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Thursday, January 11, 2001 3:32 PM

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - "Incarnation of the Modern Age"

 

 

> This is an article written by Indian Divine.

>

> ********************************************

>

> "Incarnation of the Modern Age"

>

>

> "Who was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?"

>

>

> Sri Chaitanya is the Kali-yuga avatara, and He descended for the purpose

of

> establishing the yuga dharma, which in this age is the chanting of Lord

> Krishna's names. He appeared in the guise of a devotee to perfectly show

how

> the process of devotion should be followed and applied. It is something

like

> a teacher drawing on the black board "A B C". We should not think the

> teacher is himself learning the alphabets, but he is doing it to show us

how

> to write properly.

>

> The inner purpose of Sri Chaitanya's incarnation was to experience the

> devotional love that Radharani has for Krishna. He wanted to experience

the

> process of bhakti from the side of the devotee.

>

> In other ages the Lord incarnates along with His weapons for destroying

the

> demons, but in Kali yuga He shows special mercy to the demons by

delivering

> them with nama-sankirtana. In the Kali-yuga there are practically only

> demons on this earth, so if the Lord were to kill the demons there would

be

> nobody left. Instead He chose to kill the demoniac tendency within the

heart

> of the demons by giving them Krishna bhakti.

>

> Sri Chaitanya is described in the following verse composed by Sri Rupa

> Goswami:

>

>

>

> namo maha-vadanyaya

> krishna-prema-pradaya te

> krishnaya krishna-caitanya-

> namne gaura-tvishe namah

>

>

>

> "I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya, who is the most

> merciful incarnation. He has appeared in a golden color for the purpose of

> freely distributing pure love of Krishna."

>

> In other incarnations, Lord Krishna would require the devotee to first

> surrender to Him: sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja. But in

> the incarnation as Sri Chaitanya, He would go to the non-devotees and

freely

> distribute krishna-prema to all. This is the unique blessing of this age

of

> Kali. Despite it being the most sinful age, the process of

self-realization

> is the simplest and most accessible to all classes of men.

>

> Lord Chaitanya's incarnation is mentioned and predicted in numerous

> scriptures. The following are some of the important references.

>

> In the Atharva Veda (Purusha-bodini Upanishad) it is said:

>

>

>

> saptame gaura-varna-vishnor ity anena sva-shaktya caikyam etya prante

pratar

> avatirya saha svaih sva-manum shikshayati

>

>

>

> "In the seventh manvantara, the Supreme Lord will, accompanied by His own

> associates, descend in a golden form. He will teach the chanting of His

own

> holy names."

>

> It is further stated in the Atharva Veda:

>

>

>

> ito 'ham krita-sannyaso 'vatarishyami sa-guno nirvedo nishkamo

bhu-girbanas

> tira-stho 'lakanandayah kalau catuh-sahasrabdhopari panca-sahasrabhyantare

> gaura-varno dirghangah sarva-lakshana-yukta ishvara-prarthito

nija-rasasvado

> bhakta-rupo mishrakhyo vidita-yogah syam

>

>

>

> "The Supreme Lord Himself says: When between four thousand and five

thousand

> years of Kali-yuga have passed, I will descend to the earth in a place by

> the Ganges' shore. I will be a tall, saintly brahmana devotee of the Lord,

> and have a golden complexion. I will be renounced and free from all

desire.

> I will accept the order of renunciation (sannyasa). I will be a devotee

> advanced in bhakti-yoga. I will chant the holy names of the Lord. I will

> taste the sweet mellows of My own devotional service. Only the great

> devotees will understand Me."

>

> In the Sama Veda the Lord states:

>

>

>

> tathaham krita-sannyaso bhu-girbano 'vatarisye tire 'lakanandayah punah

> punar ishvara-prarthitah sa-parivaro niralambo nirdhuteh

> kali-kalmasha-kavalita-janavalambanaya

>

>

>

> "To deliver the people devoured by the sins of Kali-yuga, I will,

> accompanied by My associates, descend to the earth in a place by the

Ganges

> shore. I will be a brahmana avadhuta sannyasi. Again and again I will

chant

> the holy names of the Lord."

>

> In the Krishna Upanishad it is stated:

>

>

>

> sa eva bhagavan yuge turiye 'pi brahma-kule jayamanah sarva upanishadah

> uddidirshuh sarvani dharma-shastrani vistarayishnuh sarvan api janan

> santarayishnuh sarvan api vaishnavan dharman vijrimbhayan sarvan api

> pashandan nicakhana

>

>

>

> "In the Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna will appear in a brahmana's family. He

will

> teach the message of the Upanishads and the dharma-shastras. He will

defeat

> the atheists and offenders and He will establish the truth of Vaishnava

> dharma."

>

> In the eleventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam the following verse is found:

>

>

>

> krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam

> sangopangastra-parshadam

> yajnaih sankirtana-prayair

> yajanti hi su-medhasah

>

>

>

> "In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting

to

> worship the incarnation of Godhead, who constantly sings the name of

> Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself.

He

> is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential

> companions."

>

> In the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is the following verse

describing

> the Lord's incarnations:

>

>

>

> channah kalau yad abhava tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam

>

>

>

> "Because in Kali-yuga You appear in a covered incarnation, you are

therefore

> known as Tri-yuga (one who appears in only three yugas)."

>

> The incarnation of Sri Chaitanya is a hidden incarnation because He

appears

> in the guise of His devotee. This covered incarnation is confirmed in both

> the Adi Purana and the Narada Purana in the following verse:

>

>

>

> aham eva dvija-shreshtho

> nityam pracchanna-vigrahah

> bhagavad-bhakta-rupena

> lokam rakshami sarvada

>

>

>

> "My true identity always concealed, I will assume the form of a brahmana

> devotee of the Lord. In this form I will deliver the worlds."

>

> In the Kurma Purana the following statement is found:

>

>

>

> kalina dahyamananam

> uddharaya tanu-bhritam

> janma prathama-sandhyayam

> bhavishyati dvi jalaye

>

>

>

> "To deliver the conditioned souls burning in the troubles of Kali-yuga, in

> the first sandhya of that age the Lord will take birth in a brahmana's

> home."

>

> In the Garuda Purana the Lord Himself states:

>

>

>

> kalina dahyamananam

> paritranaya tanu-bhritam

> janma prathama-sandhyayam

> karishyami dvi jatishu

>

>

>

> "To deliver the conditioned souls burning in the troubles of Kali-yuga, in

> the first sandhya of that age I will take birth among the brahmanas."

>

>

>

> aham purno bhavishyami

> yuga-sandhau visheshatah

> mayapure navadvipe

> bhavishyami shaci-sutah

>

>

>

> "In My original spiritual form, perfect and complete, I will become the

son

> of Shachi-devi in Navadvipa Mayapura at the begining of Kali-yuga.

>

> Sri Chaitanya was born in Mayapura, a subsection of the holy town of

> Navadvipa, to Shachi-devi in 1486 AD, aproximately 4,500 years after the

> beginning of the Kali-yuga.

>

> ELsewhere in the Garuda Purana it is said:

>

>

>

> kaleh prathama-sandhyayam

> lakshmi-kanto bhavishyati

> daru-brahma-samipa-sthah

> sannyasi gaura-vigrahah

>

>

>

> "In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga, the Lord will assume a golden form.

> First He will be the husband of Lakshmi, and then He will be a sannyasi

who

> stays near Lord Jagannatha at Puri."

>

> Sri Chaitanya first married His eternal consort Sri Lakshmi-priya Devi

> before taking sannyasa at the age of twenty-four. After taking sannyasa He

> left Navadvipa in Bengal, and resided in the holy city of Puri in Orissa.

> Lord Jagannatha, the presiding deity of Puri is known in the Puranas by

the

> name daru-brahma or "the Lord who is wood". This is because the Jagannatha

> deities in Puri are made from Neem wood.

>

> Also in the Garuda Purana:

>

>

>

> yo reme saha-ballavi ramayate vrindavane 'har-nisham

> yah kamsam ni jaghana kaurava-rane yah pandavanam sakha

> so 'yam vainava-danda-mandita-bhujah sannyasa-veshah svayam

>

> nihsandeham upagatah kshiti-tale caitanya-rupah prabhuh

>

>

>

> "The Supreme Lord who enjoyed pastimes with the gopis, who day and night

> filled the people of Vrindavana with happiness, who killed kamsa, and who

in

> the war between the Kauravas made friendship with the Pandavas, will come

> again to the earth. Of this there is no doubt. His arm will be decorated

> with a bamboo danda (stick), He will be a sannyasi and His name will be

> Chaitanya."

>

> The custom is that one begins carrying a bamboo rod (danda) after one

takes

> sannyasa. Sri Chaitanya was an eka-danda sannyasi, thus He carried a

single

> bamboo rod.

>

> In the Devi Purana we find the following statement:

>

>

>

> nama-siddhanta-sampatti

> prakashana-parayanah

> kvacit sri-krishna-chaitanya-

> nama loke bhavishyati

>

>

>

> "The Lord will again appear in this world. His name will be Sri Krishna

> Chaitanya and He will spread the chanting of the Lord's holy names.

>

> Sri Chaitanya perfectly illuminated the glories of the nama-siddhanta as

> predicted in this verse.

>

> In the Nrisimha Purana it is mentioned:

>

>

>

> satye daitya-kuladhi-nasha-samaye simhordhva-martyakritis

> tretayam dasa-kandharam paribhavan rameti namakritih

> gopalan paripalayan vraja-pure bharam haran dvapare

> gaurangah priya-kirtanah kali-yuge caitanya-nama prabhuh

>

>

>

> "The Supreme Lord, who in the Satya-yuga appeared as a half-man half-lion

to

> cure a terrible disease that had ravaged the daityas, and who in

Treta-yuga

> appeared as Rama, a person who defeated the ten-headed Ravana , and who in

> Dvapara-yuga removed the earth's burden and protected the gopa people of

> Vraja-pura, will appear again in the Kali-yuga. His form will be golden,

He

> will delight in chanting the Lord's holy names, and His name will be

> Chaitanya."

>

> In the Padma Purana we find the following statement from the Lord:

>

>

>

> kaleh prathama-sandhyayam

> gaurango 'ham mahi-tale

> bhagirathi-tate ramye

> bhavishyami shaci-sutah

>

>

>

> "In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga I will appear on the earth in a

beautiful

> place by the Gange's shore. I will be the son of Shachi-devi and My

> complexion will be golden."

>

> In the Narada Purana the Lord says:

>

>

>

> aham eva kalau vipra

> nityam pracchanna-vigrahah

> bhagavad-bhakta-rupena

> lokan rakshami sarvada

>

>

>

> "O brahmana, in the age of Kali I will appear disguised as a devotee of

the

> Lord and I will deliver all the worlds."

>

>

>

> divija bhuvi jayadhvam

> jayadhvam bhakta-rupinah

> kalau sankirtanarambhe

> bhavishyami shaci-sutah

>

>

>

> "O demigods, in the Kali-yuga take birth as devotees on the earth. I will

> appear as the son of Shachi in Kali-yuga to start the sankirtana

movement."

>

> Nama-sankirtana, or the chanting of the Lord's names is the yuga dharma

for

> the age of Kali. Establishing this was Sri Chaitanya's primary purpose for

> incarnating.

>

> In the Bhavishya Purana we find:

>

>

>

> anandashru-kala-roma-

> harsha-purnam tapo-dhana

> sarve mam eva drakshyanti

> kalau sannyasa-rupinam

>

>

>

> "O sage whose wealth is austerity, in the Kali-yuga everyone will see My

> form as a sannyasi, a form filled with tears of bliss and bodily hairs

> standing erect in ecstacy."

>

> Sri Chaitanya would always display such symptoms of pure love of Krishna.

> When chanting the names of the Lord tears would flow from His eyes, and

the

> hair on His body would stand erect. In his life Sri Chaitanya personally

> only composed eight verses known as Shikshashtakam. In the sixth verse He

> states:

>

>

>

> nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya

> vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira

> pulakair nicitam vapuh kada

> tava nama-grahane bhavishyati

>

>

>

> "O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing

> constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and

> when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your

name?"

>

> Then in the seventh verse He says:

>

>

>

> yugayitam nimeshena

> cakshusha pravrishayitam

> shunyayitam jagat sarvam

> govinda-virahena me

>

>

>

> "O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like

> many years. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torents of rain, and I am

> feeling all vacant in the world in your absence."

>

> These emotional symptoms of devotion were constantly being displayed by

Sri

> Chaitanya.

>

> In the Matsya Purana the following statement is made by the Lord:

>

>

>

> mundo gaurah su-dirghangas

> tri-srotas-tira-sambhavah

> dayaluh kirtana-grahi

> bhavishyami kalau yuge

>

>

>

> "In the Kali-yuga I will take birth in a place where three rivers meet. I

> will be golden color and tall. I will have a shaven head. I will be very

> merciful, and I will eagerly chant the holy names."

>

> The place where three rivers meet is Navadvipa. It is the custom that

> eka-danda sannyasis completely shave their head when they take sannyasa,

and

> Sri Chaitanya followed this principle.

>

> This same verse is also found in the Vayu Purana with just two words

> appearing differently. The Vayu Purana verse mentions the Ganges river

> instead of 'three rivers'.

>

> In the Vamana Purana the Lord says:

>

>

>

> kali-ghora-tamas-channat

> sarvan acara-var jitan

> shaci-garbhe ca sambhuya

> tarayishyami narada

>

>

>

> "O Narada, taking birth in Shachi-devi's womb, I will deliver the sinful

> people from the terrible darkness of Kali-yuga."

>

> In the Vayu Purana the Lord states:

>

>

>

> paurnamasyam phalgunasya

> phalguni-riksha-yogatah

> bhavishye gaura-rupena

> shaci-garbhe purandarat

>

>

>

> "In the month of Phalguna, when the star phalguni is conjoined with the

full

> moon, I will appear in a golden form begotten by Purandara in

Shachi-devi's

> womb."

>

> Sri Chaitanya's father was known by the names Purandara Mishra and

> Jagannatha Mishra. Sri Chaitanya was born on the full moon day of the

month

> of Phalguna.

>

>

>

> svarnadi-tiram asthaya

> navadvipe janashraye

> tatra dvi ja-kulam prapto

> bhavishyami janalaye

>

>

>

> "I will take birth in a brahmana family in the city of Navadvipa, by the

> Ganges shore."

>

>

>

> bhakti-yoga-pradanaya

> lokasyanugrahaya ca

> sannyasa-rupam asthaya

> krishna-chaitanya-nama-dhrik

>

>

>

> "In order to show mercy to the people and engage them in devotional

service,

> I will accept sannyasa. Then My name will be Sri Krishna Chaitanya."

>

> In the Ananta Samhita we find:

>

>

>

> svarnadi-tiram ashritya

> navadvipe dvijalaye

> sampradatum bhakti-yogam

> laksyanugrahaya ca

>

>

>

> "To show mercy to the people and give them devotional service, the Supreme

> Personality of Godhead will appear in a brahmana's home in Navadvipa by

the

> Gange's shore."

>

> Then the Lord states:

>

>

>

> avatirno bhavishyami

> kalau nija-ganaih saha

> shaci-garbhe navadvipe

> svardhuni-parivarite

>

>

>

> "In Kali-yuga I will descend to the earth with My associates. In

Navadvipa,

> which is surrounded by the Ganges, I will take birth in Shachi-devi's

womb."

>

> In the Urdhvamnaya Tantra it is mentioned:

>

>

>

> kalau purandarat shacyam

> gaura-rupo vibhu smritah

>

>

>

> "In kali-yuga I will appear in a golden form as the son of Purandara and

> Shachi-devi."

>

> In the Krishna-yamala it is stated:

>

>

>

> aham purno bhavishyami

> yuga-sandhau visheshatah

> mayapure navadvipe

> varam ekam shaci-sutah

>

>

>

> "During the first sandhya of Kali-yuga I will descend, with all My powers

> and glories, to Mayapura in Navadvipa and become the son of Shachi-devi."

>

> In the Brahma-yamala:

>

>

> athavaham dhara-dhamni

> bhutva mad-bhakta-rupa-dhrik

> mayayam ca bhavishyami

> kalau sankirtanagame

>

>

>

> "I will appear on the earth in the garb of My devotee. In the Kali-yuga I

> will appear in Mayapura to start the sankirtana movement."

>

>

>

> kalau prathama-sandhyayam

> hari-nama-pradayakah

> bhavishyati navadvipe

> shaci-garbhe janardanah

>

>

>

> "In the first sandhya of kali-yuga, Lord Krishna will appear in Navadvipa,

> in Shachi-devi's womb. In that incarnation He will teach the chanting of

> Lord Hari's holy names."

>

> In the Ananta Samhita we find:

>

>

>

> gauri shri-radhika devi

> harih krishna prakirtitah

> ekatvac ca tayoh sakshad

> iti gaura-harim viduh

>

>

>

> "The golden Goddess Radha is known by the name Gauri and the dark Lord

> Krishna is known by the name Hari. Aware that both of them have combined,

> the wise call Him as Gaurahari."

>

>

>

> navadvipe tu tah sakhyo

> bhakta-rupa-dharah priye

> ekangam shri-gaura-harim

> sevante satatam muda

>

>

>

> "O beloved, assuming the forms of devotees the gopis will also take birth

in

> Navadvipa. With great happiness they will again and again serve Lord

> Gaurahari, who is Radha and krishna combined in a single form."

>

> In the Krishna-yamala we further find:

>

>

>

> iti matva kripa-sindhur

> amshena kripaya harih

> prasanno bhakta-rupena

> kalav avatarishyati

>

>

>

> "Thinking in this way, Lord Krishna, who is an ocean of mercy, mercifully

> decided to appear as a devotee in Kali-yuga."

>

>

>

> gaurango nada-gambhirah

> sva-namamrita-lalasah

> dayaluh kirtana-grahi

> bhavishyati shaci-sutah

>

>

>

> "His limbs will be golden and His voice deep. He will be very merciful. He

> will yearn to taste the nectar of His own holy name. He will be attached

to

> chanting His own holy name. He will be the son of Shachi-devi."

>

> In the Jaimini-bharata it is said:

>

>

>

> anyavatara bahavah

> sarve sadharana matah

> kalau krishnavataras tu

> gudhah sannyasa-vesha-dhrik

>

>

>

> "Lord Krishna descends to the world in many different forms. However in

> Kali-yuga, His incarnation is hidden. At that time He appears disguised as

a

> sannyasi."

>

> In the Yoga-vashishtha we find:

>

>

>

> kaleh prathama-sandhyayam

> gaurango 'sau mahi-tale

> bhagirathi-tate ramye

> bhavishyati sanatanah

>

>

>

> "In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga, on the earth, by the beautiful shore

of

> the Ganges, the Lord will appear in His eternal golden form."

>

> In the Skanda Purana:

>

>

>

> antah krishna bahir gaurah

> sangopangastra-parshadah

> shaci-garbhe samapnuyam

> maya-manusha-karma-krit

>

>

>

> "Outwardly of golden complexion, but inwardly Krishna, I will take My

birth

> in the womb of Shachi-devi. Accompanied by My associates, servants,

weapons,

> and confidential companions, I will assume the role of a human being."

>

> In the Kapila Tantra we find the following statements:

>

>

>

> kvacit sapi krishnam aha

> shrinu mad-vacanam priya

> bhavata ca sahaikatmyam

> icchami bhavitum prabho

>

>

>

> mama bhavanvitam rupam

> hridayahlada-karanam

> parasparanga-madhya-stham

> krida-kautuka-mangalam

>

>

>

> paraspara-svabhavadhyam

> rupam ekam pradarshaya

> shrutva tu preyasi-vakyam

> parama-priti-suchakam

>

>

>

> svecchayasid yatha purvam

> utsahena jagad-guruh

> premalingana-yogena

> hy acintya-shakti-yogatah

>

>

>

> radha-bhava-kanti-yuktam

> murtim ekam prakasayan

> svapne tu darshayam asa

> radhikayai svayam prabhuh

>

>

>

> "Then Sri Radha said to Lord Krishna: O beloved, please hear My words. I

> yearn to become one with you. Please show a form where You and I embrace

and

> Our two bodies become one, a form filled with the love I bear for You, a

> form filled with auspicious and blissful pastimes, a form that brings

bliss

> to the heart, a form that unites Our two natures.'

>

> "Hearing His beloved's words, which were filled with joy and love, Lord

> krishna passionately embraced Her. Then by the touch of His inconceivable

> potency Their two forms joined and became one, a single form endowed with

> Sri Radha's divine love and glorious splendour. In a dream Lord Krishna

> showed all this to Sri Radha."

>

> Other direct references are found in the Vishvasara Tantra, Kularnava

> Tantra, Brahma-rahasya, and Vishnu-yamala. Besides these there are

complete

> chapters about Sri Chaitanya's incarnation in the Vayu Purana and

Bhavishya

> Purana, which are too long to quote here. Also there is a text by the name

> Chaitanya Upanishad within the Atharva Veda, which explains the Lord's

> incarnation in Kali-yuga. I have not cited it here, as it was rediscovered

> in recent times, so most people will reject it's authenticity, or at least

> its value as evidence.

>

> Sri Chaitanya's incarnation was a hidden incarnation, thus He burried

> references to His appearance deep within the ocean of vedic texts. His

> desire was that His disguise would not be betrayed, so He made sure these

> references would remain hidden until after His incarnation was complete.

> These text's were always present, but by the inconceivable yoga-maya of

the

> Lord, He covered His true identity even from the Vedic scholars and

> panditas. Only the pure devotees understood His actual identity.

>

> In the Ananta Samhita we find this very relevant statement regarding Sri

> Chaitanya's incarnation:

>

>

>

> aprakashyam idam guhyam

> na prakashyam bahir mukhe

> bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam

> bhaktam bhakti-pradam svayam

>

>

>

> man-maya-mohitah kecin

> na jnasyanti bahir-mukhah

> jnasyanti mad-bhakti-yuktah

> sadhavo nyasino 'malah

>

>

>

> "Those who are bewildered by My illusory potency will not understand the

> great secret of My appearance in this world in My personal form, in My

form

> as the incarnation of a devotee, in My form bearing the name of a devotee,

> in My form as a devotee, and in My form as the giver of devotional

service.

> This secret is not to be revealed to them. Only the saintly, pure,

renounced

> devotees, diligently engaged in My devotional service, will be able to

> understand Me in these forms."

>