Sri Madhavendra Puri titobhava tithi [disappearance] Wednesday, March 12, 2014 [Los Angeles time]

[Tamohara dasa ADMIN.]

Sri Madhavendra Puri titobhava tithi [disappearance] Wednesday, March 12, 2014  [Los Angeles time]

Sri Madhavendra Puri titobhava tithi [disappearance] Thursday, March 13, 2014  [Mayapura time]

compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains the glories of Sri Madhavendra Puri

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 1:"Creation" : SB Introduction : SB Introduction :

The Lord visited many important places on the way to Purī. He visited the temple of Gopīnāthajī, who had stolen condensed milk for His devotee Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī. Since then Deity Gopīnāthajī is well known as Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha. The Lord relished this story with great pleasure. The propensity of stealing is there even in the absolute consciousness, but because this propensity is exhibited by the Absolute, it loses its perverted nature and thus becomes worshipable even by Lord Caitanya on the basis of the absolute consideration that the Lord and His stealing propensity are one and identical. This interesting story of Gopīnāthajī is vividly explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 1:"Creation" : SB Introduction : SB Introduction :

At Mathurā, the Lord visited all the important places; then He reached Vṛndāvana. Lord Caitanya appeared in the family of a high-caste brāhmaṇa, and over and above that as sannyāsī He was the preceptor for all the varṇas and āśramas. But He used to accept meals from all classes of Vaiṣṇavas. At Mathurā the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas are considered to be in the lower status of society, but the Lord accepted meals in the family of such a brāhmaṇa also because His host happened to be a disciple of the Mādhavendra Purī.

Srila Prabhupada summarizes Madhavendra Puris' devotional mood. :

Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 2: "The Cosmic Manifestation" : SB 2.4: The Process of Creation : SB 2.4.3, SB 2.4.4, SB 2.4.3-4 : PURPORT
Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī said further:

mugdhaṁ māṁ nigadantu nīti-nipuṇā bhrāntaṁ muhur vaidikāḥ
mandaṁ bāndhava-sañcayā jaḍa-dhiyaṁ muktādarāḥ sodarāḥ
unmattaṁ dhanino viveka-caturāḥ kāmam mahā-dāmbhikam
moktuṁ na kṣāmate manāg api mano govinda-pāda-spṛhām

"Let the sharp moralist accuse me of being illusioned; I do not mind. Experts in Vedic activities may slander me as being misled, friends and relatives may call me frustrated, my brothers may call me a fool, the wealthy mammonites may point me out as mad, and the learned philosophers may assert that I am much too proud; still my mind does not budge an inch from the determination to serve the lotus feet of Govinda, though I be unable to do it."

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 2: "The Cosmic Manifestation" : SB 2.9: Answers by Citing the Lord's Version : SB 2.9.6 : PURPORT :

When Lord Brahmā was perplexed about how to construct the material manifestations in the universe and went down within the water to find out the means and the source of his lotus seat, he heard the word tapa vibrated twice. Taking the path of tapa is the second birth of the desiring disciple. The word upāśṛṇot is very significant. It is similar to upanayana, or bringing the disciple nearer to the spiritual master for the path of tapa. So Brahmājī was thus initiated by Lord Kṛṣṇa, and this fact is corroborated by Brahmājī himself in his book the Brahma-saṁhitā. In the Brahma-saṁhitā Lord Brahmā has sung in every verse govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Thus Brahmā was initiated by the Kṛṣṇa mantra, by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, and thus he became a Vaiṣṇava, or a devotee of the Lord, before he was able to construct the huge universe. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā that Lord Brahmā was initiated into the eighteen-letter Kṛṣṇa mantra, which is generally accepted by all the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. We follow the same principle because we belong to the Brahmā sampradāya, directly in the disciplic chain from Brahmā to Nārada, from Nārada to Vyāsa, from Vyāsa to Madhva Muni, from Madhva Muni to Mādhavendra Purī, from Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī, from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanya and gradually to His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, our divine master.

Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 5: "The Creative Impetus" : SB 5.9: The Supreme Character of Jada Bharata : SB 5.9.4 : PURPORT :

“Duties [dharma] executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord.” (Bhāg. 1.2.8) These karma-kāṇḍa activities are required as long as one has not developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no need to execute the prior regulative principles of karma-kāṇḍa. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī said, “O regulative principles of karma-kāṇḍa, please excuse me. I cannot follow all these regulative principles, for I am fully engaged in devotional service.” He expressed the desire to sit somewhere beneath a tree and continue chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Consequently he did not execute all the regulative principles. Similarly, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a Mohammedan family. From the very beginning of his life he was never trained in the karma-kāṇḍa system, but because he was always chanting the holy name of the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him as nāmācārya, the authority in chanting the holy name. As Jaḍa Bharata, Bharata Mahārāja was always engaged in devotional service within his mind. Since he had executed the regulative principles continuously for three lives, he was not interested in continuing to execute them, although his brāhmaṇa father wanted him to do so.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Introduction :

This is the method of paramparā, or disciplic succession. Similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explains that Kṛṣṇa imparted knowledge into the heart of Brahmā, the first created creature within the universe. Brahmā imparted those lessons to his disciple Nārada, and Nārada imparted that knowledge to his disciple Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva imparted it to Madhvācārya, and from Madhvācārya the knowledge has come down to Mādhavendra Purī, to Īśvara Purī, and from him to Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 3: The External Reasons for Lord Caitanya's Appearance : Adi 3.95 : TRANSLATION :

mādhava-īśvara-purī, śacī, jagannātha

advaita ācārya prakaṭa hailā sei sātha

SYNONYMS

mādhava—Mādhavendra Purī; īśvara-purī—Īśvara Purī; śacī—Śacīmātā; jagannātha—Jagannātha Miśra; advaita ācārya—Advaita Ācārya; prakaṭa—manifested; hailā—were; sei—this; sātha—with.

TRANSLATION

Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī, Śrīmatī Śacīmātā and Śrīla Jagannātha Miśra all appeared with Śrī Advaita Ācārya.

PURPORT

Whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends in His human form, He sends ahead all His devotees, who act as His father, teacher and associates in many roles. Such personalities appear before the descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Before the appearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there appeared His devotees like Śrī Mādhavendra Purī; His spiritual master, Śrī Īśvara Purī; His mother, Śrīmatī Śacīdevī; His father, Śrī Jagannātha Miśra; and Śrī Advaita Ācārya.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 5: The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama : Adi 5.147 : PURPORT :

Lord Caitanya always offered respects to Advaita Prabhu as He would to His father because Advaita was even older than His father; yet Advaita Prabhu always considered Himself a servant of Lord Caitanya. Śrī Advaita Prabhu and Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya's spiritual master, were both disciples of Mādhavendra Purī, who was also the spiritual master of Nityānanda Prabhu. Thus Advaita Prabhu, as Lord Caitanya's spiritual uncle, was always to be respected because one should respect one's spiritual master's Godbrothers as one respects one's spiritual master. Because of all these considerations, Śrī Advaita Prabhu was superior to Lord Caitanya, yet Advaita Prabhu considered Himself Lord Caitanya's subordinate.

Srila Prabhupada reveals that the seed of Krsna prema emanated from Srila Madhavendra Puri.

CC  Adilila 9.10
jaya śrī mādhavapurī kṛṣṇa-prema-pūra

bhakti-kalpatarura teṅho prathama aṅkura

SYNONYMS

jaya—all glories; śrī mādhava-purī—unto Mādhavendra Purī; kṛṣṇa-prema-pūra—a storehouse of all love of Godhead; bhakti-kalpa-tarura—of the desire tree of devotional service; teṅho—he is; prathama—first; aṅkura—fructification.

TRANSLATION

All glories to Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, the storehouse of all devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa! He is a desire tree of devotional service, and it is in him that the seed of devotional service first fructified.

PURPORT

Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, also known as Śrī Mādhava Purī, belonged to the disciplic succession from Madhvācārya and was a greatly celebrated sannyāsī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the third disciplic descendant from Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. The process of worship in the disciplic succession of Madhvācārya was full of ritualistic ceremonies, with hardly a sign of love of Godhead; Śrī Mādhavendra Purī was the first person in that disciplic succession to exhibit the symptoms of love of Godhead and the first to write a poem beginning with the words ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha, "O supremely merciful Personality of Godhead." In that poem is the seed of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cultivation of love of Godhead.

CC Adi-LiIa 9.11
śrī-iśvarapurī-rūpe aṅkura puṣṭa haila

āpane caitanya-mālī skandha upajila

SYNONYMS

śrī-īśvara-purī—by the name Śrī Īśvara Purī; rūpe—in the form of; aṅkura—the seed; puṣṭa—cultivated; haila—became; āpane—Himself; caitanya-mālī—the gardener of the name Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; skandha—trunk; upajila—expanded.

TRANSLATION

The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Śrī Īśvara Purī, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service.

PURPORT

Śrī Īśvara Purī was a resident of Kumāra-haṭṭa, where there is now a railroad station known as Kāmarhaṭṭa. Nearby there is also another station named Hālisahara, which belongs to the Eastern Railway that runs from the eastern section of Calcutta.

Īśvara Purī appeared in a brāhmaṇa family and was the most beloved disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī. In the last portion of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 8.28-31), it is stated:

CC Adi-Lila 9.11

śrī-iśvarapurī-rūpe aṅkura puṣṭa haila

āpane caitanya-mālī skandha upajila

SYNONYMS

śrī-īśvara-purī—by the name Śrī Īśvara Purī; rūpe—in the form of; aṅkura—the seed; puṣṭa—cultivated; haila—became; āpane—Himself; caitanya-mālī—the gardener of the name Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; skandha—trunk; upajila—expanded.

TRANSLATION

The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Śrī Īśvara Purī, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service.

PURPORT

Śrī Īśvara Purī was a resident of Kumāra-haṭṭa, where there is now a railroad station known as Kāmarhaṭṭa. Nearby there is also another station named Hālisahara, which belongs to the Eastern Railway that runs from the eastern section of Calcutta.

Īśvara Purī appeared in a brāhmaṇa family and was the most beloved disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī. In the last portion of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 8.28-31), it is stated:

īśvara-purī gosāñi kare śrī-pada sevana
sva-haste karena mala-mūtrādi mārjana

nirantara kṛṣṇa-nāma karāya smaraṇa
kṛṣṇa-nāma kṛṣṇa-līlā śunāya anukṣaṇa

tuṣṭa hañā purī tāṅre kaila āliṅgana
vara dilā kṛṣṇe tomāra ha-uka prema-dhana

sei haite īśvara-purī premera sāgara

"At the last stage of his life Śrī Mādhavendra Purī became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Īśvara Purī so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and reminding Śrī Mādhavendra Purī about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the last stage of his life, Īśvara Purī gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Mādhavendra Purī, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, 'My dear boy, I can only pray to Kṛṣṇa that He will be pleased with you.' Thus Īśvara Purī, by the grace of his spiritual master, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead." Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states in his Gurv-aṣṭaka prayer, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi: "By the mercy of the spiritual master one is blessed by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A Vaiṣṇava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he appears to be an invalid, this gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Īśvara Purī pleased his spiritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master he became such a great personality that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him as His spiritual master.

Śrīla Īśvara Purī was the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but before initiating Lord Caitanya he went to Navadvīpa and lived for a few months in the house of Gopīnātha Ācārya. At that time Lord Caitanya became acquainted with him, and it is understood that he served Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by reciting his book, Kṛṣṇa-līlāmṛta. This is explained in Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Eleven.

To teach others by example how to be a faithful disciple of one's spiritual master, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, visited the birthplace of Īśvara Purī at Kāmarhaṭṭa and collected some earth from his birthsite. This He kept very carefully, and He used to eat a small portion of it daily. This is stated in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Seventeen. It has now become customary for devotees, following the example of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to go there and collect some earth from that place.

Srila Prabhupda explains the amazing relationship between Paramananda Puri and Sri Madhavendra Puri

CC Adi-Lila 9.13-15

paramānanda purī, āra keśava bhāratī

brahmānanda purī, āra brahmānanda bhāratī

viṣṇu-purī, keśava-purī, purī kṛṣṇānanda

śrī-nṛsiṁhatīrtha, āra purī sukhānanda

ei nava mūla nikasila vṛkṣa-mūle

ei nava mūle vṛkṣa karila niścale

SYNONYMS

paramānanda purī—of the name Paramānanda Purī; āra—and; keśava bhāratī—of the name Keśava Bhāratī; brahmānanda purī—of the name Brahmānanda Purī; āra—and; brahmānanda bhāratī—of the name Brahmānanda Bhāratī; viṣṇu-purī—of the name Viṣṇu Purī; keśava-purī—of the name Keśava Purī; purī kṛṣṇānanda—of the name Kṛṣṇānanda Purī; śrī-nṛsiṁha-tīrtha—of the name Śrī Nṛsiṁha Tīrtha; āra—and; purī sukhānanda—of the name Sukhānanda Purī; ei nava—of these nine; mūla—roots; nikasila—fructified; vṛkṣa-mūle—in the trunk of the tree; ei nava mūle—in these nine roots; vṛkṣa—the tree; karila niścale—became very steadfast.

TRANSLATION

Paramānanda Purī, Keśava Bhāratī, Brahmānanda Purī and Brahmānanda Bhāratī, Śrī Viṣṇu Purī, Keśava Purī, Kṛṣṇānanda Purī, Śrī Nṛsiṁha Tīrtha and Sukhānanda Purī-these nine sannyāsī roots all sprouted from the trunk of the tree. Thus the tree stood steadfastly on the strength of these nine roots.

PURPORT

Paramānanda Purī: Paramānanda Purī belonged to a brāhmaṇa family of the Trihut district in Uttara Pradesh. Mādhavendra Purī was his spiritual master. In relationship with Mādhavendra Purī, Paramānanda Purī was very dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-līlā, there is the following statement:

sannyāsīra madhye īśvarera priya-pātra
āra nāhi eka purī gosāñi se mātra

dāmodara-svarūpa paramānanda-purī
sannyāsi-pārṣade ei dui adhikārī

niravadhi nikaṭe thākena dui jana
prabhura sannyāse kare daṇḍera grahaṇa

purī dhyāna-para dāmodarera kīrtana
yata-prīti īśvarera purī-gosāñire

dāmodara-svarūpereo tata prīti kare

"Among his sannyāsī disciples, Īśvara Purī and Paramānanda Purī were very dear to Mādhavendra Purī. Thus Paramānanda Purī, like Svarūpa Dāmodara, who was also a sannyāsī, was very dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and was His constant associate. When Lord Caitanya accepted the renounced order, Paramānanda Purī offered Him the daṇḍa. Paramānanda Purī was always engaged in meditation, and Śrī Svarūpa was always engaged in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered full respect to His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, He similarly respected Paramānanda Purī and Svarūpa Dāmodara." It is described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-līlā, Chapter Three, that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first saw Paramānanda Purī He made the following statement:

āji dhanya locana, saphala āji janma
saphala āmāra āji haila sarva-dharma

prabhu bale āji mora saphala sannyāsa
āji mādhavendra more ha-ilā prakāśa

"My eyes, My mind, My religious activities and My acceptance of the sannyāsa order have now all become perfect because today Mādhavendra Purī is manifest before Me in the form of Paramānanda Purī." The Caitanya-bhāgavata further states:

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 4: Sri Madhavendra Puri's Devotional Service :

Srila Prabhupada relates the story of Ksira-Cora Gopinatha
In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the Fourth Chapter. Passing along the path of Chatrabhoga and coming to Vṛddhamantreśvara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the border of Orissa. On His way He enjoyed transcendental bliss by chanting and begging alms in different villages. In this way He reached the celebrated village of Remuṇā, where there is a Deity of Gopīnātha. There He narrated the story of Mādhavendra Purī, as He had heard it from His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. The narration is as follows.

One night while in Govardhana, Mādhavendra Purī dreamed that the Gopāla Deity was within the forest. The next morning he invited his neighborhood friends to accompany him to excavate the Deity from the jungle. He then established the Deity of Śrī Gopālajī on top of Govardhana Hill with great pomp. Gopāla was worshiped, and the Annakūṭa festival was observed. This festival was known everywhere, and many people from the neighboring villages came to join. One night the Gopāla Deity again appeared to Mādhavendra Purī in a dream and asked him to go to Jagannātha Purī to collect some sandalwood pulp and smear it on the body of the Deity. Having received this order, Mādhavendra Purī immediately started for Orissa. Traveling through Bengal, he reached Remuṇā village and there received a pot of condensed milk (kṣīra) offered to the Deity of Gopīnāthajī. This pot of condensed milk was stolen by Gopīnātha and delivered to Mādhavendra Purī. Since then, the Gopīnātha Deity has been known as Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha, the Deity who stole the pot of condensed milk. After reaching Jagannātha Purī, Mādhavendra Purī received permission from the King to take out one maṇa of sandalwood and eight ounces of camphor. Aided by two men, he brought these things to Remuṇā. Again he saw in a dream that Gopāla at Govardhana Hill desired that very sandalwood to be turned into pulp mixed with camphor and smeared over the body of Gopīnāthajī. Understanding that that would satisfy the Gopāla Deity at Govardhana, Mādhavendra Purī executed the order and returned to Jagannātha Purī.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu narrated this story for Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and other devotees and praised the pure devotional service of Mādhavendra Purī. When He recited some verses composed by Mādhavendra Purī, He went into an ecstatic mood. But when He saw that many people were assembled, He checked Himself and ate some sweet rice prasāda. Thus He passed that night, and the next morning He again started for Jagannātha Purī.

Srila Prabhupada describes the essence of Madhavendra Puri's teachings.

CC Antya-Lila 8.33

jagad-guru mādhavendra kari' prema dāna

ei śloka paḍi' teṅho kaila antardhāna

SYNONYMS

jagat-guru—the spiritual master of the entire world; mādhavendra—Mādhavendra Purī; kari' prema dāna—giving ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa as charity; ei śloka paḍi'-reciting this verse; teṅho—he; kaila antardhāna—passed away from this material world.

TRANSLATION

His Divine Grace Mādhavendra Purī, the spiritual master of the entire world, thus distributed ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. While passing away from the material world, he chanted the following verse.

CC Antya-Lila 8.34

ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha he

mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase

hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁ

dayita bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham

SYNONYMS

ayi—O my Lord; dīna—on the poor; dayā-ārdra—compassionate; nātha—O master; he—O; mathurā-nātha—the master of Mathurā; kadā—when; avalokyase—I shall see you; hṛdayam—my heart; tvat—of You; aloka—without seeing; kātaram—very much aggrieved; dayita—O most beloved; bhrāmyati—becomes overwhelmed; kim—what; karomi—shall do; aham—I.

TRANSLATION

"O my Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of my not seeing You, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?