Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu - Always Absorbed in Ecstasy and the Holy Name
In the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, the continuous and absolute nature of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is frequently highlighted by the word "always." Unlike ordinary living entities whose minds constantly flicker between material desires and spiritual aspirations, the Supreme Lord's absorption is eternal and unbroken. He was always chanting, always loving, and always acting for the ultimate benefit of the entire universe.
Always Chanting on the Order of the Guru
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu descended to teach by example. Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions that to demonstrate the supreme importance of accepting and following a bona fide spiritual master, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu perfectly executed the order of Īśvara Purī. Feigning the position of an uneducated fool, the Lord showed that the highest perfection of life is simply to always chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa with full faith.
- He said, "You are a fool" "You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy, and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence of all mantras, or Vedic hymns."
- Lord Caitanya further informed Prakasananda Sarasvati: Because I have full faith in My spiritual master's words, I am always engaged in chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
- I firmly believe in these words of My spiritual master, and therefore I always chant the holy name of the Lord, alone and in the association of devotees.
- After describing the potency of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, My spiritual master taught Me another verse, advising Me to always keep it within My throat.
Always Absorbed in the Mood of Separation
To understand the deepest loving reciprocations of the spiritual world, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu assumed the emotional state of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrīla Prabhupāda says that in this exalted consciousness, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was always feeling acute separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, manifesting extraordinary bodily transformations and spending His days and nights merged in the highest transcendental ecstasy.
- Lord Caitanya accepted the position of Srimati Radharani to understand Krsna; therefore He was always thinking of Krsna in the same way as Radharani. By thinking of Lord Krsna, He always overlapped Krsna.
- Being always absorbed in the ecstasy of Srimati Radharani, Sri Caitanya felt the same separation from Krsna that Radharani felt when Krsna left Vrndavana and went to Mathura. This ecstatic feeling is very helpful in attaining love of God in separation.
- During His last twelve years, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu always manifested all the symptoms of ecstasy in separation from Krsna.
- From the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, an intelligent person engaged in pure devotional service can understand that He always felt separation from Krsna within Himself.
Always Accompanied by His Eternal Associates
The absolute truth is not impersonal or alone. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is always accompanied by His internal potencies and most confidential devotees. Whether in Navadvīpa or Jagannātha Purī, He eternally associates with the Pañca-tattva to relish the congregational chanting of the holy name.
- Lord Caitanya is always accompanied by His best associates like Lord Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu always associates with His internal soldiers - Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu and Gadadhara Prabhu.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thus stayed at Jagannatha Puri in the association of His devotees, always merged in ecstatic devotional love.
- Caitanya always offered respects to Advaita Prabhu as He would to His father because Advaita was even older than His father; yet Advaita Prabhu always considered Himself a servant of Lord Caitanya.
Always Preaching and Delivering the Fallen
The primary purpose of the Lord's advent in the age of Kali was to distribute love of Godhead. Although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, He appeared in the form of a devotee, always chanting His own names and deeply lamenting for the suffering condition of the materially engrossed souls. His unceasing preaching work was a manifestation of His causeless mercy.
- Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam: although He (Lord Caitanya) is Krsna Himself, He always chants Hare Krsna and preaches Krsna consciousness. One is recommended to worship this incarnation by chanting, the sankirtana-yajna.
- Varna means a caste or classification. So Caitanya is in the classification of the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Or if you don't take that meaning, then krsna-varnam means He is always chanting "Krsna." Krsnam varnayati.
- For six of these twenty-four years in Nilacala (Jagannatha Puri), He distributed love of Godhead by always chanting and dancing.
- How Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always thinking about the deliverance of the fallen souls is shown by the statement e duhkha apara - It is My (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's) great unhappiness.
Conclusion
To contemplate the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to witness the zenith of divine love. Śrīla Prabhupāda reminds us that the fact that He was always chanting, always feeling the ecstasy of separation, and always extending His mercy to the most fallen souls proves the infinite depths of His compassion. By meditating on these constant, eternal qualities of the Lord, a sincere devotee can gain the spiritual strength to always remain engaged in pure devotional service.
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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 Always. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.