Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Expressions researched:
"magnanimous incarnation"

CC Adi-lila

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is known as mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls.

CC Adi 7.4, Purport:

As preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting this Pañca-tattva mantra; then we say Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Pañca-tattva mantra, namely, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is known as mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the full benefit of the chanting of the mahā-mantra (Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare), we must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, learn the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra, and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That will be very effective.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mercy incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is addressed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī as mahā-vadānyāvatāra, or the most magnanimous incarnation.

CC Adi 7.150, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mercy incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is addressed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī as mahā-vadānyāvatāra, or the most magnanimous incarnation. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also says, karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau: it is only by His mercy that He has descended in this Age of Kali. Here this is exemplified. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not like to see Māyāvādī sannyāsīs because He thought of them as offenders to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but here He excuses them (tāṅ-sabāra kṣami' aparādha). This is an example in preaching. Āpani ācari' bhakti śikhāimu sabāre. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us that those whom preachers meet are almost all offenders who are opposed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but it is a preacher's duty to convince them of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and then induce them to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Our propagation of the saṅkīrtana movement is continuing, despite many opponents, and people are taking up this chanting process even in remote parts of the world like Africa. By inducing the offenders to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu exemplified the success of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We should follow very respectfully in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, and there is no doubt that we shall be successful in our attempts.

If a logician makes his judgment impartially, he will surely find that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation. He is even more magnanimous than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.

CC Adi 8.15, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philanthropic activities are performed in connection with the eternal soul. However one tries to benefit the body, it will be destroyed, and one will have to accept another body according to his present activities. If one does not, therefore, understand this science of transmigration but considers the body to be all in all, his intelligence is not very advanced. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, without neglecting the necessities of the body, imparted spiritual advancement to purify the existential condition of humanity. Therefore if a logician makes his judgment impartially, he will surely find that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation. He is even more magnanimous than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa demanded that one surrender unto Him, but He did not distribute love of Godhead as magnanimously as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī offers Lord Caitanya his respectful obeisances with the words namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te/ kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ (CC Madhya 19.53). Lord Kṛṣṇa simply gave the Bhagavad-gītā, by which one can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as He is, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is also Kṛṣṇa Himself, gave people love of Kṛṣṇa without discrimination.

Considering the position of the people of this age, the chanting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved.

CC Adi 8.31, Purport:

It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. By serving Gaura-Nityānanda one is freed from the entanglements of material existence and thus becomes qualified to worship the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity.

CC Madhya-lila

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted as the most magnanimous incarnation. It is He only who distributed love of Kṛṣṇa while exhibiting the superexcellence of loving Kṛṣṇa in the conjugal rasa.

CC Madhya 11.31, Purport:

There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa and mādhurya-rasa. Although all the rasas are on the transcendental platform, mādhurya-rasa is the supreme transcendental mellow. Consequently it is concluded that the worship of devotees engaged in the Lord's service in mādhurya-rasa is the supreme spiritual activity. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers mainly worship Lord Kṛṣṇa in mādhurya-rasa. Other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas recommended worship up to vātsalya-rasa. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Vidagdha-mādhava (1.2) describes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult as supreme:

anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau

samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this Age of Kali to exhibit the superexcellence of mādhurya-rasa, a gift never previously bestowed by any ācārya or incarnation. Consequently Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted as the most magnanimous incarnation. It is He only who distributed love of Kṛṣṇa while exhibiting the superexcellence of loving Kṛṣṇa in the conjugal rasa.

CC Antya-lila

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in fact the most magnanimous incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He strictly prohibited illicit sex.

CC Antya 2.143, Purport:

For a person engaged in devotional service in the renounced order, having intimate relationships with women is certainly hypocrisy. This chastisement was given to Junior Haridāsa as an example to future sahajiyās who might adopt the dress of the renounced order to imitate Rūpa Gosvāmī and other bona fide sannyāsīs but secretly have illicit connections with women. To teach such men, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chastised His dear devotee Haridāsa for a slight deviation from the regulative principles. Śrīmatī Mādhavī-devī was a highly elevated devotee; therefore approaching her to ask for some rice to serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was certainly not very offensive. Nevertheless, just to preserve the regulative principles for the future, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enforced the hard-and-fast rule that no one in the renounced order should intimately mix with women. Had Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu not chastised Junior Haridāsa for this slight deviation, so-called devotees of the Lord would have exploited the example of Junior Haridāsa to continue their habit of illicit connections with women unrestrictedly. Indeed, they still preach that such behavior is allowed for a Vaiṣṇava. But it is strictly not allowed. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the teacher of the entire world, and therefore He enforced this exemplary punishment to establish that illicit sexual connections are never allowed by Vaiṣṇava philosophy. This was His purpose in chastising Junior Haridāsa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in fact the most magnanimous incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He strictly prohibited illicit sex.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

"O Supreme Personality of Godhead, who but You has ever awarded such pure devotional service? O most magnanimous incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, for my part I offer my respectful obeisances to this incarnation known as Gaurakrṣṇa."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 13:

When one's attachment to Kṛṣṇa becomes very deep, one attains the condition called love of Godhead. Such a state of existence is considered a permanent situation for a devotee. In this regard, Kavirāja Gosvāmī offered his respectful obeisances to Lord Caitanya for His sublime teachings of love of Godhead. As stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, (CC Madhya 23.1): "O Supreme Personality of Godhead, who but You has ever awarded such pure devotional service? O most magnanimous incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, for my part I offer my respectful obeisances to this incarnation known as Gaurakrṣṇa."

Renunciation Through Wisdom

As the pure devotees of the Lord become successful in their efforts to use their spiritual intelligence in the Lord's service, then the science of love of God taught by Lord Caitanya, the most magnanimous incarnation of Godhead, will be distributed everywhere.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

When knowledge of the Gītā spreads, then everyone will easily be able to attain the platform of yoga. And as the pure devotees of the Lord become successful in their efforts to use their spiritual intelligence in the Lord's service, then the science of love of God taught by Lord Caitanya, the most magnanimous incarnation of Godhead, will be distributed everywhere. Judging from all the symptoms, the time is now ripe. Indians should now take shelter of their saintly preceptors, the pure devotees, and unitedly propagate the glorification of Kṛṣṇa via the medium of the Bhagavad-gītā. In this way the world will become prosperous and perfect. The present age has seen interest in spiritual matters markedly increase. Yoga and meditation societies have mushroomed expressly to transmit the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā, but how this will be accomplished is still a question. We are confident that Lord Caitanya's teachings on the process of loving devotional service will easily harmonize all conflicting concepts.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

"My dear Lord, You are the most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

That is the sublime gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Him, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa." This is very rare thing, love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally failed. He canvassed, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Kṛṣṇa, personally." But nobody surrendered; only a few persons of the Pāṇḍavas, Arjuna, Bhīma, or the gopīs in Vṛndāvana. But at that time there were others. And later age, people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Kṛṣṇa also came to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa, but He actually could not induce people to this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by this saṅkīrtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called namo mahā-vadānyāya: "My dear Lord, You are the most magnificent, munificent personality, incarnation, because," kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53), "You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, the most important thing, the goal of life." And that was the mission of Lord Caitanya. He said, kalau, in this age, when everything has become topsy-turvied, there is no more chance for systematizing the whole human society. It is lost. The regulating processes are lost now, and neither it is possible to reintroduce it. It is not possible. People have become so much degraded that it is not possible. Therefore direct method. Direct method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will revive your old consciousness.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is mahā-vadānyāvatāra, because He is teaching about the love of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and teaching everyone kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāyate, real destination of life, how to achieve kṛṣṇa-prema, and He's personally teaching. Namo mahā-vadānyāya. Rūpa Gosvāmī understood it: "Here is namo mahā-vadānyāya, most magnanimous incarnation."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

One who has got this human form of life, if he does not understand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, his life is spoiled. Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: knowingly they're eating poison, because by coming in contact with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa they can go back to home, back to Godhead, and there will be no more janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Such opportunity is human life, simply to understand Rādhā Kṛṣṇa. And therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is mahā-vadānyāvatāra, because He is teaching about the love of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and teaching everyone kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāyate, real destination of life, how to achieve kṛṣṇa-prema, and He's personally teaching. Namo mahā-vadānyāya. Rūpa Gosvāmī understood it: "Here is namo mahā-vadānyāya, most magnanimous incarnation."

Similarly, Locana dāsa Ṭhākura has sung,

parama karuṇa, pahū dui-jana,

nitāi-gauracandra

saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi,

kevala ānanda-kanda

Kevala ānanda-kanda, parama-karuṇa: "There are many incarnation, but no better incarnation, no magnanimous incarnation, like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu."

There are many incarnations, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is the most magnanimous incarnation.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

There are many incarnations, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is the most magnanimous incarnation, because in other incarnation... Just like Lord Rāmacandra. The culprit, the criminal or the sinful demon, Rāvaṇa, he was killed. Kṛṣṇa also, when He appeared, He killed so many demons. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, demons like Jagāi and Mādhāi, did not kill them but delivered them to become the best type of Vaiṣṇava. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation magnanimity. What He will kill? These demons are petty demons. They can be killed only by slap. So it is not very difficult to kill them, to call for sudarśana-cakra or any deadly weapon. They are already killed. There is no food. How they will work? How they will fight? So it is not possible. So it is to kill the dead man. Now, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu incarnation, if they want to kill them, they are already dead. To give them life again is Kṛṣṇa's or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special gift. Therefore it is said, śrī caitanya, prema-bhakti-vadānyatā, His magnanimity.

"Your process of preaching Kṛṣṇa philosophy is so nice, by the saṅkīrtana movement, that everyone can understand the Kṛṣṇa philosophy very easily. Therefore You are the most magnanimous incarnation."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

As Rūpa Gosvāmī, he, he prayed Lord Caitanya:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

"Oh, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You because You are so magnanimous that You are distributing the love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted, when He, when He was present, that 'You love Me, surrender unto Me. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66).' Now people misunderstood. But Your process of preaching Kṛṣṇa philosophy is so nice, by the saṅkīrtana movement, that everyone can understand the Kṛṣṇa philosophy very easily. Therefore You are the most magnanimous incarnation, and I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."

General Lectures

If we are actually intelligent, why not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately and become intelligent? Without, without going to the process, you take... It is offered to you by the most magnanimous incarnation, Lord Caitanya.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So if we want to be intelligent, we can adopt the process how to become intelligent. But on the other hand, if we are actually intelligent, why not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately and become intelligent? Without, without going to the process, you take... It is offered to you by the most magnanimous incarnation, Lord Caitanya. He's offering you, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He's giving you love of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his obeisances to Lord Caitanya, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "O my dear Lord Caitanya, You are the most charitable, magnanimous of all incarnations. Why? Because You are directly giving love of Kṛṣṇa. The love of Kṛṣṇa which cannot be achieved after many, many births, You are delivering cheaply, 'Take it immediately.' " Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya. They could understand that "You are Kṛṣṇa"; otherwise it was not possible by anyone to offer Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, so cheaply. "You are Kṛṣṇa, You have got that power."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

As the age is fallen, the most magnanimous incarnation is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-prema. Why don't you take it?

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Very simple thing. You take to śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam and see the result. Why you say it is seldom? It is very easy, but you won't take. Seldom we find the followers. Otherwise it is very cheap. Rūpa Gosvāmī worshiped Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with these words,

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

"My Lordship, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are the most magnanimous person of charity." Why? Now, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya: "One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, and You are directly delivering love of Kṛṣṇa." It is not seldom. If you want to love somebody, you must know him. Love is not with the air. If you want to love somebody, then you must know what he is and why should I love him. So nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Where is the question of love? If you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, the question of loving Him does not arise. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. That means Kṛṣṇa understanding is automatically—finished. Therefore He is addressed as the most magnanimous. So it is not at all seldom. As the age is fallen, the most magnanimous incarnation is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-prema. You take it. Why don't you take it? It is not seldom. You do not like to take it. That is the disease.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

As the most magnanimous incarnation of Sri Krishna, the Personality of Sri Krishna Caitanya has made the path of going "Back to Godhead" so easy for every one that even a boy of the world can swim across the ocean of religiosity, although it is injected with so many dangerous animals ready to devour up a fallen person in that great massive water.

Letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of Indian Union -- Delhi 21 November, 1956:

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said very clearly that whosoever may adopt the specific principle of accepting Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead, he will be able to achieve the highest transcendental goal of life,—never mind what he is either a born untouchable, a fallen woman, a laborer or a man dealing in rupees annas pies. His being so, what is there difficulty for a pious "Brahmin" and devoted king for going "Back to Godhead"? Everyone should therefore adopt this principle of going "Back to Godhead" in order to get released from the world of miseries, with temporary existence.

This fact is corroborated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the practical demonstrator of Bhagavad-gita and as the most magnanimous incarnation of Sri Krishna—the Personality of Sri Krishna Caitanya has made the path of going "Back to Godhead" so easy for every one that even a boy of the world can swim across the ocean of religiosity, although it is injected with so many dangerous animals ready to devour up a fallen person in that great massive water.