Why Did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Come? - and What Did He Come to Give?

The practice of sadhana bhakti that is directed to pleasing Lord Sri Krishna should be cultivated both externally and internally.

Both external and internal practices are important, and are meant to be performed simultaneously.

The preaching of the Holy Names of the Lord in context with the sankirtan movement of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu forms the external reason for the Lord’s descent into this world, according to Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj in his Chaitanya Charitamrita.

The internal reason that Krishna Das Kaviraj takes to be the main cause for Sri Krishna Chaitanya’s avatar will be discussed in this essay.



Five hundred years ago, Svayam Bhagavan Vraja-vihari Sri Krishna incarnated on the bank of the Ganges River in Sri Nabadwip Dham, West Bengal, India.

In this avatar as Sri Chaitanya Deva, he brought about a new upsurge or spiritual renaissance into the world of Krishna bhakti. Covering his opulences, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the role of a devotee of Sri Krishna in order to fulfill three most esoteric desires that was not able to relish as the Supreme Lord of Goloka Vrindavan.

In transcendental loving reciprocation between the Lord and his devotees, it is a fact that the servitor can experience an even greater multitude of ambrosia through service to the Lord than the Lord experiences himself. For this reason, Sri Krishna wanted to sample for himself what it is like to be a servitor of Sri Krishna. To do so he appeared in this world from the womb of Mother Sachi, just as the moon rises from the ocean. Then, by taking on the mood and complexion of his topmost devotee, Srimati Radharani, he proceeded to taste three most internal esoteric desires that were still unfulfilled—

(1) What is the depth or extent of the prema Radha possesses for me?
(2) And with her prema how does Srimati Radharani view my spectacular sweetness?
(3) And when she realizes the depth of my incredible sweetness, what does it taste like to her?

This is the meaning of the sixth sloka in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, which Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj extracted from the confidential diary of Svarupa Damodar Goswami, the personal secretary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

That sloka is as follows:



Krishna Das Kaviraj begins his explanation of this verse in the fourth chapter of Chaitanya Charitamrita with the following words:



From these two main internal desires, Sri Krishna, who is the chief of all rasika persons and supremely merciful, has advented himself as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

With the help of Chaitanya Charitamrita, let us now have a look into the Lord’s personal motivation for coming: prema rasa niryAsa karite AsvAdaana, “to taste the essence of prema rasa.”



Krishna further elaborates:



Krishna continues,



This brings us to the second point of the main reason Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world: raga-mArga-bhakti loke karate pracAraNa, “to preach raganuga bhakti to the devotees.”

Krishna continues to speak from Chaitanya Charitamrita—









Sri Krishna goes on to say,







Sri Krishna concludes by saying—

In Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Sri Rupa describes two types of raga bhakti, ragatmika and raganuga. The devotees that Krishna is glorifying in the verses just quoted are termed ragatmika bhaktas. They are eternally liberated associates of Krishna in Braja. Their devotion is unique and spontaneously manifest.

Raganuga bhakti is the devotion that is directed to following in the footsteps of these particular ragatmika bhakti associates, in order to be able to achieve a similar perfection. As Sri Rupa Goswami describes raganuga bhakti as a process of sadhana, or devotion in practice. It would be incorrect to label raganuga bhakti as spontaneous devotional service, which is the way Sri Rupa Goswami describes ragatmika bhakti in this verse from Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu—

iSTe svArasikI rAgaH
paramAviSTatA bhavet
tanmayI yA bhaved bhaktiH
sAtra rAgAtmikoditA

The intense and spontaneous absorption in the object of one’s adoration (iSTa) is called rAga. Devotion which is characterized by such rAga is called rAgAtmikA bhakti. (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.272)

Note that this type of bhakti is not possible for people in this world.

Raganuga bhakti sadhana, which follows in the wake of the moods and mellows of Krishna’s eternal ragatmika Braja associates, is of two types: sambandhanuga and kamanuga. Sambandhanuga refers to the bhaktas who may choose to follow in the footsteps of Krishna’s servants, cowherd boys, or parents—who all have a specific Sambandha, or relationship with the Lord.

Kamanuga refers to those bhaktas who desire to follow in the footsteps of the Braja gopis.

The gopis have no specific relationship with the Lord. They are attracted to him especially on the basis of his supreme beauty alone. In their case, kama or desire may be refered to as the highest degree of pure love.

In the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradayas, devotees are initiated with Kama Gayatri. This is the ishta mantra for worshiping the Gaudiyas’ ishta devata, Vrindavan’s transcendental Cupid, Madan Mohan.

In this dialogue, Sri Krishna talks about four different flavours of love that are found in his Vrindavan associates, all of which he wishes to glorify in this world. These four mellows are dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhura rasa.

Of these four flavours of love, however, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has directed his attention mostly to the most attractive of them, which is known as Ujjvala-rasa, or madhura-rasa. As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is most eager to taste this type of rasa himself, similarly it is this mellow also that he is most anxious to distribute to others. We may find evidence for this in Srila Rupa Goswami’s verse, which Krishna Das Kaviraj places at the very beginning of his Chaitanya Charitamrita.

anarpita-carIM cirAt karuNayAvatIrNaH kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasAM sva-bhakti-zriyam
hariH puraTa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandIpitaH
sadA hRdaya-kandare sphuratu vaH zacI-nandanaH

Let us always see within the core of our hearts that son of Mother Sachi, whose bodily color is lustrously golden. He has mercifully come in this age of Kali to give people something that was never given at any time before: his most valued personal : ujjvala-madhura-bhakti-rasa. (Vidagdha-madhava 1.2) (CC 1.1.4)

Srila Kaviraja Goswami states in his personal commentary on this verse—

Sri Krishna Chaitanya is directly the son of the king of Braja. He is filled with all rasa, but he is especially the direct form of madhura rasa, because he descended specifically to taste this particular variety of love, and it naturally followed that all the other forms of rasa also became widely known as a by-product. (CC 1.4.222-3)

Sri Rupa Goswami has depicted Sriman Mahaprabhu as being the maha-vadAnyAvatAra, in other words, the greatest benefactor of the fallen conditioned souls, more generous than any other incarnation of God to ever appear on this earth. It is beyond comprehension how Sriman Gaurasundar has come to give the highest thing in existence to the most unworthy personas.

Chaitanya Charitamrita elaborates on this point as follows:

pUrve vraja-vilAse, jei tina abhilASe,
yatneha AsvAda nA haila
zrI-rAdhAra bhAva-sAra, Apane kari' aGgIkAra,
sei tina vastu AsvAdila

Apane kari' AsvAdaneD zikhAila bhakta-gaNe,
prema-cintAmaNira prabhu dhanI
nAhi jAne sthAnAsthAnaD yAre tAre kaila dana,
mahAprabhu----dAtA-ziromaNi

ei gupta bhAva-sindhuD brahmA nA pAya eka bindu,
hena dhana vilAila saMsAre
aiche dayAlu avatAraD aiche dAtA nAhi Ara,
guNa keha nAre varNibAre

kahibAra kathA naheD kahile keha nA bujhayeD
aiche citra caitanyera raGga
sei se bujhite pAre caitanyera kRpA yAGre
haya tAGra dAsAnudAsa-saGga

Being unable to fulfil these three desires during his incarnation in Vrindavan, Krishna took on the mood of Srimati Radharani and appeared as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to relish this experience. By tasting these flavours himself, he would teach all of his devotees the meaning of loving devotion. In this way, Chaitanya Deva is like a touchstone of prema and it is herein that lies his unequalled generosity. He is the greatest benefactor because he does not consider who is fit or unfit to receive this wealth.

Even Lord Brahma himself is unable to taste a single drop of this ocean of confidential love that is only found in Vrindavan, yet Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has come like a cloud with a downpour of this rasa, soaking the fallen souls of this age. Is it possible to find such a merciful avatar anywhere?

Who can begin to describe his qualities? Can words be found to describe the colourful and astonishing character of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? And even if the words were spoken, who could understand them? The person who can, however, is one who has benefited from his mercy, through the association of the servant of his servants.

There is one famous song written by Vasudeva Ghosh, the poet and eternal associate of Lord Gauranga, which carries across the clear meaning of what Sri Chaitanya Deva has come to give. That song is as follows:

jadi gaurAGga nahito, ki mene hoito
kemone dharitAm de
rAdhAra mahimA, prema-rasa-sImA
jagate jAnAto ke ?

If Gaura had not come, then alas, what would have become of us? How could we have borne life? Who would have revealed the glories of Srimati Radharani, which are the very limit of prema rasa?

madhura vRndA, vipina-mAdhurI
praveza cAturI sAr
baraja-yuvati, bhAvera bhakati
zakati hoito kAr ? (2)

The essence of all cleverness is to enter the sweet pastimes of madhura Vrindavan, but if it were not for Gaura, who would have been able to follow in the footsteps of the moods and mellows of the Braja gopis?

gAo punaH punaH, gaurAGgera guNa
sarala haiyA mana
e tina-bhuvane, emana dayAla
Ana nAhi kona eka jana (3)

So sing Sri Gauranga’s glorious qualities over and over again with an innocent heart! Is it possible to find anyone as compassionate as He in the entire ocean of material existence?

gaurAGga boliyA, nA genu galiyA
nA jAni bA kibA Ache
bAsu ghoSa hiyA, pASAna diyA
vidhAtA gaDiyAche (4)

Is it possible that anyone can sing the names of Gauranga without melting? It is only I, Vasudeva Ghosh, have not melted, for my heart has been created of stone.

Srila Vasudeva Ghosh is the avatar of Braja’s Sudevi Sakhi, who belongs to Radha’s closest group of lady friends, the eight sakhis. As a direct witness of the most confidential lilas of both Vrindavan and Nabadwip, he is in an ideal position to be an authoritative source of information.

Vasudeva Ghosh says that Gauranga has come to make known the magnanimous glories of Srimati Radharani’s prema within this world, then to reveal the path of how one can enter madhura Vrindavan, and finally to show conditioned souls how they can take up the path of following in the footsteps or moods and bhakti of the Braja gopis. This is the essence of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission.

Srila Vasudeva Ghosh next recommends that we sing again and again the glories of Gauranga with an innocent heart. If one can do so, then that person’s heart will surely melt when he contemplates the supremely merciful characteristics of this avatar. If one’s heart fails to melt even after hearing about Gauranga’s magnanimous nature, however, then that person’s heart must surely be made of stone.

As Vasudeva Ghosh says, “If Gauranga had not come, who would have truly known the glories of Srimati Radharani?”

Let us now turn to a brief discussion of those glories.

In Brihad Bhagavatamrita, Sanatan Goswami takes his readers on a voyage through the various levels of devotion or in terms of their dearness to the Lord. He begins with the jnani bhakta, Sri Bharata Maharaj. More dear than the jnani is the suddha bhakta, Ambarish Maharaj. More highly situated still is Hanuman, who possesses prema. More dear still are the Pandavas, who possess even more prema. Situated above the Pandavas is the chief of the Yadu dynasty, Sri Uddhava. When Sri Uddhava visited Vrindavan, however, he became completely astonished when he witnessed the superexcellent standard of prema found in the Braja gopis. At this instances, Sri Uddhavaji desired to take birth in Braja as a blade of grass, in the hope that the dust of the gopis’ lotus feet would bless his existence as they trample him in the madness of searching out their beloved Sri Krishna within the various forests of Vrindavan.

Of all gopis, however, Srimati Radharani is chief:

sei gopI-gaNa-madhye uttamA rAdhikA
rUpe, guNe, saubhAgye, preme sarvAdhikA

Of all the Braja gopis, Srimati Radhika is the best, surpassing all the others in beauty, qualities, fortune and, above all, in love.

Srimati Radharani is Krishna prema personified.

hlAdinIra sAra prema, prema-sAra bhAva
bhAvera parama-kASThA, nAma mahA-bhAva
mahAbhAva-svarUpA zrI-rAdhA-ThAkurANI
sarva-guNa-khani kRSNa-kAntA-ziromaNi

The essence of Krishna’s pleasure potency (hladini shakti) is prema. The essence of prema is bhava. The highest manifestation of bhava is mahabhava, Srimati Radharani is the very personification of this mahabhava prema. Due to this, she has all good qualities, being the topmost lover of Sri Krishna. (CC 1.4.68-69)

In his Vrindavana-mahimamrita (2.35), Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati says, “Within this material world, those

dhanyo loke mumukSur hari-bhajana-paro dhanya-dhanyas tato’sau
dhanyo yaH kRSNa-pAdAmbuja-rati-paramo rukmiNIza-priyo’taH |
yAzodeya-priyo’taH subala-suhRd ato gopakAntA-priyo’taH
zrImad-vRndAvanezvary-atirasa-vivaza-vivazArAdhakaH sarva-mUrdhni

Glorious are those persons who desire to climb out of the well of material existence and attain liberation; even more glorious are those who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Lord. More elevated again are those who have become attached to Sri Krishna’s lotus feet. Those who love the husband of the Queen Rukmini are superior again to such devotees, while more praiseworthy still are those who are dear to the son of Yashoda. More glorious again are those who have made friends with Subala’s comrade. Superior to those in the mood of friendship are those who worship the Lord as the lover of the gopis.

But lastly, the greatest and most fortunate of all are those whose thoughts have been washed away by the flood of sacred rapture emanating from the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, Radha, and who worship her above all.

What to speak of others, Krishna’s own words praising Srimati Radharani’s qualities are given in the Chaitanya Charitamrita.

AmA haite yAra haya zata zata guNa
sei-jana AhlAdite pAre mora mana
AmA haite guNI baDa jagate asambhava
ekali rAdhAte tAhA kari anubhava

If there were someone who has hundreds of times more qualities than I myself possess, then such a person could surely give pleasure to My mind. In this universe it is impossible to find such a person. I consider this to be possible only in the case of Srimati Radhika.

koTi-kAma jini' rUpa yadyapi AmAra
asamordhva-mAdhurya sAmya nAhi yAra
mora rUpe ApyAyita haya tribhuvana
rAdhAra darzane mora juDAya nayana

My form is incomparably sweet and can defeat the beauty of millions of Cupids, and even though this beauty of mine can enchant everyone in the three worlds, seeing Radharani soothes my eyes.

mora vaMzI-gIte AkarSaye tri-bhuvana
rAdhAra vacane hare AmAra zravaNa
yadyapi AmAra gandhe jagat sugandha
mora citta-prANa hare rAdhA-aGga-gandha

Even though the song of my flute attracts the residents of all three worlds, the sound of Srimati Radharani’s sweet words steals away my ears. Even though the fragrance of my body makes the whole creation smell sweet, the fragrance of Radharani's limbs captivates my mind and heart.

yadyapi AmAra rase jagat sarasa
rAdhAra adhara-rasa AmA kare vaza
yadyapi AmAra sparza koTIndu-zItala
rAdhikAra sparze AmA kare suzItala
ei mata jagatera sukhe Ami hetu
rAdhikAra rUpa-guNa AmAra jIvAtu

Even though the entire universe is flavourful because of me, the nectarean taste of Radha’s lips completely subjugates. Even though my touch is as cooling as a million moons, Radhika’s touch is able to soothe me. In this way I am the only cause of happiness in this universe, but Sri Radhika’s beauty and qualities are the very means of my existence. (CC 1.4.240-9)

If one wants to gain the favor of Sri Krishna, it is recommended all throughout the shastras that it is better to worship a devotee of Krishna rather than try to worship Krishna directly. Krishna himself is cited in the Chaitanya Bhagavata to this effect:

AmAra bhakta-pUjA AmA hoite boro

”The worship of my devotee is greater than my direct worship.”

As Srimati Radharani is Krishna’s top bhakta, those persons who wholeheartedly worship her can be said to be in the most favorable position for receiving Krishna’s mercy.

Sri Krishna says to Narada in the Narada Purana as follows :

satyaM satyaM punaH satyaM satyaM satyam eva punaH punaH
vinA rAdhA-prasAdena mat-prasAdo na vidyate

O Narada! I say to you as the highest truth, again and again, and then again and again and again: No one gets my mercy without first getting the mercy of Srimati Radharani.

To say something three times makes a statement final. Here Sri Krishna makes a double finalization.

But the signature line (mudra) says Narahari instead of Vasudeva

This song is credited to both Narahari and to Vasu Ghosh. I think general opinion these days favors Narahari, though I have never seen an argument telling why one is prefered over the other.

The above error is the result of scribal error. I cut and paste from my database instead of following the text I was copying. The change has now been made.

At this point, one may ask : How does becoming a devotee of Sri Radha fit in with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission?

To answer, let us take a closer look into Rupa Goswamipada’s famous anarpita-carIM cirAt verse. The main thrust of the verse is that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is mercifully coming to give the taste of madhura rasa that has never been given before.

One may ask, “How are we to understand that before the time of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu there was no distribution of madhura rasa ? First, there is the example of the Dandakaranya Rishis, who by Lord Ramachandra’s grace received gopi forms to serve Krishna in Vrindavan. The personified Shrutis also received a similar type of perfection as we hear from the Chaitanya Charitamrita as well as the Bhagavatam. So what was Srila Rupa Goswami’s intention when he first composed this verse and put it in the mangalacharana of his Vidagdha Madhava play? And what was Krishna Das Kaviraj’s intention when he place this verse in the mangalacharana of his Chaitanya Charitamrita ?

There are three types of mangalacharana—



In connection with this verse, Krishna Das Kaviraj says,



In other words, may this madhura rasa be given to everyone.

So what exactly is the meaning of anarpita-carIM cirAt, “unoffered at any previous time”? What exactly is the unique nature of the madhura rasa that Sriman Mahaprabhu has come to give the fallen people of this Kali Yuga?

The answer to this question is that there is a new type of madhura bhakti rasa that carries with it a specific concentration on the service of the Queen of Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani. The target of this love finds itself not in Krishna alone, but in Radha and Krishna combined. This new madhura bhakti rasa has special emphasis on pleasing Krishna through unalloyed service to Srimati Radharani, this is the madhura bhakti rasa of the manjaris. This is Sri Chaitanya Deva’s special discovery (AviSkAra). And this is his special gift of mercy (karuNA-dAna).

This mellow of Radha-dasya or service to Radharani in the form of a manjari gopi is a new sthAyi bhAva (“permanent mellow”), which was not given at any time previous to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Rupa Goswami in his BRS has name this new rasa bhAvollAsA rati.



To give a clear meaning of this sloka, let us now have a look into Ujjvala Nilamani. In that text, Sri Rupa describes that Radharani has basically five different types of sakhis in her group. They are as follows:

1. The parama-preshtha sakhis, i.e., the eight chief gopis;
2. The priya sakhis,
3. The general sakhis,
4. Prana sakhis,
5. and Nitya sakhis.

Sri Rupa goes on to say that amongst these various types of gopis, some have more affection for Krishna, some have equal affection for both Radha and Krishna, and some have more affection for Radha than Krishna.

To be specific, Sri Radha’s group of general sakhis, who are infinite in number, have more affection for Krishna than Radha. Next, the parama-preshtha sakhis headed by Lalita and Visakha, and the priya sakhis have equal affection for both Radha and Krishna.

From this bhavollasa rati sloka. Sri Rupa Goswami is explaining that these two types of affection constitute the most commonly known type of madhura rasa, which is termed Sri Krishna rati. We find this type of madhura rasa described in the Bhagavatam, etc. In BRS this is refered to as sambhogecchatmika madhura bhakti rasa. This rasa is born out of the desire to enjoy conjugal loving affairs with Krishna. This type of madhura rasa had indeed been given before Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The new type of madhura bhakti rasa that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is bhavollasa rati, which finds its shelter in the Prana sakhis and Nitya sakhis who are otherwise known to be manjaris. These manjaris have more affection for Radharani than they do for Sri Krishna, for they are Radharani’s dasis.

Raghunath Das Goswami says



Another feature of this rasa is that it is permanent. That is why it is listed as a new kind of sthayi bhava, or permanent mellow.

Sri Rupa Goswami further goes on to describe in BRS that the madhura rasa of the manjaris is classified as tad-bhAvecchAtmika, meaning that these manjari gopis do not strive to be personally be united with Krishna, rather their sole intent is on service to Radharani. These manjaris derive their happiness by uniting Radha with Krishna. The sight of this and the seva that follows in its wake surpasses even the pleasure that Radha and Krishna experience.

Narottam Das Thakur writes in his Prema-bhakti-chandrika—







Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati desires as follows from his Vrindavana Mahimamrita—


Radharani’s closest group of sakhis and known as the ashta sakhis. She similarly has eight chief manjaris who are most intimately connected with her. Although Srimati has an infinite number of manjaris, these eight stand supreme and direct all others in terms of lila seva. We can find their descriptions in works like Dhyana Chandra’s Paddhati.

1. Sri Rupa Manjari (Sri Rupa Goswami)
   • age – 13 years.
   • bodily color – gorocana (deep yellow)
   • dress – peacock feathered
   • service – pan and foot massage
2. Sri Rati Manjari (Sri Raghunath Das Goswami)
   • age – 13 years, 2 months
   • bodily color – lightning
   • dress – star clustered
   • service –foot massage
3. Sri Lavanga Manjari (Sri Sanatan Goswami)
   • age – 13 years, 6 months, 6 ½ days
   • bodily color – lightning
   • dress – star clustered
   • service – lavanga mala
4. Sri Rasa Manjari (Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami)
   • age – 13 years
   • bodily color – champak flower yellow
   • dress – swan white
   • service – messenger (duti)
5. Sri Guna Manjari (Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami)
   • age – 13 years, 1 month, 27 days
   • bodily color – lightning
   • dress – jaba flower red
   • service – water
6. Sri Vilasa Manjari (Sri Jiva Goswami)
   • age – 12 years, 11 months, 26 days
   • bodily color – golden ketaki flower
   • dress – black, like a bumblebee
   • service –foot massage
7. Sri Manjulali Manjari (Sri Lokanath Goswami)
   • age – 13 years, 6 months, 6 days
   • bodily color – molten gold
   • dress – red like the hibiscus flower
   • service – dressing
8. Sri Kasturi Manjari (Sri Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami)
   • age – 13 years.
   • bodily color – golden
   • dress – crystal
   • service – sandalwood

In the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradayas, devotional success comes by following in the footsteps of these manjaris.

In this sampradayas, Sri Rupa Goswami is the original guru (Adi-guru). From following him the term Rupanuga has sprung up. As Sri Rupa Goswami is a manjari, this is the permanent sentiment that his followers hanker for and aspire to.

Narottam Das’s song is a good example of this:









To further illustrate how this is the principal mood of our sampradayas, it should be sufficient to identify the siddha forms of some of the Gaudiya Vaishnava acharyas in the generations following the original six Goswamis in Braja.

1. Srinivasa Acharya = Sri Mani Manjari
2. Narottam Das Thakur = Sri Champaka Manjari (some say Vilasa Manjari)
3. Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur = Sri Vinoda Manjari
4. Baladeva Vidyabhushan = unknown?
5. Jagannath Das Babaji = Sri Rasika Manjari
6. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur = Sri Kamala Manjari
7. Gaura Kishor Das Babaji = Sri Guna Manjari
8. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati = Sri Nayana Manjari

Although it cannot be conclusively ascertained for sure, there is some doubt in my mind that the great world preacher Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada could have deviated from this mood, as it is unlikely that the mood of friendship (sakhya-rasa) should appear in a parampara of manjaris.

I think it's appropriate to post Gadadhara Prana Prabhuji's commentary on this sloka here.

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

Let Sacinandana Sri Gauranga always appear illuminating within our hearts . His beautiful bodily effulgence in bright gold and He has come to bestow a rarely offered gift , His dearmost personal treasure of unnata.ujjvala-bhakti rasa or madhura-prema

Amongst rasika bhaktas there is a commonly accepted opinion that the unnata bhakti rasa that Sri Rupa refers to here means bhavollasa rati , the dasi bhava of Srimati Radharani's manjaris whose sole ambition is to unite and serve Sri Sri Yugala-kisora . We also support this vision , for through the Six Gosvamis , Sri Caitanya certainly did make this highly exalted rasa available for all . But does Sri Gauranga's remarkable storehouse of karuna end here ? Is there not more to his gift ? After all , since Rupa is praying to Sri Sacinandana in this verse and not to Sri Krsna , why would one reap the results of this benediction only in Vraja ? Since Sri Sacinandana belongs to Navadvipa dhama , wouldn't his wonderful treasure be found here as well ? For the splendid and exciting bhavas of the Nadiya nagaris can surely be labelled unnata ujjvala bhakti rasa ? Moreover , the highly confidential aspect of their bhakti and its rarity also puts it in the category of being , as Sri Rupa defines it ,
'' a gift of mercy that was unoffered for a long time '' ( anarpita-carim cirat karuna ).

In the context of this sloka , however , there is another matter that deserves pondering : Which form of bhagavan is the '' highest limit of transcedence '' ( para-tatva sima ) ? Is it Sri Krsna or Sri Gauranga ? Obviously , if Sri Gauranga's unnata ujjvala bhakti rasa gift is found only in Vraja with the manjari bhava , the Sri Krsna's form must be para-tattva sima , for Sri Gaurahari becomes only the gift's donor and not the gift Himself . Yet , on the other hand , if we adhere to the Gosvamis' versions , we shall certainly discover that Sriman Gaurahari is not only the para-tattva sima and the data siromani ('' the supreme donor '' ) , but is Himself the gift . He is the highest gift of madhura rasa personified (unnatojjvala-bhakti-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam ) .

Sri Rupa concludes his anarpita-carim verse by offering a benediction to all : '' Let Sacinandana always appear within the core of your hearts . '' For those who really want to see Sri Gauranga within their hearts , the Gaudiya rasikacarya Sri Locana dasa prescribes the following method :

cala go sajani , piriti nagare , vasati karige mora
marama na jane , dharama vakhane , caurasi bhramibe tara
sadara duware , kapata haniya , khirki daraja khola
cala go sajani , niscinta haiye , adhare dekhige ala
alara bhitare , gorare dekhibi , nayana rakhibi tatha
se desera katha , ei dese kahile , marame paibi vyatha
se dese ei dese , mesamisi ache , ei katha na kaha kakae
se dese ei dese , aneka antara , janaye sakala loke
piriti nagare , manusa ratana , viaja sahaja ghare
dharama karama , kulera acara , sekhane jaite nare
ei dasa locana kahaye vacana , dasa dik tara ala

Oh come sakhi ! Let's go reside in the abode of love (piriti-nagara ). But be careful , for even staunch religionists cannot fathom this realm . They can go on wandering through eight million , four hundred thousand births .

But sakhi , come ! We'll latch the front door and after relieving our minds , enter a secret passage and there see a light . Aho ! Within the effulgence we shall see GorA and satiate our eyes . But don't tell anyone about Piriti nagara lest ou become sad , for people may mock you .

We'll just have to keep the news of our going a secret .Listen: in Piriti nagara , there is a jewel-like purusa and His room is easily approachable . But first one must discard dharma , karma and worldly chastity to go , for they cannot stand beside Him . Thus Locana says , GorA's effulgence fills every direction .

Here , while deeply transported in nagari bhava , Locana whispers into a sakhi's ear the means to attain Piriti nagara : ''Just relax , close your eyes and enter Gauranga's abode of love through your meditation . And when your heart is illuminated by prema , He will appear there .''

So just as Sri Rupa gives the benediction that we may always see Sri Sacinandana within the core of our hearts , Sri Locana gives more details about how this can come about . Introspective bhaktas can benefit by combining the realizations of both Sri Rupa and sri Locana , for in essence the teachings of the Vraja and Navadvipa schools of raganuga bhajana are one .

(Sri Sri Rasaraja Gauranga by Sriman Gadadhara Prana dasa , pp 118-120)

Thanks, Jiva ji, for adding this, Gadadhara Prana Prabhuji's commentary on the sloka C.C. 1.1.4. here.

Sri Jayadeva's Gita Govinda 3.1 continuously echoes in my ears.

Although Sri Krishna may have the reputation of being the supreme enjoyer, this is actually not the fact, because he himself admits in the Chaitanya Charitamrita.



For this reason, Krishna has come as the Chaitanya avatar to experience Radha’s standard of pleasure. But in Ramananda Raya’s teachings in the Charitamrita, the following verse are found—


The word sakhi in this verse particularly refers to the manjaris, or priya narma sakhis.

Ramananda Raya goes on—



Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati further explains in Vrindavana Mahimamrita as follows:



The object for Sri Radha’s love is Sri Krishna alone, whereas the object for the love of the manjaris is Radha and Krishna combined. As Sri Narottam Das Thakur writes:



Sri Krishna is transcendental rasa personified, raso vai saH, and Sri Radha is directly prema personified, maha-bhAva-svarUpiNI.

It is the supreme fortune of the manjaris to be able to taste the sweetness of the combination of these two ingredients first hand.

For this reason, the rasika sekhara Sriman Gaurasundara did not just stop in the matter of tasting Krishna prema from the standpoint of Srimati Radharani, but he even went as far as experiencing for himself the moods and mellows of the manjaris.

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita elaborates as follows:



When Krishna enjoyed water sports in the company of Radha and the other sakhis, then he sometimes kisses them or touches their bodies. The manjaris, however, watch all these goings-on from the banks of the river.

In these verses from Chaitanya Charitamrita it can be clearly understood that Sriman Mahaprabhu is also enjoying the moods of the manjaris by witnessing for himself the pleasure sports of the Divine Couple. If he had been in the mood of Radharani, he would have been playing in the water with Krishna and the sakhis.

In this manjari mood, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said the following—





Yet another example can be found in Chaitanya Charitamrita. Once Chaitanya Mahaprabhu fainted on seeing a dune in Puri. Then, after coming back to consciousness, he related the following vision:



This is an example of Sriman Mahaprabhu performing seva in the mood of the manjaris.

One day, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said the following to Svarupa Damodar and Ramananda Raya:



Without accepting the moods of the manjaris it is not possible to taste or fathom the incomparable sweetness of service to Radha and Krishna. By tasting these mellows himself, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu fulfilled the purport of his being called, “Rasika Shekhara”, the chief of all rasika persons.

But we also have an eternal role with Gaurasundara which is equally the ultimate goal of all our spiritual practice , isn't ? Otherwise , Gaura avatara is simply meant for providing the opportunity to enter madhura Vrndavana and nothing more . Was He just ''footnote'' to Radha-Krsna lila ?

Also:
Will every jiva's eternal urge for conjugal love become satiated without taking part ? And wouldn't the Supreme Lord wish to reciprocate with those desiring to love him beyond the role of a spectator ? Because Krsna is the Supersoul in everyone's heart , the urge to love someone is inseparable from every living being'. He is atma ramana who awakens this most coveted desire within every atma . So the jiva's unending desire for amorous love does have a purpose (Vidagdha-madhava , 7.8. ) . Unfortunately , we misdirect this propensity .


( May be this thread should be split here? )

Suggesting Prabhupada was in the mood of a priya-narma-sakha, specifically, has been put forward as a resolution to this - attracting service from both camps.

Then, secondly by distributing all of these mellows through the teaching of his chief followers like Rupa and Sanatan, to the conditioned souls of this world, he also fulfills the purport of being called parama karuna.

At this point in the discussion, let us review the original Chaitanya Charitamrita sloka which prompted this essay:



Again and again in the books of the six Goswamis, the path of raganuga bhakti sadhana is recommended as the best method for devotees of this world to become united with Radha and Krishna in the eternal realm of Goloka Vrindavan. It was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s inner desire, zrI-caitanya-mano’bhISTam that these matters be cultivated and not forgotten.



It may be said that Chaitanya Charitamrita is the main text of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradayas. Within this one book can be found the most important verses from the Bhagavatam, the Gita, Puranas, Upanishads, and most essential of all, the teachings found in the books of the Goswamis. Chaitanya Charitamrita goes deep into the matter of understanding the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but without reading the books of the Goswamis in tandem with Chaitanya Charitamrita, it will not be possible to fathom its depths.

This is shown by the final words of every single chapter in Chaitanya Charitamrita, where Krishna Das Kaviraj declares that he follows in the footsteps of Sri Sri Rupa and Raghunath, indicating clearly where the “mahat-kripa” for understanding these mysteries is to be found.



For the average reader, these deep siddhantas found in Chaitanya Charitamrita cannot be understood. In regard to this subject matter, Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj says the following:





The term rasika bhakta is a key word in this connection. Just like Narottam Das says in Prema-bhakti-candrika,


Rupa Goswami also states in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu--


The rasika bhakta is the devotee who are ever anxious to taste the variegated mellows of bhakti rasa. For such rasika bhaktas, there is good news: There is a vast ocean of Gaura prema lying ahead, and that ocean is no mirage, as Sri Narottam Das Thakur affirms:




Thus we conclude our short essay devoted to understanding the internal mystery of Chaitanya Deva’s appearance.

I hope this Gaura katha will bring happiness to our Vaishnava readers.

I remain praying in hopes of receiving the kripa of the rasika bhaktas.

Gadadhar Pran Das,
Sri Sri Gadai Gauranga Kunja
Sri Mayapur Ghat.