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CC Madhya 23 (1975)

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (1975) - Madhya-līlā, Chapter 23: Life's Ultimate Goal - Love of Godhead



Below is the 1996 edition text, ready to be substituted with the 1975 one using the compile form.

Madhya 23 Summary

Madhya 23.1: The most munificent Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Gaurakṛṣṇa, distributed to everyone-even the lowest of men-His own confidential treasury in the form of the nectar of love of Himself and the holy name. This was never given to the people at any time before. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

Madhya 23.2: All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

Madhya 23.3: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, "Now hear, O Sanātana, about the result of devotional service, which is love of Godhead, life's ultimate goal. If one hears this description, he will be enlightened in the transcendental mellows of devotional service.

Madhya 23.4: "When affection for Kṛṣṇa becomes deeper, one attains love of Godhead in devotional service. Such a position is called sthāyi-bhāva, permanent enjoyment of the mellows of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.5: " 'When devotional service is situated on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a ray of the sunlight of love for Kṛṣṇa. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and it is called bhāva [emotion].'

Madhya 23.6: "Bhāva [emotion] has two different symptoms-constitutional and marginal. Now, My dear Sanātana, listen to the symptoms of love.

Madhya 23.7: " 'When that bhāva softens the heart completely, becomes endowed with a great feeling of possessiveness in relation to the Lord and becomes very much condensed and intensified, it is called prema [love of Godhead] by learned scholars.

Madhya 23.8: " 'When one develops an unflinching sense of ownership or possessiveness in relation to Lord Viṣṇu, or, in other words, when one thinks Viṣṇu and no one else to be the only object of love, such an awakening is called bhakti [devotion] by exalted persons like Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava and Nārada.'

Madhya 23.9: "If, by good fortune, a living entity develops faith in Kṛṣṇa, he begins to associate with devotees.

Madhya 23.10: "When one is encouraged in devotional service by the association of devotees, one becomes free from all unwanted contamination by following the regulative principles and chanting and hearing.

Madhya 23.11: "When one is freed from all unwanted contamination, he advances with firm faith. When firm faith in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also awakens.

Madhya 23.12: "After taste is awakened, a deep attachment arises, and from that attachment the seed of love for Kṛṣṇa grows in the heart.

Madhya 23.13: "When that ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such love is life's ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure.

Madhya 23.14-15: " 'In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sādhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.'

Madhya 23.16: " 'The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees, and it is greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens to him, and gradually he attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion.'

Madhya 23.17: "If one actually has the seed of transcendental emotion in his heart, the symptoms will be visible in his activities. That is the verdict of all revealed scriptures.

Madhya 23.18-19: " 'When the seed of ecstatic emotion for Kṛṣṇa fructifies, the following nine symptoms manifest in one's behavior: forgiveness, concern that time should not be wasted, detachment, absence of false prestige, hope, eagerness, a taste for chanting the holy name of the Lord, attachment to descriptions of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and affection for those places where the Lord resides-that is, a temple or a holy place like Vṛndāvana. These are all called anubhāva, subordinate signs of ecstatic emotion. They are visible in a person in whose heart the seed of love of God has begun to fructify.'

Madhya 23.20: "If love for Kṛṣṇa in a seedling state has fructified in one's heart, one is not agitated by material things.

Madhya 23.21: " 'O brāhmaṇas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snakebird-or whatever magical thing the brāhmaṇa created-bite me at once. I only desire that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Viṣṇu.'

Madhya 23.22: "Not a moment should be lost. Every moment should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa or connected with Him.

Madhya 23.23: " 'With their words, they offer prayers to the Lord. With their minds, they always remember the Lord. With their bodies, they offer obeisances to the Lord. Despite all these activities, they are still not satisfied. This is the nature of pure devotees. Shedding tears from their eyes, they dedicate their whole lives to the Lord's service.'

Madhya 23.24: "In the material field, people are interested in material enjoyment, mystic power and sense gratification. However, these things do not appeal to the devotee at all.

Madhya 23.25: " 'King Bharata was very eager to attain the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is called uttama-śloka because poems and prayers are offered to Him for His favor. In his youth, King Bharata gave up his attractive wife and children, as well as his beloved friends and opulent kingdom, just as one gives up stool after passing it.'

Madhya 23.26: "Although a pure devotee's standard is above all, he still considers himself to be in the lowest stage of life.

Madhya 23.27: " 'Bharata Mahārāja always carried affection for Kṛṣṇa within his heart. Although Bharata Mahārāja was the crown jewel of kings, he was still wandering about and begging alms in the city of his enemies. He was even offering respects to caṇḍālas, low-class men who eat dogs.'

Madhya 23.28: "A fully surrendered devotee always hopes that Lord Kṛṣṇa will be kind to him. This hope is very firm in him.

Madhya 23.29: " 'O my Lord, I do not have any love for You, nor am I qualified for discharging devotional service by chanting and hearing. Nor do I possess the mystic power of a Vaiṣṇava, knowledge or pious activities. Nor do I belong to a very high-caste family. On the whole, I do not possess anything. Still, O beloved of the gopīs, because You bestow Your mercy on the most fallen, I have an unbreakable hope that is constantly in my heart. That hope is always giving me pain.'

Madhya 23.30: "This eagerness is chiefly characterized by an ardent desire to associate with the Lord.

Madhya 23.31: " 'O Kṛṣṇa, O flute player, the sweetness of Your early age is wonderful within these three worlds. You know My unsteadiness, and I know Yours. No one else knows about this. I want to see Your beautiful, attractive face somewhere in a solitary place, but how can this be accomplished?'

Madhya 23.32: "Due to having great relish for the holy name, one is inclined to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra constantly.

Madhya 23.33: " 'O Govinda, this youthful girl named Rādhikā is today constantly pouring forth tears like nectar falling from flowers. She is also singing Your holy name in a sweet voice.'

Madhya 23.34: "At this stage of bhāva, a devotee has awakened the tendency to chant and describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord. He has attachment for this process.

Madhya 23.35: " 'O my Lord, the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter than His body. The soft smile on His face, which is like the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still.'

Madhya 23.36: "A devotee absorbed in ecstatic emotion for Kṛṣṇa always resides in a place where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes were performed.

Madhya 23.37: " 'O Lord Puṇḍarīkākṣa, while chanting Your holy name with tears in my eyes, when shall I dance in ecstasy on the bank of the Yamunā?'

Madhya 23.38: "These are the symptoms of a person who has developed attraction [bhāva] for Kṛṣṇa. Now let me describe the symptoms of a person who is actually elevated to love of Kṛṣṇa. O Sanātana, please hear this from Me.

Madhya 23.39: "Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead.

Madhya 23.40: " 'Even a most learned scholar cannot understand the activities and symptoms of an exalted personality in whose heart love of Godhead has awakened.'

Madhya 23.41: " 'When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.'

Madhya 23.42: "Love of Godhead increases and is manifest as affection, counter-love, love, attachment, subattachment, ecstasy and sublime ecstasy.

Madhya 23.43: "This development is compared to sugarcane seeds, sugarcane plants, sugarcane juice, molasses, crude sugar, refined sugar, sugar candy and rock candy.

Madhya 23.44: "Just as the taste of sugar increases as it is gradually purified, one should understand that when love of Godhead increases from rati, which is compared to the beginning seed, its taste increases.

Madhya 23.45: "According to the candidate possessing these transcendental qualities [sneha, māna and so on], there are five transcendental mellows-neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental love and conjugal love.

Madhya 23.46: "These five transcendental mellows exist permanently. The devotee may be attracted to one of these mellows, and thus he becomes happy. Kṛṣṇa also becomes inclined toward such a devotee and comes under his control.

Madhya 23.47: "When the permanent ecstasies [neutrality, servitorship and so on] are mixed with other ingredients, devotional service in love of Godhead is transformed and becomes composed of transcendental mellows.

Madhya 23.48: "The permanent ecstasy becomes a more and more tasteful transcendental mellow through the mixture of special ecstasy, subordinate ecstasy, natural ecstasy and transitory ecstasy.

Madhya 23.49: "Yogurt mixed with sugar candy, black pepper and camphor is very palatable and tasty. Similarly, when permanent ecstasy mixes with other ecstatic symptoms, it becomes unprecedentedly tasty.

Madhya 23.50: "There are two kinds of particular ecstasies [vibhāva]. One is called the support, and the other is called the awakening. The vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute is an example of the awakening, and Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself is an example of the support.

Madhya 23.51: "The subordinate ecstasies are smiling, dancing and singing, as well as different manifestations in the body. The natural ecstasies, such as being stunned, are considered among the subordinate ecstasies [anubhāva].

Madhya 23.52: "There are other ingredients beginning with complete despondency and jubilation. Altogether there are thirty-three varieties, and when these combine, the mellow becomes very wonderful.

Madhya 23.53: "There are five transcendental mellows-neutrality, servitorship, friendship, paternal affection and conjugal love, which is also known as the mellow of sweetness. Conjugal love excels all others.

Madhya 23.54: "The position of neutrality increases up to the point where one can appreciate love of Godhead. The mellow of servitorship gradually increases to the point of spontaneous love of Godhead.

Madhya 23.55: "After the mellow of servitorship, there are the mellows of friendship and paternal love, which increase to subordinate spontaneous love. The greatness of the love found in friends like Subala extends to the standard of ecstatic love of Godhead.

Madhya 23.56: "There are two divisions of each of the five mellows-yoga [connection] and viyoga [separation]. Among the mellows of friendship and parental affection, there are many divisions of connection and separation.

Madhya 23.57: "Only in the conjugal mellow are there two ecstatic symptoms called rūḍha [advanced] and adhirūḍha [highly advanced]. The advanced ecstasy is found among the queens of Dvārakā, and the highly advanced ecstasies are found among the gopīs.

Madhya 23.58: "Highly advanced ecstasy is divided into two categories-mādana and mohana. Meeting together is called mādana, and separation is called mohana.

Madhya 23.59: "On the mādana platform there are kissing and many other symptoms, which are unlimited. In the mohana stage, there are two divisions-udghūrṇā [unsteadiness] and citra-jalpa [varieties of mad emotional talks].

Madhya 23.60: "Mad emotional talks include ten divisions, called prajalpa and other names. An example of this is the ten verses spoken by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī called 'song to the bumblebee.'

Madhya 23.61: "Udghūrṇā [unsteadiness] and vivaśa-ceṣṭā [boastful activities] are aspects of transcendental madness. In separation from Kṛṣṇa, one experiences the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa, and one thinks oneself to be Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.62: "In conjugal love [śṛṅgāra] there are two departments-meeting and separation. On the platform of meeting, there are unlimited varieties that are beyond description.

Madhya 23.63: "Vipralambha has four divisions-pūrva-rāga, māna, pravāsa, and prema-vaicittya.


Madhya 23.64: "Of the four kinds of separation, three [pūrva-rāga, pravāsa and māna] are celebrated in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs. In Dvārakā, among the queens, feelings of prema-vaicittya are very prominent.

Madhya 23.65: " 'My dear friend kurarī, it is now night, and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is sleeping. You yourself are not asleep or resting but are lamenting. Should I presume that you, like us, are affected by the smiling, liberal, playful glances of the lotus eyed Kṛṣṇa? If so, your heart is deeply pierced. Is that why you are showing these signs of sleepless lamentation?'

Madhya 23.66: "Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is the supreme hero in all dealings. Similarly, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost heroine in all dealings.

Madhya 23.67: " 'Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, and He is the crown jewel of all heroes. In Kṛṣṇa, all transcendental good qualities are permanently situated.'

Madhya 23.68: " 'The transcendental goddess Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the direct counterpart of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attraction to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.'

Madhya 23.69: "The transcendental qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa are unlimited. Out of these, sixty-four are considered prominent. The ears of the devotees are satisfied simply by hearing all these qualities one after the other.

Madhya 23.70: " 'Kṛṣṇa, the supreme hero, has the most beautiful transcendental body. This body possesses all good features. It is radiant and very pleasing to the eyes. His body is powerful, strong and youthful.

Madhya 23.71: " 'Kṛṣṇa is the linguist of all wonderful languages. He is a truthful and very pleasing speaker. He is expert in speaking, and He is a very wise, learned scholar and a genius.

Madhya 23.72: " 'Kṛṣṇa is very expert in artistic enjoyment. He is highly cunning, expert, grateful and firmly determined in His vows. He knows how to deal according to time, person and country, and He sees through the scriptures and authoritative books. He is very clean and self-controlled.

Madhya 23.73: " 'Lord Kṛṣṇa is steady, His senses are controlled, and He is forgiving, grave and calm. He is also equal to all. Moreover, He is magnanimous, religious, chivalrous and kind. He is always respectful to respectable people.

Madhya 23.74: " 'Kṛṣṇa is very simple and liberal, He is humble and bashful, and He is the protector of the surrendered soul. He is very happy, and He is always the well-wisher of His devotee. He is all-auspicious, and He is submissive to love.

Madhya 23.75: " 'Kṛṣṇa is very influential and famous, and He is the object of attachment for everyone. He is the shelter of the good and the virtuous. He is attractive to the minds of women, and He is worshiped by everyone. He is very, very rich.

Madhya 23.76: " 'Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, and He is always glorified as the Supreme Lord and controller. Thus all the previously mentioned transcendental qualities are in Him. The fifty qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead above mentioned are as deep as an ocean. In other words, they are difficult to fully comprehend.

Madhya 23.77: " 'These qualities are sometimes very minutely exhibited in living beings, but they are fully manifest in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.'

Madhya 23.78: " 'Apart from these fifty qualities, there are five other qualities found in the Supreme Personality of Godhead that are partially present in demigods like Śiva.

Madhya 23.79-81: " 'These qualities are (1) the Lord is always situated in His original position, (2) He is omniscient, (3) He is always fresh and youthful, (4) He is the concentrated form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, and (5) He is the possessor of all mystic perfection. There are another five qualities, which exist in the Vaikuṇṭha planets in Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of Lakṣmī. These qualities are also present in Kṛṣṇa, but they are not present in demigods like Lord Śiva or in other living entities. These are (1) inconceivable supreme power, (2) generating innumerable universes from the body, (3) being the original source of all incarnations, (4) bestowing salvation upon enemies killed, and (5) the ability to attract exalted persons who are satisfied in themselves. Although these qualities are present in Nārāyaṇa, the dominating Deity of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they are even more wonderfully present in Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.82-83: " 'Apart from these sixty transcendental qualities, Kṛṣṇa has an additional four transcendental qualities, which are not manifest even in the personality of Nārāyaṇa. These are: (1) Kṛṣṇa is like an ocean filled with waves of pastimes that evoke wonder within everyone in the three worlds. (2) In His activities of conjugal love, He is always surrounded by His dear devotees who possess unequaled love for Him. (3) He attracts the minds of all three worlds by the melodious vibration of His flute. (4) His personal beauty and opulence are beyond compare. No one is equal to Him, and no one is greater than Him. Thus the Personality of Godhead astonishes all living entities, both moving and nonmoving, within the three worlds. He is so beautiful that He is called Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.84-85: " 'Above Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa has four specific transcendental qualities-His wonderful pastimes, an abundance of wonderful associates who are very dear to Him [like the gopīs], His wonderful beauty and the wonderful vibration of His flute. Lord Kṛṣṇa is more exalted than ordinary living beings and demigods like Lord Śiva. He is even more exalted than His personal expansion Nārāyaṇa. In all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has sixty-four transcendental qualities in full.'

Madhya 23.86: "Similarly, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty-five qualities are principal. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is controlled by these transcendental qualities of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Madhya 23.87-91: " 'Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's twenty-five chief transcendental qualities are: (1) She is very sweet. (2) She is always freshly youthful. (3) Her eyes are restless. (4) She smiles brightly. (5) She has beautiful, auspicious lines. (6) She makes Kṛṣṇa happy with Her bodily aroma. (7) She is very expert in singing. (8) Her speech is charming. (9) She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly. (10) She is very humble and meek. (11) She is always full of mercy. (12) She is cunning. (13) She is expert in executing Her duties. (14) She is shy. (15) She is always respectful. (16) She is always calm. (17) She is always grave. (18) She is expert in enjoying life. (19) She is situated at the topmost level of ecstatic love. (20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula. (21) She is the most famous of submissive devotees. (22) She is very affectionate to elderly people. (23) She is very submissive to the love of Her friends. (24) She is the chief gopī. (25) She always keeps Kṛṣṇa under Her control. In short, She possesses unlimited transcendental qualities, just as Lord Kṛṣṇa does.'

Madhya 23.92: "The basis of all transcendental mellows is the hero and the heroine, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, are the best.

Madhya 23.93: "Just as Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī are the object and shelter of the mellow of conjugal love, so, in the mellow of servitorship, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, is the object, and servants like Citraka, Raktaka and Patraka are the shelter. Similarly, in the transcendental mellow of friendship, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the object, and friends like Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā and Subala are the shelter. In the transcendental mellow of paternal affection, Kṛṣṇa is the object, and mother Yaśodā and Mahārāja Nanda are the shelter.

Madhya 23.94: "Now hear how the mellows appear and how they are realized by the devotees on different transcendental platforms.

Madhya 23.95-98: " 'Those who are completely washed of all material contamination by pure devotional service, who are always satisfied and brightly enlightened in the heart, who are always attached to understanding the transcendental meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, who are always eager to associate with advanced devotees, whose happiness in the service of the lotus feet of Govinda is their very life, who always discharge the confidential activities of love-for such advanced devotees, who are by nature situated in bliss, the seed of love [rati] is expanded in the heart by previous and current reformatory processes. Thus the mixture of ecstatic ingredients becomes tasty and, being within the perception of the devotee, reaches the highest platform of wonder and deep bliss.'

Madhya 23.99: "The exchange between Kṛṣṇa and different devotees situated in different transcendental mellows is not to be experienced by nondevotees. Advanced devotees can understand and appreciate the different varieties of devotional service reciprocated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Madhya 23.100: " 'Nondevotees cannot understand the transcendental mellows experienced between the devotee and the Lord. In all respects, this is very difficult, but one who has dedicated everything to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa can taste the transcendental mellows.'

Madhya 23.101: "This brief description is an elaboration of the ultimate goal of life. Indeed, this is the fifth and ultimate goal, which is beyond the platform of liberation. It is called kṛṣṇa-prema-dhana, the treasure of love for Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.102: "Previously I empowered your brother Rūpa Gosvāmī to understand these mellows. I did this while instructing him at the Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa in Prayāga.

Madhya 23.103: "O Sanātana, you should broadcast the revealed scriptures on devotional service and excavate the lost places of pilgrimage in the district of Mathurā.

Madhya 23.104: "Establish devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī in Vṛndāvana. You should also compile bhakti scripture and preach the bhakti cult from Vṛndāvana."

Madhya 23.105: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Sanātana Gosvāmī about proper renunciation according to a particular situation, and the Lord forbade dry renunciation and speculative knowledge in all respects.

Madhya 23.106-107: " 'One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego, equal in both happiness and distress, always satisfied, forgiving and self-controlled, who is engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are dedicated to Me-he is very dear to Me.

Madhya 23.108: " 'He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is liberated from jubilation, anger, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.

Madhya 23.109: " 'A devotee who is not dependent on others but dependent solely on Me, who is clean inwardly and outwardly, who is expert, indifferent to material things, without cares, free from all pains, and who rejects all pious and impious activities, is very dear to Me.

Madhya 23.110: "One who neither rejoices nor hates, who neither laments nor desires, who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things and who is devoted to Me is very dear to Me.

Madhya 23.111-112: " 'One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always grave and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, and who is fixed in devotional service, is very dear to Me.

Madhya 23.113: " 'He who thus follows this imperishable religious principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with great faith and devotion, fully accepting Me as the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me.'

Madhya 23.114: " 'Are there no torn clothes lying on the common road? Do the trees, which exist for maintaining others, no longer give alms in charity? Do the rivers, being dried up, no longer supply water to the thirsty? Are the caves of the mountains now closed, or, above all, does the unconquerable Supreme Personality of Godhead not protect the fully surrendered souls? Why then should learned persons like devotees go to flatter those who are intoxicated by hard-earned wealth?' "

Madhya 23.115: Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about all the conclusive statements concerning devotional service, and the Lord very vividly explained all the confidential meanings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Madhya 23.116: In the revealed scripture Hari-vaṁśa, there is a description of Goloka Vṛndāvana, the planet where Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa eternally resides. This information was given by King Indra when he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and offered prayers after Kṛṣṇa had raised Govardhana Hill.

Madhya 23.117-118: Illusory stories opposed to the conclusions of Kṛṣṇa consciousness concern the destruction of the Yadu dynasty, Kṛṣṇa's disappearance, the story that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma arise from a black hair and a white hair of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and the story about the kidnapping of the queens. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī the proper conclusions of these stories.

Madhya 23.119: Sanātana Gosvāmī then humbly accepted his position as lower than a piece of straw, and, symbolically holding some straw in his mouth, he fell down, clasped the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and submitted the following petition.

Madhya 23.120: Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My dear Lord, I am a very lowborn person. Indeed, I am a servant to lowborn people; therefore I am very, very downtrodden. Nonetheless, You have taught me conclusions unknown even to Lord Brahmā.

Madhya 23.121: "The conclusions that You have told me are the ocean of the ambrosia of truth. My mind is unable to approach even a drop of that ocean.

Madhya 23.122: "If You want to make a lame man like me dance, kindly bestow Your transcendental blessings by keeping Your lotus feet on my head.

Madhya 23.123: "Now, will You please tell me, 'Let whatever I have instructed all be fully manifest unto you.' By benedicting me in this way, You will give me strength to describe all this."

Madhya 23.124: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then placed His hand on Sanātana Gosvāmī's head and benedicted him, saying, "Let all these instructions be manifest to you."

Madhya 23.125: Thus I have briefly described a discussion of the ultimate goal of life, love of Godhead. The mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot be described expansively.

Madhya 23.126: Whoever hears these instructions given to Sanātana Gosvāmī by the Lord comes very soon to realize love of God, Kṛṣṇa.

Madhya 23.127: Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.