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Who is Gaurang Mahaprabhu?

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat
13 March 2025
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Speech delivered by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on the auspicious occasion of Mahaprabhu Jayanti

Approximately 500 years ago, Gaurang Mahaprabhu incarnated on this earth. Understanding his divine nature transcends mere explanation or discussion. However, as referenced in sacred scriptures and elucidated by saints, a brief introduction is presented here.

Shri Krishna, the lord of countless Brahmands (vast cosmic worlds), is all-seeing, all-controlling, all-witnessing, the friend to all, the lord of all, and the all-powerful supreme being. Countless deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankar are under his dominion. This same Shri Krishna, an ocean of bliss, descended out of his intrinsic grace and compassion.

Throughout history, each divine incarnation has exhibited unique characteristics. Lord Ram embodied certain virtues, Lord Krishna displayed different attributes, Lord Buddha had his distinct qualities, and Lord Narsingh manifested yet another set of traits. The incarnation that occurred 500 years ago, known as Gauranga Mahaprabhu or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, possessed an exceptionally extraordinary characteristic. 

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna declares: “I descend in every age to protect the righteous, annihilate the wicked, and re-establish dharma.”  This is the reason mentioned for God’s descension that is very popular and widespread. 

However, the uniqueness of Gaurang Mahaprabhu’s incarnation lies in His vow to refrain from wielding weapons. Instead, He chose to alleviate the earth’s burden and uplift souls by bestowing divine love upon all, including those with demonic tendencies. 

Eliminating demons with weapons and sending them to His divine abode is not a significant feat, as those demons are then deprived of divine love, attaining only liberation without experiencing its bliss. Therefore, Lord Krishna resolved that in this incarnation, He would bestow divine love upon everyone, regardless of whether they were devotees or demons. Consequently, He vowed that the destruction of demons, previously accomplished with weapons in other incarnations, would not occur in this one. An exception—or perhaps a deliberate act—was made in the case of Jagai and Madhai.

In moments of exceptional distress befalling a devotee, God may set aside His own vows. He reflects, “I don’t care about my vow; at most, I will be defamed.” Such defamation does not diminish His divinity. On one occasion, He invoked His divine discus (Chakra) but refrained from using it. Devotees then reminded Him, “O Lord, You have entered into a trance; please return to a normal state and recall Your vow of non-violence.” Heeding their plea, Gaurang Mahaprabhu emerged from His trance and commanded the divine disc to withdraw.

Gaurang Mahaprabhu is renowned as the only divine incarnation who vowed to abstain from wielding weapons, choosing instead to bestow divine love upon all souls, earning him recognition as the foremost among all descensions. In each of His incarnations, God establishes ideals tailored to the prevailing circumstances. For instance, during the Treta Yuga, Lord Ram exemplified the path of Karma Yoga, guiding souls toward welfare through selfless action. He embodied the principles of Karma Yoga, demonstrating how to lead a householder’s life while progressing toward the ultimate spiritual goal.

During His incarnation as Lord Krishna, He embraced dual roles. In Dwarika, He exemplified the life of a householder, guiding souls along the path of Karma Yoga. Conversely, in Braj, He bestowed a profound bliss of divine love upon deserving souls—a bliss so exalted that even liberated Paramhansas (yogarooh) find it unattainable. This transcendental experience, known as “Maharas,” is beyond the grasp of intellect. Even if one were to ponder its essence for countless eons, comprehension would remain elusive. Such is the ineffable nature of the bliss of Maharas.

In the age of Kaliyug, human beings are in a pitiable condition. Recognizing this, Shri Krishna pondered, “What can be done for the welfare of these souls? How can even the most fallen attain their ultimate goal?” In response, He established and propagated the practice of sankirtan— the congregational chanting of God’s names, forms, pastimes, qualities, abodes, etc.—as the foremost means of devotion. Alongside sankirtan, He emphasized the importance of roopdhyan, or meditative visualization of the divine form, as a powerful tool for spiritual elevation.

Although Gaurang Mahaprabhu accepted Sanyas, he did not adhere strictly to its traditional rules. Observance of such rules requires a conscious and controlled mind. However, when one is immersed in a divine love trance or any profound state of absorption, the intellect does not function in its usual manner, making it challenging to follow the prescribed norms of the Varnashram system. Sanyas is traditionally regarded as the fourth ashram, or stage of life, in Hindu philosophy.

Although Gaurang Mahaprabhu embraced sanyas, due to his profound divine love trance, he couldn’t strictly adhere to its disciplines. Nevertheless, he observed them to the extent possible and encouraged others to do the same. A paramount aspect of his life was his unwavering devotion to his Guru. Hindu scriptures, from the Vedas to the Ramayana, emphasize that devotion to Shri Krishna and to one’s Guru yield the same spiritual fruits. 

Devotion to Shri Krishna can be challenging, as we have not seen Him; our understanding comes from scriptures and teachings. Since time immemorial, our minds have been accustomed to worshiping and loving things with attributes and forms, making it difficult to develop affection for Shri Krishna. For practitioners of raganuga bhakti, kevala bhakti, or vishuddha bhakti, the principles presented by Ved Vyas in his Puranas emphasize that everything is attained through devotion to the Guru. While devotion to Shri Krishna provides support, the ultimate achievements are realized through Guru bhakti.

Gaurang Mahaprabhu emphasized the principle of unwavering devotion to one’s Guru. In one instance, a disciple slightly deviated from his Guru’s instruction. Having embraced the ascetic life of Sanyas, which entails strict adherence to specific vows—such as wearing saffron robes, maintaining a shaved head, and carrying a staff—ascetics are traditionally forbidden from approaching women to beg for alms. However, with pure intentions and viewing the woman as a mother figure, this disciple sought alms from her solely to prepare a meal for Gaurang Mahaprabhu. He collected rice from her, cooked it, and offered it to his revered master.

Gaurang Mahaprabhu inquired, “Where did you obtain the rice?” The disciple responded, “I received it from that motherly lady.” Mahaprabhu questioned further, “Why did you go there to beg?” The disciple replied, “For you, my Lord.” Mahaprabhu admonished, “Whether for me or anyone else, when did I permit you to violate the rules of Sanyas Dharma on my behalf? Could you not find another source for alms? I am now disowning you for the rest of your life”

Reflecting on the past 500 years, consider how we would fare today if a saint adhered as strictly to the rules as Gaurang Mahaprabhu did. The disciple bore no internal malice, yet outwardly, he disobeyed the directive. This raises the question: Why wasn’t the order followed completely? And yet, we aspire to attain God-realization.

Even if one were to shed tears and keep falling unconscious for countless eons, nothing can be attained if the grave offense of disobeying the Guru’s order has been committed. This principle is proclaimed by every scripture, saint, and holy text. Therefore, take refuge in God’s names, qualities, pastimes, and so forth. Regarding His personal form, consider the Guru as the very embodiment of God. In accordance with Vedic principles, worship the Guru exactly as you would worship God.

Gaurang Mahaprabhu strictly enforced this principle within his community. He admonished his followers through disciplinary actions to prevent future transgressions. He cautioned that while today a disciple might, with noble intentions, seek alms from a woman, treating her with motherly respect, tomorrow, other ascetics might adopt this practice. Should any fall from grace occur, it would reflect poorly on him, suggesting that Gaurang Mahaprabhu, despite being an ascetic, failed to discipline his disciple.

Punishment is typically administered for an offense. While the disciple may not have committed an overt wrongdoing, disobeying the Guru’s command is, in itself, a grave transgression. There is no greater offense than this. One’s intellect must remain aligned with the Guru’s instructions at every moment. A single moment of disconnection can result in the loss of all progress.

Therefore, do not harbor pride over your devotional practices or the tears you’ve shed, for such arrogance is intolerable to God. He established these principles and, out of affection for His devotees, abides by them.

I have taken much of your time, and by now, you must have understood. Some consider Him an incarnation of Shri Krishna; others believe He is an incarnation of Radha. In essence, it is the same thing. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared 500 years ago, embodies both divine aspects.

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

*A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education.