SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Hindu monk and social reformer from 16th century India. He was born in a Bengali Brahmin family in Nabadwip, a town in the district of Nadia in Bengal. According to "Chaitanya Charitramrita" Mahaprabhu was born on 18th February, 1486 (English) and 23rd Phalgun, 1407 (Bengali) at the time of lunar eclipse. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna himself. Chaitanya Deb was the second son of Jagannath Misra, a poor brahmin of the Vedic order and his mother Saci Devi a housewife.Both of them were the decended of a Brahmin stock residing originally in Sreehatta , now known as Sylhet in Bangladesh.

Picture Courtesy: Own

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the name given by devotees of him. His maternal grandfather Pandit Nilambar Chakravorty, a renowned astrologer foretold that he will be a great personage and so give him the name 'Vishvambhar'. He is sometimes referred to as "Nimai" due to his born being under a Neem tree. As Chaitanya Deb was considered as the Supreme personality of Lord Krishna , he is referred to as "Gaura", meaning combination of Govinda (Gau) and Radha (Ra).

Interview of Kirtan Scholar Mr.Amal Kr. Paul

As Chaitanya Mahaprabhu born in a Brahmin family at a very small age he became Sanyasi. After became Sanyasi he left Nabadwip and started resides in Puri. There he met a great Pandit named Sarvabhauma Pandit. Initially Sarvabhauma Pandit ignored Chaitanya Deb but after an incident Sarvabhauma Pandit turned out to be the follower of Mahaprabhu and the best Vaishnavas of the time. The incident is described by Mr. Amal kr. Paul in the below video clip.

Interview of Mr. Amal Kr. Paul

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu united in himself two aspects, the ecstatic devotee of Krishna and Krishna himself in inseparable union with Radha. Gauriya Vaishnavas considers Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to be Lord Krishna himself but in a covered form.Chaitanya journeyed throughout India for several years after became Sanyas and finally started resides in Puri. He stayed in Puri for 24 years. At that time he promotes Kirtan. Mahaprabhu throughout his life chants the Krishna mantra "Hare Krishna Hare Ram" which he transfered into a song for all, which today become popular as Kirtan song. 

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu brings a revolution in Kirtan. Mahaprabhu promoted the community- style devotional worship of Krishna with Kirtan. He makes the words of the song simple and spread Kirtan in his own way. This Kirtan now known as Chaitanya Kirtan. Earlier Kirtan song were composed in Brajabuli and Mathuri languages.But in Post era of Chaitanya Kirtan songs consist of simple Sanskrit and Bengali words. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also popularised Leela Kirtan which previously not so practised.Mahaprabhu composed the "Siksastakam" (eight devotional prayers) in Sanskrit. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the founder of Achintya Bheda Abheda , the sub school of Vedanta philosophy. He is also the founder of Gauriya Vaisnava and so venerated by followers of Gauriya Vaishnava.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu plays a significant role in bringing a revolution in Vaishnav community and in Kirtan songs.Thus, Mahaprabhu is attributed as "Renaissance in Bengal". Devotees of Chaitanya Deb considered him as the avatar of Lord Krishna and state the 16th century (Chaitanya Era) as the beginning of Modernism in Bengal.

References:

1)www.kirtan-chaitanya.com

2)Banglar Kirtan o Kirtania - Dr. Hariprasad Mukherjee

3)Interview of Kirtan Scholar Mr. Amal Kr.Paul