Caitanya Mahaprabhu Padukas
Information – The original shoes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which He gave to His wife Sri Visnupriya Devi before taking sannyas, are encased inside this silver paduka.
That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. His mission is, especially to the Indians He says,
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)
Para-upakāra, just to do something good for others, for upakāra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says anyone who has taken birth in India, he should, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41), anyone who has taken birth in India, for every one of them, it is the duty. Janma sārthaka kari’: first of all make your life successful, janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra, then you begin the welfare activities for all others. The idea is that India is enriched with Vedic knowledge, and those who are born in India, they should take advantage of this facility, especially those who are in the higher, topmost ranks, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas. Especially the brāhmaṇas. Take this education perfectly well, make your life perfect, and distribute the knowledge all over the world. This is your duty. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
(760620 – Lecture BG 09.03 – Toronto)
He ordered that anyone who has taken his birth in India as a human form of life, he must take up this responsibility of preaching this saṅkīrtana movement all over the world to do the best service to the humanity. That is His order. To do the best service to the humanity. He was so much compassionate with the human society. So by His grace, His philosophy, His teachings are now being spread in the Western countries. And I have taken up the humble responsibility. Please help me. You will be happy. It is such a nice movement.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was also humanitarian. He’s not a religionist. He was not meant for preaching a particular cult to gather some followers. No. It is the need of the human society, and He wanted to preach all over the world. Because it was not possible at that time, in His time. He lived only for forty-eight years.
He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years, and He passed away in . . . Twenty-four years He was very busy all over India. Therefore He left His legacy to the Indians, any Indian, to take up this cause and preach this cult of saṅkīrtana movement all over the world.
So I shall request you to understand the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His movement.
(680108 – Lecture CC Madhya 06.254 – Los Angeles)
Some unscrupulous people say that Lord Caitanya met His wife also after taking sannyāsa and offered her His wooden slipper for worship, but the authentic sources give no information about such a meeting.
(SB introduction)