314 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 19
remembered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes. Thus they executed devotional
service.

In Vrndavana there are prakrta-sahajiyas who say that writing books or even
touching books is taboo. For them, devotional service means being relieved from
these activities. Whenever they are asked to hear a recitation of Vedic literature,
they refuse, saying, ‘What business do we have reading or hearing transcendental
literatures? They are meant for neophytes.” They pose themselves to be too ele-
vated to exert energy for reading, writing and hearing. However, pure devotees
under the guidance of Srila Ripa Gosvami reject this sahajiyd philosophy. It is cer-
tainly not good to write literature for money or reputation, but to write books and
publish them for the enlightenment of the general populace is real service to the
Lord. That was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s opinion, and he specifically told his
disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than
establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and
neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to
write books, publish them and distribute them widely. According to Bhakti-
siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, distributing literature is like playing on a great
mrdariga. Consequently we always request members of the International Society
for Krishna Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute
them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of Srila
Ripa Gosvami, one can become a ripadnuga devotee.

TEXT 133
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AA GSA ACCA ARTHAS 11 SOO tl
caitanyera krpa rdpa likhiyachena 4pane
rasdmrta-sindhu-granthera mangalacarane
SYNONYMS

caitanyera—of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krpa—the mercy; rdjpa—Srila
Rupa Gosvami; likhiyachena—has written; apane—personally; rasamrta-sindhu-
granthera—of the book known as Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu; mangala-dcarane —in
the auspicious introduction.

TRANSLATION

Srila Rapa Gosvami has personally spoken about the mercy of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu in his auspicious introduction to his book Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu [1.1.2].
