One Lord in Five Features

The members of the Panca-tattva characterize the inconceivable unity and variety of the Absolute Truth.

By Satyaraja Dasa

ALTHOUGH Lord Caitanya is the incarnation of Krsna for the current age, He is generally unknown beyond India. Even within India, few outside the Gaudiya Vaisnava line are familiar with the Panca-tattva, whose installation in their deity forms in Mayapur drew thousands of Hare Krsna devotees from around the world. For persons unfamiliar with the Panca-tattva, we often give a simple description: the Panca-tattva is Lord Caitanya and His four main associates. But that’s only part of the story. The Panca-tattva (“five truths”) is actually one God in five features.

At first glance the idea of God in five features may seem peculiar. By definition, God is One, the unequalled source of everything. He is the Supreme Being, from whom all other beings originate. If another shared His preeminent position, He could not be considered God. For God to be supreme, He must be a singularity, without comparison and without competition. The world’s monotheistic traditions have gone to great lengths to establish God’s oneness, His exclusive position as the original cause of all causes.

And yet, despite their insistence that God is one, many in the Christian world accept the idea of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and that all three are in some sense God. This is not to say that some Christians believe in three Gods, which would be polytheism, but rather that they believe in three complete persons composing one God. Similarly, those who recognize the truth of the Panca-tattva accept one God who manifests in five features. This ability to expand into various personalities is evidence of God’s incomprehensible nature, and is detailed in all holy scriptures, from the Bible to Vedic literature.

Though God manifests in a variety of forms, and though these forms are simultaneously one and different, we might legitimately ask, Why would one Supreme Being manifest as five? What is His motivation? Gaudiya Vaisnava thinkers since the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu concur that the One becomes many to exchange and disseminate divine love. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, author of the Catanya-caritamrta, explains: “Spiritually there are no differences between these five truths, for on the transcendental platform everything is absolute. Yet there are also varieties in the spiritual world, and in order to taste these spiritual varieties one should distinguish between them.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 7.5).

Expanding for Love

Kaviraja Gosvami has further written that the characteristics of Krsna are understood to be like a storehouse of transcendental love. Although this repository of love certainly accompanied Krsna when He was present in the world five thousand years ago, it was subsequently sealed. When the Panca-tattva arrived some five hundred years ago in Bengal, they broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to drink transcendental love of Krsna. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew. This is the nature of love. It is dynamic—a constant surge upward. The more it is relished, the more it is desired.

It follows, then, that if God has more love than any other being—indeed, He is the very embodiment of love—His yearning for love must be greater than anyone else’s (as is His potency to fulfill that yearning). But love is not enjoyed alone: it is shared between people. Therefore, the One becomes many (and, inconceivably, remains One). So He becomes the Panca-tattva to relish loving exchange. Even prior to the manifest pastimes of the Panca-tattva, God expanded for love: He first expands into His eternal consort, Sri Radha, and into His full expansions and incarnations, and then into the multifarious living entities, or jivatmas, who are removed expansions and therefore constitute a separate category, known as jiva-tattva.

The two primary living beings, Radha and Krsna, reunite in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and so the expression of love that the Lord manifests in this feature is beyond the ken of ordinary and extraordinary perception. So inconceivable is this love, writes Kaviraja Gosvami, that “although the members of the Panca-tattva plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead and ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity, for this wonderful storehouse is so complete that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 7.24)

Five Truths

According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32),

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah

“In this Age of Kali, people endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of sankirtana-yajna [the chanting of the holy name].” Traditional exegesis reveals that this verse and others like it refer to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. As a manifestation of Radha and Krsna in one form, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the original Godhead in His most confidential and intimate feature. As the prime member of the Panca-tattva, He is accompanied by His plenary expansion (Nityananda Prabhu), His incarnation (Advaita Prabhu), His internal potency (Gadadhara Pandita), and His marginal potency (Srivasa Thakura).

Of these five truths, only Sri Caitanya is called Mahaprabhu (“the Great Master”), because even among manifestations of God, He is supreme. He appears in this world in a vibrant golden form, much like that of Sri Radha, whose essence He embodies. He brings to the world the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, far beyond ritualistic forms of religion that offer ordinary salvation, and He brings the inner core of spiritual love—the highest achievement of devotional sentiment. Armed with profound philosophy and the mood of Krsna’s greatest lovers, He comes with the best secret known to man: bhakti, or devotional love. By His own example He shows how to practice this love, and He exhibits the symptoms that come from embracing Krsna in one’s heart of hearts.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu cannot be understood or approached without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru of the universe and who serves as an intermediary between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the devotee. As Balarama, Krsna’s elder brother, is described as Krsna’s “second body,” so too is Nityananda the second body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the Lord’s active principle, He functions as such in both material creation and in spiritual lila, or pastimes. This means that Krsna is simply engaged in play, while “serious business” is handled by His first expansion, Balarama. In kingly terms, a monarch is merely interested in enjoying his well-deserved delights, while his immediate associates tend to his various services and obligatory necessities. This is similar to how the “servitor” Godhead—whether Balarama or Nityananda—functions in relation to Lord Krsna.

In manifested earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Caitanya Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He is statuesque, like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, though He is whitish in complexion, whereas Caitanya Mahaprabhu is golden. His graceful gait is often compared to that of an elephant, and in a deep voice He is always repeating “Krsna, Krsna.”

Both Maha-Visnu and Sadasiva—forms of the Lord who evoke awe and reverence in the spiritual world—descend in Caitanya’s lila as Advaita Acarya. Because He is identical to Visnu, the all-pervading Lord, He is called Advaita, meaning “nondifferent.” Advaita Acarya is one cause of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance in this world: Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself confirmed that it was because of Advaita’s prayers that He manifested His pastimes. Sadasiva (who appears as Advaita) is the intermediary between the spiritual world and the material world; it is therefore fitting that it was Advaita Acarya’s prayers that brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Advaita Acarya, the senior Vaisnava of Navadwip, was middle-aged when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born. He is usually depicted with white hair and a long white beard. His clothes are as white as His facial hair, and sometimes their whiteness is compared to that of the moon or the jasmine flower. Great devotees meditate upon Him as the root of transcendental joy and the cause of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance in this world.

Gadadhara Pandita is understood to be Krsna’s sakti, or internal energy, and is described both as a direct incarnation of Radharani and as an incarnation of Sri Radha’s effulgence. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is often called “the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita.” The relationship between them is intimate, if not perplexing. For example, since Caitanya Mahaprabhu is both Radha and Krsna, and Gadadhara is in fact Radha, there seems a strange overlapping of spiritual identities. But mundane limitations should not be foisted upon divine personalities. A closer look reveals that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Radha in the mood of separation from Krsna. In the intimacy of love, Her mood is to be demanding of Krsna, while being uncompromising in Her service to Him. Gadadhara, on the other hand, is Radha in the mood of Rukmini, one of Krsna’s prominent queens in Dwarka. In Her undeviating devotion, Her mood is to be conciliatory and accommodating. These different moods manifest as different personalities in Caitanya’s lila. Such distinctions are difficult to understand, and one must be realized to enter into their mystery.

At least this much may be understood: Gadadhara Pandita is a perfect manifestation of Krsna’s hladini potency, embodied as Sri Radha. The hladini potency is the power by which God enjoys pleasure. It is also the potency by which the servants of God enjoy the highest spiritual pleasure in love of God. The essence of love of God is bhava, or intense spiritual emotions, the ultimate development of which is called mahabava, embodied in Sri Radha. As it is said, Lord Krsna enchants the entire world, but Sri Radha enchants Him. Therefore, She is the supreme goddess, above all others. She is the purna-sakti, the full power, and She manifests in Caitanya lila as Gadadhara Pandita. He is the very form of blissful love, and to gaze upon His sweet, smiling face is to see love personified. To achieve His association is the goal of existence.

Srivasa Thakura is an incarnation of Narada Muni, one of the twelve traditional Vedic authorities and perfectly pure devotees of the Lord. Narada’s devotional life is unique in that he was blessed with a spiritual body and the ability to travel throughout the cosmos to awaken people to the Absolute Truth. Narada is a musician, depicted as playing his vina and melodically chanting the holy names of the Lord. Srivasa Thakura, as an incarnation of Narada, also emphasized chanting, and the unparalleled kirtanas that took place in the courtyard of his house are legendary. His house became a virtual “parent church” in the universal sankirtana mission of Sri Caitanya. A facsimile of Srivasa Thakura’s house exists today in Mayapur and is known Srivas Angan. Srivasa is a leader among Lord Caitanya’s devotees. Therefore the Panca-tattva mantra ends with the phrase srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda: “[All glories to] the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, beginning with Srivasa.” (The full mantra is jaya sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura- bhakta-vrnda.)

Five Factors for Action

The members of the Panca-tattva can fulfill all aspects of devotional life and bring happiness and spiritual bliss to all devotees who serve them. Those who honor the Panca-tattva will reach perfection. According to Bhagavad-gita (18.13–14), there are five factors in the accomplishment of any action: karta (the performer), cesta (endeavors), daivam (Supersoul, or the will of God), karanam (the senses), and adhisthanam (the place of action). The performer is the devotee, represented by Srivasa Thakura; the endeavor requires energy, the supreme form of which is known as Gadadhara Pandita; the Supersoul is Advaita, the embodiment of Visnu; the senses are controlled by following the guru, the external manifestation of Nityananda Prabhu; and the place of action is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s heart, from which everything else expands. In conclusion, we reflect on the words of scripture: “By remembering the lotus feet of the Panca-tattva, a dumb man can become a poet, a lame man can cross mountains, and a blind man can see the stars in the sky.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 8.5)

Satyaraja Dasa is a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a regular contributor to BTG. He has written twenty books on Krsna consciousness, and is the editor of the recently published Holy War: Violence and the Bhagavad Gita. He lives with his wife and daughter near New York City.

This article was based on the author’s book Sri Panca Tattva: The Five Features of God, available from the Krishna.com Store.

Unity in Variety: The Five Spiritual Truths

TAKEN TOGETHER, the five categories of truth, or spiritual reality, represented by the Panca-tattva give us a full picture of the Absolute Truth, or God. Lord Caitanya represents the isvara-tattva. Isvara means “controller.” The Supreme controller, above all others, is Lord Caitanya (who is Lord Krsna Himself). Lord Nityananda represents the prakasa-tattva. Prakasa means “expansion.” From Nityananda (who is Lord Balarama) expand all the Visnu or Narayana forms of God. Advaita Acarya (who is Maha-Visnu) represents the avatara-tattva. All the avatars, or incarnations of the Lord in the material world, expand from Him. Gadadhara Pandita represents the sakti-tattva. Sakti means “energy,” and here refers specifically to the internal energy of God, which includes the eternal spiritual world and the ever-liberated associates of the Lord who reside there. Finally, Srivasa Pandita represents the jiva-tattva. The jiva is the infinitesimal living entity (we ourselves), who, like the forms and energies of God mentioned before, are also spiritual. In this way the members of the Panca-tattva represent the main spiritual varieties that make up the one Absolute Truth.