Life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the second son of Jagannath Mishra and his wife Sachi Devi. He was born on 18 February 1486 on the full moon night in Mayapur village of Nadia district West Bengal.First he was named as Vishambhar by Pandit Nilambar Chakraborty. He was also called as Gourhari for his golden complexion. Mother Sachi Devi called Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as Nimai because Chaitanya Dev was born near a Neem tree.

At the age of five Nimai was sent to schools then Pathsala and learned Bengali there. Then he was moved to Gangadasa's tola where he learned Sanskrit. In his house Nimai began to read Smriti, Naya etc. which belongs to his father. At the same time the elder son of Jagannatha Visvarupa adopted Ashrama Life and became sanyasi. Jagannatha Mishra and Sachi Devi were under great shock and after that Nimai's father died. Sachi Devi was in great sorrow where Nimai consoled her mother by saying that he will look after her mother.

At the age of 14 Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was married to Lakshmi Devi. To run his family he went to the Eastern part of Bengal on the bank of river Padma. He there lectured and showed his excellent command over knowledge regarding Smriti and Naya and earned good amount of money. During this time his wife Lakshmi Devi died of snake bite.

He returned to home and by seeing his mother in deep sorrow. Then again Nimai was forced to be married to Vishnupriya the daughter of Pandit Sanatana Mishra. Now he was very much confined himself to arguments with other Pandits of Nadiya. The Pandits left the town fearing a loss to Nimai and soon Nimai became the best scholar of the region.

Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu travelled to Gaya at the age of 17 and performed Shraddha of his departed father. He stayed there to his student's home and met with Ishvra Puri. Soon he took initiation from Vaishnava Sannyasi Ishvara Puri.

After returning to Nadiya there was a sudden change in Nimai Pandit's outlook. He was not seen argumenting with others. Always chanting something. There was a local Vaishnava group headed by Advaita Acharya who observed this and accepted him as the leader. By then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became a pure devotee of Krishna where he use to be a scholar. Now he became a religious preacher. With his followers Nimai started a Kirtana school at Srivasa Pandita's house. There Nimai started singing, dancing, preaching and all sort of works.

Now Nimai ordered Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa to preach Hari Naama to all the villages and citys and all the streets, houses to all whom you meet throughout the day and then tell me the result of the day.

By this order Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa started their journey and began to tell people about Hari Naama. Some praise them and some laugh at them. By doing this they met Jagai and Madhai the most abominable character of Chaitanya Charitamrita. They at first laughed at Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa but later they were converted to Vaishnavaism and started to preach people Hari Katha.

Slowly but steadily Hari Naama spreaded all over the city, villages etc. There was a Kazi who challenged Nimai Pandit that if he is able to convert him from practising Mohamedanism to Vaishnavism. Niami Pandit took this challenge and had a long conversation in one evening with Kazi in front of villagers and by touch Nimai pandit aroused spiritual feeling on Kazi, then Kazi weeped and accepted him as Guru and began to practise Vaishnavism.

Then he suddenly cut all his relationship with his family and took Sannyasa through Keshava Bharati in the age of twenty four. This incident left his mother and wife in bitter sadness. Then Advaita Prabhu arranged a little ceremony where he invited all his friends and Nimai's mother too. There he fell at his mother's feet and asked fpr permission that he wants to go Vrindavan and practice spiritual commitments.His mother asked him to stay at Puri so that she can get information time to time. His friends and Advaita Prabhu also requested him to live in Puri.

Finally he left for Santipura Orissa. There he met Scholar Sarvabhauma who challenged Chaitanya in Vedanta Philosophy. Chaitanya explained Vedanta Sutras in such a style and the simple way of narating vedanta astonished Great Scholar Sarvabhauma and he then took refuge at Vaishnavism. During this time the whole Orissa begn to chant Krishna Naama. Then Sri Chaitanya headed for South India. There he visited various places and preached Krishna Naama and within two years returned to Puri.

Now at the age of 28 he returned to Gauda in Malda district of Bengal and there he met Rupa and Sanatana. This brother duo first converted into Islam and sought help from Chaitanya. In Gauda the brothers met Chaitanya, he then told them to go to Vrindavan and meet him there. Now he acompanied Balabhadra Bhattacharya and headed for Vrindavan. After visiting Vrindavan he came to Allahabad and preached Krishna Naama. At Allahabad Rupa and Sanatana met Chaitanya where he trained the duo about spirituality and sent them for a mission to Vrindavan to preach Hari Naama.

Then he came down to Benaras and began to preach Krishna Naama. There he had a little hot conversation with Prakasananda Sarasvati but finally he accepted Chaitnya theory. Here Chaitanya preached Pure Bhakti and a revolution happend there almost whole Benaras turned to Vaishnavism. Here he met Sanatana and sends him to Vrindavan with some mission to complete. Then returned to Puri again with Balabhadra.

Chaitnya Mahaprabhu stayed at Puri from this time for 18 years at a stretch in Kasi Mishra's house. At the age of 48 he disappeared when a Kirtan was performed in the Tota Gopinath Temple. In these years he continously preached Vaishnavism and Love, Bhakti, Purity towards Krishna Naama.

Some Of The Teachings Of Chaitanya

Pure devotion is the practice of the jivas

Pure love of Krishna is the goal

Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth

Krishna is endowed with all energies




Hare Krishna . Jay Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jay Radhe.

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Kind Regards
Manidip