Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in 1407 in Navadipa, Bengal as an incarnation of Krishna and Radharani combined. He initiated the practice of sankirtan or congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra. During his youth he excelled in his studies and later initiated people into spiritual life. References from scriptures like the Srimad Bhagavatam and Garuda Purana provide evidence that he was an incarnation of God sent to initiate the chanting of the holy names in the age of Kali.