Text 312] Talks Between the Lord and Ramananda Raya 287
damodara-svarGpera kadacd-anusdre
ramananda-milana-lila karila pracdre

SYNONYMS

damodara-svarGpera—of Svartipa Damodara Gosvami; kadacd—with the
notebooks; anusdre—in accordance; ramananda-milana-lila—the pastimes of the
meeting with Ramananda; karila—have done; pracdre—distribution.

TRANSLATION

! have tried to preach the pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s meet-
ing with Ramananda Raya in accordance with the notebooks of Sri Svariipa
Damodara.

PURPORT

At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succes-
sion. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out
research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svartipa
Damodara, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and other authoritative persons. This is the
way of describing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called
scholars and research workers. The process is mahajano yena gatah sa panthdh:
one has to strictly follow great personalities and acaryas. Acaryavan puruso veda:
one who has the favor of the acarya knows everything. This statement made by
Kaviraja Gosvami is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prakrta-
sahajiyds claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. However, one can-
not have transcendental knowledge simply by hearing from a guru who is not
bona fide. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his bona fide
guru. Only then will his message be accepted as bona fide. This is confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita:

$ri bhagavan uvaca
imam vivasvate yogam

proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha

manur iksvakave ‘bravit

“The Blessed Lord said: | instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-

god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and

Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.” (Bg. 4.1)

In this way the message is transmitted in the bona fide spiritual disciplic succes-
sion from bona fide spiritual master to bona fide student. Srila Kaviraja Gosvami
therefore as usual concludes this chapter by reasserting his faith in the lotus feet
of the six Gosvamis. Thus he is able to set forth this transcendental literature,
Caitanya-caritamrta.
