Volume 7 - Prabhupada

Sri Caitanya-caritamrtaepisodes in detail. Upon this request, and with the permission and blessings of theMadana-mohana Deity of Vrndavana, he began compiling Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,which, due to its biographical excellence and thorough exposition of LordCaitanya's profound philosophy and teachings, is regarded as the most significantof biographical works on Sri Caitanya.He commenced work on the text while in his late nineties and in failing health,as he vividly describes in the text itself: "I have now become too old and disturbedin invalidity. While writing, my hands tremble. I cannot remember anything,nor can I see or hear properly. Still! write, and this is a great wonder." Thathe nevertheless completed, under such debilitating conditions, the greatest literarygem of medieval India is surely one of the wonders of literary history.This English translation and commentary is the work of His Divine Grace A. C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the world's most distinguished teacher of Indianreligious and philosophical thought. His commentary is based upon twoBengali commentaries, one by his teacher Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami,the eminent Vedic scholar who predicted, "The time will come when the peopleof the world will learn Bengali to read Sri Caitanya-caritamrta," and the other bySrila Bhaktisiddhanta's father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is himself a disciplicdescendant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he is the first scholar to executesystematic English translations of the major works of Sri Caitanya's followers. Hisconsummate Bengali and Sanskrit scholarship and intimate familiarity with theprecepts of Sri Krt:a Caitanya are a fitting combination that eminently qualifieshim to present this important classic to the English-speaking world. The ease andclarity with which he expounds upon difficult philosophical concepts lures even areader totally unfamiliar with Indian religious tradition into a genuine understandingand appreciation of this profound and monumental work.The entire text, with commentary, presented in seventeen lavishly illustratedvolumes by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, represents a contribution of major importanceto the intellectual, cultural and spiritual life of contemporary man.-The Publishersviii