Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu are known as the Karunā-avatāras. Vrindavana Das Thakura, in the very first verse of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata states,
ājānu-lambita-bhujau kanakāvadātau
saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau kamalāyatākṣau
viśvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma-pālau
vande jagat priya-karau karuṇāvatārau
[CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 1.1]
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who have golden yellow complexions, and who inaugurated the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of a lotus flower; They are the maintainers of the living entities, the best of the brāhmaṇas, the protectors of religious principles for this age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most merciful of all incarnations.
Their compassion was so deep that they did not discriminate in giving the highest spiritual treasure to even the most fallen souls. They made no distinction between high or low, rich or poor. These two Lords appeared in this dark age of Kali to flood it with the light of divine love.
How Rare and Inaccessible This Treasure is:
Hear from Krishna Himself!
In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa states
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jṣānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)
“After many births and deaths, one who is truly in knowledge surrenders unto Me. Such a soul is very rare.”
Again, Kṛṣṇa says:
manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3)
– “Among thousands of men, one may endeavor for perfection..”
Krishna personally tells the rarity of a person on the path of pure devotional service.
What about scriptures?
Scriptures also describe how rare it is to find a pure devotee.
Garuda Purana states,
brāhmaṇānāṁ sahasrebhyaḥ satra-yājī viśiṣyate
satra-yājī-sahasrebhyaḥ sarva-vedānta-pāragaḥ
sarva-vedānta-vit-koṭyā viṣṇu-bhakto viśiṣyate
vaiṣṇavānāṁ sahasrebhya ekānty eko viśiṣyate
”It is said that out of thousands of brāhmaṇas, one is qualified to perform sacrifices, and out of many thousands of such qualified brāhmaṇas expert in sacrificial offerings, one learned brāhmaṇa may have passed beyond all Vedic knowledge. He is considered the best among all these brāhmaṇas. And yet, out of thousands of such brāhmaṇas who have surpassed Vedic knowledge, one person may be a viṣṇu-bhakta, and he is most famous. Out of many thousands of such Vaiṣṇavas, one who is completely fixed in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa is most famous. Indeed, a person who is completely devoted to the service of the Lord certainly returns home, back to Godhead.”
What do devotees say?
Sukadeva Goswami, the speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam states that Krishna can give anything very easily, but He doesn’t give bhakti at all. He may even award liberation, but bhakti is ‘sudurlabha’ – extremely rare – muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam (SB 5.6.18)
It is extremely difficult to attain Krishna. Even Svayambhuva Manu says this to Dhruva.
sarva-bhūtātma-bhāvena
bhūtāvāsaṁ hariṁ bhavān
ārādhyāpa durārādhyaṁ
viṣṇos tat paramaṁ padam
It is very difficult to achieve the spiritual abode of Hari, in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, but you are so fortunate that you are already destined to go to that abode by worshiping Him as the supreme abode of all living entities. SB 4.11.11
So,
Kṛṣṇa says He is difficult to attain.
The scriptures confirm it.
The devotees also reiterate the same thing.
The Grace of Karuna-Avatara
But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came and changed this entire equation. He made Kṛṣṇa easily available. He made what was reserved for the the selected few available to the common man. He distributed the rasa that even Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā could not touch. He gave what Lakṣmī-devī could only aspire for. This is the unprecedented mercy of Karunā-avatāra.
But how many of us were knowing about Lord Caitanya before coming to Krishna Consciousness? Hardly any.
The karuna-avataras came, did their job, and went back. But, there was another avatara – hitavatara – the benefit incarnation, who came to deliver everyone the same message of Lord Caitanya.
The Welfare Incarnation:
Therefore, guru is glorified as,
he guro jñānada dīna bandho
svānanda-dātaḥ karuṇaika-sindho
vṛndāvanāsīna hitāvatāra
prasīda rādhā-praṇaya-pracāra
“O spiritual master, O giver of divine wisdom, O friend of the fallen, you are the giver of your own bliss, and you are the only ocean of mercy. Although dwelling in Vṛndāvana, you have descended for the welfare of fallen souls like myself, and you are preaching the divine love of Rādhā for Kṛṣṇa. Please be kind upon me.”
This combo of karuna-avatara and hita-avatara have made it possible for us to access the grace of Krishna. Prabhupada would say – this movement is not new, Mahaprabhu started it 500 years ago. We are simply continuing it.
How fortunate we must consider ourselves to have attained this grace in our lives! And how freely we must want to give this mercy of Mahaprabhu to whomever we meet!
