Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a
Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or
Gauḍa region of
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
, with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of
Vishnu". Specifically, it is part of
Krishnaism—
Krishna-centric Vaishnavite traditions.
Its theological basis is primarily that of the ''
Bhagavad Gita'' and ''
Bhagavata Purana'' (known within the tradition as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam''), as interpreted by early followers of Chaitanya, such as
Sanatana Goswami,
Rupa Goswami,
Jiva Goswami
Jiva Goswami ( sa, जीव गोस्वामी, Jīva Gosvāmī; ) was an Indian philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice ...
,
Gopala Bhatta Goswami and others.
The focus of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the devotional worship (known as
bhakti yoga) of
Radha
Radha ( sa, राधा, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. She is the avatar of goddess Lakshmi and is also de ...
and
Krishna, and their many divine incarnations as the supreme forms of God, ''
Svayam Bhagavan''. Most popularly, this worship takes the form of singing Radha and Krishna's holy names, such as "
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...
", "Krishna" and "
Rama", most commonly in the form of the
Hare Krishna (mantra)
The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the ("Great Mantra"), is a 16-word Vaishnava mantra which is mentioned in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad and which from the 15th century rose to importance in the Bhakti movement foll ...
, also known as
kirtan
Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts ...
and dancing along with it.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is the spiritual and philosophical foundation of the well-known
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhakti ...
, "Hare Krishna Movement".
Philosophical concepts
Living beings
According to Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy,
consciousness
Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...
is not a product of
matter
In classical physics and general chemistry, matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume. All everyday objects that can be touched are ultimately composed of atoms, which are made up of interacting subatomic par ...
, but is instead a symptom of the
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '':wikt:soul, soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The ea ...
. All living beings (
jiva
''Jiva'' ( sa, जीव, IAST: ) is a living being or any entity imbued with a life force in Hinduism and Jainism. The word itself originates from the Sanskrit verb-root ''jīv'', which translates as 'to breathe' or 'to live'. The ''jiva'', as ...
s), including animals and trees, have a soul. That soul is distinct from their current physical body – the nature of the soul being eternal, immutable, and indestructible without any particular birth or death. The soul does not die when the body dies, but it is transmigrated into another new body and takes new birth in a new body. Souls which are captivated by the illusory nature of the world (''
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a popu ...
'') are repeatedly
reborn
Reborn may refer to:
Film
*''Reborn'', a 2015 video produced by the Augustine Institute
* ''Re:Born'' (film), a 2016 Japanese action film
* ''Reborn'' (film), a 2018 American horror film
Music
*Reborn (band), a Moroccan death metal band
Albums
* ...
among the various 8.4 million number of species of life on this planet and in other worlds in accordance to the laws of
karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
and individual desire. This is consistent with the concept of ''
samsara'' found in
Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist beliefs.
Release from the process of ''samsara'' (known as ''
moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologica ...
'') is believed to be achievable through a variety of
spiritual practices. However, within Gaudiya Vaishnavism, it is ''
bhakti'' in its purest state (or "pure love of God") which is given as the ultimate aim, rather than liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition asserts that in the current yuga, which is Kali Yuga, singing and chanting the various sacred names of God are sufficient for spiritual liberation.
Supreme Person (God)
One of the defining aspects of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is that Shri Krishna is worshiped specifically as the source of all
Avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...
ic incarnations of God. This is based on quotations from the
Bhagavata Purana, such as "''krsnastu bhagavan svayam''", literally "Krishna is God Himself".
Inconceivable oneness and difference
A particularly distinct part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy espoused by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the concept of ''
Achintya Bheda Abheda'', which translates to "inconceivable oneness and difference" in the context of the soul's relationship with Krishna, and also Krishna's relationship with his other energies (i.e. the material world).
In ''quality'', the soul (''jiva'') is described as being identical to God, but in terms of ''quantity,'' individual ''jivas'' are said to be
infinitesimal in comparison to the
unlimited Supreme Being. The exact nature of this relationship (being simultaneously one and different with Krishna) is inconceivable to the human mind but can be experienced through the process of
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of '' Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014) ...
.
This philosophy serves as a meeting of two opposing schools of
Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson ...
, pure
monism
Monism attributes oneness or singleness (Greek: μόνος) to a concept e.g., existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished:
* Priority monism states that all existing things go back to a source that is distinct from them; e.g., i ...
(God and the soul as one entity) and pure
dualism
Dualism most commonly refers to:
* Mind–body dualism, a philosophical view which holds that mental phenomena are, at least in certain respects, not physical phenomena, or that the mind and the body are distinct and separable from one another
** ...
(God and the soul as absolutely separate). This philosophy largely recapitulates the concepts of qualified nondualism practiced by the older Vedantic school
Vishishtadvaita
Vishishtadvaita ( IAST '; sa, विशिष्टाद्वैत) is one of the most popular schools of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Vedanta literally means the in depth meaning ''of the Vedas.'' ''Vishisht Advaita'' (literal ...
, but emphasizes the figure of Krishna over Narayana and holy sites in and around Bengal over sites in Tamil Nadu. In practice, Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy has much more in common with the dualistic schools especially closely following theological traditions established by
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the '' Dvaita'' (dualism) sch ...
's
Dvaita
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta s ...
Vedanta.
Devotional activities
Bhakti Yoga
The practical process of devotional life is described as ''bhakti'' or ''bhakti-yoga''. The two main elements of the ''bhakti-yoga'' process are ''vaidhi bhakti'', which is devotional service through practice of rules and regulations (''
sadhana'') and ''raganuga bhakti'', which is taken as a higher stage of more spontaneous devotional service based on a selfless desire to please one's chosen ''
Ishta-deva'' of Krishna or his associated expansions and avatars. Practicing ''vaidhi-bhakti'' with a view to cultivate ''
prema'' creates eligibility for ''raganuga-sadhana''. Both ''vaidhi'' and ''raganuga bhakti'' are based on the chanting or singing of Krishna's names. Attainment of the raganuga stage means that rules of lifestyle are no longer important and that emotions or any material activities for Krishna should not be repressed. Vaidhi-bhakti's purpose is to elevate the devotee to raganuga; something which generally takes a long time.
Within his ''
Siksastaka'' prayers, Chaitanya compares the process of ''bhakti-yoga'' to that of cleansing a dirty place of dust, wherein our consciousness is the object in need of purification. This purification takes place largely through the
chanting and
singing
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung accompaniment, wi ...
of Radha and Krishna's names. Specifically, the
Hare Krishna (mantra)
The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the ("Great Mantra"), is a 16-word Vaishnava mantra which is mentioned in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad and which from the 15th century rose to importance in the Bhakti movement foll ...
is chanted and sung by practitioners on a daily basis, sometimes for many hours each day. Famously within the tradition, one of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's close associates,
Haridasa Thakur, is reported to have chanted 300,000 holy names of God each day.
Diet and lifestyle
Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow a
lacto vegetarian diet, abstaining from all types of animal flesh, fish and eggs. Onion and garlic are also avoided as they are believed to promote ''
tamasic'' form of consciousness in the eater. Some Gaudiya Vaishnavas, mainly from ISKCON and Gaudiya Matha, also avoid the intake of caffeine, as they believe it is addictive and an intoxicant.
Sampradaya and parampara
A ''Guru—shishya tradition'' ("lineage") denotes a succession of teachers and disciples within some
sampradaya
''Sampradaya'' ( sa, सम्प्रदाय; ), in Indian origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and ...
(school, tradition). In accordance with the tradition, Gaudiya Vaishnavism as a subschool belongs to the
Brahma Sampradaya
In Hinduism, the Brahma Sampradaya () is the disciplic succession (''sampradaya'') of gurus starting with Brahma. The term is most often used to refer to the beliefs and teachings of Madhvacharya, his Dvaita Vedanta philosophy and Sadh Vaishnav ...
, one of the four "orthodox" Vaishnavite schools. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to be a disciple of Isvara Puri who was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri who was a disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha who was a disciple of
Vyasatirtha (1469–1539) of the
Madhva Sampradaya
Sadh Vaishnavism (IAST: ''Sādh Vaiṣṇavism''), (popularly referred as Madhva Sampradaya, Madhva Vaishnavism and Brahma Sampradaya), is a denomination within the VaishnavismBhagavata tradition of Hinduism. Sadh Vaishnavism was founded by thirt ...
. The Gaudiya Vaishnavas call their tradition "Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya", which originates from
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
and has
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the '' Dvaita'' (dualism) sch ...
as the original acharya and
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the acharya-successor.
However, this traditional point is at least debatable. Some modern scholars and confessional authors critically assess and pair the Gaudiya Vaishnavism's affiliation with the
Madhva tradition
Sadh Vaishnavism (IAST: ''Sādh Vaiṣṇavism''), (popularly referred as Madhva Sampradaya, Madhva Vaishnavism and Brahma Sampradaya), is a denomination within the VaishnavismBhagavata tradition of Hinduism. Sadh Vaishnavism was founded by thi ...
. For example, the famous American Indologist and historian of religion Guy L. Beck, with regard to the Chaitanya Sampradaya, notes the following historical events. The first time the Brahma-Madhva affiliation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism was propounded by
Baladeva Vidyabhushana was in the 18th century. And to this day, there is no mention of Chaitanya in the annals of the Madhva Sampradaya. For secular scientists this means, originality and non-affiliation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism with other previous branches. At the same time, there is the consensus of scholars, that Chaitanya was initiated by the two gurus of a Vaishnava-oriented group within
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
's
Dashanami order.
The ''Prameya Ratnawali'' of the above-mentioned gaudiya-acharya Baladeva Vidyabhushana contains the following canonical list of disciplic succession:
Krishna,
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
,
Narada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
,
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
,
Madhva
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
, Padmanabha, Nrihari, Madhava, Akshobhya, Jayatirtha, Gyanasindhu, Dayanidhi, Vidyanidhi, Rajendra, Jayadharma, Purushottama, Brahmanya,
Vyasatirtha,
Lakshmipati Tirtha,
Madhavendra Puri
Madhavendra Puri (' in IAST) also known as ''Madhavendra Puri Goswami'' is a Vaishnava saint who appeared in the 14th century. He was initiated in to Dvaita Vedanta of Madhvacharya of Udupi region of Karnataka, was highly revered in Chaitany ...
,
Isvara Puri, and Chaitanya.
One feature of the Gaudiya succession of spiritual masters should be considered. Chaitanya refused to formally initiate anyone as a disciple, only inspiring and guiding his followers. Chaitanya neither founded the community nor named a successor. That is why, from the very beginning, the sampradaya was divided into several lines of succession that were practically not connected with each other and that still exist today. One of them, namely, the
Gaudiya-Sarasvata Sampradaya, belongs to the well known
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhakti ...
.
History
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya,
IAST '; 1486–1534
) was a
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the ...
spiritual teacher who founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He is believed by his devotees to be
Krishna himself who appeared in the form of His own devotee in order to teach the people of this world the process of Bhakti and how to attain the perfection of life. This they say with several evidences in scripture. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to be a disciple of Isvara Puri who was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri who was a disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha who was a disciple of
Vyasatirtha(1469–1539) of Madhvacharya's Sampradaya. He is considered as the most merciful manifestation of Krishna. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the proponent for the
Vaishnava
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as ...
school of
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of '' Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014) ...
(meaning loving devotion to God), based on ''
Bhagavata Purana'' and ''
Bhagavad Gita''. Of various incarnations of Vishnu, he is revered as Krishna, popularised the chanting of the ''
Hare Krishna''
mantra
A mantra ( Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ...
and composed the ''
Siksastakam'' (eight devotional prayers) in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...
. His followers,
Gaudiya Vaishnavas, revere him as a Krishna with the mood and complexion of his source of inspiration Radha.
Early growth
Over the three centuries following the disappearance of
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition evolved into the form in which we largely find it today in contemporary India. In the early years of the tradition, the followers of
Nityananda
Nityānanda (; born circa 1474), also called Nitai, was a primary religious figure within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Bengal. Nitai was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's friend and disciple. They are often mentioned together as ''Gaura-Nitai' ...
Prabhu,
Advaita Acharya and other companions of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu educated and initiated people, each in their own locales across
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu requested a select few among his followers, who later came to be known as the
Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, to systematically present his
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
of bhakti in their writings. This theology emphasized the devotee's relationship to the Divine Couple, Radha and Krishna, and looked to Chaitanya as the embodiment of both Radha and Krishna. The six were
Rupa Goswami,
Sanatana Goswami,
Gopala Bhatta Goswami,
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami,
Raghunatha dasa Goswami
Raghunatha dasa Goswami (1494–1586), Dasa Goswami, was a disciples of the Śrī Yadunandan-ācārya (see Vilāpa Kusumānjali, verse 4, Caitanya-Caritāmṛta Ādi chapter 12 and Antya 6) one of the apostle of the Vaishnava saint, Chaita ...
and
Jiva Goswami
Jiva Goswami ( sa, जीव गोस्वामी, Jīva Gosvāmī; ) was an Indian philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice ...
. In the second generation of the tradition, Narottama, Srinivasa and Shyamananda, three students of
Jiva Goswami
Jiva Goswami ( sa, जीव गोस्वामी, Jīva Gosvāmī; ) was an Indian philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice ...
, the youngest among the six Goswamis, were instrumental in spreading the theology across
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
and
Orissa
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...
.
The festival of Kheturi (approx 1574), presided over by
Jahnava Thakurani, the wife of
Nityananda Rama, was the first time the leaders of the various branches of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's followers assembled together. Through such festivals, members of the loosely organized tradition became acquainted with other branches along with their respective theological and practical nuances. That notwithstanding, the tradition has maintained its plural nature, having no central authority to preside over its matters. The festival of Kheturi allowed for the systemization of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology as a distinct branch of
Vaishnava theology
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
.
17th–18th century
During the 17th–18th centuries, there was a period of general decline in the movement's strength and popularity, its "lethargic state", characterized by decreased public preaching and the rise of persons following and promoting
tantric teachings and practices. These groups are called ''apasampradayas'' by the Chaitanyaits.
In the 17th century,
Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur held great merit in clarifying core doctrinal issues over the practice of ''raganuga-bhakti'' through works such as ''Raga-vartma-chandrika''. His student
Baladeva Vidyabhushan Baladeva Vidyabhushana (also written ) ( 1700 – 1793 AD) was an Indian Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya (religious teacher).Despite being renowned all over the world as the Gaudiya Vedanta Acarya, the scarcity of available authentic biodata has led misin ...
wrote a famous commentary on the
Vedanta-sutra called
Govinda Bhashya.
The 18th century saw a number of luminaries headed by Siddha Jayakrishna Das Babaji of Kamyavan and Siddha Krishnadas Babaji of
Govardhan
Govardhan also called Giriraj, is a key pilgrimage centre in India and a municipal town; a nagar panchayat; seat of a MLA Member of Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh; a Tehsil, in Mathura district in the India in state of Uttar Pradesh. Ab ...
. The latter, a widely renowned teacher of the mode of internal worship (''raga-bhajan'') practiced in the tradition, is largely responsible for the current form of devotional practice embraced by some of the traditions based in
Vrindavan
Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childhoo ...
.
Manipuri Vaishnavism
The "Manipuri Vaishnavism" is a regional form of Gaudiya Vaishnavism with a culture-forming role among the
Meitei people
The Meitei people, also known as the Manipuri people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." is ...
in the north-eastern Indian state of
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a States and territories of India, state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It ...
. There, after a short period of
Ramaism penetration, Gaudiya Vaishnavism spread in the early 18th century, especially from beginning its second quarter. Raja
Gharib Nawaz (Pamheiba) was initiated into the Chaitanya tradition. Most devotee ruler and propagandist of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, under the influence of
Natottama Thakura's disciples, was raja
Bhagyachandra, who has visited the holy for the Chaytanyaits
Nabadwip. ''Rasa Lila'' dance became a feature of the regional folk and religious tradition.
20th century
From the very beginning of Chaitanya's ''bhakti'' movement in Bengal,
Haridasa Thakur and others
Muslim by birth were the participants. This openness received a boost from
Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur (, ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), born Kedarnath Datta (, ), was a Hindu philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century an ...
's broad-minded vision in the late 19th century, Baba Premananda Bharati's mission in the United States in the beginning of 20th century and was institutionalized by
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (; bn, ভক্তিসিদ্ধান্ত সরস্বতী; ; 6 February 1874 – 1 January 1937), born Bimala Prasad Datt (, ), was a Gaudīya Vaisnava Hindu guru (spiritual master), ācārya (philo ...
in his
Gaudiya Math in the 20th century.
A renaissance began at the start of the 20th century both in India and the West. One pioneer of the Gaudiya Vaishnavite mission in the West was Baba Premananda Bharati (1858–1914), author of ''Sree Krishna – the Lord of Love'' (1904) – the first full-length trearment of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in English, who, in 1902, founded the short-lived "Krishna Samaj" society in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
and built a temple in Los Angeles. He belonged to the circle of adherents of the guru
Prabhu Jagadbandhu with teachings similar to the later
ISKCON
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhakti ...
mission. His followers formed several organizations including the now defunct Order of Living Service and the AUM Temple of Universal Truth.
The reform change of traditional
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
Gaudiya Vaishnavism of 19th century is believed to have happened largely in India due to the efforts of a particularly adept preacher known as
Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur (, ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), born Kedarnath Datta (, ), was a Hindu philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century an ...
, who also held the position of a deputy magistrate with the British government. Bhaktivinoda Thakur's son grew up to be both an eminent scholar and a highly influential Vaishnava preacher, and was later known as
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. In 1920, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati founded
Gaudiya Math in India, and later sixty-four Gaudiya Matha monasteries in India, Burma and Europe. In 1933, the first European preaching center was established in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
(London Glouster House, Cornwall Garden, W7 South Kensington) under the name "Gaudiya Mission Society of London".
Soon after Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's death (1 January 1937), a dispute began, which divided the original Gaudiya Math mission into two administrative bodies still in existence today. In a settlement, they divided the sixty-four Gaudiya Math centers into two groups: the Sri Chaitanya Math headed by Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaj and the
Gaudiya Mission headed by Ananta Vasudev (Bhakti Prasad Puri Maharaj).
Many of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's disciples disagreed with the spirit of these two factions and/or started their own missions to expand their guru's mission. In the 1960s, the one of his disciples,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami (; 1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977) was an Indian Gaudiya Vaishnava guru who founded ISKCON, commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement". Members of ISKCON view Bhaktivedanta Swami as a repr ...
went to the West to spread Gaudiya-Vaishnavism and establish the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhakti ...
(ISKCON), "the most successful of the Gaudiya Math's offspring," an organization that continues today.
However, despite the active missionary work of the reformed Gaudiya Math and its followers, most of the Gaudiya Vaishnava community in India remained under the influence of hereditary
brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...
s-''goswamis'', who run famous old Gaudiya mandirs, as one example, the
Radha Raman Temple in Vrindavan and its prominent scholar-acharya
Shrivatsa Goswami.
Gaudiya and other Vaishnava schools
Although sharing a common set of core beliefs, there are a number of philosophical differences which distinguish Gaudiya Vaishnavism from other Vaishnava schools:
* In Gaudiya Vaishnavism,
Krishna is seen as the original form of God, i.e. the source of Vishnu and not as His avatar. This is based primarily on verse 1.3.28 of the
Bhagavata Purana (''krsnas tu bhagavan svayam'')
and other scriptures. This belief is shared by the
Nimbarka and
Vallabha sampradaya
''Sampradaya'' ( sa, सम्प्रदाय; ), in Indian origin religions, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, can be translated as 'tradition', 'spiritual lineage', 'sect', or 'religious system'. To ensure continuity and ...
s, but not by the
Ramanuja
Ramanuja (Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents o ...
and
Madhva
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
schools, who view Krishna as an avatar of
Vishnu.
* As Krishna's
consort,
Radha
Radha ( sa, राधा, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. She is the avatar of goddess Lakshmi and is also de ...
is similarly viewed as the source of all other
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
s, including
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
and
Sita
Sita (; ) also called as Janaki and Vaidehi is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic, '' Ramayana''. She is the consort of Rama, the avatar of the god Vishnu, and is regarded as a form of Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi ...
.
*
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is worshiped as the most recent i.e. ninth
Avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...
of Krishna to descend in the current
yuga, or age. Other ''sampradayas'' view Chaitanya as a devotee of Krishna only, and not Krishna himself or a form of avatar. According to his biographies, Chaitanya did not display himself as Krishna in public, and would, in fact, avoid being addressed as such. In this regard A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami states, "
henaddressed as Lord Krishna, He denied it. Indeed, He sometimes placed His hands over His ears, protesting that one should not be addressed as the Supreme Lord". However at times Chaitanya would exhibit a different mood and would welcome worship of himself as the Supreme Lord, and at a few occasions, is said to have exhibited his Universal form.
Rupa Goswami, when first meeting with Chaitanya, composed the following verse showing his belief in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's divinity:
"O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You."
Although this viewpoint outside of the Gaudiya tradition was disputed, Chaitanya's followers prove it by pointing at verses throughout the Puranic literatures as evidence to support this claim. Evidences such as the Krishna-varnam verse SB 11.5.32 have many interpretations by scholars, including Sridhara Svami who is accepted as authority by Mahaprabhu himself.
Theological sources
Gaudiya Vaishnava theology is prominently expounded by
Jiva Goswami
Jiva Goswami ( sa, जीव गोस्वामी, Jīva Gosvāmī; ) was an Indian philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice ...
in his ''
Sat-sandarbhas'', six elaborate treatises on various aspects of God. Other prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava theologians are his uncles,
Rupa Gosvami
Rupa Goswami ( sa, रूप गोस्वामी, bn, রূপ গোস্বামী, ; 1489–1564) was a devotional teacher (guru), poet, and philosopher of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. With his brother Sanatana Goswami, he is ...
author of ''Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu'' and
Sanatana Gosvami, author of ''Hari-bhakti-vilasa'',
Visvanatha Chakravarti author of ''Sri Camatkara-candrika'' and
Baladeva Vidyabhushana, author of ''
Govinda Bhashya'', a famous commentary on
Vedanta Sutra.
Modern Gaudiya Vaishnava societies
The strictly centralized form of church-type organization and the idea that one has to be an unconventional (''uttama'') spiritual master introduced by the reformer
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and his
Gaudiya Math was not characteristic of the traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavism with its hereditary brahmins-goswamis and family teachers (''kula gurus''). And much of the Gaudiya Vaishnava community in India remained committed to the unreformed and loosely organized tradition. Many modern organisations are independent branches of the tree of the Gaudiya Math.
; Gaudiya Math and offshoots
*
Gaudiya Mission established by Ananta Vasudev Prabhu alias Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri (1940)
*
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti established by
Bhakti Prajnan Keshava
Bhakti Prajnan Keshava (; 9 February 1898 – 6 October 1968), addressed by the honorific Mahārāja (), was a Gaudiya Vaishnava guru, disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and the founder-acharya of the religious organisation "Sri Gaudiya Ve ...
(1940)
*
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math established by
Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar
Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar (; 10 October 1895 – 12 August 1988) was an Indian guru, writer, sannyasi and spiritual leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, founder-president-acharya of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. ...
(1941)
*
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhakti ...
established by
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami (; 1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977) was an Indian Gaudiya Vaishnava guru who founded ISKCON, commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement". Members of ISKCON view Bhaktivedanta Swami as a repr ...
(1966)
*
Science of Identity Foundation established by Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa (1977)
*
Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Trust established by
Bhakti Hridaya Bon (1979)
*
Sri Caitanya Sangha, a.k.a. Gaudiya Vaishnavite Society, established by
Tripurari Swami (1985)
* The Vaishnava Foundation, established by
Kailasa Candra dasa & Eric Johanson (1986)
*
ISKCON Revival Movement (2000)
; Traditional Gaudiya societies
*
Sri Caitanya Prema Samsthana, established by
Shrivatsa Goswami (1972)
Many of branches of the Gaudiya Math (not all) are members of the
World Vaisnava Association — Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha (WVA–VVRS), which had been established in 1994 by some Gaudiya leaders. But and after this establushment, there is little real cooperation among Gaudiya organisations.
Demography
There are adherents of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in all strata of Indian society, but a tendency has been revealed, Bengali Vaishnavas belong to the lower middle castes ("middle class"), while the upper castes as well as lowest castes and tribes in Bengal are
Shaktas.
Offshoots of Gaudiya Vaishnavism
There are Krishnaite gurus and groups who belong to the Chaitanya lineage, but actually separated from Gaudiya Vaishnavism, becoming new independent movements.
*
Mahanam Sampraday, inspired by
Prabhu Jagadbandhu
See also
*
108 names of Krishna
*
Achintya Bheda Abheda
*
Bhagavata
*
Cataphatic theology
*
Gaudiya Math
*
List of 21st-century religious leaders#Gaudiya Vaishnavism
*
Manipuri Vaishnavism
*
Turiya
In Hindu philosophy, ''turiya'' ( Sanskrit: तुरीय, meaning "the fourth") or chaturiya, chaturtha, is pure consciousness. Turiya is the background that underlies and pervades the three common states of consciousness. The three common ...
References
Notes
Footnotes
Bibliography
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External links
An overview of Gaudiya Vaishnavism– (gaudiya.com)
An ecstatic ride across ancient spiritual Bengal: Nadia & Kalna Archives
Official statement by Vishwesha Tirtha on link between the line of Madhvacharya and Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Is Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the diksa line of Madhvacharya?
Official websites
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{{Vaishnava philosophy
Anti-caste movements
Krishnaite Vaishnava denominations
Monotheistic religions
Religions that require vegetarianism
16th-century establishments in India
Bhakti movement