Prabhupada:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jñanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
[SB 1.2.11]

Knowledge means tattva-jñana, to know the Absolute Truth. In the Bhagavad-gita also... (aside:) They are making noise. Krṣṇa says,

manuṣyaṇaṁ sahasreṣu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanaṁ
kascid maṁ vetti tattvataḥ;
[Bg. 7.3]

Everything should be understood in truth. So our, this Krṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to understand the Absolute Truth. So in another place Krṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo janati tattvataḥ;: [Bg. 4.9] anyone who understands the Absolute Truth factually as He is, not by mental speculation, but by the parampara system... So therefore, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta is beginning with guru, purve gurv-adi. Beginning is the guru, the spiritual master, because he is the representative of the parampara system, disciplic succession. Therefore, whatever we do, we must first of all try to understand from guru.

Srila Rupa Gosvami also says in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, adau gurvasrayam: the beginning of spiritual life is to accept the bona fide spiritual master. Sad-dharma prcchat. Then inquiry from the spiritual master. The approach should be by full surrender. Tad viddhi praṇipatena, tattvam, etad viddhi [Bg. 4.34]. By praṇipatena. Prakrṣṭa-rupeṇa nipatam. Just like we have learned how to offer obeisances to the spiritual master, to the gurus, falling down flat, praṇipa, no reservation, falling flat—that is called praṇipa—so one has to approach the spiritual master. That is the Vedic injunction. Tad vijñanartham. Tad means tattva. In order to understand the tattva, the Absolute Truth, vijñana... Vijñana means practical science, not theoretical. Theoretical is jñana. When that is practically applied in life, that is called vijñanam. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, therefore, the statement is there: jñanaṁ me paramaṁ guhyaṁ yad vijñana-samanvitam. Jñana and vijñana.

So we are very much proud of seeing things. Somebody says, "Can you show me God?" But just try to understand what is the power of our eyes. Now there is no light, so our seeing power is vanished. In this way, all the powers of our senses are conditional. Under certain condition we can see, under certain condition we can hear. Therefore at the present moment our life is conditional. We act, we see, we walk, we hear, we smell, we touch—under certain condition. Just like I have got my eyes. Because my sight power is less, so I take the condition of a glass and try to see. Similarly, this material condition is like that. Spiritually, we have got the power of seeing, the power of hearing, the power of speaking, the power of touching, power of smelling, but because we are covered by this material body, all these powers have become conditional, not absolute. So those who are inquisitive to understand the absolute life or spiritual life, he must accept a guru. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says purve, in the beginning. Acaryavan puruṣo veda. If we actually are serious to understand the Absolute Truth, then one must have the shelter of acarya. Acaryavan. This van word is used when one possesses. Asthate bato prata (?). So when one possesses the shelter of acarya, then his knowledge is perfect.

So the beginning of spiritual life... (aside:) Oh? He doesn't require hearing? The beginning of life is gurvasrayam, adau gurvasrayam. That is the beginning—every sastra, every Vedic scripture. Just like Krṣṇa, He is the original spiritual master. Tene brahma hrda ya adi kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. Ya. Brahma, Brahma is the first living creature within this universe. So he was also enlightened and educated by the Supreme Lord. Not that because he's Brahma he's independent. Nobody is independent. Knowledge must be received from the authority, and the supreme authority is Krṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

So here Caitanya-caritamrta is the teachings of Lord Caitanya and His life, practical life. He's Krṣṇa, and He's personally speaking. Krṣṇa first of all spoke about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita, but foolish persons, muḍha... Avajananti maṁ muḍha manuṣiṁ tanum asritaḥ; [Bg. 9.11]. So Krṣṇa was misunderstood. Krṣṇa says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. People misunderstood. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His five opulences—Himself, His expansion, His incarnation, His energy, personal energy and marginal energy... There is no association of the external energy, as it is said here, that guru-tattva-kahiyachi, ebe pañcera vicara. Guru-tattva is also along with Him. He's also representative of the Supreme Lord. Acaryaṁ maṁ vijaniyan [SB 11.17.27]. So, that guru-tattva has been explained by the author, Kaviraja Gosvami in five chapters, six chapters, and the seventh chapter he's describing the five tattvas. Isa-prakasa. Nityananda Prabhu is the direct manifestation of the Supreme Lord, Krṣṇa. Vrajendra-nandana yei saci-suta hoila sei balarama hoila nitai. So Nityananda Prabhu is the first expansion of Lord Krṣṇa or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri-krṣṇa-caitanya radha-krṣṇa nahe anya. When you speak of Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya, we should understand immediately that He's Krṣṇa in Radha's attitude, Radha-bhava. Krṣṇa, Radha and Krṣṇa, They are one; They are not different. Radha krṣṇa-praṇaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad [Cc. Adi 1.5]. Radharaṇi is expansion of Krṣṇa's pleasure potency. So Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krṣṇa Himself, but the pleasure potency of Krṣṇa is prominent in His activities. Because Krṣṇa, in order to understand Himself, He took the position of Radharaṇi to understand Himself. Personally He could not understand His potencies, but when He appeared as Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the attitude of Radharaṇi's love for Krṣṇa, krṣṇa-prema, then He could fully understand Him. These are very intricate subject matter to understand, but this is the fact.

So, as Krṣṇa expands Himself by His omnipotencies... Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Krṣṇa has got multi-potencies. We cannot imagine. Inconceivable potencies. So the whole universe is manifestation of His potencies. Sakti parinambha (?). Ekasthane sthitasyagner jyotsna. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ; saktir tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. This is said in the Viṣṇu Puraṇa. Just like the fire. We have got this lamp, it is situated in one place, but the light and heat are expanding. Similarly, Krṣṇa is situated in His own abode, which is known as Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutaḥ; [Bs. 5.37]. This is the statement of Brahma-saṁhita. He is situated in His own place, own abode, known as Goloka Vrndavana, but He is expanding Himself, akhilatma-bhutaḥ;. Everywhere He is present. Aṇḍantara-stha-paramaṇu-cayantara-sthaṁ govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami [Bs. 5.35]. He has expanded Himself by His energies. Just like heat and light, the energy of fire expands. It is very easy to understand. Similarly the energies, multi-energies... Not only one, but multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. So His energies are acting so nicely, that everything is coming in front as if automatically done. But it is not automatically done. This is foolishness. To understand that nature is working automatically is foolishness. The nature is working under the direction of Krṣṇa. That is real understanding. Mayadhyakṣeṇa prakrtiḥ; suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. At the present moment, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they are simply studying the working of the material nature. But they do not know behind this material nature the real powerful is there. Just like we are enjoying the electric light, electric power, but as soon as it has failed from the powerhouse, everything stoped. Similarly, the real power is Krṣṇa. He's the powerful, saktiman. When He desires, there is creation, this material manifestation, and when He winds up, everything is finished. This is the way. So how He is doing that? That is explained in this chapter. Pañca-tattva: He's acting by expansion of His different features.

So Nityananda Prabhu is the immediate expansion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared here at Mayapur, this very place where you are now sitting, with all these five features: Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Prabhu, and Gadadhara Prabhu, Srinivasa Prabhu. So He Himself, Krṣṇa, and Nityananda Prabhu is immediate expansion of His personal self; Advaita Prabhu is incarnation of Krṣṇa or Viṣṇu, Mahaviṣṇu, three; and Gadadhara Prabhu is the expansion of spiritual energy; and Srinivasa Prabhu is the expansion of His marginal potency, marginal energy, jiva-tattya. Jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva, prakasa-tattva, and avatara-tattva, and He Himself. This Pañca-tattva. This Pañca-tattva will be explained in this chapter. That is the proposal of the author. Guru-tattva kahiyachi ebe pañcera vicara. Consideration of the five. So although the Absolute Truth is one, He expands in His various features. That has been divided in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's practical exposition of tattva-vicara, in six: five personal, and the guru is also representative. Sakṣad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair **. Guru is also expansion of Hari for the benefit of the conditioned soul. For the benefit of the conditioned soul, He is within everyone's heart. Isvaraḥ; sarva-bhutanaṁ hrd-dese 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. So He's trying to teach us from within and He sends His representative for preaching without.

So Krṣṇa is so kind that He's preaching about Himself, because without knowing, without understanding the tattva, vetti maṁ tattvataḥ;, without understanding the Absolute Truth as He is, there is no question of getting out of the clutches of maya. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etaṁ taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. "One who surrenders unto Me," Krṣṇa says, "he can get out of the clutches of maya." Maya means this material life. We have forgotten ourself, that we are intimately related with Krṣṇa, we have got a special function on His behalf. Just like part and parcel of my body: the finger has got a special function the leg has got a special function, the head has got a special function; similarly, we all part and parcel of Krṣṇa, we have got a special function in relationship with the Lord. When we are forgetful of this special relationship with Krṣṇa, that is called conditional life or material life. Material life means we do not serve Krṣṇa but we serve our senses—kama, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya, like that. That is material life. We are serving, there is no doubt about it, but every one of us we are serving our senses. Kamadinaṁ katidha na katidha palita durnidesa.

Therefore, in order to stop this stupidity of serving our senses, which will never come to an end, simply increase our bondage, we have to come to the spiritual master. Adau gurvasrayam. He'll teach how to convert or to divert the activities of the senses to please Krṣṇa. Krṣṇendriya-priti-iccha dhare nama prema. Dhare prema nama. The senses will act. The Mayavadi philosophers, they try to stop the activities of the senses. Yogis also. Yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ;. The yogis artificially try to stop the sense activities. They are simply... Because common men, they know activities means sense activities, sense satisfaction... So yogis, they artificially try to stop the sense activities. That is called praṇayama. Dhyana, dharaṇa, asana, praṇayama, like that. But that artificial stoppage of sense activities will not be ultimately beneficial. Or thinking that my sense activities may be stopped, I become silent, become one with the supreme—that will also not help us. The real philosophy is, the sense activities must be there, but purified. That is real life. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Purified. Hrṣikeṇa hrṣikesa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. We cannot stop sense activities. That is not possible. Artificially if we stop, even as a big successful yogi or jñani, it will not act. There are many instances. Just like Visvamitra Muni. He was a great yogi. So artificially he was trying to stop the sense activities. But it also failed, the attempt. Later on he met one beautiful woman and he failed in controlling the senses. That is the history. He was the biggest yogi, Visvamitra Muni. Similarly, there are many so-called jñanis also, trying to become one with the Supreme. That is also not possible. Ye 'nye 'ravindakṣa vimukta-maninas [SB 10.2.32]. Vimukta-maninas, they are thinking that they have become liberated, but that is not the fact. Why it is not fact? Tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayaḥ;. Because they did not take to the devotional service. Tvayy asta-bhavad. They have no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore despite their severe austerities and penances and rising to the platform of Brahman realization—aruhya krcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ; patanty [SB 10.2.32]—they fall down.

Therefore, Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu is practically teaching us with His five associates: Advaita, Nityananda, Gadadhara and Srivasadi gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Therefore if we want to approach the Absolute Truth, it is our duty to offer our respect to these five features of the Lord.

sri-krṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

[I offer my obeisances to Sri Krṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all others in the line of devotion.]

Therefore, in our Krṣṇa consciousness movement, we first of all worship the Pañca-tattva: sri-krṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara—then we chant Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra. Then it will be successful. Without going through the Pañca-tattva, with the mercy, nobody can understand Krṣṇa. It will remain a myth. Therefore Krṣṇa says,

manuṣyaṇaṁ sahasreṣu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanaṁ
kascid vetti maṁ tattvataḥ;
[Bg. 7.3]

You cannot understand Krṣṇa without the mercy of these Pañca-tattva. Therefore Krṣṇa, although He came personally, He taught the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and asked people, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But because we are muḍhas, we misunderstood Krṣṇa. We could not take the last instruction of Krṣṇa. Therefore Krṣṇa again came as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us how to approach Krṣṇa. If we read the life of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His acceptance of sannyasa order, His preaching all over India, His chanting and dancing, His living at Jagannath Puri, His activities, His meeting with the devotees, His Guṇḍica-marjana, His Ratha-yatra kirtana—if we study all these activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, immediately you understand Krṣṇa.

Therefore, we are inviting you at this place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His birthsite, to take the inspiration given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That will help us understanding Krṣṇa. Tato maṁ tattvato jñatva visate tad anantaram. If you simply understand Krṣṇa, tattvataḥ;, in truth, by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Namo maha-vadanyaya krṣṇa-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's activities means His distributing krṣṇa-prema, love of Krṣṇa. He has no other business. He has no other business. At the full youthful age He gave up His family life, beautiful wife, most obedient perfect wife, beautiful wife, mother, affectionate mother, very good prestige, social prestige. Nimai Paṇḍita, learned scholar, everything He sacrificed. Tyaktva su-dustyaja rajya lakṣmim. Gave up everything—that is the teachings of Lord Caitanya—and became a servant of Krṣṇa personally. He's Krṣṇa Himself, but teaching us how to become servant of Krṣṇa. This is the significance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or Krṣṇa Himself along with His personal associates—saṅgopaṅgastra parṣadam... Krṣṇa comes to kill the demons: paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. This is the business of Krṣṇa, two-sided business: one side killing the demons, another side giving the protection to the devotees. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on this part 488 years ago to, I mean to say, hand the same two principles, paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam. He... Vinasaya duṣkrtam. He killed Jagai-Madhai not by the body, but by their atrocious activities, stopped that. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is to kill the demon—not by life but by their heinous activities. Anyone who comes to be killed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his heinous, nefarious activities becomes killed and he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, just like Jagai-Madhai.

So at the present moment, the whole world is full of Jagai-Madhai, their four principles. Jagai-Madhai means illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. This is Jagai-Madhai. So this movement, Krṣṇa consciousness movement, is killing these Jagai-Madhai principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. So one side killing the Jagai-Madhai principle, and other side protection, chanting Hare Krṣṇa maha-mantra.

Thank you very much. (end)

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