:

A. Sanatana fell at the Lord's lotus feet, declaring himself
1. lowborn;
2. coming from bad association;
3. the most wretched of mankind;
4. suffering in the dark well of material enjoyment;
5. not knowing the goal of life -
a. what is beneficial,
b. or what is detrimental;
6. so foolish that he thinks he's learned.
B. Sanatana Goswami prayed:
1. "You have saved me from material existence."
2. "Now what is my duty?"
3. "Who am I?"
4. "Why do I suffer from the threefold miseries?"
5. "How can I be relieved from this material entanglement?"

III. Seeing Sanatana's suitability (i.e. his humility), the Lord agreed to
instruct him.
A. Definition of threefold miseries:
1. adhyatmika-klesha: miseries from our own bodies and minds.
2. adhibhautika-klesha: miseries inflicted by other living
entities.
3. adhidaivika-klesha: miseries originating with the demigods
(controllers of natural phenomena).
B. If one does not know why he is suffering from these three causes,
he is to be considered ignorant, despite prestigious labels. His
duty is to approach a spiritual master, just as Arjuna approached
 Krishna.
C. In Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna taught that the living entity is
spirit soul, not matter.
1. As spirit soul, he is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul.
2. It is the duty of the soul to surrender, for only then can
he be happy.
3. The living entity should therefore surrender completely to
Krishna.
D. Lord Chaitanya began His instruction on the soul where Lord Krishna
left off.
1. "You are pure living soul."
a. You are not the body;
b. nor the mind;
c. nor the intelligence;
d. nor the false ego.
2. "You are an eternal servant of Lord Krishna." [C.c. M.
20.108]
a. The soul is transcendental, but is tiny, therefore
marginal.
b. The soul is simultaneously one and different from
Krishna.
1. Because it is spirit, the soul is one with
Krishna.
2. Because it is only a minute particle of
Krishna, it is different from Him (and thus can
fall down into the grip of the material
energy).
c. The Lord is like the sun, the living entities like
the tiny particles of sunshine (photons).
d. Vishnu Purana 1.22.52 is cited; living entities
like sparks emanating from a fire.
e. Vishnu Purana 1.3.2: all inconceivable energies
reside in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
the cosmic manifestation acts due to the Lord's
energy.
i. The material energy is covered by the cloud of
ignorance.
ii. It is divided into three modes (goodness,
passion and ignorance).
3. The living entities are ksetrajna ("knowers of the field of
activities" - Bhagavad-gita, 13th Chapter).
a. Though the living entity has the potency to
understand the spiritual energy, he identifies with
the body due to false ego.
i. He suffers repeated birth and death in various
species.
ii. According to the species he's in at the
present time, he may have some knowledge of
his true position to a certain extent.
A) The human being has the ability to get
 free of matter and utilize the spiritual
energy.
B) But the more one is influenced by passion
and ignorance, the more one will suffer
due to ignorance.
b. Seventh chapter of Bhagavad-gita states that 8
elements form the inferior (material) energy.
i. Earth.
ii. Water.
iii. Fire.
iv. Air.
v. Ether.
vi. Mind.
vii. Intelligence.
viii. False Ego.
c. But the material energy has no power to act on its
own; it must be moved by the superior (spiritual)
energy.
d. The conditioning of the living entity is due to
forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme
Lord in the superior energy.
e. Only when his original identity is revived does man
become liberated.

CHAPTER FOUR
"The Wise Man"
C.c. M. 20.117-135

I. The conditioned life of the spirit soul:

A. Cannot be traced historically, so it is beginningless.
1. The conditioning extends back in time prior to the creation.
2. The reactions to our activities follow us life after life.
B. Can be compared to punishment by the dunking stool:
1. When the prisoner is held beneath the water, that's compared to
hellish life.
2. And when he is raised for a breath of air, that's compared to
heavenly life.
C. Arises from false identification with the body,
1. which in turn arises from forgetfulness of his relationship with
God (i.e. Godlessness):
a. thinking there is no God, or
b. thinking he has no relationship with God.
2. This is maya, illusion.
3. This illusion is the cause of all fears and anxieties (cited: SB.
11.2.37).
E. Ends when he performs his duty and surrenders to the Supreme Lord with
1. intelligence,
2. devotion,
3. and sincere Krishna consciousness.
II. The way to freedom from material entanglement:
A. Begins when the conditioned soul is favored by the instructions of a
pure devotee.
1. Thus he gives up his desire for material enjoyment,
2. and becomes enlightened in Krishna consciousness.
B. Is illuminated by Krishna consciousness, which dispels the darkness of
material sense enjoyment.
C. Is the way of service to the Supreme Lord.
1. Cited: Bhagavad-gita 7.14.
2. A devotee knows he can never be happy working only for himself.
Therefore he never falsely thinks he's one with God.
D. Is shown in the Vedic literatures (Vedas, Puranas, Vedanta-sutra,
etc.).
1. The conditioned soul forgets his real identity every time he
engages in fruitive activity.
a. Sometimes he grows weary, desires liberation and thinks of
becoming one with God.
b. Other times he thinks by working hard to gratify his sense
he'll become happy.
c. In either case, he is covered by maya.
2. The Supreme Lord has presented the Vedic literatures to guide the
human being back to Godhead, because He is always merciful upon His
devotees.
a. This mercy is available through the spiritual master and is
confirmed from within the heart by the Supersoul.
b. [C.c. M. 20.124] Through the Vedic scriptures one can
understand
i. his relationship to Krishna [sambandha],
ii. how to act within that relationship (devotional service)
[abhidheya],
iii. the ultimate goal of life (love of God) [prayojana].
c. The living entity is not intended to achieve success in
i. religious rituals,
ii. economic development,
iii. sense enjoyment,
iv. or even liberation.
(these four not the real purpose of Vedas)
d. Every living entity is destined to reach the Supreme Lord.

III. The story of Sarvajna the astrologer.

A. This story comes from the commentary of Madhvacharya on Srimad
Bhagavatam (Madhva Bhasya 5.5.10-13).
B. Sarvajna told a poor man who came to him for advice that his father had
hidden a treasure near his house.
1. "Don't dig on the south side - you'll be attacked by a wasp." (This
represents ritualism, or karma-kanda: one is again stung by the
pangs of birth, death, disease and old age).
2. "Don't dig on the north side - you'll be swallowed by a giant
serpent." (This represents impersonal yoga, by which one merges
 into the existence of the Lord).
3. "Don't dig on the west side - you'll be attacked by a ghost."
(This represents jnana-yoga, which releases the ghost of mental
speculation).
4. "Dig on the east side only - there you'll find the treasure."
(This represents the bhakti process).

CHAPTER FIVE

"How to Approach God"

C.c. M. 20.136-164

I. The real purpose of the Vedas:

A. Directs the human being to the perfect stage of devotion.
B. Fruitive activities, speculative knowledge and meditation do not lead
one to this stage.
C. SB. 11.14.20 cited.
D. Krishna is dear only to devotees.
E. If a lowly born person is a devotee, he is freed from all
contamination.
1. But the disappearance of poverty and liberation are not the end
results of love of Krishna.
2. The end is to relish reciprocation of loving service. ["Krishna,
Krishna's service and love of Krishna are the three great riches of
life." C.c. M. 20.143]

II. Krishna is the only object of worship.

A. Though there are different scriptures pointing to different demigods,
such instructions only bewilder people. (Padma Purana)
B. Careful study of the scriptures reveals that Krishna is the only object
of worship.
1. In Markandeya Purana, Devi worship is mentioned.
2. But it is also mentioned there that such demigods as Durga or Kali
are but energies of the Supreme Vishnu.
3. Bhagavad-gita explains that worship of demigods is worship of
Krishna because the demigods are parts of Krishna's body. But such
worship is irregular (B.g. 7.20-23, 9.23).
4. Srimad Bhagavatam [11.21.42-43] states that all the various paths
shown in the Vedas are indirect ways of worshipping the Supreme
Lord Vishnu.
C. Demigod worship is meant for neophytes in lower modes of nature. E.g.
persons attached to flesh eating may offer flesh to the goddess Kali.
But gradually such neophytes may rise to the transcendental plane and
serve Vishnu.

III. Philosophical speculation is ultimately aimed at Krishna.

A. The philosophical sections of the Vedas are intended to enable one to
 distinguish Krishna from maya.
B. After one understands what is maya, he can approach the Supreme Lord
in pure devotional service.
C. This is confirmed in B.g. 7.19.

IV. Krishna has unlimited multiforms and unlimited opulences.

A. He possesses the internal, external and marginal potencies.
B. Therefore He is the source of the material world as well as the
spiritual world (Vaikuntha).
1. Krishna is ashraya-tattva (the shelter of everything).
2. And everything else is ashrita-tattva (subordinate corollaries and
reactions).
3. Everything is sheltered directly or indirectly by Krishna.
C. Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is the Absolute Truth Whose form is
eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss.
1. SB. 1.3.28: Krishna is the source of all other forms of Godhead.
2. SB. 1.2.11: He has three features - Brahman, Paramatma and
Bhagavan.
a. Therefore philosophical speculation, meditation and devotional
service are all aimed at Krishna (in one of His three
features).
b. Impersonal Brahman is the effulgence of Krishna's
transcendental body (Bs. 5.40).
c. Paramatma is His all-pervading feature in everyone's heart.
d. S.B. 10.14.55: Krishna is the soul of all souls - the soul of
the individual jivas and also the soul of the Paramatma.
Paramatma is but a fragment of Krishna's potency [B.g. 10.42].
e. The transcendental form of the Lord can only be understood
through the process of devotional service in full Krishna
consciousness.