Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika: The Moonbeams of Love Divine (Hardcover)

Narottama dasa's 'Prema-bhakti-candrikā' and its discourses, are an overall guiding map to the science of Bhakti-yoga. It starts by explaining the Guru and disciple relationship, pointing out the right direction for the sadhaka and how to avoid the various pitfalls. He goes on to glorify the Vaisnava's starting with Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, emphasizing their instructions and guidance. Next is an explanation of unalloyed and one pointed devotional service. He emphasizes not neglecting lila-smarana-sadhana, pointing out devotional service should be performed with the mind, not just the body. Giving up bad association and activities unrelated to Krsna are discussed, along with the importance of associating with pure devotees and living in Vraja. The living entities have jumped into the deep, dark well of material existence out of a desire for mundane enjoyment. Here, they are moving as embodied souls in the sewage of gross sense enjoyment from one species to another. They can never escape without help from higher personalities. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura gave this Prema-bhakti-candrikā, a ray of moonlight, to help bestow prema-bhakti. He began the book by saying, “Come with me to the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, ‘Śrī Guru-caraṇa-padma.’ ”Those who come from all around the world to Navadvīpa-dhāma are very lucky. Nityānanda Prabhu is Śrī Guru here. All the Guru-varga, ācāryas, and Vaiṣṇavas are His expansions. If you take shelter of any Vaiṣṇava and he takes care of you, he will train you, make you very strong, and offer you to the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then everything will be very easy and sweet; you will be a family member of God. You will no longer identify yourself as a member of your blood family. You will not give a particular country as your address or say that you belong to this or that religion. This is not your identity! This is not even the identity of the body, senses, or five elements. The five elements are also given by God. 
God gives the body and senses to all living entities. Some souls are given bodies of elephants and some are given the bodies of ants, while some are given male or female human bodies. But now the jīvas misuse God’s given property—this is called sin, offense, or anartha. If you come to Guru-pada-padma, you will understand the meaning of prema-bhakti.Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura practically showed how this Prema-bhakti-candrikā is true by spreading the sankirtana movement. Jāhnava Mata thakuranī and mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇavas from all over came, along with Mahāprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and the other panca-tattva; all came to the sankīrtana in Kheturi Grāma. Kṛṣṇa came along with Śrīmatī Rādhārānī in seven forms as Rādhā-kānta, Rādhā-vallabha, Rādhā-Śyāmasundara, and so forth. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura started alone, but he had collected this prema-bhakti from his Gurudeva and taught us the ideal of guru-seva.