Question:
I was introduced to ISKCON 19 years back. I am from a South India Smartha brahminical background.
Before coming to ISKCON, I was supporter of Sankaracharya’s Impersonal philosophy.
After reading Prabhupada’s ‘Bhagavad Gita As it is’, within short time, I am convinced with the personal conception of GOD and Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But, even after 19 years of practice of devotional service, I am unable to accept Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The reason may be that from childhood, I used to hear Krishna as GOD, and I heard Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as a great Saint devotee not as GOD. Suppose I am unable to consider Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as GOD, is it going to hamper my devotional progress?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Please note that my response to your question is with specific regard for your strong foundation of piety and your background of having substantial scriptural grounding from childhood. I would likely respond differently to a curious inquisitive Western youth, for example.
The mission of the Hare Krishna movement is to follow, realize, and propagate the teachings of Lord Caitanya, which are non-different from the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam. Iskcon is a continuation of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan movement, which was inaugurated by Lord Caitanya Himself.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta describes that Lord Chaitanya is Krishna Himself and comes as a devotee to teach us how to serve Krishna, how to worship Krishna, how to love Krishna. As described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Lord Krishna, before manifesting Himself as Lord Chaitanya, considered what He would do:
(Cc Adi 3.20)
apani karimu bhakta-bhava angikare
apani acari’ bhakti sikhaimu sabare
“I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself.”
yuga-dharma pravartaimu nama-sankirtana
cari bhava-bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana
“I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age – nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service.”
In Caitanya caritamrta, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami further states:
(Cc Adi 8.13)
ataeva punah kahon urdhva-bahu hana
caitanya-nityananda bhaja kutarka chadiya
“Therefore, I say again, lifting my arms: O fellow human beings, please worship Sri Caitanya and Nityananda without false arguments!”
Lord Chaitanya has said, “If people do not accept Me, they will be ruined.”
How? Their human form of life will be spoiled because they will not attain Krishna consciousness. In order to achieve Krishna consciousness, we must accept Lord Chaitanya. Then we can approach Lord Krishna. So, in the same way, before we chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, we first chant the holy names of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda:
sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda.
There are many references in the Vedic Scriptures which highlight Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as non-different than Krsna. Please also read Digest 00257 for further Scriptural references
It can be inferred from your question above that you do accept Srila Prabhupada as acarya. As you know, it is very important for one to follow the teachings of the acharya without selectively accepting part of his teaching and not accepting the rest.
One suggestion would be, while chanting the Hare Krsna Maha mantra, to sincerely pray to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for His mercy, as well as reading Chaitanya Caritamrita, meditatively and thoughtfully. Slowly you will experience your faith developing towards Him as the Supreme Lord.
