Śrī Advaita Ācārya

Chapter, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

Śrī Advaita Ācārya constantly offered water from the Ganges and tulasī mañjarīs while meditating on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, at the same time calling to Kṛṣṇa with loud roars. In this way He brought about Kṛṣṇa’s descent. This plea by Advaita Ācārya is the chief reason for Kṛṣṇa Caitanya to advent on earth. The Lord, the protector of religion, descends at the wish of His devotee.

  • vraje āveśa-rūpatvād vyūho yo’pi sadāśivaḥ
    sa evādvaita-gosvāmī caitanyābhinna-vigrahaḥ
    yaś ca gopāla-dehaḥ san vraje kṛṣṇasya sannidhau
    nanarta śrī-śivā-tantre bhairavasya vaco yathā
    ekadā kārtike māsi dīpa-yātrā-mahotsave
    sa-rāmaḥ saha-gopālaḥ kṛṣṇo nṛtyati yatnavān
    nirīkṣya mad-gurur devo gopa-bhāvābhilāṣavān
    priyeṇa nartitum ārabdhaś cakra-bhramaṇa-līlayā
    śrī-kṛṣṇasya prasādena dvi-vidho’bhūtat sadāśivaḥ
    ekas tatra śivaḥ sākṣād anyo gopāla-vigrahaḥ

    Sadāśiva, formerly an āveśa incarnation of the Supreme Lord in Vraja, is known as Advaita Ācārya in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. He is non-different from Lord Caitanya Himself. In Vraja, Sadāśiva took the form of a cowherd boy and danced alongside Kṛṣṇa. This is stated by Bhairava in the Śivā-tantra: “Once, during the Diwali festival in the month of Kārtika, my guru Śaṅkaradeva saw Kṛṣṇa dancing with Balarāma and the cowherd boys. He became desirous of becoming a cowherd boy himself and he began to dance, spinning like a whirling wheel for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure.” Thus, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, Sadāśiva plays two different roles in Vraja, in one he is Śiva himself, in the other, he is a cowherd boy. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 76-80)

  • Advaita-Tattva

    In Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī quotes the following evidence from the diary of Svarūpa Dāmodara to describe the ontological principle of Advaita Ācārya:

    mahā-viṣṇur jagat-kartā māyayā yaḥ sṛjaty adaḥ
    tasyāvatāra evāyam advaitācārya īśvaraḥ
    advaitaṁ hariṇādvaitād ācāryaṁ bhakti-śaṁsanāt
    bhaktāvatāram īśaṁ tam advaitācāryam āśraye

    Mahā-Viṣṇu is the master of the universe, which He creates through His power of māyā. Lord Advaita Ācārya is the avatāra of this form of the Supreme Lord. He is known as Advaita because He is none other than Hari, as Ācārya because He is the preceptor of devotion. I take shelter of the Supreme Lord Advaita Ācārya who is the avatāra of a devotee. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.1.12-13)

    Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has written, “Māyā has two functions, and Mahā-Viṣṇu appears in two ways according to those functions. When He is within the material world as creator, He is the universe’s effective cause (nimitta-kāraṇa) in his form as Viṣṇu. In the unmanifest material energy (pradhāna), appearing in the form of Rudra, He has a second identity as Advaita.”

    Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura has also written about Advaita Ācārya in his Anubhāṣya to Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.6.12: “Lord Advaita Ācārya is Mahā-Viṣṇu. He is the supreme preceptor. Viṣṇu’s activities are auspicious as He is the owner or master of the universe; indeed, He is the root source of all auspiciousness. Those who are entangled in the material hankerings, which are like garbage, cannot understand this greatest auspiciousness, which is pure, eternal, complete and fully liberated. Thus they remain deprived of their true spiritual activity, devotion to Kṛṣṇa.”

    Advaita embodies universal welfare. He is the abode of all auspicious qualities. His activities are the eternal source of the world’s well-being, and so is His name. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.6.12)

    Advaita, the abode of virtue, is an expansion (aṁśa) of Mahā-Viṣhṇu. Because He is not different from Viṣṇu, Advaita is His most perfect name. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.6.26)

    Advaita Ācārya was also known as Kamalākṣa:

    He is the noblest personality in the universe, the spiritual master of the Vaiṣṇavas; by a combination of these two names, His name is Advaita Ācārya. Since He is a limb or part of the lotus-eyed Supreme Lord, He is also known as Kamalākṣa. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.6.30-31)

    Śrīla Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura has also described Advaita Ācārya as both the foremost of the Vaiṣṇavas and as Śiva:

    Residing in Navadvīpa, Śrī Advaita Ācārya is the foremost and the most fortunate of all the Vaiṣṇavas. He heads all spiritual masters in knowledge, devotion and renunciation. He especially teaches devotion to Kṛṣṇa in the same way that Lord Śaṅkara did. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 1.2.78-9)

  • Advaita Ācārya’s Appearance

    Advaita Ācārya appeared in the village of Navagrama near the city of Sylhet as the son of the Vārendra brāhmaṇa named Kuvera Paṇḍita and his wife Nābhā Devī, on the seventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Māgha. Kuvera Paṇḍita is identified in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (v. 91) with the god Kuvera, Mahādeva’s friend and leader of the Guhyakas.

    Kuvera Paṇḍita, an offspring of Nṛsiṁha, resided in the village of Navagrama near Sylhet in Bangladesh. He was a greatly fortunate follower of the path of devotion; he knew nothing other than the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. His devoted and faithful wife, Nābhā Devī, is worshipable for the whole world because she is the mother of Advaita Prabhu. (Bhakti-ratnākara 5.2041-3)

    On the seventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Māgha, the great ocean of joy overflowed. In that auspicious moment, the moon of Advaita descended in the blessed womb of Nābhā Devī. In his ecstasy, Kuvera Paṇḍita made gifts to the brāhmaṇas and the poor. He tiptoed to the room where the child was delivered and his heart was filled with gladness upon seeing his son’s face. All the villagers came running to his house and said to each other, “What pious works did this brāhmaṇa do that in his old age he has been blessed with such a jewel of a son?” The gods rained down flowers without being seen. There is nothing with which this scene can compare. Ghanaśyāma sings of this great auspicious occasion when a joyous uproar rang around the earth. (Bhakti-ratnākara 12.1759-62)

    In the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Abhidhāna, Advaita’s birthplace is given as Laura near Sylhet. It is also said there that Advaita Prabhu left Laura to reside in Navahat and then from there moved to Śāntipura. He also had a home in Navadvīpa. His full name was Śrī Kamalākṣa or Kamala-kanta Vedapanchanana. He appeared in 1434 AD and he disappeared in 1559, at the age of 125 years. In the Advaita-vilāsa it is written, “The Lord remained on this earth for a century and a quarter, performing unlimited pastimes.”

    Jāhanavā Mātā’s dīkṣā disciple Nityānanda Dāsa gives a third opinion in his Prema-vilāsa that Advaita Ācārya was born in Śāntipura. He writes that He studied the Veda and other scriptures with the scholar Śāntācārya, who lived in the Phullabati section of Śāntipura and earned the title ācārya.

    Advaita Ācārya’s holy life has been described in several Bengali books, including Advaita-maṅgala, Advaita-vilāsa and Sītācaritra. The great scholar Sārvabhauma Bhattācārya also wrote several Sanskrit poems glorifying Advaita—Advaita-dvādaśa-nāma-stotra, Advaita-aṣṭakam and Advaita-aṣṭottara-śata-nāma-stotra.

  • Advaita Ācārya Initiated

    When Kuvera Paṇḍita and Nābhā Devī disappeared, Advaita Ācārya went to Gaya on the pretext of performing the appropriate rituals of oblations, and thence continued on a pilgrimage of all of India’s holy places. When He came to Vṛndāvana, He became absorbed in the worship of Kṛṣṇa, but through His meditation, He was able to understand that Kṛṣṇa was about to appear in Navadvīpa. While on this pilgrimage, He stopped in Mithila where He met the poet Vidyāpati. This encounter is beautifully described in Advaita-vilāsa. Advaita Prabhu finally returned from Vṛndāvana to Śāntipura after spending several days in Navadvīpa. The people of Śāntipura had been suffering from His separation for a long time and were overjoyed to have Him back.

    Lord Viṣṇu is always accompanied by three aspects or śaktis–Śrī, Bhū and Nīla (Līlā). Advaita Ācārya’s own divine persona would not be fully manifest without all these three aspects of His identity. Therefore, Advaita Ācārya accepted two wives: Śrīdevī and Sītādevī. Both appeared as daughters of the great brāhmaṇa devotee, Śrī Nṛsiṁha Bhāduṛī. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, it is written that the divine Yogamāya took the form of Advaita Prabhu’s wife Sītā and that Śrī is her prakāśa expansion.

    Advaita Ācārya had two residences, one in Śāntipura, the other not far from Śrīvāsa’s home in Navadvīpa-Māyāpura. His heart was greatly pained at seeing that the people of the world were devoid of any devotion to Viṣṇu and as a consequence greatly suffering the torments of material life. Overwhelmed with compassion, He began to teach the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, explaining that the purport of the scriptures was to engage in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

    At about the same time, Mādhavendra Purī had a dream in which Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla commanded him to find sandalwood paste for the deity service. Mādhavendra Purī then started out for Purī, taking the road through western Bengal. While there, he stopped at Advaita Ācārya’s house in Śāntipura. Advaita Prabhu became convinced that Mādhavendra Purī is His guru when He saw his devotional ecstasies. Even though He Himself is an expansion of the Supreme Lord, He underwent the process of initiation in order to demonstrate to the conditioned souls the necessity of accepting a spiritual master.

    Mādhavendra Purī arrived at Advaita Ācārya’s house. When Advaita Ācārya saw Purīpāda’s prema, He felt a deep inner joy. He begged him for initiation, after which Mādhavendra Purī continued on his voyage to the south. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.4.110-1)

    It is said that Mahāprabhu is the main trunk of the wish-fulfilling tree of devotion, as well as the gardener who enjoys and distributes the tree’s fruits. Though the tree was planted in Navadvīpa, it grew in Puruṣottama-dhāma (Purī) and Vṛndāvana, expanding into an entire orchard producing many, many fruits of love. Mādhavendra Purī is said to be the first seedling, which eventually grew into this tree. Īśvara Purī was the sprouted form of this seedling. Mahāprabhu, though Himself the gardener, also became the tree’s main trunk through His inconceivable energies. Advaita Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu were the two secondary trunks into which the main trunk divided. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.9.21)

  • The Cause of the Lord’s Incarnation

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the main body of the devotional movement, and Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu are His principal limbs, whereas Śrīvāsa and other devotees are His secondary limbs. All of them advented in order to preach devotion to Hari. All those who were senior to Gaurāṅga appeared on this earth prior to Him. Advaita Prabhu appeared along with the other elderly members of Caitanya’s retinue and when He did so, He observed that the sinfulness of the age of Kali had reached a disturbing extreme and that the world was entirely devoid of devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa. He felt that a partial avatāra of the Lord would not be sufficient to completely remedy the situation. He thought, “The world will only benefit if the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself descends to the earth.” So He began to worship Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with Ganges water and tulasī leaves, shouting and pleading to the Lord to incarnate. With roars of love (prema-huṅkāra) Advaita Ācārya showed His desire for the Lord of Goloka to descend to the earth.

    He constantly offered water from the Ganges and tulasī mañjarīs while meditating on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, at the same time calling to Kṛṣṇa with loud roars. In this way He brought about Kṛṣṇa’s descent. This plea by Advaita Ācārya is the chief reason for Kṛṣṇa Caitanya to advent on earth. The Lord, the protector of religion, descends at the wish of His devotee. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.3.107-9)

    Advaita Ācārya lived in Śāntipura. His body is the reservoir of devotional nectar and is not different from that of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He, Whose spotless fame has filled the world, brought Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya down to this earth. My Advaita Prabhu is not different from Gaurāṅga, and His wife Sītā is the mother of the universe. First He brought Gaurāṅga into this world with His roars, and then He glorified Him everywhere. (Bhakti-ratnākara 12.3753-6)

    All glories to Advaita Ācārya, the most merciful, Whose roars brought about Gaurāṅga’s avatāra. Whoever takes shelter of His lotus feet will obtain the great wealth of love for Gaura. (Bhakti-ratnākara 12.3761, 3764)

    He constantly served Kṛṣṇa with great enthusiasm, offering Ganges water and tulasī mañjarīs. Absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, He worshipped Him by roaring His Name, the sound of which filled the entire universe, reaching up to Vaikuṇṭha. Lord Kṛṣṇa heard the sound of these roars of love and appeared Himself, for He is controlled by His devotee. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 1.2.81-3)

    Nityānanda Prabhu, the non-different manifestation of Lord Balarāma, also descended prior to Mahāprabhu’s appearance, on the thirteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Māgha, into the family of Hadāi Paṇḍita and Padmāvatī in the village of Ekachakra in Rāḍha, bestowing upon them the opportunity to serve Him in the vātsalya-rasa. Meanwhile, eight daughters were born to Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Devī, all of whom died before their son Viśvarūpa, Nityānanda Prabhu’s other self, appeared. Subsequently, on the full moon evening of the month of Phālguna, the source of all avatars and the father of saṅkīrtana movement, Gauracandra, made His appearance amidst kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana that people in Navadvīpa were performing on the pretext of a lunar eclipse. After the appearance of Śrī Caitanya, Sītā Devī took Advaita Ācārya’s permission to come with gifts to Navadvīpa from Śāntipura to see the most wonderful child. When she saw Him, she blessed Him by placing paddy and dūrvā grass on His head.

    After taking permission from her husband Advaita Ācārya, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, the most respectable and noble lady, went to Navadvīpa bearing gifts to see the crown jewel of infants. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.13.112)

    Advaita Ācārya established a tol (school) for teaching Sanskrit in Navadvīpa-Māyāpura and started to engage in a deep study of the scriptures. Every day, after bathing in the Ganges, Mahāprabhu’s older brother Viśvarūpa used to go to Advaita Ācārya’s house to listen to Him lecture. When Advaita Ācārya Prabhu was engaged in performing His pūjā, Viśvarūpa would explain to everyone present that devotion to Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate purport of all the scriptures. When Advaita Ācārya heard him speaking in this way, He got up from worshipping His deity and embraced him. Śacī regularly sent young Nimāi at noon with something for Viśvarūpa’s lunch. When Advaita Prabhu saw Nimāi’s beautiful face He became enchanted but was unable to recognize Him as His worshipable Lord, the Supreme Truth.

    In the meantime, Viśvarūpa had secretly decided that he would renounce family life in the knowledge that the material world is temporary and that a human being’s only real duty is to worship the Lord. When he saw that his parents were starting to make wedding plans for him, he quickly left home and took sannyāsa, after which he was known by the name Śaṅkarāraṇya. Śacī, Jagannātha Miśra and other devotees all lamented his loss. Advaita Prabhu too was pained by Viśvarūpa’s departure but pacified everyone by saying that Kṛṣṇa Himself would appear soon to eradicate everyone’s distress.

    After Viśvarūpa left home, Śacī and Jagannātha Miśra feared that Nimāi would follow his example and so they put a stop to His education. Later, however, when they heard Nimāi speaking sweetly in the mood of Dattātreya, they decided it would be better to send Him back to school. Jagannātha Miśra left this world not long after Nimāi was given the sacred thread and had become fully absorbed in His studies.

    While Mahāprabhu was still fully devoted to His pastimes as a scholar, His mother arranged His marriage to Lakṣmīpriyā, the daughter of Ballabha.

    In those days, Advaita Ācārya was holding Bhāgavata lectures and kīrtana at His house in Navadvīpa. Advaita Ācārya and all the other devotees were very enthused about Mukunda Datta’s fine singing voice. On one occasion Īśvara Purī came to Advaita Ācārya’s house while visiting Navadvīpa. From his vigorous appearance, Advaita Ācārya was able to recognize that he was a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. Later, Gaurāṅga also met Īśvara Purī there.

    At that time, Īśvara Purī arrived in Navadvīpa incognito. Īśvara Purī was single-minded in his constant preoccupation with relishing devotion to Kṛṣṇa; He was dear to Kṛṣṇa and compassionate. No one was able to recognize him by his outward appearance. He arrived by chance one day at Advaita Ācārya’s house. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 1.11.70-72)

  • Advaita Tests Mahāprabhu

    Advaita Ācārya, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita and the other devotees were overjoyed to see the mood of extreme eagerness coming out of separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the transcendental ecstatic feelings in Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu after His return from Gaya. In due course, Nityānanda Prabhu arrived in Navadvīpa after having toured the sacred pilgrimage sites and there He met Nimāi. One day at Śrīvāsa’s house, Mahāprabhu indicated that He wanted to perform the Vyāsa-pūjā to Nityānanda Prabhu. On the eve of this pūjā, Mahāprabhu showed everyone that Nityānanda Prabhu was Baladeva and then revealed that Advaita Prabhu, by repeating the words, “Nārā, Nārā”, had caused Him to descend to the earth by calling Him.

    It is due to Advaita Ācārya that I have become incarnate, for Nārā’s roars rang in My ears. I was lying in the Milk Ocean, but Nārā’s roar woke Me up and brought Me down here. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.9.297-8)

    After the Vyāsa-pūjā had come to an end, Mahāprabhu took on the mood of the Supreme Lord and sent Rāmāi Paṇḍita, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita’s younger brother, to fetch Advaita Prabhu from His house in Śāntipura. He told him of His appearance, “Advaita Prabhu has brought Hari, the Lord of Goloka, to this earth by His cries and by worshipping Him with Ganges water and tulasī. Nityānanda Prabhu has also made His auspicious arrival in Navadvīpa. So Advaita Ācārya and his wife should immediately come to Śrīvāsa Aṅgana, bringing all the paraphernalia for worship.” Rāmāi Paṇḍita promptly carried out Mahāprabhu’s order and relayed His message to Advaita Prabhu.

    As soon as Advaita heard that Mahāprabhu had publicly revealed His divinity, He and Sītā Devī immediately set off, bringing their son Acyutānanda and some other associates. But rather than going directly to Śrīvāsa’s house, Advaita decided to test Mahāprabhu by hiding in Nandanācārya’s house. He told Rāmāi Paṇḍita not to tell Mahāprabhu, but the Lord, Who knows the heart of all, was able to see through Advaita Ācārya’s plan. As Mahāprabhu sat on the altar and revealed to everyone His divine identity, Nityānanda Prabhu held the royal parasol while Gadādhara Paṇḍita and the other devotees engaged in a variety of services. This time, when Mahāprabhu sent Rāmāi to Nandanācārya’s house to fetch Advaita Ācārya, Advaita Ācārya realized that Mahāprabhu was omniscient and hesitated no longer.

    Advaita Ācārya joyfully prostrated Himself before the Lord, stunned by the sight of the Lord’s divine power. He washed the Lord’s lotus feet and then worshipped Him with the five ingredients (pañcopacāra), using the following mantra to do so:

    namo brahmaṇyadevāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca
    jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

    I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the worshipable deity for all brāhmaṇas, the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and the benefactor of the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Kṛṣṇa and Govinda.

    Mahāprabhu then commanded Advaita Prabhu to dance. He started to dance madly until He was completely intoxicated in a way that astonished all the devotees.

    Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has written:

    “There is one mahāprabhu or Supreme Lord, and two other prabhus, or masters. The two other prabhus serve the lotus feet of mahāprabhu. These three personalities belong to the category of the all-worshipable; the fourth category is the devotee who is the worshiper. Śrīvāsa and the millions of other devotees belong to the category of the pure devotees. Gadādhara Paṇḍita and others are considered to be avatāras of the Lord’s energies or śaktis. They are counted as His most intimate devotees. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.7.94-7)

    Pañca-tattva, the five-fold aspect of divinity includes Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, Who accepted the form of a devotee; Nityānanda Prabhu, Who is the manifestation of a devotee; and Advaita Ācārya, the Lord’s avatāra as a devotee. These three are considered to be prabhu-tattva or Viṣṇu-tattva, the ontological category of Godhead. Advaita Ācārya is an avatāra of Mahā-Viṣṇu, so belongs to the category of Viṣṇu-tattva, but because He took on the mood of a devotee, He is called bhaktāvatāra, “the Lord’s avatāra of a devotee.” Because Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Ācārya all belong to the category of Viṣṇu-tattva, tulasī leaves are offered to Their feet. Without Advaita Ācārya’s mercy, one can never attain the service of Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhus.

    dayā koro sītāpati advaita gosāñi
    tava kṛpā bale pāi caitanya-nitāi

    Be merciful, Advaita Prabhu, husband of Sītā! On the strength of Your mercy, I will attain Caitanya and Nitāi. (Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura)

    Advaita Ācārya’s glories and activities have been extensively described in Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s Caitanya Bhāgavata, Narahari Cakravartī’s Bhakti-ratnākara, Advaita Vilāsa and other works. Those who wish to have a deeper knowledge of His life should consult these books. We can only give an abbreviated biography in this book. We have only set out to remember the main pastimes of Śrī Advaita.

  • Advaita And Haridāsa Ṭhākura

    By his deeds, Advaita Prabhu revealed that a Vaiṣṇava is worthy of praise and worship regardless of his family background. Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a Muslim family in Budhan village in the district of Jessore. Later he came to live in the village of Phuliya and was staying in a grotto engaged in solitary devotional practices, but would sometimes come to associate with Advaita Prabhu in nearby Śāntipura. This was after he had spent time preaching the glories of the Holy Names at the Chandpur house of Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī’s father and uncle, Govardhana and Hiraṇya Majumadāra. Advaita used to invite Haridāsa Ṭhākura to come to his house in Śāntipura to take prasāda.

    On the annual date set aside for offering oblations to the forefathers, the householder Vaiṣṇavas offer all kinds of foodstuffs to the Lord. They then invite brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas to honour prasāda. The mahā-prasāda is given to the guest of honour and Advaita Prabhu chose Haridāsa Ṭhākura for this special treatment considering him to be a transcendental brāhmaṇa guru. This made Haridāsa Ṭhākura feel somewhat uneasy. However, Advaita Prabhu, the world teacher, claimed that his behaviour conformed with all the scriptures, for to feed a great devotee like Haridāsa Ṭhākura is equal to feeding millions of brāhmaṇas. In order to demonstrate this, he honoured Haridāsa Ṭhākura by giving him the plate offered in the śrāddha ceremony.

    Advaita said to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “Please don’t be afraid. I shall only do what is accepted in scripture. If you accept this prasāda it is as though I had fed ten million brāhmaṇas.” After saying these words, he gave him the śrāddha plate to eat. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.3.219-20)

    One of the branches of the Caitanya tree is Haridāsa Ṭhākura, whose activities are amazing. He would unfailingly chant 300,000 Names of the Lord every day. I only give an indication here of his unlimited virtues; Advaita Ācārya honoured him by giving him the śrāddha plate. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.10.43-4)

  • The Sons of Advaita

    Although six sons were born to Advaita Ācārya, the avatāra of Mahā-Viṣṇu, He indicated that some of them had understood the essence of spiritual life and some had not. Those who simply claimed to be his followers but showed no affection for Gaurāṅga were the latter; those who were attached to Mahāprabhu in ever-increasing affection were the former. These included Acyutānanda, Kṛṣṇa Miśra and Gopāla Miśra, while Balarām, Svarūpa and Jagadīśa belonged to the category of those who did not give recognition to Śrī Caitanya. Acyutānanda was the oldest brother and Kṛṣṇa Miśra and Gopāla Miśra followed his lead. Caitanya Caritāmṛta (1.12.12) compares the two groups to wheat and chaff.

    Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also writes in his Gauḍīya-bhāṣya to the Caitanya Bhāgavata (2.10.162), “If someone takes Advaita Ācārya to be the best of all the Vaiṣṇavas, then he can be called a Vaiṣṇava. On the other hand, if someone considers Him to be the object of all religious life, the viṣaya (enjoyer) Kṛṣṇa, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be His devotee or āśraya, then he will never be able to attain Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”

  • The Lord Chastises Advaita Ācārya

    It is also said that Mahāprabhu taught Advaita Ācārya the real meaning of the Bhagavad-gītā.

    Viśvambhara explained the true understanding of the Gītā to Advaita Ācārya, withdrawing the gates that conceal the nature of bhakti. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.10.166)

    Another wonderful pastime was manifested by Advaita Ācārya in order to show the fallen jīvas how auspicious it is to receive punishment from the Lord, the guru or a Vaiṣṇava. How fortunate is a devotee who is chastised by his guru! This is described in the seventeenth chapter of the Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, where Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has made the following comments in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya: “Advaita Ācārya is the godbrother of Mahāprabhu’s guru, Īśvara Purī. For this reason, Mahāprabhu treated Advaita Ācārya as His elder and spiritual master, even though Advaita Ācārya considered Himself to be Mahāprabhu’s servant. Advaita Ācārya was pained to see Mahāprabhu treat Him with such respect and so, in order to seek out the merciful punishment of the Lord returned to Śāntipura and began to explain the path of knowledge to a few unfortunate individuals. When the Lord caught wind of this, He became extremely angry and went to Śāntipura to give Him a good thrashing. When He was chastised in this way, Advaita Ācārya danced in joy, saying, “Just see, My desires have been fulfilled today! Mahāprabhu was previously miserly with Me, treating Me as His respectful elder. Now He has acted toward Me as though I were His servant or disciple, by trying to save Me from the heresy of māyāvāda.” When the Lord understood that this had all been a ruse on Advaita Ācārya’s part, He was embarrassed but pleased with Him.

    The Lord treated Advaita with the respect deserved by a guru. This caused the Ācārya great distress, so He adopted a ruse of teaching the path of knowledge. Mahāprabhu became angry and scorned Advaita Ācārya, causing Him great bliss. When He saw His satisfaction with the turn of events, the Lord became ashamed and was merciful to Him. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.17.66-8)

    "Previously Mahāprabhu would honour Me. This made Me unhappy, so I thought that if I start giving lectures on the Yoga-vaśiṣṭha, explaining mukti as the supreme goal of life, the Lord would become angry and insult Me. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.12.39-40)

  • Śacī Devī and Advaita Ācārya

    Mahāprabhu could not forgive even His mother when she looked askance at Advaita Ācārya, Who is compassionate for the plight of the conditioned souls. On one occasion, through chastising her, He warned all devotees of the danger of offences to the Vaiṣṇavas. If Śacī Devī, who is the essence of motherly affection, the avatāra of Yaśodā Devī, cannot be forgiven an offence to the Vaiṣṇava, then what chance do others have? By the same pastime, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also showed that in order to become free of vaiṣṇava-aparādha, one should beg for forgiveness from the Vaiṣṇava one has offended.

    When Viśvarūpa came to the conclusion, after studying with Advaita Prabhu, that the world is a temporary place and the only real duty of humankind is to worship the Supreme Lord, he left home and took sannyāsa. Śacī Mātā, though troubled by his departure, was wary of insulting Advaita Ācārya for the role He had played in it, knowing Him to be a Vaiṣṇava, and took solace in Nimāi’s presence at home. But when she saw that Nimāi too was constantly going to associate with Advaita Ācārya, leaving his wife Lakṣmīpriya alone at home, she began to think that Advaita’s name was really unsuitable, that rather than unifying people as it would indicate, He split them apart. Dvaita would thus be a more appropriate name, she thought. “This old gosāñi goes by the name Advaita, but He should be called Dvaita. One son of mine, as beautiful as the moon, has left home because of Him, and He has not let me keep the other one settled. No one has mercy on me, I am now alone in this world. He may be one (advaita) with the world, but I see him as māyā (dvaita).” (Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.22.114-6)

    Because of her affection for her son, Śacī Mātā mentally criticized Advaita Ācārya in this way and no one knew except for her son, Gaurahari, Who is the indweller of all beings. On the day of the mahāprakāśa in the house of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, when Mahāprabhu was fulfilling the desires of every one of His devotees by allowing them to see His divine form for twenty-one hours, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita asked Him whether Śacī Devī could also be blessed with this divine vision. Mahāprabhu answered, “My mother has committed an offence against Advaita Prabhu, so I will not show her this form.”

    When the devotees told Śacī what her son had said, she immediately went to Advaita Ācārya and begged Him for forgiveness. After Advaita Ācārya had heard Śacī Mātā’s confession, He began to glorify her as the one who had carried the Supreme Lord of all creation in her womb. He continued to do so until He became unconscious from the overwhelming love that He felt. Only when He fell unconscious could Śacī Devī finally take the dust of His lotus feet and thus be free from her offence. Mahāprabhu was satisfied with His mother and showed her His glorious, divine form. Another important lesson we can draw from this story is that Vaiṣṇavas are never proud. Even though she had given birth to Lord Gaurahari, Śacī Devī felt no pride in her exalted status. As soon as she became aware of having committed an offence, she went to Advaita Ācārya without any hesitation and prayed to be pardoned.

  • The Lord Comes To Śāntipura

    Advaita Ācārya was Mahāprabhu’s associate in saṅkīrtana, both in Śrīvāsa’s house and in the streets of Navadvīpa and along the shores of the Ganges.

    Everyone joyfully sang in unison, “Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Mukunda, Murārī, Vanamālī!” Holding onto Nityānanda Prabhu and Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Advaita Ācārya ran in every direction like a lion. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.23.29-30)

    The Lord danced along the banks of the Bhāgīrathī while around Him all the people sang the Names of Hari. Advaita Ācārya preceded Him, dancing ecstatically with a small group of devotees. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 2.23.202-3)

    After Mahāprabhu had taken sannyāsa from Keśava Bhāratī in Katwa, He became overwhelmed with love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa and started to run toward Vṛndāvana. With the help of some cowherd boys, Nityānanda Prabhu tricked Him into coming to the banks of the Ganges. Nityānanda Prabhu wanted to show the wonderful sannyāsa form of Mahāprabhu to the people of Navadvīpa and brought Him to Śāntipura. When Mahāprabhu saw the Ganges, He thought that the river was the Yamunā and became overwhelmed with ecstasy. Meanwhile, Advaita Ācārya heard that Nityānanda Prabhu had brought Mahāprabhu there and came by boat across the river with new clothes for Him. Mahāprabhu was astonished to see Advaita Ācārya, wondering how He could have known that He was in Vṛndāvana. Advaita Ācārya answered by saying that Vṛndāvana was wherever Mahāprabhu went and that the northen flow of the Ganges was the Yamunā. When He heard these words, Mahāprabhu realized that He had been tricked into coming to the northen bank of the Ganges across from the town of Śāntipura. Advaita Ācārya had Mahāprabhu take a bath and dressed Him in the new cloth and then took Him to His house where the Lord stayed for several days.

    When Śacī Devī and the people of Navadvīpa heard that Gaurahari was at Advaita Prabhu’s house they all came there to visit Him. Seeing Him in His sannyāsa dress, they felt joy mixed with separation. Sītā Ṭhākurānī prepared an immense meal and served it on whole leaves from seed-banana trees for Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. At that time there were many joking exchanges between Advaita Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. This has been extensively described in the Caitanya Caritāmṛta’s Madhya-līlā, Chapter 3. Mahāprabhu afterwards also ate foodstuffs prepared by His mother Śacī Devī in order to ease the suffering He had caused her by His departure. The reunion of devotees turned into a great festival, and Advaita Ācārya’s house in Śāntipura was transformed into Vaikuṇṭha.

    Everyone was dancing and singing the Names of Hari. Advaita Ācārya’s house became Vaikuṇṭha Purī. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.3.156)

  • Advaita Goes to Purī on the Annual Pilgrimage

    When Mahāprabhu was saying His goodbyes to the devotees, He set off to Purī (Nīlācala) to live there at the behest of His mother. Advaita Ācārya and the residents of Navadvīpa were once again hurled into the ocean of separation from their Lord. These events took place in the year 1510. It was probably three more years before the devotees went to Purī during cāturmāsya to visit Him at the time of the Ratha-yātrā.

    The first year, Advaita Ācārya and the other devotees went to Nīlācala to see Mahāprabhu. They witnessed the Ratha-yātrā and then stayed for four months, passing the time in kīrtana and dancing in great joy. When the time came for them to depart, the Lord told everyone to return every year to see the Ratha-yātrā festival. And so the yearly trips to Purī to see the Lord became a tradition. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.1.46-49)

    Of the last twenty-four years of Mahāprabhu’s pastimes, six were spent in travelling to and from Purī, while He spent the last eighteen in Purī without ever leaving. During the six years that He spent travelling, the Bengali devotees would visit Purī after they found out that He was present there. During the eighteen years of Mahāprabhu’s permanent stay in Purī, the annual trips became an annual event.

    After Mahāprabhu arrived in Purī from Vṛndāvana, He never again left in the eighteen remaining years of His pastimes. The devotees came from Bengal every year, meeting with the Lord and staying for the four months of the rainy season. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.1.249-50)

    All of Mahāprabhu’s associates, Advaita Ācārya, Nityānanda Prabhu, Mukunda, Śrīvāsa, Vidyānidhi, Vāsudeva and Murāri, went every year to meet with the Lord, staying in Purī for four months. The Lord enjoyed a multitude of pastimes with these devotees during this time. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.1.255-6)

    The time for Ratha-yātrā came again and the devotees started off on the annual pilgrimage to Nīlācala. They were following the Lord’s order to come every year to see the Ratha-yātrā festival. With Advaita Ācārya as their head, all the devotees set off toward Nīlācala. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.8.4-6)

    Advaita Ācārya would go every year to Purī and stay for the full four months, participating with Mahāprabhu in pastimes such as the cleaning of the Guṇḍicā temple, the water sports in Narendra Sarovara, Lord Jagannātha’s Ratha-yātrā. The best of Advaita’s three orthodox sons, Acyutānanda, who was totally devoted to Gaurāṅga, was also there, serving as the leader of the Ratha-yātrā’s sixth kīrtana group, which was from Śāntipura. Advaita Himself was the principal dancer in the first kīrtana group led by Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu.

    In the third year of this tradition, the wives of the Bengal devotees accompanied them, bringing various gifts for Mahāprabhu’s service.

    In the third year, all the devotees from Bengal decided to go to Nīlācala. They went in a group to Advaita Ācārya’s house, and He happily agreed to go with them to see the Lord. That year, all the wives of these saints went also, the mother of Acyuta accompanying Advaita Ācārya. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.16.12-13, 21)

    Advaita went first to Śacī Mātā’s house to take leave. Then He departed with the assembly of devotees. They brought with them all the edibles they knew formerly brought pleasure to the Lord. They performed saṅkīrtana the entire length of the route, purifying everything and everyone on their path. All the people of the three worlds were sanctified by the devotees’ joyful calls of Hari! Hari! In a mood of ecstasy, they were all going to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accompanied by their wives and sons, and their male and female servants. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 3.8.39-43)

    Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has written about a wonderful pastime with Advaita Ācārya’s son Gopāla Miśra in Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter 12. During the cleaning of the Guṇḍicā temple, both Advaita Ācārya and Mahāprabhu were satisfied to see Gopāla’s deep absorption in dancing and singing before Them. When Gopāla Miśra suddenly fell unconscious, Advaita Ācārya became very anxious and took his inert body in His lap, chanting the Nṛsiṁha mantra. Despite the various mantras that Advaita Ācārya uttered, Gopāla did not return to consciousness. All the devotees began to cry for him, but Mahāprabhu, Who takes away the distress of His devotees, touched Gopāla over the heart and said, “Get up, Gopāla and chant Hari Hari!” Gopāla immediately awoke and stood up. The devotees shouted the Names of the Lord in relief and joy.

  • Kamalā-kānta Viśvāsa

    Advaita Ācārya had a disciple name Kamalā-kānta Viśvāsa who wrote to King Pratāparudra explaining that Advaita Ācārya was the Supreme Lord, but that He was in debt and needed money. He asked Pratāparudra to give Advaita Ācārya the amount needed to pay His creditors. When Mahāprabhu heard about this, He punished Kamalā-kānta by refusing him access to the Gambhīrā. Kamalā-kānta was disturbed by this punishment, but Advaita Ācārya explained to him that to be punished by Mahāprabhu was a cause for rejoicing and that he was most fortunate.

    Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has made the following comment on this story, which is found in the twelfth chapter of the Ādi-līlā: “Kamalā-kānta first proved that Advaita Ācārya was the Supreme Lord, but then begged for money from the king on Advaita Ācārya’s behalf. This action was very displeasing to Mahāprabhu. Even though Advaita Ācārya is God Himself, He is in this world playing the part of an ordinary man in order to teach. For an ācārya to beg from a king in order to free himself from a debt is considered to be a shameless act. One should entirely abandon the desire for material gain and if the desire for material well-being is taken to the point of begging from a foreign king in order to become free of a debt, then one’s spiritual life will certainly go to ruin. Kings are by nature materialistic. If one eats the food of a materialistic person, his mind becomes polluted. With the polluted mind one can no longer remember Kṛṣṇa and his life is wasted.

    “Such begging from materialistic men is therefore prohibited for everyone, but it is especially so for those who are in the position of ācārya. It is the ācārya’s duty to instruct people in the Holy Names, but he should not take money in return for such instruction. If he does so, he becomes an offender to the Holy Name rather than an initiator in the Name. If an instructor of the Holy Names becomes a money collector, then it is a matter of embarrassment and his religious reputation will be ruined.”

  • Mahāprabhu Glorifies Advaita Prabhu

    In the third year when the Bengal devotees came with their wives and gifts of various food preparations dear to the Lord, He mercifully ate all these offerings out of His affection for them. One day, Mahāprabhu was invited to eat at Advaita Ācārya’s residence. This time, Advaita Ācārya Himself did the cooking and His wife assisted Him by cutting the vegetables and gathering the ingredients. It was Advaita Ācārya’s secret wish to be able to feed Mahāprabhu alone. It so happened that on that day the weather turned bad and due to a storm, all the sannyāsīs who normally came with Mahāprabhu on such occasions were unable to accompany Him. Mahāprabhu thus arrived by Himself, to Advaita Ācārya’s great satisfaction, for He was thus able to serve Him the meal in complete privacy. He praised the god Indra as a servant of Kṛṣṇa for he fulfilled Ācārya’s wishes. Mahāprabhu was aware of Advaita Ācārya’s mood and praised Him by saying, “Kṛṣṇa Himself fulfills Your desires, and so what is unusual about Indra carrying out Your orders?” (Caitanya Bhāgavata 3.9.60-72)

    On another occasion, Mahāprabhu glorified Advaita Ācārya and described the underlying truth of His nature in the following way:

    “Advaita Ācārya is God Himself. As a result of His association, I have become purified. Because there is no one equal to Him in devotion to Kṛṣṇa, nor in knowledge of the scriptures, He is called Advaita Ācārya. By His mercy, even the immoral and evil persons (mlecchas) become devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Who can describe the extent of His powers or devotion?” (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.7.17-9)

    Mahāprabhu had Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs meet with Śrī Advaita and Nityānanda Prabhus in Purī and asked Them to bless the brothers. Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī received Mahāprabhu’s leftovers by the grace of Advaita Prabhu. He was the object of Advaita Ācārya’s affection because his father, Govardhana Majumadāra, had served Him honestly.

    His father always rendered service to Advaita Ācārya, therefore the Ācārya was pleased with him. By the grace of the Ācārya, Raghunātha obtained the Lord’s leftover plate and was able to have darśana of the Lord for five or six days. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.16.225-6)

    The words that Mahāprabhu spoke to Advaita Ācārya when He was about to leave Purī show just how much affection He had for Him:

    “Ācārya Gosāñi came here to show Me His mercy. I am bound in debt to His love and there is no way that I can repay Him. He left His wife, children and home for My sake, traveling a long and difficult way to come here. I am living here in Nīlācala without moving. I make no effort on your behalf. I am a monk and I have no wealth—what could I give You to make good on My debt? My only possession is My body, which I give You. I will sell it to whomever you wish. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.12.70-74)

  • Advaita Ācārya’s Riddle

    When Advaita Ācārya returned to Navadvīpa from Purī, he met Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, who had been sent there earlier by Mahāprabhu. Advaita Ācārya was very happy to have his association. When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita finally asked Advaita Prabhu for permission to return to Nīlācala, Advaita Ācārya gave him a message in the form of a riddle to take back to Mahāprabhu. The riddle was comprehensible to no one but Mahāprabhu Himself. The message read as follows:

    “Convey My obeisance hundreds and thousands of times unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then offer this petition at His feet. Please inform Mahāprabhu, who is acting like a madman, that everyone here has become mad like Him. Inform Him also that in the marketplace rice is no longer in demand. Further, tell Him that those now mad in ecstatic love are no longer interested in the material world. Also, tell Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that one who has also become a madman in ecstatic love [Advaita Prabhu] has spoken these words.” (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.19.19-21)

    Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains this riddle in this way: “Tell Mahāprabhu that everyone has become intoxicated with love for Kṛṣṇa and so in the marketplace of love, no one is buying the rice of kṛṣṇa-prema any longer. Tell Mahāprabhu that the crazies (āul) are so intoxicated with love that they are no longer doing their worldly duties. Tell Mahāprabhu that Advaita said this in a state of complete intoxication with prema. In short, the message was that the purpose for which Advaita Ācārya had called Mahāprabhu to earth had been achieved. Now the Lord may do as He wishes.”

    Advaita Ācārya, the avatāra of Mahā-Viṣṇu, appeared in this world on the seventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Māgha. This tithi is also known as Advaita-saptamī.


    A type of banana that has large seeds. It is cultivated for its leaves rather than its fruit.

Excerpt from "Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates" by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

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