Sunday, April 14, 2013

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined?


Bhakta: “You said that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined but just Kṛṣṇa accepting the mood and complexion of Rādhā. But in Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 8.282 it is said that Rāmānanda Rāya saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as rasarāja-mahābhāva dui eka rūpa, Rādha and Kṛṣṇa in one form.”

Advaitadās – ‘Look at the context. Earlier, Rāmānanda Rāya saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as follows: (verses 268-270)

pahile dekhilun tomāra sannyāsī-svarūpa
ebe tomā dekhi mui śyāma-gopa-rūpa
tomāra sammukhe dekhi kāncana-pancālikā
tāra gaura-kāntye tomāra sarva anga ḍhākā
tāhāte prakata dekhon sa-vaṁśī vadana

“First I saw You as a sannyāsī, but now I see You as a Śyāma cowherd boy. Facing You I see a golden doll, which covers Your whole body with a golden luster. In that I see manifest Kṛṣṇa playing His flute. “

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu playfully denied His own godhood, Rāmānanda Rāya repeats (verse 279):
rādhikāra bhāva-kānti kori angīkāra
nija rasa āsvādite koriyācho avatāra

“You have accepted Rādhā’s feelings and complexion, and have descended to relish Your own rasa.”

Finally, after ‘seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined’ Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu repeats again: (verses 287-288)

gaura aṅga nahe mora----rādhāṅga-sparśana
gopendra-suta vinā teho na sparśe anya-jana
tāra bhāve bhavita kori' ātma-mana
tabe nija-mādhurya kori āsvādana

“My body is not golden. It is touched by Rādhā’s body. She will not touch anyone but that prince of cowherds, my heart and mind think in Her way. Thus I relish the flavors of Her sweetness.”

Gaur vs Kṛṣṇa-līlā practise is like biting an apple - the peel is Gaur-sādhana (bite by just offering vandana), and the flesh is Rādhā- Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

5 comments:

  1. Hare Krishna, I saw few times online comments after devotee's posts of their home deities, that they worship Laddu Gopal brass deity as Gaura-Gopala or baby Caitanya. How is with such worship according to guru-sadhu-shastra? If you do not mind me asking and if you could kindly share your thoughts?

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  2. Many devotees consider Gaura to be non-different from Krishna.

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  3. Hare Krishna, thank you for kindly answering.

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  4. "Gaur vs Kṛṣṇa-līlā practise is like biting an apple - the peel is Gaur-sādhana (bite by just offering vandana), and the flesh is Rādhā- Kṛṣṇa-līlā."

    Is it Your sidhdhanta or yours GuruDeva as well. Very curious to know. Have you heard him saying this?

    Jay Nitai
    Subrata

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  5. Subrataji, it is my idea but it is indeed based on the siddhānta of Sītānāth's family.

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