Chapter 10

In this regard, a very exalted example was set by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana. Concerning Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu it is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.34): tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁdharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyammāyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvadvande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam “We offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of the Lord, upon whom one should always meditate. He left His householder life, leaving aside His eternal consort, whom even the denizens of heaven adore. He went into the forest to deliver the fallen souls, who are put into illusion by material energy.” To accept sannyāsa means to commit civil suicide, but sannyāsa is compulsory, at least for every brāhmaṇa, every first-class human being. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had a very young and beautiful wife and a very affectionate mother. Indeed, the affectionate dealings of His family members were so pleasing that even the demigods could not expect such happiness at home. Nevertheless, for the deliverance of all the fallen souls of the world, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa and left home when He was only twenty-four years old. He lived a very strict life as a sannyāsī, refusing all bodily comforts. Similarly, His disciples the Six Gosvāmīs were ministers who held exalted positions in society, but they also left everything to join the movement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya says: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavatbhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau These Gosvāmīs left their very comfortable lives as ministers, Zamindars and learned scholars and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement, just to show mercy to the fallen souls of the world (dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā). Accepting very humble lives as mendicants, wearing no more than loincloths and torn quilts (kaupīna-kantha), they lived in Vṛndāvana and followed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s order to excavate Vṛndāvana’s lost glories. Similarly, everyone else with a materially comfortable condition in this world should join the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to elevate the fallen souls. The words bhūta-dayayā, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam and dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā all convey the same sense. These are very significant words for those interested in elevating human society to a proper understanding of life. One should join the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following the examples of such great personalities as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Six Gosvāmīs and, before them, the great sage Dadhīci. Instead of wasting one’s life for temporary bodily comforts, one should always be prepared to give up one’s life for better causes. After all, the body will be destroyed. Therefore one should sacrifice it for the glory of distributing religious principles throughout the world.