PART 1 - THE GREAT MISSION OF SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

January 19, 2001

THE GREAT MISSION OF TRANSLATING, PUBLISHING & DISTRIBUTING SRI

CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IN ALL LANGUAGES AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE TRANSLITERATION

OF THE ORIGINAL BENGALI VERSES

(I) HIGHLIGHTS

(II) THE GLORIES OF SRILA VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA,

THE AUTHOR OF SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

(III) SRI CAITANYA--BHAGAVATA DESTROYS ALL ILLUSION

(IV) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA CLEANSES THE DUST OF MATERIAL ENJOYMENT & PLAYS

THE VICTORY DRUM OF SRI KRSNA KIRTANA

(V) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA REVEALS THE AUDARYA FEATURE OF THE LORD WHICH

IS THE ONLY WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE MADHURYA & AISVARYA FEATURES

(VI) EXPERIENCE THE LITERAL VARIEGATEDNESS OF VAIKUNTHA AND BECOME A REAL

GAUDIYA, AN ASSOCIATE OF THE LORD BY READING SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

(VII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IS AN UNLIMITED OCEAN OF PASTIMES

OF LORD CAITANYA

(VIII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA GLORIFIES THE PURE VAISNAVAS

(IX) SRI CAITANYA--BHAGAVATA IS THE BEST EVIDENCE

(X) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA ERADICATES SAHAJIYISM

(XI) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA COVERS THE WHOLE PHILOSOPHY

(XII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IS NON-DIFFERENT FROM SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM & SRILA

VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA IS THE INCARNATION OF VYASADEVA

(XIII) WHY & HOW TO READ AND HEAR SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

(XIV) SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA & SRI CAITANYA-CARITAMRTA

(XV) IMPORTANCE OF PUBLISHING & READING SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA &

SRI CAITANYA-CARITAMRTA WITH THEIR ORIGINAL BENGALI VERSES

(XVI) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IS MEANT FOR THE COMMON MAN & CAN BE READ FIRST,

EVEN BEFORE SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM

(XVII) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

(XVIII) THE GLORIES OF SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

(I) HIGHLIGHTS

Cc Adi 8.36 purport:

Under these circumstances* it is a great aid for the common man to read Srila

Vrndavana dasa Thakura's Caitanya-bhagavata, for thus he can actually

understand devotional service, Krsna, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. [.]Due to

misunderstanding Srimad-Bhagavatam, people are misled regarding the science of

Krsna. However, by reading Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's book one can very

easily understand this science. (SP in Cc Adi 8.36 purport)

(*difficulty for the common man in understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam)

Cc Adi 8.38:

'caitanya-mangala' sune yadi pasandi, yavana

seha maha-vaisnava haya tataksana

If even a great atheist hears Sri Caitanya-mangala, he immediately becomes a

great devotee.

Cc Adi 8.40:

vrndavana-dasa-pade koti namaskara

aiche grantha kari' tenho tarila samsara

I offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

No one else could write such a wonderful book for the deliverance of all fallen

souls.

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

This work of Srila Thakura Vrndavana is so simple that even less-intelligent

persons can make their lives glorious by under-standing the highest conclusions

of devotional service and seeing the wonderful beauty of the liberated pure

Vaisnavas of this visible world who renounce all forms of liberation, including

salokya and sarsti, living on the same planet as the Lord and having the same

opulence as the Lord.

>From Bhakti Vikasa Swami's notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati:

Sarasvati Thakura himself would generally explain philosophy very deeply, but

he said that Caitanya Bhagavata is more important than Caitanya-caritamrta for

the common man because it is a lila-grantha. Without describing so much about

philosophy, it describes the lila of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and is therefore easy

for the common man to follow and understand the philosophy. Even though

Sarasvati Thakura himself mostly explained philosophy, he said that philosophy

is only for the greatly learned people, and for the common men Caitanya

Bhagavata is more important. So he said, "Read Caitanya Bhagavata from time to

time." If anyone came to him he would ask them if they had read Caitanya

Bhagavata. He often asked people this, including non-devotees. He recommended

that for ordinary people, the first Vaisnava literature they read be Caitanya

Bhagavata. He wanted that everyone read Caitanya-bhagavata 100 times.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's letter to one of his disciples from

Sri Caitanya Math, Mayapur, December 22, 1927 (from the book Prabhupada

Sarasvati Thakura by Mandala Publishing Group):

Even though in this world we don't get to meet many devotees from the spiritual

world, the conversations and pastimes of the devotees of Mahaprabhu's time

eternally exsist in the form of books and sound, and that is why we do not feel

so much pain from material troubles. If we live here in the association of the

words of the spiritual world, then the memory of this association will keep us

at a distance from material misery.

(II) THE GLORIES OF SRILA VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA,

THE AUTHOR OF SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

Cc Adi 8.55

bhagavate krsna-lila varnila vedavyasa

caitanya-lilate vyasa--vrndavana dasa

Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Vyasa

of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.

PURPORT

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a

friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In other words, the author

of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srivasa

Thakura's niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyasa and the

cowherd boy Kusumapida. There is a descriptive statement by Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in his commentary on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata

giving the biographical details of the life of Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

Cc Adi 8.34

krsna-lila bhagavate kahe veda-vyasa

caitanya-lilara vyasa--vrndavana-dasa

As Vyasadeva has compiled all the pastimes of Lord Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam,

Thakura Vrndavana dasa has depicted the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

TEXT 41

narayani--caitanyera ucchista-bhajana

tanra garbhe janmila sri-dasa-vrndavana

Narayani eternally eats the remnants of the food of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila

Vrndavana dasa Thakura was born of her womb.

Cc Antya 20.82

nityananda-krpa-patra--vrndavana-dasa

caitanya-lilaya tenho hayena 'adi-vyasa'

Vrndavana dasa Thakura is Lord Nityananda's favorite devotee, and therefore he

is the original Vyasadeva in describing the pastimes of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

PURPORT: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that all writers after

Vrndavana dasa Thakura who are pure devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and who

have tried to describe the Lord's activities are to be considered like Vyasa.

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura is the original Vyasadeva in describing

caitanya-lila, and all others who follow in his footsteps by describing Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes are also to be called Vyasadeva. The bona fide

spiritual master is called Vyasa because he is a representative of Vyasa.

Worshiping the birthday of such a spiritual master is called Vyasa-puja.

Not ordinary. He's Vrndavana dasa Thakura. Vrndavana dasa Thakura is one of the

acaryas. He has written Caitanya-Bhagavata. As there is Srimad-Bhagavata, he

has written Caitanya-Bhagavata. (SP Initiation Lecture, Boston, December 26,

1969)

By this time, contemporary and near-contemporary scholars and devotees had

already written several biographical works on the life of Sri Krsna Caitanya

Mahaprabhu. These included Sri Caitanya-carita, by Murari Gupta,

Caitanya-mangala, by Locana dasa Thakura, and Caitanya-bhagavata. This latter

work, by Vrndavana dasa Thakura, who was then considered the principal

authority on Sri Caitanya's life, was highly revered. While composing his

important work, Vrndavana dasa, fearing that it would become too voluminous,

avoided elaborately describing many of the events of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's

life, particularly the later ones. (SP in Cc Adi Foreword)

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Narayani, had great knowledge of devotional

scriptures and was always engaged in preaching the glories of Vaisnava acaryas

with his mind, body, and speech.

Those who have studied Sri Caitanya--bhagavata, composed by this great soul,

certainly know that Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was the topmost preacher of

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy of pure devotional service.

Wonderful social reconciliations of the conclusions of devotion-al service are

written in golden words by Vrndavana dasa Thakura in various places throughout

Caitanya-bhagavata. His service at-titude towards his spiritual master, Sri

Nityananda Prabhu, is incomparable. No scholar of that time-in Navadvipa,

Gauda-desa, Bharata-varsa, or the world-could stand before him.

At the time of writing Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, the author knew very well that

even many years after the Lord's disappearance the sankirtana movement

inaugurated by Sri Caitanya would continue. Without discrimination, both men

and women joined in that movement. (SBSST purport to Cb Adi 14.81)

(III) SRI CAITANYA--BHAGAVATA DESTROYS ALL ILLUSION

Cc Adi 8.35

vrndavana-dasa kaila 'caitanya-mangala'

yanhara sravane nase sarva amangala

Thakura Vrndavana dasa has composed Sri Caitanya-mangala. Hearing this book

annihilates all misfortune.

They were not able to stop the foremost devotee of Gaura, for whom Nityananda

was his life and soul, the brilliant sunlike per-sonality of Gaudiya

literature, Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura, from writing the truth in Sri

Caitanya-bhagavata. Those who have studied Sri Caitanya-bhagavata with full

attention cannot be misguided from Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's presentation

of the truth, which destroys all illusion. (From Gaudiya Bhasya)

(IV) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA CLEANSES THE DUST OF MATERIAL ENJOYMENT & PLAYS

THE VICTORY DRUM OF SRI KRSNA KIRTANA

Cc Adi 8.42

tanra ki adbhuta caitanya-carita-varnana

yahara sravane suddha kaila tri-bhuvana

What a wonderful description he has given of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya!

Anyone in the three worlds who hears it is purified.

TEXT 43

ataeva bhaja, loka, caitanya-nityananda

khandibe samsara-duhkha, pabe premananda

I fervently appeal to everyone to adopt the method of devotional service given

by Lord Caitanya and Nityananda and thus be freed from the miseries of material

existence and ultimately achieve the loving service of the Lord.

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

Seeing the hearts of such people covered with the dust of material enjoyment

and liberation, Srila Thakura Vrndavana took shelter of the holy names of Lord

Krsna and gave the topics of Sri Caitanyadeva, the personification of love, to

the people of this world. In this way, by playing the glorious victory drum of

sri-krishna-kirtana, he destroyed the deafness of ears that are attached to

hearing material topic.

All glories to Thakura Sri Vrndavana, who has thrown the misconceptions of the

sense enjoyers, fruitive workers, and mental speculators across the Pacific

Ocean by presenting sweet songs about Sn Caitanya's nectarean pastimes.

caitanya-nitai-katha, sunile hrdaya-vyatha,

ciratare yaya suniscita

krsne anuraga haya, visaye asakti-ksaya,

srota labhe nija-nitya-hita

If one hears the topics of Sri Caitanya and Nityananda, the pangs of one's

heart are certainly destroyed forever. By this process of hearing one attains

the eternal benefit of attachment to Krsna and detachment from material

enjoyment.

(V) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA REVEALS THE AUDARYA FEATURE OF THE LORD WHICH

IS THE ONLY WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE MADHURYA & AISVARYA FEATURES

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

When the Absolute Truth mercifully exhibits a portion of His supreme opulence,

in the form of omnipotency, then most people, being unable to understand this

feature, fall into mundane concep-tions. The platform of madhurya is situated

higher than that of aisvarya-those who cannot understand this are to be

considered followers of the path of maryada. But when the Absolute Truth, who

is the basis of aisvarya and madburya, exhibits His audarya, or magnanimous,

pastimes, then nonduplicitous persons who are freed from material conceptions

and devoid of considerations of enjoy-ment and renunciation not only understand

the differences between madhurya, aisvarya, and audarya pastimes and become

self-realized, but in their constitutional position and through their pure

vision they also see the eternal variegated pastimes of the Lord.

There is a lack of audarya in the considerations of bondage and freedom that

ordinary literatures and those who teach them present to those who are desirous

of self-realization. Therefore we realize the necessity of studying the

maha-kavya, or great poetic work, named Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, written in

ancient Bengali language. If one relishes a fraction of the magnanimity

displayed by the Supreme Lord while preaching the aisvarya and madhurya

pastimes of the Lord in order to benefit those who are wandering throughout the

universe, he will undoubtedly become glorious.

Those who will be faithful to the subject matter of this book written by Sri

Thakura Vrndavana can, by giving up mundane knowledge and weak argu-ments,

enter into the kingdom of devotional service and eternally engage in serving

the audarya pastimes of Sri Vrajendra-nandana, who is the reservoir of all

transcendental mellows. In this way they will achieve the highest benediction

and eternally remain absorbed in the pastimes of Sn Krsna Caitanya.

Srila Thakura Vrndavana dasa has been accepted as Sri Vyasa and one of the

front line acaryas of gaura-bhakti by his follower, Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja

Gosvamu Therefore if the residents of this world desire to go to the spiritual

abode, they should first take shelter of the Supreme Lord in His audarya

feature. The statements of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata written by the soothing hands

of Sri Vrindavana dasa will certainly favor such people with fulfillment of

their desired goal.

(VI) EXPERIENCE THE LITERAL VARIEGATEDNESS OF VAIKUNTHA AND BECOME A REAL

GAUDIYA, AN ASSOCIATE OF THE LORD BY READING SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

The language of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata is very simple and touching to the

heart. Those who are fond of the beauty of Gaudiya literature can experience

extraordinary pleasure on seeing the proficiency that Thakura Mahasaya has

displayed while describing the characteristics of Haridasa Thakura, while

describing the social condition of Navadipa during Gauranga's time, while

describing the literacy status of the bhogipalas, yogipalas and mahipalas, the

leaders of the sense enjoyers, yogis, and the earth, while describing the

brahmanas' occasional chanting of Pundarikaksa, and while depicting Sri

Gaurasundara's glories and opulences. Those who wish to enter the temple of

this book will also receive the oppor-tunity to experience the literal

variegatedness of Vaikuntha apart from the description of the enjoying spirit

of Navadvipa's residents. The Gaudiyas are not only residents of Gauda but by

the help of Gaudiya language they become expert in the language of the

eter-nally liberated inhabitants of Goloka and thus understand themselves as

associates of the Lord.

Since Sri Caitanya-bhagavata is the most ancient Bengali litera-ture, the

author has for some time been addressed as adi-kavi, or the original poet.

Before him, Sri Locana dasa Thakura has written a Bengali pancali poem named

Sri Caitanya-mangala. Even before that, Sri Gunaraja Khan, or Maladhara Vasu,

composed another book in Bengali named Sri Krishna-vijaya, which describes the

pas-times of Lord Krishna. Therefore this book is the third book, yet first

kavya, written in Bengali language. This book is neither a mundane kavya nor

the fulfiller of the litterateurs' desires. Unless the community of

short-sighted litterateurs, who are full of indiscretion, become completely

qualified to understand the pur-port of the descriptions in this book, they

will not be able to respect this book.

(VII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IS AN UNLIMITED OCEAN OF PASTIMES

OF LORD CAITANYA

Cc Adi 8. 33

ore mudha loka, suna caitanya-mangala

caitanya-mahima yate janibe sakala

O fools, just read Sri Caitanya-mangala (Caitanya-bhagavata)! By reading this

book you can understand all the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Cc Adi 8.44

vrndavana-dasa kaila 'caitanya-mangala'

tahate caitanya-lila varnila sakala

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has written Sri Caitanya-mangala and therein

described in all respects the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

The readers of this small description of the life and precepts of Lord Caitanya

will profit much to go through the books of Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura (Sri

Caitanya-bhagavata) and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami (Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta). The early life of the Lord is most fascinatingly

expressed by the author of Caitanya-bhagavata, and as far as the teachings are

concerned, they are more vividly explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Now they

are available to the English-speaking public in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

(SP in SB Intro)

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

caitanya-lilamrta-sindhu---dughabdhi-samana

trsnanurupa jhari bhari' tenho kaila pana

The ocean of nectarean pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is like the ocean of

milk. According to the thirst, Vrndavana dasa Thakura filled his pitcher and

drank from that ocean.

tanra jhari-sesamrta kichu more dila

tateke bharila peta, trsna mora gela

Whatever remanants of milk Vrndavana dasa Thakura has given me are sufficient

to fill my belly. Now my thirst is completely satiated.

(VIII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA GLORIFIES THE PURE VAISNAVAS

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

This work of Srila Thakura Vrndavana is so simple that even less-intelligent

persons can make their lives glorious by under-standing the highest conclusions

of devotional service and seeing the wonderful beauty of the liberated pure

Vaisnavas of this visible world who renounce all forms of liberation, including

salokya and sarsti, living on the same planet as the Lord and having the same

opulence as the Lord.

Therefore unless one takes shelter of the lotus feet of the liberated devotees

of Gaura, one cannot enter into the depths of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata. As a

result, the living entities are unable to hear about the names, forms,

qualities, pastimes, and associates of Gaura.

Gaurangera bhakta-gane, jane jane sakti dhari, brahmanda tari saksi(?): "The

devotee of Lord Caitanya, every one has so immense power that every one, they

can deliver the whole universe." Gaurangera bhakta-jane, jane jane sakti...,

brahmanda tari... That is Gauranga's men. (SP Room Conversation with Ratan

Singh Rajda M.P.

"Nationalism and Cheating", April 15, 1977, Bombay)

The author has accepted the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that he heard

from the mouths of His devotees as the ingredients for the composition of this

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata. By this example the author shows that one must follow

the footsteps of the Vaisnavas and accept the process of hearing in disciplic

succession. (SBSST purport to Cb Adi 1.83)

(IX) SRI CAITANYA--BHAGAVATA IS THE BEST EVIDENCE

Cc Antya 20.85

caitanya-mangale tenho likhiyache sthane-sthane

sei vacana suna, sei parama-pramane

In his book named Caitanya-mangala [Caitanya-bhagavata], he has described these

pastimes in many places. I request my readers to hear that book, for that is

the best evidence.

(X) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA ERADICATES SAHAJIYISM

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

radha-bhave nija-bhranti, suvalita radha-kanti,

audarye madhurya aprakasa

audarye madhurya-bhrama, na karibe tahe srama,

bale prabhu-vrndavana-dasa

Being absorbed in the mood of Radha, Krsna forgets Himself and exhibits Her

dazzling complexion. The conjugal pastimes of the Lord are not manifest in His

magnanimous pastimes. Vrndavana dasa Thakura teaches us that one should not

labor hard to find the conjugal pastimes of the Lord in His magnanimous

pastimes.

In Cuttack, Sarasvati Thakura was searching for Caitanya Bhagavata in 1920. He

searched through many mathas but couldn't find it. Nowadays, the Caitanya

Bhagavata is available everywhere in bookshops, but at that time it wasn't. The

sahajiyas didn't like the Caitanya Bhagavata, and called it a dry book. They

like Caitanya Caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavatam, etc., because they deal with Radha

Krsna lila, but Sarasvati Thakura published Caitanya Bhagavata - Caitanya lila.

At that time Caitanya Bhagavata was very rare in India. Even available editions

were full of errors. So, before Sarasvati Thakura's edition there was no proper

one. (From Bhakti Vikasa Swami's notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakura)

(XI) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA COVERS THE WHOLE PHILOSOPHY

Cc Adi 8.36

caitanya-nitaira yate janiye mahima

yate jani krsna-bhakti-siddhantera sima

By reading Sri Caitanya-mangala one can understand all the glories and truths

of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda and come to the ultimate conclusion of

devotional service to Lord Krsna.

PURPORT

[.]Under these circumstances, it is a great aid for the common man to read

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's Caitanya-bhagavata, for thus he can actually

understand devotional service, Krsna, Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. [.]Due to

misunderstanding Srimad-Bhagavatam, people are misled regarding the science of

Krsna. However, by reading Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura's book one can very

easily understand this science.

TEXT 37

bhagavate yata bhakti-siddhantera sara

likhiyachena inha jani' kariya uddhara

In Sri Caitanya-mangala [later known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata] Srila Vrndavana

dasa Thakura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by

quoting the authoritative statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

>From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

>From this work of Sri Thakura Vrindavana we can understand that He who is the

cause of all causes, who is the beginningless, primeval Lord Govinda, who

possesses an eternal fomm of bliss and knowledge can- appear in the land of

birth and death even though He is unborn. He appears as Sri Caitanya and

supplies love of God to the hearts of the living entities and yet remains

impartial. How great a teacher is Sri Thakura Vrindavana, who has described how

Sri Gaurasundara has taught in His childhood pastimes that the untouchable,

impure, clay cooking pots are equal to the dearest items of those who are

engaged in sense gratification and maintain-ing dualities like good and bad. He

also described the topics of Sri Caitanyadeva, the ideal teacher of

renunciation, concerning His mother's glorious understanding of spiritual

variegatedness, which every reader should consider. (SBSST in his Gaudiya

Bhasya)

For this reason the spiritual master is addressed as Om Visnupada or

Prabhupada. The acarya, the spiritual master, is generally respected by others

as Sripada, and the initiated Vaisnavas are addressed as Prabhu. Prabhu,

Prabhupada and Visnupada are described in revealed scriptures like

Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta and Caitanya-bhagavata. In this regard,

these scriptures present evidence accepted by unalloyed devotees. (Cc Madhya

10.23 purp)

(XII) SRI CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA IS NON-DIFFERENT FROM SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM & SRILA

VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA IS THE INCARNATION OF VYASADEVA

Prabhupada: Yes. Any devotee in literary career, he is to be understood... Just

like our Vrndavana dasa Thakura. He is described as incarnation of Vyasadeva

because Vyasadeva wrote Bhagavatam and he wrote Caitanya-bhagavata. (Room

Conversation, February 16, 1977, Mayapura)

bhagavate krsna-katha, vyasera lekhani yatha,

tara marma vrndavana jani'

sri-caitanya-bhagavate, varne anurupa-mate,

gaura-krsne eka kari' mani'

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura understood the topics of Krsna described by Srila

Vyasadeva in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and in the same way He wrote Sri

Caitanya-bhagavata, describing the pastimes of Gaura, who he accepted as

nondifferent from Krsna.

Cc Adi 8.55

bhagavate krsna-lila varnila vedavyasa

caitanya-lilate vyasa--vrndavana dasa

Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Vyasa

of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.

PURPORT: Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also

a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In other words, the

author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of

Srivasa Thakura's niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyasa and

the cowherd boy Kusumapida. There is a descriptive statement by Srila