4.1: Panca-tattva Mantra
The Panca-tattva Mantra:
jaya sri krishna caitanya,
prabhu nityananda,
sri advaita, gadadhara,
srivasadi gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Before chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one must first take shelter of Gaura-Nitai by reciting the Panca-tattva mantra. This frees one from the reactions of his offenses while chanting Hare Krishna because Lord Caitanya is the most magnanimous incarnation of the Lord and His mercy is easily achieved.
Panca = Five; Tattva = Truths;
"The Absolute Truth in five features"
The mantra can be broken down into two parts:
- The names of Lord Caitanya and His associates
- Lord Caitanya: Krishna Himself in the form of His devotee
- Lord Nityananda: the expansion of a devotee
- Advaita Acarya: as the incarnation of a devotee
- Gadadhara: the devotional energy
- Srivas Thakur: the pure devotee
- All the other devotees
- Adi means etc., referring to all the other great devotees of Lord Caitanya.
- Gaura-bhakta-vrnda refers to the present, assembled devotees of the Lord
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