Caitanya and Medieval Bengal Vaisnavism

Abstract

<p>This study is an analysis, of the actions and attitudes of Caitanya in the light of the ideals of the Bhāgavta Purāna. The basic sources for the study are: the Caitanya Caritāmrta of krsnadāsa Kavirāja, the Bhāgavata Purāna and the devotional poetry of the Bengal Vaisnava cult. It is the contention of this thesis that the distinctive religious contribution of Caitanya. is that his life was seen as the concretization of the love romance of the Bhāgavata. Max Weber's concept of charisma is introduced in order to demonstrate the relevance of this thesis to the wider study of religion.</p>