Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 20.81
Respect Renunciation Without Imitating It
“Sanātana replied, “I shall practice the process of mādhukarī. Why should I accept full meals in the house of a brāhmaṇa?””
What the purport teaches
- Sanātana chose mādhukarī rather than full meals at one house. Like bees collecting honey from flower to flower, a mendicant takes a little food from each household, avoiding overeating and unnecessary trouble for householders.
- A person in the renounced order may beg but not cook, and his begging should not burden householders. Mādhukarī is strictly to be followed by a bābājī who has attained the paramahaṁsa stage.
- The purport warns against imitating Sanātana Gosvāmī to lead an idle life. It is better to accept food offered to Kṛṣṇa in the temple than to try to imitate Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī.
Try this today
At one meal today, take a modest portion and avoid overeating.
Ask yourself
How can I respect Sanātana Gosvāmī’s renunciation without trying to imitate his advanced practice?
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.