Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 4: "The Creation of the Fourth Order" : SB 4.22: Prthu Maharaja's Meeting with the Four Kumaras : SB 4.22.15 : PURPORT : When saintly persons go from door to door to see those who are too much materially engaged, it is to be understood that they do not go to ask anything for their personal benefit. It is a fact that saintly persons go to materialists just to give real information of the auspicious. Maharaja Pṛthu was assured of this fact; therefore instead of wasting time by asking the Kumaras about their welfare, he preferred to inquire from them whether he could soon be relieved from the dangerous position of materialistic existence. This was not, however, a question personally for Pṛthu Maharaja. It was raised to teach the common man that whenever one meets a great saintly person, one should immediately surrender unto him and inquire about relief from the material pains of existence. Therefore Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, saṁsara-viṣanale, divanisi hiya jvale, judaite na kainu upaya: “we are always suffering from material pangs, and our hearts are burning, but we cannot find any way out of it.” The materialistic person can also be called a tapasvi, which means someone who is always suffering from material pains. One can get rid of all these material pains only when he takes shelter of the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This is also explained by Narottama dasa Thakura: golokera prema-dhana, harinama-sankirtana, rati na janmila kene taya. Narottama dasa Thakura regretted that he did not pursue his attraction for the transcendental vibration of the Hare Krishna mantra. The conclusion is that all persons in this material world are suffering from material pains, and if one wants to get rid of them, he must associate with saintly persons, pure devotees of the Lord, and chant the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. That is the only auspicious way for materialistic persons.
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 5: "The Creative Impetus" : SB 5.16: A Description of Jambudvipa : SB 5.16.20, SB 5.16.21, SB 5.16.20-21 : PURPORTSrila Narottama dasa Thakura prays:
ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhanu-suta-yuta,
karuṇa karaha ei-bara
narottama-dasa kaya, na ṭheliha ranga-paya,
toma vine ke ache amara
“O my Lord, O son of Nanda Maharaja, now You are standing before me with Your consort, the daughter of Vṛṣabhanu, Srimati Radharaṇi. Kindly accept me as the dust of Your lotus feet. please do not kick me away, for I have no other shelter.”
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 6: "Prescribed Duties for Mankind" : SB 6.7: Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati. : SB 6.7.21 : PURPORT : Lord Brahma recognized the brahminical qualifications of Bṛhaspati, who was the spiritual master of the demigods because of his awareness of the Supreme Brahman. Bṛhaspati was very much in control of his senses and mind, and therefore he was a most qualified brahmaṇa. Lord Brahma chastised the demigods for not properly respecting this brahmaṇa, who was their guru. Lord Brahma wanted to impress upon the demigods that one’s guru should not be disrespected under any circumstances. When Bṛhaspati entered the assembly of the demigods, they and their king, Indra, took him for granted. Since he came every day, they thought, they did not need to show him special respect. As it is said, familiarity breeds contempt. Being very much displeased, Bṛhaspati immediately left Indra’s palace. Thus all the demigods, headed by Indra, became offenders at the lotus feet of Bṛhaspati, and Lord Brahma, being aware of this, condemned their neglect. In a song we sing every day, Narottama dasa Thakura says, cakṣu-dana dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei: the guru gives spiritual insight to the disciple, and therefore the guru should be considered his master, life after life. Under no circumstances should the guru be disrespected, but the demigods, being puffed up by their material possessions, were disrespectful to their guru. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.17.27) advises, acaryaṁ maṁ vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit/ na martya-buddhyasūyeta: the acarya should always be offered respectful obeisances; one should never envy the acarya, considering him an ordinary human being.
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 7: "The Science of God" : SB 7.15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings : SB 7.15.45 : PURPORT : One cannot attain the goal of life without the mercy of Balarama. Sri Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, nitaiyera karuṇa habe, vraje radha-krishna pabe: when one receives the mercy of Balarama, Nityananda, one can attain the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna very easily.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 1: The Spiritual Masters : Adi 1.46 : PURPORT : The real Vedic philosophy is acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which establishes everything to be simultaneously one with and different from the Personality of Godhead. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami confirms that this is the real position of a bona fide spiritual master and says that one should always think of the spiritual master in terms of his intimate relationship with Mukunda (Sri Krishna). Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his Bhakti-sandarbha (213), has clearly defined that a pure devotee's observation of the spiritual master and Lord Siva as one with the Personality of Godhead exists in terms of their being very dear to the Lord, not identical with Him in all respects. Following in the footsteps of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami, later acaryas like Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura have confirmed the same truths. In his prayers to the spiritual master, Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura confirms that all the revealed scriptures accept the spiritual master to be identical with the Personality of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant of the Lord. Gaudiya Vaishnavas therefore worship Srila Gurudeva (the spiritual master) in the light of his being the servitor of the Personality of Godhead. In all the ancient scriptures of devotional service and in the more recent songs of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and other unalloyed Vaishnavas, the spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Srimati Radharaṇi or a manifested representation of Srila Nityananda Prabhu.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 4: The Confidential Reasons for Lord Chaitanya's Appearance : Adi 4.34 : PURPORT : A class of so-called devotees known as sahajiyas try to imitate the Lord's pastimes, although they have no understanding of the amorous love in His expansions of pleasure potency. Their superficial imitation can create havoc on the path for the advancement of one's spiritual relationship with the Lord. Material sexual indulgence can never be equated with spiritual love, which is in unadulterated goodness. The activities of the sahajiyas simply lower one deeper into the material contamination of the senses and mind. Krishna's transcendental pastimes display eternal servitorship to Adhokṣaja, the Supreme Lord, who is beyond all conception through material senses.
Materialistic conditioned souls do not understand the transcendental exchanges of love, but they like to indulge in sense gratification in the name of devotional service. The activities of the Supreme Lord can never be understood by irresponsible persons who think the pastimes of Radha and Krishna to be ordinary affairs. The rasa dance is arranged by Krishna's internal potency yogamaya, and it is beyond the grasp of the materially affected person. Trying to throw mud into transcendence with their perversity, the sahajiyas misinterpret the sayings tat-paratvena nirmalam and tat-paro bhavet. By misinterpreting tadrsiḥ kridaḥ, they want to indulge in sex while pretending to imitate Lord Krishna. But one must actually understand the imports of the words through the intelligence of the authorized gosvamis. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, in his prayers to the Gosvamis, has explained his inability to understand such spiritual affairs.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Chaitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.74 : PURPORT :The principles of the parampara system were strictly honored in previous ages-Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga and Dvapara-yuga-but in the present age, Kali-yuga, people neglect the importance of this system of srauta-parampara, or receiving knowledge by disciplic succession. In this age, people are prepared to argue that they can understand that which is beyond their limited knowledge and perception through so-called scientific observations and experiments, not knowing that actual truth comes down to man from authorities. This argumentative attitude is against the Vedic principles, and it is very difficult for one who adopts it to understand that the holy name of Krishna is as good as Krishna Himself. Since Krishna and His holy name are identical, the holy name is eternally pure and beyond material contamination. It is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a transcendental vibration.
The holy name is completely different from material sound, as confirmed by Narottama dasa Thakura: golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana. The transcendental vibration of hari-nama-sankirtana is imported from the spiritual world. Thus although materialists who are addicted to experimental knowledge and the so-called "scientific method" cannot place their faith in the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, it is a fact that simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra offenselessly one can be freed from all subtle and gross material conditions. The spiritual world is called Vaikuṇṭha, which means "without anxiety." In the material world everything is full of anxiety (kuṇṭha), whereas in the spiritual world (Vaikuṇṭha) everything is free from anxiety. Therefore those who are afflicted by a combination of anxieties cannot understand the Hare Krishna mantra, which is free from all anxiety. In the present age the vibration of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the only process that is in a transcendental position, beyond material contamination. Since the holy name can deliver a conditioned soul, it is explained here to be sarva-mantra-sara, the essence of all Vedic hymns.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Chaitanya Tree : Adi 10.78-79 : PURPORT : Cirañjiva and Sulocana were both residents of Srikhaṇda, where their descendants are still living. Of Cirañjiva's two sons, the elder, Ramacandra Kaviraja, was a disciple of Srinivasacarya and an intimate associate of Narottama dasa Thakura. The younger son was Govinda dasa Kaviraja, the famous Vaiṣṇava poet. Cirañjiva's wife was Sunanda, and his father-in-law was Damodara Sena Kaviraja. Cirañjiva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumaranagara. The Gaura-gaṇoddesa-dipika, verse 207, states that he was formerly Candrika in Vṛindavana.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Chaitanya Tree : Adi 10.85 : PURPORT : In the Gaura-gaṇoddesa-dipika, verse 195, it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-mañjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusūdana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vrindavana and took shelter of his uncles, Sri Rūpa and Sanatana. This is described in the Bhakti-ratnakara. As far as our information goes, Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-namamṛta-vyakaraṇa, (2) Sūtra-malika, (3) Dhatu-sangraha, (4) Krishnarca-dipika, (5) Gopala-virudavali, (6) Rasamṛta-seṣa, (7) Sri Madhava-mahotsava, (8) Sri Sankalpa-kalpavṛkṣa, (9) Bhavartha-sūcaka-campū, (10) Gopala-tapani-ṭika, (11) a commentary on the Brahma-saṁhita, (12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nilamaṇi, (14) a commentary on the Yogasara-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gayatri-mantra, as described in the Agni Puraṇa, (16) a description of the Lord's lotus feet derived from the Padma Puraṇa, (17) a description of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharaṇi, (18) Gopala-campū (in two parts) and (19-25) seven sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramatma-, Krishna-, Bhakti- and Priti-sandarbha.
After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrindavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaishnavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service. In Vrindavana he established the Radha-Damodara temple, where we had the opportunity to live and retire until the age of sixty-five, when we decided to come to the United States of America. When Jiva Gosvami was still present, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled his famous Chaitanya-charitamrita. Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami inspired Srinivasa Acharya, Narottama dasa Thakura and Duḥkhi Krishnadasa to preach Krishna consciousness in Bengal. Jiva Gosvami was informed that all the manuscripts that had been collected from Vrindavana and sent to Bengal for preaching purposes were plundered near Viṣṇupura, in Bengal, but later he received the information that the books had been recovered. Sri Jiva Gosvami awarded the designation Kaviraja to Ramacandra Sena, a disciple of Srinivasa Acharya's, and to Ramacandra's younger brother Govinda. While Jiva Gosvami was alive, Srimati Jahnavi-devi, the pleasure potency of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, went to Vrindavana with a few devotees. Jiva Gosvami was very kind to the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the Vaishnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrindavana he provided with a residence and prasada. His disciple Krishnadasa Adhikari listed all the books of the Gosvamis in his diary.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityananda : Adi 11.32 : PURPORT : The village of Mahesa Paṇdita, which is known as Palapada, is situated in the district of Nadia within a forest about one mile south of the Cakadaha railway station. The Ganges flows nearby. It is said that formerly Mahesa Paṇdita lived on the eastern side of Jiraṭ in the village known as Masipura or Yasipura, and when Masipura merged into the riverbed of the Ganges, the Deities there were brought to Palapada, wh ich is situated in the midst of various villages such as Beledanga, Berigrama, Sukhasagara, Candude and Manasapota. (There are about fourteen villages, and the entire neighborhood is known as Pañcanagara Paragaṇa.) It is mentioned that Mahesa Paṇdita joined the festival performed by Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Paṇihaṭi. Narottama dasa Thakura also joined in the festival, and Mahesa Paṇdita saw him on that occasion. In the temple of Mahesa Paṇdita there are Deities of Gaura-Nityananda, Sri Gopinatha, Sri Madana-mohana and Radha-Govinda, as well as a salagrama-sila.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityananda : Adi 11.51 : PURPORT : Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, the son of Khaṇdavasi Cirañjiva and Sunanda, was a disciple of Srinivasa Acharya and the most intimate friend of Narottama dasa Thakura, who prayed several times for his association. His youngest brother was Govinda Kaviraja. Srila Jiva Gosvami very much appreciated Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja's great devotion to Lord Krishna and therefore gave him the title Kaviraja. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, who was perpetually disinterested in family life, greatly assisted in the preaching work of Srinivasa Acharya and Narottama dasa Thakura. He resided at first in Srikhaṇda but later in the village of Kumara-nagara on the bank of the Ganges.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 12: The Expansions of Advaita Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita : Adi 12.88 : PURPORT The Gaura-gaṇoddesa-dipika, verse 183, mentions that Sivananda Chakravarti was formerly Lavanga-mañjari. The Sakha-nirṇaya, written by Yadunandana dasa, also names other branches of Gadadhara Paṇdita, as follows: (1) Madhava Acharya, (2) Gopala dasa, (3) Hṛdayananda, (4) Vallabha Bhaṭṭa (the Vallabha-sampradaya, or Puṣṭimarga-sampradaya, is very famous), (5) Madhu Paṇdita (this famous devotee lived near Khadadaha in the village known as Sanibona-grama, about two miles east of the Khadadaha station, and constructed the temple of Gopinathaji in Vrindavana), (6) Acyutananda, (7) Candrasekhara, (8) Vakresvara Paṇdita, (9) Damodara, (10) Bhagavan Acharya, (11) Ananta Acharyavarya, (12) Krishnadasa, (13) Paramananda Bhaṭṭacarya, (14) Bhavananda Gosvami, (15) Chaitanya dasa, (16) Lokanatha Bhaṭṭa (this devotee, who lived in the village of Talakhadi in the district of Yasohara and constructed the temple of Radhavinoda, was the spiritual master of Narottama dasa Thakura and a great friend of Bhūgarbha Gosvami), (17) Govinda Acharya, (18) Akrūra Thakura, (19) Sanketa Acharya, (20) Pratapaditya, (21) Kamalakanta Acharya, (22) Yadava Acharya and (23) Narayaṇa Padihari (a resident of Jagannatha Puri).
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 14: Lord Chaitanya's Childhood Pastimes : Adi 14.50 : PURPORT : yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah :
Our position of not allowing worship of the many hundreds of demigods is confirmed by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu even in His childhood. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung in this connection
anya devasraya nai, tomare kahinu bhai,
ei bhakti parama karaṇa
"To become a staunch, pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without deviation [ananya-bhak], one should not divert his attention to the worship of the demigods. Such control is a symptom of pure devotional service."
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 7: The Lord's Tour of South India : Madhya 7.130 : PURPORT : There are many sahajiyas who decry the activities of the six Gosvamis-Srila Rūpa, Sanatana, Raghunatha dasa, Bhaṭṭa Raghunatha, Jiva and Gopala Bhaṭṭa Gosvamis-who are the personal associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and who enlightened society by writing books on devotional service. Similarly, Narottama dasa Thakura and other great acaryas like Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya and others accepted many thousands of disciples to induce them to render devotional service. However, there is a class of sahajiyas who think that these activities are opposed to the principles of devotional service. Indeed, they consider such activities simply another phase of materialism. Thus opposing the principles of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they commit offenses at His lotus feet. They should better consider His instructions and, instead of seeking to be considered humble and meek, should refrain from criticizing the followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who engage in preaching. To protect His preachers, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given much clear advice in these verses of Sri Chaitanya-charitamṛta.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 11: The Beda-kirtana Pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 11.88 : PURPORT : Govinda Ghoṣa belonged to the kayastha dynasty of the Uttara-radhiya section, and he was known as Ghoṣa Thakura. Even to the present day there is a place named Agradvipa, near Katwa, where a fair takes place and is named after Ghoṣa Thakura. As far as Vasudeva Ghoṣa is concerned, he composed many nice songs about Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and these are all authorized Vaiṣṇava songs, like the songs of Narottama dasa Thakura, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Locana dasa Thakura, Govinda dasa Thakura and other great Vaishnavas. Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 11: The Beda-kirtana Pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 11.89 : PURPORT : iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa gira nikhilasv apy avasthasu jivan-muktah sa ucyate
A devotee is always thinking of how better to serve Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and how to broadcast His name, fame and qualities throughout the world. One who is nitya-siddha has no business other than broadcasting the glories of the Lord all over the world according to his ability. Such people are already associates of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, nitya-siddha kari' mane. One should not think that because Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was personally present five hundred years ago, only His associates were liberated. Rather, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says that anyone is a nitya-siddha if he acts on behalf of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by spreading the glories of the holy name of the Lord. We should respect those devotees preaching the glories of the Lord as nitya-siddha and should not consider them conditioned.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 18: Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Visit to Sri Vrindavana : Madhya 18.49 : PURPORT : Sri Lokanatha Gosvami was a personal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a great devotee of the Lord. He was a resident of a village named Talakhadi in the district of Yasohara in Bengal. Previously he lived in Kacnapada. His father's name was Padmanabha, and his only younger brother was Pragalbha. Following the orders of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Lokanatha went to Vrindavana to live. He established a temple named Gokulananda. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura selected Lokanatha dasa Gosvami to be his spiritual master, and he was his only disciple. Because Lokanatha dasa Gosvami did not want his name mentioned in Chaitanya-charitamrita, we do not often see it in this celebrated book. On the E.B.R. Railroad, the Yasohara station is located in Bangladesh. From the railway station one has to go by bus to the village of Sonakhali and from there to Khejura. From there one has to walk, or, during the rainy season, go by boat to the village of Talakhadi. In this village there are still descendants of Lokanatha Gosvami's younger brother.
Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 22: The Process of Devotional Service : Madhya 22.153 : PURPORT : An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in sastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Krishna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by sastric evidence. An advanced devotee has realized his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the logic and arguments of others. Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own way and commit sins by indulging in illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, if not meat-eating. Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles set down in the revealed scriptures.
Unless one follows the six Gosvamis-Sri Rūpa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhaṭṭa, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhaṭṭa and Raghunatha dasa-one cannot be a bona fide spontaneous lover of Krishna. In this connection, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: rūpa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas' understanding of the love affairs between Radha and Krishna is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. Their illicit connection and their imitation of the dress of Rūpa Gosvami as well as their avoidance of the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures will lead them to the lowest regions of hell. These imitative sahajiyas are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal to advanced devotees (paramahaṁsas). Debauchees and paramahaṁsas are not on the same level. Books : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse : Madhya 24.330 : PURPORT : samo damas tapah saucam ksantir arjavam eva ca jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam :
Unless one is qualified with all these attributes, he cannot be accepted as a brahmaṇa. It is not a question of simply taking birth in a brahmaṇa family. In this regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks that Narottama dasa Thakura and Syamananda Gosvami, although not born in brahmaṇa families, are accepted as bona fide spiritual masters because they were brahmaṇas by qualification. Personalities like Sri Ganga-narayaṇa, Ramakṛṣṇa and many others, who were actually born in brahmaṇa families, accepted Narottama dasa Thakura and Syamananda Gosvami as their spiritual masters.
Books : Teachings of Lord Chaitanya – 1968 Edition : TLC 31: The Supreme Perfection : Whatever position one may have, if he is fully conversant with the science of Krishna, Krishna consciousness, he can become a bona fide spiritual master, initiator or teacher of the science. In other words, one can become a bona fide spiritual master if he has sufficient knowledge of the science of Krishna, Krishna consciousness. The position does not depend on a particular position in society or on birth. This is the conclusion of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is in accordance with the Vedic injunctions. On the strength of this conclusion, Lord Chaitanya, previously known as Visvambhara, accepted a spiritual master, Īsvara Puri, who was a sannyasi. Similarly, Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Advaita Acharya also accepted another sannyasi as their spiritual master, Madhavendra Puri. This Madhavendra Puri is also known as Lakṣmipati Tirtha. Similarly, another great acarya, Sri Rasikananda, accepted Sri Syamananda as his spiritual master, although he was not born of a brahmaṇa family. So also Ganganarayaṇa Chakravarti accepted Narottama dasa Thakura as spiritual master. In ancient days there was even a hunter named Dharma, who became a spiritual master for many people. There are clear instructions in Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.11.32) stating that a person-be he brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya or sūdra-should be accepted by his personal qualifications and not by birth.
Lectures : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta Lectures : Madhya-lila: Lectures : Madhya 20: Lectures : Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Madhya-lila 20.105 — New York, July 11, 1976 : 760711CC.NY :
Srila Prabhupada: Lokanatha lokera jivana. Narottama dasa Thakura's guru's name was Lokanatha Gosvami. You have seen, those who have gone to Vrindavana. There is Lokanatha Gosvami's tomb.