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Vaishnava Philosophy
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
The Lord as devotee


Lord Caitanya appeared in Mayapur, West Bengal, more than 500 years ago. He is an incarnation of Krishna who descended to this material world for two purposes, to spread the chanting of the holy names of God to deliver all the people from their material bondage, and to simultaneously taste the nectar of pure love of God, Krishna, as it was tasted by His topmost devotee, Srimati Radharani, who is the internal energy of Krishna.

In His early life, Lord Caitanya played the part of an ordinary scholar with enormous knowledge and talent, while hiding the truth of His incarnation. However, when the time was right, He manifested Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead to His devotees who chanted together with Him His holy names in the topmost ecstasy of love of God.

After His 24th year, He accepted the renounced order of life, sannyasa, and left His home in Mayapur to travel throughout India to convert all the people to lovers of God. He would transform anyone, be he an atheist, rascal, or worse, as well as the pious and good, to the platform of love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya did not consider whether the recipients of love of God were worthy or not, He indiscriminately bestowed what no other incarnation of God every gave before, pure love of the Lord.

After traveling and preaching for six years, when all the people were absorbed in love of Godhead, He resided in Jagannatha Puri for twelve years and intensely tasted the love that His pure devotees have for Him. Although He is Krishna Himself, He accepted the mood and color of Srimati Radharani, His spiritual counterpart, and thought of Himself as His own devotee. Thus, although He is God Himself, He always was absorbed in the mood of His topmost devotees and thus He relished the highest love of Krishna together with His confidential associates.

Lord Caitanya started the sankirtan movement which continues to this day in the form of this ISKCON society. He established the congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna, hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare / hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare. It is due to the movement of Lord Caitanya that the people of this world can have some idea of the highest position of love of God.

One who is interested in understanding more about Lord Caitanya and His associates and expansions should read Srila Prabhupada's Teachings of Lord Caitanya or The Caitanya-caritamrta, both available in your local language from the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT).


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Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare