ŚRĪ-ŚRĪ PRABHU ADVAITĀCĀRYA

Author
Sheltered by the feet
Das Vrajeswarananda
Śrī Śrī Prabhu Advaitācārya
First Edition :
Śrī Śrī Adwaita Saptarni
22nd January, 2010
©All rights reserved by the publisher
Published by :
Sri Partha Pathak
42, Lake East, Road No. 6
Kolkata - 700 075
Printed at:
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Phone : 2354 3424
Available at:
1. Sri Partha Pathak
42, Lake East Road No. 6
Kolkata - 700 075
2. Sri Chaitanya Goswami
Śrī Śrī Adwaitapat
Babla, Shantipur (W. B.)
3. Sri Rajesh Goswami
Seba yet
Adwaitabat, Madangopal Temple .
Surajghat, Brindaban - 281121 (U. P.) -
Cover page & all the line art image & Goswami Prabhu' s picture in this book
are drawn by the writer.
•
PROLOGUE
500 years ago Mahaprabhu Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya had flooded the entire cross section of
people in eastern India preaching nāma saṅkīrtana (loud chanting) in the open and
irrespective of their being rich or poor, illiterate or learned, caste or religion, made people
melt their identity in the deluge of nāma saṅkīrtana. He had forecast that one day the whole
world, breaking the barrier of boundaries, would
reverberate with the sound of drum. Truly, the joy of the current of nāma saṅkīrtana along
with the vaishnava dharma is increasingly becoming more forceful even in the materialistic
countries like Europe, Russia and America. The establishment of the culture of nāma
saṅkīrtana has achieved completeness in every nook and corner of India in which not just the
vaishnavas but even the devotees of various religious communities like the Shaivas, Shaktas,
Ganapatyas, Sauryas too are bathing in the fountain of joy of nāma sankīrtana sung in their
own respective ways.
The one who had forced God to appear on earth with saṅkīrtana as his weapon, in the form
of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya is none other than that most revered avatar incarnate of Mahavishnu
– Prabhu Śrī. Śrī Advaitācārya (1434-1559 A.D.).
Downfall of the Buddhist religion in eastern India during the dark period of world history, the
black art of tantra, ritualism, worship of evil spirits, and above all oppression of the pure
dharma of love of the vaisnavas by Islam, went on unabated.
Śrī Śrī Adwaita Prabhu toured all India and spent 50 years of his life praying solicitously so
that God's promise, ''For the protection of the righteous and the establishment of dharma I
manifest as human being from age to age'' was fulfilled. His resolve was fulfilled on seeing
God's advent in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Chaitanya in Nabadwip. Adwaita Prabhu lived on the earth for 125 years preaching the
dharma of love while remaining Mahaprabhu' s companion throughout the latter's span of
life. My deliverer Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Goswami (1841-1899) was the tenth descendant
of Advaitācārya.
Through the order of serial succession thousands and thousands of devotees and disciples of
Sadguru Goswami Prabhu are spread all over India. The Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi, Oriya,
'Bengali and English speaking disciples of Śrīman mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Adwaita
Prabhu keep on searching for a brief sketch on Advaitācārya for wider circulation. I used to
be reminded often by the educated
circle regarding a publication in Hindi, Bengali, and English.
I did not try much being unaccustomed to writing in Hindi. But with the force of a sharp
internal inspiration some years ago, Sadguru Goswamiji made an incapable servant like me
at this old age, hold a pen for this difficult task. It was also difficult for me to run around
collecting rare materials, although I knew that it is God's līlā (play) to make a handicapped
cross the mountain. By the grace of Prabhuji I got many old and extinct materials
unexpectedly while sitting at home.
I was gratified to firlish the writing in Hindi by my inept hands and to hand it over to
appropriate hands for correction of language and publication. My wish to publish it on the day
of Adwaita Prabhu' s birthday, seventh day of the lunar fortnight of the month of Magha (Jan-
Feb) and to place this small offering at his feet was fulfilled.
I express my gratitude to those well wishers and devotees whose eagerness has imparted
motion to this work. I am acknowledging with gratitude specially for providing materials by
Adwaitaprabhu’s descendant Śrīmati Kṛṣṇa Chakraborty, the publisher of 'Nav Bharat Bhaban'
Śrī Biswanath Chakraborty, the priest and beneficiary of Adwaitabat and Madangopal,
resident of Vrindavan Śrī Rajesh Kishore Goswami and many others who have helped me,
including the priest Śrī Chaitanya Das.
I am grateful to Śrī Nilmani Dubey and Dr. Ratna Mukherjee for their assistance in publication
in Hindi. The first Hindi publication of this little book was almost exhausted in no time. Quite
a few errors remained in the process of publishing it in a short time.
Many well wishers kept requesting for a Bengali edition of this book. Affectionate Deboleena
Mitra came forward voluntarily on being inspired by Prabhu. Translation was completed
effortlessly.
Some matters, absent in the Hindi version have been included in the Bengali version.
Out of the six sons of Adwaita Prabhu, Prabhupada Achyutananda, Kṛṣṇadas Goswami and
Gopaldas are worshiped by all the Gaudiya Vaishnava samaj.
Reference to a very old book containing different views from what has been mentioned in
this book about the other sons of Adwaitaprabhu is included here.
The learned community has recognized the verse '' Adwaitamangal'' written by Śrīla
Haricharan Das, a disciple of Achyutananda Prabhupada as the oldest and authentic
biography of Advvaita Prabhu (written between 1480 and 1490 A.D.) confirmed by Dr. Prof.
R. N. Maity (M.A., D.Phil) in his research papers.
On this book he writes ''there has hardly been any attempt to distort history wrecklessly in
the copies of the manuscript produced subsequently".
I mention a few of the observations noticed in the verse 'Adwaitamangal' written by Śrīla
Haricharan Das at the command of his Guru Achyutananda Prabhupada.
First - At the start of every chapter, he has sung in praise of his Guru who was Adwaita
Prabhu' s eldest son Achyutananda after worshipping the trio (Śrī Chaitanya, Śrī Nityananda,
Śrī Adwaita) followed by Balaram and then his other sons though Balaram was the fourth
son of Advaitācārya.
Second - In his verse of adoration of Adwaitia Prabhu' s sons he has described his Guru Śrī Śrī
Achyutananda Prabhu as "Mohan Manjari of Vraja'' (enchanting flower spike of Vraja) and
''Pradyumna of Dwaraka''.
Soon after this he has described Śrī Śrī Balaram Goswami as "The dearest son and right hand
of Adwaita Prabhu and wise veteran with the wisdom and knowledge of Bhagavat Shastra
and also as 'Benu Manjari of Vraja' (Vraja's spike of the flute) and '' Anuruddha of Dwaraka
(as Balaram use to go into trance on hearing the sound of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's flute, he was called
''Benu Manjari''). He is however neglected in other books as a jnanvadi (Follower of the path
of spiritual knowledge and not devotion).
Third - Vasudev from Kangsa's jail came to the house of Nanda and became Kṛṣṇa on being
united with Yogamaya. The primary objective of Kṛṣṇa is tasting love and the secondary
objective of Mathura' s and Dwarka' s Vasudev is to destroy demonic ruling and introduction
of new era.
In the Kaliyuga, just in the same way (in place of Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva) he came in a separate form
as Chaitanya in Nadia and Adwaita in Shantipur though fundamentally they were one and the
same. Chaitanya came as an emblem of the divine pair as the god of love. Vrajakumar and
Radhashakti, and Adwaita came in advance to profess the dharma of love, in order to prepare
as the forerunner and preceptor of Bhagavat Dharma (in the way Vasudeva had come to the
jail beforehand). Balaram (Kṛṣṇa's elder brother) too came in the form of Nityananda. We find
at first in Adwaitamangal-'Three in one, one in three, there is no discrimination among the
three." This is coined in subsequent Gaudiya Vaishnava literature.
I am grateful to Srimat Swami Alokananda Saraswati and Srimat Swami Amalananda
Saraswati for providiong me with the copies of "Adwaitamangal'' written by Srila Haricharan
Das and" Adwaita Vilas'' by Śrī Veereswar Pramanik that helped me to modify my views in
the Bengali and English version.
I am grateful to Sri Debkumar Bhattacharya and Srimati Tapati Bhattacharya who took keen
interest in translating from the Bengali version into English and also painstakingly corrected
the proof.
Without their participation, the publication in English would have taken a much longer time.
Suggestion is welcome to be incorporated in the next edition.

Kolkata
Sri Sri Adwaita Saptami
22nd January 2010
Author
Sheltered by the feet
Das Vrajeswarananda

Contents
Prologue .
Adoration of Śrī Śrī Prabhu Advaitācārya
Birth and Childhood (1434 - 1539 A.D.) .. .
Stay at Vrindavan
Invocation to Mahaprabhu ŚrīKṛṣṇa Chaitanya ...
Main disciples of Adwaitaprabhu
Serial Succession of Adwaitaprabhu' s Family
Vishwambhar's (Gouranga) Education
Adwaita Prabhu's Doubt and Resolution • • • •••
Gouranga meets Ishwarpuriji Through Advaitācārya Prabhu • • • • • •
Mahaprabhu takes Sannyas-Rests in Adwaitaprabhu' s House • • • •••
Mahaprabhu and Adwaitaprabhu meet at Puridham ...
Mahaprabhu rests for four months in Adwaitaprabhu's house at Shantipur
Achyutananda accompanies Mahaprabhu and Ambulates Vraja
Mahaprabhu dances uncontrollably keeping Advaitācārya Prabhu in the forefront for the last
time on the Ratha Yatra Day, Śrī Adwaitaprabhu' s puzzle and Mahaprabhu' s disappearance
Līlā between Prabhu Advaitācārya and Prabhu Nityananda
The Disappearance Līlā of Advaitācārya Prabhu .. .
Gems born in the lineage of Prabhu Advaitācārya .. .
Adwaita Family's Gem of Crowning Glory-
Lokenath Brahmachari and Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Goswami ... . ..
The ·place of Adwaita Acharya Prabhu' s Līlā as of now Adwaita Prabhus Place of Spiritual
Austerities in Vrindavan-Adwaitabat • • • • • •
Chart of descendents

Śrī Śrī Prabhu Advaitācārya

ADORATION OF ŚRĪ ŚRĪ PRABHU ADVAITĀCĀRYA
1. I adore Śrīmat Advaitācārya, the one whose efforts are amazing, by whose grace even an
imbecile can determine the truth.
2. Mahavishnu the creator of the world creates the entire universe by his maya, Śrī
Adwaitacarya is his Avatar incarnate.
3. The one who is called Adwaita owing to his inseparability from Śrī Hari and who is called
Acharya (preceptor) for his sermons on devotion - I take refuge under that incarnation of
God – Śrī Advaitācārya.
4. Śrī Bhagwan sells himself to his devotees when called with love and offering even only a
palmful of water and some Tulsi (basil leaf)..
5. God, the graciously affectionate towards devotees, assumed the form of Radha' s love
avatar Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya, and appeared in human form with companions to shower his
grace on the devotees as a result of daily invocations by the devotee avatar Slrree
Adwaitacarya with tulsi spikes and the Ganga water.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND :
The mughal empire had extended from the north India to east India in about the fifteenth
century. Though the mughals were the rulers of Bengal, yet the responsibility of
adminiab·ation was vested with the Hindu Kayasthas. 0ut of fear of the rulers they either
changed their religion or accepted titles like Khan, Mullick given by them and extorted taxes
from the common people by torture and thus pleased the rulers.
The educated circle of the society, like bookworms used to be busy reading and teaching old
manuscripts. The objective of their lives was to enter into arguments over holy law books,
grammer, history, logic, debates and in exhibiting their mastery through victory or defeat.
Most of the people were dependent on lower Tantra based on beastly conduct, occult rites
for causing one's death, persecute someone, black art and worshipping of evil spirit as
ultimate dharma. This had no relation with attaining God.
The number of pure vaishnava devotees was insignificant and they kept themselves concealed
in the society as very humble persons. In this dark social milieu the main centres of learning
were Shantipur, Bhattapalli or Nabadwip etc. In terms of scholarliness Nabadwip was above
all. God in the frame of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu possibly selected Nabadwip and Shantipur
for the cleansing of dharma. Revival of the vaishnava dharma afflicted with inferiority complex
would be possible only by accepting vaishnava dharma after attaining the ultimate boundary
of knowledge and it would also be possible to attract the vedantists monotheists towards the
dharma of love and devotion by taking sannyas (espoused by them). Śrī Chaitanya had done
just this in his. own life.
God sends his companions to the earth prior to His advent. Such a thing also happened in the
Tretayuga and the Dwaparyuga. Soon after five thousand years had elapsed in the Kaliyuga,
before the advent of Bhagwan as Śrī Chaitanya, He sent down Acharya Guru, the giver of
mantra, parent? and beloved companions.
Regarding the advent of Adwaita Prabhu, Ishan Nagar, the great devotee of Prabhu and writer
of ''Adwaita Prakash" had described and written that 'Mahadev Shivashambhu' sung a hymn
in praise of Mahavishnu Harinarayan, the preserver of the world. Mahavishnu, embraced
Shivashambhu and together they asumed one form, the Harihar.
That combined form prayed to the Supreme Lord to establish Vaishnava dharma of equality
based on God's name and love and devotion for the new awakening of the neglected and
oppressed lower caste people. Then there was a divine message- 'Oh Harihar, descend on the
eastern part of India, and prepare the ground in order to erase religious opposition through
the form that you adopt, and by our combined strength."
In those days the king of Laur-pargana of Sunamganj subdivision of Śrīhatta was
Kamsanarayan (Ganesh). His prime minister was Nrisingha Ojha*. Kuber Tarka Pancanana was
his able son who later became the chief pandit and advisor of king Dibya Singha. Kuber Tarka
Panchanan was very sad as his sons became renunciates**. His wife Lava Devi had a dream
one day that the effulgent 'Harihar' manifested in her lotus heart and said -''I am coming to
you." Many gods were singing hymns in His praise. It may be remembered that later an
astrologer also with godly looks made a forecast- ''A divine child will be born to you who will
preach the dharma of truth."

* Nrisingha Ojha was the descendent of the India famous vedantist Bhaskaracharya and
Sayanacharya.
** Contrary view - This is said to be death.

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD (1434 -1559 A.D.)

The divine child was born on Shukla Saptami day (seventh day of the lunar fortnight) that is
also called Makori Saptami in the auspicious month of Magh January-February). This was
about 1434 A.D. The child had complexion like bright copper, and as his eyes were large, rosy
as the petals of the lotus, He was named 'Kamalaksha'* (the lotus eyed). Supernatural qualities
were manifested in him even from his childhood. One day as the boy went to prostrate to his
mother, she did not allow Him to do this. On being asked repeatedly by the boy, the mother
said - ''You are Sadashiva. You are present everywhere. You are Mahavishnu, the preserver of
the earth. Therefore who can be your mother or father? All the holy places are present at your
feet - I have myself seen this. I am old and incapable of going in pilgrimage. Therefore Oh Lord,
give me the water touched by your feet and deliver me." Hearing this that boy spoke out
without hesitation- ''Mother! I promise to bring the water of all the holy places to you''.
There was a narrow stream flowing out of a small hill. fie invoked all the holy places and made
it full to the brim and forceful on the ‘Baruni tithi'**. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in
that stream every year during 'Baruni tithi' -A fair too takes place during this period. This holy
place is also called 'panateertha' as this came into being following the vow ('Pan' ) of the boy
Kamalaksha. The supernatural thing is that with the accompaniment of the very loud sounds
of drums and tomtom the flow of water in the stream increases to an amazing level.
Kamalaksa did not take any food other than the prasad of Kṛṣṇa since his childhood. Even
before he was familiar with alphabets this child was capable of remembering and reciting
contents of large books just by listening. Responding to the eagerness of his parents he made
them have divine darshan. As he himself was the avatar of God he never bowed his head
before gods other than the Supreme Brahman Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as he ,was prevented form doing so
by the gods and godesses themselves. On asking he used to say - ''Worship the Supreme Lord
Śrī Kṛṣṇa with an unflinching mind, hurdles come in the way of unwavering devotion if the
mind is multidirectional."
* In some books Adwaita Prabhu's name during his childhood is mentioned as Kamalakanta.
** 'Baruni tithi' - a bathing festival on the eve of the fourteenth lunar day in the dark
fortnight of Falgoon (Feb.-Mar.).

Kamalaksha was watching the idol of Kali engrossingly one day during Kalipuja. On seeing him
not bowing down to the idol, both the King and his father urged him to bow down. Kamalaksha
then quoted from the scriptures and said - 'The same Brahman pervades in various forms.
Once a pranam is done to Śrī Kṛṣṇa as he is the root of the tree, it reaches all the branches and
leaves that is, to all manifest forms.
Forgetting the real form of his son, the father started rebuking him.
Kamalaksha then begged forgiveness and prostrated to the idol of Goddess Kali. No sooner
had he prostrated then Mahamaya manifested herself in the heart of Kamalaksha, the Harihar
avatar, and the idol broke into pieces. All the viewers were dumbstruck in amazement. As
Kamalaksha' s father was the pandit of the King' s court and the minister, the prince was
Kamalaksha's friend. The prince of the kingdom where tantra was the mainstay of religion
started arguing strongly in favour of tantric rites, sacrifice and worship of the idol of mother
god only. Kamalaksha then gave a loud roar. The prince fainted following this. The king's
physician came and declared him dead. The king and other accused Kamalaksha of murder.
Kamalaksha then made a promise saying that the prince would get back his life if animal
sacrifice was stopped in the kingdom. When the king accepted this, Kamalaksha put ''Kṛṣṇa
charanarnrita'' into the mouth of the prince and he stood tip. Vaishnava sadhana started
flourishing in the kingdom in place of tantric sadhana. Now worship of the mother goddess
too started taking place in a sweet-bhava, discarding animal sacrifice and 'pancamakar'*. As a
result of this Bengal has contributed great ascetics, loving worshippers of mother goddess like
Ramprasad, Kamalakanta and Rama-Kṛṣṇa.
While staying with his parents between his age of 9 and 12, he finished studies of all the
scriptures, laws of grammar meanings within 3 years owing to his sharp intelligence.
* Pancha ma-kar - wine, meat, fish, posture and sexual intercourse collectively, five
essential tantric practices.

PERIOD OF EDUCATION :
As there was no scope of higher education in Śrīhatta district in those days, Kamalaksha
came to Shantipur at the age of 12 and continued his education staying in the house of Guru
Vedantavagish.
His guru and classmates had great respect and love for him because of his handsomeness,
sharp intellect and capacity for retention. He completed his education there just within two
years, that is when he was 14.
On completion of his studies of the six philosophies and four vedas he was decorated with the
title of 'Veda Panchanan.' At the time of departing, his Guru Vedantavagish, while crying in
amazement said -'You must be some god1 give me your darshan whenever I pray for it.'
Hearing this, that 14 year old boy answered without hesitation - "The eight spiritual* powers
will automatically manifest in the one who submits himself at the feet of Kṛṣṇa with a pure
.heart. It is nothing to be surprised about''. The guru, guru's wife, other teachers and all the
classmates were astonished to hear this. They said, ''It is impossibe to have such a strong faith
for an ordinary person. This boy must be comparable to God." They had to bid him farewell
with a heavy heart.
Returning home Kamalaksha started spending His days serving his senile parents and in the
discourse of the scriptures as Mishra** and Vedantacharya. His father died at the age of 90.
His mother too died thereafter. Completing their obsequies he left for pilgrimage.

* The eight spiritual powers : power to assume a minute form, a large form, light in weight, to
be omnipresent, dominating power, Jame to subdue spirits, person or beast, control over gross
desires & power to get desired things at will.
** Revered.

PILGRIMAGE :
He had offered food ('Pindadaan') to his deceased parents at Gaya. After completing the
obsequial duties he made offerings at the lotus feet of Vishnu and proceeded towards Śrī
Kshetra Purushottam Jagannath-dham (Puri). On the way he had a darshan of Gopinath at
Remuna before reaching Puri. As soon as he had a darshan of the love melted idol of Bhagwan
Jagannath, Subhadra and Balaram at Śrīdham, He fainted. It took a whole day for him to come
out of the state of samadhi. He. stayed on at Jagannathdham puri for some days.
Having daily darshan of the idols, dancing in ecstacy, roaring, ''Oh owner of my life'' and
shedding tears of love from his lotus eyes he spent hours and hours and later partook
mahaprasad after bathing in the sea. His bhaktas (devotees) used to be overwhelmed on
seeing his divine dance and tears of joy and they too used to shed tears of love while
dancing with him.
Kamalaksha Mishra set out for touring south India. As the southern states were ruled by the
Hindus, for a safe journey, pilgrims used to travel to Rameshwar from Puri and from there to
Dwaraka, Vindhyachal and Kashi. Then they would return to Bengal.
Accordingly Kamalaksha took a bath in the Godavari river and had a darshan of Vishnukanchi
and Shivakanchi. Later he arrived at Setubandha Rameshwaram after bathing in the Kaveri
river and visiting Papanashan and Madurai. On having a darshan of Rameshwaram Mahadeva
he became overwhelmed and said - ''His tutelary God Rama and He were one and the same."
Having said this he started dancing in rapture with overwhelming love. The devotees present
there became joyous. The whole night was spent reading the Ramayana.
Having travelled to many places from here He reached the ashram of the dualist
Madhvacharya. He stayed there for some time, studied Shandilya Bhaktisutra, Narada
Pancharatra and other Bhaktisutras and availed great joy in the company of devotees. Here
itself he had met with the great sanskrit scholar and excellent devotee Madhavendra Puriji
and the dormant stream of devotion in his heart started overflowing.

ACQUIRING SHELTER UNDER SADGURU :

The principal introducer of 'Premabhakti' (love and devotion) stream among four main
vaishnava communities is Madhwacharya sect. premabhakti was delivered by the Supreme
Lord Narayan to the creator god Brahma, and Brahma passed this rare Premabhakti on to his
son Narada and introduced the vaishnava dharma in the world. The speciality of this sect is
to transmit pure Premabhakti among sages
and ascetics through the most secret power-impregnated' ajapa mantra' (incessant mental
repetation) and through NĀMA saṅkīrtana (loud chanting) among the common people. Soon
after establishment of an ashram by Madhwacharyaji of South India for studying and
interpreting the Bhagavat written by Bhagwan Vyasdeva, and that of Vedanta, Brahmasutra
Shandilya Bhaktisutra, Ananta Samhita etc. This
system found wide acceptance among people. By a divine coincidence the kindest deliverer
of love, preceptor of the travelling ascetics Śrī Madhavendra Puri was present in the ashram
at that time.

Kamalaksha reached the ashram. He used to fall on the ground after being overwhemed with
joy on hearing studies and discourses on Bhakti shastra in the company of saints and ascetics
following his stay in thr ashram for some days. He started hearing the interpretation of Bhakti
shastra on having a darshan of Madhavendra Puriji. The guru and the diseiple recognised one
another. Kamalaksha bathed in the Ganga of bhakti and prema' s joy on getting dīkṣā from
Puriji.
Kamalaksa came to know from Puriji (based on the Bhagavat and Ananta Samhita) that God
would descend on earth in the Kaliyuga for establishing dharma (Prior to His manifestation
as the yellow coloured annihilator, Kalki) as an avatar of love in the form of a sannyasi. Even
then His body would have yellowish white compexion
(like Śrī Radha). He would reform the decaying dharma by showering devotion for Hari. Having
got the scriptural proof of the ensuing arrival of Gourhari which was already manifested in his
heart, he became overwhelmed with love and started dancing and singing with tearful eyes -
''I have found Gourhari, I have found Gourhari.
Liberation of the world is not very far. I will pray heart and soul incessantly for His advent to
the world. I shall see how He can refrain from coming''.
Puri Maharaj" said - ''Kamalaksha, you are an ocean of kindness, it is rare to find such a selfless
stance for the living elements. Complete your pilgrimage to the rest of the holy places and
return home, I shall join you there itself." When he returned home following pilgrimage,
Madhavendra Puri reached Kamalaksha's house at Shantipur. Puriji addressed him as
Advaitācāryaji there itself. This is because he had come to know by his innner vision that
Kamalaksha was a part avatar of Harihar. He named this inseparability: ''Adwaita''. He called
him 'Acharya' as he knew that Adwaita would propagate the tenets of dualism i.e. God and
the devotee by teaching bhakti and topics of pure devotion, in place of the formless,
attributeless, ''I am that" theory prevalent in the Vedanta. Since then· Kamalaksha was known
as Advaitācārya.

STAY AT VRINDAVAN
EXCAVATION OF THE IDOLS OF MADANMOHAN AND MADANGOPALJI
On His guru's order Advaitācārya set out for pilgrimage to the rest of the holy places. He spent
some days happily with the sages, ascetics and hermits in Dandakaranya*. Following this he
arrived at Kurukshetra after visiting Nashik, Dwaraka, Pravas and Pushkar. Then he went to
Badrinathdham via Haridwar. After having a darshan of ' Narayana and Vyasdeva** he rested
for some days in the land of Gandaki Shalagram on the Gomukhi hill, He chanted Harinarayan
mantra there. He returned to the plains on receiving a shalagram chakra. After having a
darshan of Janakidevi's place of birth at Mithila he met with the great poet Vidyapati. He
became overwhelmed with joy on hearing the poet's verse on bhakti and embraced him. He
was overwhelmed with love on seeing Ramajanmabhumi (The birth place of Lord Rama). Later
on returning to outward consciousness he bathed in the Sarju river. He came to Varanasi from
there. After having Darshan of Adi Keshav, Bindumadhav, Visveshwar he interpreted the
scripture of devotion among the Vedantist sannyasis, followers of the formless state of God,
and subsequently after spending some days 0f spiritual discourses with Vijaypuriji*** who
was a Madhwachari and the top exponent of the Bhagavat, he entered Śrī Kṛṣṇa’ s place of
eternal līlā (play) - Mathura. Soon after entering he went into a trance of love roaring ''Ha
Kṛṣṇa''. After controlling his emotional current he sang in praise of Jamunaji (the Jamuna river)
bathed and went out to circumambulate the places of ŚrīKṛṣṇa' s līlā and his idol. Gradually he
reached Vrindavandham. No sooner had he touched the raja' (dust of Vrindavan) than he went
into samadhi, being engrossed in love. On regaining consciousness he started crying and
saying. 'Oh the master of my life'. He rolled on the ground, at times resorted to loud laughter
unrestricted dance and some other time said in a loud roaring voice, 'Kṛṣṇa, ..... Kṛṣṇa'. All the
satwik convulsions like tears, sweat, trembling, stupefication etc. appeared on his body.
* Research scholar have a different view on his route of travel.
** Vyasdev is the knowledge avatar of Vishnu and is eternally present. Therefore many
mahatmas have his darshan.
*** Śrīla Vijaypuri is Adwaitaprabhu's maternal uncle by the connection of his village
Laur. ·
He was resting under a banian tree after circumambulating Giri Govardhan when he
had a darshan of the effulgent form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. On seeing the wonderous form with a flute
on his lips, wearing yellow clothings, a crown of peacock feathers on his head and anklet on
His feet- he started dancing being immersed in joy.
Kṛṣṇa himself told him - ''You are a part of me, your company gives me profuse joy, you are
Gopeshwar, same as Shiva, you have taken human form for the welfare
of the living beings. Liberate the beings by reclaiming the extinct holy places, preaching bhakti
and giving Kṛṣṇa-nāma. My stone idol built by Bajranava and worshipped by Kubja, named
'Madanmohan' is lying beneath the twelve Aditya hillock (near Surajghat) buried under the
huge banian tree. My worshippers had concealed me there in fear of the infidels. They could
not return there ever after. I have been waiting there since many years only for you''.
With the help of the villagers Advaitācārya Prabhu dug out the idol from the ground. He was
stunned with amazement wondering whether he was dreaming in an awakened state. He
arranged for Madan mohanji' s worship after making a hut with tree leaves etc.
Ever since that time that banian tree beneath the Aditya hillock near Surajghat was named
'Adwaita Bat'.
The infidels came to know that idol worship had started below the banian tree. They brought
tools and weapons for breaking the idol. Acharya was ambulating Vrindavan then. The priest
too had gone for bathing. On their return both of them found that the idol had disappeared.
The children present there said, ''Probably the idol has been taken away by the infidels who
had come''.
In an extremely disturbed state of mind they did not eat or.sleep and kept crying while sitting
on the banks of the Jamuna. Madan Mohan then reappeared before them and said - ''Don't
be sad, I am hiding behind the bush of the flower plants behind, taking me out from there
hand me over to Śrī Damodar Chaturvedi of Mathura. He too is my great bhakta. You were
Vishakha sakhi (Radha' s companion) in your previous birth. Reclaim the picture-engraved
(Madangopal) by you on stone tablet that is lying in Nikunjavan, go to Shantipur now itself
and install me there and arrange for daily service. 'Madan mohan' worshipped by Kubja and
'Madangopal' worshipped by Vishakha are my inseparable forms''.
Accordingly, being ordered, Chowbeji (Damodar Chaturvedi) came the next day and went
away to Mathura taking along the idol of Madanmohan with him. With a heavy heart Acharya
appeared at Nikunjavan along with some Vrajavasis (residents of Vraja) close to him, dug at
the right spot and found the stone engraved picture of Madangopal worshipped by Vishakhaji.
Acharya Prabhu secretly came out with this in the darkness of night and returned to his home
at Shantipur. At the cessation of the oppression of the Buddhists and the Yavans (the infidels)
the places of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's līlā (eternal play) were revealed and service to the idols started. The
lifesize replica idols of Śrī Madangopalji and Śrī Radhikaji made on the basis of the engraved
picture drawn by Vishakaji are prevalent in the 'Adwaitabat' temple at Vrindavan even today.
The living couple indulges in child's play with the devotees even today.
Madanmohan returned again to the Aditya hillock of Vrindavan along with Śrīpad Sanatan
Goswami from the house of Choubeji of Mathura. Later He was transferred to the Hindu
Kingdom Karauli of Rajasthan and is still worshipped there with implicit faith and devotion.
DOMESTIC LIFE :
According to his word, the travelling Madhavendrapuri came to Shantipur after some days.
After embracing his disciple he rested there for some days. He became overwhelmed with
love on seeing the picture engraved by Vishakha that turned into direct darshan of
Madangopal.
On regaining external consciousness he told his dear disciple of the easy way of acquiring love
for Kṛṣṇa - ''Oh my son! feelings of the gopies appear in the mind on worshipping Radha Kṛṣṇa
in a pair (Yugal) and one gets the good fortune of becoming a Parikar (companion of His līlā).
Start worshipping RadhaKṛṣṇa together installing the idol of Śrī Radha by the side of
Madangopal. And listen to one more thing attentively - get married with the love for Kṛṣṇa so
that the service of the idols continue through generations and premadharma (religion of love)
continues being preached through the ages to quench the thirst of bhaktas wanting saivation."
Puriji initiated Adwaitaprabhu with a power infused mantra consisting of eighteen letters for
preaching among the people, and set out for Jagannathdham after ordering him to initiate
people. It is necessary to remember in this connection that he himself was a part of Lord
Shankara and lived as a gopi in Dwaparayuga, retained the memory of being Vishakha for
staying as a companion in the Kṛṣṇalīlā. But as taking dīkṣā and direction from the lips of the
guru are the inevitable ruling of holy scriptures, Advaitācārya Prabhu, Mahaprabhu Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Chaitanya, Nityananda Prabhu, Jagatguru Shankaracharya are not beyond the ambit of this
law.
On his guru's order, Acharyadeva started worshipping Madangopalji along with Śrī Radhikaji
and simultaneously prominent pandits, learned men and bhaktas started becoming his
disciples.
Prominent among these disciples were Brahma Haridas (whose foster parents were non-
Hindus), Raja Divya Singha (Kṛṣṇa Das), Pandit Digvijayee (Shyamadas), Chakraborty Tarka
Chudamani (Yadunandan Acharya), Ishan Nagar (wholetime helpmate), and above all Śrī Śrī
Jagannath Mishra and his wife Shachi Devi (parents of Śrī Chaitanyadev). A brief discussion
about these great disciples is to be found in a separate chapter.

MARRIAGE:
At his guru's behest Acharyaji became ready for marriage. A great and powerful woman only
could be a matching bride for the great Acharya Adwaitaprabhu. Adwaitaprabhu was bathing
in the Ganga along with his disciples one day. The supreme 'bhakta Śrības Pandit from
Nabadwip, who was called the avatar of Devarshi Narada, was also present. A boat stopped
at the river bank. A very satwik (pious) Brahmin Nrisingha Bhaduri got down from the boat
along with his two teenaged daughters (marriageable in those times). Just on seeing
Acharyadeva both the girls recognised him to be their God ordained husband.
The names of these daughters were Sitadevi and Śrīdevi.
Omniscient Śrī~as said that these daughters were created by divine power. Sita was the same
Pournamasi who created the celebration of 'Raas'. It is said that she was not born of a womb*,
Śrīdevi was her second form born to the Bhaduri couples.
It may be mentioned here that once a high spirited sannyasi came to the village of Nrisingha
Bhaduri. Crowds of viewers overflowed. Prostrations, gifts and discourses went on.
Nrisinghaji also went there to touch his feet along with his two daughters.
* While bathing in a pond Nrisingha Bhaduri found Sitadevi lying on a large lotus.
The sannyasi stood up startled as soon as the daughters touched his feet. All his special
spiritual powers disappeared. With folded hands he started praying solicitously- ''Oh mothers,
the form of Mahalaxmi, do kindly broaden my path of salvation." Without hesitation the little
girl Sita laughed and said- ''Hey! salvation is the slave of bhakti, salvation is bound to be
attained by the one who has the grace of Bhaktidevi. One attaining the love of God considers
even 'Brahmananda' a trifle. If one has to pray, then it is best to pray for Kṛṣṇa prema bhakti
(love and devotion for Kṛṣṇa)''. Shivering violently the sannyasi relinquished the path of
knowledge of formlessism and became a supreme vaishnava.
One day while listening to the sound of Kīrtana, Sitadevi lost her external senses, ran to cross
over to the other bank of the Ganga and reached the place of kīrtana. She could not even wait
for her father to bring a boat to the ghat. Everybody was benumbed with amazement. After
reaching the other bank when people asked her as
to how she came there, Sita said-'' I do not know how I have arrived at this place." Ever since
her childhood such supernatural incidents happened in Sita' s life.
According to the words of Sreebas Pandit, Advaitācārya Prabhu accepted the proposal for
marriage. His holy marriage with Sitadevi and Śrīdevi was concluded in 1484 A.D. at his own
place. His disciples Kṛṣṇadas, Shyamadas, Jadunandan & Haridas organised the ceremony.
After some days Sitadevi saw Madhavendra Puriji in her dream.
Gurudev said-''It is necessary· to be initiated (and be qualified) for offering bhoga and taking
part in other rituals of service to Śrī Radhagopal. It is not desirable .to prepare bhoga for them
by a body that is not initiated." When Sitadevi prayed for a mantra with great yearning, Puriji
gave her a mantra and disappeared. As she woke up and narrated the whole matter to her
husband, Acharyadev formally gave her the same mantra again. The manifest form of
Goddess Lakshmi Sitadevi then gave the mantra to Śrīdevi. They duly performed services to
and worship of the idols and nicely attended to Acharyadev after entering domestic life.
Till now Prabhu had been living in his own palace accompanied by his disciples and devotees.
His disciple Haridas used to live staying away from him honouring the social customs as he
was brought up by a muslim family. Still, when Acharya kept him within his family even after
entering into family life, the Hindus excommunicated Adwaita Prabhu from the society.
Prabhuji was pleased mentally, saying that this was for the best. This was a good opportunity
to invoke God with body mind and soul in solitude. Haridas was happy to see the nice
arrangement of service to guru and prayed for guru’s permission to continue with intense
nāma sadhan in solitude. He took a 'vrata' (vow) of taking food and water only after
completing three lakh times of chanting nāma.

SHLOKA (VERSE):
Yasya lakshanana proktam pungso varnavivyanjakam
Yadanyannapi drishyate tam tenaiva vinirdiset.
Bhagavat (7/11/35)
(If the qualities of a brahmin is visible in someone else he must be called a brahmin).
Guru said with great emotion- ''I do not accept the castiest difference as in vogue. I accept
him as a brahmin who spends his days nights taking God's name without any other thought.
And the one who inspite of being born a brahmin spends time in mean activities is worse than
a chandal. However, I am permitting you to go only to set an example of nāma japa in the
world." Advaitācārya Prabhu bade him farewell after embracing him with tearful eyes.

INVOCATION TO MAHAPRABHU ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA CHAITANYA

God sells Himself to His Bhaktas when invoiced with an offering of a spike of tulsi (basil) and
a handful of water"
- (Bhagavat)
Holding firm faith in this assurance of God, Acharyadev used to sit by the mother Ganga alone
and invoke God to manifest on earth while continuing his duties of worship and offering of
bhog to Madangopalji, serving the Vaishnavas, carrying out discourses on Bhagavat, teaching
bhaktidharma and conducting celebrations on auspicious days. He offered tulsi leaves to the
Ganga with tearful eyes, roaring the name of Hari. Days months and years kept passing by in
this manner. One day Acharyadev jumped into the river on finding a glowing tulsi spike and
being attracted by the tulsi spike swam to the other bank of the river in Nabadwip to a
different ghat. The moment that tulsi spike. touched a woman who was bathing, Acharyadev
knew that God would descend into the womb of that blessed woman. When that woman was
about ot go home after bathing, Acharya followed her and saw her house which was soon
going to be a Holy place. This pious couple was Śrī Jagannath Mishra and his wife Shachi Devi.

ADVAITĀCĀRYA COMES TO LIVE IN NABADWIP:

Being certain of the place and receptacle of God's descent, Acharyadev, instead of travelling
between Shantipur and Nabadwip across the Ganga, brought along his school and residence
to Nabadwip itself. He used to offer tulsi spike to the Ganga from a different ghat nearby and
as that spike touched that women, Acharyadev used to bow down to her from a distance.
Eight times she became pregnant and each time the pregnancy got aborted thus losing all
the eight female foetuses.

Finding his unfathomed erudiction, knowledge, capacity for discourse on scriptures of bhakti
and the identity of his divine power, Jagannath Mishra came under the shelter of
Adwaitaprabhu. Prabhuji gave dīkṣā to Mishra and Shachi Devi. A tulsi spike given by Prabhu
one day to Shachimata who had received Vishnumantra started glowing on her very touch.
Vishwaroop, a highly devoted son apathetic to worldly interests, was born to Shachi Devi.
Finding his interests in scriptures of bhakti instead of law, Acharyadev admitted him to his
own school. Nimai (Mahaprabhu) was born when Vishwaroop was.10 years of age.
Just on hearing talks of marriage when he was 16, Vishwaroop took sannyas from Śrīranga
Puriji (disciple of Madhavendrapuriji) and went to Pandharpur (Maharastra) the holy place of
the vaishnavas.
Eighteen years later when Mahaprabhu took sannyas, reached Pandharpur in the course of
travelling over India, Śrīrangapuriji said that Vishwaroop was staying near Vittalji in
Pandharpur itself with the sannyas name Shankararanya. The supreme bhakta
Shankararanya* left his mortal frame in Pandharpur itself. His mausoleum exists there still
now. Vishwarup is called the avatar of Balaram. Before leaving his mortal frame he had
transferred that power to Śrī Nityananda Prabhu.
* Often Vishwaroap (Shankarararanya) used to give darshan to Nimai in dream and insist
him to come to Pandharpur taking Sannyas. Nimai disliked this idea owing to his service to
his sad parents since the departure of his elder brother,

ADVENT OF GOD AS CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

It is said that one day Acharyadev told the Mishra couple that one more son would be born to
them who would be the introducer of a new era-a great man. Acharyadev gave Sachimata a
glowing spike of tulsi as a prasad· to eat that had been offered to the Ganga.
One day as Acharyadev prostrated to Shachimata, she cried instantly. She said - ''Why are you
prostrating to your disciple being the Acharya and making me a sinner? I am pregnant for the
tenth time - I may meet with utter ruin again." Acharyadev consoled her saying - ''Mother,
nothing will go wrong this time, you will see that my blessing will not be fruitless. I have learnt
that Prabhuji is coming''.
Being relieved and happy with Acharyadev' s words Shachimata returned home. Acharyadev
also returned to Shantipur satisfied.
After a long wait at the end of 13 months of pregnancy, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born - a
child with a golden body-on the full moon day of the month of Falgun (Feb./March) in the
1486 A.D.
Shankaravatar Advaitācārya's objective of ''reviving and reestablishing the polluted dharma''
and invocation of ŚrīKṛṣṇa to descend on earth was now successful. The elder son of
Shachimata Vishwaroop was then only 10 years old.

INFUSING LIFE INTO THE INERT IDOL

Just as idols are made and taken to temple prior to worship, God was finally born after
staying in His mother's womb for 13 months. But like a yogi in trance, he neither opened his
eyes nor drank milk.
Jagannath Mishra and Sachimata started crying. Getting the indication of God’s advent in
their heart, Adwaita Prabhu and Sitama came running to Nabadwip.
Adwaitaprabhu quickly went inside the delivery room and became immersed in love on seeing
the new born baby. Shachimata laid down her son and fell at her guru’s feet crying loudly.
Soon on regaining the external consciousnes, he bowed down to him with folded hands and
sang a hymn in his praise - "Oh Supreme Lord, leaving my home for years I have been crying
and wandering on roads unknown with an intense desire of liberation for this country
immersed in sins- where shall I find you? I am lying at the door of this house ever since· I came
to know of your advent here. I come and go daily waiting for the time of the advent of my
dearest.
What is this līlā (drama) you have started after arriving on the earth?
What is the reason of lying like a dead body?''
At one time it appeared that the child was smiling; Acharya Prabhu became immersed in love
again. He heard a divine message in his heart - ''Oh Panchanan*, you have forgotten the rules
out of affection. As you did not make my mother hear Harināma prior to giving her mantra,
the full power of the mantra has not penetrated her heart, that is why I am not suckling at her
breast."
* Lord Shiva.

Acharyadev opened his eyes and took the child on to his lap. He slowly walked up to the
neem tree on the courtyard and sat under it.
Shachimata also followed him. All joined together to sing Harināma saṅkīrtana loudly. In the
meanwhile Acharya Prabhu slowly reminded her of the dīkṣā mantra. Soon thereafter as the
child was given to the mother he started drinking milk from the mother's breast. The
courtyard reverberated with joyous roar of 'Hari-nāma' from everywhere. To conceal the
actual fact Advaitācārya made a loud roar and named the child ''NIMAI''* so that the focus of
the Kṛṣṇabhaktas' attention went to nāma saṅkīrtana instead of Acharyadev and common
householders would think that the child got-back his life owing to the quality of air of the
neem tree.
Acharya Prabhu extolled nāmasaṅkīrtana. But still the bhaktas said that this old man was
Baidyanath** or Lord Shiva himself.
This truth did not remain hidden from the supreme Bhagavat Bhaktas. Sitama (avatar of
Purnamasi) came to know in her meditation that this child himself _was Śrī Hari in the avatar
of Radha Premavatar, assuming the form of "internally Kṛṣṇa and externally fair as Radha''.
Śrības Pandit (Naradavatar) also recognised the child as his tutelary God and came to know
this also that the purpose of his birth was to preach the virtue of God's name (nāma). Śrības
also came to know that it was because of the invocation by Mahadev himself in the form of
the supreme bhakta Advaitācārya that He has descended upon the earth and it was by his
priesthood that life has infused into ''the inert idol of God" bringing to completion the
second task.
God conceals his godliness to perform His līlā in the guise of human form at His will by taking
shelter under Yogamaya (Yoga of illusion) and descends on the earth. Acharyadev wished that
Shachidulal' s (i.e. Sachimata' s beloved Nimai Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya) childhood play be enjoyed
by the inhabitants of Nadia also like that of Yashodadulal (ShriKṛṣṇa). That is why his godliness
should not be exposed to people now. Being very fair in complexion and beautiful, people
used to call him Gouranga also. Nilambar Chakraborty, his maternal grand father, named him
Vishwambhar after consulting the almanac. Thus Mahaprabhu had names like Nimai,
Gouranga, Gourhari, Vishwambhar and lastly Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Chaitanya.
* Nimai meant a gift of neem tree.
** Lord of physicians.

MAIN DISCIPLES OF ADWAITAPRABHU

Many disciples resided at the palacial house of Advaitācārya long before he got married.
Only a few glowing stars are mentioned here under.

BRAHMA HARIDAS
The God of creation Brahma wanted to test Lord Kṛṣṇa and caused His anger by hiding the
cows and cowboys. Śrī Kṛṣṇa later pardoned Brahma, being satisfied with his hymns singing
his praise, and had said that he would attain the 'Yavan' (infidel) status in Kaliyuga, and then
would be relieved of the curse after having darshan of Gaurhari (Ref. Bhagavat).
Haridas was born to Manohar Chakraborty in Khulna district (now in Bangladesh), but was
abducted and abandoned by looters and was brought up by a kind hearted muslim family in
his childhood.
At the age of 18, as soon as his inherent bhakti was awakened, he left his home and came to
Adwaita Prabhu at Shantipur.
--
Knowing him to be the partial incarnation of Brahma, Prabhu kept him with himself and
started teaching him scriptures on religion. After obtaining knowledge of literature, grammar
and philosophy, he attained pure bhakti in the course of studying the Bhagavat. He took dīkṣā
from Adwaita Prabhu in Kṛṣṇa Mantra to attain love for Kṛṣṇa, shaved his head; adopted the
'loin' cloth and the dress of an ascetic. He was consecrated with the name "Brahma Haridas'.
To demonstrate the highest excellence of "nāma japa' to the world he lived alone, continued
nāma japa three lakh times daily, partook food once only at the end of the day which he
collected by begging. He followed this vow all his life.
The muslim subadar tortured him a lot branding him irreligious.
He was beaten mercilessly in a market and made senseless. But he did not stop nāma
saṅkīrtana. The hindus had externed him as he was taken to be a muslim, subsequently on
seeing his firmness of devotion to Kṛṣṇa and adherence to the scriptural code, they became
his. bhaktas. Yet before giving him recognition, a rich and beautiful prostitute was sent to his
hut as a test. Failing to allure Haridas after three nights that prostitute (named Lakshaheera)
herself shaved her head, took Kṛṣṇamantra from Haridas and became a renunciate, her name
became Kṛṣṇadasi. On seeing this their faith in Haridas was enhanced. Shastri* Ramdas Pandit
was stunned to see the depth of his knowledge of vedic scriptures. He himself prayed to him
to be his disciple to acquire knowledge of the scriptures on bhakti. Haridas said- 'I belong to
the lower caste, and you being a brahmin, are the embodiment of Lord Viṣṇu; But by then
Panditji' s wisdom eye had opened. Expressing profound humbleness, he took dīkṣā from
Haridas with Kṛṣṇamantra and became a sannyasi. Many more people followed Panditji' s
path and became Haridas' devotee. Finding lack of seclusion Haridas went away· to a different
place.
* Title offered to a great religious scholar.

By virtue of Haridas' company Śrī Raghunathdas Goswami attained devotion for Kṛṣṇa and
obtained the good fortune of becoming one of the six main preacher ''Gosains'' of
Mahaprabhu.
On the other hand, as a punishment for sheltering a disciple of the infidel community in his
house the brahmins had expelled Adwaita Prabhu form the society. This expulsion remained
operational even after Haridas' exit as no penance had been done thereafter. When Haridas
returned to Shantipur after many years, seeing his glowing and power rediating vaishnava
form, innumerable people consisting of lame, blind, sick and grief striken ones as well as
those desirous of salvation came to him and attained peace. The brahmins also came to him
respectfully and took him to their congregation. On noticing Advaitācārya passing on his way
to Ganga, Haridas could not keep himself away and came running and fell at his feet. The
Brahmins were surprised to learn of Haridas' past identity. How great was that guru under
whose discipleship Haridas haq turned out to be such a great Haribhakta mahatma? Thinking
this they became ashamed and removed all the strictures on Acharya after begging his
forgiveness. The brahmins decided to offer Narayana’ s prasad to Acharya first and then to
other brahmins. To enhance the greatness of a vaishnava, Gurudev showed eagerness in
giving the first part of the prasad to disciple Haridas and the brahmins too followed his
instruction. Realising the greatness of Acharya, many brahmins became his disciples.
During Mahaprabhu's stay at Jagannathdham, Haridas also had gone to Puri along with
Acharya and other devotees. Thinking of himself to be lowly and wretched he used to offer
pranam from a distance. On seeing this Mahaprabhu himself came to him and embraced
him. He kept Haridas as one of the members of his close associates when all the bhaktas had
returned back.
Haridas left his mortal frame at an old age while beholding the lotus face of Mahaprabhu.
Mahaprabhu himself carried his dead body on his shoulder and buried it. He begged from
door to door and arranged a celebration. Haridasji' s samadhi (masouleum) still exists in Puri
where both hindus and muslims offer obeisance. He had demonstrated the ultimate truth of
nāmajapa.

ŚRĪ KṚṢṆADAS
His name prior to dīkṣā was Divyasingha. He was the King of Śrīhatta. Kuber, the father of
Advaitācārya was his court pandit. Divyasingha relinquished his kingdom in his old age and
came to Shantipur. He came to be known as Kṛṣṇadas after taking dīkṣā from Advaitācārya.
He became immersed in the love for Kṛṣṇa, shaved his head and wore humble clothing. He
spent the later years of his life in a secluded place doing nāma sadhan. The Adwaita serial
succession of Kṛṣṇabhakti originated from his disciples.

SHYAMDAS
He was a pandit with wide knowledge of the scriptures. He had obtained the title of 'world
conqueror' by defeating prominent pandits in arguments. He had entered into a contest of
debates with Advaitācārya on hearing about his stature and about his title 'Tarkapanchanan'
but was subsequently defeated. Adwaita Prabhu told him-'Being such a highly telented person
you are but wasting time uselessly in debates, take shelter under bhakti and achieve love for
Kṛṣṇa.' This message touched his heart. He took Prabhu to be the direct embodiment of
Mahadev and took his shelter. Being accoplished on taking mantra, he became known as
Shyamadas. He became one of the most loyal disciples after achieving devotion of Kṛṣṇa. His
disciples in the order of succession constitute one of the branches of Adwaita.

JADUNANDAN ACHARYA
He was a brahmin with the surname Chakraborty. He was an argumentative pandit having
earned the title ‘Tarka-churamoni'. Being defeated by Brahma Haridas he came to seek shelter
under his guru Advaitācārya on his advice and was decorated with the name Jadunandan after
taking dīkṣā from him. he was compared to the Gandharvas for his songs of bhakti. He was
later sworn to the position of Acharya and became the foremost among the principal branches
of Adwaita Prabhu.

ISHAN NAGAR (BIRTH 1492 A.D.)

A resident of Adwaita Prabhu' s place of birth Laur, Ishan Nagar had lost his father, and came
to Shantipur along with his mother.
They were sheltered by Adwaita Prabhu and continued to stay at his residence. He stayed as
a wholetime personal servant of Adwaita Prabhu till his death, had his sacred thread
ceremony, education, initiation etc. there. He was the witness to the daily incidents of
Adwaita· Prabhu. So the biography Adwaita Prakash'' written by him on orders of Sitadevi is
considerted to be one of the reliable books written on Adwaita Prabhu' s life.
Ishan Nagar preached bhakti in Śrīhatta as Adwaita's branch.
The Supreme bhakta Ishan had the good fortune of serving Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu
more than once.

LOKNATH GOSWAMI
He was the son of Padmanav Chakraborty,. a disciple of Adwaita Prabhu. He had come to learn
the · Bhagavat from Advaitācārya Prabhu. Later love and devotion started flourshing in
Loknath on getting dīkṣā in Kṛṣṇamantra from Adwaita Prabhu. When Adwaita Prabhu sent
him to Mahaprabhu in this state, Mahaprabhu accepted him. and sent him to Vrindavan.
Loknath Goswami was in the forefront of reclaiming the extinct holy places of Vrindavan.
Following him, this work was completed by Sanatan, Roop. and other Acharyas later.
36 branches and subbranches of Adwaita Prabhu are spread in different directions. These
are quenching the religious thirst of people all over the world through the medium of nāma
saṅkīrtana and the dharma of Kṛṣṇa prema irrespective of caste or religion.

SERIAL SUCCESSION OF ADWAITA PRABHU'S FAMILY

Adwaita Prabhu had the good fortune of having an offspring many years after he married
the twelve years old pair of brides at the behest of his most venerated guru
Madhavendrapuriji.

ACHYUTANANDA GOSWAMI
The eldest son of Adwaita Prabhu was born in 1492 A.D. on the Baishakhi Purnima (full moon
day in the month of Baishakh i.e. April - May), six months after the birth of Mahaprabhu. He
was apathetic to worldly affairs and a devotee of Kṛṣṇa right from the time of his birth. He was
a Vrajagopi in his earlier birth. When the five years old boy heard that Gouranga had taken
dīkṣā from Iswhar Puriji he shouted loudly, - ''Who has become a guru of God himself''.
Advaitācārya, Haridas, Śrības Pandit and others were wonderstruck to hear this. Once Sitama
had kept some milk for offering bhog to Gouranga. Achyutananda came quietly and took the
milk after mentally offering it to Gouranga. On knowing this Sitama slapped Achyutananda on
his cheek. On the other side the impression of five fingers appeared on Mahaprabhu' s cheek.
Everybody was amazed to see that the devotee and devotion are inseparable from God. As
Achyutananda decided not to marry inspite of being the eldest son, Adwaita Prabhu sent him
to Mahaprabhu to be his wholetime companion.
Achyutananda alone was Mahaprabhu's sole companion when he had gone to Vrindavan. On
seeing Mahaprabhu as the divine pair of RadhaKṛṣṇa, when he came out of Radhakunda ·after
bathing, he embraced him and both remained thus immersed in love for a long time. Thus
Achyutananda was made an instrument. Mahaprabhu had read out his own commentry of the
bhagvat to Achyutananda at Puri. Hearing it Achyutananda said that Śrīdhar Swami’s
commentary appeared dull before it. Mahaprabhu immediately destroyed his own on hearing
this.
A naked sannyasi protested strongly on hearing the sound of 'Jai ŚrīKṛṣṇa Chaitanya' after his
bath in the Monikarnika ghat of Kashi and entered into a sharp verbal duel with Achyutananda
on Brahman, the world, formless, formed, attributeless, with attribute etc. However, he
became wonder struck when he heard about the greatness of bhakti from him. Subsequently
with the grace of the goddess of bhakti his dry heart melted. With tearful eyes he then came
to take shelter under Mahaprabhu, and as the power was infused into him by his embrace, he
started dancing with his hands raised. Many other sannyasis of Kashi also became
Mahaprabhu' s followers along with him. This news reached the most powerful sannyasi
Prakashananda Acharya also. Starting with rebuking Mahaprabhu, then welcoming-and later
being defeated by him in debates took Mahaprabhu' s shelter and went to Vrindavan. He
wrote the hymn "Śrī Chaitanya Chandramrita' there and lived a life of a penniless vaishnava
till his lastday. His samadhi still exists in Vrindavan where he is known as Prabodhananda.

KṚṢṆADAS MISHRA
The second son of Adwaita Prabhu, Kṛṣṇadas was born in 1496 A.D. on the thirteenth day of
dark moon fortnight. As the younger sister Śrī Devi was childless, the child was adopted by her
from her elder sister Sitadevi. The worship and service of Radha madangopal had been
continuing through the serial succession of Kṛṣṇadas and is still in practice till today.
When Kṛṣṇadas was only five years old a student entered into an argument with Gouranga in
the school that atoms are eternal. Prabhu said, ''Inanimate things cannot be eternal."
Suddenly Kṛṣṇadas blurted out, ''Oh dear friend! Attain eyes of Bhakti first, you will then
understand that God alone is eternal, who is sitting before you in form''. The father
Advaitācārya gave a roar and started dancing picking up his son in his arms. There itself the
child was named Kṛṣṇamishra. Misra means a great scholar. One day Kṛṣṇamishra ate up the
banana kept for Kṛṣṇa's bhoga after offering it to Śrī Gouranga. His mother ran after him with
a stick in hand. It was done this time with no intention to beat him but to threaten him. On
being asked by his father the son said, ''I have taken prasad after saying - 'Om Gourangaya
namoha'. Mother also offers first and then gives prasad, what is my mistake then?'' The father
said -''While offering to Kṛṣṇa you should say 'Kṛṣṇaya' instead of Gouranga". The son replied
- ''The name of Kṛṣṇa is present within Gouranga itself. So is the name of Radha.'' The body
hairs of Advaitācārya Prabhu stood erect on hearing this serious and secret truth from the lips
of the little boy. Both the parents kissed the boy's head and became overwhelmed with joy.
When Mahaprabhu was invited for meals, he said, ''Someone has fed me with a stomachful of
bananas while I was asleep." He then belched out and said, ''Just feel if this has the beautiful
smell of banana!'' The eyes of Acharyadev, Sitama, Śrīdevima, Ishan and others became filled
with tears. All became overwhelmed with love on learning that their son had eternal
connection with Mahaprabhu.
As Achyutananda did not marry, Kṛṣṇadas was married to Bijoyadevi. Adwaita Prabhu gave
both of them the accomplished mantra and gave them the right to serve Madangopal's idols
so that the service, worship and bhaktidharma could continue through the serial succession
of the family.

GOPALDAS GOSWAMI
The third son of Adwaita Prabhu and Sitama was born in the month of. Kartik (October-
November) on the twelftri day of the lunar fortnight in 1500 A.D. He is called Ganeshavatar.
Ever since his childhood he used to stop drinking milk on hearing kīrtana. Tears of joy emerged
from his eyes and he kept laughing. He would start crying and start drinking milk as soon as
the samkīrtana stopped. Gopal was Mahaprabhu' s great Bhakta since his childhood and was
a follower of his brother Kṛṣṇa Mishra. On the day of 'annaprasan' (tasting rice for the first
time) ceremony he had held Mahaprabhu' s feet leaving aside all other objects kept before
him.
Gopal went to Puri once along with his parents. While dancing uncontrollably during
'Rathayatra' (Chariot Festival) he fainted. He did not return to external senses even after
Adwaita Prabhu uttered Nrisingha mantra into his ear. Giving up hope of his life everybody
started crying after a few hours. On reporting this to Mahaprabhu, he himself came down,
touched Gopal's chest and said, 'Get up' and Gopal came back to normal senses.

BALARAMDAS GOSWAMI
He was the most dependable son of Adwaita prabhu, He was born in the month of Jaistha
(May-June) in the year 1504 A.D. The grace of Goddess Lakshmi was plentifuI on him. In spite
of being wealthy he never desisted from religious activities. Initially he was knowledgeable
and had scholastic abilities and argumentative in nature. Later he became deeply devoted
Vaishnava on taking the shelter of bhakti. Knowledge to start with and later bhakti-this is the
serial succession of this family. Adwaita Prabhu had handed over his favourite book the
Bhagavat to him. That book has been read through the successive generations of his family.
Shantipur submerged gradually in the Ganga along with its adjacent villages in 1550 A.D. As
the decendants of Adwaita Prabhu and the priests of Adwaitapat had scattered in different
directions, they were deprived of Shyamsundar's service. Devakinandan, the grandson of
Prabhupada Balaram Gosain built his residence in an uninhabited remote location after
cleaning the jungle of custard apple trees ('ataban'). His descendants started living there. That
is why the descendants of Devakinandan are known as Shantipur Atabania Gosain even today.
Devakinandan constructed a beautiful temple and installed new idols of Radha Shyamsundar
and he had the ceremonial bathing of the idols done by the hands of his great grand father
Advaitācārya Prabhu. By the blessing of Mahaprabhu Adwaita Prabhu was free from decay
and ,disease, and old age could not touch him even at the age of 125. He had the boon of
relinquishing his mortal body by self will. Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Goswami Prabhu was born
to the most devout Anandakishore who was the ninth descendant of Balaram Goswami's serial
succession of Adwaita Prabhu's family. Shyamsundar used to play with Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa here itself,
drank milk from his hand, demanded ornaments to be given to him and played many more
games! These have been described later. When the original Shantipur (Babla) resurfaced
after 100 years, Adwaitapat was established there at the original place of residence.
The descendents of Balaram Goswami are the present priest and beneficiaries.

SWARUP GOSWAMI AND JAGADISH GOSWAMI

Sitama gave birth to twins in the month of Jaishtha (May-June) of 1508 A.D. These brothers
were inseparable in feelings. Being proficient in philosophy and economics and good orators,
they were infinate favourites of the royal family of Kṛṣṇanagar.
Adwaita Prabhu had handed over the responsibility of Radha Madangopal' s service and
worship to his second son the devout Kṛṣṇa Mishra. Swarup and Jagadish Goswami who were
accustomed to the daily service, had installed Radha Shyamsundar. Adwaita Prabhu himself
conducted the bathing ceremony and the rites of investing the idols with life. Both the
brothers started the service and worship with sincerity. Shyamsundar, installed by them is still
being worshipped by their descendants.

VISHWAMBHAR'S (GOURANGA) EDUCATION

FINAL TEST BY ADWAITA PRABHU
Being born with the capacity of remembering whatever he heard. Vishwambhar finished the
course of grammar by the time he was 8 years of age. After getting the sacred thread and
receiving Vishnumantra from his father he studied literature Smriti (the holy law book) and
astrology under Vishnumishra. Then he went to Sudarshan Pandit. There within two years he
completed the six philosophies and then he went to Vasudev Sarvabhouma. Having finished
the subject of logic within two years there Gouranga went to Advaitācārya along with his dear
friend Gadadhar with the wish to obtain further education. On seeing Gouranga (Kṛṣṇa) and
Gadadhar (Kṛṣṇa's innate power) together Acharyadev started laughing like a child in an
ecstatic state. Each one of them came to know the real self of the other within one's heart.
His laughter was reflective of seeing themselves in the role of Guru and disciple in this play in
human bodies. Acharyadev accepted them as disciples on seeing their eagerness to learn the
Vedas, treatise of bhakti and the Bhagavat.
According to the Gurukul system both of them started their studies while staying in Acharya'
s house. Sitama looked after them with great care. The talented Gouranga finished his studies
soon. For the final test Acharya asked his own disciple Loknath* to take lessons from
Gouranga. Finding Gouranga to be very efficient in teaching he was awarded the title of
Vidyasagar and asked to teach. At 16 years of age Vishwambhar (Gouranga) started running a
school, taking the name Nimai Pandit. He became famous as a teacher of great wisdom in
Nabadwip. Acharyadev kept sending his own pupils also to him. He had also sent his eldest
son Achyutananda to Nimai' s school.
Students from far off places kept enrolling themselves in Nimai Pandit' s School.
Consequently Lakshmi (wealth) too followed along with Saraswati (learning).
* Had taken sannyas along with Mahaprabhu.

ADWAITA PRABHU'S DOUBT AND RESOLUTION

Nimai Pandit kept defeating easily all those renowned Pandits, whoever were versed in
argumentation. World conquering Keshab Kashmiri who had come to Nabadwip after
defeating the most renowned Pandits of North India including Kashi and those of western
and eastern India, also was one of them. He was surprised on being defeated miserably by
the teenager teacher Gouranga. He had a darshan of Devi Saraswati at night and being
ordered by her, went to Gouranga at daybreak and fell at his feet. We do not know what was
the teenager. Gouranga's message to him, but the world conquering Keshav Kashmiri then
and there gave away all his property and wealth, servants, elephants, horses, and took
sannyas on the the bank of Ganga
and went away to a secluded destination. People concluded that the world conqueror had
done this out of pain on being defeated in a duel of arguments.
Śrības Pandit, the supreme vaishnava was Gouranga' s father's friend. Once the 19 year old
Gouranga met the 65 year old Śrības on the street. He did not greet him with the respect
due to an elderly person. Śrības said - 'Fickle Gour, you have forgotten even common
courtesy'. Gouranga said - ''I am that, I am that one who is God. Who will then bow down to
whom?'' Śrības unhappily went away.
A true vaishnava Śrīdhar was a poor trader of banana leaves. Gouranga used to snatch away
his leaves without paying. He used to say, ''What is your need for money as you have got the
ultimate wealth?'' Seeing Śrīdhar worship the Ganga he said, ''I am the father of the one
whom you are worshipping." Blocking his cwn ears with his hands Śrīdhar used to run away.
To this, Gouranga said, ''You will see I will become a great vaishnava one day after defeating
the pandits. But I shall not be a cowardly vaishnava like you. Where will you run and hide?
You will run around looking for me wherever I may be that day."
On one hand he defeated renowned pandits on topics of knowledge and on the other hand
he behaved like a child. Inspite of being the most learned teacher the youthful pandit
Gouranga could not shed his flippancy. He worried his mother during his childhood. His
naughtyness increased further in his boyhood. His daily activities
consisted of eating up bhog offered by the quiet natured vaishnavas before the completion
of the puja, urinating on Murari Gupta’s dish during his meals, sitting down on the garbage
dump when chased, spending the whole day with children without bathing and without
studying etc. When he was a teenager, he used to tease the teenager girls who worshipped
Lord Shiva praying for a handsome husband,
saying -''I am Lord Shiva, worship me, give me the offerings to eat else you will land up
getting an old husband. Just see whether this brahmin' s word come to be true." Being
scared and on being overwhelmed seeing the tall and broad figure of Gouranga, his golden
complexion and his extraordinary beautiful face, the girls did as told and cried on returning
home that their vrata (vow) had been broken.
He used to take a dip on seeing people taking a bath and pttlled them under water by their
legs. When they screamed “crocodile crocodile” he would emerge from the water and keep
laughing. Shachimata begged their forgiveness with folded hands. Having become a teacher
at the age of 16 itself he kept defeating prominent pandits in arguments in their respective
subjects. Even elderly pandits had no escape from
such humiliation. People used to forgive all such disturbances only because he was endowed
with a great spiritual wealth and knowledge.
And who would not be charmed on seeing his divine appearance! But he was quiet and
serious during the time he used to teach. The students used to forget hunger and thrist on
hearing his interpretations.
However the inhabitants of Nabadwip and his neighbours used to look upon him with
affection inspite of their irritation caused by lus naughty ways.
Adwaita Prabhu had recurring doubts whether Nimai was truly the avatar of Shri Kṛṣṇa's love
or some very powerful boy. When Brahma and Indra could make a mistake about Lord
ŚrīKṛṣṇa He was but in human form! What if he was the Avatar of Sadashiva!
Adwaita Prabhu left Nabadwip so that his wisdom eye did not get blurred by Gouranga's
daily flippancy. 'If Gouranga was truly the avatar of God then he would not keep me at a
distance, he would certainly call me, else he himself would come to me', he thought.
Once, being dissatisfied with the normally circulated interpretation of a verse of the Gita, he
observed a fast and lay down quietly. He heard a divine voice while thinking, as if somebody
came to him and said, '' Acharya, what are you thinking and not eating? The real meaning of
the verse is ... " Just as he thought as to whose voice it was he found Gouranga' s effulgent
divine appearance standing before him and smiling - ''Get up, take your food, it is because of
your spiritual austerities that I have come down to earth. Soon I shall drown the whole country
in nāma saṅkīrtana and dharma of love by enacting this myself." He then got absorbed in the
body of Shyamsundar.
In order to take a direct test of Gouranga one day he invited him for meals through Sitamata.
Acharya was teaching students when Gouranga arrived. He kept on teaching his students in a
way that was audible to Gouranga, the lines where it was said - ''Knowledge is superior to
bhakti,. bhakti is the recipe for the weak hearted. Knowledge is the best thing for the
intelligent ones''. The young Gouranga became angry on hearing this and said while b·embling
_'' Acharya, why did you invoke me for establishing love and devotion if this was in your mind?
I will destroy you today itself." Being engrossed by Nrisinghadev Mahaprabhu Gouranga lifted
Acharyadev' s heavy body with both hands, dashed him to the ground violently and advanced
to kill him. The students stayed away out of fear. Being successful in his testing, Acharyadev
became overwhelmed with love and went into samadhi. The omniscient Sitadevi started
crying. Mahaprabhu's engrossment of Nrisingha broke. Hearing about the purpose of this
drama of Adwaita Prabhu from Sitama he laughed. Returning to his
external senses after a wl1ile Adwaita Prabhu became immersed in joy. Subsequently taking
the· food prepared by Sitama Gouranga returned to Nabadwip.
Adwaita Prabhu' s doubts were dispelled from these two incidents and he became sure that
the flippant Gouranga alone is God, Avatar of love, none else. His purpose was now going to
be fulfilled. His heart danced with happiness. Later Mahaprabhu's heart became flooded
with devotion and love for Krish.na when he took dīkṣā from Śrī Śrī Ishwar Puriji. During such
a state God manifested in him and he sent for Adwaita Prabhu from Shantipur before
anyone else. This is described later.

GOURANGA MEETS ISHWARPURIJI THROUGH ADVAITĀCĀRYA PRABHU

Ishwarpuriji was the disciple of the devout vaishnava Acharya Madhavendra Puriji of the
Śrīmad Madhwacharya sect. Once he came to Nabadwip and being a brother disciple took
rest in Adwaita Prabhu' s house. With great happiness one embraced the other and shed
tears of joy. Having spent three days in discussing about their
tutelary God, Adwaita Prabhu took Ishwarpuriji to Gouranga' s house for introduction.
Ishwar Puriji was charmed by the beauty of Gouranga' s physical features and godly signs. He
became engrossed in love. When Gouranga bowed down to him he said while blessing -
"May your wish be fulfilled." Nimai's father Jagannath Mishra said that once Puriji' s guru
had come to N abadwip along with his brother disciple. Both of them had taken their food in
the house of Mishraji.
Ishwarpuriji gladly took Vishnu's prasad in Nimai' s house. He then set out for pilgrimage.
Later Ishwar Puriji became Gouranga' s guru, though dīkṣā was not given during the very first
meeting. Some pending work was to be completed for a brief span of time like teaching,
writing scriptures, debating with renowned pandits, spend a married life and perform duties
of domestic life like earning money. Had he been initiated at
that time he would have attained detachment faster and left his home, leaving his work in
Nabadwip incomplete.
Gouranga was married to Lakshmidevi, the daughter of a famous pandit of Nabadwip named
Ballavacharyaji. Having got an internal inspiration during his happy married life itself, he
went to East Bengal along with some of his devotees and disciples for a few months and
started teaching in a school founded by him there itself. His commentary on grammer was
cordially accepted by people. His father had died a few years ago. On his return to Nabadwip
he came to know that Lakshmidevi too had died of snakebite. He became very sad. Slowly
four years passed by. Teacher Gouranga became immersed in imparting lessons to students,
writing commentry on logic and law, defeating renowned and established pandits in
debates. His mind was not attached to samsar. On the other hand his mother had quietly
settled his second marriage with the very beautiful daughter of the court pandit Sanatan
Mishra, name Vishnupriya. Gouranga declined this proposal as soon as he heard of it. But
later, considering the condition of His grief striken mother, and on learning of Sanatan
Mishra' s vow that Vishnupriya would not be married to anyone else and feeling the possible
pain that Sanatan Mishara would have to bear in case this marriage did
not materialise, he married the girl when he was twenty.
Shachimata spent two years in great joy. Gouranga then went to Gayadham and as he saw
the print of Vishnu's lotus feet, tears of love started flowing from his eyes.
There he met the great devout Ishwar Puriji again. With great yearning Gouranga prayed for
dīkṣā from him. Puriji said on hearing his prayer - ''I have come to know of your real form,
who is whose guru?'' Still he gave him dīkṣā on seeing Gouranga' s extreme eagerness. Soon
after getting dīkṣā Gouranga' s state of mind started to change. Ceaseless flow of tears and
profuse flow of Harināma started. His companions somehow counselled and brought him
back to Nabadwip. But this was a completely different Gouranga. Instead of flippancy deep
silence, a bhava of being molten in love instead of fighting arguments, relentless repetition
of nāma, sitting quietly, dancing uncontrollably on hearing kīrtana in place worrying~
Vaishnavas, advising students to adopt Kṛṣṇa nāma instead of teaching, these were the
changes
that were noticed in him. Achyutananda who was Advaitācārya' s son and Gouranga's student
started dancing with divine intoxication on being advised to take Kṛṣṇa nāma. Śrības,
Gadadhar, Murari, Mukund and others stayed drowned in the joy of nāma.
Now Mahabhava of Kṛṣṇa's love started manifesting in Gouranga Mahaprabhu on hearing
nāma saṅkīrtana. His eyes filled with tears just on hearing Kṛṣṇa nāma and at times he fell on
the ground unconscious. Description in Śrīmad Bhagavat manifested clearly in Mahaprabhu -
Swapriya nāma Keertya jatanurago drutachitta uchchai
Hasahjatha rodati rauti gayaty unmadavan nritjati loka bahyah.
[Bhagavat 12/2/40)
When emotional ecstacy generated by extreme attraction to devotion exceeds the bearing
capacity of the body and mind, then various satwik distortions are seen externally, like tears,
horripilation, broken voice, shivers, dancing (sweet or uncontrolled) roaring laughter,
different formations of the body, infiltration of various Gods, roaring stupefication and
samadhi.
GREAT MANIFESTATION
At times God used to manifest in Mahaprabhu. He himself used to sit on the seat of Narayan
in the house of Śrības, (a worshipper of Nrisinghadev) and divine glow used to emit from his
body. Once this had continued for 21 hours. Śrības Pandit sent his son for Adwaita Prabhu.
He had been waiting patiently for that particular day. As soon as Adwaita Prabhu arrived,
Mahaprabhu said in a state of trance - ''Acharya, you made me arrive by dint of your
extreme austere worship and now you yourself are staying at a distance from me. This hurts
me much."
Adwaita Prabhu saw Gouranga sitting on the cot well adorned with flowers. Divine glow was
emitting from his body. He then saw his body change to one with a blue complexion,
wearing yellow loincloth, crowned with peacock feathers with a flute in hand like
Shyamsundar. Seeing his own tutelary God Adwaita Prabhu fainted and fell to the ground.
The Devotees became worried when he did not return to his external senses even after a
long time. When they entreated Mahaprabhu, he said-'Possibly ŚrīKṛṣṇa is giving him
darshan, he will come back to his external senses soon .' Acharyadev slowly opened his eyes
as Gouranga Prabhu finished saying this and he saw Mahaprabhu smiling. Mahaprabhu said -
''Pray for a boon.''
Acharya Prabhu prayed beseechingly - ''Prabhu! Let there be no difference of high and low,
deserving or undeserving in having your grace this time'' - saying this he offered flowers at
his feet and bowed down to him. All the bhaktas screamed and said - ''Being an Acharya
what is this you are doing?'' Acharya said - " I have positively worshipped ŚrīKṛṣṇa!''
Mahaprabhu also became free from his spiritual ecstacy and on seeing Adwaita Prabhu
bowing down to him said - "Dear Acharya, why are you making me an offender by bowing
down to me?'' Saying this he himself stood up and bowed down to Acharya offering flowers.
Acharya said within himself - ''How many dramas will you enact, oh Gour!''
Now taking thousands of bhaktas along Mahaprabhu, Adwaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu,
Śrības Pandit and Haridas immersed the entire Goud (Bengal) including Nabadvip in the
nectar of nāma.
Inhabitants of Shantipur also kept diving into the ocean of bhakti by the grace of Adwaita
Prabhu.

MAHAPRABHU TAKES SANNYAS - RESTS IN ADWAITAPRABHU'S HOUSE

After only four years of his marriage with Vishnupriya, one day Gouranga left home quietly
and went to Katwa. He took sannyas dīkṣā there from Sreemat Keshav Bharatiji-a sannyasi
disciple of Śrīmat Madhavendra Puriji. His name after sannyas became Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya
Bharati. On learning about his taking sannyas
Adwaita Prabhu said - ''This is yet another līlā (drama) out of his innumerable līlās for liberating
all beings. Where lies the relation between love based on duality and non-duality based
sannyas? I have understood that it is a deceptive trick of preaching to the dry nondualist
sannyasis the doctrine of sweet and loving relationship between bhakta (devotee) and
Bhagwan (manifest god). The task would be easier if he himself entered into the creed of
sannayasis, else what is the connection with sannyas for the one who is a teacher of love?
Being on fast for four days at a stretch Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya kept roaming about here and there
with the emotions of Vraja. On hearing about it Adwaita Prabhu at once went to the other
bank 0n a boat and met. with Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu said on seeing Adwaita Prabhu - "'Oh
Acharya, you too have come to Vrindavan." Adwaita Prabhu said ''Vrindavan is where you
stay." Mahaprabhu then noticed that it was not the bank of the Yamuna, it was the bank of
the Ganga and the colour of the water was yellow, not blue. Adwaita Prabhu then persuaded
him to accept that staying in the house of the Acharya after sannyas does not affect
sannyasdharma. Mahaprabhu laughed and came to Acharya's house at Shantipur. Nityananda
Prabhu and many other bhaktas accompanied him. Acharya Prabhu's house became the very
centre of great saṅkīrtana, giving bhoga, doing worship, serving the vaishnavas and having
prasad!
Shachimata also came running from Nabadwip and started crying on seeing the shaven head
and saffron cloth of her son. She cooked various items with patience and fed her son and his
bhaktas. Sitama and Malinidevi (wife of Śrības) too enjoyed the feeling of motherly love.
When Adwaita Prabhu expressed his wish of having his food at the very last, as he was the
head of the family, Mahaprabhu said - ''The Yajna of eating cannot take place without
Shiva'', and forced him to have food together.
Numbers of bhaktas went on increasing day by day. Ten days passed like this. Then
Mahaprabhu decided to leave Shantipur.
Adwaita Prabhu along with the Bhaktas tried to resist his departure.
He promised to build a separate hut within his land and property on the bank of Ganga. But
Mahaprabhu said firmly - ''Staying in the house of a family man for a longer period is against
sannyas dharma."
He then stood up. Adwaita Prabhu tried hard to stop his going, but he was unwilling by any
means. At last Adwaita Prabhu cursed him and said - ''You are making everybody cry, after
staying for only ten days on the ground of sannyas dharma, but see, you will have to return to
my family in the tenth generation again. And you will then have to stay with everybody."
Mahaprabhu smiled and said -''I am overwhelmed by your love, if I have to come, I will ensure
yours and Nityananda's presence as well in that body. And not once, I shall come twice to your
family."
Shachimata wept and said - ''I do not want to spoil your sannyas dharma. No one knows where
has my elder son gone after taking sannyas. You at least stay at such a place that the
inhabitants of Nabadwip can meet you once a year during the 'ratha yatra' and news about
you can give some relief to your old mother and grief striken
Vishnupriya.''
Adwaita Prabhu said - ''Purushottam-dham (Jagannath Puri) is not very far, even I can go
there - you stay there and give up your wish to go to Vrindavan obeying your mother's
order."
Mahaprabhu proceeded towards Purushottam-dham on his mothers order leaving all the
bhaktas weeping. Accompanying him were Prabhu Nityananda, Mukunda, Damodar Pandit,
Jagannath and other bhaktas. Limitless is the Jagannathlīlā of Śrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Partial description of this is available in Chaitanya
Bhagavat, Chaitanya Charitamrita, the daily diary of Swarup Damodar etc. Rest is hidden
under the fathomless depth of the ocean.

MAHAPRABHU AND ADWAITAPRABHU MEET AT PURIDHAM

Mahaprabhu spent 2 years touring South India, after staying at Puri for some time. Many
bhaktas attained his grace during this period, notable among them are, the court pandit-
Basudev Sarvabhouma, the ruler of Vijayanagar and a great devotee Ramananda Rai, the
King of Utkal - Maharaja Prataprudra including the writer of Jagannath's message Shikhi
Maity also.
Immediately on receiving the news of Mahaprabhu' s return from South India, Adwaita Prabhu
came to Puridham along with many bhaktas. The pain of travelling through inaccessible roads
turned into great joy. Keeping Adwaita Prabhu at the centre while remaining on his two sides
Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu started singing kīrtana along with his devotees. Then
they went to Narendra Sarovar (lake) to bathe together.* As he stepped down into the
Narendra Sarovar along with Acharya, Mahaprabhu acquired the personality of
''Sheshashayee God''. Making Adaita Prabhu float on his back in the water, he sat on his chest.
The 78 year old Adwaita Prabhu also kept swimming in the water immersed in the bhava of
'Sheshnaag'. While holding the 26 year old Gourhari" on his chest. Seeing the incredible
incident, great bhava was infused into the bhaktas and they started dancing while loudly
chanting 'Hari Hari''.
When the tempo calmed down everybody went together to have prasad at Adwaita
Prabhu's place of rest. Adwaita Prabhu worshipped Mahaprabhu with flowers and tulsi
reading out the hymn "Gourhari'' written by him. Mahaprabhu also took the rest of the
flowers and tulsi and worshipped Adwaita Prabhu saying, ''I bow down to you
whosoever you are'' and made the sound ''born born'' (as is done while worshipping Lord
Shiva).
* It is to be mentioned here that on the bank of this Narendra Sarovar itself Mahaprabhu
used to spend time dancing in the company of saṅkīrtana along with the bhaktas till the
midday, followed by bath, reading the Bhagavat, giving sermons and conversations and
then partaking of mahaprasad and rest. Jagannathdev' s boat ride used to take place on
this Narendra Sarovar. The samadhi mandir of Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoy Kṛṣṇa Goswami exists on
the bank of this sarovar that is famous as "Jatiababa's Math". A large bakul tree of
Mahaprabhu's time exists there still now.

MAHAPRABHU RESTS FOR FOUR MONTHS IN ADWAITA PRABHU'S HOUSE AT SHANTIPUR

Having thus spent some days at Puri in joyful celebration, Mahaprabhu sent back his bhaktas
to their homes and expressed the desire to go to Vrindavan. Adwaita Prabhu prevented him
from going stating the inaccessibility of the roads during the rainy season and advised him to
spend the four months of the rainy season in his home at Shantipur and then go to
Vrindavan on good roads.
Mahaprabhu too accepted this suggestion as justified. Learning of her son's arrival at
Shantipur Shachimata came there immediately. Adwaita Prabhu' s house turned into a place
of celebration. Days passed through acts of 'giving and feeding', large scale samkirtan,
congregation of large number of bhaktas, laughter, humour and joy of love. The three sons
of Adwaita Prabhu -Achyutananda, Kṛṣṇamishra and Gopal never went anywhere leaving
Mahaprabhu.
Mahaprabhu also loved them very much. Achyutananda, who was a renunciate, sought
permission to accompany Mahaprbhu to Vrindavan, and the father Advaitācārya too gladly
granted it immediately.
Soon after the cessation of rainy season Mahaprabhu proceeded towards Vrindavan. Being
attracted by Mahaprabhu, the two ministers of the King of Goud, Hussain Shah, who were
brothers, named Shakar Mullick (Amar Deb) and Dabir Khas (Santosh Deb) came to the village
Ramkeli and met him in secrecy. Mahaprabht1 gave power infused nāma to both of them,
gave them sannyas and sent them to Vrindavan. The two brothers were given new names-Śrī
Sanatan Goswami and Śrī Roop Goswami.
As Śrī Sanatan forbade Mahaprabhu to go to Vrindavan with thousands of bhaktas, he
returned to Shantipur again to the house of Awaita Prabhu. Shachimata too came to the house
of her Guru Adwaita Prabhu and met with her son Nimai, and again fete of joy started with
the bhaktas. Mahaprabhu prepared his plan for visiting Vrindavan from here.

ACHYUTANANDA ACCOMPANIES MAHAPRABHU AND AMBULATES VRAJA

This time, Mahaprabhu quietly set out for Vrindavan taking along just one bhakta through
the circuitous route of Jharkhand. This was the only way to stop the large number of bhaktas
from accompanying him. During his solo journey he went on showering love of Kṛṣṇa on all
including saints and ascetics, wretched and crooked, uncivilized and belligerent, birds and
beasts trees and inanimate objects. Hearing
Mahaprabhu' s saṅkīrtana and being infused with its power while travelling through
Jharkhand, so many people residing in jungles, tigers, deers, birds, accompanied him dancing
while forgetting violence – and then they used to go back with the cessation of saṅkīrtana.
The argumentative pandits and sannyasis of Varanasi gave up their culture of the formless, -
'I am that', and became devotees of Kṛṣṇa under influence of Mahaprabhu. The staunchest
critic, the sannyasi Swami Prakasananda Saraswati became Śrī Prabodhananda under the
shelter of Mahaprabhu and started living in Vrindavan after going there. The books "Śrī
Chaitanya Chandramrita'' and "Vrindavan Shatak" written by him are famous in the
Vaishnava Circle.
The eldest son of Advaitācārya Achyutananda went to Vrindavan straightaway from Goud
taking permission from his father and met with Mahaprabhu there. Intoxicated with love of
Kṛṣṇa both of them circumambulated the Vrajamandal. Sometimes they
would take a dip in Radhakunda and Shyamkunda and some other time being immersed in
love they would dance holding each other's hands on seeing Giri Gobardhan and the palce of
'Raasyatra'.
One day Mahaprabhu read out his own commentary on the Bhagavat to Achyutananda in
private. Being very pleased Achyutananda said -
''Śrīdhar Swamy' s commentry will look dull before your commentry on bhakti''. On hearing
this Mahaprabhu uttered "'Vishnu Vishnu'' and concealed his commentary somewhere so
that it could not be published.
During his stay at Nabadwip he read out his commentry to his friend Raghunath who was a
commentator on logic. When he said that his own commentry then would become
redundant, Nimai Pandit immediately tore his commentry and threw it in the Ganga. Today
the Bhagavat commentry of Śrīdhar Swami and Raghunath" s commentry on Logic are
considered supreme.
On seeing Achyutananda deeply engrossed in Śrī Radha Kṛṣṇa's love one day Mahaprabhtt
blessed him by giving him darshan of Radha Kṛṣṇa as a couple.

MAHAPRABHU DANCES UNCONTROLLABLY KEEPING ADVAITĀCĀRYA PRABHU IN THE

FOREFRONT FOR THE LAST TIME ON THE RATHA YATRA DAY
Adwaita Prabhu Nityananda Prabhu and the bhaktas of Goud came to meet him during
Rathayatra when Mahaprabhu returned to Puri from Vrindavan. Mahaprabhu was very
happy to meet his own people. Even in his old age Adwaita Prabhu maintained in full his
fame of dancing in ecstatic love during sankīrtana. On the day of Rathayatra keeping
Advyaita Prabhu in the forefront along with his singer and player of 'mridanga' (drum)
Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu remained in the centre and other bhaktas followed
them from behind with their respective singers and player of drum. In no time a current of a
great 'bhava' started flowing and took the form of an ocean. More than a lakh of pilgrims of
Rathayatra had a bath in that
ocean of great 'bhava'.
The road was drenched with tears of love. All sides resounded with the sound of Jai
Jagannath Haribol, Jai Gourhari. Some kept dancing uncotrollably in the unconscious state
with eyes focused upward and hands raised upward, others became senseless and fell on the
ground. Lord Jagannath himself halted the movement of the ratha to witness this scene. The
ratha could not advance even a step inspite of all efforts. When Mahaprabhu came to know
of this he stopped saṅkīrtana and put his hands on the ropes which pulled the ratha, and it
immediately started moving. Seeing this people were dumbfounded. Nāma is more powerful
than the nāmai (God) and God too is subordinate to his bhakta and nāma. Everyone
developed a strong faith in the greatness of naarn sarnkīrtana on seeing this truth directly.
The whole of Utkal and Goud started floating in the ocean
of nāma Saṅkīrtana.
Seeing the success of his first objective, Mahaprabhu prepared for his second objective, that
is, to taste the love of the Vrajagopis, the description of which is given by Shukdev Maharaj
in the tenth canto of the Bhagavat.
With the ending of the Rathayatra, Mahaprabhu asked all his bhaktas to return home and
added that they should not take so much of trouble to come to Puri during the Rathayatra
from next year onwards. They should repeat nāma, sing kīrtana and propagate nāma staying
at home.
He advised Nityananda Prabhu to get married, preach nāma through successive generations,
initiate people and serve the deities.
Acharyadev also was given similar advice to conduct things staying in Shantipur. Haridas
understood that the fair of joy was going to break. He expressed his desire to leave his
mortal frame falling at Mahaprabhu' s feet. Mahaprabhu permitted Gouridas Pandit to
install a wooden idol .of ''Gourhari'' and worship as he was extreamly eager to do so. He
entrusted Jagadananda with the responsibility of serving Shachimata asking him to go to
Nabadwip. He asked only two to four
bhaktas to keep visiting. Mahaprabhu then said- ''Henceforth I want to stay alone and savour
·the deepest truth of love. All of you please allow me to stay alone''.
Adwaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and all the bhaktas of Gouda returned for good with
tearful eyes and bodies as if without life leaving back Mahaprabhu who was everything to
them in their lives.
Adwaita Prabhu and Nityananda Prabhu understood that Mahaprabhu had now declared the
ending of the fair of joy. His work of 'establishing dharma' was now handed over to his
followers. Mahaprabhu was now going to withdraw himself.

ŚRĪ ADWAITAPRABHU'S PUZZLE AND MAHAPRABHU'S DISAPPEARANCE

Adwaita Prabhu's second son Kṛṣṇamishra who was a great devotee of Mahaprabhu and
Madangopal got married on his father's order and led a domestic life. On his return from Puri
Adwaitaprabhu handed over Madangopal to him and started living an unattached life. The
flow of preaching nāma went on unabated. Nityananda Prabhu married the two daughters of
Suryadas Pandit named Basudha and Janhava Devi, installed Syamasundar at Khardah and
started living there. The second stream of preaching nāma started from there. His son
Veerchandra was a great bhakta.
Gouridas Pandit himself made an.d installed the wooden idols of Gouranga and Nityananda.
The eternal presence of Mahaprabhu is still felt there when the bhog is offered.
Drawing herself in completely, Gouranga's wife Bishnupriya Devi worshipped his sandals at
home, purified each grain of rice by nāma, took just one handful of cooked rice around 3 o'
clock in the afternoon and distributed the rest among the bhaktas. She never had the good
fortune of having a darshan of Mahaprabhu' s face ever since he had left home.
Naamsaṅkīrtana and love of Kṛṣṇa flooded east India, Bengal, Utkal Desh (Orissa),
Vijayanagar and areas in and around Vraja. Vaishnava dharma left a deep imprint in central
India and Rajasthan also.
On the other hand Mahaprabhu became immersed in the emotions of Gopi staying inside a
room of a temple named Gambhira. His close associates Swarup Damodar, Ramananda Rai
and others used to give him joy by reading books like the Bhagavat etc. Mahaprabhu being
completely immersed in the emotions of Radha used to jump into the blue ocean on being
overwhelmed with love for Kṛṣṇa. The fishermen used to pull him out of the water in an
unconscious state from a distance of a few miles in their net with the joints of his limbs
having loosened. At times he rubbed his face on rocks uttering 'Ha Kṛṣṇa Ha Kṛṣṇa' and blood
flowed. At times inspite of strict surveillance by Jagadananda and even being behind closed
doors he was found on the stairs of the Jagannath temple while cows licked his body. His
limbs were found to have contracted inside his body like that of a turtle. The limbs would
return to their proper positions when nāma was uttered repeatedly before him and on his
return to external consciousness, Mahaprabhu would be amazed as to how he had come to
that place.
He was extremely emaciated due to sleeplessness, starvation and receiving injuries. Still he
declined service offered by others. The devotees with bleeding heart approached Adwaita
Prabhu for help.
He wrote a four line allegoric verse and sent it through Jagadananda to convey the message
to Mahaprabhu*. No one else could understand this puzzle, but Mahaprabhu smiled on
reading it and said-'' Adwaita Prabhu' s intense yearning had invoked me, now he orders me
to take rest''.

MEANING OF THOSE FOUR LINES :

''Oh Avatar of love Mahaprabhu! current of devotion for Kṛṣṇa is flowing in this country
because of power infused nāma saṅkīrtana propagated by you, but your love intoxication
with the emotion· of the 'Gopis' is beyond the comprehension of people. People are getting
frightened to see your present state thinking that it is a matter of
worry if the culmination of bhakti that is love'' brings others too to this state of divine
insanity. Therefore your state of divine love intoxication is not beneficial for the world. It is
also impossible to imitate this. Your work is now finished." Meaning that you may now
return to your divine abode.
Adwaita Prabhu invoked God and made him descend on earth so that the oppressed and
polluted sanatan dharma came back to its glory. He assisted Mahaprabhu staying at his side,
by initiating his parents and imparting education to Mahaprabhu as a normal being. He also
introduced him to his guru and tended after sannyas and
also in the work of propagating love and devotion. He reminded him how to return to the
divine abode on completion of his work. It is like chanting mantra after worshipping the idol
prior to its immersion. However, Mahaprabhu’ s great emotional internal current increased
more after reading this message.
His time of remaining externally conscious reduced day by day and one day suddenly he
disappeared. He could not be found even after an intensive search. It was in 1533 A.D. when
he disappeared. No historic document is available as to when and how it happened. Some say,
he went in the temple overcoming all obstacles like door, wall and merged with the wooden
idol of Jagannath. Some say, finding Kṛṣṇa's oneness with the azure sky and blue sea, he
merged into the sea in a state of supreme emotional ecstasy. Similar things had happened
before too and his body used to be found in a near inanimate state. However, whatever be
the way he had disappeared, the condition of his external body had gone beyond the limit of
tolerance of his bhaktas, they had at least one consolation even in their extreme pain of
separation that they would not have to see his physical suffering any longer, though owing to
being in divine bhava Mahaprabhu himself had no bodily sensitiveness and so had not felt any
pain. Salutation to Gour Hari.

LĪLĀ BETWEEN PRABHU ADVAITĀCĀRYA AND PRABHU NITYANANDA

While intensely praying on the bank of the Ganga to bring forth.
God on this part of the earth, Adwaita Prabhu one day roared with joy-''The forerunner
Sankarshan is born, Balaram is born, my prayer has been heard by Him''.
It was 1520 A.D. Elated with joy he distributed sweets and clothes to hundreds of devotees.
Prabhu' s disciples could not determine as to who was born. Six months later Harai Pandit of
Ekchakra village of Birbhum came to Advaitācārya to show a horoscope of an infant whom
they called Kuber. Seeing the horoscope Prabhuji exclaimed, ''So you are the blessed person
whom this great child has chosen to be
born for the salvation of the world. A day will come when this great godhead will spread
Harināma to millions and millions''. Hearing this Harai Pandit said that the child had been
brought on the other bank of the Ganga for his sl1aving ceremony. Prabhuji's blessing was
sought for his well being and Adwaita Prabhu jumped up and accompanied Harai Pandit to
see the child. Seeing his radiant body and smiling face
Adwaita Prabhu named him ''Nityananda"*.and blessed him with tears of joy.
At the age of 12, Nityananda left his parents' home.and became a sannyasi. Long after he
came to Nabadwip via Vrindavan he met Mal1aprabhu on a Vyas-Purnima day when he
offered flowers at Mahaprabhu' s lotus feet instead of Vyasdev. Both danced with joy on
seeing each other, but Mahaprabhu said, ''The meeting is incomplete without Nara (Adwaita
Prabhu) who was instrumental in my advent.
Call him immediately.
* There is a difference·of opinion as to who named him Nityananda, at some place we find
that during his twenty years of travelling in South India he was initiated by Srimat
Madhavendra Puriji when he named.Kuber as Nityananda. We find in most scriptures
quoting the name Nityananda long before he met Madhavendra Puri
Adwaita came to know that his second body Nityananda had met his Lord Mahaprabhu.
Acharya rolled on the ground with profound joy saying, ''The time has come for the salvation
of the world''. He rushed to Nadia and saw Mahaprabhu sitting on the Vishnu throne in a
state of travce while Nityananda held the Royal
umbrella over his head. Seeing this Acharya said to himself with folded hands, ''Yes, you hold
the umbrella over my lord's head from time immemorial." He worshipped Mahaprabhu.
From that day Advaitācārya started addressing Nityananda as 'Prabhu' and stayed at Nadia.
Śrības Pandit laughingly said, Adwaita Prabhu is no more interested in shanti (peace) when
he is in the company of Nityananda (everlasting joy)." Whenever Guru Advaitācārya went,
his disciple Haridas followed him. Nityananda and Haridas became friends and started Naam
Prachar'' in Nadia .

ALLEGORIC QUARREL BETWEEN TWO PRABHUS :

Often Adwaita Prabhu and Nityananda Prabhu indulged in mock fights by splashing water at
each other while bathing in the Ganga. Being old, Adwaita was often defeated. Mahaprabhtt
enjoyed it. He would say, ''Unless defeated thrice, I don't accept it as defeat''. Thus the fight
was prolonged and the bhaktas along with Mahaprabhu enjoyed it. At the end both got up
on the bank and embraced each
other. During Holi this pair would throw coloured powder and coloured water at each other
and inevitably Adwaita was defeated. He quarreled and then embraced each other. But
every time the old Acharya would choose only the young Nityananda as his opponent and
none else. This water splashing game often took place on Mahaprabhu' s insistence when
they went to Puri during Rathayatra which ended up with a quarrel and loving embrace.
Mahaprabhu was amused at the heated exchange of words which had inner meaning
understood by a few enlightened ones. Others thought it to be just a quarrel.
The day Mahaprabhu accompanied by Nityananda Prabhu went to Shantipur on an invitation
by Sitadevi and being instigated by Advaitācārya unfolded his ''Swarup" as Nrisimhadev,*
Acharyadev joyfully roared that the God in guise had been exposed. Nityananda also started
weeping at this sight. He also did a Līlā while taking midday prasad. Nityananda started
throwing the remains of his food here and there. Advaitācārya showing deep anger, called
names at Nityananda, saying ''This mad (in love) Avadhoot has shattered all my samskars''. -
A·* He then started dancing in . ecstacy and tears flowe·d down as if emitted from sprinkler.
Nityananda showed two
thumbs*** and Mahaprabhu including Haridas and Sitama started laughing at this mock
quarrel. The duo then hugged each other.

* Seeing Mahaprabhu, Advaitācārya intentionally started discussing Yogvashistha to

his students -where it says that ]nan (spiritual knowledge) is above Bhakti (devotion).
Hearing that Mahaprabhu with anger assumed the power of Narasimhadeva and
threatened to kill him uttering repeatedly, "Then why did you bring me".
** Samskar means here the ritualistic mannerism followed by a virtuous hindu brahmin.
*** Two thumbs mean (1) ]nan (knowledge) and samskar (of Brahminism) annihilated.
what remained is Prem-bhakti.
Everybody present understood the inner meaning of that day's Līlā.
First, Mahaprabhu was exposed as God incarnate and second, Nityanandaprabhu showed
the power of prasad to others. Then Advaitācārya brought a manuacript on Bhagavat and
Yogavashishtha where he proved bhakti above knowledge. Reading it Nityananda said that it
was only possible for Kṛṣṇaswaroop Bhaktavatar to show the underlying bhakti in a scripture
like Yogavashishtha. He lifted his arms and started dancing with joy. Mahaprabhu
corroborated and said, "I prostrate at your feet, the learned world will get bhakti from you."
He joined Nityananda in dancing. Haridas
started Harikīrtana accompanied by mridanga (drum). The whole bhakta community started
dancing. On that evening the trio discussed the ways and means to drench the world in a
downpour of nāma saṅkīrtana, (a temple exists on the spot of this meeting at Babla)
One day all the inhabitants of Shantipur were invited to midday prasad. Sitama fed thousands
with delicious dishes. Nityananda insisted on taking 'kheer! (condensed milk) only in profuse
quantity. This time he could not defeat Sitama (in her capacity to supply). Naukavilas was
played where Adwaita as SreeKṛṣṇa, Mahaprabhu as Radhika and Nityananda as Poornamasi
took the lead roles. Poornamasi (Nityananda) started praising Kṛṣṇa (Adwaita). Hearing the
praise all the three became unconscious and fell into the Ganga. Others somehow took them
to the bank. It was a memorable time for Shantipur.
One day Mahaprabhu took Adwaitaprabhu inside Śrības's temple and showed him
'Vishwaroop' as Kṛṣṇa had shown it to Arjuna at Kurukshetra. Nityananda prabhu was on his
way for 'Nāma Prachar'. The 'Vishwaroop' flashed into his heart. He rushed back to Śrības' s
temple and started roaring. Acharya came to consciousness and opened the door. Nityananda
prabhu vehemently insisted on showing 'Vishwaroop' to him also. Mahaprabhu did the same.
As soon as the episode was over and the doors were opened, the duo started quarrelling
with each other. Adwaita's argument was that his darshan was interrupted midway.
Nityananda' s reply was that he was the elder brother of Nimai and so he had the right to
darshan first. Adwaita countered, ''If Nimai did not descend on my tearful prayers, how
could you get your brother?'' Both of them went into rapture and embraced deeply for a
long time.
When Mahaprabhu took sannyas and in a state of trance moved relentlessly on way to
Vrindavan without food and water for three days, Nityananda prabhu got scared and
remembered Adwaita Prabhu heart and soul to save the situation. tfe brought' Mahaprabhu
tactfully on to the other bank at Shantipur and from there Adwaita prabhu did the rest to fetch
them to Shantipur, feed them and arrange for their rest. Hectic days of Nityananda were over
by now. Mahaprabhu spent almost the half of his life span at Jagannath Dham, Puri. His
devotees including Advaitācārya who was in his eighties and Nityananda used to come to Puri
on foot during Rathayatra and stay there for a month in the celestial company of Mahaprabhu.
A few years later Mahaprabhu asked his devotees to stay back in Bengal as he wanted to delve
in Gopibhav for which he needed seclusion. He asked Nityananda prabhu to get married and
lead a family life so that his Naarn Prachar and pooja of Radha Shyamsundar continues for
generations unabated by his lineage. With heavy heart the devotees returned.
Nityananda however forgot to comply the instruction of leading a family life and started his
work of 'Nāma Prachar'. Observing this Advaitācārya reminded Nityananda the instruction of
Mahaprabhu. He himself selected the bride and asked Sri Uddharan Dutta and Kṛṣṇadas to
negotiate with Sri Suryadas of Ambika to get his daughter Vasudha married to Nityananda.
Suryadas belonging to a Pandit family, initially hesitated to know that the groom was an
Avadhoot (sannyasi). But the Circumstances so happened that he was compelled to accept
Nityananda. Vasudha suddenly fell sick that took her on the verge of death. Nityananda cured
her with a healing touch.
Suryadas Pandit came to know of the power of Nityananda and the marriage was
accomplished with grandeur. After the marriage Nityananda saw Vasudha's younger sister
Janhaba and at once recognised her as his long cherished beloved religious partner and
insisted on marrying her too. Suryadas did. not hesitate to give her too. Thus Advaitācārya
became instrumental in Nityananda prabhu' s marriage following which the great branch of
Gaudia Vaishanavism was to be originated. Nityananda Prabhu along with Vasudha devi and
Janhaba devi stayed at Advaitācārya's residence till their residence Kunjbati was renovated at
Khardah.
Advaitācārya prabhu waited for the incarnation of Mahaprabhu as Nityananda's son. After
seven miscarriage Prabhupada Veerachandra was born to Basudha devi. Nityananda prabhu
laughingly coroborated with Advaitācārya and said, ''Mahavishnu's desires never fail''. Both,
Abhiram Thakur and Adwaita prabhu, recognised this infant as the incarnation of Mahaprabhu
(the first of Mahaprabhu's promise that he will come twice was fulfilled). The vaishnavas
roared with joy and Kīrtana when Adwaita prabhu declared so.

NITYANANDAPRABHU DISAPPEARS IN THE PRESENCE OF ADWAITA PRABHU.

Adwaita Prabhu had attained hundred years of age when Mahaprabhu disappeared .
Henceforth he remained in a state of divine bhava most of the times. At times he used to roar
''Oh Nimai, Ha Gourhari'' and go into a state of trance. Sometimes he would eat a little or fast
or remain in a state of trance and some other times he would embrace Nityananda Prabhu,
sobbing & uttering ''Hey Gourhari".
Eight more years passed like this. One day Nityananda Prabhu invited Adwaita prabhu to
Khardaha. As Adwaita Prabhu arrived at Khardaha, Nityananda Prabhu gave him a hint of his
ensuing disappearance. As the devotees were dancing uncotrollably encircling Adwaita
Prabhu and Nityananda Prabhu on the eighth day of mahasaṅkīrtana, Nityananda Prabhu
leaned on the chest of Adwaitaprabhu deeply embracing him. Adwaita prabhu started
weeping profusely. The devotees seperated them after a long time to see that Nityananda had
left his body. The day was the eighth day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Aswin 1464
sak. (1571 A.D.)
The devotees anxiously awaited his revival for the whole day. Adwaita Prabhu then said that
waiting for him would be fruitless as He had gone to his eternal abode. After consoling
Nityananda Prabhu' s seven year old son Veerchandra, Adwaita Prabhu himself organised a
bhandara.* The great bhakta Prabhupada Veerachandra offered to Mahaprabhu and his
father who were in their etherial bodies and Adwaitaprabhu together in a row. He told
everyone, "Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Adwaita Prabhu are one and the same. From
today wherever Mahaprabhu is offered bhoga, it has to be offered simultaneously to the two
other Prabhus, else the bhoga will be incomplete." The great celebration ended after these
three Prabhus sat side by side (two of them in their etherial bodies) and partook of the bhoga
in the presence of thousands of bhaktas from Nabadwip, Kalna, Shantipur and Khardah and
the sound of 'Jai' resounded all over.
After the disappearance of Nityananda Prabhu, his eldest son Veerchandra, then only a child
was supposed to sit on the seat of Acharya. He showed eagerness to take dīkṣā (initiation)
from Adwaita Prabhu, honouring the scriptures, though he himself was a supreme bhakta and
holder of divine powers. To this Adwaita Prabhu said, ''You have the authority to serve your
family deity Shyamsundar and to preach naarn through the serial succession of your family.
So it is better that you take dīkṣā from your mother Janhava Devi. She is accomplished in
Mantra.
So it happened on the order of Acharyadev and the Nityananda branch originated fron1
Veerchandra Prabhupada and is prevalent even today as the basic foundation of Goudia
Vaishnavism.

THE DISAPPEARANCE LĪLĀ OF ADVAITĀCĀRYA PRABHU

Adwaita Prabhu became further internally absorbed after the disappearance of Mahaprabhu
and Nityananda Prabhu. Seventeen more years passed by even after this. He remained
immersed in nāma all the time, initiation of people continued as before, but whenever nāma
saṅkīrtana strted he would dance uncontrollably like a young man and roar ''Jai Shachinandan,
Jai Gourhari''. His body displayed the eight satwik distortions of love and devotion like
sweating tears, thrill, hair rising, trembling, stupefication etc.
Influence of this revelation used to infuse mahabhava ( esctasy) into the bhakta' s present and
made them overwhelmed. 'Mahabhava' like crying, choked voice, trembling used to be seen
in them as if those described in the Bhagavat * and demonstrated by Mahaprabhu were
actually manifested in them.
* Vide Bhagavat 12/2/40
Adwaitaprabhu called his eldest son Prabhupad Achyutananda one day and said- 'I now intend
to cease my līlā in this frame and go to my eternal abode. Inform all the bhaktas of Gouranga.'
On getting the call Adwaita Prabhu' s disciple Shyamadas, Vishnudas, Jadunandan came to
Shantipur with their disciples. Hundreds of bhaktas from Nabadwip came bringing with them,
supreme bhaktas of Mahaprabhu like poet Karnapur, Gouridas Pandit, writer of Gouranga līlā,
Narahari Sarkar, Damodar Pandit and others. On the other hand Nityananda' s son
Veerchandra came with his bhaktas.
Adwaita Prabhu kept singing Gourkīrtana joyfully with his most beloved bhaktas of Gour.
Seven main singers of kīrtana – Adwaita Prabhu himself, Kṛṣṇamishra, Gopal Thakur,
Damodar Pandit, were all dancing.
Adwaita Prabhu seemed to drown in the mighty wave of the ocean of saṅkīrtana when the
bhaktas enkindled by the wave danced uncontrollably in blissful ecstasy. By the time the
bhaktas came back to their external senses, Adwaita Prabhu had gone out of sight of this gross
world. The bhaktas became tired of looking for him. Like Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu
Adwaita Prabhu also got absorbed in his tutelary idol Madangopal, the explanation of which
is beyond human intellect. The bhaktas searched frantically along the bank of the Ganga,
bushes and jungles, anxiously asked the neighbours too. The Supreme bhakta and tranquil
Achyutananda quietened everybody asking them to be patient. He said, ''The incomplete līlā
of Mahaprabhu' s disappearance and that of Nityananda Prabhu is now completed. You all are
invited today for this. Prabhu himself told me about this in advance."
All the bhaktas became petrified on hearing this. Everybody stayed benumbed throughout the
day and night. Achyutananda arranged a great celebration* the following day. It was not an
expression of grief like common men, on the contrary everybody went home enjoying
saṅkīrtana and mahaprasad. Harihar Avatar returned to his divine abode after staying in this
world for 125 years manifesting his countless līlās. However his līlā beyond his mortal frame
continues even to day to inspire those seeking salvation and devotion and will continue to do
so even in the future. Salutation to Śrī Chaitanya Nityananda Adwaitachandra.
* Vaishnavas celebrate rather than mourne when a person relinquishes his body as they
believe that a vaishnava's soul merges with Bhagwan (God) thereafter.

GEMS BORN IN THE LINEAGE OF PRABHU ADVAITĀCĀRYA

Apart from the sons of Prabhu Advaitācārya his lineage gave birth to numerous luminous
gems. Due to paucity of space only two of the most brilliant ones are mentioned here.

YOGIRAJ SREE SREE LOKENATH BRAHMACHARI :

The seventh descendants found a brilliant gem in Sree Lokenath Brahmachari. He was the
youngest of the four sons of his parents who permitted him to leave home in pursuit of God
when he was only twelve years old. Lokenath followed a great Yogi as his disciple.
His first training started at Kalighat (Kolkata). After gaining controll over hunger and body
senses to endure the vagaries of nature his guru took him to The Himalayas where he spent
almost half a century in higher Yogic training and learning holy scriptures. Gradually he
transcended all worldly bondages and gained eight spiritual powers (Asta-Siddhi) to move
every where without interruption.
Lokenath along with his guru and a mate travelled over various unknown regions like frozen
Arctic pole to blazing sands of the middle east. He stayed at Mecca, learnt Arabian language
and took lesson in the Quoran Sharif for some time.
By the time his guru relinquished his gross body Lokenath Brahmachari was 131 years old.
He then decided to come down to the plains. Under the guise of a mediocre person he
settled at Barodi, a small village near Dhaka of East Bengal. The blood stream of Lokenath
Brahmachari was green like Chlorophyll and the skin covered with white scales like that of a
reptile or a fish. He was not in the habit of taking food. A small girl aged 12, with all the
tenderness of a mother started feeding him with milk water, butter milk, boiled rice water,
etc. After a long period of nursing the green blood gradually turned red and the scales
removed.
During the day time the Brahmachari like a shepherd, tended goats and cattle, looked after
the rice fields of the poor villagers, ate with the muslims and hindus alike. At the dead of
night behind closedoors he demonstrated higher spiritual yoga to the yogis coming to him
from the Himalayas and Tibet in ethereal body.
He spent 25 years under hiding untill he was brought to limelight by his great grand son
Sadguru Bijoy Kṛṣṇa Goswami Prabhu.
When Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa came to Dhaka as the Acharya (head preceptor) of Brahma Samaj, he felt
the presence of a super human in his meditation. Lokenath Brahmachari also realised the
presence of Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa. Both met each other at Barodi. Seeing Brahmachari, Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa,
remembered an incident that occured a year ago, while
Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa was in deep meditation on the top of Chandranath hill.
He came to senses at the roar of wild beasts running down the steep slope of the hill. Looking
back he found forest fire on all three sides engulfing the hill top. As it was impossible to escape
he sat down ardently praying to his guru to save him from inevitable death.
Suddenly a miracle happened. He found a super-human in white robe who embraced him
and jumped down the steep slope of the hill. Settling him in a secured place beside a brooke
the superman vanished. Now he had no doubt that the super human who saved his life
miraculously was none but Yogiraj Lokenath Brahmacari himself.
He prostated in front of Lokenath. Lokenath also embraced Acharya Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa calling him
JeevanKṛṣṇa (Soul of the soul). Sri Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa said ''I have travelled throughout the North
India starting from the Himalayan terrain in the north to the Narmada valley in the Central
India, but never come across such a great Yogi and a super human in the plains. Any one
looking at his eyes for five minutes will faint. Such is his Yogic power." Sadguru Acharya
Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa "s message spread like a forest
fire and brought the hiding super human to limelight. People from far and wide thronged
around him that lasted for the rest of his life. He could not refrain from solacing the suffering
humanity. The great Adwaitawadi (monotheist) turned into a devotee. His robust heart and
steel nerves melted at the sight of miseries of the helpless poor as he promised, ''Whosoever
in distress due to natural calamity or
oppression prays ardently for protection, I shall give it to him''.
His devotees often heard him chanting, ''Jai Sri Chaitanya, Jai Nityananda, Jeevan Kṛṣṇa
Pranaram.''
The Vishnu Puran says :- He has become one with Bhagwan (attributed god) in terms of His
enjoyment who has acquired the following-
""One who can difuse his gross body into the five basic elements and rebuild the same at
another place at will, (Omnipresent)
One who can see a person's past, present and future life at will, (Omniscient)
One who can relinquish his body and get reborn at will, (Omnific)
One who is born with full spiritual knowledge and has full control
over the illusory world,. has attained oneness with (the attributes of) God.""
(Omnicompetent)
The great Yogiraj had all these attributes in him.
Although he sometimes said that he would live for another 100 years yet he relinquished his
mortal frame at the age of 162. The previous night he appeared in etherial body before his
beloved great grand son Sadguru Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa at Vrindavan requesting him to take charge of
his seat at Barodi as he was going to discard his mortal body and it happened the next day.
Many devotees feel his benevolent presence and get him in vision even today. Lakhs of
devotees worship him as Jagatguru and celebrate his dates of advent and disappearence
throughout the undivided Bengal. Ashrams at Barodi,. Kochua and other places remain
vibrant throughout the year.
Salutation to Śrī Śrī Lokenath.

ADWAITA FAMILY'S GEM OF CROWNING GLORY

Following his sannyas dīkṣā from Keshav Bharati Maharaj, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu travelled
here and there along the banks of the Ganga, emotionally taking it to be Yamuna, for four
days without food. On getting this information Advaitācārya came on a boat, met him and
brought him to Shantipur. On seeing Adwaita Prabhu he
said-''Oh Acharya, you too have come down to Vrindavan." Adwaita Prabhu said, ''The place
that you stay in, is Vrindavan." Mahaprabhu then noticed that it was the bank of the Ganga
and not the Yamuna.
Adwaita Prabhu persuaded him that the creed of sannyas is not affected if one stays in the
house of the Acharya. Giving it a thought he stayed at Acharya's house. Thus ten d ays
passed in mahasaṅkīrtana, bhog, prasad and service to the Vaishnavas.
Chaitanya Prabhu prepared to set out for Vrindavan as staying at one place for long is
opposed to the rule of sannyas.
With extreme eagerness Sitama and Adwaita Prabhu tried to dissuade him but Mahaprabhu
did not agree. Adwaitaprabhu then cursed him - ''As you have decided to go this time
ignoring the pangs of the soul of so many bhaktas, then listen - you will have to take birth
in my family and then you cannot go away making everybody weep. You will have to take
everybody along for the salvation of mankind." Mahaprabhu smiled and replied that he was
bound by the love of bhaktas. He would come not once but twice. According to his promise
Mahaprabhu incarnated as Prabhupada Veerbhadra the eighth son of Prabhu Nityananda
and Basudha devi and then in the tenth generation of Advaitācārya prabhu (in the lineage
of his fourth son Śrī Śrī Balaram Goswami), he incarnated as savior Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoy-
Kṛṣṇa Goswami - as the younger son of the supreme devotee, Ananda Chandra Goswami
and Swarnamoyee Devi. While reading the Bhagavat, Ananda Chandra used to be immersed
in satwik distortions. Along with tears, thrill, trembling anct sweating. The pores of his skin
used to emit drops of blood. When coloured powder was sprinkled on the cover of Bhagavat*,
these were found to have been sprinkled on the idol of Shyamsundar.** To attain Jagannath-
dev he had travelled all the way to Puri while prostrating, which took one and a half years and
returned on getting the divine assurance that Jagannathdev himself could come to his house
and in due time he had a son in the form of Bijoy Kṛṣṇa.
* Bhagavat is said to be the "Vaniroop" (message body) of Sri Kṛṣṇa.
** The complete details of this incident is available in the booklet "Adwaita Abhishaap''
written by Śrī Śrī Darveshji Maharaj a principal disciple of Śrī Śrī Bijoi Kṛṣṇa
Goswami. This booklet is based on the diary of Śrīdhar, a co-disciple of Darveshji,
contained the incident directly witnessed by Paramananda Das, a servant of Adwaita
Prabhu (Śrī Śrī Sadguru Sanga).

SHYAMSUNDAR AND BIJOY-KṚṢṆA

The family deity Shyamsundar used to play with. Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa since his childhood. Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa
used to feed milk to Shyamsundar quietly from his cup and Shyamsundar idol also got up to
drink the milk. Playful Syamsundar would hide the ball while playing, and on being
threatened to be beaten by Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa with a stick, would
return the ball out of fear. Noticing this childhood play surreptitously from a distance
sometimes mother Swarnamoyee would faint or at other times run inside with Bijoy in her
lap.
When Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa worshipped the formless attributeless Brahma as a vendatist,
Shyamsundar gave him darshan and insisted on his giving him gold ornaments. On being told
by Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa that he did not recognise a god with form, Shyamsundar
insisted, “Get ornaments done for me whether you recognise me or not." On money,
Shyamsundar gave him a clue that gold coins were kept at a secret location by his
aunt. Then being decorated with new ornaments and flute he repeatedly requested Bijoy
who was in meditation at Kolkata to come to Shantipur and see him. Shyamsundar said-
''Just come and see me once, see how beautiful I look wearing the ornaments given by you.
What is the harm in seeing me once, even if you do not believe in my embodiment?''
Suspending his worship of Brahman and the task of
preaching, Bijoy had to come to Shantipur. He was in tears while returning after having
darshan of Shyamsundar. Around this time a mahatma said - ''No permanent condition is
attainable without taking the shelter of Sadguru."
He searched many places for Sadguru. Mahaprabhu also gave him mantra in his etherial form.
Tailanga Swami known as the mobile Shiva of Kashi also gave him mantra and consoled him
till he got his guru. At last on getting dīkṣā from a mahayogi from Himalaya Brahmananda
Paramhansaji (who came from Gaya in etherial body and assumed a gross body to initiate
Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa)- he lost his external senses and remained in samadhi for 10 days. He became a
different person on returning to his extrenal senses. His divine life began. He spent some time
in Nāmasadhan and meditation. in solitude at Chadranath hills, Jwalamukhi, Gaya and other
places. Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa was coronated as Sadguru by Brahmananda Paramhansaji and asked him
to give this powerful dīkṣā to others.
Even after this he remained seated as the Acharya of Brahma Samaj for some time on
instruction by his guru to initiate the Brahma followers. Many times in the course of giving
sermons on the formless, attributeless Brahmajnan in meetings, he would get darshan of
Shyamsundar and would call out, ''Look, look, Shyamsundar has
arrived'', and then would go into a state of Samadhi. During his meditation while praying,
Radha Kṛṣṇa, Kali, Dtirga, Shankar, RamaSita, Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Adwaita
Prabhu, Gurudev Brahmananda, Sree RamaKṛṣṇa, Lokenath Brahmachari and many other
mahatmas would appear before him. Formless and with form, attributeless and with
attributes, prayers to Brahman, Radha Kṛṣṇa,
. Kīrtana, everything mixed up together and became amalgamated.
Not only by the indirect knowledge from reading the scriptures, Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa had the firm belief
from his direct vision that jnani's Brahman, yogi's Supersoul and a devotee's God are the same.
The only difference is that Brahman is free from nature (prakriti), Supersoul is reflected in
nature and God is completely manifested in the Limited form.

ADWAITA PRABHU'S ORDER

It then became impossible for Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa to continue as Acharya of the staunch Brahmas,
the followers of formlessism. Adwaitaprabhu gave him darshan during this time and asked
him to come under the shelter of Mahaprabhu, discarding Btahmosamaj. Shri RamKṛṣṇa and
Lokenath Brahmachari also said likewise. As a result, Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa came over to Shantipur for
some days giving up the position of Acharya of the Brahmosamaj. His work assigned by his
guru· was also accomplished by this time. On returning to Shantipur Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa asked
Shyamsundar with tearful eyes-''Why did you have to make me roam like this if this was your
intention?'' Shyamsundar laughed and said, ''Yes, that is my will, don't you know how nice it
looks when new ornaments are made after breaking the old ones? How they glitter!! Tears
like a cascade streamed from Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa's eyes. Crossing the flight of steps of karma,
knowledge and meditation while in Brahmosamaj, he now rode the steps of Yoga, devotion
and devotional love. A new spiritual panaroma unfolded before him.

DIVINE LIFE AS SADGURU, THE SAVIOUR

The power impregnated Kṛṣṇa mantra given by Sadguru Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa brought a tide of fresh
water in the stagnated all ritualistic Hinduism. The educated class that had deserted their
age old religion for that reason, now started coming back to their old but refined faith in
large numbers. ·
Those who used to laugh and ridicule at the sight of dancing, rolling on the ground and
weeping in rapture while singing Harināma now could not refrain from joining them in
ecstacy. Such was the pull of the power infused mantra.
Renowned Brahma reformers and national leaders such as Satish Mukhopadhyay (founder of
National Council of education), Bipin Chandra Pal (great orator and political leader), Saint
Aswini Kumar Dutta (reformer), Kunjalal Nag (Shakespeare Professor, Calcutta University),
Haran Chandra Chakladar (Prof. Calcutta Univ.),
Manoranjan Gupa Thakurata (freedom fighter), to mention a few of the great personalities
who took shelter under Sadguru Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Prabhu and atained high spiritual levels. The
names of saint disciples who turned into spiritual leaders (guru) later need little mention.*
It is said that the masses follow the path on which the great men tread. Thousands of the
Brahmos came back to the Hindu fold under the shelter of Sadguru Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa. It was a great
spiritual revival in Bengal as well as whole of India. A cross section of revered spiritual leaders
like Maharshi Devendra Nath Tagore and Keshab Chandra
Sen (Brahmo Samaj), Sri Ram Kṛṣṇa Paramhansa and Vivekananda, Lokenath Brahmachari,
Braja Videhi Ramdas Kathia Baba, Bholananda Giri (Mahamandaleswar), roaming Shiva of
Kashi Tailanga Swami, Gambheernathji (Nath Yogi) had great reverence and love for Bijoy-
Kṛṣṇa Prabhu .
.
Here are some food for thought as to who he was -
* To whose forefather (Advaitācārya) Mahaprabhu had promised to come back in his lineage
as he was sold to him for ever.
* Who was born after Jagannathdev said to Ananda Chandra Goswami that He was soon
coming to him at Shantipur.
* Whose playmate was Shyam Sundar (Tutelary God), in his childhood - playing ball game,
drinking milk from his cup, eating together, and joking at his young bride, asking for
ornaments and so on.
* Who remained seated for 12 years (after Nityananda prabhu wanted so) in a sleepless
state immersed in Līlā darshan or Samadhi.
* Whose huge matted hair mass would stand erect like hundred snakes, on hearing
Harināma saṅkīrtana.
* Whose body trembled like a leaf in the wave of Harināma together with tears sprinkling as
from a spout wetting his clothes.
* Who would roar - 'Jai Shachinandan, Jai Radhe' on hearing the Mridanga and Saṅkīrtana to
electrify the surrounding with Mahabhava and dance relentlessly.
* Who remained in a state of ''Sahaj-Samadhi'', seeing which Tailanga Swami defined it as a
state beyond which it is impossible to sustain life in a body.
* Whose single glance would sever worldly bondage of the fallen.
* Whose body, clothes and seat would manifest luminous divine figures including Śrī Kṛṣṇa,
Mahaprabhu and Nityanandaprabhu.
* Who manifests his etherial form to the seekers and leaves physical signs of accepting
bhoga offered by the devotees.
* Who could say that Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh can not take away my soul unless
Jagannathdev wants me to relinquish this body.
* Who relinquished his mortal body at Puri saying Jagannath accepted me and merged into
Him.
* Who promised to continue to initiate ''the power infused Ajapa Mantra'' to the coming
generations for 500 years through his chosen media of pure souls and thereafter incarnate
again for the salvation of the seekers, manifesting in the same physical form.
'']atine, dandine nityam,
Lambodara Sharirine,
Kamandalu nishangaya,
Tasmai Brahmatmane namah. ''
DISCOVERY OF ADWAITA PRABHU'S BELONGINGS
Since his childhood itself Bijoy used to visit a lonely place called Babla located in old Shantipur
several miles away from his home. There he played with children or sang kīrtana at times.
There was a temple and ashram at some distance, named Adwaitapat, the builder of which
was an unknown mahatma Sitanath Baba. About three hundred years earlier this vaishnava
Brahmin started staying at Baleshwar (Orissa) after having a darshan of Jagannath. Here he
got a divine commandment from Adwaitaprabhu- ''I have ·interned underneath the earth in a
foul smelling spot in Babla, come and reclaim me." Finding Prabhu' s idol and used articles
after digging a spot there he had installed them in the temple. Śrī Śrī Adwaitaprabhu' s temple
has been erected there.
History says that 100 years after the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and
Adwaita prabhu the course of the Ganga changed and Adwaita Prabhu' s place of residence
Shantipur and Mahaprabhu' s place of birth Nabadwip were submerged in the Ganga. The
Goswami families of both of these places were scattered here and there. Some years later
new land arose slowly-in place of old Shantipur. The place was named 'Babla' anew as there
was a vast forest of babla (Indian accacia) trees.
Following the marriage of his son Jogjivan and daughter Shantisudha Devi on the 8th March
1888, Gosainji came to Shantipur along with his disciples and bhaktas as well as the pet dog
Kaloo.*
* This dog Kaloo was born for the task of exploring the spot of Adivaita Prabhu's sadhana.
Soon after completion of his task he was found dead in a half immersed condition in the
Ganga . Gosainji himself dug the earth and buried him. Kaloo used to take only Govinda' s
prasad, danced and shed tears during kīrtana.
When they arrived at Panchavati near Babla, Kalu started scratching the ground with his
paws. He then ran towards Gosainji and pulled him by holding his cloth with his teeth and
kept barking. As Gosainji got up and went to that spot, Kaloo started scratching again.
Collecting a spade and a crowbar from the nearby village the place was dug up and a water
tight copper vessel was excavated inside which there was a pair of wooden sandals with
Adwaita Prabhu's came inscribed on it, a small water pot and an old torn book were found.
Seeing that a quarrel had started over the rights of these materials, Gosainji ordered these
materials to be buried under the pedestal of the wooden idol of Adwaita Prabhu and these
are there ever since then. Gosainji then allowed Kaloo to leave his mortal frame and go to
his appropriate
dham. “Adwaitapat'' was the residence of Adwaita Prabhu and Panchawati was his place of
sadhan. Mahaprabhu along with Adwaitaprabhu used to enjoy the bliss of kīrtana right
there. Many bhaktas in their awakened state hear the supernatural sound of kīrtana even
today. It appears as if thousands of people are advancing singing kīrtana with a hundred
mridangas (drums) and would reach there in
two minutes. The sound of kīrtana slowly recedes and ultimately stops if one gets up and
runs towards the direction from where the sound of kīrtana comes. Many persons have had
such an experience.

THE PLACE OF ADWAITA ACHARYA PRABHU'S LĪLĀ AS OF NOW

ADWAITAPAT (BABLA):
The temple and monastery built on a 'devottar'* land in old Shantipur (Babla) is one of the
most esteemed places for the entire Vaishnava community. This is particularly recognised as
the holiest place of pilgrimage, being the place of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu' s līlā. Sitting on
this spot one day Adwaita Prabhu roared in a loud voice' Samkarshan has come' when
Nityananda Prabhu was born.
* Devottar - a property endowed for defraying the cost of worshipping a deity.
This is the land where the great union of Gouranga, Nityananda and Advaitācārya
took place for the first time-as the first step towards establishment of dharma. The
'Panchawati' is still situated adjacent to this, which was then located on the bank of the
Ganga. Adwaita Prabhu used to perform religious austerities sitting here
and prayed for God's advent in a roaring voice. This land resurfaced 100 years after being
engulfed by the Ganga. Soon thereafter the sandy land became covered with jungles of
babool trees. It has already been described that Adwaita Prabhu had directed a mahatma in
a divine vision, through dreams or direct appearance about the location of his residence and
place of spiritual austerities.
Adwaita Prabhu' s temple and wooden idol was installed here by mahatma Sitanath. The
fascinating place is surrounde·d by mango trees, arouses one's inner consciousness. Many
fortunate bhaktas hear the sound of supernatural saṅkīrtana when they spend the night here.
Some lucky once have direct darshan also.
During this period the priest of Adwaitapat (Babla) was the descendent of Adwaita through
his fourth son Prabhupada Balaram Goswami. The day of Prabhu Advaitācārya' birth is 'Makari
Saptami' (Seventh day of the lunar fortnight in the month of Magha [JanuaryFebruary].
Thousands of Vaishnavas gather at Babla on that day. It may be mentioned here that Sadguru
Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Goswami had taken sannyas on 'Makar Saptami' at his guru's behest and according
to Adwaita Prabhu's renunciate son's name, his name after sannyas was Achyutananda
Saraswati. On this very day one of the most revered disciple of Goswami Prabhu, the preceptor
Śrī Śrī Darveshji Maharaj (Kaishorananda Saraswati) had taken sannyas. On the same day our
most revered Gurudev Śrīmat Swami Asimananda Saraswati Maharaj had also entered into
sannyas order. Many other Acharyas also take ttp wandering asceticism or start giving dīkṣā
under command on this date.

ATABUNIA ADWAITAPAT OF SHANTIPUR:

Within about 100 years of Adwaita Prabhu' s disappearance as mentioned earlier the old
Shantipur went under the Ganga along with Prabhu' s huge palace. Adwaita Prabhu' s six sons
became scattered in various directions. They started living separately in new Shantipur at a
place called Ataban*. The descendant of Adwaita Prabhu’s second son Kṛṣṇamishra, the priest
and beneficiary of Shree Śrī Radhamadangopalji became known by the name ''Atabunia Bada
Gosain." The descendant of prabhu' s fourth son Balaram Goswami are the priest and
beneficiary of Śrī Śrī Radha Shyamsundar.
Both the institutions conduct services to the vaishnavas, special puja, distribution of prasad,
kīrtana while moving through the town, 'dhulot'** celebration etc regularly on special days.
The notable celebrations of Shantipur are-birthday celebration of Adwaita Prabhu,
Mahaprabhu, ambulation of the town with Shyamsundar during the lastday of Bhanga
Rashyatra with pomp & show with a fete, birthday celebration of revered Madhavendra Puriji
etc. Thousands of bhaktas come to Shantipur during these days.
Advent of Sadguru Śrī Śrī Bijoykrislma Goswami took place in the lineage of ·rrabhupada
Balaram' s son Devakinandan Goswami.
Many great personalities and supreme bhaktas were born of Atabunia
Goswami lineage.
* A taban - a bawer of sweet custard apple.
** Dhulot - Sprinkling of dust from the road among bhaktas during kīrtana as a token of joy
in celebration.

ADWAITA PRABHU'S PLACE OF SPIRITUAL AUSTERITIES IN VRINDAVAN-ADWAITABAT

On his arrival at Vrindavan after pilgrimage to the holy places of the south and west India in
his youth, Adwaita Prabhu made his seat under the huge banian tree at the base of Adityatila.
It is here that Śrī Śrī Madanmohanji gave him darshan during his spiritual austerity and hinted
that his divine idol was lying buried behind the banian tree. Madanmohan' s idol is one of the
five idols which were made by the great grandson of Bhagawan Śrī Kṛṣṇa ''Maharaja Bajranav''
and the grandson of Arjun ''Maharaja-Parikshit'' built the temples. That idol was transferred
and relocated in the Hindu kingdom Karouli of Rajasthan during Aurangzeb's oppression. Later
a similar idol named Madangopal was established there and arrangements for the daily
worship were made based on a replica of carviing on a stone tablet by Sakhi Vishakha. This is
continuing even now.
As Adwaita Prabhu had done his spiritual austerities under the banian tree ('bat') that place is
called' Adwaitabat'. Kaviraj Kṛṣṇadas Goswami made the auspicious beginning of the world
famous ''Śrī Śrī Chaitanya Charitamrita'' sitting under this banian tree. On being inspired by
the supremely revered soul Sri Haridas Swami* of Nidhuban he completed the last part. An
idol similar to Advaitācārya’s wooden idol at Babla is installed here. Vaishnava Mahatma
Sitanath Babaji had installed both of these wooden idols three hundred years ago.
* Sri Haridas Swami lived for a century at Nidhuban. He was contemporary of Sri Roop
and Sanatan Goswami. Sri Haridas Swami was a great exponent of Indian classical
music (guru of Tansen), one of the greatest Rasik Bhaktas of Vrindavan and established
worship of Sri Banke Bihariji. He insisted on writing the Antalīlā of Mahaprabhu .

Handing over the task of service and worship of Śrī Śrī Madangopalji to Adwaita Prabhu's
disciple the revered Shivananda Chakraborty, Śrīpada Sanatan Goswamiji left for Govardhan.
His successive order of disciples are the priests and beneficiaries of 'Adwaitabat'. The new
priest is a follower of Sadgugu Bijoy-Kṛṣṇa Gosainji. Number of renunciates and hermits used
to stay here in huts spending years after years in austerity and worship of Madangopal even
a few years ago.
Out of the principal celebrations of Vrindavan, Adwaitaprabhu's date of advent on 'Makori
Saptami' takes place here. As the goudia vaishnavas fast on the day of Advaita Prabhu's.
birthday, 'bhandara' - does not take place. However Vaishnavas keep coming and going
throughout the day. They mainly ambulate' Adwaitabat'. Among other celebrations Holi,
Janmastami, Radhastami, worship of Giriraj (the
hill) and Annakut are important ones.
Another Adwaita ashram is situated on the road for ambulating Vrindavan (proceeding
northward after crossing the ISKCON temple).
Celebrations take place here also.

ADWAITAPAT IN NABADWIP
After receiving a lunt of Mahaprabhu' s imminent advent, Adwaita Prabhu had left
Shantipur, opened a tol (village school) at Nabadwip and started living there.
The Adwaitapat situated here is famous among the vaishnava circle. Reverberating with
regular celebrations, this 'Pat' is an essential spot of visit for all the pilgrims and vaishnavas.
Therefore further description on this is unnecessary.

ADWAITAPAT IN THE ŚRĪHATTA* DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH :

Adwaita Prabhu was born to the king's minister in Nabagram of Laur Pargana, Sunamganj of
Śrīhatta district (now in Bangladesh). He had come to Shantipur during his childhood for
education. Ishan Nagar, a resident of Laur was Adwaita Prabhu' s devoted attendent. On the
order of Sitama, Ishan Nagar returned to Laur Nabagram from Shantipur and installed
Gouranga-Adwaitapat. He got married on
Sitama' s order and while preaching the dl1arma of devotional love wrote a complete
biography of Adwaita Prabhu which is famous as ''Adwaita Prakash''. Having been gifted with
a tax free land from the king, he built a temple and ashram over there and continued to live
there. Through the descendants of his three sons, Purushottam, Hariballav and Kṛṣṇaballav,
the current of love and devotion of
Mahaprabhu-Adwaita Prabhu still flows in East Bengal.
In the old city of Dhaka another Advaitapat is actively engaged in spreading the ideas of
Adwaitaprabhu.

Jai Jai Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya.

Jai Jai Śrī Nityananda.
Jai Jai Śrī Adwaitachandra.
Jai Jai Śrī Gour Bhakta Vrinda.
* Also known as Sylhet district.