Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 23 Summary

The following summary of the Twenty-third Chapter is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrita-pravaha-bhashya. In this chapter Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu describes the symptoms of emotion and love and the awakening of one's original loving relationship with the Lord, as well as the characteristics of a devotee who has actually attained that stage. He then describes the gradual increase of love of God up to the point of mahabhava. He then describes the five divisions of attraction and how they continue. He also describes the mellow derived from conjugal love, which is the supreme emotion. Conjugal love is divided into two categories -- svakiya and parakiya. Svakiya refers to loving affairs between husband and wife, and parakiya refers to loving affairs between two lovers. There are a number of descriptions in this connection. There is also a description of the sixty-four transcendental qualities of Krishna and the twenty-five transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then describes those candidates who are eligible to taste the mellows of devotional service. Their fundamental natures and their varieties are also described. The Lord also informs Sanatana Gosvami about all the confidential paraphernalia of devotional service. He gives a description of Goloka Vrindavana, where the Lord is engaged in His eternal pastimes described in the Hari-vamsa. There is also an opposing description and a favorable description of kesa-avatara. All these instructions are mentioned herein.

In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu blessed Sanatana Gosvami, placing His hand on his head. Thus Sanatana received the power to describe these subjects in books like Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness