Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated
Caitanya,
IAST ; 18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534) was a
Bengali spiritual teacher. He is believed by his devotees to be
Krishna himself who appeared in the form of His own devotee in order to teach the people of this world the process of Bhakti and how to attain the perfection of life. He is considered as the most merciful manifestation of Krishna. Chaitanya was the proponent for the
Vaishnava school of
Bhakti yoga (meaning loving devotion to God), based on
Bhagavata Purana and
Bhagavad Gita. Of various incarnations of Vishnu, he is revered as Krishna, popularised the chanting of the
Hare Krishna mantra and composed the
Siksastakam (eight devotional prayers) in
Sanskrit. His followers,
Gaudiya Vaishnavas, revere him as a Krishna with the mood and complexion of his source of inspiration Radha.