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NITYANANDA PARIVARA TILAK The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, lacking a central authority since its very inception on account of its dynamic spread, has come to encompass a large diversity of practices and insights within the foundational framework of the Goswami's teachings. Traditional Gaudiya lineages are traced back to the companions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu via a succession of mantra diksha initiations, otherwise commonly known as the guru-pranali. Nityananda (b 1474 CE), was a Vaishnava saint, famous as a primary religious figure within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Bengal, is presumed to be an avatar of Balarama. Nityananda was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's friend and disciple. They are often mentioned together as Gaura-Nitai (Gaura, ‘golden one’, referring to Chaitanya, Nitai being a shortened form of Nityananda) or Nimai-Nitai.   The followers of Nityananda are called the Nityananda Parivara and their tilaka sports the Gaudiya tilaka with a dot.

GAUDIYA VAISHNAVISM TILAK The renaissance of Vaishnavism began in the early 1600s as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 CE) started his bhakti-movement in West Bengal in the district of Nadia. Sri Chaitanya practically founded his own tradition. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya the tilak is usually made out of mud from Vrindavan. In Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's line, chanting is given as the essential devotional (bhakti) activity to be performed in Kali Yuga in preference to fire sacrifices. As such, the black line made from the ash of the fire sacrifice is not included. In the Gaudiya line devotees generally approach Radha and Krishna through a servant such as Tulsidevi. To indicate this, the red dot representing Radha is replaced with a tulsi leaf offered at the base of Krishna's feet. In Gaudiya belief only through the mercy of Tulsi (or another pure devotee) can pure devotion to Radha and Krishna or Krishna and Balarama be awakened.