Shri Krishna Chaitanya was foremost among the devotees born in Bengal. His former name was Gauranga. Since he used to loose his body consciousness frequently while engaged in devotion to Lord Krishna, he was called as Krishna Chaitanya. He was foremost among those who spread devotion to Lord Krishna. There were many instances to prove that he was incarnation of Radha, a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna who took on to Madhura Bhakti (Bridal Mysticism.) Chaitanya too yearned to experience Madhura Bhakti. All the characteristics of a devotee described in the Bhagavad Gita took shape in him. Day in day out, he was engaged in the sacred sadhanas of singing the glory of Lord Krishna and dancing in ecstasy remembering the glory. The Lord’s ananda was his ananda (bliss).
(Krishna Chaitanya)
Krishna Chaitanya was a man of Shanta Bhakti (Treating all that happens as a gift of God’s grace). He was so tolerant and compassionate that he used to love even those who hated him. He never used to get angry nor make others angry. Even though people used to create obstacles in his path of devotion, he never used to loose his cool and treat those obstacles as part of the divine leelas of Lord Krishna. Once he wrote a book on devotion to Lord Krishna and showed it to a friend. The friend became a bit jealous that the book written by Chaitanya was better than his own book and felt unhappy. Chaitanya was upset at the development. Not willing to displease his friend, he tore out his book and threw in the river Ganges. He believed that it is only bhava (feeling) that will enable a person attain God. He therefore used to drown himself in the love for the Lord Krishna whose form was imprinted in his heart. In fact, he usd to forget himself and literally go mad in the divine love for Lord Krishna and used to experience sweet bliss. He felt that his sadhana will not be fruitful unless he fulfilled mother’s wish. Therefore, as per his mother’s wish, he married a girl named Vishnu Priya. Unfortunately she died at an early age unable to bear her separation from her husband. Later on he married another lady called Lakshmi. Thus, one of the good qualities of Chaitanya was to go according to the wishes of his mother, whom he loved very much. He used to reach the height of Bhakti bhava very often, when he would experience his oneness with Lord Krishna. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 187-188)
Krishna is the Source and sustenance
It is said that Sadhus and Sanths feel unhappy when people tell them ‘You are happy’. In fact, Krishna Chaitanya used to feel very happy when they accuse him that he is wasting his time with his sankirtan, accompanied by drum beats at a very high pitch. He used to feel sorry for such people considering them as ignorant. He used to counsel them, ‘You think that a plant will grow into a tree if the leaves are watered. No; the roots are to be watered not the leaves; since roots are the source of sustenance. Similarly, Lord Krishna who s the In-dweller in your heart is the source and sustenance for you. You have to offer your tears of happiness and bliss to that Lord with ecstatic sankirtan of His Divine name and glory. You should consider such an opportunity as a great boon.’ (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 188-189)
Earlier name was Gauranga
Shri Krishna Chaitanya’s earlier name was Gauranga, who was a great example for intense yearning for Lord Krishna. His heart was very pure and flawless. That is why he was called Gauranga. He used to loose his body consciousness, the moment he heard the name of Lord Krishna. He used to forget the world around him. That is the reason for people calling him Krishna Chaitanya. The name Gauranga means one who is pure with white colour. His entire life was spent in Krishna consciousness in that he filled his eyes with the beautiful form of Krishna, his ears with the divine name of Krishna and his heart with divine love for Krishna. The child Gauranga had his education in Navadweepa. It is not a town or city. It means the physical body having nine entrances or holes. The divine flute of Lord Krishna too had nine holes. One day Gauranga prayed to Lord Krishna, ‘Oh! Lord! How can I extol the good fortune of the flute in your hands? It will always be in your divine hands. It receives your very breath (inhaling and exhaling) directly, and is in close proximity to your sweet lips. When you don’t play on it, it will take rest near your navel. Will you please tell me what kind of sadhana it did to be in such close proximity to your divine body? I will also undertake such sadhana and attain your divine proximity.’ (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 189-190)
(Chaitanya and Nityananda, is shown performing a kirtan in the streets of Nabadwip, Bengal)
One night Lord Krishna appeared in his dream and told him,’Gauranga’, see what is contained in this flute! It is all empty and hollow. That is why I am able to fill my breath in this flute and produce melodious divine music from it. Similarly keep your body also pure and free from sensual desires, treating it as the divine flute. Even is a trace of such desires is present is present in your body. My breath will not flow through it. Even if it enters somehow, the music will not be melodious.’ From that moment, Gauranga decided to constantly contemplate on the teaching of Lord Krishna and sanctify his body with His divine name, he secured a mridanga (a type of drum) and put it around his neck. He also held a pair of cymbals and started going round the streets dancing and singing the glory of the divine name and leelas of Lord Krishna with bhava (emotion), raga (tune) and tala (beat) in a state of ecstasy. It is common that whatever is undertaking noble deeds will encounter some obstacles or other, in the same way, some blackguards obstructed his way and took away his cymbols. Gauranga did not get angry at their mischievous act. On the other hand, he reconciled himself thinking, ‘Oh! Krishna! Perhaps my cymbols did not make you happy. O.K! I will go without the cymbols from now on.’ The next day another batch of rouges took away mridanga and broke it. Then he again prayed to Krishna, ‘Lord! My mridanga too did not please you, perhaps. It is alright.’ So saying, he moved about singing kirtanas and clapping with his hands. Thus, he continued to sing and dance praying to Lord Krishna, ‘Swami! My objective is to make others happy.’ Gradually he purified his heart and made it free from any desire. Thus, he attained complete transformation. His very life-breath was the divine name of Lord Krishna. The moment he heard the name, he used to loose body consciousness. That was the reason why he was called Shri Krishna Chaitanya. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 190-191)
Shri Krishna Chaitanya entered the Nabadwip and dancing and singing in ecstacy like a mad man. The King and elders in the town also followed him, dancing and singing divine name of Lord Krishna. The emotion reached to such great heights that the crown of the King had fallen down, but none was aware of it. They were dancing and singing the Bhajans in that ecstatic mood. In the meanwhile, a thief too joined the group. He spent his entire life stealing money and valuables from others’ houses. He joined the group with a view to pick up their pockets while they were engaged in dancing and singing the glory of the divine name, losing their body consciousness. Fortunately for him, as soon as he joined the group, he also started singing and dancing, forgetting himself. The Bhajan session ended after sometime. The thief waited till all people left for their places and then fell at the feet of Chaitanya. He prayed, ‘Swami! I have seen you giving Upadesa (spiritual instruction) to several people. Kindly initiate me also into some divine name.’ Chaitanya told him to reveal his name and background first. The thief revealed, ‘Swami! I am a thief. My profession is stealing. I always speak lies to cover up my mistakes. My name is Ramu. Everyone calls me Ramu, the thief.’ Chaitanya then enquired him, ‘Surely I will give you Upadesa. What will you give me as Gurudakshina (offering to the Teacher)? The thief replied that he will give a part of what has been stolen by him. Chaitanya told him, ‘I don’t need the stolen property. You just give a word that you will not revert to stealing hereafter. That itself is Gurudakshina.’ The thief replied that he would give anything except that promise. Chaitanya then told him O.K. I will initiate you into a Mantra. Wherever you go, you chant this Mantra 108 times before you resort to stealing.’ The thief agreed and Chaitanya called him near and whispered the Mantra, ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’ into his ear. With the touch of Chaitanya and his kind words, the agitation in the mind of the thief subsided and he felt relieved as per the saying ‘Darsanam Papanasanam’ (By seeing a holy person, one is relieved of the sin), ‘Sambhahnam Sankatanasanam’ ( by listening to the holy person. One is relieved of the grief) and ‘Sparshanam karma vimochanam’ by the touch of a holy person, one is liberated from the result of pastkarma). (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 191-192)