Lord Caitanya on the Constitutional Position of the Soul
BY: KSHAMABUDDHI DAS
Sep 11, USA (SUN) — In Sri Caitanya-caritamrita of Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami as translated by Srila Prabhupada A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami we find the teachings of Lord Caitanya to Srila Rupa Goswami on the constitutional position of the soul.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita - Madhya 19.2:
TRANSLATION
"On the platform of santa-rasa, one realizes only his constitutional position. But when one is raised to the platform of dasya-rasa, he better understands the full opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
In this verse Lord Caitanya explains to Srila Rupa Goswami that the constitutional position of the soul is realized in shanta-rasa. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu further explains that instruction in the verse below.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita - Madhya 19.218:
TRANSLATION
"It is the nature of santa-rasa that not even the smallest intimacy exists. Rather, knowledge of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma is prominent.
PURPORT
Because of an impersonal impression of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee in the santa-rasa relationship worships the impersonal Brahman or localized aspect of the Absolute Truth (Paramatma). He does not develop a personal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna.”
Lord Caitanya explains to Rupa Goswami that shanta-rasa does not possess even the smallest of intimacy with Lord Krishna and that the impersonal Brahman and the Paramatma are prominent. As such, according to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu the constitutional position of the soul is in impersonal shanta-rasa or realization of Brahman or Paramatma. In this way Lord Caitanya explains that svarupa-jnana and understanding the constitutional position of the soul involves realizing shanta-rasa in the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth.
In conclusion, Lord Caitanya does not teach that the constitutional position of the soul is anything more than impersonal realization of Lord Krishna in his impersonal Brahman effulgence.
