Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita Ādi 4 Summary

In this chapter of the epic Caitanya-caritāmrita, Krishnadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has stressed that Lord Caitanya appeared for three principal purposes of His own. The first purpose was to relish the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, who is the prime reciprocator of transcendental love of Śrī Krishna. Lord Krishna is the reservoir of transcendental loving transactions with Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. The subject of those loving transactions is the Lord Himself, and Rādhārānī is the object. Thus the subject, the Lord, wanted to relish the loving mellow in the position of the object, Rādhārānī.

The second reason for His appearance was to understand the transcendental mellow of Himself. Lord Krishna is all sweetness. Rādhārānī's attraction for Krishna is sublime, and to experience that attraction and understand the transcendental sweetness of Himself, He accepted the mentality of Rādhārānī.

The third reason that Lord Caitanya appeared was to enjoy the bliss tasted by Rādhārānī. The Lord thought that undoubtedly Rādhārānī enjoyed His company and He enjoyed the company of Rādhārānī, but the exchange of transcendental mellow between the spiritual couple was more pleasing to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī than to Śrī Krishna. Rādhārānī felt more transcendental pleasure in the company of Krishna than He could understand without taking Her position, but for Śrī Krishna to enjoy in the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī was impossible because that position was completely foreign to Him. Krishna is the transcendental male, and Rādhārānī is the transcendental female. Therefore, to know the transcendental pleasure of loving Krishna, Lord Krishna Himself appeared as Lord Caitanya, accepting the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī.

Lord Caitanya appeared in order to fulfill these confidential desires, and also to preach the special significance of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare and to answer the call of Advaita Prabhu. These were secondary reasons.

Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was the principal figure among Lord Caitanya's confidential devotees. The records of his diary have revealed these confidential purposes of the Lord. These revelations have been confirmed by the statements of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his various prayers and poems.

This chapter also specifically describes the difference between lust and love. The transactions of Krishna and Rādhā are completely different from material lust. Therefore the author has very clearly distinguished between them.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness