dently
possessed a gift of religious magnetism and exercised an extraordinary
influence on those who heard him preach or sing. He died or
disappeared before the age of fifty but apparently none of the stories
about his end merit credence.

Although the teaching of Caitanya is not so objectionable morally as
the doctrines of the Vallabhis, it follows the same line of making
religion easy and emotional and it is not difficult to understand how
his preaching, set forth with the eloquence which he possessed, won
converts from the lower classes by thousands. He laid no stress on
asceticism, approved of marriage and rejected all difficult rites and
ceremonies. The form of worship which he specially enjoined was the
singing of Kirtans or hymns consisting chiefly in a repetition of the
divine names accompanied by music and dancing. Swaying the body and
repetition of the same formula or hymn are features of emotional
religion found in the most diverse regions, for instance among the
Rufais or Howling Dervishes, at Welsh revival meetings and in negro
churches in the Southern States. It is therefore unnecessary to seek
any special explanation in India but perhaps there is some connection
between the religious ecstasies of Vaishnavas and Dervishes. Within
Caitanya's sect, caste was not observed. He is said to have admitted
many Moslims to membership and to have regarded all worshippers of
Krishna as equal. Though caste has grown up again, yet the old
regulation is still in force inside the temple of Jagannath at Puri.
Within the sacred enclosure all are treated as of one caste and eat
the same sacred food. In Caitanya's words "the mercy of God regards
neither tribe nor family."

His theology[637] shows little originality. The deity is called
Bhagavan or more frequently Hari. His majesty and omnipotence are
personified as Narayana, his beauty and ecstasy as Krishna. The
material world is defined as _bhedabhedaprakasa_, a manifestation of
the deity as separate and yet not separate from him, and the soul is
_vibhinnamsa_ or a detached portion of him. Some souls are in
bondage to Prakriti or Maya, others through faith and love attain
deliverance. Reason is useless in religious matters, but _ruci_ or
spiritual feeling has a quick intuition of the divine.

Salvation is obtained by Bhakti, faith or devotion, which embraces and
supersedes all other duties. This devotion means absolute
self-surrender to the deity and love for him which