Pancha_Tattva_(Vaishnavism)

<i>Pancha Tattva</i> (Vaishnavism)

Pancha Tattva (Vaishnavism)

Five aspects of divinity within Gaudiya Vaishnavism


Pancha Tattva (Devanagari: पञ्चतत्त्व; IAST: pañca-tattva, from Sanskrit pañca meaning "five" and tattva "truth" or "reality") in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism refers specifically to the Five aspects of God or Absolute Truth.

Chaitanya
Pancha Tattva deities installed on a Vaishnava altar. From left to right (click on feet to go to article): Advaita Acharya, Nityananda, Chaitanya, Gadadhara Pandita, Srivasa.

Background

In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, these five features of God (Krishna) are believed to have incarnated on Earth as five people in the late 15th century: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita Acharya, Gadadhara Pandit and Srivasa Thakur. They famously spread the Krishna mantra and the practise of devotion (bhakti) towards Krishna throughout India.

The Five Features

"I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee (bhakta-rūpa; Śrī Caitanya), devotional incarnation (svarūpakam; Śrī Nityānānda), devotional manifestation (bhaktāvatāraṁ; Śrī Advaita), pure devotee (bhaktākhyaṁ; Śrī Śrīvāsa), and devotional energy (bhakta-śaktikam; Śrī Gadadhāra)."

Pancha Tattva mantra

Within the Gaudiya tradition, a mantra formed from the names of the five members of the Pancha Tattva is often spoken or sung as a means of devotional worship, or japa. Often, this mantra is sung or chanted prior to the Krishna mantra. It is believed by followers to be the most merciful mantra available in this age of Kali.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda,
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda[1]

An alternative version features another name for Chaitanya, "Gauranga":[2]

śrī-gaurāṅga nityānānda, śrī-advaita-candra,
gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

See also


References

  1. "Beads....Our Gateway to the Spiritual World". Bliss Kirtan Yoga. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  • Rosen, Steven J. Sri Pancha Tattva: The Five Features of God 1994 ISBN 0-9619763-7-3 Folk Books, New York

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