Lord Caitanya in the Mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
The identity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is complex and esoteric. He is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet He appears with the golden complexion and intense emotional sentiments of His eternal consort, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this unique combination allows the Lord to taste the highest limits of transcendental bliss, a pleasure that was previously unexperienced even by Kṛṣṇa.
The Secret of the Incarnation
Why would Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of all pleasure, need to adopt another's mood? Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that Kṛṣṇa was amazed by the power of Rādhārāṇī's love. He saw that Her happiness in loving Him was greater than His happiness in being loved. To solve this puzzle and experience Her bliss, Kṛṣṇa appeared as Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
- Krsna was always amazed by Radharani's love. "How does Radharani give Me such pleasure?" He would ask. In order to study Radharani, Krsna lived in Her role and tried to understand Himself. This is the secret of Lord Caitanya's incarnation.
- To promulgate prema-bhakti (devotional service in love of Godhead), Krsna appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya with the mood and complexion of Sri Radha. Thus I have explained the meaning of the fifth verse.
- No one can excel the devotional service of Srimati Radharani. Indeed, even Krsna cannot understand the attitude of Srimati Radharani; therefore He took Her position and appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings.
The Ecstasy of Separation
The specific mood adopted by Lord Caitanya was not just love, but love in separation (vipralambha). Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the Lord would pass days and nights in the Gambhīrā, exhibiting symptoms of madness similar to those Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī displayed when speaking to a bumblebee about Kṛṣṇa. This intense longing is the highest perfection of prema.
- Full of jealousy and madness symptomizing neglect by Krsna, Srimati Radharani, criticizing a bumblebee, talked just like a madwoman. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the last days of His pastimes, exhibited all the symptoms of such ecstasy.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated practically how one can achieve love of Krsna by adopting Srimati Radharani’s mood in separation from Krsna.
- The heart of Lord Caitanya is the image of Sri Radhika's emotions. Thus feelings of pleasure and pain arise constantly therein.
The Ratha-yātrā Mood
The Ratha-yātrā festival in Jagannātha Purī was the yearly stage for this divine drama. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while the ordinary crowds saw a festival, Lord Caitanya saw the Kurukṣetra meeting. In the mood of Rādhārāṇī, He danced before the chariot, mentally pulling Kṛṣṇa (Lord Jagannātha) back to Vṛndāvana (the Guṇḍicā temple), where They could enjoy without the pomp of royal opulence.
- At the Ratha-yatra festival, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, absorbed in the ecstasy of Srimati Radharani, dragged Lord Krsna back to Vrndavana-dhama. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke of this in the verses beginning ahus ca te - CC Madhya 13.136.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu's leading Lord Jagannatha toward the Gundica temple corresponded to Srimati Radharani's leading Krsna toward Vrndavana.
A Warning Against Imitation
While Lord Caitanya came to teach the path of love, Śrīla Prabhupāda sternly warns against imitating His position. The state of mahā-bhāva is the exclusive prerogative of the Lord and His internal energy. Devotees are meant to follow in His footsteps by chanting the holy name and serving, not by artificially imitating His tears or ecstasy.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed that maha-bhava. That maha-bhava is not possible for ordinary man. It is especially prerogative of Srimati Radharani and who played the part of Radharani, although He's Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Lord Caitanya exhibited the mode of Srimati Radharani when She was contacted from Dvaraka by Sri Krsna. Such transcendental love is not possible for any common man; therefore one should not imitate the highest perfectional stage exhibited by Caitanya.
Conclusion
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the combined form of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya). Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that by understanding this confidential truth, devotees can appreciate the extreme mercy of the Lord. He descended not only to taste His own sweetness but to distribute that same sweetness to the fallen souls through the saṅkīrtana movement.
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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 in the Mood of Radharani. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience his teachings in their direct, verbatim form.