Answer
A newcomer can begin by reading Teachings of Lord Chaitanya by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
For a detailed account of Lord Chaitanya's pastimes, one should study the Śrī Chaitanya-caritāmṛta, written by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami. Another valuable scripture is the Śrī Chaitanya-bhāgavata, which especially narrates His childhood and early pastimes.
Although Lord Chaitanya personally composed only eight verses, known as the Śikṣāṣṭakam, He instructed His disciples, the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, to systematically present the science of devotional service by extracting the essence of all the Vedic scriptures.
The Six Goswamis produced a vast body of devotional literature explaining Krishna consciousness and the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. By studying these books and hearing about His pastimes, one can gradually understand His mission and teachings.
Lord Chaitanya is accepted as the Yuga-avatāra, the incarnation for the present age of Kali, as foretold in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He appeared along with His eternal associates, while many demigods also took birth to participate in His pastimes.
His primary mission was to distribute the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord through saṅkīrtana. In this sense, He inaugurated the modern bhakti movement.
Before Lord Chaitanya's appearance, Vedantic discussions were largely dominated by the impersonal philosophy of Śaṅkarācārya, in which devotional service was often considered secondary.
In His youth, Lord Chaitanya Himself was known as Nimai Paṇḍita, a brilliant scholar who excelled in logic and scriptural debate. However, after His pilgrimage to Gaya, His life underwent a complete transformation. He abandoned pride in scholarship and became fully absorbed in chanting and dancing the holy names of Krishna.
People were astonished by this dramatic change. Instead of engaging in philosophical debates, He immersed Himself in ecstatic devotion and inspired countless others to do the same.
From a spiritual perspective, Lord Chaitanya shifted the emphasis in India from impersonal speculation to loving devotional service. Around the same period, many great saints across different regions of India, including Maharashtra and Karnataka, also inspired widespread devotional movements.
The influence of this bhakti renaissance continues to this day. Through the efforts of Srila Prabhupada, Lord Chaitanya's mission spread far beyond India and reached people throughout the world.
