Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared at Sridhama Mayapura, in the city of Navadvipa in Bengal, on the Phalguni Purnima evening in the year 1486 AD. His father, Sri Jagannatha Mishra, a learned brahmana from the district of Sylhet, came to Navadvipa as a student. He lived on the banks of the Ganges with his wife Srimati Sacidevi, a daughter of Srila Nilambara Cakravarti, a great learned scholar of Navadvipa. Their youngest son, who was named Vishvambhara, later became known as Nimai Pandita and then, after accepting the renounced order of life, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
His Pastimes
The wonderful pastimes performed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the city of Navadvipa and in Jagannath Puri are recorded by His biographers. The early life of the Lord is most fascinatingly expressed by the author of Chaitanya-bhagavata (by Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura), and as far as the teachings are concerned, they are more vividly explained in the Chaitanya-caritamrta (by Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami). Now they are available to the English-speaking public in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
- Childhood Pastimes
- The Debate with Kashmiri Pandita
- Inaugurating Sankirtana Movement
- Deliverance of Jagai and Madhai
- Accepting Sannyasa Order of Life
His Teachings
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached the Srimad-Bhagavatam and propagated the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita in the most practical way.
The essence of His teachings is recorded in Chaitanya Manjusha as follows:
- Lord Sri Krsna, 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 non-different from the Lord and hence is as worshipable as the Lord.
- The highest form of transcendental worship of the Lord was exhibited by the damsels of Vrajabhumi.
- Srimad-Bhagavata Purana is the spotless literature for understanding the Lord.
- The ultimate goal of human life is to attain the stage of prema, or love of God.
His instructions to Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami, His discussions with Ramananda Raya, the debate with the Mayavadi sannyasi Prakashananda Sarasvati and the Vedanta Sutra Discussion between Him and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya are the excellent sources through which we understand His teachings in detail.
The Lord left only eight slokas of His instructions in writing, and they are known as the Siksastaka. All other literatures based on His teachings were extensively written by the Lord’s principal followers, the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, and their followers.
His Mission – The Universal Religion
His mission was to preach the importance of chanting the holy names of the Lord in this age of Kali (quarrel). In this present age quarrels take place even over trifles, and therefore the sastras have recommended for this age a common platform for realization, namely chanting the holy names of the Lord. People can hold meetings to glorify the Lord in their respective languages and with melodious songs, and if such performances are executed in an offenseless manner, it is certain that the participants will gradually attain spiritual perfection without having to undergo more rigorous methods. At such meetings everyone, the learned and the foolish, the rich and the poor, the Hindus and the Muslims, the Englishmen and the Indians, and the chandalas and the brahmanas, can all hear the transcendental sounds and thus cleanse the dust of material association from the mirror of the heart. To confirm the Lord’s mission, all the people of the world will accept the holy name of the Lord as the common platform for the universal religion of mankind.
Childhood Pastimes
https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/gaura-poornima/childhood-pastimes-sri-chaitanya-mahaprabhu.jpg” src=”https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/whV-N04wnJdYLb9kg2ly8GGZ3ezBCUu4sERqJwYT6eIjgWSd6_kkJeK7Tcw_ENQa81z2X8n6ud33O6h2MnFFXVXOlHGffiHfAPKWEXStmiksy2X1fJaslPcmIw5p4Bzyc_JiOipXUCEkcgxNhXeP7JwQPk9NHhJKoP_6VV1JCRkffkAbHrAHnPK7vzK4JSMNTE7YqbfdmRD5=s0-d-e1-ft#https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/gaura-poornima/childhood-pastimes-sri-chaitanya-mahaprabhu.jpg” alt=”Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Childhood Pastimes” title=”Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Childhood Pastimes” tabindex=”0″ class=”align-center” />The Lord advented Himself on the Phalguni Purnima evening of 1407 Shakabda. On the same evening there was a lunar eclipse. During the hours of eclipse it was the custom of the Hindu public to take bath in the Ganges or any other sacred river and chant the Vedic mantras for purification. WhenLord Chaitanya was born during the lunar eclipse, the country was roaring with the holy sound of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The simultaneous occurrence of the Lord’s appearance and the lunar eclipse indicated the distinctive mission of the Lord. In other words, the advent of the holy name took place along with the advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
When the Lord was on the lap of His mother, He would at once stop crying as soon as the ladies surrounding Him chanted the holy names and clapped their hands. This peculiar incident was observed by the neighbors with awe and veneration. Sometimes the young girls took pleasure in making the Lord cry and then stopping Him by chanting the holy name. So from His very childhood the Lord began to preach the importance of the holy name. In His early age Lord Sri Chaitanya was known as Nimai. This name was given by His beloved mother because the Lord took His birth beneath a nimba tree in the courtyard of His paternal house.
When the Lord was offered solid food at the age of six months in the anna-prashana ceremony, the Lord indicated His future activities. At this time it was customary to offer the child both coins and books in order to get some indication of the future tendencies of the child. The Lord was offered on one side coins and on the other the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Lord accepted the Bhagavatam instead of the coins.
When He was a mere baby crawling in the yard, one day a snake appeared before Him, and the Lord began to play with it. All the members of the house were struck with fear and awe, but after a little while the snake went away, and the baby was taken away by His mother. Once He was stolen by a thief who intended to steal His ornaments, but the Lord took a pleasure trip on the shoulder of the bewildered thief, who was searching for a solitary place in order to rob the baby. It so happened that the thief, wandering hither and thither, finally arrived just before the house of Jagannatha Mishra and, being afraid of being caught, dropped the baby at once. Of course the anxious parents and relatives were glad to see the lost child.
Once a pilgrim brahmana was received at the house of Jagannatha Mishra, and when he was offering food to the Godhead, the Lord appeared before him and partook of the prepared food. The eatables had to be rejected because the child touched them, and so the brahmana had to make another preparation. The next time the same thing happened, and when this happened repeatedly for the third time, the baby was finally put to bed. At about twelve at night when all the members of the house were fast asleep within their closed rooms, the pilgrim brahmana offered his specially prepared foods to the Deity, and, in the same way, the baby Lord appeared before the pilgrim and spoiled his offerings. The brahmana then began to cry, but since everyone was fast asleep, no one could hear him. At that time the baby Lord appeared before the fortunate brahmana and disclosed His identity as Krishna Himself. The brahmana was forbidden to disclose this incident, and the baby returned to the lap of His mother. There are many similar incidents in His childhood. In this way the Lord passed His early childhood.
The Debate with Kashmiri Pandita
https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/gaura-poornima/debate-with-%20kashmiri-pandita-sri-chaitanya-mahaprabhu.jpg” src=”https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/IeYOEGEekzMPAKrMVyuE6Gucv3w6N5t7Il4T3Q0LWy-fbCc9LhRBFm8HToongTYWixusV3FjssEMQUP7VL0Un9SCxKA3my6kHVcOzUpcDFPZ2Yg7zyLHDOcIz3CD5rw4VIT0cH8st3taZIqGCdhAzU9lsTJjiHT_LUGc8D7cfHB3AbdmH4DtfbuKsbLcBxRD7V7ESgD_HKaBDAociliuvHIYyPUF4g=s0-d-e1-ft#https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/gaura-poornima/debate-with-%20kashmiri-pandita-sri-chaitanya-mahaprabhu.jpg” alt=”Debate with Kashmiri Pandita” title=”Debate with Kashmiri Pandita” tabindex=”0″ class=”align-center” />
Navadvipa, the place where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived, was considered to be the center of education and culture. Students from all over the country came and stayed here as students. At the age of sixteen, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started His own chatuspathi (village school conducted by a learned brahmana) in Navadvipa and He would simply explain Krishna, even in readings of grammar.
During this time a great Kashmir scholar named Keshava Kashmiri came to Navadvipa to hold discussions on the shastras. The Kashmir pandita was a champion scholar, and he had travelled to all places of learning in India. Finally he came to Navadvipa to contest the learned panditas there. The panditas of Navadvipa decided to match Nimai Pandita (Lord Chaitanya) with the Kashmir pandita, thinking that if Nimai Pandita were defeated, they would have another chance to debate with the scholar, for Nimai Pandita was only a boy. And if the Kashmir pandita were defeated, then they would even be more glorified because people would proclaim that a mere boy of Navadvipa had defeated a champion scholar who was famous throughout India.
It so happened that Nimai Pandita met Kesava Kasmiri while strolling on the banks of the Ganges. The Lord requested him to compose a Sanskrit verse in praise of the Ganges, and the pandita within a short time composed a hundred shlokas, reciting the verses like a storm and showing the strength of his vast learning. Nimai Pandita at once memorized all the slokas without an error. He quoted the sixty-fourth shloka and pointed out certain rhetorical and literary irregularities. He particularly questioned the pandita’s use of the word bhavani-bhartuh. He pointed out that the use of this word was redundant. Bhavani means the wife of Siva, and who else can be her bharta, or husband? He also pointed out several other discrepancies, and the Kashmir pandita was struck with wonder.
The Kashmir pandita was astonished that a mere student of grammar could point out the literary mistakes of an erudite scholar. Although this matter was ended prior to any public meeting, the news spread like wildfire all over Navadvipa. But finally Kesava Kasmiri was ordered in a dream by Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, to submit to the Lord, and thus the Kashmir pandita became a follower of the Lord.
The Civil Disobedience Movement
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to preach the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord at Navadvipa. Some of the brahmanas became envious of His popularity, and they put many hindrances on His path. They were so jealous that they finally took the matter before the Muslim magistrate at Navadvipa. Bengal was then governed by Pathans, and the governor of the province was Nawab Hussain Shah.
The Muslim magistrate of Navadvipa took up the complaints of the brahmanas seriously, and at first he warned the followers of Nimai Pandita not to chant loudly the name of Hari. But Lord Caitanya asked His followers to disobey the orders of the Kazi, and they went on with their sankirtana (chanting) party as usual. The magistrate then sent constables who interrupted a sankirtana and broke some of the mrdangas (drums).
When Nimai Pandita heard of this incident He organized a party for civil disobedience. He organized a procession of one hundred thousand men with thousands of mrdangas and karatalas (hand cymbals), and this procession passed over the roads of Navadvipa in defiance of the Kazi who had issued the order. Finally the procession reached the house of the Kazi, who went upstairs out of fear of the masses. The great crowds assembled at the Kazi’s house displayed a violent temper, but the Lord asked them to be peaceful.
At this time the Kazi came down and tried to pacify the Lord. He pointed out that Nilambara Cakravarti referred to him as an uncle, and consequently, Srimati Sacidevi, the mother of Nimai Pandita, was his sister. He asked the Lord whether his sister’s son could be angry at His maternal uncle. In this way the issue was mitigated, and the two learned scholars began a long discussion on the Koran and Hindu sastras. The Lord finally convinced the Kazi, who became the Lord’s follower.
The Kazi thenceforth declared that no one should hinder the sankirtana movement which was started by the Lord, and the Kazi left this order in his will for the sake of progeny. The Kazi’s tomb still exists in the area of Navadvipa, and Hindu pilgrims go there to show their respects.
Deliverance of Jagai and Madhai
https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/nityananda-trayodashi/mercy-of-lord-nityananda-trayodashi-festival-iskcon-bangalore.jpg” src=”https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/vJ-7gUajFHIYbNtIro5J0zsJ73WfLBG96zAxeWCXEXTC3KqrGnGFfrzbwHe0CoHRxbJeRflMo2XJj54gI5TwcIHquGSzFcZqWn5LaX-SEHyjAt1uS0lNlbLuWqMEXW7073fEJWkHKI3Wl40HafNntH-c3xgQGyZkx5q5xUu-zeAamJTYx5yFilrHq2ZEutFluTGme8r9swMZqv9lqSsB_j2aJTrxNG7vnefYSyqUu2SUpA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/site-images/festivals/nityananda-trayodashi/mercy-of-lord-nityananda-trayodashi-festival-iskcon-bangalore.jpg” alt=”Mercy of Lord Nityananda” tabindex=”0″ class=”align-center” />When Lord Krishna appeared in Navadvipa as Lord Chaitanya, Lord Balarama joined Him incarnating as Lord Nityananda. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the original guru of all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His devotees.
His mercy knew no bounds, and people fortunate to come in contact with Him were inundated with love of Godhead. It was by His mercy that Raghunatha dasa, one of the six Goswamis, started the famous Danda Mahotsava festival of Panihati (a tradition that continues to this day) and was thus able to serve Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
When Nityananda Prabhu came across the Jagai and Madhai brothers, their life was sinful – illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling – though they were born in a nice brahmana family. Once these two brothers were creating disturbance on the street, Lord Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura were out for preaching. So people informed them. Nityananda Prabhu said, “Why not deliver these two brothers immediately? Then it will be a great credit for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.” The Jagai-Madhai brothers hurt Him on the head by throwing a stone and Nityananda Prabhu started bleeding.
On coming to know about it Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became very angry: “I shall kill these two brothers immediately.” Nityananda Prabhu entreated, “You wanted to deliver poor souls. So don’t kill them. Accept them.” This is Nityananda Prabhu’s business, guru’s business. The brothers in the meantime fell down at the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya, “We are so sinful. We have done wrong. Kindly excuse us.”
So Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made one condition, that “Your life is full of sinful activities. So if you simply promise that ‘I shall not do anymore,’ then I can accept you.” So they said, “Sir, I’ll not do. We’ll not do anymore.”
This pastime was enacted by the artists of ISKCON Theatre. Please watch the play video here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eqxjfw1qYd8
Accepting Sannyasa
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Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had a very high estimation of the affections of the damsels of Vrajabhumi (Vrindavana) for Krishna, and in appreciation of their unalloyed service to the Lord, once Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the holy names of the gopis (cowherd girls) instead of the names of the Lord. At this time some of His students came to see Him, and when they saw that the Lord was chanting the names of the gopis, they were astonished. Out of sheer foolishness they advised Him to chant the name of Krishna. The Lord chastised them and chased them away. The students were almost the same age as the Lord, and thus they wrongly thought of the Lord as one of their peers. They held a meeting and resolved that they would attack the Lord if He dared to punish them again in such a manner. This incident provoked some malicious talks about the Lord on the part of the general public.
When the Lord became aware of this, He began to consider the various types of men found in society. He noted that especially the students, professors, fruitive workers, yogis, non-devotees, and different types of atheists were all opposed to the devotional service of the Lord. However, people in general were inclined to offer respects to a sannyasi. So the Lord decided to accept the renounced order of life (sannyasa) and become an ideal sannyasi so that the general populace would show Him respect.
At that time, Keshava Bharati, a sannyasi of the Mayavadi school and resident of Katwa (in Bengal), visited His house. The Lord asked him to award Him the sannyasa order of life. Thus after consulting with Keshava Bharati, the Lord left Navadvipa for Katwa to formally accept sannyasa. He was accompanied by Srila Nityananda Prabhu, Chandrasekhara Acharya, and Mukunda Datta, who assisted Him in the details of the ceremony. The incident of the Lord’s accepting the sannyasa order is very elaborately described in the Chaitanya-bhagavata by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura.
Thus at the end of His twenty-fourth year the Lord accepted the sannyasa order of life in the month of Magha. After accepting this order He became a full-fledged preacher of the Bhagavata-dharma. Although He was doing the same preaching work in His householder life, when He experienced some obstacles to His preaching He sacrificed even the comfort of His home life for the sake of the fallen souls. In His householder life His chief assistants were Srila Advaita Prabhu and Srila Srivasa Thakura, but after He accepted the sannyasa order His chief assistants became Srila Nityananda Prabhu, who was deputed to preach specifically in Bengal, and the six Gosvamis (Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami), headed by Srila Rupa and Sanatana, who were deputed to go to Vrndavana to excavate the present places of pilgrimage. The present city of Vrindavana and the importance of Vrajabhumi were thus disclosed by the will of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
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