206 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta

TRANSLATION

By their mercy, all these devotees ordered me to write of the last pastimes of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because of their order only, although | am shameless, | have
attempted to write this Caitanya-caritamrta.

PURPORT

To write about the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of God-
head is not an ordinary endeavor. Unless one is empowered by the higher authori-
ties, or advanced devotees, one cannot write transcendental literature, for all such
literature must be above suspicion, or, in other words, it must have none of the
defects of conditioned souls, namely, mistakes, illusions, cheating and imperfect
sense perceptions. The words of Krsna and the disciplic succession that carries the
orders of Krsna are actually authoritative. To be empowered to write transcenden-
tal literature is a privilege in which a writer can take great pride. As a humble
Vaisnava, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, being thus empowered, felt very much
ashamed that it was he who was to narrate the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Maha-
prabhu.

TEXT 73

CABTAT VU] Mia [ofas-craca |
THACHIALTH CATS SB AstaiTs Vo 0

vaisnavera ajna pana cintita-antare
madana-gopale gelan aja magibare

SYNONYMS

vaisnavera—of all the Vaisnava devotees; .ajfa—order; pafa—receiving; cintita-
antare—anxiety within myself; madana-gopale—to the temple of Sri Madana-mohana;
gelan—| went; ajna—order; magibare—to receive.

TRANSLATION

Having received the order of the Vaisnavas but being anxious within my heart,
| went to the temple of Madana-mohana in Vrndavana to ask His permission also.

PURPORT

A Vaisnava always follows the order of guru and Krsna. Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta
was written by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami by their mercy. Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami considered all the devotees that have been mentioned to be his preceptor
gurus or spiritual masters, and Madana-gopala (Sri Madana-mohana vigraha) is Krsna
Himself. Thus he took permission from both of them, and when he received the
mercy of both guru and Krsna, he was able to write this great literature, Sri-Caitanya-
caritamrta. This example should be followed. Anyone who attempts to write about
