I got through the preface, prologue (a summary of Mahaprabhu's life, skillfully condensed by Bhaktivinod Thakur, in the most excellent unique English), and mission (the Siksastaka).
I am now reading the introduction.
Two things particularly stood out to me:
1) I just love the way Srila Prabhupada translates "Caitanya Caritamrta" as "the character of the living force in immortality".
An interesting view. I've always understood Caitanya Caritamrta to be something like "the sweet character of Caitanya". But translation new to me sheds light on a different perspective.
Caitanya - the living force
Carita - character
Amrta - immortal (a-mrta, where mrta, or mrtyu means death) or sweet/nectar/nectarean.
2) I am simply captivated by Srila Prabhupada's perfect sense of logic, and reasoning. It just goes to show, this entire process of Krsna Consciousness is a science, not merely sentiment. Its a balance between dry speculation (jnana, or knowledge without realization, feeling) and sentiment (feeling, or emotion, without knowledge/philosophy.) The perfect balance!
Here Srila Prabhupada defeats Mayavadis, and their imperfect reasoning. Krsna Consciousness is so absolute, so perfect! No one can argue with our stalwart Vaisnava acaryas without being smartly philosophically walloped.
Once again, I am left imbued with a profuse sense of adoration, to Krsna, to Gaudiya Vaisnavism and its perfect philosophy, to our most intelligent, true, and very devotional disciplic succession blessed by the Supreme Intelligence personified, Nimai Pandit, worshiped even by Goddess Sarasvati.
"Caitanya-caritamrta teaches that the spirit soul is immortal and that our activities in the spiritual world are also immortal. The Mayavadis, who hold to the view that the Absolute is impersonal and formless, contend that a realized soul has no need to talk. However, the Vaisnavas, who are devotees of Krsna, contend that when one reaches the stage of realization, he really begins to talk. "Previously we only talked of nonsense," the Vaisnava says. "Now let us begin our real talks, talks of Krsna." The Mayavadis are also fond of using the example of the water pot, maintaining that when a pot is not filled with water it makes a sound, but that when it is filled it makes no sound. But are we waterpots? How can we be compared to them? A good analogy utilizes as many similarities between two objects as possible. A water pot is not an active living force, but we are. Ever silent meditation may be adequate for a waterpot, but not for us. Indeed, when one has has realized he has so much to say about Krsna, twenty-four hours in a day is not sufficient. It is the fool who is celebrated as long as he does not speak, for when he breaks his silence his lack of knowledge is exposed. Caitanya-caritamrta shows that there are many wonderful things to discover by glorifying the Supreme."
- Teachings of Lord Caitanya, by Srila Prabhupada
Introduction
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