Deities of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
The worship of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is central to the spiritual lives of all Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, as He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead descending in the mood of His own devotee. Śrīla Prabhupāda continuously emphasized that Lord Caitanya is the ultimate worshipable Deity, whose lotus feet are sought after by the greatest demigods and topmost paramahaṁsas. Because He is the most magnanimous incarnation, He is exceptionally merciful, allowing for leniency in His Deity worship compared to the strict standards required for other forms of the Lord. His magnificent six-armed form, known as ṣaḍ-bhuja, perfectly integrates the divine appearances of Kṛṣṇa, Rāmacandra, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself. Throughout history, pure devotees have established His Deities to facilitate the global saṅkīrtana movement. By understanding the practical guidelines set forth by Śrīla Prabhupāda, devotees worldwide can properly honor, serve, and please the Deity of Lord Caitanya, easily attaining the highest perfection of life.
The Supreme Worshipable Deity
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not an ordinary person; He is the Supreme Lord and the master of all creation. Śrīla Prabhupāda taught that He is the supreme object of worship, revered even by the principal demigods who disguised themselves just to offer Him their loving devotion.
- Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always the most worshipable Deity of the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, who came in the garb of ordinary men, bearing love for Him.
- O Supreme Lord, You (Lord Caitanya) are the Supreme Maheśvara, the worshipable Deity of all the demigods and the Supreme Lord of all lords. You are the controller of all controllers, the Personality of Godhead, the Lord of everything worshipable.
- He is the only worshipable Deity for the paramahaṁsas, who have attained the highest stage of the fourth order (sannyāsa). May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya, show us His great causeless mercy.
The Six-Armed Form (Ṣaḍ-bhuja)
The ṣaḍ-bhuja-mūrti is a spectacular six-armed manifestation of the Lord that conclusively proves His divine identity. By worshiping this unique Deity, devotees can realize the unified essence of Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
- Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was so fortunate as to see the six-armed form of Lord Caitanya known as Ṣaḍ-bhuja. A Ṣaḍ-bhuja Deity is still situated at one end of the Jagannātha temple. Daily saṅkīrtana performances take place in this part of the temple.
- In Saptagrama there is still a temple with a six-armed Deity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that was personally worshiped by Śrīla Uddharaṇa Datta Ṭhākura.
- The best purpose of human life can be fulfilled by worshiping the ṣaḍ-bhuja-mūrti, the form of the Lord with six arms—two arms of Rāmacandra, two arms of Kṛṣṇa and two arms of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Standards of Deity Worship
Because Lord Caitanya is the most merciful incarnation, the worship of Gaura-Nitāi is more forgiving of offenses than the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda still provided specific directives for Their proper care, such as how They should be dressed and bathed.
- In your Western countries Lord Caitanya should be entirely covered, He should not appear bare-chested.
- Irregularity in worshiping Guru and Gaurāṅga can be tolerated, as they are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshiping Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Śrī Rādhā Kṛṣṇa is not good.
- There is no question of bathing Caitanya deity. Of course He is bathed many times daily by Hare Kṛṣṇa Mantra, but for bathing of such deities requires śālagrāma-śilā, and I have not introduced yet, but I shall do so later.
Establishing Deities and Preaching
The establishment of Lord Caitanya's Deities has been a foundational practice for centuries to expand the mission of saṅkīrtana. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that bringing these Deities from town to town is a potent preaching method to distribute the holy name and prasādam.
- Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdaśī there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. At the same place, Deities of Nityānanda Prabhu, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago.
- A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrapada, in the province of Orissa, contributed funds to establish these Deities (of Nityānanda, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita) in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Toṭā-gopīnātha gosvāmīs.
- Its (Krsna Consciousness Movement's) members are going from village to village and town to town with Deities of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, teaching people how to worship the Lord by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, offering prasādam and distributing prasādam to people in general.
Conclusion
The teachings surrounding the Deity of Lord Caitanya reveal Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worthy of worship by the highest celestial beings and the most advanced devotees. Through His enchanting forms, such as the six-armed ṣaḍ-bhuja-mūrti, He proves His supreme identity. While He is remarkably kind and accepts worship with great leniency, proper standards and devotion remain essential. By establishing His Deities and propagating the chanting of the holy names, devotees continue the glorious legacy of distributing love of Godhead to everyone.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Caitanya's Deity. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.