Gaura Nitai
In Sanatan Dharma, as explained in the Bhagavad Gita, there is only one Supreme God. However, the Lord expands Himself as incarnations and avatars, and descends to our material world in order to conduct His missions.
Padma Purana on Gaura (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)
The Supreme Lord states:
kaleh prathama-sandhyayam gaurangotham mahi-tale
bhagirathi-tate ramie bhavisyami saci-sutah
कालेः प्रथम-संध्यायं गौरङ्गोथं महि-ताले भगीरथी-तते रमिए भविष्यामि सचि-सुतः
I shall take birth as the son of Shachi assuming a golden form in a beautiful place on the bank of the Bhagirathi (Ganges) on the earth in the first part of Kali-yuga.
Gaura Nitai
Mayapura, the birth place of Sri Chaitanya is on the banks of the Ganges.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (A.D. 1486-1534), also known as Gaura, appeared in West Bengal, Bharat, and showed us how to awaken our love for Krishna while living in this world.
He spent His first twenty-four years spreading the teachings of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and promoting the spiritual practice of chanting Krishna’s holy names. Extremely influential, He won the hearts and minds of the greatest scholars of His day. Sri Chaitanya’s last twenty-four years, spent in the holy city of Jagannatha Puri, were devoted to tasting the ecstasy of pure love for Krishna.
Nitai (also known as Lord Nityananda Prabhu) appeared in Ekachakra, a small village in present West Bengal in 1474. He is the first expansion of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Shri Krishna, Lakshman to Shri Ram and Nitya to Gaura. Gaura cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nitai, who is the original guru of all the universes. He is the Lord’s active principle in both creation and lila. All other forms and expansions of the Lord emanate from this first expansion. Nityananda Prabhu is thus the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu’s, and Ananta Shesha. In this world Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He is statue like His Master, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset. He has a deep melodious voice, constant singing the glories of Shri Krishna and carries a red stick with benedictions for the Devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows what He will do next.
Resources:
- The life & times of Shree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
https://youtu.be/oAcyGFU-xZc - Scriptural evidence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krishna Himself
https://youtu.be/jMH9jv97QMU - Pastimes of Nityananda https://youtu.be/54vioomMaEw
- Inauguration of Lord Chaitanya & Lord Nityananda https://youtube.com/live/7P9PRaFqeX