the daily service; and, in fact, as in the other Vaishnava creeds,
seeking to humanize divine adoration by bringing it into accord with
the experience of human love. To this end, music, dancing,
singing-parties (_sankirtan_), theatricals--in short anything
calculated to produce the desired impression--would prove welcome to
him. His doctrine of Bhakti distinguishes five grades of devotional
feeling in the _Bhaktas_, or faithful adherents: viz. (_santi_) calm
contemplation of the deity; (_dasya_) active servitude; (_sakhya_)
friendship or personal regard; (_vatsalya_) tender affection as
between parents and children; (_madhurya_) love or passionate
attachment, like that which the Gopis felt for Krishna. Chaitanya also
seems to have done much to promote the celebration on an imposing
scale of the great Puri festival of the Ratha-yatra, or
"car-procession," in the month of Ashadha, when, amidst multitudes of
pilgrims, the image of Krishna, together with those of his brother
Balarama and his sister Subhadra, is drawn along, in a huge car, by
the devotees. Just as this festival was, and continues to be, attended
by people from all parts of India, without distinction of caste or
sex, so also were all classes, even Mahommedans, admitted by Chaitanya
as members of his sect. Whilst numerous observances are recommended as
more or less meritorious, the ordinary form of worship is a very
simple one, consisting as it does mainly of the constant repetition of
names of Krishna, or Krishna and Radha, which of itself is considered
sufficient to ensure future bliss. The partaking of flesh food and
spirituous liquor is strictly prohibited. By the followers of this
sect, also, an extravagant degree of reverence is habitually paid to
their gurus or spiritual heads. Indeed, Chaitanya himself, as well as
his immediate disciples, have come to be regarded as complete or
partial incarnations of the deity to whom adoration is due, as to
Krishna himself; and their modern successors, the Gosains, share to
the fullest extent in the devout attentions of the worshippers.
Chaitanya's movement, being chiefly directed against the vile
practices of the Saktas, then very prevalent in Bengal, was doubtless
prompted by the best and purest of intentions; but his own doctrine of
divine, though all too human, love was, like that of Vallabha, by no
means free from corruptive tendencies,--yet, how far these tendencies
have worked their way, who would say? On this point, Dr W. W.
Hunter--who is of opinion that "the death of the reformer marks the
beginning of the spiritual decline of Vishnu-worship," observes
(_Orissa_, i. 111), "The most deplorable corruption of Vishnu-worship
at the present day is that which has covered the temple walls with
indecent sculptures, and filled its innermost sanctuaries with
licentious rites" ... yet ... "it is difficult for a person not a
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