"The Golden Avatar" gives a synopsis of the life and teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna who popularized the public chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra (sankirtana) five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India.
The great saint Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived in India during the sixteenth century.
The Vedic scriptures predicted His advent and activities, declaring Him an 'avatar', an incarnation of the Supreme Lord Krishna.
As foretold, Sri Caitanya began a spiritual renaissance based on chanting the names of God, which spread throughout India, and later His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada spread Krishna consciousness and the teachings of Lord Caitanya throughout the entire world.
Today pilgrims journey to Mayapur, the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, annually to celebrate the anniversary of His appearance.
They know of Lord Caitanya as the boy genius who casually defeated the greatest scholars, the young revolutionary who organized India's first cival disobedience movement, the social reformer who transcended the rigid Hindu caste system, the supreme renouncer to whom common people, religious leaders and even kings bowed.
And above all they know of Sri Caitanya as the perfect devotee who blessed the world with sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy names of God.
At Lord Caitanya's birthplace He is worshiped on the lap of His mother, Sachidevi.
In fifteenth century Europe the renascence was turning people's vision from God to man, from religion to humanism, from the search for the self to a search for unexplored continents.
But in India Sri Caitanya and His associates shifted people's vision back to God and made God's love accessible to everyone.
Their lives would exemplify Krishna's immortal teachings in Bhagavad-gita.
Their's was a renascence in bhakti, devotion to Lord Krishna.
