,

Advaita Prabhu- Cries for the Lord of Love- part 2

By Mahanidhi Swami

Seeing the decadence of the age, the all-compassionate Advaita Acharya thought, “To help these fallen people and save this wretched world, Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself must come to the earth!” With this sankalpa, Advaita Prabhu began to worship a Shalagrama form of Sri Krishna with Ganga jal and tulasi leaves along with loving roars, pleading for Lord of Goloka to descend. Advaita Prabhu’s loud calls are the main cause of Sri Krishna Chaitanya’s appearance on earth, caitanyera avatare ei mukhya hetu.” (Cc. 1.3.110)

One day while all the devotees were lovingly gazing upon Mahaprabhu, the Golden Lord suddenly began to repeatedly call out, “Nara! Nara!” Not comprehending the meaning of this outburst, the devotees inquired from Lord Gauranga. Mahaprabhu explained, “Advaita Äcärya is Nara (short for Narayana, Maha Vishnu). Because of Advaita’s loud calls, I have descended from Goloka to preach the Sri Krishna Harinama Sankirtana, the supreme and sublime dharma for this age of Kali. Not only that, but I will also freely and widely distribute Vraja prema, which is very rarely attained even by the demigods headed by Lord Brahma. Everyone will submerge in the ocean of love except those who are offenders to Vaisnavas, and those people who are intoxicated with their weath, fame, knowledge and high birth.” (Cb. Chapter 5)

One day Lord Gauranga discussed this event saying, “It is because of Advaita Prabhu that I came here, for Nara’s (aka Advaita Prabhu) roars rang in My ears. I was lying peacefully in the Milk Ocean, but Nara’s roar woke me up and brought Me down here.” (Cb. 3.9.297-8)

Sri Advaita Prabhu Saptami Avirbhava ki jai!
Sri Advaita Prabhu Sitanatha ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

,

Sri Advaita Prabhu—The Cowherd Boy part 1

By Mahanidhi Swami

To start this series of short articles glorifying Sri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, we quote Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja, “I offer my obeisances ten million times to the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya. Please do not take any offense in connection with this offering of mine, acharya-charane mora koti namaskara, ithe kichu aparadha na labe amara. (Cc. 1.6.116)

Sri Advaita Acharya was about 72 years old when Nimai Pandita stopped His Sankrit teaching pastimes and started the Harinama Sankirtana movement. Advaita Prabhu appeared 52 years before Sri Chaitanyadeva in 1434 and was named Kamalakara Bhattacarya. Advaita Prabhu left this world in 1559 at the age of 125 years.

Sri Svarupa Damodara Goswami describes the ontological position of Advaita Prabhu thus: “Lord Mahavishnu is the master of the universe, which He creates through His Maya shakti. Advaita Acharya is the incarnation of this form of the Supreme Lord. He is Advaita because He is none other than the Supreme Lord Hari, and He is Acharya because He is the preceptor of devotion. I take shelter of the Supreme Lord Sri Advaita Acharya who is the incarnation of a devotee. (Cc. 1.1.12-13)

Sri Narahari Chakravarti describes Advaita Prabhu thus: “Sadashiva, who is an expansion of Bhagavan Sri Krishna in Vraja, is now known as Advaita Goswami and He is non-different from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, vraje avesha-rupatvad vyuho yo pi sadashivah, sa eva advaita-gosvami caitanyabhinna.

“In Vraja, Sadashiva (Advaita Prabhu) took the form of a cowherd boy and danced alongside Krishna. Once on Divali day in Kartika, Sadashiva saw Krishna Balarama dancing gleefully with all the cowherd boys. Becoming a cowherd boy Himself, Sadashiva Advaita Prabhu started dancing and spinning like a whirling wheel for the pleasure of Gopala. Thus, by Krishna’s mercy, Sadashiva plays two different roles in Vraja: Gopishvara Shiva and a gopa. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 76-80)

Vrindavan Das Thakura also identifies Advaita Prabhu as Shiva Shankara and the best of Vaisnavas: “Sri Advaita Prabhu resides in Navadvipa as the topmost devotee, and the leader of all gurus in jnana, bhakti and vairagya. Whatever scriptures that exist within the three worlds, Advaita Prabhu explains in the light of Krishna bhakti. Advaita Prabhu teaches pure devotion in the same way as Shankara.” (Cb.1.2.78-9)

All glories to the supremely merciful Advaita Acharya! Whoever takes shelter of His lotus feet will obtain the great prize of Gaura prema. (Bhakti-ratnakara 12.3764)

Sri Advaita Prabhu Saptami Avirbhava ki jai!
Sri Advaita Prabhu Sitanatha ki jai!
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

,

A Vrajavasi meets Rama

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

While travelling from Vaikuntha to Ayodhya, Gopa kumara chanted, “O Sitapate! O Sri Raghunatha! O Laksmana Jyestha! O Prabhu! O Hanumat Priyesvara!” Upon entering Ayodhya dhama, Gopa kumara met some monkeys jumping here and there shouting, “Rama! Rama!” and tried to snatch his flute.

Then Hanuman took Gopa kumara to meet Rama who was happily sitting on a royal throne. Sita- devi stood beside Rama happily offering Him betel nut. Gopa kumara bowed down before Lord Rama and repeatedly said, “Jai! Jai!” With gentle speech full of nectar, Lord Rama said, “O my dear son of a Vrajavasi cowherd, very good. Now just relax, for you are my very dear friend.” Gopa kumara stayed for a while in Ayodhya dhama observing Sri Rama, the Lion King of the Raghus, perform His royal dharmic lila. However despite experiencing the bliss of serving Rama in Ayodhya, Gopa kumara’s heart again hankered for the sweet life of Vrajabhumi, wherein he would embrace his friend and Lord, Madana Gopala. The all-compassionate Lord Rama understood Gopa kumara’s mood, so He sent him forward in his spiritual sojourn to Sri Dhama Vrndavana.

(excerpt from Brhad Bhagavatamrita)

Jai Sita Rama!
Jai Radhe Syama!
Jai Vraja Dhama!