Q. Who among the following Bhakti leaders used the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans) to make one feel the personal presence of god near him?
(a) Shankaradeva
(b) Chandidasa
(c) Jnanadeva
(d) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Ans: (d) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Explanation: The Bhakti leader who used the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans) to make one feel the personal presence of God near them was (d) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, also known as Gauranga, was a 16th-century Bhakti saint and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He propagated the path of devotion (Bhakti) to Lord Krishna and emphasized the chanting of the holy names of God, particularly through the practice of sankirtan or congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself engaged in ecstatic dancing and chanting of the holy names of Krishna, which created an atmosphere of intense devotion and spiritual ecstasy. His devotees would join him in these ecstatic Kirtan sessions, singing and dancing in devotion to Lord Krishna.
Through the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans), Chaitanya Mahaprabhu aimed to invoke the personal presence of God and to create a deeply experiential and ecstatic connection with the divine. He believed that through such devotional practices, one could directly experience the presence and love of God in their lives.
Therefore, the correct answer to your question is (d) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
