Murari Gupta

(16th c.) Author of the earliest version of
the Chaitanya-Charitramrta (“Nectar
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Murari Gupta
of Chaitanya’s Deeds”), an account
describing the life of the Bengali saint
Chaitanya (1486–1533). Murari Gupta’s
text focuses on Chaitanya’s early life up
to his southern Indian pilgrimage ending in 1513. The last part of the text
briefly mentions his pilgrimage to
Brindavan in 1514 and his final return
to Puri, where he lived for the rest of his
life. Like the other traditional accounts
of Chaitanya’s life, this does not purport
to be an “objective” biography; it is
rather a hagiography (idealized portrait)
written by a passionate devotee (bhakta).
Nevertheless, Murari Gupta was a contemporary and companion of Chaitanya;
his text reflects first-hand experience
and is the most reliable of these traditional sources.