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चैतन्य महाप्रभु
1486–1534 CE · Mayapur, Nabadwip (West Bengal)
Tradition: Gaudiya Vaishnavism (Achintya Bheda Abheda)
Achintya Bheda Abheda — the inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference of jiva and Krishna. Bhakti as the supreme path; sankirtan (especially the Hare Krishna mahamantra) is the yuga-dharma for Kali Yuga.
Took sannyasa young; lived in Puri Jagannatha for 24 years; danced and sang ecstatically; merged with Jagannatha at Tota Gopinath temple. Six Goswamis of Vrindavan codified his teachings into the formal Gaudiya theology.
Started the Hare Krishna sankirtan movement in Bengal and Odisha; recovered the Govardhan-shila form of Krishna at Vrindavan; transmitted madhurya-bhakti.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stands within the lineage of Gaudiya Vaishnavism (Achintya Bheda Abheda). Understanding a saint requires understanding the school of thought, the lineage of teachers, and the historical context that shaped them. The Gaudiya Vaishnavism (Achintya Bheda Abheda) tradition has shaped Hindu spiritual life through its philosophical foundations, its liturgy, its scriptures, and the institutions its founding ācāryas built and sustained across generations.
Saints in this tradition are not abstract figures from history — they are the living chain through which the tradition transmits itself. To read Chaitanya Mahaprabhu correctly is to read both the writings (where they survive) and the institutions they founded, the disciples they taught, and the practices they reinterpreted. Where written works are listed above, they remain the primary source for studying their thought; for the practical transmission, one studies under a teacher of the same lineage.
The dates and biographical details preserved in tradition often differ from those accepted by modern academic historians. Where the difference matters for interpretation, both views are noted; otherwise the traditional account is given with sources cited.
Awaiting scholar verification. If you spot a factual error in dates, lineage, or teaching, please write to us.