Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s5.47

c9.s5.47

It appears, therefore, that in this charming fancy of the Caitanyaite poet-devotees, most of whom were also the recognized theologians of the sect, an ingenious explanation was found of the golden hue of Caitanya’s body, which would have been dark as Kṛṣṇa’s had it not been for the Rādhā-element. As it appears from the works of Pada-composers and the Gosvāmins, it was at first, more or less, a devotional poetical fancy; but it was soon developed into a fundamental doctrine, and it is probable that from this theory originated the common epithet, Gaurahari, of Caitanya, with an evident pun on the word gaura, which makes the appellation mean at the same time ‘Gaura who is Hāri’ and ‘the fair-complexioned Hari.’