Gaura Purnima, The Appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on Friday, March 21, 2008. (Fasting till Moonrise)
- 4:00pm Bhajans
- 4:30pm Abhishek
- 5:30pm Class
- 6:30pm Drama
- 7:00pm Gaura Arati & Kirtan
Feast
Movie presentaion
Everyone is Welcome.
If you would like to take the opportunity to sponsor any of the following
( Anyone may sponsor the full amount or a part of the total amount) :
Gaurashaki Devi Dasi : 02-66722773, M: 0415276757,
E-mail: gaurashakti@aapt.net.au
Govinda Caran Das: 02-66726385, M: 0403874097,
E-mail: govindacarandas@aapt.net.au
For Festival Information, please contact Gaura Shakti Devi Dasi.
Who is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
Sri Chaitanya is the Kali-yuga avatara, and He descended for the purpose of establishing the yuga dharma, which in this age is the chanting of Lord Krishna's names. He appeared in the guise of a devotee to perfectly show how the process of devotion should be followed and applied. It is something like a teacher drawing on the black board "A B C". We should not think the teacher is himself learning the alphabets, but he is doing it to show us how to write properly.
The inner purpose of Sri Chaitanya's incarnation was to experience the devotional love that Radharani has for Krishna. He wanted to experience the process of bhakti from the side of the devotee.
In other ages the Lord incarnates along with His weapons for destroying the demons, but in Kali yuga He shows special mercy to the demons by delivering them with nama-sankirtana. In the Kali-yuga there are practically only demons on this earth, so if the Lord were to kill the demons there would be nobody left. Instead He chose to kill the demoniac tendency within the heart of the demons by giving them Krishna bhakti.
Sri Chaitanya is described in the following verse composed by Sri Rupa Goswami:
namo maha-vadanyaya
krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya, who is the most merciful incarnation. He has appeared in a golden color for the purpose of freely distributing pure love of Krishna."
In other incarnations, Lord Krishna would require the devotee to first surrender to Him: sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja. But in the incarnation as Sri Chaitanya, He would go to the non-devotees and freely distribute krishna-prema to all. This is the unique blessing of this age of Kali. Despite it being the most sinful age, the process of self-realization is the simplest and most accessible to all classes of men.
Lord Chaitanya's incarnation is mentioned and predicted in numerous scriptures. The following are some of the important references.
In the Atharva Veda (Purusha-bodini Upanishad) it is said:
"In the seventh manvantara, the Supreme Lord will, accompanied by His own associates, descend in a golden form. He will teach the chanting of His own holy names."
It is further stated in the Atharva Veda:
"The Supreme Lord Himself says: When between four thousand and five thousand years of Kali-yuga have passed, I will descend to the earth in a place by the Ganges' shore. I will be a tall, saintly brahmana devotee of the Lord, and have a golden complexion. I will be renounced and free from all desire. I will accept the order of renunciation (sannyasa). I will be a devotee advanced in bhakti-yoga. I will chant the holy names of the Lord. I will taste the sweet mellows of My own devotional service. Only the great devotees will understand Me."
In the Sama Veda the Lord states:
"To deliver the people devoured by the sins of Kali-yuga, I will, accompanied by My associates, descend to the earth in a place by the Ganges shore. I will be a brahmana avadhuta sannyasi. Again and again I will chant the holy names of the Lord."
In the Krishna Upanishad it is stated:
sa eva bhagavan yuge turiye 'pi brahma-kule jayamanah sarva upanishadah uddidirshuh sarvani dharma-shastrani vistarayishnuh sarvan api janan santarayishnuh sarvan api vaishnavan dharman vijrimbhayan sarvan api pashandan nicakhana
"In the Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna will appear in a brahmana's family. He will teach the message of the Upanishads and the dharma-shastras. He will defeat the atheists and offenders and He will establish the truth of Vaishnava dharma."
In the eleventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam the following verse is found:
krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam
sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
"In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead, who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions."
In the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is the following verse describing the Lord's incarnations:
channah kalau yad abhava tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam
"Because in Kali-yuga You appear in a covered incarnation, you are therefore known as Tri-yuga (one who appears in only three yugas)."
The incarnation of Sri Chaitanya is a hidden incarnation because He appears in the guise of His devotee. This covered incarnation is confirmed in both the Adi Purana and the Narada Purana in the following verse:
nityam pracchanna-vigrahah
bhagavad-bhakta-rupena
lokam rakshami sarvada
"My true identity always concealed, I will assume the form of a brahmana devotee of the Lord. In this form I will deliver the worlds."
