The Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindavana Dasa Thakura (1507-1589 CE) was the first full-length hagiography written in Bengali. It documents the early life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1533CE), the saint / reformer worshipped by Gaudiya Vaishnavas as the joint incarnation of Radha and Krishna. The book was commissioned by the guru of Vrindavana Dasa, Nityananda, who was himself an intimate of Chaitanya. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura (1507-1589 CE) was the author of the Chaitanya Bhagavata, the first full-length biography of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu written in the Bengali language. ... // Events The western continent is named America on the maps of Martin Waldseemüller. ... Events Rebellion of the Catholic League against King Henry III of France, in revenge for his murder of Duke Henry of Guise. ... This article is about the Bengali language. ... Deities of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (right) and Sri Nityananda (left) at Radha-Krishna temple in Radhadesh, Belgium Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya) (Bangla:চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Hindu monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal, India (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh). ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... Radha refers to either one of two figures in Hindu religion. ... Lord Krishna revealing his Universal form to Arjuna Krishna (कृष्ण, pronounced as kŖιŞhŅə, Sanskrit for black), is according to common Hindu tradition the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... Nityananda (Bangla: শ্রী নিত্যানন্দ) (b 1474 CE) was a Vaishnavite saint. ...

Naming of Chaitanya Bhagavata

Initially, the Chaitanya Bhagavata was named Chaitanya Mangala. However the poet Lochana Dasa also wrote a work with this title. Therefore, the leading Vaishnavas in Vrindavana met and decided that henceforth Vrindavana Dasa's book would be known as the Chaitanya Bhagavata, and Lochana Dasa’s book would remain as the Caitanya Mangala.

The Chaitanya Bhagavata is divided into three parts – the Adi-khanda, Madhya-khanda and the Antya-khanda.

Adi-khanda

The Adi-khanda deals with the socio-religious situation of Bengal before the advent of Chaitanya, Chaitanya’s appearance, his education, his marriage to Lakshmi-priya, his defeating opposing scholars, his visit to East Bengal, the demise of Lakshmi-priya, his marriage to Vishnu-priya and his trip to Gaya and subsequent initiation from Isvara Puri.

Madhya-khanda

The Madhya-khanda narrates Chaitanya’s awakening of devotion, the devotees that join his devotional creed, the conversion of the debauchees Jagai and Madhai, and Chaitanya’s civil disobedience movement against the Muslim Kazi who tries to stop the congregational chanting of the name of Krishna.

Antya-khanda

The Antya-khanda portrays Chaitanya’s acceptance of sannyasa (the renounced order), his mothers lamentation, his travels to Puri, his meeting with the logician Sarvabhauma and Chaitanya’s interaction with the devotees. Sanyasa (pronounced sanyaas) symbolises the conception of the mystic life in Hinduism where a person is now integrated into the spiritual world after wholly giving up material life. ... Puri can mean: Puri, a city in the Indian state of Orissa, which is famous for the Jagannath temple and the serene beaches located there . ...

Importance of the Chaitanya Bhagavata

This biography of Vrindavana Dasa’s sets a precedence amongst Gaudiya Vaishnava literature in that it clearly asserts that Chaitanya was not simply a saint, nor even an avatara of Krishna, but Swayam Bhagavan - God himself who has come to benedict mankind with the yuga-dharma (harinama-sankirtana, the main process of devotion to God in this present age). Subsequently, other biographers accepted Vrindavana Dasa’s belief and wrote accordingly. Thus, Vrindavana Dasa has been considered by the Gaudiyas to be the Vyasa of Chaitanya’s pastimes because of his revealing the true nature and mission of Chaitanya. See Avatar (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... Lord Krishna revealing his Universal form to Arjuna Krishna (कृष्ण, pronounced as kŖιŞhÅ…É™, Sanskrit for black), is according to common Hindu tradition the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ...

Chaitanya-bhagavata is extremely popular with the masses due to its simplicity in that is does not cross into the ontological nuances that are found in Krishna Dasa Kaviraja’s Chaitanya Charitamrita. The Charitamrita of Krishna Dasa gives a more sophisticated and theological view of the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and provides more information on his years in Puri as an ascetic. Together, the texts of the Chaitanya Bhagavata and the Chaitanya Charitamrta provide a complete picture of the life and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, a Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya, was born in a Nadiya family of physicians at the village of Jhamatpur, within the district of Barddhaman, near Naihati, in 1496 CE. His father was Sri Bhagiratha, and his mother was Sri Sunanda. ... The Chaitanya Charitamrita is the biography written by Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a pivotal figure of the Hindu sect Gaudiya Vaishnavism. ...

Scholars are of the opinion that Vrindavana Dasa wrote the Chaitanya Bhagavata somewhere in the mid-1540s.

References

• Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata (Bengali), Published by Sri Chaitanya Matha, Mayapura, W.Bengal, 1993

• Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh