Lord Caitanya

He is the only shelter for the forlorn, for the most fallen, and He is the only hope for those who are completely devoid of spiritual knowledge.

The Supremely Powerful Lord Krishna becomes manifest in five different potentialities. Although He is One without any second, still, for serving five different specific spiritual purposes, He is manifested in five. Such diversity is eternal and blissful, as opposed to the conception of montonous oneness. From the version of Vedic literature, we can understand that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, eternally exists with His diverse energies. Lord Chaitanya appeared with full diverse energies, and they are five in number; and, therefore, He is said to be Krishna with diverse energies, presented as Lord Chaitanya. (More...)

As there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, so it is in the Lord's appearance as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His four Associates, Nityananda Prabhu, Adwaita Prabhu, Gadadhara, and Srivas. Among these five diverse manifestations of the Supreme Lord as incarnation, expansion and energies there is no spiritual difference. They are five in One Absolute Truth. For relishing transcendental flavors in the Absolute Truth they are five diverse manifestations, and they are called the Form of a devotee, the identity of a devotee, and pure devotional service personified. (More...)

Out of these five diversities of the Absolute Truth, the Form of Lord Chaitanya is the Original Personality of Godhead, Krishna. The identity of Krishna as Lord Nityananda is as the manifestation of the first expansion of the Supreme Lord. And, similarly, Adwaita Prabhu is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. All these three belong to the category of Vishnu Tattwa, or the Supreme Absolute Truth. Srivas is the representation of a pure devotee, and Gadadhara is the representation of the internal energy of the Lord for advancement in the cause of pure devotion. Therefore Gadadhara and Srivas, although within the category of Vishnu, are diverse energies of the Supreme Lord. In other words, they are not different from the energetic, but, still, for relishing transcendental relationships, they are manifested diversely. The whole process of devotional service is transcendental reciprocation of the flavors of relationship between the worshipped and the worshipper. Without such a diverse exchange of transcendental flavors, devotional service has no meaning. (More...)

"Everyone is existing on My energy; still, I am not there." "I am not there" means the living entity has forgotten or cannot understand God, that he is within the God's energy, God's material power or energy. Still, he cannot understand. And another person, na ca mat-sthani bhūtani pasya me yogam, bhūta-bhrn na ca bhūta-sthaḥ [Bg 9.5]. Bhūta-bhrt, He is maintaining everyone. But that does not mean that He is one of them. He is also being maintained. That is mistake. This is explained in the Vedic literature, that nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko yo bahūnam vidadhati kaman [Katha Upanisad ]. (More...)

Sometimes one such illusioned living being foolishly approaches some so-called great personality, who has become expert in the fields of karma, jnana, or yoga, to get some kind of relief. However, because such men have no knowledge of the eternal spiritual identity beyond this temporary body, and are bereft of a relationship with God, their instructions do not give him ultimate satisfaction. We have practical experience of this in the modern world. At present, the major portion of the human energy has been expended on vicious works with the aim of achieving a higher grade of sense gratification. This we have done. We have also invented innumerable philosophies and so-called "paths" by which we are trying to enhance our human experience. Yet, people are wondering why there is so much unhappiness and disunity and they have created many different "isms" in an attempt to deal with the situation. Unfortunately all such "isms" have helped only to intensify and not to diminish the problems of life. The leaders of the world, being blind to the knowledge of the self, can only give symptomatic treatment and cannot understand the root cause of the dissatisfaction which plagues all of us. That was described by Ramananda Raya to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya asked Ramananda Raya: "Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?" Ramananda Raya replied, "Apart from separation from the devotees of Krsna I know of no other unbearable unhappiness." In the light of this statement, we can understand that the present dissatisfaction experienced on all levels of our present social structure is not due to the government, crime, politics, economics, men, women, etc. Neither will it be mitigated by artificial methods for the so-called improvement of our living conditions. The real fact is that as long as any civilization or society is bereft of the association of the most confidential servitor of the Supreme Lord, Sri Gurudeva, there can never be even a moment of true happiness for anyone. We therefore long for the day when the bona fide acarya, Srila Prabhupada, will be recognized and sought after by the present world leaders for the absolute guidance required in order to progress. According to science's law of thermodynamics, a complex system, if left to itself, tends towards chaos and disintegration. Similarly any world organization which neglects the absolute direction of Lord Sri Krsna, the Vedas and the bona fide spiritual master will ultimately destroy itself. Modern day philosophers, politicians, social workers and all other theoreticians must give up their limited empiric endeavors which will never turn back the rising tide of degradation, either individually or collectively, and surrender, at once, to the lotus feet of the Guru. The spiritual master brings with him the won ingredient which, when added, will make the human endeavor meaningful and ultimately successful. That ingredient is devotional service to the Supreme Lord Krsna. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this is explained: "The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self." In another place it is declared, "Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Lord must be considered dead although he is breathing." We therefore offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, whose glorious appearance in this dead world is giving all living beings new hope for life. All glories, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, the Supreme Personality of servitor Godhead, who is as worshipable as Lord Krsna Himself! In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 1.45) it is declared, "According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees." Millions of obeisances again and again to Srila Prabhupada, who is an ocean of compassion upon the fallen souls of the Western world. He is always situated in spiritual happiness, yet he also experiences unhappiness. He is unhappy to see the sufferings of others. Therefore, he is benedicting the entire world with his causeless mercy and delivering all living beings. (More...)

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Clearly Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krsna-varnam tvisa akrsnam. He is Krsna. Or krsnam varnayati, iti krsna-varnam. Srila Jiva Gosvami, the most authoritative acarya of our sampradaya, he has explained like this. Krsna-varnam means always chanting Hare Krsna. Krsnam varnayati, describing Krsna, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna." This is description of Krsna, addressing Krsna. So therefore krsna-varnam, or varnam means category, just like brahmana-varna, ksatriya-varna. So in that way krsna-varna means He is Krsna, in the category of Krsna. Either you take this meaning or that meaning, krsna-varnam. But Krsna is black, and He is tvisa, by the complexion, akrsna. Akrsna means not Krsna. Now, there are so many colors. So everything is akrsna. That color, all the colors are mixed together, it becomes black. Otherwise there are many different colors. So akrsna means different color, "not krsna," not black. So what is the actual? That we have to refer to sastra again, that Krsna, in how many categories of color He appears? That is stated in the Bhagavatam. When Krsna was born, then Gargamuni was calculating about His horoscope, and he said to Nanda Maharaja that "This your child..." Idanim krsnatam gataḥ. Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gataḥ [SB 10.8.13]: "Your child had formerly white color." White color... Sometimes some critics criticize us that "Krsna everywhere, He is black. Why in your temple white?" But it is said that sukla, suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gataḥ: "Your son had other colors also, white and red and yellow, and now He has assumed blackish color." (More...)

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, tvisa akrsnam. He is not blackish. Then He must be other form-sukla, rakta or pita. So He assumed the pita, yellowish color. Therefore tvisa akrsnam. Tvisa means by complexion. So krsna-varnam, krsnam varnayati, iti krsna-varnam, or krsna iti krsna-varnam, and tvisa, by complexion, akrsna, pita, idanim pita-varnam. Pita-varna gaura, golden avatara. And sahgopahgastra-parsadam: He is always surrounded by associates, specially by Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasadi. Sri Krsna Caitanya, He is Krsna, then Nityananda, then Advaita, then Gadadhara, then Srivasa, and many other devotees always followed. That is the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Wherever He went, many followers chanting Hare Krsna, plus these principal associates were with Him. Therefore sahgopahgastra-parsa... And these sahga upahga were His astra. Astra. Astra means weapon. (More...)

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Thus Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami discusses Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Sri Krsna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Lord Nityananda as Balarama, the first expansion of Krsna. Advaitacarya, another principal disciple of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, is accepted as an expansion of the Maha-Visnu. Thus Advaitacarya is also the Lord, or, more precisely, an expansion of the Lord. The word advaita means nondual, and his name is such because he is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. He is also called acarya, teacher, because he disseminated Krsna consciousness. In this way he is just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although Caitanya is Sri Krsna Himself, He appears as a devotee to teach people in general how to love Krsna. Similarly, Advaitacarya appeared just to distribute the knowledge of Krsna consciousness. Thus he is also the Lord incarnated as a devotee. Krsna is manifested in five different expansions, and He and all of His associates appear as devotees of the Supreme Lord in the form of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Nityananda, Advaitacarya, Gadadhara, Srivasa and others. In all cases, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the source of energy for all His devotees. Since this is the case, if we take shelter of Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the successful execution of Krsna consciousness, we are sure to make progress. One devotional song by Narottama dasa Thakura states: "My dear Lord Caitanya, please have mercy upon me. There is no one who is as merciful as You. My plea is most urgent because Your mission is to deliver fallen souls, and no one is more fallen than I. I beg priority." (More...)

Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher of life's prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Kṛṣṇa. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune.

In this way Lord Caitanya teaches the science of Krsna consciousness. That science is absolute. Dry mental speculators try to restrain themselves from material attachment, but it is generally found that the mind is too strong to be controlled and that it drags them down to sensual activities. A person in Krsna consciousness does not run this risk. One has to engage his mind and senses in Krsna conscious activities, and Lord Caitanya teaches one how to do this in practice. Before accepting sannyasa (the renounced order), Lord Caitanya was known as Visvambhara. The word visvambhara refers to one who maintains the entire universe and who leads all living entities. This maintainer and leader appeared as Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya to give humanity these sublime teachings. Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher of life's prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Krsna. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata and the Upanisads, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His sahkirtana movement. No previous qualification is necessary. Just by following His teachings, anyone can become a perfect human being. If one is fortunate enough to be attracted by His features, one is sure to be successful in one's life mission. In other words, those who are interested in attaining spiritual existence can be easily relieved from the clutches of maya by the grace of Lord Caitanya. These teachings presented in this book are nondifferent from the Lord. (More...)

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