A Comparative Study of Mahaprabhu’s Idea of Bhakti

Abstract

Bhakti, as a religious movement had its far reaching impact on the political and cultural changes in India. It was a movement as well as a religious reformation which first took place in Tamil Nadu and began to spread to the north during the late medieval ages when north India was under Islamic rule. There is a mark of resemblance between the Bhakti movement and the movement of American Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism in America was not only a philosophical or literary movement but as F. I. Carpenter has observed "American Transcendentalism was primarily religious rather than philosophical." Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was not only an exponent of this Bhakti Movement but considered to be the incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna. Apart from this there are a number of similarities in the philosophy of lord Chaitanya and the basic Ideas of Transcendentalism. Lord Chaitanya believed that the human souls are in a fallen state and it is only through the “Bhakti Marg” or true devotion that the human soul can achieve God’s grace and end up the “Karma Chakra” or soul’s transmigration. He rather preferred “Bhakti Marg” than “Mukti Marg”.