In Vaiṣṇava devotional (bhakti) traditions inspired by the ecstatic figure Caitanya (1486-1533) from Bengal, central importance is attributed to the loving relationship that each practitioner develops with the supreme Godhead Kṛṣṇa. And yet, such traditions also demonstrate that the foundational love that each practitioner cultivates for the divine must also extend towards other human beings (jīvas). This course begins with analyses of the sixteenth century Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition’s early development of Caitanya Vaiṣṇava cosmologies, philosophies, principles, practices, and communities. Such analyses highlight how recognizing Kṛṣṇa’s divine presence in other jīvas is the foundation of all love for other embodied beings, such that compassion (kṛpā) functions as an extension of one’s love for Kṛṣṇa. The course explores how community-building, an egalitarian worldview, and the ethic of humility intersect in Caitanya Vaiṣṇava compassion from the sixteenth to twenty-first century. It ultimately highlights how bhakti traditions, although centrally concerned with love for the divine, also remain concerned with extending love and compassion to other human beings. Course materials include a variety of readings that will be provided throughout the course. Learning ObjectivesBy the end of this course, students will be able to:Understand how Caitanya Vaiṣṇava cosmology and philosophy inform ethical ideals.Understand how the centralizing principle of devotion (bhakti) expands from love of the divine to love for other human beings.Learn how Caitanya Vaiṣṇava principles have been translated into a range of compassionate humanitarian actions.