On 21st Feb 2026, HH Bhakti Chaitanya Swami Maharaja spoke on the topic of Vaishnava Etiquette at Iskcon Newtown Kolkata. Maharaja explained the topic with few examples from scriptures especially Chaitanya Charitramrta.
Below is what Maharaj said during the class.
1. Lord Chaitanya and Govinda – The Mood of Service 🙏
Lord Chaitanya had been having a big kirtan with many devotees. During the kirtan, he was spinning, and tears from his eyes were coming out to the point that everyone surrounding him was getting wet. He led an amazing kirtan. After the kirtan, Lord Chaitanya was transcendentally tired.
We might say how the Supreme Personality of Godhead can feel tired. But the Lord can feel tired. If He really wants to feel tired, He can feel even more tired. For example, we know that once Lord Krishna had a headache. When Lord Krishna has a headache, then He has the best headache.
Lord Chaitanya was tired, and he came to Gambhira. Like every day, Govinda came to massage his feet after lunch. This was Lord Chaitanya’s routine.
Govinda, Lord Chaitanya’s personal servant, was a disciple of Isvara Puri. So he was the godbrother of Lord Chaitanya, but Isvara Puri instructed Govinda to become the personal servant of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, Lord Chaitanya accepted him as a servant.
Rather than accepting service from a godbrother, we should render service.
Lord Chaitanya would doze off transcendentally, Govinda would stop the massage, and Govinda would go and eat the remnants of Lord Chaitanya.
But this time Lord Chaitanya was more tired, and what happened was that he lay down across the doorway of Gambhira. If Govinda had to go, he had to step over Lord Chaitanya.
As per Vaishnava etiquette, we do not step over anyone’s body.
We should not step over anything sacred.
Govinda said, “Could you please let me go through?” But the Lord said, “I do not have the strength to move.” Govinda asked repeatedly, and Lord Chaitanya repeatedly said, “I do not have the strength.”
Lord Chaitanya dozed off. Govinda put a wrapper over the Lord’s body and entered inside the room, and Govinda massaged the Lord’s legs, back, and so on, relieving the Lord of his fatigue.
Srila Prabhupada in his 70s would have massage sometimes twice a day. It helped him physically to function.
The Lord slept nicely for 45 minutes. When he woke up, he saw Govinda sitting. Lord Chaitanya was somewhat angry: “Why are you sitting so long? Why did you not take your meal?”
Govinda said, “You were blocking the door, so I could not go.” So Lord Chaitanya asked, “How did you get in there? Why don’t you go out the way you came in?” Govinda did not say anything but was thinking:
“I am willing to commit thousands of offenses to serve the Lord, but not the tiniest offense for myself.”
“These are some of the finer points of etiquette in devotional service. Only one who has received the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can understand these principles.” Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 10.100
Lord Chaitanya did not pursue it when Govinda did not say anything.
An important lesson in Krishna Consciousness is not to step over anything sacred.
It was the plan of the Lord to make us understand what to do and what not to do and to glorify the devotees.
2. Sanatana Goswami – Ornament of Vaishnava Etiquette 🌿
Sanatana Goswami was staying some distance away from Lord Chaitanya. Sometimes Lord Chaitanya would come to visit Sanatana Goswami and vice versa.
One day when Sanatana Goswami arrived, Lord Chaitanya noticed that Sanatana Goswami had blisters on the bottom of his feet. Lord Chaitanya asked what happened.
Sanatana Goswami explained that he came to visit, and there was a direct route that required walking in front of Lord Jagannath. But at that time Sanatana Goswami had sores on his body which were painful; maggots and insects would be there, and if they fell Sanatana Goswami would put them back.
Sanatana Goswami said if he walked in front of the temple, some people might get contaminated and may go to serve Lord Jagannath, which would be a great offense. So he chose to walk around. It seems that it was summer, and he was walking under the sun.
Sanatana Goswami accepted difficulty to avoid Vaishnava offense.
When Lord Chaitanya heard this, he was pleased. He said:
“Maintenance of the Vaishnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.”
By not observing Vaishnava etiquette, you lose respect in this world and the next world.
After saying this, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Sanatana Goswami and moisture from the sores smeared Lord Chaitanya’s body. Sanatana Goswami was distressed.
A little later Lord Chaitanya embraced him again, and the sores on Sanatana Goswami’s body disappeared.
In England, English people, particularly the higher classes, are very attached to doing the right thing. There are books about what to do and what not to do.
When Queen Victoria visited India once, there was a state dinner. All important people were there. At the end, everyone was given a finger bowl. But Queen Victoria was not familiar with it, so she drank it. Other people, seeing her, drank it too.
3. Essence of Bhagavad Gita – Pure Devotion 📖
A story when Lord Chaitanya was staying in Sri Rangam during the rainy season with Venkatta Bhatta and Gopala Bhatta.
Lord Chaitanya was staying in their house, a few hundred meters from the Ranganath temple. Lord Chaitanya would go to the temple many times. He noticed that there was a devotee looking at Bhagavad Gita. Lord Chaitanya noticed him every day.
Lord Chaitanya noticed that some locals would joke with him and make fun of him. Sometimes, while looking at the book, tears would come from the devotee’s eyes.
Lord Chaitanya went to speak with him. While reading verses he pronounced them incorrectly. Some found it amusing. The devotee did not care and continued reading the book.
While reading, his body was manifesting transcendental symptoms: the body trembled, and there were tears and perspiration.
Lord Chaitanya asked, “Why are you in transcendental ecstasy? Which part of the Bhagavad Gita gives you transcendental pleasure?”
The devotee said, “Sometimes I read properly, sometimes improperly. But my spiritual master asked me to read daily.”
Following the order of the spiritual master is real devotion.
Lord Chaitanya asked, “Which part stimulates you in the Bhagavad Gita?”
The devotee replied:
“When I see Lord Krishna as Arjuna’s chariot driver, I become overwhelmed with devotion.”
Even though others make jokes, I am not distracted.
Lord Chaitanya said:
“Although you may not be able to read the Bhagavad Gita properly, you have understood its essence.”
“You are the authority on the Bhagavad Gita.”
The devotee said, “You are the same Lord Krishna.” Somehow or other he got this realization too.
Lord Chaitanya taught him thoroughly and said, “Please don’t tell anyone that I am Lord Krishna.” For four months he was in the company of Lord Chaitanya.
Lord Krishna intervenes in the lives of His devotees.
Maybe you all would have had such experiences.
