Visvarupa was the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu‘s elder brother. Gaudiya Vaishnava authorities say Visvarupa was not an ordinary living being but an avatar of the Supreme Being. Visvarupa renounced family life in his teens to live as a traveling preacher of Krishna consciousness. Today marks the observance (mahotsava, or festival) of Visvarupa’s acceptance of sannyasa, the renounced order of life in the Vedic social system.
Image depicts Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (as a small child) telling His parents He dreamt of Visvarupa taking sannyasa
More:
- Visvarupa in the Chaitanya Charitamrita: Adi-lila 10.106, Purport
– here Srila Prabhupada mentions Visvarupa’s dates - More on Visvarupa in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya-lila 9.300
– news of Visvarupa’s departure from this world reaches Lord Chaitanya - Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila 13.74
– an explanation of Visvarupa’s spiritual identity - Audio about Visvarupa Mahotsava: Sivarama Swami.com
– Sivarama Swami also speaks on the significance of sannyasa - Further info on Visvarupa Mahotsava: Giriraja Swami.com
– from a transcribed lecture by Giriraja Swami