Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda - The Divine Brothers
Five hundred years ago, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in Bengal as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accompanied by His plenary expansion, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. Together, They are known as the most merciful incarnations. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that just as the sun and moon appear to dispel darkness, these two Divine Brothers appeared simultaneously to dissipate the ignorance of the Kali-yuga through the saṅkīrtana movement. Their relationship defines the essence of devotional service, combining the highest theological truths with the most intimate loving exchanges.
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma Reappear
Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms that there is no difference between the position of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and that of Caitanya and Nityānanda. While Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord and Balarāma is the first expansion, in this age, They have descended as the Golden Avatāra and His primary associate to reclaim the conditioned souls.
- Krsna has appeared as the son of mother Saci, and Balarama has appeared as Nityananda, and Their business is to deliver all fallen souls, especially in this age, Kali-yuga.
- Now these same two brothers (Krsna and Balarama) have again descended, as Sri Krsna Caitanya-Nityananda. Sahoditau: simultaneously They have appeared. Not that one is appeared, another is not there. No. Both of Them.
- The poetical comparison (in CC Adi 1.94) of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda to the sun and moon is very significant.
- There is no difference between the spiritual positions of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, or Krsna and Balarama. All of Them are but different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Advaita Prabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu are all visnu-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu. Therefore all living entities are under Their lotus feet.
- The two brothers are known as Krsna and Balarama in the spiritual world, but at the present moment they are Caitanya and Nitai. Therefore the conclusion is that Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarsana, Baladeva.
The Joint Mission: Dissipating Darkness
The primary purpose of Their appearance, as explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda, is to propagate the chanting of the holy names. Unlike other incarnations who may use weapons to kill demons, Caitanya and Nityānanda use the weapon of the holy name to kill the demonic mentality within the heart.
- Lord Caitanya and Nityananda are compared to the sun and moon in that They dissipate the darkness of the material world. In this instance both the sun and moon have risen together, and it is proper to offer obeisances directly to Lord Caitanya and Nityananda.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu drive away the five kinds of ignorance of the conditioned souls. In the Mahabharata, Udyoga-parva, Forty-third Chapter, these five kinds of ignorance are described. They are (1) accepting the body to be the self, (2) making material sense gratification one's standard of enjoyment, (3) being anxious due to material identification, (4) lamenting and (5) thinking that there is anything beyond the Absolute Truth.
- Human life is spoiled when man does not realize his real identity with his soul. Lord Caitanya appeared with Lord Nityananda to save man from this type of misleading civilization.
- They (Caitanya and Nityananda) come especially to deliver the fallen souls of this age. papi tapi yata chila, hari-name uddharila. Their weapon is sankirtana, hari-nama.
- It is predicted that as the sun and moon gradually move west, the movement They (Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda) began five hundred years ago will come to the Western civilizations by Their mercy.
- I fervently appeal to everyone to adopt the method of devotional service given by Lord Caitanya and Nityananda and thus be freed from the miseries of material existence.
Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi
Śrīla Prabhupāda often cites the story of the two drunken brothers, Jagāi and Mādhāi, as the historical evidence of the mercy of Gaura-Nityānanda. In this pastime, Nityānanda Prabhu displayed extreme tolerance by saving His attackers from the wrath of Lord Caitanya, thereby transforming them into pure devotees.
- Just to deliver all the sinful persons of this age by propagating the chanting of the holy name, Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama have advented as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. Jagai and Madhai are evidence of Their success.
- When the Lord was informed that Nityananda Prabhu was injured by Jagai and Madhai, He immediately went to the spot, angry like fire, wanting to kill them. Thus Lord Caitanya has explained His verse (Siksastaka 3) by the example of His own behavior.
- Nityananda Prabhu was so kind that He not only saved them (Jagai and Madhai) from death but elevated them to the transcendental position. Thus what was not possible for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was carried out by Nityananda Prabhu.
- They (Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) have appeared just to reclaim the fallen souls of this age. So They are more kind than Krsna. Krsna, He is also very kind. He comes to deliver. But Krsna demands that first of all surrender.
- Just like Lord Nityananda, He was injured, but still He delivered Jagai-Madhai. That should be your principle. Sometimes we have to cheat, sometimes we have to be injured - so many things. The only device is how people can become Krsna conscious.
- Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityananda, was violently attacked by Jagai and Madhai. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen souls.
Intimate Pastimes and "Tricks"
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the loving exchanges between the two brothers often involve playful behavior that transcends social etiquette. Notable incidents include Nityānanda Prabhu breaking Lord Caitanya's staff to save Him from the burden of strict regulations, and His loving trickery in diverting the Lord from Vṛndāvana to Śāntipura.
- He (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) does not need to carry the sannyasa-danda. This is the reason Sri Nityananda Prabhu broke the staff into three pieces and threw it into the water.
- In the place known as Jalesvara, Nityananda Prabhu broke the sannyasa rod of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, "Nityananda has cheated Me. He has brought Me to the bank of the Ganges and told Me that it was the Yamuna."
- It appears that in His transcendental ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu forgot to eat for three continuous days. He was then misled by Nityananda Prabhu, who said that the river Ganges was the Yamuna. Because the Lord was in the ecstasy of going to Vrndavana, He was engladdened to see the Yamuna, although in actuality the river was the Ganges.
- From each and every pot, Lord Nityananda Prabhu took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke.
- One night Sacidevi dreamt that the Deities in her house, Krsna and Balarama, had taken the forms of Caitanya and Nityananda and were fighting one another, as children do, to eat the naivedya, or offering to the Deities.
Transcendental Relationships
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that though equal in truth, Nityānanda Prabhu serves Caitanya Mahāprabhu in various moods—as a servant, a friend, and an elder brother. Their interaction sets the standard for the ācāryas, showing that even the Supreme Lord takes pleasure in the service of His expansion.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to address Nityananda Prabhu as His elder brother, whereas Nityananda Prabhu addressed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as His Lord.
- Sri Nityananda Prabhu always feels the ecstatic emotions of paternity, servitude and friendship. He always assists Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in that way.
- Although Nityananda Prabhu is none other than Balarama Himself, He nonetheless always thinks of Himself as the eternal servant of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- For this reason Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the supreme teacher, accepts the form of a devotee and accepts Lord Nityananda as His elder brother.
- Sri Nityananda Prabhu is an extremely heavy branch of the Sri Caitanya tree. From that branch grow many branches and subbranches.
- Who can understand the influence and mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that He induced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice on the bank of the Ganges.
The Process of Worship
To achieve love of God, one must first worship Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda. Śrīla Prabhupāda strictly warns against trying to jump to the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa without the mercy of Gaura-Nitāi. Chanting Their names immediately clears offenses and grants the qualification to chant the mahā-mantra.
- One should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, or worship Guru-Gauranga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Radha-Krsna.
- By chanting these two holy names - sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda - one immediately becomes ecstatic, and if he then chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra he becomes free of offenses.
- If in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityananda, he is very quickly freed from the reactions to his offenses.
- Hare Krsna, Hare Rama addresses not only Krsna and Balarama but Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda as well.
- Anyone who has captured Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu in his heart will become blissful by hearing all these transcendental conclusions.
- Unless one is favored by Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, there is no need to go to Vrndavana, for unless one’s mind is purified, he cannot see Vrndavana, even if he goes there.
Conclusion
The simultaneous appearance of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda is the most significant event in the history of the current age. Śrīla Prabhupāda constantly emphasizes that without the mercy of these two Divine Brothers, one cannot understand the Absolute Truth. They are the dissipaters of darkness and the bestowers of love of God. By taking shelter of their lotus feet and chanting their holy names, the fallen souls of Kali-yuga can easily transcend the material world and return back home, back to Godhead.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Caitanya and Nityananda. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.