18 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

slightly from the revealed scriptures, and therefore anyone who follows in the
disciplic line will be able to realize the essence of this book simply by the method
of aural reception.

The First Chapter of Sr7 Caitanya-caritamrta begins with fourteen Sanskrit verses
that describe the Absolute Truth. Then the next three Sanskrit verses describe the
principal Deities of Vrndavana, namely, Sri Radha-Madana-mohana, Sri Radha-
Govindadeva and Sri Radha-Gopinathaji. The first of the fourteen verses is a
symbolic representation of the Supreme Truth, and the entire First Chapter is in
actuality devoted to this single verse, which describes Lord Caitanya in His six
different transcendental expansions.

The first manifestation described is the spiritual master, who appears in two
plenary parts called the initiating spiritual master and instructing spiritual master.
They are identical because both of them are phenomena! manifestations of the
Supreme Truth. Next described are the devotees, who are divided into two classes,
namely, the apprentices and the graduates. Next are the incarnations (avatdras) of
the Lord, who are explained to be nondifferent from the Lord. These incarnations
are considered in three divisions—incarnations of the potency of the Lord, incarna-
tions of His qualities, and incarnations of His authority. In this connection, Lord
Sri Krsna's direct manifestations and His manifestations for transcendental pastimes
are discussed. Next considered are the potencies of the Lord, of which three prin-
.cipal manifestations are described: the consorts in the kingdom of God (Vaikuntha),
the queens of Dvarakadhama and, highest of all, the damsels of Vrajadhama.
Finally, there is the Supreme Lord Himself, who is the fountainhead of all these
manifestations.

Lord Sri Krsna and His plenary expansions are all in the category of the Lord
Himself, the energetic Absolute Truth, whereas His devotees, His eternal associates,
are His energies. The energy and energetic are fundamentally one, but since their
functions are differently exhibited, they are simultaneously different also. Thus the
Absolute Truth is manifested in diversity in one unit. This philosophical truth, which
is pursuant to the Veddnta-sittras, is called acintya-bhedadbheda-tattva, or the con-
ception of simultaneous oneness and difference. In the latter portion of this chapter,
the transcendental position of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and that of Srila Nityananda
Prabhu are described with reference to the above theistic facts.

TEXT 1

ICH QHAMSBA MAAS ATT |
TOMS LMG GSS FHCDSTATSA Il 9 Il

vande gurtin isa-bhaktan
gam isavatarakan

tat-prakasams ca tac-chaktih
krsna-caitanya-samjnakam
