https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_05BacRQINs
The word "avatar" conjures up images of blue human-like beings with tails from James Cameron's popular science fiction movie. However, "avatar" is a Sanskrit word that describes the Supreme being or God when He descends to Earth. "Ava" means "down" and "tr" refers to "cross over." Thus it refers to God who crosses over the line between the spiritual realm and comes down to the material sphere. In the movie, the consciousness and mind of the human being are linked to their avatar counterparts on the planet Pandora. In the Hindu tradition, God is said to descend in varying forms, at different times, and those forms are known as avatars.
Shri Chaitanya, the most recent avatar of Krishna or God, took birth on this day, in the small town of Navadvip in West Bengal in the year 1486. In the Bengali language, Navadvip means "nine islands." He is known as the golden avatar of love because his skin resembled the color of molten gold and because he came to freely distribute love of God to anyone who was willing to accept it. He didn't consider a person's caste or creed when distributing spiritual knowledge and welcomed all to partake in the spiritual practice of calling out the names of God.
He appeared not as God, but as a devotee and kept his divinity hidden from most. He did this to demonstrate the mood and behavior an adherent should aspire for. At an early age of 24, he decided to leave home adopting vows of renunciation as a monk. Chaitanya then began to travel all throughout the land of India ecstatically dancing and chanting the names of Krishna. After traveling to many of the holy places in India, he decided to settle in the coastal town of Jagannath Puri in the Eastern part of India.
One of his main tasks was to demonstrate that no matter what our social status or position in society, we all need to maintain the mood of a humble servant towards each other and God. Not only did he preach this message, but also demonstrated it in his own life. He would take his followers to the temple and engage everyone in cleaning. He would personally pick up a broom and clean along with all his associates showing that even though he was a monk who was respected and followed by many, he was still a simple servant in the house of God. The superintendents of the temple even suggested that this type of menial work wasn't befitting someone of his stature, but he insisted.
An earlier time when Krishna was present on earth, approximately 5000 years ago, he first took the role of being a teacher for his good friend Arjuna, but later accepted the position of a simple charioteer allowing himself to be ordered around by the same Arjuna. God doesn't have an ego trip.
Chaitanya was the one to introduce the very popular Krishna mantra (sacred sounds repeated for prayer and worship) to the residents of West Bengal which later spread throughout the world:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
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