If one saw the personal characteristics and activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one would certainly be convinced that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can ascertain this by following in the footsteps of the śāstric injunctions. This sincere study and appreciation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also applicable to His authorized devotees, and it is clearly stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya-līlā 7.11):
- kali-kālera dharma—kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana
- kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nāhe tāra pravartana
In this Age of Kali, real religious propaganda should induce people to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. This is possible for someone who is especially empowered by Kṛṣṇa. No one can do this without being especially favored by Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this regard in his Anubhāṣya, wherein he quotes a verse from the Nārāyaṇa-saṁhitā:
- dvāparīyair janair viṣṇuḥ pañcarātrais tu kevalaiḥ
- kalau tu nāma-mātreṇa pūjyate bhagavān hariḥ
“In Dvāpara-yuga, devotees of Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa rendered devotional service according to the principles of Pāñcarātra. In this Age of Kali, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped simply by the chanting of His holy names.” Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura then comments, “Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world. He certainly cannot succeed by mental concoction, which is not meant for devotees or religious people. Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Kṛṣṇa. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Kṛṣṇa’s effulgence throughout the world. Such an ācārya, or spiritual master, should be considered nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa—that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s potency. Such a personality is kṛṣṇāliṅgita-vigraha—that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Such a person is above the considerations of the varṇāśrama institution. He is the guru, or spiritual master, for the entire world, a devotee on the topmost platform, the mahā-bhāgavata stage, and a paramahaṁsa-ṭhākura, a spiritual form only fit to be addressed as paramahaṁsa or ṭhākura.”Nonetheless, there are many people who are just like owls and never open their eyes to see the sunshine. These owlish personalities, who are inferior even to the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, cannot see the brilliance of Kṛṣṇa’s favor upon the mahā-bhāgavata devotee. They are prepared to criticize the person engaged in distributing the holy name all over the world and following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who wanted Kṛṣṇa consciousness preached in every town and city.