The Chaitanya Movement’s Social Perspective

Here are my comments on excerpts from Sri Chaitanya and the Chaitanya Movement by Amar Nath Chatterjee of the Department of History, University of Delhi:

On page one, he gives a concise summary of the devotional movement which “swept the country from the middle of the 13th to the 17th Century...The Bhakti Movement devalued ritualistic practices and sit-tight monastic meditation, focussed only on Bhakti or devotion to one God and unleashed a new religious attitude of love and emotion. Not surprisingly, the movement appealed to the subaltern classes and championed the religious aspirations of one and all. Universal brotherhood, equality of mankind and belief in one God became the new gospel of the movement. It attacked institutionalised religion, negatived caste considerations and encouraged women to join the cause of the movement.”

This was a popular mass movement that attracted leadership and followers from all classes. They opposed the priestly class who maintained a rigid, stratified caste system with themselves at the top. The priests were the only ones who could perform the rituals, and not many persons are suited for a life of monastic meditation. The devotional movement appealed to a much wider range of people and broke caste barriers much the same as Jesus did. Their vision of a universal, egalitarian society based on panentheism is also similar to progressive Christianity. Their inclusion of women was also similar to Jesus. Thus, Chaitanya appeared as part of an on-going, spiritual revitalization movement.

“Visvambhar (Chaitanya) himself remained totally free from all orthodoxy. Unlike the contemporary Brahmin teachers, he freely socialized with the members of the lower castes...He had personally witnessed the suffering of the poor people and he sympathised with them.” (p 21) From early in his life, Chaitanya ignored caste restrictions and reached out to the lower classes to improve their lot both spiritually and materially.

“The protest-rally of Visvambhar was the first of its kind in medieval India...Here was the birth of the Krishna-consciousness movement launched by Visvambhar.” (p 24) This refers to the mass civil disobedience march against the Qazi of Navadvip to “champion freedom of worship and conscience.” He was able to galvanize many sympathizers and strengthen the mass-base of his movement. Chatterjee’s constant use of the term “medieval” is puzzling to me. I see Chaitanya as a Renaissance man (1486-1533 CE), a contemporary of Martin Luther, doing similar work.

“Perhaps, the most remarkable feature of Sri Chaitanya’s travels in the South was his preaching among the underworld robbers, dacoits and prostitutes etc.” (p 29) This is another parallel to Jesus.

“In his heart he cherished a definite mission of preaching a simple popular mass-religion of love of Krishna based on humanism...Sri Chaitanya convincingly argued for the recognition of bhakti (devotion) as an effective spiritual path. Not only this, he also wanted to build up a new society of Vaishnavas on ethical foundations. Sri Chaitanya was essentially a dreamer, a reformer in the true sense of the term, an unassuming, devoted and sincere monk who dared to question issues that were taboo, thereby threatening to change the course of history. He raised his voice against all kinds of injustice and social discrimination.” (p 42)

Chaitanya not only had a spiritual vision for the next life, but also a way to improve conditions in this life for persons oppressed by orthodox religion and the caste system.
Like him, we should also present devotion convincingly. To do this, it is still necessary to question issues that many would not like questioned. The lower classes are still oppressed and subject to many unjust conditions. Just as Jesus had a preferential option for the poor and oppressed, so did Chaitanya. There is much opportunity for inter-faith cooperation in this area.

“The imperial peace which Akbar had imposed upon Northern India by 1570 gave an immense impetus to this religious revival by making the roads safe for travellers, giving security to wealth, and enforcing religious toleration upon all. Thus, modern Vrindavan, the creation of the Bengali Vaishnavs throve and prospered.” (p 69) Just as the peace of Rome allowed the expansion Christianity, so the peace of Akbar allowed Vaishnavism to prosper. Chaitanya and his followers gained much support from the royal courts. Chaitanya was able to cross all caste boundaries and gain support from high and low, including Muslims.

“Sri Chaitanya and his associates adapted their religion to new social values. They also served the popular aspirations of the people by simplifying religion and opening its portals to all. With the aid of their religious movement they also sought to reform society at all levels. Like Kabir and Nanak, Sri Chaitanya too cherished the ideal of not living away from the community and the currents of everyday life. He was keenly aware of the problems of man, temporal as well as spiritual.” (pp 73-74) Here we see the contextual nature of the religion. They were not operating in a spiritual vacuum but as a part of a changing society and culture. They were affected by society and also affected society. Devotion is very individualistic, but the individual is part of the whole and should make a positive contribution. When religion is cut off from the rest of society, it becomes a cult.

So far as “simplifying religion and opening its portals to all,” the way Chaitanya Vaishnavism was introduced to the West did anything but. That is why I am simplifying it still further and making it more widely accessible to Westerners who could benefit greatly by this devotional process. It is interesting that while Chaitanya and his followers rejected the caste system, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami and his followers introduced it to the West and expect Westerners to live by brahminical rules that are difficult for even Indians to follow.

“Radha never occupied the supreme position which was later accorded to her by Sri Chaitanya and his followers.” (p 91) This was a major theological development. The elevation of the feminine devotional principle to the position of Supreme Goddess went hand in hand with the elevation of the status of women in society. Today, women still struggle for religious and social equality. Seeing the feminine in God-dess can still help. Feminist theologians struggle to do that in Christianity. Here a case can be more easily made.

“Sri Chaitanya had upheld the ideal of love as basic moral virtue, guiding relations between man and his fellow beings. This had a tremendous appeal to the non-Vaishnavas.” (p 143) This shows the universal appeal of such love as is also evidenced by Christian love or agape. As Jesus said, love of God-dess, self and neighbor with all of one’s being is the most important commandment. John went so far as to say God-dess is love. That is certainly true of Radha Krishna. If we are all parts or emanations of God-dess, how can we do wrong to another being? Love is the answer to all life’s problems. We are just waiting for it to be tried seriously on more than a limited basis.

“The new creed, like Methodism in England born two centuries later, has opened a new life of knowledge and spirituality to the lower castes, and under its life-giving touch they have produced many Vaishnava saints and poets, scholars and leaders of thoughts....Thus Vaishnavism has proved the saviour of the poor; it has proclaimed the dignity of every man as possessing within himself a particle of the divine soul.” ( p 151) This continues to point out the similarities between the two faiths and how we should not just be content with “pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by.” As in the Judeo-Christian tradition, salvation is not just individual spiritual salvation, but also communal salvation which involves healing the brokenness of society and individuals. Society as a whole cannot be healthy until all are healthy and whole just as the body cannot be healthy if certain parts are diseased.

“The women devotees enjoyed full rights to be initiated along with men. Not only this, they were always treated at par with the men devotees in the new Vaishnava order. We have instances where women Vaishnavas like Jahnavi Devi, Basudha Devi (wives of Nityananda) and Sita Devi (wife of Advaita) acted as preceptors playing an equal role in the organization of the movement. Besides women Vaishnavas, in general, received a fair education and this tradition has continued ever since. In times to come they were to act as instructors of the outside female community. The Gaudiya Vaishnava community also exhibited a rare liberalism by welcoming the fallen women within their fold.” (p 152)

This shows the broad egalitarianism of the movement and how they were able to effectively advance the cause of women in this male dominated society. It would be good if Western women devotees today received such equal treatment from their male peers. In spite of advances in the last century, women still have some catching up to do in society at large. Worship of Radha, the Supreme Goddess, and learning to venerate the feminine rather than denigrate it, is still beneficial on many levels.

“The influence of Gaudiya Vaishnavism also led to the spread of education amongst the general masses.” (p 153) The movement was based on a literary tradition and developed a strong one of its own. Educating persons to read and write made the teachings more widely available. This is not merely a religion of blind emotionalism, but has firm philosophical/theological underpinnings. This emphasis on education benefited both women and the lower classes.

“Sri Chaitanya was a unique thinker who not only summed up all that had been deliberated upon before him but also became the path-breaker of a new philosophical movement.” (p 201) We continue this work as I endeavor to preserve the essence of his teachings while putting them in a contemporary philosophical framework.

“Besides being a scholar, thinker and preacher, Sri Chaitanya was also a social reformer...He always lived with the masses while remaining fully concerned about the ills and errors of society...He emphasised on basic moral virtue, and non-violence...He censured the rich and categorically denied the social superiority of the Brahmins...Chaitanya not only strove hard to establish equality but also had envisaged the growth of a community of Vaishnavas on new ethical foundation and principles of social equality, a kind of community in which there would be justice and equality for all.” (p 204)

This shows that if one is to follow Chaitanya, one must also be a social reformer. I spent much of my life engaged in such work and encourage all devotees to do so. We cannot simply engage in our personal spiritual practices while so much of the world is on a destructive path both individually and collectively. We must join with other like minded persons to support those issues and causes that further and enhance life. If Vrindaban represents the ideal vision of life from a medieval Indian perspective, what would that look like today? If Chaitanya formed communities based on those ideals in Bengal and Orissa, what would such communities look like here today?

That is why in my ‘Essential Teachings,” I say:

“We learn to live as spiritual beings here on earth, one with the earth and life, the God-dess in all. While here, we embrace a lifestyle of simple living and high thinking, offering all to God-dess as a living sacrifice of love. We become vessels of divine love bringing reconciliation to all. While we act in accord with eternal spiritual values, we live in the present as fully participating members of global society working for the well-being of all, each according to our capacity.

“We work in coalition with those of like mind to address issues of peace, justice and the integrity of the environment. We seek to find common ground rather than differences. May love unite us all as we manifest the rule of God-dess here on earth.”

I chose to list “ issues of peace, justice and the integrity of the environment” not only because they are the issues I work on and are consistent with Vaishnava ideals, but they are also the broad issues consistent with Judeo-Christian ideals identified by groups such as the National Council of Churches, United Church of Christ and others. In this way, I establish common ground with persons of different faith traditions. I feel it is important for the different faiths to come together and with a united voice support these issues boldly. Enough war, injustice and destruction of the environment. Enough. We cannot remain silent.

Chaitanya said, “Let the Chandala, the youth, the householder, the infant and the old, the faiathful and the faithless and all stand side by side, sing in chorus the name of Hari (Krishna) and be transformed. Let every boy and girl enchant the holy name. Let the banner of Harinam bedeck every corner and touch the sky, (only then) the ruler and the ruled shall roll down together.” (p 256) To me, this sounds very much like Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech. Perhaps Chaitanya and King share the same dream. I hope some day it will be real for all.