Sri Chaitanyadev in 16th-century Vaishnava Padavali literature/ ষোড়শ শতাব্দীর বৈষ্ণব পদাবলী সাহিত্যে শ্রীচৈতন্যদেব

Abstract

The 16th century is an important period in the history of Bengali literature. Sri Chaitanya dev emerged during this time span. This emergence marked an epoch-making change in the social life and literature of Bengal. This change can be called as the Chaitanya Renaissance. In fact, before the advent of Chaitanya dev, the social and religious life of Bengal was turbulent, distrustful and anarchic. The daily life of the common people was a struggle for survival and was marked with fear since there were many obstacles like the oppression of Muslim rulers, the dominance of the upper caste in Hindu society, the forced conversion of weak Hindus to Islam so on and so forth. Humanism was abused and suppressed at every step. When religious belief, societal norms, culture, and politics were under a shadow of darkness, Sri Chaitanya dev, the worshiper of humanism and propagator of the religion of love, redirected them to light.  Vaishnavism which was introduced by him, the new consciousness heralding the religion of love, led Bengal from darkness to the path of light in every way. God became one’s own, and the loved ones became the closest people. The entire Bengali society became strong through self-mastery. It can be said that through the chanting of the Harinama, the entire community, regardless of race, religion, or caste, became united.