Gaudiya literature is based on the life and teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1533). He is sometimes addressed as Sri Krishna-Caitanya, Caitanya Mahaprabhu,Goura Hari, and Gauranga ("golden-limbed"). Sri Caitanya wrote only one Sanskrit poem of eight verses during his rapture of his worshipful lord. Through his ecstatic singing and dancing, he experienced the prema of Radha and Krishna that inspired his followers even to this very day. Among his intimate associates were the Six Gosvamis, who wrote volumes of elaborations and exhibitions of Mahaprabhu. The influence of Madhva Acharya, founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta, can be traced in the line of the gaudiyas for Caitanya was initiated by a Madhva sannyasi and Nityananda, the organizer of the group, was a former Madhva disciple.

The teachings of Sri Caitanya are based on the Srimad bhagavatam, in which Para Brahman, the transcendent reality, is fully personal (Sri bhagavan) and Krishna is the quintessence of this divine person. The souls emanate from the divine source and are not fundamentally different from it; Like a spark of fire , same in quality different in quantity.  Rebirth continues until divine grace allows the soul to realize ones true spiritual identity, which is the devoted servant of Sri Radha Krishna.

The intense devotion, of Sri Caitanya caused popular tradition to regard him as an avatar of Krishna in a form with the golden complexion and emotions of Radha so that he could experience in one body the blissful union of his devotional energy. Sri Caitanya is also seen -  not as an avatar of Vishnu but as Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

The Gosvamis wrote their literature in Sanskrit. Sanatana and Jiva wrote commentaries on the Srimad bhagavatam. Rupa wrote the aesthetic theology of Gaudiya Bhakti as well as poems and inspirational plays as did Raghunath dasa and others. Gopala Bhatta and Sanatana
produced the Hari bhaktivilasa, a liturgical and disciplinary scripture, and Sanatana wrote the
Brhad bhagavatamrtam, an allegory of the travels of the soul to the point of being embraced by Sri Krishna.