Lord Caitanya therefore teaches direct worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appeared as the foster child of the King of Vraja. He also teaches that the place known as Vṛndāvana is as good as Lord Kṛṣṇa because, Lord Kṛṣṇa being the Absolute Truth, there is no difference between Him and His name, qualities, form, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia. That is the absolute nature of the Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya also teaches that the highest mode of worship in the highest perfectional stage is the method practiced by the damsels of Vraja. These damsels (gopīs, or cowherd girls) simply loved Kṛṣṇa without any motive for material or spiritual gain. Lord Caitanya also teaches that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless narration of transcendental knowledge and that the highest goal in human life is to develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Sri Caitanya Caritamrta-----Adi Lila-----preface).
Lord Caitanya therefore teaches direct worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appeared as the foster child of the King of Vraja. He also suggests that the place known as Vṛndāvana is as good as Lord Kṛṣṇa because there is no difference between the name, quality, form, pastimes, entourage and paraphernalia of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. That is the absolute nature of the Absolute Truth. Lord Caitanya also recommended that the highest mode of worship in the highest perfectional stage is the method practiced by the damsels of Vraja. These damsels (gopīs, or cowherd girls) simply loved Kṛṣṇa without a motive for material or spiritual gain. Caitanya also recommended Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the spotless narration of transcendental knowledge, and He pointed out that the highest goal in human life is to develop unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Teachings of Lord Caitanya).
After fifty years of age, one should voluntarily give up family life and go to the forest. The best forest is Vṛndāvana, where one need not live with the animals but can associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never leaves Vṛndāvana. Cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Vṛndāvana is the best means of being liberated from material bondage, for in Vṛndāvana one can automatically meditate upon Kṛṣṇa. Vṛndāvana has many temples, and in one or more of these temples one may see the form of the Supreme Lord as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma and meditate upon this form. As expressed here by the words brahmaṇy adhyāya, one should concentrate one's mind upon the Supreme Lord, Parabrahman. This Parabrahman is Kṛṣṇa, as confirmed by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā (paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]). Kṛṣṇa and His abode, Vṛndāvana, are not different. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, if one somehow or other gets the opportunity to live in Vṛndāvana, and if one is not a pretender but simply lives in Vṛndāvana and concentrates his mind upon Kṛṣṇa, one is liberated from material bondage. One's mind is not purified, however, even in Vṛndāvana, if one is agitated by lusty desires. One should not live in Vṛndāvana and commit offenses, for a life of offenses in Vṛndāvana is no better than the lives of the monkeys and hogs there. Many monkeys and hogs live in Vṛndāvana, and they are concerned with their sexual desires. Men who have gone to Vṛndāvana but who still hanker for sex should immediately leave Vṛndāvana and stop their grievous offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord. There are many misguided men who live in Vṛndāvana to satisfy their sexual desires, but they are certainly no better than the monkeys and hogs. Those who are under the control of māyā, and specifically under the control of lusty desires, are called māyā-mṛga. Indeed, everyone in the conditional stage of material life is a māyā-mṛga. It is said, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad: [SB 11.5.34] Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa to show His causeless mercy to the māyā-mṛgas, the people of this material world, who suffer because of lusty desires. One should follow the principles of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and always think of Kṛṣṇa in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then one will be eligible to live in Vṛndāvana, and his life will be successful.
(Srimad Bhagavatam-------9:19:19--------purport).
This is the process. Every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He belongs to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Kṛṣṇa's family. This is our original position. Vṛndāvana means whole Kṛṣṇa's family. Even the birds, beast, trees, plants, water—all belong to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Advaya-jñāna. Therefore anything in Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Even the dust of Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. This is the philosophy, Absolute Truth. So Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy, He comes. At a certain interval during one day of Brahma, He comes. He exhibits His līlā, that "Anyone who desires to go back to home, back to Godhead, they can enjoy with Me like this." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. "Come on. Why you are playing here and suffering this māyā's play? Come to the real play." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Kṛṣṇa comes: "Just try to understand Me, why I come."
(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam--------6:2:16--------by Srila Prabhupada).
Why people come here? You have seen while you are walking, a devotee. He was taking the dust, Rāmaṇ Reti, and putting on his head. This is Vṛndāvana—the dust. Vṛndāvana dust is also Kṛṣṇa. Vṛndāvana dust is also Kṛṣṇa. So ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeṣa-tanaya tad dhāmaṁ vṛndāvanam. This is the verdict of the ācāryas. Vrajendra-nandana, Hari, Kṛṣṇa, He is worshipable, everyone knows. But His dhāma, Vṛndāvana, is also as good as Kṛṣṇa. It is also worshipable. Therefore so many devotees, they are keeping strictly in Vṛndāvana. This is the idea. We should not consider Vṛndāvana... Not even Vṛndāvana. Everywhere. Not that we limit Kṛṣṇa within Vṛndāvana. That is special, because Kṛṣṇa came here and displayed His pastimes, a special significance. But wherever you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is Vṛndāvana. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Wherever He was going He said that "It is Vṛndāvana." After taking sannyāsa He was in Bengal, and He was thinking the Ganges as Yamunā.
(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam--------7:9:48--------by Srila Prabhupada).
Nobody can understand how great is Kṛṣṇa.
kṛṣṇera mahimā rahu-kebā tāra jñātā
vṛndāvana-sthānera dekha āścarya vibhutā
That is described, the glories of Kṛṣṇa—nobody can understand. Similarly, vṛndāvana-sthānera āścarya vibhutā. Similarly, the land which is known as Vṛndāvana, it has also got unlimited potency. Still, as I have several times mentioned, if you go to Vṛndāvana you'll find unlimited potency of spiritual atmosphere still. And therefore Lord Caitanya recommended that ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ tad dhāma vṛndāvanam: "As Lord Kṛṣṇa is worshipable, similarly His place, Vṛndāvana, is as good as Kṛṣṇa. It is also worshipable." And actually, still in India, if you go to Vṛndāvana, you'll see so many saints and sages are still there. They are worshiping Vṛndāvana-dhāma.
(Lecture on Sri Caitanya Caritamrta--------2:21:13-49-------by Srila Prabhupada).
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