Articles

The Appearance Day Of Sri Advaita Acarya

Sri Adwaita
Acarya
A Lecture taken from Sri Prabandhavali,
[A Collection of Devotional Essays] by
Tridandisvami Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Advaita Saptami is the day Sri Advaita Acarya appeared in this world. Sri
Advaita Acarya, the cause of the material world, appears first. After that Sri
Nityananda Prabhu appears on the day of Trayodasi, and then Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu Himself, descending into this world with the effulgence of
radha-bhava, comes on purnima. In this way the pastimes of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu begin.
vande tam srimad-advaitacaryam adbhuta-cestitam
yasya prasadad ajno api tat-svarupam nirupayet
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 6.1)
I pray to Sri Advaita Acarya, who performs especially wonderful
pastimes, that by His mercy I may be able to easily describe the difficultto-understand philosophical truths regarding his glory.
What is the nature of his wonderful pastimes? Seeing Sri Nityananda
Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu began complaining. Where has this avadhuta
come from? Today He has come to our home and thrown prasada in all
directions! He has no knowledge of what caste He belongs to, and actually
He has no caste at all. We are brahmanas, the best of society, and He has
dropped prasada on the bodies of everyone here. Then Nityananda Prabhu
said, O aparadhi! You are committing an offence to maha-prasada. You
consider it to be mere food, and that it is merely being thrown around? You
cant see that it bestows good fortune, and that whoevers body is touched
by this prasada at once crosses over maya. In this way, there was generally
some quarrelling between Them. When they would go for bathing there

would certainly be quarrelling.

At that time Nityananda Prabhu was very young. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
was the youngest, next came Lord Nityananda, and the oldest among them
was Sri Advaita Acarya, whose thoughts are sometimes very difficult to
understand.
Sri Advaita Acarya sent a mysterious sonnet to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
baulake kahiha, - loka ha-ila baula
baulake kahiha hate na vikaya caula
baulake kahiha kaye nahika aula
baulake kahiha iha kahiyache baula
One madman is sending a message to another madman. There is no longer
necessity for rice in the marketplace, so it is time for the shop to be closed.
(Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 19.20,21)
Practically no one could understand this sonnet. Upon reading it, Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared a little indifferent. Only Sri Svarupa
Damodara could understand a little of Sri Advaita Acaryas mood; no one
else could understand. The sonnet indicated that one madman, Sri Advaita
Acarya who is maddened in krsna-prema, is sending a message to another
madman, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the one who made the world mad with
krsna-prema, the original madness. There is no longer necessity for rice
means that prema has been given by Him to everyone, and now the task is
completed. Therefore the shop should be closed means, Your pastimes
in the material world should now come to a close. In this way, Sri Advaita
Acarya's pastimes are mysterious and wonderful.
Although the gist of the Bhagavad-gita advocates bhakti, at the time of Sri
Advaita Prabhus appearance no one was explaining it in that way. The
message of the Gita is full of devotion visate tad anantaram (Bhagavadgita 18.55): Ultimately he enters into Me. Advaitavadis (impersonalists)
interpret this to mean that Bhagavan and the jiva merge in Brahman and
become one. They say that by chanting aham brahmasmi and practicing
meditation, the apparent individuality of the souls is dissolved and they
merge in the end. The advaitavadis also say that the material world is false
and ultimately there is only the impersonal Brahman. Sri Advaita Acarya
first of all gave the explanation of bhakti from these verses: satatam
kirtayanto mam (Bhagavad-gita 9.14); ananyas cintayanto mam, ye janah
paryupasate (9.22); and labhate bhakti param (18.54) in the end, we will
attain bhakti. By the medium of the precepts described in these verses, then
visate tad anantaram we enter into bhakti. It is not that we meet Bhagavan
in Brahman, entering into undifferentiated light. Visate means that we enter

into His dhama and attain His service, and some people were trying to
change the meaning.
After some time, however, when Sriman Mahaprabhu was in His youth, Sri
Advaita Acarya went to Santipura and also started explaining the meaning
of visate tad anantaram as aham brahmasmi: all souls will merge in
Brahman. Hearing of this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to him and
pulled His beard and beat Him, until Srimati Sita devi, Advaita Acaryas
wife, came and protected Him.
This is also wonderful because, having been beaten, Sri Advaita Acarya
became very pleased and began dancing. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had
previously been offering pranama and service to Him, and offering Him
respect befitting ones guru. This was because Sri Advaita Prabhu was a
disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri, Sriman Mahaprabhus grand-spiritual
master. Mahaprabhu was thinking, He is a disciple of My parama-guru, so
it is My duty to offer obeisances and service to Him. He is worshipable for
Me, and therefore I should serve and worship Him.
It was for ridding Himself of this situation that Sri Advaita Acarya gave the
nirvisesa-vada (voidist and impersonalist) explanation of the Gita. When
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About His Life:

Advaita-tattva - The Advaita Principle - from Gaudiya Kanthara:
Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Advaita Acharya
Who is Advaita Acharya? (Iskcon Washington DC page)
See the Shalagram Sila that Srila Advaita Acharya prayed to to invoke Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu

The foremost of all the Vaishnavas who reside at Navadwip is Sri Advaita
Acarya, whose virtuous presence has made all the worlds blessed. He is the
most preeminent preceptor in all fields including knowledge, renunciation and
devotion. In explaining Krsna-bhakti he is like unto Lord Shankara (Shiva)
himself, and whatever scriptures that exist within the three worlds he explains
in the light of Krsna-bhakti.
With the intense eagerness he continually worships the Shalagram of Sri Krsna
with Tulasi manjaris and Ganges water. By the momentum of his spiritual
force, his loud shouts pierce the coverings of this universe and, resounding
throughout Vaikuntha, reach the ears of Sri Krsna. Hearing this loving
summons saturated with devotion, Sri Krsna advents Himself.
On the seventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh, the great
ocean of ecstasy swelled to its limits, being forcibly attracted by the moon of
Adwaita, Who appeared from the womb of Sri Nabhadevi as the moon appears
in the autumn sky. His father, Sri Kuvera, Pandit floated in that ocean of joy. In
great happiness gave many gifts in charity to the brahmanas (who voluntarily
accept vows of poverty). Very quietly he approached the maternity room to get
a glimpse of his newborn son. Then his own face began to shine by the
reflected light of that moon-like personage. The residents of Nabagram came
running to see the child. Everyone remarked that they had never seen such a
beautiful baby. What a pious activities his father must have been performed to
get such a jewel of a son, and that in his old age. Thus Ghanasyama sings about
this occasion. [B.R.12.1759] The child was named Mangal and his other name
was Kamalaksa.

Advaita Acarya is the combined incarnation of Maha Visnu and Sadaisiva (who
resides in Goloka). His two consorts, Sita and Sri are manifestations of Yoga
Maya. Once when Advaita performed worship, whatever gods and demigods
He used to meditate upon He saw all gathered at Lord Caitanya's lotus feet,
offering prayers. Raising up his two hands, Advaita exclaimed in great ecstasy,
"Today all the days of my life have produced a successful result, as all my
desires have been fulfilled. My birth and activities have finally born fruit. I
have directly perceived Your two lotus feet, which are proclaimed throughout
the four Vedas but are unattainable thereby. Now, by Your causeless mercy, You
have
revealed Yourself to Me."
Mahaprabhu replied, "Acarya, now you should perform My worship." First
Advaita Acarya washed the Lord's two lotus feet with water scented by flower
petals and then with water scented with sandalwood. Then He placed on His
lotus feet Tulasi manjari dipped in sandalwood paste along with arghya - an
auspicious offering of rice, durbagrass, yogurt etc. His eyes brimming with
tears, he offered incense, ghee lamps, flowers, sandalwood paste, and some
foodstuffs. After offering various prayers he loudly proclaimed the Lord's
glories with auspicious shouts. All glories to the Lord and maintainer of the
universe, the Lord of all that lives. All glories to Gaurcandra, the ocean of
mercy. All glories to the most munificent incarnation of Sri Krsna Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, whose form is all-enchanting. All glories to He who is decorated
with the ornaments of Sri Vatsa and Kaustubha. All glories to He who has
revealed the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra. All glories to He who enjoys the
pastimes of accepting devotion unto Himself. All glories to Mahaprabhu who
reclines on the bed of Ananta Sesa. All glories to the refuge of all living
entities. [C.B.Mad. 6.116]
Hearing Advaita's prayer's Mahaprabhu replied, "My dear Acarya, I am very
pleased by your prayers. Now you can ask from me any benediction you like."
Then Advaita requested that, "My only request is that you distribute love of
Krsna even to women, laborers and the ignorant fools as well. [C.B. Mad.
6.167]
A Nrsimha sila and Deities, fashioned after a picture of Sri Sri Madan-Gopal
that were worshipped by Advaita Acarya are still residing at Santipur in MadanGopal Para. Santipur is a short distance from Krsnanagar by bus.
The place on the banks of the Ganga where Advaita Acarya worshipped
shalagram and called out to the Lord to please descend to the world is known

today as Babla. A temple has been built in memory of Advaita Acarya's

pastimes there. This place can be reached by rikshaw from Santipur.