Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Antya 10.140-141
Accepting Devotees’ Invitations Regardless of Caste
“They would extend invitations to the Lord. Vāsudeva Datta, Gadādhara dāsa, Murāri Gupta, the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma and Khaṇḍa and many other devotees who were not brāhmaṇas by caste would purchase food offered to Lord Jagannātha and then extend invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
What the purport teaches
- Devotees who were not brāhmaṇas by caste purchased prasādam from the market where Lord Jagannātha’s food remnants were sold. They then invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
- Ācāryaratna, Ācāryanidhi and other brāhmaṇa devotees cooked at home. The Lord observed the etiquette then current in society by accepting only prasādam cooked by brāhmaṇas.
- On principle, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted invitations from His devotees regardless of whether they were brāhmaṇas by caste.
Try this today
Show appreciation today for one devotee’s service without reference to their social background.
Ask yourself
How can you respect social etiquette without overlooking someone’s devotion?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.