Lord Chaitanya Tastes Prasadam.

This is a very nice description of the transcendental nature of Krishna prasadam taken from the translations and purports of the Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta Antya Lila 16th Chapter. Enjoy!

Lord Chaitanya honours Krishna Prasadam

VERSES 81-97

One day, when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannatha, the gatekeeper at Simha-dvara approached Him and offered respectful obeisances. The Lord asked him, "Where is Krishna, My life and soul? Please show Me Krishna." Saying this, He caught the doorkeeper's hand. The doorkeeper replied, "The son of Maharaja Nanda is here; please come along with me, and I shall show You." Lord Chaitanya said to the doorman, "You are My friend. Please show Me where the Lord of My heart is." After the Lord said this, they both went to the place known as Jagamohana, where everyone views Lord Jagannatha. "Just see!" the doorkeeper said. "Here is the best of the Personalities of Godhead. From here You may see the Lord to the full satisfaction of Your eyes." Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed behind the huge column called the Garuda-stambha and looked upon Lord Jagannatha, but as He looked He saw that Lord Jagannatha had become Lord Krishna, with His flute to His mouth.

In his book known as Gauranga-stava-kalpavrksa, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has described this incident very nicely. " 'My dear friend the doorkeeper, where is Krishna, the Lord of My heart? Kindly show Him to Me quickly.' With these words, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu addressed the doorkeeper like a madman. The doorkeeper grasped His hand and replied very hastily,'Come, see Your beloved!' May that Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu rise within my heart and thus make me mad also."

The offering of food known as gopala-vallabha-bhoga was then given to Lord Jagannatha, and arati was performed with the sound of the conch and the ringing of bells. When the arati finished, the prasada was taken out, and the servants of Lord Jagannatha came to offer some to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The servants of Lord Jagannatha first garlanded Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and then offered Him Lord Jagannatha's prasada. The prasada was so nice that its aroma alone, to say nothing of its taste, would drive the mind mad. The prasada was made of very valuable ingredients. Therefore the servant wanted to feed Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu a portion of it. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted a portion of the prasada. Govinda took the rest and bound it in the end of his wrapper. To Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the prasada tasted millions upon millions of times better than nectar, and thus He was fully satisfied. The hair all over His body stood on end, and incessant tears flowed from His eyes. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu considered, "Where has such a taste in this prasada come from? Certainly it is due to its having been touched by the nectar of Krishna's lips." Understanding this, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu felt an emotion of ecstatic love for Krishna, but upon seeing the servants of Lord Jagannatha, He restrained Himself. The Lord said again and again, "Only by great fortune may one come by a particle of the remnants of food offered to the Lord." The servants of the Jagannatha temple inquired, "What is the meaning of this?"

PURPORT BY SHRILA PRABHUPADA

The remnants of Krishna's food are mixed with His saliva. In the Mahabharata and the Skanda Purana it is stated:

maha-prasade govinde

nama-brahmani vaisnave

svalpa-punyavatam rajan

visvaso naiva jayate

"Persons who are not very highly elevated in pious activities cannot believe in the remnants of food [prasada] of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor in Govinda, the holy name of the Lord, nor in the Vaishnavas."

VERSES 98-109

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "These are remnants of food that Krishna has eaten and thus turned to nectar with His lips. It surpasses heavenly nectar, and even such demigods as Lord Brahma find it difficult to obtain."Remnants left by Krishna are called phela. Anyone who obtains even a small portion must be considered very fortunate. "One who is only ordinarily fortunate cannot obtain such mercy. Only persons who have the full mercy of Krishna can receive such remnants. "The word 'sukrti' refers to pious activities performed by the mercy of Krishna. One who is fortunate enough to obtain such mercy receives the remnants of the Lord's food and thus becomes glorious." After saying this, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to all the servants. After seeing the next offering of food to Lord Jagannatha, a function known as upala-bhoga, He returned to His own quarters. After finishing His noon duties, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ate His lunch, but He constantly remembered the remnants of Krsna's food. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed His external activities, but His mind was filled with ecstatic love. With great difficulty He tried to restrain His mind, but it would always be overwhelmed by very deep ecstasy.After finishing His evening duties, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sat down with His personal associates in a secluded place and discussed the pastimes of Krishna in great jubilation. Following the indications of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Govinda brought the prasada of Lord Jagannatha. The Lord sent some to Paramananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then gave shares of the prasada to Ramananda Raya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and all the other devotees. As they tasted the uncommon sweetness and fragrance of the prasada, everyone's mind was struck with wonder. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "These ingredients, such as sugar, camphor, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, butter, spices and licorice, are all material. Everyone has tasted these material substances before."

PURPORT BY SRILA PRABHUPADA

The word prakrta refers to things tasted for the sense gratification of the conditioned soul. Such things are limited by the material laws. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to make the point that material things have already been experienced by materially absorbed persons who are interested only in sense gratification.

VERSES 110-112

"However," the Lord continued, "in these ingredients there are extraordinary tastes and uncommon fragrances. Just taste them and see the difference in the experience. "Apart from the taste, even the fragrance pleases the mind and makes one forget any other sweetness besides its own."Therefore, it is to be understood that the spiritual nectar of Krishna's lips has touched these ordinary ingredients and transferred to them all their spiritual qualities.

PURPORT BY SHRILA PRABHUPADA

Since everyone had previously tasted these ingredients, why had they become extraordinary and spiritually tasteful? This was proof that food, prasada, becomes uncommonly flavorful and tasteful by touching Krishna's lips.

VERSES 113-116

"An uncommon, greatly enchanting fragrance and taste that makes one forget all other experiences are attributes of Krishna's lips. "This prasada has been made available only as a result of many pious activities. Now taste it with great faith and devotion." Loudly chanting the holy name of Hari, all of them tasted the prasada. As they tasted it, their minds became mad in the ecstasy of love.