Prema-Vilāsa-Vivarta-Mūrti
Śrī Chaitanya as the Embodiment of the Highest Love
Keywords:
Prema-vilāsa-vivarta, Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, Divine Love, Rādhā and Krishna, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Bhakti-rasa, Spiritual Attainment, Esoteric Theology, Vaiṣṇava PhilosophyAbstract
This article delves into the concept of prema-vilāsa-vivarta, a highly esoteric and supreme stage of divine love within the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition, as embodied by Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu. Drawing primarily from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and the works of prominent ācāryas like Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, and Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the author systematically defines the intricate stages of spiritual affection, culminating in prema-vilāsa-vivarta. This ultimate state describes a paradoxical "identity inversion" or "one-soul-ness" between Rādhā and Krishna, where their profound love transcends individual awareness, even while maintaining distinct identities. The article emphasizes that Śrī Chaitanya, understood as the combined form of Rādhā and Krishna, personally experienced this highest love, making him the living embodiment of prema-vilāsa-vivarta. It distinguishes this concept from impersonal oneness and highlights its significance as the pinnacle of devotional attainment.
