Ist Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Krishna? Belege aus den Schriften
Zusammenfassung
Der Discord-Server Bhakti Sangha beleuchtet ausführlich die Identität von Chaitanya Mahaprabhu als Krishna selbst. Dieser Beitrag untersucht Verse von Mira Bai und aus dem Swetaswatara Upanishad, um seine Göttlichkeit durch die Schriften zu bestätigen. Anhand von Begriffen wie Aditya Varnam und Mahan Prabhu wird ein überzeugender Beleg für die Identität des Goldenen Herrn erbracht, der sowohl Gläubigen als auch Skeptikern Klarheit bietet.
Mira Bai schreibt in ihrem Werk „Ab To Hari Nam Dhun Lo Lagi“ zwischen den Versen 3 und 4:
syama kisor bhaye nava gora, caitanya jako nam! pitambar ko bhava dikhavai, kati kaupina base, gaur krsna ki dasi mira, jasa na krsna bane na bane! ab to hari nam dhun lo lagi!
„Mein dunkler Geliebter ist nun als der junge, strahlende Goldene Herr wiedererschienen, dessen gesegneter Name ‚Caitanya‘ lautet! Obwohl er selbst nur dürftige Lumpen trägt, offenbart er mir sowohl sein Pitambara (göttliches gelbes Gewand) als auch seine innersten Gefühle göttlicher Liebe. Nun ist Mirabai die Dienerin von Golden Krsna Caitanya, ganz gleich, ob alle die Herrlichkeit meines Krsna anerkennen oder nicht!“
Diese Antwort enthält nur die Schriftstellen, die noch erhalten sind, da Skeptiker die Echtheit der verlorenen Texte anzweifeln, obwohl wir sie für ebenso authentisch halten. Am Ende der Antwort werden sowohl die Echtheit der verlorenen Verse als auch die der Biografien von Chaitanya Mahaprabhu belegt.
Im Swetaswatara Upanishad 3.8 wird Purusah als „Aditya Varnam“ bezeichnet. „Aditya“ bedeutet Sonne, „Varnam“ bedeutet Teint – gemeint ist also ein Herr mit goldener oder gelblicher Hautfarbe. Gegner behaupten, diese Stelle erwähne Mahaprabhu nicht, da auch andere Gottheiten einen goldenen, leuchtenden Teint aufweisen. Außerdem argumentieren sie, „Aditya Varnam“ könne auch als „einer, der so hell wie die Sonne ist“ verstanden werden. Betrachtet man jedoch den Kontext und die Wahrscheinlichkeit, wird deutlich, dass von Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu die Rede ist. Nur drei Verse nach 3.8, nämlich im Swetaswatara Upanishad 3.12, nennt der Sprecher diesen Purusah „Mahan Prabhu“ (mahān prabhur vai puruṣaḥ sattvasyaiṣa pravartakaḥ). Dass Begriffe wie „Aditya Varnam“ und „Mahan Prabhu“ im selben Buch, Kapitel und unmittelbaren Kontext vorkommen, macht es wahrscheinlicher, dass sie den wunderschönen Sohn von Mutter Saci bezeichnen.
Rigveda 4.58.2 states:
vayam nāma prabravāmā ghṛtasyā, asmin yajñe dhārayāmā namobhiḥ | upa brahmā śṛṇavacchasyamānaṁ, catuḥ śṛṅgo’vamīd gaura etat ||
“We worship (vayam namobhiḥ) in Kaliyuga (asmin) in Saṅkīrtana yajña (yajñe) the names of parabrahma (nāma dhārayāmā), which will act as the ghṛtāhuti (ghṛtasya) and we will always repeat it (prabravāmā). We will engage in its kīrtana (śasyamānaṁ) and will continuously hear it (upa śṛṇuvat). Those Holy names (etat brahma) are sung (avamīt) by Śrī Gaurāṅga (gauraḥ) with four types of armies of associates (catuḥ śṛṅgaḥ) i.e. sāṅga, upāṅga, astra and pārṣada.”
Bhavisya Purana, Pratisarga Parva, chaps 18-21 are flooded with prophecies of many Vaishnav Acaryas, which includes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in a very high manner.
Garuda Purana 1.15.44-47 states:
धूमवर्णः पतिवर्णो नानारूपो ह्यवर्णकः ॥ विरूपो रूपदश्चैव शुक्लवर्णस्तथैव च ॥ सर्ववर्णो महायोगी यज्ञो यज्ञकृदेव च ॥ सुवर्णवर्णवांश्चैव सुवर्णाख्यस्तथैव च सुवर्णावयवश्चैव सुवर्णः स्वर्णमेखलः ॥॥ सुवर्णस्य प्रदाता च सुवर्णांशस्तथैव च ॥ सुवर्णस्य प्रियश्चैव सुवर्णाढ्यस्तथैव च ॥
“He has a yellowish complexion, and appears in multiple forms, devoid of any material complexion….He is a confidential deity. He is a Maha Yogi (Sanyasi)…and is the performer of the (sankirtan) yajna. He has a beautiful Golden complexion, has limbs of Golden complexion, and is therefore called Gauranga for being the possessor of Golden complexioned limbs. He is fond of Gold, giver of Gold, and is possessor of Gold.”
Keywords: पतिवर्णो : Yellowish complexioned, विरूपो: Confidential/Hidden form/deity, महायोगी: Great Yogi or saint, यज्ञकृदेव: He is the performer of the (Sankirtan) Yagya, सुवर्णवर्णवांश्चैव: Has golden complexioned limbs, सुवर्णाख्यस्तथैव: named as Golden complexioned (Gauranga).
In the same chapter of Garuda Purana, verses 112-113 state:
शार्ङ्गपाणिश्च कृष्णश्च ज्ञानमूर्त्तिः परन्तपः ॥
तपस्वी ज्ञानगम्यो हि ज्ञानी ज्ञानविदेव च ॥ ॥
ज्ञेयश्च ज्ञेयहीनश्च जञपतशचतनयरपक ॥
भव भवय भवकर भवन भवनशन ॥
“He holds a conch, he holds bow, he is Krishna, the embodiment of knowledge and slayer of enemies. He is a tapasvin (saint), realizable, endowed, knower and object of knowledge. He is in the form of Chaitanya. He is the purport, he is to be conceived, the origin of all, the destroyer of rebirth.”
Keywords— तपस्वी: Performer of penance (Saint), चैतन्यरूपकः In the form of Chaitanya.
The above keywords’ translation is not by Gaudiyas, but is derived from Motilal Banarsidass’ edition of Garuda Purana. Anyone can cross check.
Sri Ananta-samhita, one among the voluminous pancaratra-agamas, sings glorification of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu openly, for example Part Two, Chapter Three is very elaborate and detailed.
radhika-vallabhah krsno bhaktanam priya-kamyaya srimad-gauranga-rupena navadvipe virajate
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna who is most dear to His Supreme consort Srimati Radharani is situated in Navadvipa in His transcendental combined form of Srimad Gauranga to fulfil the innermost desires of His most intimate devotees.”
Garga samhita 5.24.83 states:
SrImad-bhAgavataM divyaM purANaM vacanaM tadA gaurAnvayasya samprAptir bhaviSyati na saMzayaH
Word to Word Translation— Srimad-bhagavatam: Srimad Bhagavatam; divyam: transcendental; puranam: Purana, vacanam: words; tada: then; gaura-anvayasya: of Lord Gaura; sampraptih: attainment or shelter; bhavisyati: will be, of the future, in the future; na: no; samsayah: doubt.
One may try to give alternative meanings to the term ‘gaura-anvayasya’, however, it cannot brush aside the interpretation related to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Simply giving alternative translation doesn’t prove anything. To add more, we find the term ‘gaura-anvayasya’, along with ‘Srimad-bhagavatam’, & ‘bhavisyati’, which increases the probability of it referring Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Objection: However, this verse can have multiple meanings, and they are more firm to the context than yours.
Refutation: Being more firm to the context doesn’t invalidate our interpretation, our interpretation doesn’t contradict the context. As already explained from the argument of probability, Gaudiya interpretation stands perfect in there.
To add more, scriptural statements can often be multi-layered. Meaning—both interpretations can be valid at the same time. Therefore, even if we grant your different translation to be true, it doesn’t hold much weight. According to Sri Madhvacarya himself, Vedas have three layered meanings.
In his Mahābhārata Tatparye Nirnaye, Chapter 9: Ramasvadhama Pravesa, 138, 139, Sri Madhvacarya says:
“In the Lakshana work composed by Krishna Dwaipayana, it is stated that one who comments on the meaning of the Vedas without knowing the three modes of interpretation, one hundred ways of annotation, and the seven kinds of differences, goes to eternal hell, which is where those of convoluted understanding go.”
Sri Madhvacarya quotes Skanda Purana in his Rig Bhasyam:
trayoarthaha sarvavedeshu dasharthah sarvabharate vishnon sahasranamapi nirantarasatarthakam ||
“Vedas have at least three meanings, Mahabharata has atleast ten meanings and Vishnu Sashranama has at least 100 meanings for each word.”
Krsna-yamala tantra, Verse 64-66 states:
gaurango nada gambhirah svanamamrta lalasah dayaluh kirtana grahi bhavisyati saci-sutah
“Merciful Lord Gauranga, who has a deep voice, will appear as the son of Sacidevi. He is eager to taste the nectar of His own names and thus engages in chanting them.”
matva tvan mayam atmanam pathan dvy-aksaram ucyate gata trapo madonmatta gaja vad vicarisyati
“He (Krsna) will consider Himself as You (Radha). In this mood He will loudly recite two syllables, krsna, and being shamelessly intoxicated He will wander like an elephant.”
bhuvam prapte tu govinde caitanyakhya bhavisyati amsena tatra yasyanti tatra tat purva parsada prthak prthan namadheyah prayah purusa-murtayah
“When Lord Govinda appears on earth, He will be known as Caitanya. At that time His previous associates will also appear on earth. For the most part, they will have male forms.”
Narada-pancaratra, Bala-Krsna-sahasra-nama-stotra, verse 106-107, 145 state:
bhakti-priyo bhakti-data, damodara ibhas-patih indra-darpa-haro ‘nanto, nityananda-cid-atmakah caitanya-rupas caitanyas cetana guna-varjitah advaitacara-nipuno ‘dvaitah parama-nayakah ...saci-suto-jaya-pradah
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead who is dear to the devotees, who gives devotional service, who was bound at the waist, who is the master of many elephants, who took Indra’s pride away, who has no end, who is Nityananada, who is spiritual, who assumes the form of Sri Caitanya, who is Sri Caitanya, who has no material qualities, who expertly acts as Advaita Acarya, who is Advaita, who is the supreme leader,… He is Saci’s son, who gives victory.”
In Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38, Prahlada Maharaja while speaking to Lord Nrsimhadev, says that the Lord incarnates in various forms, but he is hidden in Kali Yuga (छन्न: कलौ), thus he is called as ‘Triyugi’, meaning, one who appears in three Yuga. However, the Lord does incarnate openly as Lord Buddha & Lord Kalki, then on what basis Prahlad Maharaj called him as Triyugi? We thus we understand that he is hinting a hidden incarnation.
Narada Maha-Purana 1.5.47 states:
अहमेव द्विजश्रेष्ठ नित्यं प्रच्छन्नविग्रहः भगवद्भक्तरूपेण लोकान्रक्षामि सर्वदा
Lord Krishna Said : “Concealing my real identity, O vipra, I appear in kali-yuga in the grab of a devotee and always protect my devotees.”
प्रच्छन्न— Hidden विग्रहः — deity/incarnation, भगवद्भक्तरूपेण— In the form of a Bhakta.
The above verse alsooccurs again in Brhan Narada Purana, an Upa Purana, Chowkhamba Sanskrit series edition, Varanasi, page no. 55.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.13, Gargamuni speaks to Nanda Maharaja:
“This boy [Krsna] has three other colors – white, red and yellow – as He appears in different yugas. Now He has appeared in a transcendental blackish color.”
The above verse has mentioned 4 colours for 4 Yugas, a Yugavatara for each. 5th Chapter of 11th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam describes white and red colored incarnations belonging to Satya and Treta Yuga, the white incarnation as Lord Hamsa, the yuga avatara for satya yuga, & The red incarnation as Lord Yajna, the yuga-avatara for treta yuga, and dark blue appeared in dvapara yuga. Now, by a simple process of elimination, the ‘yellow yugavatara’ must appear in Kali yuga.
Further, in Srimad bhagwatam 11.5.31-32 it’s stated:
“O King, in this way people in Dvāpara-yuga glorified the Lord of the universe. In Kali-yuga also people worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following various regulations of the revealed scriptures. Now kindly hear of this from me. In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.”
Objection: Regarding SB 11.5.32, Sri Santadas Babaji, the renowned saint of the (Vaishnava) Nimbarka sect has not accepted the meaning of the sloka starting with “krishnavarnam” etc from the bhagavatam. In his biography of Sri Sri Ramdas Kathiababa, he logically explained it clearly that this sloka refers to Sri Krishna and none else.
Refutation: Respected Santadas babaji’s interpretation can be disproven easily. Lets check the context, just one verse after SB 11.5.32, Bhagavatam gives the summary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s entire life.
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.34:
“O Mahapurusha (Mahaprabhu), You gave up the Goddess of Fortune and Her great opulence, which is most difficult to abandon, and is sought after even by the Gods. In order to perfectly establish the principles of religion, You left for the forest to honor the Brahmin’s curse. To deliver the sinful souls who chase illusory pleasures, You search after them and award them Your devotional service. At the same time, You are engaged in search of Yourself, in search for Sri Krsna, Reality the Beautiful.”
The devotees understand this verse as a summary of his past times, i.e. cursed by an angry Brahman (arya vacasa) to lose all happiness in family life, then Lord Chaitanya enters the renounced order of life and left his wife Vishnupriya even though she is directly his eternal consort, the goddess of a fortune.
Objection: 34th verse can be referring to lord Rama, the life summary is similar to Lord Rama also.
Refutation: SrilaJiva goswami has agreed, and said that grammatically both the interpretations on 34th verse are correct. However, it would absurd to choose any other interpretation leaving Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s prophecy, for the context of the verse is of Kali Yuga not Treta Yuga of Lord Rama, therefore it can’t refer Lord Rama. Even if we grant it’s referring Sri Ramachandra, yet the verse referring to lord Chaitanya is in the upper hand for it is just one verse after 11.5.31-32, both of them (31-32 & 34th verse) refer Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, thus, the probability of it referring Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is far high.
Although its a common sense that because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates, were predicted inthe scriptures, The authenticity of their written biographies of Mahaprabhu is obviously true. Whenever the lord comes, he always comes with divine associates. But even if we imagine that there’s less scriptural references, still the authenticity of Mahaprabhu’s divinity cannot be questioned due to his biographies.
Many biographies such as Kaviraja Gosvami’s Chaitanya Caritamrta, Vrndavana Dasa Thakura’s Chaitanya Bhagavata, Locana Dasa Thakura’s Chaitanya Mangala and Kavi Karnapura’s Chaitanya Candradaya were written about the life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. While some accounts differ on some details of His lilas, on the point of His divinity they are all unanimous.
Facts presented by Srila Kaviraja Gosvami in Sri Chaitanya Caritamrta are authentic because they are taken from the personal diaries of Sri Murari Gupta and Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, two intimate associates of Mahaprabhu. The diaries are still available and it would be absurd to argue that someone would exaggerate or lie when writing a personal diary. When Vrndavana Dasa Thakura wrote his Chaitanya Bhagavata, many personal associates of Mahaprabhu were still physically present. The fact that Chaitanya Bhagavata was accepted as a genuine biography by all of these associates is proof that the events therein are not exaggerated or false.
We even have the original manuscript of Chaitanya Charitamrita by Krishnadas kaviraj goswami.
Discord sent us an expired image link.
For further proofs refer https://gosai.com/writings/the-divinity-of-sri-caitanya-mahaprabhu-0
More parts of this will be released soon, I am working on that
Chaitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself [PART-1]
