Around 500 years ago (1486 AD), Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Lord, was born at Yogpeeth in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. His divine purpose was to propagate Harinama sankirtana and bless us with the most amazing, profound, and ecstatic pastimes. The Lord is known by various names like Gaura, Gauranga, Gaurahari, Nimai, Gaurasundara, and more. In this article, we will provide a brief summary of the teachings, and biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The proud parents of Lord Chaitanya were Sri Jagannatha Misra, an eminent brahmana, and Saci Devi. His father, Jagannath Misra, was a poor Brahmin, and his mother, Sachi Devi, was a model woman from a Brahmin family in Sylhet. The day he was born, the moon was eclipsed and people were bathing in the Bhagirathi river, shouting “Haribol”. As a child, he was called Visvambhar by his grandfather and Gaur Hari by the ladies of the town due to his golden complexion. His mother called him Nimai because he was born near a Neem tree (Azadirachta indica). He was loved by all for his beauty and playful nature. Lord Chaitanya’s identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is supported by various Vedic scriptures such as Srimad Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Garuda Purana, Nrsimha Purana, Padma Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Narada Purana, and others. In the following text, we will provide two examples of such references.
aham purno bhavisyami yuga sandhyau visesatah
mayapure navadvipe bhavisyami saci sutah
(Garuda Purana)
–
Translation – In the future, in first part of Kali yuga, I shall appear in my complete spiritual form at Mayapura, Navadvipa and become the son of Saci.
The mission of Lord Chaitanya, along with a description of His golden complexion and how He descends along with His confidential associates in this age of Kali ,to inaugurate the Sankirtana Yajna is revealed in Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata purana) –
Krishna varnam tvishakrishnam sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah
(Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32)
Lord Chaitanya’s teachings have brought people of different nationalities, backgrounds, and cultures together, exemplifying a unity that the United Nations would commend. His teachings have inspired individuals worldwide to forget their external differences and work together in their journey of life, which is important to everyone regardless of social, economic, or geographic status. The practice of congregational chanting of ‘Hare Krishna’ in cities like London, Paris, Tokyo, and New Delhi has its roots in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Scholars have noted that his life and teachings have no parallel in human history, and even the most skilled researchers cannot fully describe his pastimes.
Details about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu :
Names : Viswambhar, Nimai, Krishna Chaitanya, Gauranga, Gaurahari, Gaurasundara, etc
Birth : 18th February 1486 AD
Place of Birth – Yogpith, Mayapur, Nadia, West Bengal
Ancestral house – Sylhet (Bangladesh)
Father : Jagannath Misra
Mother : Saci devi
Elder Brother : Visvarupa Misra
Spouse : Lakshmipriya devi and Vishnupriya devi
Maternal aunt – Sarvajaya Devi
Paternal Grandfather : Upendra Misra
Paternal Grandmother : Shobha devi
Maternal grandfather – Pandit Nilambar Chakravarti
First Initiation : Accepted first initiation from Isvara Puri, disciple of Madhavendra puri, at Gaya.
Sannayasa Initiation : 1510 AD – Accepted Sannyasa (renounced order of life) at Katwa from Keshava Bharati at the age of 24
Death (Disappearance) : 1534 AD – Wrapped up His earthly pastimes at the age of 48
Biography of Lord Chaitanya – in a Nutshell
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divine pastimes are categorized into three phases: Adi Lila, Madhya Lila, and Antya Lila. The events in Adi Lila took place in Navadvipa, the holy dham, during the first 24 years of His life, before He embraced Sannyasa. These years included His childhood, early boyhood, later boyhood, and youth, where the Lord enchanted the pious residents of Navadvipa with His heart-melting pastimes. During this time, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu manifested the joyful pastimes of His marriage and mesmerizing sankirtana pastimes at the house of His eternal associate, Sri Srivasa Pandita.
After accepting sannyasa, Lord Chaitanya moved to Jagannath Puri and spent the first 12 years, preaching the glories of the holy name and instructing His disciples to establish the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. In His later years, while confined to the Gambhira (Kasi Mishra’s house in Jagannath Puri), the Lord was overwhelmed with feelings of separation from Krishna and exhibited the highest symptoms of devotional ecstasy, similar to the Gopis of Vrindavan. Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara recited verses from the scriptures to pacify Him during such episodes. Sri Chaitanya spent nights chanting loudly, and on one occasion, escaped from His locked room. He was later found in an elongated and breathless state near the Simha-dvara on the northern side of the Jagannath temple.
Childhood Pastimes
Nimai, also known as Lord Chaitanya, was a mischievous boy who enjoyed teasing and fighting with others. Despite his playful nature, he was an intelligent student who easily understood his teacher Gangadas Pandita’s lessons and even converted other students to follow him with his clever arguments. After finishing his studies at noon, Nimai would happily bathe in the holy Ganges and many people, including householders, sannyasis, distinguished gentlemen, and children, would join him. Navadvipa was a seat of learning and students from various educators would gather in the Ganges after class to debate and argue with each other. Nimai moved from one bathing Ghat to another, looking for an audience to debate with, but no one could match his skills. He went on to debate with some of the most eminent Vedic scholars of his day, including Kesava Kashmiri, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, and Prakashananda Sarasvati, and convinced them that devotional service to the Supreme Personality of God is superior to any other philosophical system.
Lord Chaitanya’s Teachings in a Nutshell :
- Lord Sri Krishna, who appeared as the son of the King of Vraja (Nanda Maharaja), is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is worshipable by all.
- Vrindavana-dhama is identical to the Lord Himself and is therefore equally revered.
- The most elevated form of worship of the Lord was demonstrated by the young Gopis of Vrajabhumi.
- Srimad-Bhagavata Purana is an immaculate scripture for comprehending the Supreme Lord.
- Achieving the stage of prema, or loving devotion to God, is the ultimate objective of human existence.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – Reasons for His incarnation :
Lord Chaitanya, although rarely revealing His identity as the Supreme Lord, remained absorbed in the mood of a devotee. Sri Krishna, after the sweet pastimes of Vrindavana, desired to bestow the science of unalloyed devotion to the world. This was revealed in Sri Chaitanya Caritamrta, which also explains that the world worships the Lord reverentially in His opulent form, which lacks spontaneous loving attachment. The Lord wished to distribute this Supreme science of Krishna consciousness, the highest ecstasy of spirituality, to all fallen souls of the Kali Yuga, regardless of their caste or qualification.
Aishwarya jnanete saba jagat misrita
Aishwarya sithila preme nahi mora prita
(Chaitanya Caritamrta, adi -3.16)
Encapturing this deep mood and mission of the Lord ,Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings –
atyanta durlabha prema karibare dana,
sikhaya sharanagati bhakatera prana
–
To bestow this most rare form of divine love, Sri Chaitanya teaches us to surrender, which is the life of all the devotees.
Lord Chaitanya is hence also referred to as ‘Maha vadanyaya’ or the most munificent ,as He is the most merciful incarnation of the Supreme.
Lord Chaitanya’s descent in this world had a confidential reason beyond spreading the holy names of Krishna and devotional service. The Supreme Lord Krishna desired to experience the supreme bliss that His devotee Srimati Radharani feels while serving Him. Taking on the mood and complexion of Radharani, Krishna appeared as Lord Chaitanya in Navadvipa, the land created by Radharani for His pleasure. Lord Chaitanya’s intense emotions of union and separation with Krishna mirrored those of Radharani, making Him the intense embrace of Radha and Krishna. However, these emotions should not be confused with mundane feelings, as separation from the Supreme Lord produces a higher state of ecstasy than union. In the later stages of His pastimes in Gambhira, Lord Chaitanya exhibited the highest symptoms of ecstasy due to His obsession with separation from Krishna. Sri Chaitanya’s heart was an image of Srimati Radhika’s emotions – greatly turbulent with the feelings of union (sambhoga) and separation (vipralambha) with Krishna. Hence, it is stated that there is no difference between Lord Chaitanya and the combination of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani (Sri Krishna Chaitanya ,Radha Krishna Nahe anya). Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura exclaims that Sri Chaitanya is not simply Krishna or simply Radhika. Instead, He is the intense embrace of Sri Radha and Krishna. Such is the intensity of their embrace that the divine couple becomes inseparable and merges into one form. Sri Krishna is then ornamented with the deep mood of Radharani and gets completely covered by Her bodily effulgence.
Indian society before Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born
Before Sri Chaitanya had appeared in Navadvipa, its residents were largely preoccupied with material pursuits.People were egoistic about their material possessions and lacking in God consciousness.Those who engaged in discussing Bhagavad Gita or Srimad Bhagavatam, did not touch upon its essence of devotional service. The holy names of Krishna were nowhere to be heard in the entire town of Navadvipa. Being absorbed in the illusory potency of the Lord, people remained in forgetfulness of their eternal master. They misused their wealth in extravagant wedding ceremonies of their children.
Dambha kari visya-hari puje kon yana
Puttali karoye keho diya bahu dhana
Dhana nashto kare putra kanyara bibhaya
Eimata jagatera byartha kala yaya
(Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi, 2.65-66)
Feeling pity upon these suffering souls, the devotees prayed to Lord Krishna for their deliverance.Sri Advaita Acharya, who is fifty years elder to Lord Chaitanya, was one such devotee.Sri Advaita was the combined incarnation of the potencies of Sada Shiva and Lord Mahavishnu.Seeing the people of the world completely immersed in material activities and suffer greatly the pangs of material miseries, Advaita Acharya became deeply pained at heart.Overwhelmed with compassion, He began teaching Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, by explaining their purports in accordance to the science of devotional service, and decrying the paths of philosophical speculation and fruitive activities.Srila Haridasa Thakura , Srivasa Pandita and several other elderly vaishnavas, regularly congregated at Advaita Prabhu’s house and discussed the glories of the Supreme Lord together. Visvarupa, an expansion of Lord Balaram and the elder brother of Lord Chaitanya, was also among those who graced His audience.
gita bhagavata kahe acharya gosai
jnana-karma nindi kare bhaktira badai
(Chaitanya Caritamrta, Adi , 13.64)
In Sri Chaitanya Mangala it has been recorded that the sad state of affairs of the entire world at that time, caused deep anguish within the heart of Narada muni, a close associate of the Supreme Lord.
Para dukhe katara narada mahamuni
Krishna-katha rasha-gaan dibasha rajani
Krishnakatha lobhe bule samsara bhramiya
Na shunila Krishna-nama jagata chahiya
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutra Khanda, 2.27-28)
–
Sri Narada Muni, who always sang the nectarian pastimes of Lord Krishna day and night, felt deeply distressed observing the miseries of others. To give out the holy names of Sri Krishna, Narada muni wandered throughout the universe.But the people of this world, being too attached to their material possessions, were not eager to accept the holy names.
The great sage Narada could not hear the chanting of the holy names of Krishna, even after wandering throughout the entire world. He grew greatly astonished. He began thinking of ways and means of delivering the suffering people. Narada thought, “The venomous snake of Kali has bitten everyone and as a result, the people of this world are aflame and mesmerized by their illusory pride. Being solely devoted unto their genitals and belly, the people of this world have totally forgotten Krishna. Their heart is continuously afflicted with the poison of greed, fascination, lust, anger, intoxication, pride, and they needlessly live the philosophy of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. But they cannot make out who they are and what is actually theirs”.Seeing the miserable condition of the people in general in this age of Kali, the great sage Narada, became thoughtful and began considering. Finding no other way to rescue the people, Narada came wandering to the gates of Dwarka, the abode of the Supreme Lord.
Aichhana lokera dukha dekhi mahamuni
Antare chintita haiya mone mone guni
Ghor kalikaale lokera na dekhi nistara
Bhromite bhromite gela Dwarkara daar
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutra Khanda, 2.37-38)
Celestial pastimes – Lord Krishna’s confidential revelations to Narada Muni :
Back in the spiritual world, Lord Krishna enquired from Narada muni regarding the cause of his sorrows. Narada muni expressed himself and answered,” The songs celebrating Your exalted qualities are my nectarian foodstuffs. Hankering to preach Your glories, I traversed the world of birth and death. But I could not hear the chants of Your holy name traveling through the entire material world. Being absorbed in material activities, the people have forgotten You. Being intoxicated and enchanted with pride, the entire world has become devoid of Krishna. This is the cause of my sorrow. I see no means of delivering these (conditioned) people. This is the thought that keeps disturbing my mind”. Hearing Narada’s words, Lord Krishna smiled. He reminded Narada of an earlier vow He had made to devi Katyayani (Goddess Durga) about offering His Mahaprasadam and His causeless mercy unto all denizens of the material world.
The Lord added that Rukmini devi had recently enlightened Him about the glories of pure devotional service unto Himself. Rukmini devi had previously revealed how the pure devotees forsake all of their interests, including attachment to their own existence, desire for liberation, etc for the sake of serving the Supreme Lord. One, who lives to drink and relish the nectar of the Lord’s lotus feet, cares for neither day nor night nor any passing season.Hearing Rukmini devi’s words, Lord Krishna had developed an unsatiated desire to taste the ecstatic bliss of His own love. This was something that bewildered even the Supreme Lord and He craved to experience this first hand, especially the deep ecstatic love that Srimati Radharani felt for Him.He wanted to understand how He was a reservoir of all sweetness and the attraction that drove His devotees crazy. Lord Krishna hence announced –
Bhunjibo Premar shukh, bhunjaibo loke
Deena bhab prakash kariba kaliyuge
Bhakata yanera sange bhakati kariya
Nija prema bilaiba isvara haiya
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutrai, 2.101-102)
–
(Sri Krishna continued) ‘I shall relish the bliss of My own ecstatic love, and I shall make the others taste this ecstasy as well. I shall manifest a form filled with humility in this kaliyuga. Along with the other devotees , I shall engage in devotional service and in the process ,I, the Supreme personality of Godhead, shall freely distribute the ecstatic love for Me to one and all’.Nija guna sankirtana prakash kariba
Navadvipe Saci-grihe janama lobhibo
Gaura dirgha kalebara, bahu janu-sama
Sumeru sundara tanu ati anupama
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutrai, 2.103-104)
–
‘I shall manifest the congregational chanting of my glories. I shall take My birth at the house of Saci devi in Navadvipa. My body shall be fair and long ,with my arms reaching up to my knees. The matchless form of mine shall be as beautiful as Mount Sumeru’.
Speaking thus, Lord Krishna manifested His form as Lord Gauranga beholding which Narada muni became overwhelmed with divine rapture. The form of the Lord was as glorious as Mount Sumeru and saturated with pure ecstatic love. Locana das writes in Sri Chaitanya Mangala that this was the first time that the form of Lord Gauranga had been manifest.Beholding the wonderful form of Lord Gauranga, Narada muni felt ecstatic in his heart. A thousand streams of tears gushed from his eyes. The beauty of the Lord resembled the radiance of millions of moons and He shone like a million of effulgent suns. His majestic form was as beautiful as millions of cupids combined together. Lord Krishna roared :
Ghosona karoho shiva brahma adi loke
Gaura avatara muin haba Kaliyuge
Guna sankirtana nama prakash kariba
Nija bhakti prema-rasa sukh prachariba
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutrai, 2.113-114)
–
(Lord krishna continued) ‘Announce at the residences of Shiva, Brahma, and all the other celestial planets, that I would advent as Lord Gauranga in the age of kali. I shall propagate the congregational chanting of My name and qualities. I shall preach the bliss of tasting the ecstatic love obtained by rendering devotional service unto Me’.
Sri Chaitanya Mangala records the confidential reasons behind Lord Gauranga’s appearance.
Shata shata shakha, bhaktipathe nahi shima
Ekmukh hauk lok, prachariba prema
Nija nija bhakta-jana ara parishad
Prithivi janam giya premabhakti swadh
(Chaitanya Mangala, Sutrai, 2.115-116)
–
(Lord Krishna continued) “There are presently hundreds and hundreds of branches on the path of devotional service. There is no end to this. I would preach pure love unto the Supreme Lord and unite all these people.
Along with all my devotees and associates, I shall appear on earth. I shall relish the taste of ecstatic loving service unto Myself”.
It is only by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord that one gets the rare opportunity to gain entrance into this cintamani (spiritual) dham of Navadvipa and associate with its pious residents. This land is mingled with the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet, and it is only by the blessings of our spiritual master and the mercy of Sri Gaurasundara, that we have attempted to write a few lines in its glorification.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s causeless mercy :
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the most munificent incarnation of the Supreme. Lord Gaurahari freely gives what no other incarnation of the Supreme Lord has ever given before – the ecstatic pure love of God. He does not consider one’s qualifications or background or pedigree before bestowing this supreme gift upon them, receiving which one achieves the ultimate perfection of his human life.This ecstatic love of God eludes the great demigods like Brahma, Shiva and Indra. Even Lakshmi devi, the wife of Lord Narayana, hankers to receive it. A yogi cannot achieve it , even after performing severe austerities for thousands of years. A Jnani cannot smell it even after analysing the whole of the vedic scriptures. This ecstatic love of God is extremely rare but it can be easily achieved by the causeless mercy of Lord Gauranga. That is why lord Chaitanya is known to be the essence of all the other incarnations of the Supreme – ‘Avatara sar Gaura avatara’.
Lord Narayana reveals this secret of all secrets to Devi Katyayani (Durga) :
E mor antara hiya, tomare kahila iha
Sambari rakhoho nija mone
Saba avatara sar , Kali Gora avatara
Nistariba lok nijagune
(Chaitanya Mangala, text 272)
Translation –
(Lord Narayana continued) ‘Now I have revealed my heart to you. Please keep this secret carefully locked away in your heart. Lord Gauranga, who shall appear in this age of kali, is the essence of all the other incarnations of the supreme. By the strength of His transcendental qualities, He shall deliver all people in Kali Yuga’.
That is why Sri Chaitanya Chandramrita states :
Rakso-daitya-kulam hatam kiyad idam yogadi-vartma-kriya-
Margo va prakati-kritah kiyad idam sristy adhikam va kiyat
Mediny-uddharanadikam kiyad idam premojjvalaya maha-
Bhakter vartma-karim param bhagavatas Chaitanya-murtim stumah
(Chaitanya Chandramrita, Text 7)
–
What benefit did the world derive when the incarnations of the supreme Lord like Ramachandra, Nrsimha, and many others killed so many raksasa and Daityas ? What was the benefit derived when Lord kapila and other incarnations reveal the paths of sankhya and yoga ? Is it of great glory that Lord Brahma and other guna-avataras create, maintain and destroy the material universes ? How auspicious is it that Lord Varahadeva lifted and rescued the earth from the garbhodaka ocean ? We do not consider these pastimes to be so important. The most important of all things is that Lord Chaitanya has revealed the great splendour of pure ecstatic love for Himself. Let us glorify that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Along with His associates, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has manifested the most blissful , heart rending pastimes that has ever been witnessed in human history. In fact, some of the eternal associates of the Lord have experienced a greater degree of transcendental ecstasy being part of the pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as compared to being part of Sri Krishna’s vrindavana pastimes, as confirmed in the below verse.
Ati aparupa leela prakashila prabhu
Chari yuge adbhut katha nahi shune kabhu
(Chaitanya Mangala , 1.94)
– Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had manifested the most wonderful incomparable pastimes, never heard before in any of the four yugas.
Sri Chaitanya Chandramrita confirms that obtaining the causeless mercy of Lord Gauranga is the ultimate perfection in the life of a spiritual practitioner. He, who achieves it, hankers for nothing else in this entire creation. The heavenly abodes and the pursuits of liberation appear very insignificant to such a fortunate soul.
Kaivalyam narakayate tri dasa pur akasha puspayate
Durdantendriya kala sarpa patali protkhata damstrayate
Visvam purna sukhayate vidhi mahendradis ca kitayate
Yat karunya kataksa vaibhav-avatam tam Gauram eva stumah
(Chaitanya Chandramrita, text 5)
–
For those who have attained the merciful sidelong glance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, impersonal liberation (merging into the brahmajyoti) becomes as painful as going to hell, the heavenly cities of the demigods seem to be as trivial as mere flowers floating in the sky, the venomous and poisonous fangs of the untamable black snakes of the senses become extracted and uprooted,the whole world which is otherwise full of misery becomes full of supreme joy and the exalted positions of Brahma, Indra and all the demigods become as insignificant as those of tiny insects. Let us glorify that supremely merciful Lord Gauranga.
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