Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 20.70
Clean Appearance in Mahāprabhu’s Community
“Candraśekhara then made Sanātana Gosvāmī look like a gentleman. He took him to bathe in the Ganges, and afterwards he brought him a new set of clothes.”
What the purport teaches
- Candraśekhara made Sanātana Gosvāmī look like a gentleman. He took him to bathe in the Ganges and afterwards brought him new clothes.
- The purport highlights the words bhadra karāñā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu disliked Sanātana Gosvāmī’s long hair, mustache and beard, and asked that he be shaved clean.
- Śrīla Prabhupāda states that anyone with long hair or a beard who wishes to join the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and live with its members must similarly shave clean. The followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu consider long hair objectionable.
Try this today
Write down the grooming standard the purport gives for those joining and living with the movement.
Ask yourself
How willing would you be to follow the appearance standards described here when living in this devotional community?
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.