Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1485–1534?) was a Bengali mystic and the founder of the Chaitanya movement, a form of Hinduism that emphasizes intense devotion to the god Krishna. This movement, which began in the 16th century, is primarily found in Bengal and Odisha, India.1

Chaitanya's teachings centered on bhakti, or complete self-surrender to the divine will, as the highest form of religious practice. A characteristic form of worship in the movement is kirtana, a group singing of hymns and the repetition of Krishna's name, often accompanied by music and rhythmic movement, leading to states of religious exaltation.1

The theology of the Chaitanya movement was developed by his disciples, known as the six gosvamins, who established the pilgrimage sites of Vrindavan and Mathura. Chaitanya himself is often worshipped as an incarnation of Krishna. The movement is a significant part of Vaishnavism, a tradition focused on devotion to Vishnu and his avatars. The Hare Krishna movement, founded in the United States in 1965, is a Western outgrowth of this tradition.123