Incarnation for the Modern Age

Jahnava Nitai Das · April 10, 2001

The following article appeared in our newsletter Tattva Prakasha, Volume 1 Issue 4.

Since this topic has come up here again, I shall repost this to the forums. Those who study these references sincerely will understand the true position of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Others may prefer to blindly reject all references as false, without even verifying their authenticity.

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"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."

shvu · April 10, 2001

Ok...Let us take a look at the 'evidence'.

1. Purshabodhini Upanishad - There are 14 Vaishnava Upanishads among the principal 108, and this is not one of them. Hence, dismissed.

2. Athravana veda - Does not say where in the vast Atharvana, and hence dismissed.

3. Sama Veda - Same problem as above, and hence dismissed.

4. Krishna Upanishad - This verse is a fake one and is not found in the Krishna Upanishad. When challenged, the Gauidyas said it was from a lost chapter.

5. 11th canto of Bhagavatam - Already shown as incorrect elsewhere.

6. 7th canto - No chapter mentioned and hence dismissed.

Next follows a series of Puranic verses which I need not talk about. And some other Gaudiya literature. However no refutation is required as will be shown below.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>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. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The Gaudiyas themselves admit that these evidences were not around until the 16th century. Then by the removal of Yoga-maya, these verses magically appeared in all the Vedas and the Puranas. Unfortunately for the Gaudiyas, they appeared only in the Purana versions of West-Bengal.

I think the conclusion to be drawn in such a situation is fairly obvious. However if people choose to believe in such claims, it is their choice.

Cheers

Jahnava Nitai Das · April 10, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Unfortunately for the Gaudiyas, they appeared only in the Purana versions of West-Bengal.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually this is incorrect, but there is no point debating this with you, as you have little experience in studying various shakas of puranic texts. You standard rebuttle is always, "So there, your all wrong."

Don't mind, but I will pass.