Kali yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy is drowning in irreligion and atheistic lifestyles. And so in this age, Krishna was predicted to decent as the Golden Avatar (incarnation) – Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and establish the Yuga Dharma of Harinaam Sankirtan – Congregational devotional chanting (prescribed method of liberation according to the current age).
In different ages there are different methods for self-realisation such as meditation, temple worship and various yoga practices to control the body and mind. We are currently in Kali-yuga, which is considered the worst age out of the four, (Satya, Treta, Dwarpa and Kali) as the people of Kali-yug are prone to quarrels, hypocrisy and have a lack of God consciousness. However the all-auspicious appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu makes this age more beneficial than the others by His grace and causeless mercy. The prescribed method of liberation has been made easier by simply chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra! And so Kali-yuga is also called the golden age of Sri Chaitanya.
There is multiple evidence in authoritative scriptures of Sri Chaitanya’s appearance. Here are some examples.
Prediction of His actual time of incarnation is stated In the Kurma-Purana:
The Supreme Person will appear in the first part of the age of Kali. He will appear in the home of a Brahmana, to save the embodied conditioned souls burning in the troubles of Kali-Yuga.
In the Padma-Purana, it is written:
The Supreme Personality, Janardana, who is the object of the yogis’ meditation, who saves the devotees from various sufferings, and who is the master of all yogic practices, who is always full of divine transcendental ecstasy and bliss, will advent in His own divine form of Sri Chaitanya.
What does he look like?
Avatars of Sri Krishna Bhagavan must:
1. Comply with predictions in authoritative scriptures
2. Display 32 auspicious markings on the body and feet
3. Have long arms that past the knees.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is 7 ft tall and also known as Sri Gauranga because he has the complexion of molten gold. He has auspicious markings on His body and His feet and his slender arms extend down to His knees which are further evidence that He is an avatar of the Supreme Lord.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna,
Another reason for Sri Chaitanyas appearance is part of the divine Lila or story of Sri Radha Krishna’s pastimes Sri Krishna wanted to feel first hand the devotion which Radharani feels for Krishna and so He came as a devotee in the mood of Radharani expressing Krishna Prem. In this way Krishna can understand Her devotional love for Him.
- Chaitanya – Consciousness
- Mahaprabhu – Great Lord
- Gauranga – One with Golden Limbs (named by his father Jagannath Misra)
- Sacinandana – Son of Saci Devi
- Nimai – born under neem tree (named by His mother Saci Devi)
- Visvambhara – one who maintains the entire universe (named by his maternal grandfather Nilambara Cakravarti, after reading his birth chart)
- Gaurahari – Golden Lord (named affectionately by the ladies of Navadwip)
“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.” [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32]
From left to right we have :
- Advaita Acharya who is a combined incarnation of Sri Vishnu and Shiva
- Nityananda Prabhu who is an incarnation of Balaram (Krishna’s brother)
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krishna
- Gadadhara Pandit who is an incarnation of Krishna’s internal energy
- Srivasa Pandit who is Krishna’s pure devotee, Narada Muni
“I bow down to Lord Krishna, who appears as a devotee (Lord Chaitanya), as His personal expansion (Sri Nityananda), His incarnation (Sri Advaita), His devotee (Sri Srivasa), and His energy (Sri Gadadhara), and who is the source of strength for the devotees.” [Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi 1.14]
- Knowledge of the soul’s relationship with Krishna
- The method of awakening that relationship
- The awakened state of that relationship (pure love of God)
Comments
Pancha Tattva ki Jay 🙏🙏
Gaur Nitai 🙏🙏
Dandavat Pranam 🙏🙏
Hare Krishna 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏