Pancha Tattva (Vaishnavism)

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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. Panca-tattva Altar.jpgChaitanya
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.

The Pancha Tattva (Sanskrit : पञ्चतत्त्व, romanized: pañca-tattva, from Sanskrit pañca meaning "five" and tattva "truth" or "reality"), in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, are five 15th-century religious figures, venerated as the five aspects of the god Krishna.

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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.

"I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, [(Krishna)], who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee [(bhakta-rūpa; Chaitanya)], devotional incarnation [(svarūpakam; Nityananada)], devotional manifestation [(bhaktāvatāraṁ; Advaita)], pure devotee [(bhaktākhyaṁ; Srivasa)], and devotional energy [(bhakta-śaktikam; Gadadhara)]."

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.[ citation needed ]

jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda [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. Pancha Tattva mantra
  2. "Beads....Our Gateway to the Spiritual World". Bliss Kirtan Yoga. Retrieved 14 December 2021.