Subject Sri Viswarup

To: [Ralph Stewart <rstew049@yahoo.com>]

From Ralph Stewart <rstew049@yahoo.com>
Date Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 5:11 PM

This story is compiled from 4 sources:

Sri Vrindavana das Thakura's

Sri Chaitanya-Bhagavata and
Nityananda Charitamrita

Krishna das Kaviraj Gosvami's

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Charitamrita

Locana das Thakura's

Sri Chaitanya Mangala

Visvarupa, which means Universal Form, was the ninth child born to Jagannatha Misra and
Sachi Devi. The first eight were girls and they all died shortly after their births.
Sri Visvarupa was the treasure house of all divine qualities and a renunciate from the time
of His birth. He had no interest other than serving Krishna with all of His senses.  He
always remained totally absorbed in the Lord. As a youngster, Viśvarūpa was a remarkable
scholar, easily absorbing everything He was taught. He went from one assembly to
another, one school to another, but nowhere was devotion to Kṛṣṇa ever discussed. 
 Advaita Ācārya was then lecturing on the book, Yoga-vāśiṣṭha. Though the book presents
the impersonal philosophy, Advaita Ācārya explained everything in the light of devotional
service to Kṛṣṇa. Who could actually comprehend Advaita’s dissertation? He was accepted
as the foremost amongst the Vaiṣṇavas. For Viśvarūpa, only Advaita Ācārya’s association
gave Him satisfaction. Therefore, Viśvarūpa spent as much time as He could with Advaita. 
Advaita enjoyed Viśvarūpa’s company and exchanged devotional mellows with Him.

One day, Śrī Jagannātha Miśra was invited to an assembly of brāhmaṇa paṇḍītas and with
him he took his son Viśvarūpa. All those attending were proud scholars. They were
stunned to see this young, beautiful and attractive child. His effulgent personality seemed
to have stolen their gravity and cynicism.

One of the paṇḍits approached Him, asking, “How far have you studied young lad?”
Viśvarūpa replied, “A little of everything.” Although the others did not mind his reply, His
father was embarrassed by it. As they were returning home from the assembly, Śrī
Jagannātha Miśra slapped his son. Reprimanding Him, he said, “Why did you not say
clearly the names of the books you are studying, instead of talking in circles. You certainly
made a fool of yourself in that learned assembly and also spoilt my reputation.” They
returned home, but Jagannātha Miśra was still in a fit of rage.

Viś ū d id d t b k t th t bl H t l d id t th B h i
Viśvarūpa decided to go back to that assembly. He went alone and said to the Brahmins,
“None of you asked Me any questions when I replied to your question. My father was very
angry at My reply and your subsequent silence. So now, kindly ask Me any question so that
I may back up My response to your enquiry.”

The scholars laughed condescendingly at what they considered mere precocity. One of
them said, “Okay young lad! What did you study today?” Viśvarūpa explained to them a few
aphorisms from logic and they appreciated and understood His presentation.

They then said, “You have explained the aphorisms well.” Viśvarūpa replied, “My
explanations are a ploy. You have not understood anything.”

Then, to the utter amazement of the scholars, he refuted all the logical conclusions just
established. He did this twice, each time presenting new conclusions and then again
refuting them. In a dazed state, the scholars agreed, saying, “Yes, yes, You are most
intelligent.” However, they were unable to know the truth about Him; they were incapable of
glorifying and appreciating a Vaiṣṇava’s transcendental status. 

Whenever Visvarupa was at home, He spent all of His time in the temple room studying
and meditating; He rarely went into any other room of the house. He saw that the entire
world was mad after material pleasure. The seed of envy for Vishnu and the Vaishnavas
was present in everyone's heart, and even recitations of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad
Bhagavatam were being presented without mention of devotional service to the Supreme
Lord.  When the materialistic people of Nadia would see the Vaishnava devotees, who are
naturally disgusted with material life, they would taunt them. They composed verses and
recited them whenever they saw a Vaishnava. They would say, "The renounced sannyasis,
the chaste ladies and the yogis performing austerity will all have to die. Then why their
futile endeavour? By our own standard, a fortunate person has the means to ride on a
horse or be carried on a palanquin with 10 to 20 persons running in front and behind him.
You drench yourself with tears of spiritual emotions while singing to your Lord, yet we do
not see any sign of your poverty and misery being alleviated. Your Lord will surely become
angry if you continue to call out "Hari Hari" so loudly and so often!" Visvarupa thought that
maybe it would be best for Him to go live in the forest so that He would no longer have to
see the faces of such sinful people. Everything was so perverted; the people of Nadia were
being misled in all aspects of life.      Everyday after taking morning bath in the Ganges,
Visvarupa would go to the house of Advaita Acharya, where he would explain that
devotional service to Krishna is the essence of all scriptures. Sri Advaita would roar in
delight when he heard Sri Visvarupa explain the scriptures in this way. He would leave
aside his own worship just to hear Sri Visvarupa's discourses, and the assembled
Vaishnava's would shout Hari! Hari! in appreciation of the discussion. The devotees roared
like lions in the ecstacy of Krishna Consciousness. They felt the heavy burden of life lifted
from their hearts. On such days, no one wanted to leave Visvarupa's association nor did He
want to be separated from them. Sri Visvarupa was 12 years old at this time and was
already considered an acharya. No one has ever had the power to refute His conclusions.

One day, Mother Sachi sent young Visvambhara, Lord Chaitanya, to bring His older brother
Visvarupa home for lunch. He ran across town to Advaita Acharya's house, where He saw
 p y ,
the assembly of Vaishnava's discussing the most auspicious topics of Krisna Lila. Young
Visvambhara, who is none other than Krisna Himself, felt satisfied to hear the devotees
glorify Him, and He captivated them with His glances and the transcendental beauty of His
form. Bare and covered with dust, Visvambhara smiled a told His brother that lunch was
ready and to come home. Sri Visvambhara's beauty captivated the devotees and held them
in trance. They stared at Him, unable to move. Even their discussions on Krishna were put
on hold! The materialistic person cannot begin to comprehend the Lord's transcendental
activities of attracting and alluring the hearts of His devotees. Viswambhar then caught
hold of His big brother's dhoti and together they walked home. Sri Vishwarup stayed home
only briefly and then went straight back to Sri Advaita's house. He had no attraction for
family affairs; He only found enjoyment in singing the glories of Lord Krishna.

When He was about 14 years old, His parents began to think of a suitable wife for Him.
Knowing of their desires, He pondered the situation for a few days and then, early one
morning, Visvarupa took his manuscripts, headed across town and swam across the
Ganga, never to return home. When the devotees and Advaita Acharya got the news, they
were both elated and devastated, suffering greatly in separation. When Jagannatha Mishra
and Sachi Devi heard, they were stunned, heart broken and full of sorrow, delerious. When
young Visvambhara heard that His big brother had left home, he cried pitifully and fell
down unconscious.

Visvarupa soon accepted sannyasa from Sripad Krishna Bharati and was given the name
Sankararanya Swami. He traveled all over the country traversing the path of devotional
service to Sri Krishna and was known as the topmost Vaishnava. In Pandarpura, a district
in Sholapur in Southern India, on the banks of the Bhima River near Bombay, Sankararanya
entered samadhi in 1509. It is stated that after His so-called demise, He remained mixed
within Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

The Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi Lila 13,74: says, in part, "Jagannatha Mishra got a son
named Visvarupa, who was the most powerful and qualified because he was an
incarnation of Baladeva".

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati comments on Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata Adi-khanda 7.94: "Sri

Visvarupa Prabhu is Sankarsana and is therefore non-different than Sri Nityananda
Svarupa".

In Locana das Thakur's Sri Chaitanya Mangala, he tells us about when Lord Chaitanya
received Sri Nityananda Avadhuta at His home:
"Gauranga smeared sandalwood paste on Nityananda's body, gave Him a flower garland,
and offered other articles for worshipping an exalted personality. Maddened with affection,
Sacimata couldn't take her eyes off Nitai's lotus face. Gaurahari said, "Sacimata, you seem
to take more care of Nitai than Me."
Gazing tenderly with motherly love, Sachimata said, "From today on, both of you are my
sons. Nitai, please show Your mercy to Visvambhara". Crying, Sachi sat Nitai on her lap.
Accepting Sachi as a mother, Sri Nityananda Prabhu touched her feet and spoke sweetly.
He said "You should definitely know that I am your son So as my mother please overlook
He said, You should definitely know that I am your son. So, as my mother, please overlook
my faults. Know clearly that in all respects, I am your son."

And from the Nityananda Charitamrita:

"Seeing the wonderful nature of Nityananda, mother Sachi simply smiled. She considered
Nityananda as her own son, Vishwarup. She alone often saw this with her own eyes".

 And that is the wonderful story of Sri Visvarupa, Lord Chaitanya's older brother.

Acharya das says: Just as a clarification, while Lord Nityananda and Visvarupa are one,
their pastimes are different, just as Lord Krishna and Lord Rama are one yet they display
different pastimes. It is important to make the distinction with their pastimes and not
consider that Sri Visvarupa’s pastimes are Lord Nityananda’s pastimes.  

All Glories to Sri Sri Nityananda Prabhu 

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