Swami Prakashanand Saraswati - A shining light of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's movement

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati and Lord Chaitanya

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, a 16th Century Hindu Saint was a shining light of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. After he became a part of Lord Chaitanya's mission, Lord Chaitanya gave Swami Prakashanand Saraswati a new name: Prabhodhanand Saraswati. In one famous debate between him and Lord Chaitanya, he surrendered all that he had previously learned in the name of spiritual truths and accepted the divine teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He left his throne, left his disciples and spent the rest of his life in Vrindavan, fully devoted to Radha Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, one of the prominent disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the spiritual Master of 16th Century Saint, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati

In the 16th century there were many descended Saints on this earth. At the same time, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Who Graced this planet along with His eternal associates, was also present. Among His disciples, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, Roop Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, Jeev Goswami and some others were prominent. In the next series of posts we're going to talk about Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, Shree Swamiji.

Followers of Swami Prakashanand Saraswati submitted to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Lord Chaitanya and followers such as Swami Prakashanand Saraswati

While at Benares, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had an interview with the learned. Sannyasis of that town, in the house of a Maharatta Brahmin, who had invited all the sanyasis. At this interview Chaitanya Mahaprabhu showed a miracle which attracted all the sanyasis to Him. Then ensued reciprocal conversation. The Sannyasis were headed by their most learned leader Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. 

After a short controversy, the followers of  Swami Prakashanand Saraswati submitted to Mahaprabhu and admitted that they had been misled by the commentaries of Shankaracharya. It was impossible even for learned scholars to oppose Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for a long time, as there was some spell in Him which touched their hearts, and made them weep for their spiritual improvement. 

Sanyasis of Benares, including Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, soon fell at the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya and asked for His grace (kripa). Shri Chaitanya then preached pure Bhakti and instilled into the hearts  of Swami Prakashanand Saraswati and his sanyasi followers, spiritual love for Krishna which obliged them to give up sectarian feelings. The whole of Benares, on this wonderful conversion of the Sannyasis, turned out Vaishnavas, and they made a master Sankirtan with their new Lord. After sending Sanatan to Vrindavan, Chaitanya Mahapraphu went to Puri again by the jungles with His comrade Balabhadra. Balabhadra reported that Mahaprabhu had shown a good many miracles on His way to Puri, such as, making tigers and elephants dance on hearing the Name of Krishna.

Who is Swami Prakashanand Saraswati?

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati's historic meeting the Lord Chaitanya

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was a 16th Century spiritual leader. He was one of the main religious figures in Kashi at the time. Initially he opposed the Lord, but after a historic meeting with Him he became a follower of Chaitanya Mahapabhu along with tens of thousands of his followers. In this blog, we will have some visions of the Divinity of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and read accounts of his meeting with Swami Prakashanand Saraswati.