Chapter 11-Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-the Lord as a devotee
 Lord Caitanya appeared
in Mayapur, West Bengal, more than 500 years ago. He is an incarnation
of Krishna who descended to this material world for two purposes;
to spread the chanting of the holy names of God to deliver all
the people from their material bondage, and to simultaneously
taste the nectar of the pure love of God, Krishna, as it was
tasted by His topmost devotee, Srimati Radharani, who is the
internal energy of Krishna.
In His early life, Lord Caitanya played the part of an ordinary
scholar with enormous knowledge and talent, while hiding the
truth of His incarnation. Most people knew him as Nimai Pandit.
However, when the time was right, He manifested Himself as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead to His devotees and began spreading
the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord.
After His 24th year, He accepted the renounced order of life,
sannyasa, and left His home in Mayapur to travel throughout India
to convert all the people to lovers of God. He would transform
anyone, be he an atheist, rascal, or worse, as well as the pious
and good, to the platform of love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya did
not consider whether the recipients of the love of God were worthy
or not, He indiscriminately bestowed what no other incarnation
of God ever gave before; pure love of the Lord.
After travelling and preaching for six years, He settled in
Jagannatha Puri for twelve years and intensely tasted the love
that His pure devotees have for Him. Although He is Krishna Himself,
He accepted the mood and colour of Srimati Radharani, His spiritual
counterpart, and thought of Himself as His own devotee. Thus,
although He is God Himself, He always was absorbed in the mood
of His topmost devotees and thus He relished the highest love
of Krishna together with His confidential associates.
Lord Caitanya started the sankirtan movement which continues
to this day. He established the congregational chanting of the
holy names of Krishna, with the Maha-Mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna,
Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,Hare Hare.
It is due to the movement of Lord Caitanya that the people of
this world can have some idea of the highest position of love
of God.
Sri-Siksastakam-
Verses written by Lord Caitanya
One who is interested in understanding more about Lord Caitanya
and His associates and expansions should read Srila Prabhupada's
Teachings of Lord Caitanya or The Caitanya-Caritamrta.
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