Chaitanya Biography In English
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a 15th-century Indian saint who is considered by his disciples and various scriptures to be a combined incarnation of Radha and Krishna.
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s method of worshiping Krishna with hymn-kirtan and dance had a profound influence on Vaishnavism in Bengal.
- He was also the main proponent of the Vedantic philosophy of Achintya Bheda Abheda Tattva. Mahaprabhu founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
- Chaitanya is sometimes called Gauranga or Gaura because of his complexion like molten gold.
- His birthday is celebrated as Gaura-Purnima. He is also called Nimai because he was born under a Neem tree.
Birth Details –
Place- Nabadwip, Bengal Sultanate
Date of Birth – 18 February 1486
Marital Status: Married
Nationality -Indian
Family –
Mother- Shachi Devi
Father- Jagannath Mishra
Wife – Lakshmi Priya and Vishnupriya
Teacher – Ishwar Puri
Early life –
- Chaitanya was born as Vishvambhara Mishra, the second son of Jagannath Mishra.
- Jagannath and his wife, Shachi Devi, daughter of Nilamber Chakraborty, were both Brahmins from Sylhet.
- Jagannath Mishra’s family was from Dhakdakshin village of Srihatta (Sylhet), and later moved to Nabadwip. The ruins of his ancestral home still exist in present-day Bangladesh.
- According to the Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya was born at Nabadwip on the full moon night of 18 February 1486 at the time of a lunar eclipse.
- Several stories exist about Chaitanya’s apparent attraction to chanting and singing the names of Krishna from a very young age, but this was largely attributed to his interest in seeking knowledge and studying Sanskrit .
- While traveling to Gaya to perform Shraddha ceremonies for his late father, Chaitanya met his guru, the ascetic Ishvara Puri, from whom he received initiation into the Gopala Krishna Mantra.
- This meeting was to mark a significant change in Chaitanya’s outlook and on his return to Bengal the local Vaishnavas, headed by Advaita Acharya, were astonished at his outward sudden ‘change of heart’.
- And soon Chaitanya became the respected leader of his Vaishnava group within Nadia.
Career-
- After leaving Bengal and receiving initiation into the sannyasa order by Swami Keshava Bharati, Chaitanya traveled the length and breadth of India for many years, chanting the divine names of Krishna incessantly.
- At that time he traveled on foot to many places like Baranagar, Mahinagar, Atisara and finally Chatrabhog.
- In the year 1515, Chaitanya visited Vrindavan, with the aim of locating the lost holy places associated with the transcendental pastimes of Krishna.
Cultural heritage
- Chaitanya’s influence has been significant on the cultural heritage of Bengal, Odisha and Manipur where many residents worship him daily as an incarnation of Krishna.
- Chaitanya, the famous Bengali biographical film on Nilachale Mahaprabhu, was directed by Kartik Chattopadhyay (1912–1989). A Bengali film based on the death of Chaitanya, Laho Gauranger Naam Re, will be directed by Srijit Mukherjee, where Parambrata Chatterjee will be seen playing the role of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Other information –
Date of death – 14 June 1533
Place – Orissa, India
Question Related to Chaitanya
What is Chaitanya’s birth place and date of birth?
Chaitanya was born on 18 February 1486 in Nabadwip, Bengal Sultanate.
What were the names of Chaitanya’s father and mother?
Chaitanya’s father’s name was Jagannath Mishra and mother’s name was Sachi Devi.
What was the name of Chaitanya’s wife?
Chaitanya’s wife’s name was Lakshmi Priya and Vishnupriya.
What was the name of Chaitanya’s teacher?
The name of Chaitanya’s teacher was Ishwar Puri.
