The Advent of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu

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Hare Krishna,

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

Kindly read the pastimes of Advent Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu on his

appearnce day on 6th March 04. I know that I am in no position glorify the

pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All I have done is to copy

the summary from Caitanya Caritarmat from various chapters of Adi lila. Please

forgive me for any mistaks that may have been made while copying the same. It

is through your mercy that I have the courage to glorify the pastimes of Sri

Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Nitai Gaura Haribol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kindly use font type 'Balarama' or 'Palaka' or 'Sca Goudy, to read the text

below.

 

Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada

Nanda Gopal Dasa

 

The Advent of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu

 

 

 

The entire Ädi-lélä describes Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu's household life, and

similarly the Antya-lélä describes His life in the sannyäsa order. Within the

Lord's antya-lélä, the first six years of His sannyäsa life are called the

madhya-lélä. During this time, Caitanya Mahäprabhu toured southern India, went

to Våndävana, returned from Våndävana and preached the saìkértana movement.

 

 

 

A learned brähmaëa named Upendra Miçra, who resided in the district of

Çréhaööa, was the father of Jagannätha Miçra, who came to Navadvépa to study

under the direction of Nélämbara Cakravarté and then settled there after

marrying Nélämbara Cakravarté's daughter, Çacédevé. Çré Çacédevé gave birth to

eight children, all daughters, who died one after another immediately after

birth. After her ninth pregnancy she gave birth to a son, who was named

Viçvarüpa. Then, in 1407 Çaka Era (A.D. 1486), in the full-moon evening of the

month of Phälguna, with the constellation of Siàha (Leo) on the horizon, Lord

Caitanya Mahäprabhu appeared as the son of Çré Çacédevé and Jagannätha Miçra.

After hearing of the birth of Caitanya Mahäprabhu, learned scholars and

brähmaëas, bringing many gifts, came to see the newborn baby. Nélämbara

Cakravarté, who was a great astrologer, immediately prepared a horoscope, and

by astrological calculation he saw that the child was a great personality.

 

 

 

The External Reasons for the Appearance of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu:

 

 

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Çré Kåñëa, after displaying His

pastimes as Lord Kåñëa, thought it wise to make His advent in the form of a

devotee to explain personally the transcendental mellows of reciprocal service

and love exchanged between Himself and His servants, friends, parents and

fiancées. According to the Vedic literature, the foremost occupational duty for

humanity in this Age of Kali is näma-saìkértana, or congregational chanting of

the holy name of the Lord. The incarnation for this age especially preaches

this process, but only Kåñëa Himself can explain the confidential loving

service performed in the four principal varieties of loving affairs between the

Supreme Lord and His devotees. Lord Kåñëa therefore personally appeared, with

His plenary portions, as Lord Caitanya. It was for this purpose that Lord Kåñëa

appeared personally in Navadvépa in the form of Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

 

 

 

Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja has presented much authentic evidence from Çrémad-Bhägavatam

and other scriptures to substantiate the identity of Lord Caitanya with Çré

Kåñëa Himself. He has described bodily symptoms in Lord Caitanya that are

visible only in the person of the Supreme Lord, and he has proved that Lord

Caitanya appeared with His personal associates-Çré Nityänanda, Advaita,

Gadädhara, Çréväsa and other devotees-to preach the special significance of

chanting Hare Kåñëa. The appearance of Lord Caitanya is both significant and

confidential. He can be appreciated only by pure devotees and only through the

process of devotional service. The Lord tried to conceal His identity as the

Supreme Personality of Godhead by representing Himself as a devotee, but His

pure devotees could recognize Him by His special features. The Vedas and

Puräëas foretell the appearance of Lord Caitanya, but still He is sometimes

called, significantly, the concealed descent of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead.

 

 

 

Advaita Äcärya was a contemporary of Lord Caitanya's father. He felt sorry for

the condition of the world because even after Lord Kåñëa's appearance, no one

had interest in devotional service to Kåñëa. This forgetfulness was so

overwhelming that Advaita Prabhu was convinced that no one but Lord Kåñëa

Himself could enlighten people about devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

Therefore Advaita requested Lord Kåñëa to appear as Lord Caitanya. Offering

tulasé leaves and Ganges water, He cried for the Lord's appearance. The Lord,

being satisfied by His pure devotees, descends to satisfy them. As such, being

pleased by Advaita Äcärya, Lord Caitanya appeared.

 

 

 

The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu

 

 

Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has stressed that Lord Caitanya appeared for three

principal purposes of His own.

 

 

 

The first purpose was to relish the position of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, who is the

prime reciprocator of transcendental love of Çré Kåñëa. Lord Kåñëa is the

reservoir of transcendental loving transactions with Çrématé Rädhäräëé. The

subject of those loving transactions is the Lord Himself, and Rädhäräëé is the

object. Thus the subject, the Lord, wanted to relish the loving mellow in the

position of the object, Rädhäräëé.

 

 

 

The second reason for His appearance was to understand the transcendental

mellow of Himself. Lord Kåñëa is all sweetness. Rädhäräëé's attraction for

Kåñëa is sublime, and to experience that attraction and understand the

transcendental sweetness of Himself, He accepted the mentality of Rädhäräëé.

 

 

 

The third reason that Lord Caitanya appeared was to enjoy the bliss tasted by

Rädhäräëé. The Lord thought that undoubtedly Rädhäräëé enjoyed His company and

He enjoyed the company of Rädhäräëé, but the exchange of transcendental mellow

between the spiritual couple was more pleasing to Çrématé Rädhäräëé than to Çré

Kåñëa. Rädhäräëé felt more transcendental pleasure in the company of Kåñëa than

He could understand without taking Her position, but for Çré Kåñëa to enjoy in

the position of Çrématé Rädhäräëé was impossible because that position was

completely foreign to Him. Kåñëa is the transcendental male, and Rädhäräëé is

the transcendental female. Therefore, to know the transcendental pleasure of

loving Kåñëa, Lord Kåñëa Himself appeared as Lord Caitanya, accepting the

emotions and bodily luster of Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Lord Caitanya appeared in

order to fulfill these confidential desires, and also to preach the special

significance of chanting Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare

Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare and to answer the call of Advaita Prabhu.

These were secondary reasons.

 

 

Çré Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé was the principal figure among Lord Caitanya's

confidential devotees. The records of his diary have revealed these

confidential purposes of the Lord. These revelations have been confirmed by the

statements of Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé in his various prayers and poems. Krishna das

Kaviraja describes the difference between lust and love. The transactions of

Kåñëa and Rädhä are completely different from material lust. Therefore it is

very clearly distinguished between them.