2016 - Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived in Vrindavan on the day of Karttik Purnima in the year 1515. The celebration of his arrival here this year coincides with Karttik Niyam seva which has doubled the excitement of the devotees. Celebrations lead by ISKON were organized in various parts of India including Vrindavan.

The eight release function saw the release of a coin commemorating the as part of year long celebration of 500 years of return of Chaitnya Mahaprabhu to Vrindavan. Coins of Rs 500 and Rs 10 were released.

The coin and the details of the set are;

Release Function

25-Nov-2016: The Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri N.K. Sinha releasing a commemorative non-circulation coin of Rs.500 and a circulation coin of Rs.10 as part of year-long celebrations of commemoration of “500th Anniversary of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Coming to Vrindavan”, in New Delhi

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534) is believed by his devotees to be Krishna himself who appeared in the form of His own devotee in order to teach the people of this world the process of Bhakti and how to attain the perfection of life. He is considered as the most merciful manifestation of Krishna. Chaitanya was the proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning loving devotion to God), based on Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita, Of various incarnations of Vishnu, he is revered as Krishna.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is sometimes referred to by the names Gauranga or Gaura due to his fair complexion, and Nimai due to his being born underneath a Neem tree. There is no evidence, however, that he was born under a Neem Tree. He was very naughty in his young days. His original name was Vishambhar. He was a brilliant student and Nimai was his nickname. At an early age he became an scholar and opened a school. His teachings helped flourish Bhakti movement. in east India, particularly Bengal and Odisha from 16th century onwards.

According to Shrimad Bhagvatam 1.7.13-14, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was Krishna himself in the garb of a devotee of Krishna and therefore the version of both Lord Krishna and Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are identical.

“Sometimes Shri Krishna himself wonders how much transcendental pleasure is within him, and in order to taste his own potency, he sometimes takes the position of tasting himself. Lord Chaitanya is Krishna himself, but he appears as a devotee to taste the sweetness of the transcendental mellow in himself, which is tasted by Shrimati Radha Rani the greatest of all devotees, as indicated in Shrimad Bhagvatam 3.33.4.

In the Adi Purana and in Narada Purana, the Lord says, “I shall advent in the form of a Brahmana devotee (aham eva dvija shreshtho), I shall hide my factual identity (pracchanna vigraha), and I shall deliver all the worlds (lokam raksami sarvada).