Nitai - Gaura

Nitai - Gaura

Gaura refers to Lord Gauranga, a name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, and Nitai refers to Lord Nityananda. They appeared in West Bengal 500 years ago. Lord Gauranga (or Lord Chaitanya) is Lord Krishna's avatar for this age come to deliver everyone with the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

In the guise of His own devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has come in the mood of His greatest devotee, Srimate Radharani, to teach us by example how to love and serve God. Thus the picture above illustrates a verse in the Chaitanya Charitamrita where Lord Chaitanya reveals to Ramananda Raya that He is Radha and Krishna combined. Lord Nityananda is Lord Balaram, Lord Krishna's brother in Krishna-lila, and by his blessing we get strength in spiritual life.

Why Worship Nitai-Gaura Deities at Home?

Srila Prabhupada says:

"Irregularity in worshipping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as They are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshipping Lord Jagannath and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna is not good."

Srila Prabhupada letter to Karandhara das, 19th September, 1970)

"Lord Chaitanya is very kind and He accepts the simplest worship or sincere chanting of the holy name of Krishna."

Srila Prabhupada letter to Sridhama das, 8th July, 1970)

Devotees worship Radha-Krishna deities at home, and also Lord Jagannatha, Baladev and Subhadra deities. But here Srila Prabhupada recommends Nitai Gaura as most appropriate for home worship.

It is said that to worship Radha-Krishna without also worshipping Gaura-Nitai is not possible.

"It is very good idea that you have to be more attached to the Deities above marriage. But it is not good to live at home because that is where meat is eaten. That will be offensive, so how can you worship the Deity under such circumstances? If your whole family become devotees, then that is another thing. I think that you can move from the Lord Jagannath Deities to the Gaura-Nitai Deities if that is your desire. That will be best."

Srila Prabhupada letter to Chandradevi dasi, 7th August, 1975)

Here Srila Prabhupada confirms that a devotee can perform deity worship even in a meat-eating environment, if the deities are Nitai-Gaura.

 This is a truely amazing statement