Who is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu?

The identity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya

– Caitanya Bhāgavata

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is none other than the combined form of Śrīmatī

Rādhīkā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

 

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

– SB 11.5.32

In the age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa appears with a golden complexion. He is constantly singing the two syllables kṛ and ṣṇa, and He is accompanied by His associates, servitors, weapons and confidential companions. Intelligent people worship Him by performing saṅkīrtana-yajña

 

itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair

lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat-pratīpān

dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ

channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ‘tha sa tvam

– SB 7.9.38

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said:] “O Kṛṣṇa, in this way You appear in various incarnations: as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish, or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and slaying the enemies of universal peace. In this way, according to the age, You protect the principles of religion, but, O Mahāprabhu, in the age of Kalī, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because Your incarnation is hidden in the age of Kalī You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who manifests His supremacy in only three ages.”

The reasons for Mahaprabhu’s appearance:

 Internal reason

śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivā svādyo yenādbhuta-madhurimā kīdṛśo vā madīyaḥ saukhyaṁ cāsyā mad-anubhavataḥ kīdṛśaṁ veti lobhāt tad-bhāvāḍhyaḥ samajani śacī-garbha-sindhau harīnduḥ

– CC Ādi-lila 1.6

Desiring to understand the glory of Śrīmatī Rādhīkā’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realises the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Śrīmatī Śacī-devī, as themoon appeared from the ocean.

External reason

He appaered to preach the method of achieving spirirtual perfection in this age of Kali: The chanting of the Holy Name of Krishna.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings: 

ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛṇdāvanaṁ ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā

śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalaṁ premā pum-artho mahānśrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idaṁ tatrādaro naḥ paraḥ

Caitanya-manjusa, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

Bhagavān Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa is our only worshipful object. In the same way that He is worshipful, so is His transcendental abode, Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma. The mood in which the young brides of Vraja (the gopīs, especially Śrīmatī Rādhikā) worship Him is the highest perfectional form of love of God. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam alone is the immaculate scriptural evidence of this (śabda-pramāṇa) and kṛṣṇa-prema is the supreme objective of life (the fifth and highest goal of human life – beyond mundane religiosity, economic develoment, sense gratification and impersonal liberation). This is the teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (gaura-vāṇī). We hold this conclusion (siddhānta) in supreme regard and have no inclination or respect for any other conclusion or cheating opinions.

Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are revealed through Mahāprabhu:

ārādhitaṁ nava-vanaṁ vraja-kānanaṁ tenārādhitaṁ nava-vanaṁ vraja eva dūreārādhito dvija-suto vraja-nāgaras te nārādhito dvija-suto na taveha kṛṣṇaḥ

Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, Navadvīpa Śataka 78

 

If you worship Navadvīpa, then you also worship the forest of Vraja. If you

don’t worship Navadvīpa, then the forest of Vraja is far away. If you worship Lord

Caitanya, then you also worship Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vraja. If you don’t

worship Lord Caitanya, then you cannot worship Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.