10 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

potency, that pleasure, is absent in me, and therefore I want a woman. But
Krishna is surprised: “Why am I attracted by Radharani? And what is the
special significance in Me that Radharani is so much attached to? Now, when
Radharani feels My love, what is Her feeling?” In order to taste the flavor or
the quality, the essence of that loving affair, Krishna appeared as the Moon
appears in the sea. Just as the Moon was produced by the churning of the sea,
so by churning the spiritual love affairs, the Moon appeared as Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, whose complexion was just like the Moon. This is figurative
language, but it is the purport of why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared.
The full significance will be explained in later chapters.

The author of Chaitanya Charitamrita is describing the manifestation of
the Supreme. After offering His respects to Lord Chaitanya, he next offers
them to Nityananda. Who is Nityananda? He now explains. First of all,
Nityananda is manifested as Samkarshan. Samkarshan is the origin of Maha
Vishnu, a form of God. This first manifestation of Krishna is Valaram, and
then Samkarshan; from Samkarshan to Pradyumna: in this way the expansion
takes place. It works in the same way as one candle is the origin, and another
candle is lit from that original and from that another and another—this is
explained in Brahma Samhita: The Supreme Lord Govinda is the Original
Candle, and from that Original Candle many thousands of candles, one after
another, are expanded, and they are called Vishnu. Just as one candle after
another makes a very nice exhibition of light, similarly, Krishna has expanded
Himself into so many lights, and we are also lights. We are smaller lights,
while Vishnu is the bigger light. But they are all Krishna, all expansions.

That Vishnu, when there is a need of material creation, expands Himself
as Maha Vishnu, Who lies down on the Causal Ocean. From His nostrils all
the Universes are breathed out. From that Causal Ocean all the Universes
have sprung up, and this Universe also is floating in that Causal Ocean. Outside
is water. You have seen the picture of Vamanadev when He expanded His
leg up to the covering of the sky of this Universe. There was a hole there,
and through that hole Karana water leaked in; and a little drop is flowing as
the river Ganges. Therefore the Ganges is accepted as the most sacred water
of Vishnu, and is worshipped by all Hindus, from the Himalayas down to the
Bay of Bengal. The Maha Vishnu, lying on the Causal Ocean, is a plenary
expansion of Rama. This Rama, when we say HARE KRISHNA, HARE
RAMA—this Rama means the Samkarshan, Nityananda.

The author of Chaitanya Charitamrita describes what is “beyond this
material expansion.” The cosmic material expansion is called Maya because
