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Decoding the transcendental six handed form(Shadbhuja Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) of Lord Chaitanya
The six armed form of Lord Chaitanya is very special because it exhibits the most superior forms of Godhead- Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Himself. In this blog, we shall see what each form represents and the benefits of meditating on the powerful six handed form of Mahaprabhu.
When did the Lord display His Shadbhuja form?
In Chaitanya Leela, Mahaprabhu showed this rare Shadbhuja form only to a selected few devotees who were very close to Him. They were Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya (the incarnation of Brihaspati), Ramananda Raya (the incarnation of Vishakha Sakhi) and Nityananda Prabhu (the incarnation of Lord Balaram.)
Lord Rama – The Perfect Grihastha
In the six armed form of Mahaprabhu Lord Rama can be seen holding a bow and an arrow. Sri Rama represents an ideal householder. His divine stay on Earth is the saga of exemplary conduct, fulfilling each of His roles with perfection and in accordance with the Dharma Shastras.
As a son, He renounced all pleasures of the kingdom and wandered from forest-forest just to fulfill His father Dasharatha’s vow. As an ideal husband, He rescued His consort Sita, by valiantly fighting the demon Ravana. He stood true to His friend Sugreeva by killing Vali and crowning him as the king of Kishkinda.
Finally, as a concerned king, Lord Rama abandoned the soul of his life, Srimati Sita Devi. Know that the Lord and His consort are ever united in the spiritual realm of Saket. Their separation on Earth was just a leela, a temporary arrangement to demonstrate the royal duties of an ideal king. Thus Lord Rama walked on a sharp edged sword of Grihastha Dharma and Raja Dharma.
Lord Krishna – A perfect example of Vairagya in Grihasthashram
Sri Krishna is the second Lord in the Shadbhuja form. While Lord Rama exemplifies Grihasthashram, Lord Krishna is a blend of both Grihastha and Sanyasa Dharma. He cannot be fitted into any single category, for He defies all boundaries.
Lust cannot touch Sri Krishna
Whilst being a householder, wedded to 16,108 wives, He is a sanyasi, utterly unmoved by their presence. The common man may wonder how? Well, the unaware often commit the offence of equating Bhagawan to an ordinary man, who is overpowered by lust and other vices. Sri Krishna is Yogeshwara, the Master of Yogis.
How can the vice of lust touch the Supreme lord? Only the pure devotees interested in Sanatana Dharma and ready to obediently follow the instructions of a self-realized spiritual master can know the heart of the Lord.
Lord Krishna: The perfect Brahmachari
There is also a pastime in the Gopala Tapani Upanishad where the gopis would cross the Yamuna river (to meet sage Durvasa) by addressing Yamuna devi as follows: O best of rivers, if Krishna is a perfect Brahmachari and celibate by thought, word and deed, then kindly make way for us.
Recognizing the truth in their words, the Yamuna river would instantly part ways and let the gopis reach the other end.
The Lord is thus a faultless celibate and his conjugal pastimes are simply a means to reciprocate to the devotion of the gopis, who have left their all for Him.
Sri Krishna: The epitome of Detachment
If you pay close attention to Krishna Leela, we can see that Lord Krishna interacted so closely with the residents of Vrindavan. He stole butter from the homes of the gopis, enchanted mother Yashoda by His leelas, engaged in conjugal love with the damsels of Vraja Bhoomi, yet it didn’t take a moment for Him to detach and shift to Mathura, knowing well that He shall never see them again.
The Gopis often perceived Him as unattached and called Him Nir-mohi. Again He shifted his base permanently from Mathura to Dwarka without the slightest hesitation. When Gandhari cursed Lord Krishna that His lineage shall meet a devastating end, the Lord was unperturbed and let fate unfold its way.
Nobody can know Sri Krishna Directly (The Great Gaudiya Philosophy)
Lord Krisha is undefinable, hard to realize even by the greatest of yogis. Hence, He is called Purnavatar, the complete incarnation, impossible to emulate by anyone. Lord Rama and Sri Chaitanya followed a one line track, however Lord Krishna’s ability to blend both paths seamlessly is a quality which neither of the Lords displayed.
In Dwapara Yuga, during His earthly stay, Lord Krishna moulded the rules of Dharma and prompted Yudhisthira to lie to his guru Dronacharya, in reference to the killing of Ashwatthama. Similarly, He ordered Arjuna to slay Karna, while he was unarmed and struggling to lift the wheel of his chariot.
Again, despite being a Kshatriya (warrior), Lord Krishna playfully escaped from the battlefield while fighting Kalayavana- something which neither Sri Rama nor Mahaprabhu would ever do, if they were present in Dwapara Yuga. Thus, Lord Krishna’s approach to Dharma is unique. Whatever He speaks or does is Dharma.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- The Exceptional Sanyasi (Renunciant)
In the Shadbhuja form, Mahaprabhu is a Sanyasi, having renounced His former householder life as Vishwambhara. Holding a renuciant’s stick (Ekadandi) and ascetic’s waterpot (Kalasha) in His hand, he exemplifies the peaks of renunciation.
Mahaprabhu’s strict adherence to Sannyasa Dharma can bring shivers down the spines of austere yogis. As a renunciate, there are instances in His life, where He may appear cold when it comes to following the dictates of the Sannyasa order.
He avoided interactions with women as He believed it could pose an impediment in His spiritual vow. He abstained from practices that comforted the senses and was uncompromising in His high standards of devotion and surrender.
Mahaprabhu’s lessons on Devotion
In Shishtashtakam, verse 4, Lord Chaitanya says
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-iśa kamaye
mama janmani janmaniśvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
न धनम् न जनम् न सुन्दरिम्
कवितम् व जगद्-इश कमये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनिश्वरे
भवतद् भक्तिर् अहैतुकि त्वयि
Translation: O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.
Thus, through His live example Mahaprabu teaches us to dedicate our existence in the service of the Lord, immerse ourselves in Krishna bhajan, and shun the lurking desire for material enjoyment.
Mahaprabhu did not budge in criticizing His close associates whenever they deviated from the devotional path. He was especially stern with the members of the renounced order. The story of Chota Haridas demonstrates a completely different side of the otherwise compassionate Lord.
7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
The scores generated in this Quiz may or may not be absolute. There may be right or wrong answers to each Question. A percentage towards 100 indicates that you are more aligned to the overall subject matter.
The Story of Chota Haridas
Chota Haridas was one of Mahaprabhu’s close associates. He would collect Bhiksha, Madhukari from the house of an 84 year old Sadhavi Madhavi devi, but on the pretext of collecting Bhiksha, he would seek to catch a glimpse of a young maidservant working at her place. Mahaprabhu, is the lord himself, and could read His hidden intentions.
He immediately disowned Chotta Haridas from his inner circle, and vowed never to see his face again. This harsh decision shook Chotaharidas to the extent of him committing suicide by drowning in the Triveni. When Mahaprabhu heard the news He remained unaffected and instead said that Chotaharidas had reaped the fruits for his actions.
For a Sanyasi, harbouring lustful desires and associating with women is akin to committing suicide. The Lord does not tolerate such behaviour, especially in the renounced order. Well, in the end Chota Haridas attained liberation, but that is not the crux of the story.
This pastime needs another dedicated blog to understand the Mood behind the Lord’s actions and the teachings we can derive from this Leela. An interesting Pastime of Lord Mahaprabhu is the Mango Pastime
What do Mahaprabhu’s Paraphernalia represent?
The Ekadandi (The Single Staff)
Represents His unwavering Nishta (steadfastness) in the pursuit of His spiritual goal. He urges mankind to become pure devotees of the Lord and make Krishna Prema their only goal of life, surmounting any challenges that come in its way.
Kamandalu (Ascetic’s waterpot)
Represents Mahaprabhu’s objective of freely distributing the elixir of Krishna prema, irrespective of caste, creed or social standing. Anybody and everybody is welcome to the divine abode of Lord Krishna, provided one is sincerely seeking the Lord.
An Example comparing Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Let me give you a crude example to explain the difference between Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Sri Chaitanya in terms of mood. Here in the three Lords, Lord Rama, whose arms are first in chronology, represents the aquatic way of life. Mahaprabhu at the bottom tier represents terrestrials, while Lord Krishna standing gracefully at the middle balances the two, representing the amphibians class that thrive on both land and water.
Mystery behind the Chronology of Arms
In the six handed form of Mahaprabhu, the uppermost arms are of Sri Rama, the Lord who was the first to appear in Treta Yuga around 18 million years ago. Then comes Sri Krishna around 5000 years ago in Dwapara Yuga holding the flute and smiling sweetly.
Finally at the bottom, comes Mahaprabhu, holding the paraphernalia of a Sanyasi. Mahaprabhu was the last to appear in Kali Yuga, just 500 years ago. Thus, the Lords are positioned based on the timeframe of their advent.
The Science of Combined Deity Forms
Each form of the Lord has a central mood or theme. Meditating on that form gives us the mood/result that resonates with our core and the nature of the Devata invoked. For example worshiping Sri Rama grants the attributes of righteousness and alignment with Dharma.
Worship of Mahaprabhu gives us love of Godhead (Prema)- But what if I want to develop qualities of two different Lords. This is where Sanatana Dharma widens its range, integrating multiple deities together, with their unique temperaments interwoven into one form.
This can be understood by an example. Just as a plant has a certain nature, but when combined with another plant, it produces a hybrid incorporating the qualities of both its parent plants.
Similarly the forms of the Lord, in unique combinations, produce different outcomes. However, there is a condition to it. The desired form should be authorized and sanctioned by our Sanatana Dharma scriptures.
One simply cannot invent new forms and start worshipping them. The forms we are discussing are all cited in the Shastras and hence can be worshipped under the guidance of a Guru.
Misconceptions Spread by So-Called Spiritual Gurus and Systems
There are many “recognized” Gurus and Systems who either preach
A few examples are: Ardhanareeswara (To balance masculine and feminine energy), Krishna- Kali (For attraction and protection from black magic), and the Shadbhuja form. The six armed form of Mahaprabhu, finds several mentions in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, one of the leading scriptures of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.
Benefits of Meditating on the Six armed form of Sri Chaitanya.
Now, I shall elaborate on the benefits experienced by a devotee who surrenders to this divine Shadbhuja roop (six handed form) of Shri Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu and worships Him with devotion. The devotee obtains the qualities of the three fundamental Lords of this form- Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Sri Chaitanya.
Qualities bestowed by Lord Rama
The devotee develops a sense of responsibility, lives by the scriptural injunctions, and executes his duties toward one’s family with dedication (an attribute of Lord Rama). His actions are principled and morally upright. Commitment towards spouse, obedience towards Guru, and parents (if they are devoted to the Lord), are a few of the many virtues developed by meditating on this form. Sri Rama also protects the devotee denoted by his bow and arrow.
Qualities bestowed by Lord Krishna
One learns to deal with situations tactfully, and decision-making ability significantly improves. One also learns to perform duties without expecting rewards—a quality difficult to cultivate through self-effort and achievable only through Grace.
Although outwardly appearing involved in work, one is internally detached and can disengage from action without carrying excess mental baggage. Such a person works by the will of the Lord, for His pleasure alone.
In contrast, the ignorant person takes ownership of his work, which is the main reason for his suffering. The key teaching of Karma Yoga is to sail through the ups and downs of life by renouncing the sense of doership and cultivating inner equilibrium.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥47॥
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi
Translation:
You have the right to perform your duties but are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.
Qualities bestowed by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Only Devotees of Mahaprabhu can obtain the rare elixir of Krishna Prema with exceptional ease. One’s heart overflows with Bhava and eyes moisten on being accepted by the Lord. Even devas like Indra, and Brahma pine to experience this extraordinary state freely distributed by the incarnation of love (Premavatar), Sri Chaitanya.
The Vedantins subject themselves to painful austerities in order to develop the virtue of Vairagya (distaste towards material pleasures).
However, Mahaprabhu grants Vairagya to an ardent devotee even without his conscious will and effort. By Sri Chaitanya’s mercy, Lord Krishna pulls the Jeeva towards Him like an iron nail flies towards a high powered magnet.
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