Chapter 4 - Gaura-tattva
The Gaurāṅga Principle
The Evidence From Śruti for Lord Caitanya
4.1
The Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is brilliantly effulgent and imperishable like molten gold.
He is the Supreme Controller. He controls the mode of goodness and through saṅkīrtana bestows spiritual intelligence on the living beings. In the guise of a sannyāsī, He is the source of spiritual purity and of liberation. He is therefore known as "Mahāprabhu".
(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.12)
4.2
When one realizes the golden form of Lord Gaurāṅga, who is the ultimate actor and the source of the Supreme Brahman, he attains the highest knowledge. He transcends both pious and impious activities, becomes free from worldly bondage, and enters the divine abode of the Lord.
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.3)
Evidence From Bhāgavatam for Lord Caitanya
4.3
In the age of Kalī, Kṛṣṇa appears in a golden form, chanting the two syllables kṛṣ-ṇa. He descends along with His weapons, limbs, śaktis, and eternal confidential associates. Those with intelligence worship Him with the saṅkīrtana yajña.
(Bhāg. 11.5.32)
4.4
The two syllables kṛṣ-ṇa are always in His mouth, or He always describes Kṛṣṇa with great pleasure. These are two meanings of the words "kṛṣṇa varṇa." Indeed, nothing but Kṛṣṇa issues from His mouth.
If someone tries to describe Him as blackish, the next adjective, tviṣākṛṣṇam, immediately restricts him. His complexion is certainly not blackish. Indeed, His not being blackish indicates a golden complexion.
(Cc. Ādi 3.54,55,57)
4.5
This boy, Kṛṣṇa, has 3 other colours: white; red, and yellow, as He appears in different ages. Now, in this Dvāpara-yuga, he has appeared in a transcendental blackish colour.
(Bhāg. 10.8.13)
4.6
In the Satya, Trētā, Dvāpara, and Kalī yugas, Kṛṣṇa accepts 4 different colours: white, red, black, and yellow respectively. These are the colours of the different incarnations in different millenniums.
(Cc. Madhya 20.330)
4.7
[Prahlāda said] O Kṛṣṇa, in this way You appear in various incarnations:
as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish, or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems.
In this way, according to the age, You protect the principles of religion, but, O Mahāprabhu, in the age of Kalī, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Because Your incarnation is hidden in the age of Kalī You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who manifests His supremacy in only three ages.
(Bhāg. 7.9.38)
Evidence From Mahābhārata for Śrī Caitanya
4.8
When Kṛṣṇa appears as Lord Gaurāṅga, in His early pastimes His complexion is golden (suvarṇa-varṇa), His limbs are the colour of molten white gold (hemāṅga), His body is extremely beautiful (varāṅgaś), and He is decorated with sandalwood pulp (candanāṅgadī).
Śrī Caitanya accepts sannyāsa (sannyāsa-kṛt), and shows equanimity (śama). He is peaceful (śānta). His mind is always fixed on Kṛṣṇa, and thus He is niṣṭhā, or fixed, in performing the great sacrifice of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.
He silences the non-devotees and impersonalists who are opposed to the service of the Lord, by promoting the cause of devotion. Thus He distributes real peace. He is therefore an abode of the highest spiritual peace and devotion.
(Mahābhārata, Dān-dharma ch.149)
Evidence of the Purāṇas for Lord Caitanya
4.9
[The Supreme Lord said to Vyāsadeva] O learned brāhmaṇa, sometimes I accepted the renounced order of life to induce the fallen people of the age of Kalī to accept devotional service to the Lord.
(Cc. Ādi 3.83)
4.10
O best of the brāhmaṇas. My disguised form is eternal.
In this way, with My own form hidden from ordinary sight I take the form of a devotee and appear among the people in general in order to establish and protect religious principles.
(Ādi Purāṇa)
The Version of the Gosvāmīs
4.11
I take shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, thinking of Himself. He is internally Kṛṣṇa blackish but externally, he appears in golden complexion.
In this age of Kalī, Kṛṣṇa appears as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, simultaneously manifesting His eternal associates, opulences, expansions, and incarnations. In this way, he preaches the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness by performing saṅkīrtana.
(Tattva-sandarbha 2)
Śrī Gaurāṅga is the Source of all Avatāras
4.12
[While sitting on the altar of Viṣṇu in the house of Śrīvāsa, Lord Caitanya said] Lying within the ocean of milk, My transcendental slumber broke, as I awoke to hear the loud cries of My devotees, thus I [Lord Viṣṇu] have come [as Lord Caitanya].
(Cb. Madhya 22.16)
4.13
That same Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the fountainhead of all avatāras is the son of the king of Vrāja. He has descended personally [as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu].
Therefore Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Absolute Truth.
To call Him Kṣīrodakaṣāyī Viṣṇu does not add to His glory, but such words from the lips of a sincere devotee cannot be false. All possibilities abide in Him because He is the primeval Lord.
All other incarnations are potentially situated in the original body of the primeval Lord. Thus according to one's opinion one may address Him as any one of the avatāras.
(Cc. Ādi 2.109-112)
Śrī Gaurāṅga is Unattainable by Worldly Knowledge
4.14
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Mahābhārata, the Purāṇas, and other Vedic literature all give evidence to prove that Lord Caitanya is the avatāra of Kṛṣṇa.
Also, one can directly see Lord Caitanya's manifest influence in His uncommon deeds and uncommon Kṛṣṇa conscious realization, but faithless unbelievers do not see what is clearly evident, just as owls do not see the rays of the sun.
(Cc. Ādi 3.84-86)
Lord Caitanya's 6-fold Nature
4.15
I advise all my Vaiṣṇava readers to read and hear with rapt attention this narration of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya as inculcated in the revealed scriptures.
Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys His pastimes by manifesting Himself as the spiritual masters (guru), His devotees (bhakta), His diverse energies (śakti), His incarnations (avatāras) and His full expansions (prakāśa).
(Cc. Ādi 1.31,32)
Śrī Gaurāṅga is the Supreme Truth
4.16
What the Upaniṣads describe as the impersonal absolute is but the effulgence of His (Śrī Caitanya's) body. The Lord who is known as the Super-soul is but His localized expansion.
He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself, full in six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, one without second. There is no truth superior to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
(Cc. Ādi 1.3)
Lord Caitanya is the Jagad-guru
4.17
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the jagad-guru, the spiritual master of the fourteen worlds. No other guru can compare with Him.
(Cc. Ādi 12.16)
Lord Gaurāṅga is the Best of all
4.18
Caitanya Mahāprabhu is lovelier than millions of cupids.
He is mellower than millions of moons, dearer than millions of mothers, kinder than millions of wish-fulfilling trees, deeper than millions of oceans, and sweeter than millions of nectarean drinks.
All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Lord, who displays millions of amazing sentiments of mādhurya-bhakti, the most exalted mellow of pure love of Godhead.
(Caitanya Candrāmṛta 101)
Gaurāṅga's Tattva, Nāma, Rūpa, and Līlā
4.19
His nature (tattva) is that He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. His name (nāma) is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. His form (rūpa) is golden. His quality (guṇa) is that He is the most magnanimous of all incarnations.
His pastime (līlā) is to distribute the highest love of Godhead Kṛṣṇa-prema.
I offer my obeisances unto that most generous Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
(Cc. Madhya 19.53)
Gaurāṅga Delivers All by Distributing Nāma
4.20
Caitanya Mahāprabhu inaugurated the saṅkīrtana movement. One who worships Him through saṅkīrtana is fortunate indeed. Such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others, who have but a poor fund of knowledge, must endure the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Of all sacrificial performances, the chanting of the Lord's holy name is the most sublime.
(Cc. Ādi 3.77,78)
Gaurāṅga is the Giver of Kṛṣṇa-prema
4.21
The flood of love of Godhead distributed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu swelled in all directions. Young men, old men, women, and children were all immersed in that inundation.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement begun by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will inundate the entire world and drown everyone, whether one be a gentleman, rogue, lame, invalid, or blind.
(Cc. Ādi 7.25,26)
4.22
In distributing love of Godhead, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates did not consider who was fit and who was unfit, nor where such distribution should or should not take place.
They made no such conditions. Rather, wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.
Although they plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead, ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity, for this wonderful storehouse is so complete that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.
(Cc. Ādi 7.23,24)
Who Cheat Themselves out of Love of God
4.23
The impersonalists, fruitive workers, false logicians, blasphemers, non-devotees, and lowest of the student community are very expert in avoiding the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot reach them.
(Cc. Ādi 7.29,30)
One can Know the Conclusion of Scripture by Śrī Gaurāṅga's Mercy
4.24
I offer my obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose mercy even an ignorant child can swim across the ocean of conclusive truth, which is filled with the crocodiles of various theories.
(Cc. Ādi 2.1)
4.25
[Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says] Anyone who has captured Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu within his heart becomes blissful by hearing all these transcendental conclusions.
These conclusions are like the newly grown twigs of a mango tree in that they are always pleasing to the devotees, who in this way resemble cuckoos.
The camel-like non-devotees, however, cannot enter into these topics, and therefore there is special jubilation within my heart.
(Cc. Ādi 4.233-235)
Lord Gaurāṅga's Preaching Pastimes
4.26
To vanquish the false pride of so-called sannyāsīs and learned scholars, He spread real religious principles, even through a śūdra.
Lord Caitanya preached about devotional service, ecstatic love, and the Absolute Truth by making Rāmānanda Rāya, a gṛhastha from a low family, the speaker. Then the Lord, an exalted brāhmaṇa sannyāsī, and Pradyumna Miśra, the purified brāhmaṇa, both heard from Rāmānanda Rāya.
The Lord exhibited the glories of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa through Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was born in a Muslim family. Similarly, He exhibited the essence of devotional service through Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was almost converted to Islam.
The Lord also fully exhibited the ecstatic love and transcendental pastimes of Vṛndāvana through Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Considering all this, who can understand the deep plans of Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
(Cc. Antya 5.84-87)
4.27
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, who formerly appeared in Vṛndāvana and who were millions of times more effulgent than the sun and moon, have arisen over the eastern horizon of Gauḍa-deśa, being compassionate on the fallen state of the world.
The appearance of Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda has surcharged the world with happiness.
As the sun and moon drive away darkness and reveal the nature of everything, these two brothers dissipate the darkness of the living beings ignorance and enlighten them with knowledge of the Absolute Truth.
By the grace of Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda, all darkness is removed and the truth is brought to light.
The sun and moon dissipate the darkness of the external world and thus reveal material reality, but these two brothers dissipate the darkness of the inner bg-sky core of the heart, and thus help one to meet the two kinds of Bhāgavatas.
(Cc. Ādi 1.85-89,95,97,98)
Śrī Gaurāṅga's Example and Precept
4.28
Caitanya Mahāprabhu chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in a loud voice. The holy name dances on His tongue as He counts His recitations with His effulgent hands. His eyes are large and His long arms, which bend when He performs His pastimes, reach down to His knees. When will he again be visible before me?
(Stava-mālā 5 Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Gaurāṅga's Principle and Ultimate Goals
4.29
Just as Kṛṣṇa appeared in order to manifest His Vṛndāvana pastimes and His suppression of demons was incidental in the same way promulgating the dharma for the age is an incidental reason for Lord Caitanya's appearance.
When He desired to appear for another reason, the time for promulgating the religion of the age also arose.
Thus with two intentions, the Lord appeared with His devotees and tasted the nectar of prema along with the congregational chanting of the holy name. He spread saṅkīrtana even among untouchables.
He wove a wreath of the holy name and prema with which He garlanded the entire world. In this way, assuming the sentiment of a devotee, He preached devotional service while practicing it Himself.
(Cc. Ādi 4.36-41)
Śrī Gaurāṅga is Like a Lion
4.30
Thus the lion-like Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared in Navadvīpa-dhāma. He has the shoulders of a lion, the powers of a lion, and the loud voice of a lion.
May that lion be seated in the core of the heart of every living being and with His resounding roar, may He drive away their elephantine vices.
(Cc. Ādi 3.30,31)
Śrī Gaurāṅga's Eternal Reason for Appearing
4.31
May that Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī be transcendentally situated in the inner bg-sky-most chambers of your heart.
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold He has appeared in the age of Kalī by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service.
(Cc. Ādi 1.4)
Lord Gaurāṅga's Confidential Reason for Appearing
4.32
Desiring to understand the glory of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's love, the wonderful qualities in Him that she alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness she feels when she realizes the sweetness of His love, Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appears from the womb of Śacīdevī as the moon appears from the ocean.
(Cc. Ādi 1.6)
Internally He has the Mood of Śrī Rādhā,
Externally He Preaches the Holy Name
4.33
Lord Caitanya appeared with the sentiments of Śrī Rādhā. He preached the dharma of this age, the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, and pure love of Godhead
(Kṛṣṇa-prema). (Cc. Ādi 4.220)
The Pastimes of Śrī Caitanya are Eternal
4.34
As yet, no one can completely see the opulences of all the pastimes Lord Caitanya performed, because they are without limit in time and space. They are unlimited and eternal.
(Cb. Madhya 23.513)
Materialistic and Demonic Persons are Envious of Śrī Gaurāṅga
4.35
Formerly, even kings like Jarāsandha strictly followed the Vedic rituals, thus worshiping Lord Viṣṇu.
One who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly a demon. Similarly, one who does not accept Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa, the same Supreme Lord, is also considered a demon.
One who does not show respect to this merciful Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or does not worship Him, should be considered a demon, even if that person is very exalted in human society.
(Cc. Ādi 8.8,9,12)
Gaurāṅga is not the Enjoyer of the Rasa Dance
4.36
The Lord was apt to indulge in indiscriminate, merciful behaviour towards all, except that He never looked at a woman, even by a sidelong glance. It is known to all the world that He did not even allow the name of a woman to enter His ear.
Those who are His real devotees, therefore, never address Śrī Gaurāṅga as "Gaurāṅga-nāgarī," or the enjoyer of women. Although all forms of praise are applicable to the Lord, the wise sing only what is in accordance with His nature.
(Cb. 15.28-31)
The Glories of the Mercy of Gaura-Nitāi
4.37
If one only chants with some slight faith the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses.
Thus, as soon as he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love of Godhead.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead is greatly magnanimous. Unless one worships Him, one can never liberated.
(Cc. Ādi 8.31,32)
The Position of Those who Cheat Themselves out of Lord Gaurāṅga's Mercy
4.38
There is now a flood of the eternal nectar of love of God because of the incarnation of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. All living entities are floating in that flood. The entire world is now thankful to the Lord.
Whoever does not float in this inundation is most condemned. Such a person cannot be delivered for millions of lifetimes of Lord Brahmā.
(Cc. Antya 3.254, 255)
4.39
Śrī Gaurāṅga is the essence of all avatāras. Why didn't I worship Him?
It is as if I was surrounded by water and dying of thirst but I denied myself a drink. I chewed the thorns on the tree of worldly life and took the blood that flowed through my mouth to be nectar.
When I was offered the nectarean fruits of love of Godhead distributed by Lord Gaurāṅga, however, I turned them away, thinking them to be poison.
Wishing to smell perfume I sniffed at what I thought was the fragrant flower of material enjoyment. Alas, that flower was odourless like the palāśa flower. When I tried to sniff its illusory aroma a bee flew up my nose and stung me.
Thinking material life to be as sweet as sugarcane, I tried to taste its nectar. Instead, as I sucked I found it juiceless and dry. In this way, all my attempts at enjoyment proved false.
Admitting defeat, wasted, and worn out, I await the snake of death.
Declaring it to be cool and soothing, I have embraced the fire of material life, only to suffer intense miseries, as if struck by lightning. Worshiping family and material life I forgot Gaurāṅga and didn't listen to the words of the saints.
Now, in my final days I realize that I am twice dead, for not only am I casting off this mortal body, but I am dead while living, having wasted my life in material indulgence.
(Mahājana-gītā)
Gaurāṅga Appears as His Holy Name and as His Deity
4.40
[Lord Caitanya told Śacī] Birth after birth you are My mother. Again, in this birth, I have come to begin the saṅkīrtana movement, and so I have become your son.
My appearance in this world is twofold: I appear as the arca-mūrtī and as the holy name. In this way I appear upon the tongue in the form of sound, and as the Deity made from the elements drawn from the earth.
In both these forms I am worshiped, and in these two features I have appeared in order to spread the saṅkīrtana movement.
(Cb. Madhya 27.47)
Gaurāṅga's Teachings in a Nutshell.
4.41
It is the conclusive opinion of Lord Caitanya that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is Vrajendra-nandana, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, the topmost worshipable Deity;
Vṛndāvana-dhāma which is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa and is non-different from Him is the highest worshipable abode;
the gopīs are the highest example of the worship of Śrī Kṛṣṇa;
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless evidence for knowing the absolute truth;
Kṛṣṇa-prema is the fifth and highest goal of life.
These are the teachings of Śrī Caitanya in a nutshell. (Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura)
Thus ends the Fourth Jewel of the Gauḍīya Kaṇṭhahāra, entitled Gaura-tattva.