Title: Sri Gauranga Lilamrita
Author: Translated by Dasaratha Suta dasa
Publisher: Bookwrights Press
Publication Date: 2018
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 98 (b&w illustrations)
"Sri Gauranga-Lilamrta: The Nectar Pastimes of the Golden Avatara" (also listed as Śrī Gaurāṅga-Līlāmṛta) is an English translation of a rare and beautiful Gaudiya Vaishnava classic manuscript originally composed by Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura (with additional text by his disciple Sri Krishna dasa). The work describes a full day in the transcendental daily pastimes (aṣṭakālīya-līlā) of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Gauranga), the Golden Avatara, in His ecstatic mood of love for Krishna.
This beautiful Gaudiya Vaishnava classic, Sri Gauranga Lilamrta, is an extremely rare manuscript. The work is a result of the combined efforts of Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur and his disciple, Sri Krishna Dasa. Srila Chakravartipada had composed the first eleven verses in Sanskrit, known as Sriman-Mahsprabhor-Ashta-Kaliya-Lila-Smarana-Mangala-Stotram, which are the seed verses or sutras that describe the eternal eightfold daily pastimes of the fair-complexioned Lord. His disciple, Srila Krishna Dasa, composed Bengali verses that expound on these eleven verses to give a fuller, more detailed picture of the Lord’s daily schedule.
This translation, by Dasaratha-Suta Dasa (ACBSP), brings this rare classic to the English audience in all its beauty–allowing us to experience a day in the life of the Golden Avatara.
The book is a poetic and devotional depiction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's eightfold daily activities (aṣṭakālīya-līlā), including:
His early morning rising, bathing, and ecstatic kirtan.
Interactions with associates like Svarupa Damodara, Advaita Acharya, and others.
Divine pastimes of love, separation, and union with Krishna (in the mood of Radharani).
The nectar (amrita) of His lilas, presented in a way that allows readers to meditate on and follow a day in the life of the Golden Avatara.
This book is appreciated in ISKCON circles for making a rare classic accessible, allowing devotees to meditate on Lord Caitanya's daily pastimes in a devotional way. It complements other works on Sri Caitanya (e.g., Caitanya-caritamrta or lilas compilations). It is an extremely rare manuscript, making the translation a significant contribution to English-speaking devotees. Dasaratha-Suta Dasa's rendition is praised for capturing its beauty and devotional essence, enabling readers to immerse in the ecstatic pastimes of Lord Caitanya. It's part of the Stories of Vaishnava Acharyas series in some listings, emphasizing the transcendental nature of the text.
