The expression of love between Sri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord's pleasure potency. Although Radha and Krishna are two different manifestations on the outside, they are in effect 'One'. Sri Krishna Chaitanya is these two identities coming together and uniting as one.
Sri Chaitanya, Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa are the Panchatattva or Five Truths. They incarnated as five people in the late 15th century and propagated the Hare Krishna mantra and the practice of devotion to Lord Krishna.
| Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu | The Supreme Personality of Godhead |
| Sri Nityananda Prabhu | Lord's plenary expansion |
| Sri Advaita Acharya | Lord's incarnation |
| Sri Gadadhara Pandit | Lord's internal potency |
| Sri Srivasa Thakura | Lord's marginal potency |
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is known as maha-vadanyavatara, the supremely benevolent incarnation as He pardons the offenses of the disgraced souls. He is always accompanied by the other tattvas, with Him in the centre as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Obeisance to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is complete when we chant the pancha-tattva mantra (jaya) sri-krsna-Chaitanya prabhu nityananda sriadvaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda. One must chant pancha-tattva mantra one time before chanting each round (108 beads) of Hare Krishna Mantra to derive the complete benefit of Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
"Sri Krsna Chaitanya , Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivas are the Five Truths, or Panchatattva. Spiritually, there are no differences between these five tattvas, for on the transcendental platform everything is absolute. Yet, there are also varieties in the spiritual world, and in order to taste these spiritual varieties, one should distinguish between them" (CC.Adi ZS)
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Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
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Lord Nityananda
He is Balarama Himself - the first expansion of Krishna and is known to be more compassionate and merciful than Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
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Sri Advaita Acharya
Advaita Acarya is in the Visnu tattva with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Sri Nityananda prabhu. Despite all three being masters, Nityananda and Advaita are sevakas of Mahaprabhu.
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Sri Gadadhara Pandit
He is an incarnation of devotional energy and of sakti tattva, the internal potency.
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Sri Srivasa Thakura
He is jiva-tattva - the incarnation of the chaste devotee of the Lord and the leader of all unsullied devotees.
