Who is Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ?

The Golden Avatara

ittham nri-tiryag-rsi-deva-jhasävatärair

lokän vibhävayasi hamsi jagat pratipän

dharmam mahä-purusa päsi yugänuvrittam

channah kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam

“In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.”- Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.38

Lord Chaitanya is a covered incarnation, or avtara, of the Supreme Lord because He appeared as a Devotee. In the above verse quoted from Srimad Bhagavatam, it is clearly said in the last line that Lord appears in “channa” form in Kali Yuga. The Eleventh Canto (11.5.32) gives another direct statement about Lord Caitanya:

krsna-varnam tvisäkrsnam

sängopängästra-pärsadam

yajnaih sankirtana-präyair

yajanti hi su-medhasah

In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also described by Srila Vrindavan Dasa Thäkura as yuga-dharma-pala, the protector of the religion for the age.