Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

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Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Redirect Template:Multiple issues Template:Use Indian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Hindu leader Template:Vaishnavism Template:Hinduism Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Template:Langx; Template:Langx), born Vishvambhara Mishra (Template:IAST3<ref name="Banglapedia Chaitanya"/>) (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534Template:Sfn), was an Indian Hindu saint from Bengal and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with bhajan-kirtan and dance had a profound effect on Vaishnavism in Bengal.

He is considered the chief proponent of the Vedantic philosophy of Achintya Bheda Abheda. The concept of inconceivable difference in non-difference, known as achintya-bhedabheda, was explained later by Jiva Gosvami in his book Bhagavat Sandharbha,Template:Sfn and in his Sarva-samvadini.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Mahaprabhu founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He expounded Bhakti yoga and popularised the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra.<ref>Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Template:Webarchive "He spread the Yuga-dharma as the practice for attainment of pure love for Radha-Krishna. That process is Harinam-Sankirtan, or the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare"</ref> He composed the Shikshashtakam (eight devotional prayers).

Chaitanya is sometimes called Gauranga (Template:IAST3) or Gaura due to his molten gold–like complexion.<ref>In the Name of the Lord (Deccan Herald) "He was also given the name of ‘Gora’ because of his extremely fair complexion." Template:Webarchive</ref> His birthday is celebrated as Gaura-purnima.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Sri Gaura Purnima Template:Webarchive"givegita.com"</ref> He is also called Nimai because he was born underneath a Neem tree.<ref>KCM Archive"They named Him Nimai, as he was born under a neem tree." Template:Webarchive</ref>

Life

The religious hagiographies of Gauḍīya sampradāya are the only sources available for the reconstruction of Caitanya's life. These texts (in Sanskrit and Bengali), consider Caitanya to be an avatāra of Kr̥ṣṇa, Svayaṁ Bhagavān, Rādhā-Kr̥ṣṇa (joint and separate), Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, and Jagannātha. A canonical narrative was accepted by the Gauḍīya community in the early 1600s via the Caitanya Caritāmr̥ta of Kr̥ṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, which has been described as the "final word" on Gauḍīya history and theology.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Chaitanya was born in a Brahmin family as Viśvambhara Miśra aka Nimāi, the second son of Jagannātha Miśra and his wife Śacī Devī, the daughter of Nilambara Chakrabarti, both Brahmins of Sylhet region.<ref name="Banglapedia Chaitanya">Template:Cite Banglapedia</ref> Jagannātha Miśra's family were from the village of Dhakadakshin in Srihatta (Sylhet) (now in Bangladesh). The ruins of their ancestral home still survive in present-day Bangladesh.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> The hagiographies of Caitanya portray his birth as a divine event and state that it predicted his future mission of propagating harināma saṃkīrtana in Kali Yuga.<ref name=":0" />

The accounts of Caitanya's childhood are depicted to be reminiscent of Kr̥ṣṇa's childhood playtimes. While still a student, his father died, and he soon married Lakṣmīpriyā. He travelled to east Bengal to become a scholar and support his family, but his wife died in his absence. He then married Viṣnupriyā, the daughter of paṇḍit Sanātana Miśra. Viśhvambara, also known as Nimāi Paṇḍit, was a promising Sanskrit scholar and is said to have once defeated Keśava Bhaṭṭa of the Nimbārka school in a debate on Sanskrit prosody in an example of "superhuman erudition".<ref name=":0" />

In 1508-1509 he left Nabadvip to go to Gaya to perform śrāddha, a ritual homage to his dead father. There, he met an ascetic named Īśvara Purī, who initiated him using a mantra for Kr̥ṣṇa worship. After this meeting Viśvambhara abandoned all scholarly and domestic pursuits and had no interests except for an intense desire to hear and speak of Krishna. Within a year he took a vow of saṃnyāsa (renunciation) and changed his name to Kr̥ṣṇa Caitanya under his guru Keśava Bhāratī. His mother then asked him to at least live in the city of Puri so that he would not be too far from Bengal.<ref name=":0" />

After his renunciation, Caitanya spent his time teaching Kr̥ṣṇa bhakti and engaging in communal saṁkīrtana. Hagiographies describe debates with followers of Advaita Vedānta and other theological opponents in form of digvijaya (conquest through debate). He spent two months in Vrindavan in c. 1515, where he instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. He spent the last two decades of his life in Puri, where his ecstatic seizures yearning for Kr̥ṣṇa and his consorts, mainly Rādhā, intensified. He died in c. 1528-1534.<ref name=":0" />

Biographies

Works on Chaitanya:Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn<ref>PDF Template:Webarchive.Template:Cite book</ref>

  • Krsna-Caitanya-Caritamrta (Template:C. 1513 or 1536–1540; Sanskrit): By Murari Gupta. Known as a kadcha or chronicle. Chaitanya's Navadwipa līla and each panca-tattva presented as a form of the Lord. Caitanya went for the first time to Murari's house at Navadwipa. Murari's standing and reputation for learning gave his biographical materials great weight in the Vaishnava community. This Kadcha (notes) became the guiding lines for other biographers.
  • Kadcha or chronicle (Sanskrit): By Svarupa Damodara. He was the personal secretary of Chaitanya. Details the life of Caitanya.
  • Govindadaser Kadcha (Bengali): By Govinda Dāsa who accompanied Chaitanya on his tour of Deccan. This poem describes their experiences on the journey and some imaginary events in the life of Chaitanya as well as his ideas and philosophy. It is another significant biographical work, but it was regarded as controversial because of the authenticity.
  • Krsna-Caitanya-caritra-mahakavya (Template:C. 1535): By Kavi Karnapura (Paramanand Sen).
  • Krsna-Caitanya-candrodaya-natakam (Template:C. 1535 – 1570s): By Kavi Karnapura. Based on Murari Gupta's Krsna-Caitanya-Caritamrta. When Karnapura was a small child, he interacted with Chaitanya personally.
  • Caitanya-candrodaya-natakam (Template:C. 1538 or 1540 or 1572 or 1579; Sanskrit): By Kavi Karnapura (Paramanand Sen). Dramatic play in ten acts of Chaitanya's life.
  • Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kavya (Template:C. 1542 – late 1500s; Sanskrit): By Kavi Karnapura (Paramanand Sen). A long biographical poem on Chaitanya's life and acts.
  • Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Template:C. 1557 or 1580 or 1615; Bengali): By Krishnadasa Kaviraja. Three parts: Adi-lila, Madhya-lila, and Antya-lila. Massive authoritative composition of Chaitanya's biography and teachings. According to Manring, he draws liberally from previous writers (poets, theologians and biographers) as he deems correct, omitting Kavi Karnapura's works perceived as threatening Rupa's authority.
  • Caitanya-Mangala (Template:C. 1560 or late 1500s; Bengali): By Jayananda. Nine parts: Adikhanda, Nadiyakhanda, Vairagyakhanda, Sannyaskhanda, Utkalkhanda, Prakashkhanda, Tirthakhanda, Vijaykhanda, and Uttarkhanda. Biographical poem in the form of a narrative play focused on Chaitanya's godly image. It is the only work in which his death is mentioned. Introduction mentions several previous biographers, of whom only Vrindavan is known. Written for the common people (not devotees).
  • Chaitanya Mangala (Template:C. 1560–66 or 1575): By Lochana Dasa (Template:Aka Trilocan Dasa). Four parts: Sutrakhanda, Adikhanda, Madhyakhanda, and Antyakhanda. A narrative play depicting Chaitanya's childhood activities and his human side without highlighting any divine matters to make it popular. Influenced by Murari Gupta's Krsna-Caitanya-Caritamrta and Vrindavana Dasa Thakura's Chaitanya Bhagavata as well as the Mahabharata and different Puranas.
  • Chaitanya-chandrodaya-kaumudi (Bengali): By Premadas (Purushottam Mishra). A verse adaptation to Kavi Karnapura's Caitanya-candrodaya-natakam drama.
  • Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (Template:C. 1576): By Kavi Karnapura (Paramanand Sen).
  • Chaitanya-samhita (Bengali): By Bhagirath Bandhu. Work follows the tradition of agama or tantric texts in its presentation as a story told by Shiva to his spouse.
  • Chaitanya-vilasa (Template:C. 1500s; Odia): By Madhava Dasa. A short poetical work in ten sections dealing with the life of Chaitanya. The poet probably came into contact with the saint when the latter came to Puri.
  • Gauranga-vijay (Template:C. 1500s): By Chundamani dasa. Biographical epic, believed to have been written in three volumes, only part of the first volume still exists. It contains some information about Chaitanya, Nityananda and Madhavendra Puri not found elsewhere.
  • Sriman-mahaprabhor-asta-kaliya-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram (Template:C. late 1600s; Sanskrit): By Visvanatha Chakravarti. Eleven sutras (seed verses) describing the eternal eight-fold daily pastimes of the fair-complexioned Lord.
  • Sri Gauranga-Lilamrta (Template:C. late 1600s – 1700s; Bengali): By Krishna Dasa (disciple of Visvanatha Chakravarti). Expounded on his guru's eleven sutras, often quoting verses from Vrindavana Dasa Thakura's Chaitanya Bhagavata, plus songs by Narahari Ghanashyama (author of Bhakti-Ratnakara) and Lochana Dasa (author of Chaitanya-Mangala).
  • Caitanya-upanisad: A book that is a part of the Atharvaveda which offers overwhelming evidence of Chaitanya's identity as the Supreme Lord and Yuga Avatara.
  • Sri Caitanya-caranamrta Bhasva (1887): By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Commentary on an original handwritten manuscript of the Caitanya-upanisad from one pandita, Madhusudana Maharaja, of Sambala-Pura.
  • Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (1974; English): By A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in English with original Bengali and Sanskrit. Commentary on Krishnadasa Kaviraja's Caitanya-caritāmṛta, based on Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Amrita-pravaha-bhashya and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's Anubhāsya commentaries.

Teachings

Template:Main The Śikṣāṣṭaka is the only work accepted to be composed by Caitanya. The poem expounds upon the subjects of harināmajapa, saṁkīrtana, the relationship between individual souls and Kr̥ṣṇa, devotional submission to Kr̥ṣṇa, and Caitanya's personal virahabhakti. Scholars debate the extent to which Caitanya played in the development of the complex Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theology.<ref name=":0" />

According to Murari Gupta, one of Caitanya's close associates, Caitanya taught that kirtana (chanting God's name) is the most effective spiritual practice in the Kali Age. He first gathered the community for kirtana in Srivasa's courtyard.Template:Sfn Caitanya revealed bhakti as the primary means to approach Krishna, and he appointed the Goswamis, such as Srinivasa Acarya and Narottama Dasa, to gather and compose texts explaining this devotion.Template:Sfn

Cultural legacy

Template:See also Chaitanya's influence on the cultural legacy in Bengal, Odisha and Manipur, has been significant,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with many residents performing daily worship to him as an avatar of Krishna. Some attribute to him a Renaissance in Bengal,<ref>Bengal Studies Conference Template:Webarchive "History says that the Bengali people experienced the renaissance: not only once but also twice in the course of history. Bengalis witnessed the first renaissance in the 16th century when Hossain Shah and Sri Chaitanya's idealism influenced a sect of the upper literal class of people"</ref> different from the more well-known 19th-century Bengal Renaissance. Salimullah Khan (b. 1958), a noted Bangladeshi linguist, maintains, "Sixteenth-century is the time of Chaitanya Dev, and it is the beginning of Modernism in Bengal. The concept of 'humanity' that came into fruition is contemporaneous with that of Europe".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Noted Bengali biographical film on Chaitanya, Nilachaley Mahaprabhu (1957), was directed by Kartik Chattopadhyay (1912–1989).<ref name="SurGoswami1999">Template:Cite book</ref> A Bengali film based on Chaitanya's demise, Lawho Gouranger Naam Re, will be directed by Srijit Mukherji where Parambrata Chatterjee will be seen portraying Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

  • Kisangarh painting of Chaitanya dancing in a puddle of his own tears, surrounded by followers, c. 1750.
    Kisangarh painting of Chaitanya dancing in a puddle of his own tears, surrounded by followers, c. 1750.
  • Chaitanya with a dog, Murshidabad, 19th century CE
    Chaitanya with a dog, Murshidabad, 19th century CE
  • A white ornate structure with a pyramidal pointed dome standing on the bank of a pond and surrounded by trees
    Yogapith temple at Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's birthsite established in the 1880s by Bhaktivinoda Thakur in Mayapur, West Bengal
  • Nineteenth century lithograph by Calcutta Art Studio of Caitanya and Nityānanda performing a kirtan in the streets of Nabadwip, Bengal.
    Nineteenth century lithograph by Calcutta Art Studio of Caitanya and Nityānanda performing a kirtan in the streets of Nabadwip, Bengal.
  • Pratap Rudra bowing to Chaitanya, an early 20th century print copy of a painting held by the family of Maharaja Nandakumar, Zamindars of Kunjaghata
    Pratap Rudra bowing to Chaitanya, an early 20th century print copy of a painting held by the family of Maharaja Nandakumar, Zamindars of Kunjaghata
  • Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Jagannath, Balarama, Subhadra and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (in middle), at the ISKCON Durgapur Temple.
    Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Jagannath, Balarama, Subhadra and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (in middle), at the ISKCON Durgapur Temple.

See also

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References

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Works cited

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Further reading

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