Inquiries Into the Absolute: Digest 145, The Divinity of Sri

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Digest 145, November 18th, 2005. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami

Maharaja

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The Divinity of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

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Question:

 

I'm having difficulty understanding the divinity of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Within Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11, there seems ample opportunity to reveal his

name directly as an avatar. The idea that people in the age Kali aren't capable

of recognizing him - ["Thus it is understood that it is difficult for common

people in Kali-yuga to recognize the incarnation of the Lord since in this age

the Lord's appearance is slightly concealed."] - seems to be more the reason

for specifically naming Lord Caitanya in the context of the questions put forth

in the Canto.

 

Leaving His divinity unnounced seems to go against the reason for Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's appearance in the first place. If we in the age of Kali aren't

capable of understanding, why hide the identity? It only seems to make things

confusing.

 

Answer:

 

The reason why Lord Caitanya's identity is concealed is stated within the

Bhagavatam itself: the incarnation for this age does not directly assert

Himself to be the Personality of Godhead. Prahlada Maharaja states this in

Bhagavatam (7.9.38): "According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the

principles of religion. In the age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself

as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga,

or the Lord who appears in three yugas."

 

It is by His own desire that the Lord chooses to appear as a 'channa-avatara'

or 'gupta-avatara' (hidden incarnation). Through one action the Lord

accomplishes many purposes; one of the external reasons for His maintaining His

identity discrete is understood thus: Lord Caitanya appears in the mood of a

devotee to teach by example the process of devotional service. During Lord

Caitanya's manifest pastimes, He confidentially revealed His identity to a few

fortunate devotees but forbade them from disclosing it to anyone, at least not

until after His manifest pastimes, because such disclosure would have been a

hindrance to His mood and to the unfolding of His pastimes. Similarly, there

are direct evidences both in the sruti and puranas giving details of the name

and activities of Lord Caitanya, which I will briefly mention further below,

but these references are also confidential for the same reason and only later

revealed by His followers such as Krsna das Kaviraja, Vrndavan das Thakur and

Bhaktivinode Thakura.

 

Another reason is that Kali yuga, being an age of hypocrisy, it would be a

welcome opportunity for unscrupulous people to misuse scriptural evidence to

pose as incarnations and cheat common men. Even in such a clearly defined

instance as Kalki avatar, who is supposed to appear only after some 400,000

years from now, we have already witnessed the rise of many so-called Kalki

avataras! Thus, quite contrary to the expectation that declaring His name in

the Bhagavatam would make it easier for us to identify him, it could have paved

way for so many pseudo-incarnations in the name of Caitanya, Kalki, etc to

bewilder and mislead the innocent public.

 

Question:

The Bhagavatam is particular and authoritative in naming names. Why leave out

the name of the most sublime and merciful form of Krishna? Wasn't his advent

for all conditioned souls (not just the followers of our sampradaya)? In

Bhagavad-Gita, the personality of Godhead is clearly named in various ways, and

the purpose is the same.

 

Answer:

While the Bhagavatam specifies the names of many incarnations, it also gives us

the method for ascertaining the innumerable incarnations: by their personal

characteristics (such as the various signs and marks on the body by which an

incarnation can be distinguished) and their uncommon and activities and

specific mission.

 

This is also explained in Lord Caitanya's teachings to Sanatana Gosvami.

 

It is described that Lord Caitanya exhibited all the features of a maha-purusha

and even more evident to us are His extra-ordinary activities -- distributing

love of God and establishing the congregational chanting of Hare Krishna

maha-mantra which is declared to be the yuga-dharma for this age in many

scriptures. Other details of His activities and features are also described in

SB 11.5.34 as well as in Vishnu-sahasranama, which is accepted by all

sampradayas (as quoted in SB 11.5.32).

 

Question:

 

When the particular verse often cited (11.5.32) is taken in context of the

whole Canto, and with the translation of akrsnam - meaning not black, taken

without the added golden (which seems to be an interpolation), I don't

understand how it necessarily translates to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Answer:

Although this particular verse does not mention the golden color, it is not an

arbitrary interpolation, but substantiated by references from other places,

presented here in context for our benefit.

 

Srila Prabhupada often translated in this way, thus giving us the benefit of

understanding each verse in the context of the entire scripture without having

to read and assimilate all of them and personally figure out the connection.

The golden or yellow complexion is mentioned in other places, even in

Bhagavatam. For example, during the name giving ceremony of Krishna, Gargamuni

mentions the color of incarnation in each of the other 3 ages - white, red, and

yellow. (Cf. SB 10.8.13)

 

Verses 11.5.22,24 describe the incarnations of white and red complexion in

satya and treta yugas respectively; thus we can understand the incarnation in

Kali yuga to have a yellow or golden complexion.

 

Question:

Five hundred years from now, with the advancement of his disciples, couldn't

one make the case that this verse refers to Srila Prabhupada?

 

Answer:

This particular case would be very difficult to make -- not unless one entirely

distorts and manipulates all of Prabhupada's teachings and direct statements,

discarding a major part of his writings, as well as the numerous testimonies of

his direct followers.

 

Srila Prabhupada unequivocally explained his position in relation to Lord

Caitanya as his humble servant, and squarely established Lord Caitanya as the

yuga-avatar as did his direct disciples. Apart from his extensive writings, his

life is well-recorded. We know how he severely chastised and even

excommunicated some disciples who made the mistake of claiming him to be God.

Although he was greatly empowered to fulfill the prophecy of Mahaprabhu in

bringing the chanting of His names to every town and village, he did not leave

any room for such interpretation where one can claim him to be the yuga

avatara.

 

Lord Caitanya's life is also similarly well-recorded by His close associates

who were of high character and many with high social standing as well. As

Krishna das Kaviraj Goswami appeals, we can apply our logic and reasoning power

to the activities, teachings and mercy of Lord Caitanya - and one will not fail

to be struck with wonder and moved to accept His divinity.

 

Question:

I understand that the scriptures we use as authoritative come primarily from

within our sampradaya (and some quotes from the Vedas and Upanishads that many

can't find or accept as conclusively authoritative). We accept them based on

our faith in the authors who are recognized as realized souls/eternal

associates of the Lord. Thus when Srila Jiva Gosvami explains that krsna-varnam

means Sri Krishna Caitanya, "Krsna-varnam and Krsna Caitanya are equivalent",

we accept it on faith. I'm curious about that as well.

 

Answer:

I assume that you are specifically referring to scriptural quotes in this

context of establishing Lord Caitanya's identity; otherwise all the important

siddhantas of our philosophy are based on standard Vedic texts accessible and

familiar to all sampradayas.

 

As mentioned above, there are puranic and Vedic references directly mentioning

the Name of Lord Caitanya, His mother Sacidevi, His advent in the town of

Navadvipa and His mission of spreading sankirtana. (Cf. Cc Adi 2.22) While some

of these texts and quotes may indeed not be so well-known (for the reason

discussed previously), there are others which are not difficult to verify. For

example, the Vayu Purana, which is often quoted from by Prabhupada in a number

of different contexts, says: kalau sankirtanarambhe bhavishyami saci sutah: "In

the age of Kali, when the sankirtana movement is inaugurated, Krishna will

descend as the divine son of Saci devi."

 

Scriptural evidence is indeed the only authority by which we can ascertain the

avataras; nonetheless we cannot do away with the need for guidance by expert

and self-realized devotees who alone are able to, in accordance with the

scriptural evidence, actually detect the avatara. This is applicable in all

ages and more so in the age of Kali. Faith in authority is essential in any

endeavor or discipline, not the least in acquiring transcendental knowledge.

But our faith is not blind, nor are the teachings of the saintly persons

whimsical - they are firmly established on the foundation of scripture. Thus

Jiva Goswami offers this explanation not arbitrarily but based on other

scriptural statements.

 

Even during the advent of Krishna, the common population could understand His

identity not without the guidance of the sages such as Vyasadev and

confidential associates of the Lord, while Duryodhana and his accomplices could

not recognize Him even after personally witnessing His potencies. In fact, we

also hear how even at that time Paundraka assumed the signs and name of

Vaasudeva and was even worshiped by some, despite numerous Vedic references to

Krishna's identity.

 

This brings us to the question of personal qualifications of the candidate who

wishes to verify and gain conviction in the Lord's manifestation. When

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was trying to understand the position of Mahaprabhu,

Gopinatha Acharya gave many scriptural evidences but finally said that one can

understand the Lord only by His mercy, and not otherwise. (See Madhya 6.80-104)

One may come to the right understanding after scholarly scrutinization or by

simple-minded acceptance of the right authority --- but in both cases personal

sincerity and the mercy of the Lord are indispensable factors. Thus, even

though the population is less intelligent in this age, those who sincerely seek

the Ultimate Truth will be able to confidently and conclusively know and

worship the Lord by His mercy - such souls are therefore called sumedhasa (very

intelligent).

 

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