Pranam Mantra of Madhavendra Puri
Sadvipravamsam biyadapta vittam nyasi kula avatamsam
Caitanya premagasdankuram tam sri madhavendrakhya purim namami
Introduction :
Srila Madhavendra Puri is one of the most prominent Acharyas of the Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya sampradaya. He appeared in a pious Brahmana family at Purnipat, Srihatta, now in Bangladesh at the beginning of 1400 AD. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself said: “bhaktirase madhavendra adi sutradhara” i.e. Madhavendra Puri was the first Acharya who introduced the concept of Raganuga bhakti.
An eternal associate:
Goswami Kavi Karnapura describes in Gaura Ganoddesa Dipika:
“kalpa vrikshasya avataro vrajdhamani tisthata
priti priyo vatsalato ujjvalakhya phala dharinah”
Translation: Madhavendra Puri is an incarnation of the desire tree of Sridham Vrindavana. He bears the fruits of prita, preya, vatsala and ujjvala.
As a Traveling Monk:
Once upon a time, Sri Madhavendra Puri entrusted Madhva Sarasvati with the responsibility of his school in Kashi. Madhava Sarasvati was a disciple of Vyasatirtha. Then Madhavendra Puri set out on a pilgrimage. One day he came to Vraja Dhama. He took a bath at Vishrama Ghata in Mathura and visited Adi Keshava. He was extremely happy. Then he went to Govardhana to see the lilasthalis of Radha-Krishna. Out of ecstasy, he forgot his external existence. Sometimes he laughed, sometimes he cried and sometimes he was rolling on the ground. In this way, he traveled to Vraja Dhama.
Receiving the Lord’s mercy in a dream:
Finally, Madhavendra Puri arrived at Vraja Dhama. He circumambulated Govardhana and bathed at Govinda Kunda. In the evening he sat under a tree. He took a vow that he would not beg anything for himself. If someone gave him food, he would accept. On that very day he was starving and constantly chanting the holy names. At that time Lord Krishna appeared there in the form of an extremely beautiful young boy with a dark complexion. He gave Madhavendra Puri a bowl of milk to drink. He was satisfied by drinking that milk. The boy with milk seemed to be Krishna Himself to him. While thinking about this he fell asleep. Meanwhile, he had a strange dream. He saw as if
the same handsome boy had appeared before him again. He held his hand and took him to the forest. He said, “Look Madhvendra! This is my deity. I have been hidden under this ground for a long time. My name is Sri Gopala. It was I who held Govardhana-giri. My servants buried me to save Me from Yavana iconoclasts and fled away. From then I am here underground. Bring out My deity from and re-install Me here.”
Saying this, the boy took him to the top of Govardhana. And after showing him the place, he disappeared. Sri Madhavendra Puri was overjoyed to have had this wonderful dream.
Re-installment of Govardhana Dhari Sri Gopala:
Night gradually dawned. In the morning he went to the nearby village of Anora and told the residents about his dream. They were overjoyed to hear this. Then all of them went to that spot. By excavating they discovered a beautiful Krishna deity under the ground. The news spread quickly. The Vrajavasis from nearby villages gathered to visit the deity. They built a small thatch hut there and installed the deity. On the day of Vaisakhi-Krishna-Ekadashi in 1535 Samvat, Sri Gopaladeva was bathed in panchamrita and worshipped with fragrance, flowers, incense, lamps, and edibles.
Arrangement of Annakuta festival by Madhavendra Puri:
The surroundings filled with the shouts of victory. Everyone became very happy. Madhavendra Puri started living at the newly built temple of Gopala Deva. The Lord also appeared before him and insisted on fulfilling his childlike whims. Once Madhavendra Puri Goswami gathered all the Vrajavasis and asked them to organize the Annakuta festival for Sri Gopaladeva. The festival continued for more than one month. But Madhavendra Puri did not eat anything. He carefully fed all the Vrajavasis and then drank a little milk. He was such a renounced personality.
Journey to Nilachala:
One night Gopala Deva appeared in Madhavendra Puri’s dream and said: “My body is burning as I was buried underground for a long time. Go to Nilachala and bring the Malaya sandalwood. Cover my entire body with the sandalwood paste. It will smoothen my body.” As soon as he awoke, Madhavendra Puri told everything to the other servants. He entrusted them with the responsibility of Gopaladeva’s daily worship and set out for Nilachala. Out of ecstatic love for Krishna, he was completely free from thirst and hunger. Finally, he reached the Gauda mandala.
Arrival at Nabadwip and Shantipur:
Madhavendra Puri became the guest of Jagannath Mishra and Sachimata. They worshiped him with padya, arghya, and achamana. Then Sachimata cooked many dishes and offered them to Krishna and served him. Then he left Navadvipa and came to Shantipur. Sitting under a tree he was chanting the names of Shri Krishna. On seeing his miraculous love for Krishna, Advaita Acharya Prabhu realized that he was a great vaishnava saint. He showed humility by wearing his clothes around his neck and bowed down before him. Then Advaita Acharya took Madhavendra Puri to his residence. Being a strict renunciate Puri never visited localities, but the devotion of Advaita Prabhu made him arrive at his house. He initiated Advaita Acharya and instructed him in Krishna Bhajana.
Pastime of Gopinatha at Remuna:
On the way to Vrindavan, Madhavendra Puri came to Remuna to see Sri Gopinatha Deva. Gopinatha wanted to glorify His devotees there. He stole a pot of khira from twelve and hid it under His throne. Then He awoke the priest and sent the khira to Madhavendra Puri. Madhavendra Puri was overjoyed to see the Mahaprasada. Madhavendra Puri assumed that people might come and praise him. Immediately he bowed down to Sri Gopinath Deva and set off for Sri Jagannath Dham to collect the sandalwood.
At Srikshetra:
Madhavendra Puri arrived at Nilachala and was overjoyed to see Sri Jagannathadeva. The King Gajapati Maharaja heard his glory.
He welcomed Puri with warm hospitality and managed the sandalwood, camphor, aguru, etc. He also made beautiful arrangements for the long journey up to Vrindavana. After leaving Nilachala, Madhavendra Puri revisited Remuna. The servants of Gopinatha offered him khira prasada with great respect.
That night, while Madhavendra was sleeping in Gopinatha’s temple, Gopala appeared in his dream.
He said, “Look Madhvendra! I have already accepted these camphor and sandalwood. I and Gopinatha is nondifferent from each other. Offer it to Gopinatha. This will smoothen me automatically. Don’t hesitate.” As soon as he woke up, Madhavendra Puri made an arrangement to offer the sandalwood paste to Gopinatha.
Journey to South India:
Then Puri Goswami went to Madhavacharya’s place in South India. There he met his grand guru Vyasatirtha. Though Madhvendra was elderly at this time, Vyasatirtha was only thirty-eight years old. Puri spent four months of monsoon there. In 1406 Shaka, Pausha month, he started for Mathura. He was very eager to see his Gopala. Ramchandra Puri and Ishwara Puri were always with him.
Meeting with Nityananda Prabhu:
Nityananda Prabhu met Srila Madhavendra Puri during his pilgrimage to Western India. As soon as they met, both lost their consciousness out of ecstasy. Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata (Adi, Chapter 9) describes: “ei mata Nityananda prabhura bhramana/ daive madhavendra saha haila darashana”
Nityananda Prabhu said – “I have visited many pilgrimages, but today I met Madhavendra Puri. Now I am satisfied and attained the results of the pilgrimage. I have never seen such a divine love.”
Madhavendra Puri embraced Nityananda and wept out of ecstasy. Then he started glorifying Nityananda. In this way, Madhavendra Puri spent a few days with Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
Unique feature of Madhavendra Puri:
Although Madhavendra Puri was an Acharya of the Madhva Sampradaya, he possessed a special instinct. From Madhvacharya to Lakshmipati, the Acharyas did not worship Krishna in Shringara rasa. Madhavendra was the pioneer of this. After him, Ishwara Puri adopted the idea followed by Mahaprabhu Sri Krishna Chaitanya Deva. Mahaprabhu preached the most complete ideology of Ujjala rasa in this world. Regarding this Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote in Amrita pravaha commentary on Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, madhya, 4.197- “The bhakti schools of Vedanta are divided into four sampradayas. Among them Madhavendra Puri was a sannyasi of Madhavacharya Sampradaya. Acharyas from Madhvacharya to Lakshmipati, there was no tradition of Shringara devotion in this community. Their perspective of devotion is discussed in the episode of Mahaprabhu’s Udupi visit. This very verse was composed by Madhavendra Puri. In this way, he sowed the seed of Shringar-rasa bhakti. It tells that the best way of worshipping Krishna is to practice the particular bhava that Radharani had after Krishna departed for Mathura. Such devotees should address the Lord as “Dina Dayardra Natha”. The mood of separation from Krishna is the natural bhajana for living beings. Krishna has gone to Mathura. Srimati is suffering from intense separation. She is saying-“O love, my heart is deeply disturbed by Your absence.
