Accepting Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Lord
Five hundred years ago, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in Bengal as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. While He played the role of a devotee to teach the science of bhakti, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that we must not make the mistake of considering Him a conditioned soul or an ordinary saint. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, accepted as such by all revealed scriptures and great ācāryas. To accept Lord Caitanya is to accept the most munificent feature of the Absolute Truth, without whom the highest perfection of life remains inaccessible.
Scriptural Authority
The divinity of Lord Caitanya is not a concoction of His followers; it is established by the Vedic evidence. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that throughout the Upaniṣads, Mahābhārata, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there are specific predictions regarding His appearance. Learned scholars like Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī have rigorously proven His identity. Therefore, an impartial student of the Vedas must accept Him as the Supreme Lord.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu we accept as incarnation of Krsna. It is confirmed in the sastra. In the Upanisads, in Mahabharata, in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Everywhere, there are... If you read Caitanya-caritamrta, there are so many quotations from the sastras.
- Especially Srila Jiva Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami, and many other learned scholars, with evidence from the sastra - accepted Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is predicted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other scriptures as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We do not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu simply because He was a saintly person.
Necessity of Mercy
Accepting Lord Caitanya is the mandatory prerequisite for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda cites Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, warning that even if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for many years, one cannot attain pure devotional service without the mercy of Lord Caitanya. He is the golden bridge to the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura says in this connection that although one may go on chanting the Hare Krsna mantra for many, many years, there is no possibility of attaining the platform of devotional service unless one accepts Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- This Krsna consciousness must be achieved through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One cannot be complete in Krsna consciousness unless he accepts Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates as the only means for success.
- We make a great mistake if we accept Lord Caitanya as a conditioned soul. He is to be understood as the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna Himself.
Compassion of Sannyāsa
When Lord Caitanya appeared as a householder, many foolish persons criticized Him. To save these offenders, the Lord accepted the renounced order of life (sannyāsa). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this was a calculated act of mercy. By becoming a sannyāsī, the Lord forced the public to offer Him respect, thereby saving them from the ruinous reactions of their offenses.
- Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought, "Unless people accept Me they will all be destroyed." Thus the merciful Lord accepted the sannyasa order.
- When fools considered Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be an ordinary human being and thus treated Him disrespectfully, the merciful Lord, in order to deliver these offenders, accepted sannyasa so that they would offer Him obeisances, accepting Him as a sannyasi.
Overpowering Influence
The potency of Lord Caitanya was such that whoever came in contact with Him—whether a logic-chopping scholar like Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or a spy from a different faith—was forced to accept His divinity. His beauty, His logic, and His ecstatic symptoms were undeniable proofs of His supreme position. Even those who were initially skeptical could not resist His influence.
- Actually these things cannot even be described. One can understand them only by seeing. Considering His influence, I (Muslim spy) accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Just like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. He argued with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a scholar. But when he became defeated, he accepted His discipleship. This was the method, that two persons may argue, but one who is defeated, he must become his disciple.
- Whoever sees Him accepts Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since He has some mystic power by which He hypnotizes people, everyone who sees Him becomes illusioned.
Conclusion
To accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Lord is the beginning of good fortune. He is the most magnanimous incarnation, freely distributing what no other incarnation has ever given—love of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda urges us to put aside speculation and accept the authority of the śāstras and the ācāryas, recognizing that Lord Caitanya is our only shelter in this Age of Kali.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Accepting Caitanya. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.