Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many expansion of God. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (BS 5.33). He has got many forms, but this form which we know as Kṛṣṇa, that is the original Kṛṣṇa, or original God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): "Although I have got many forms, but the original, supreme form is Kṛṣṇa." But that does not mean that the other forms of Kṛṣṇa, not our manufactured, but as it is stated in the śāstra . . . Kṛṣṇa has got many names: Rāma, Govinda, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. There are other forms. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (BS 5.39). Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. He has got many forms. Rāma is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So these forms . . . We should not consider they are less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. Not that. But Kṛṣṇa is the original form. The example is given in the śāstra: just like candles. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya (BS 5.46). The . . . There are thousands of candles, so we get one of them ignited, light up, and then second, then third, then fourth, then fifth—you can go on increasing millions. The each light, each candle, is equally powerful. There is no doubt. Kṛṣṇa's expansion not . . . The viṣṇu-tattva. It is called viṣṇu-tattva. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate na hi tathā pṛthag asti hetu (BS 5.46). So viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is one, but still, just like the example, candle. One candle, first candle, is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (BS 5.1), govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. This is the conclusion.
There are sometimes controversy that "You do not worship Lord Rāmacandra" or "You do not chant the name of Rāmacandra first." These are all material consideration. Either you chant Hare Rāma or Hare Kṛṣṇa, it does not make any difference. If you like, you can begin with Hare Rāma, and if you like, you can . . . These are, I mean to say, neophyte question, that "You are not chanting Hare Rāma. You are making discrimination." We do not make any discrimination. We equally. But I like the form of Kṛṣṇa. Hanumāncandra liked the form of Rāma. But that does not mean that you like any form and he'll be God. No. You have to go according to the direction of the śāstra. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu. Viṣṇu form, they are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have to accept the direction of the authorities.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by Sanātana Gosvāmī that "How we can understand the incarnation of God?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that "You will understand the incarnation of God with reference to the śāstra. Don't manufacture your incarnation of God. That is not allowed." Then Sanātana Gosvāmī wanted to say Caitanya Mahāprabhu was incarnation, because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said . . . Not only in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in many other, Mahābhārata and Upaniṣad, there is mention, mahā vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam. This mahāpuruṣa, Mahāprabhu, this vande mahāpuruṣa, it is applicable to Lord Rāmacandra.
- tyaktvā su-dustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ
- dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam
- māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad
- vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam
- (SB 11.5.34)
This śloka is applicable to both Rāmacandra and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Viṣṇu is always mahāpuruṣa. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja is addressed sometimes, mahāpauruṣika. Because he is devotee of Mahapuruṣa, so he is addressed as mahāpauruṣika, like that.
So by the śāstra indication, especially in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is described:
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñair saṅkīrtanair prāyair
- yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
This is the most important verse indicating Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is in the same category. And another meaning, kṛṣṇa-varṇayati: "The incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who is always describing Kṛṣṇa or chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Varṇayati. But tviṣa akṛṣṇam: "But by complexion, akṛṣṇa, not black." So "not black," that may be many other colors. Then which of them I shall take? That is also stated in the śāstra. While making the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, Gargamuni, he said, idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. Śukla-raktas tathā pītam idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ (SB 10.8.13): "Nanda Mahārāja, your son, this child, has now appeared as kṛṣṇa, blackish." Idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. "Otherwise this very child appeared in previous ages." Śukla-raktas tathā pīta: "He . . . Sometimes He appeared in white color, sometimes red, sometimes yellow." This yellow color refers to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, golden color. So this is also confirmed. Not . . . If somebody says that "He is Kṛṣṇa. Why He is not blackish?" No. He appears as the devotee of Kṛṣṇa in golden color. We say, therefore, "golden avatāra."
So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣa akṛṣṇam saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He is with His soldiers, saṅga, upāṅga, part of the part: Advaita Prabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu is directly part; Advaita Prabhu is part of the part. And astra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also has His astra, weapon. The astra means to, I mean to say, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). So this astra, what is that? Saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtanaiḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajanti hi (SB 11.5.32). This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is also astra of Kṛṣṇa for killing the demons, but it is not like a . . . like a sword. It is not active. But it is astra. It is killing the demons, but in a different way. The demonic habits are being killed, demonic habits. Everyone, we can understand it how our demonic activities are being killed by this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. This is astra. This is an astra, but it is being used in a different way, because in this age they are so fallen. So . . . Manda, manda-bhāgyā. This real astra weapon cannot be used upon them. It is already dead. So therefore another type of astra to awaken them to life, that is Hare Kṛṣṇa, mahā-mantra astra. Otherwise they are already dead. A dead horse . . . "Beating the dead horse." A horse is dead; what you will get by beating with whips? It is already dead. So there are big, big demons. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was required to be killed by the nails of the Lord. He appeared as a ferocious lion. But here, the teeny demons, there is no need of nails or any sword. They are to be awakened simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.