Men of God

WITH THE VAISHNAVITES

At this time, there were a few Vaishnava devotees at Nadea. They were headed by Advaita and formed into a Kirtan (singing in chorus) party, meeting often in the courtyard of Srivas, another ardent soul. Though Vishnu Bhakti was known in Bengal even in the 11th and 12th centuries and received a certain impetus through the Gita Govinda of Jayadev and later through the songs of Vidyapati and Chandidas, as a cult it was still in a fluid or nebulous condition. The real founder of the cult was the notable saint and apostle Madhavendra Puri, a worthy follower of the teacher of the Dvaita school, the famous Madhvacharya of South India. Ishwara Puri, Nimai’s Guru, Advaita, the head of the Vaishnava group of devotees at Nadea, Keshava Bharati from whom Nimai later received formal Sannyasa and the name Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Nityananda, who afterwards became the evangelist of Chaitanya-cult, were all direct disciples of Madhavendra Puri and therefore followers of Madhvacharya.

Naturally the best atmosphere for Nimai was the company of this small group of devotees. Srivas, in whom Sachi Devi had great confidence, was consulted about the so-called lunacy of Nimai. He saw the latter privately and after a long time came out to say: "Nimai is a second Sukhadev or Prahlad. He has seen the Unseen, he cannot for a moment forget what he has seen. It is a bliss to behold his great love!” The mother was a little satisfied, though she had the fear that the boy might become an ascetic.