Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Minor Religious Systems v2.c13.40

v2.c13.40

developed the ceremonial side of the religion, Caitanya and his successors devoted themselves to the cultivation of the emotional side. Caitanya endeavoured to win the hearts of man by instituting Kīrtanas or the fervent singing of songs about the love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and other devotional matters. The love of the cowherd god and his mistress had already become the subject of bewitching songs by Jayadeva in Sanskrit and by other poets in the vernacular. Caitanya also was a more courageous reformer in so far as he cried down the mechanical religious ceremonial of the prevalent Hinduism and preached spiritual devotion and at the same time condemned the distinctions of castes and admitted all, including even Mahomedans, as his pupils.