Why to read these Vaishnava Granthas?
Many devotees of Lord Caitanya like Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, Sri Locana dasa Thakura, Srila Krshadasa Kaviraja Goswami, Sri Kavikarnapūra, Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati. Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Śri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Śrt Jiva Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and in this latter age within two hundred years, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhasana, Set Syamananda Gesvami, Sri Narottama dasa Thakura, Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura and at last Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (our spiritual master) and many other great and renowned scholars and devotees of the Lord have prepared voluminous books and literatures on the life and precepts of the Lord. Such literatures are all based on the sastras like the Vedas, Puranas, Upanisads, Ramayana, Mahabharata and other histories and anthentic literatures approved by the recognized acāryas. They are unique in composition and unrivaled in presentation, and they are full of transcendental knowledge. Unfortunately the people of the world are still ignorant of them, but when these literatures, which are mostly in Sanskrit and Bengali, come to light the world and when they are presented before thinking people, then India's glory and the message of love will overflood this morbid world, which is vainly searching after peace and prosperity by various illusory methods not approved by the acaryas in the chain of disciplic succession." (From Srila Prabhupada's introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam)
A sincere devotee must, therefore, he prepared to hear the Vedic literature like the Upanisads, Vedanta and other literatures left by previous authorities or Goswamis for the benefit of his progress. Without hearing such literatures, one cannot make actual progress. And without hearing and following the instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and therefore a sort of disturbance in the path of devotional service. Unless, therefore, devotional service is established on the principles of śruti, smrti, purana or pañcaratra authorities, the make-show of devotional service should at once be rejected. An unauthorized devotee should never be recognized as a pure devotee. By assimilation of such messages from the Vedic literatures, one can see the all-pervading localized aspect of the Personality of Godhead within his own self constantly. This is called samadhi. (Purport to SB 1.2.12)
false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Goswami, following the previous acāryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas. False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions fail to achieve pure devotion for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees. Such false devotees are like impersonalists, who also consider devotional service no better than ordinary fruitive actions." (Purport to CC Adi 2.117)
Sanatana Gosvāmī also wrote a special commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam known as the Daśama-tippani, which is so excellent that by reading it one can understand very deeply the pastimes of Krishna in his exchanges of loving activities. Another famous book by Sanatana Gosvami is the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, which states the rules and regulations for all divisions of vaisnavas, namely, vaişnava householders, vaisnava brahmacaris, vaisnava vanaprasthas and vaişnava sannyäsis. This book was especially written, however, for vaişnava householders.... Srila Rupa Gosvämt is described as the bhakti-rasācārya, or one who knows the essence of devotional service. His famous book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu is the science of devotional service, and by reading this book one can understand the meaning of devotional service. Another of his famous books is the Ujjvala-nilamani. In this book he elaborately explains the loving affairs and transcendental activities of Lord Krishna and Radharani. (Purport to CC Adi 5.203)
