Mahaprabhu’s seniors, His parents and gurus, are all His servants and eternal associates and they take their birth prior to His appearance in order to serve Him in their own way.
Whenever Krishna descends to the earth, He first sends down His elders. These include His father, mother, guru and all the other persons He considers to be the objects of His respect. He arranges that these persons should take birth before He does. Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri, Sachi and Jagannath, Advaita Acharya, are amongst those who appeared in this way.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.3.92-4)
Later in the Chaitanya Charitamrita (1.13.52-55), the same thing is described in the following way:
Whenever the son of the king of Vraja decides to appear on earth in order to fulfill a particular desire, then He first sends down His seniors. I will briefly name some of them as it is not possible to so extensively: Sachi, Jagannath, Madhava Puri, Keshava Bharati, Isvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Srivasa Pandit, Acharyaratna, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Hari Das Thakur, resident of Sylhet named Upendra Mishra. All of them are scholarly Vaishnava, rich and possessed of saintly qualities.
THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION
Srila Madhavendra Puri appeared in the 14th century. He was a guru of the Brahma or Madhva sampradaya, one of the four (Brahma, Sri, Rudra and Sanaka) Vaishnava lineages that purify the world in the Kali Yuga. The Madhva lineage has been transcribed in books like Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Prameya-ratnavali and the writings of Gopal Guru Goswami. The same set of verses is found with some small differences in the Bhakti-ratnakara (5.2149-2162). The following is the version as taken from the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika:
Paravyomesvarasyasic chisyo brahma jagat-patih
tasya sisyo naradobhut vyasas tasyapa sisyatam
suko vyasasya sisyatvam prapto jnanavabodhanat
vyasal labdha-krsna-dikso madhvacaryo mahayasah
tasya sisyo bhavat padmanabhacaryo mahasayah
tasya sisyo naraharis taccchisyo madhava-dvijay
aksobhyas tasya sisyo bhut tac-chisyo jayatirthakah
tasya sisyo jnana-sindhus tasya sisyo mahanidhih
vidyanidhis tasya sisyo rajendras tasya sevakah
jayadharma munis tasya sisyo yad-gana-madhyatah
srimad-visnu-puri yas tu bhaktiratnavali-krtih
jayadharmasya sisyo bhud brahmanyah purusottamah
vyasatirthas tasya sisyo yas carkre visnusamhitam
sriman laksmipatis tasya sisyo bhaktirasasrayah
tasya sisyo madhavendro yad-dharmo yam pravartitah
tasya sisyo bhavat sriman isvarakhya-puri-yatih
kalayamasa srngaram yah srngara-phalatmakah
advaitam kalayamasa dasya-sakhye phale ubhe
isvarakhya-purim gaura urarikrtya gaurave
jagad aplavayamasa prakrtaprakrtatmakam
Brahma, the master of this universe, was the disciple of the Lord of the spiritual world. His disciple was Narada and Vyasa became the disciple of Narada. Suka became the disciple of Vyasa through the awakening of spiritual knowledge from him. Madhvacharya took initiation in the Krishna mantra from Vyasa. His disciple was Padmanabhacarya, whose disciple was Narahari, who was followed by Madhava Dvija. Akshobhya was his disciple, then Jayatirtha, Jnanasindhu, Mahanidhi, Vidyanidhi and Rajendra followed. Jayadharma Muni was one of Rajendra’s many disciples and Vishnu Puri, the author of Bhakti-ratnavali and Purushottam, the lover of Brahmin culture became his disciples. Vyasa Tirtha, the author of Vishnu-samhita was the disciple of Purushottam.
Lakshmipati Tirtha, a reservoir of devotion, was the disciple of Vyasa Tirtha. Madhavendra Puri was the disciple of Lakshmipati, and it is by him that this religion was founded. His disciple, the sannyasi Isvara Puri, took up the mood of conjugal devotion, while Advaita Acharya [also the disciple of Madhavendra] took up the moods of servitude and friendship. Gaura accepted Isvara Puri as His guru, and then flooded the material and spiritual worlds [with love].
Thus, Madhavendra Puri was the disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha. Madhavendra Puri’s disciples included Isvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Paramananda Puri (a Brahmin from the Tirhut area), Brahmananda Puri, Sri Ranga Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Raghupati Upadhyaya, etc. Nityananda is said by some to be Madhavendra Puri’s disciple, others say that Lakshmipati was his guru, while in the Premavilasa, it is said that he too was Isvara Puri’s disciple.
Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes: “Madhavendra Puri was a well-known sannyasi of the Madhva-sampradaya. His grand-disciple was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Prior to his appearance, there was no evidence of prema bhakti in the Madhva line. In his verse, ayi dina-dayardra-natha (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.197), the seed of the religious doctrines of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can be found.”
To this Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada adds, “Madhavendra Puri was the first shoot of the desire tree of divine love which came out of the Madhva lineage. Prior to his appearance, there was no sign of the conjugal mood of devotion in the Madhva line.”
MADHAVENDRA AND NITYANANDA PRABHU
Nityananda met Madhavendra Puri while wandering through the pilgrimage sites in western India. As soon as they saw each other they were overcome with the symptoms of ecstatic love. This event is described in the ninth chapter of the Adi-khanda of the Chaitanya Bhagavat:
As Nityananda Prabhu was wandering (through Southern India) in this way, he suddenly encountered Madhavendra Puri. Madhavendra was the embodiment of love, as were all his associates. He consumed nothing other than Krishna rasa, and Krishna dwelt in his body. How can I sufficiently glorify him whose disciple was Advaita Acharya? When Nityananda saw Madhavendra Puri, he fainted and became motionless with love. As soon as Madhava Puri saw Nityananda, he too fell down in a faint, completely forgetting himself. No wonder Gauranga repeatedly said that Madhavendra Puri was the harbinger of the ecstatic mood of devotion.
Nityananda Prabhu said, “I have visited many holy sites, but today I have been fulfilled by the sight of Madhavendra Puri. I have finally achieved the true reward of visiting the holy places. I have never seen the symptoms of love anywhere else. Madhavendra loses consciousness simply upon seeing a cloud in the sky.”
Madhavendra embraced Nityananda Prabhu and wet him with his tears. He began to describe Nityananda’s glories, becoming absorbed in this description. He took Nityananda to his breast; his throat was so choked with tears that he could not speak. He felt such deep affection for Nityananda that he would not let him go. He finally spoke, saying, “I know that Krishna is merciful to me, for He has given me a companion like Nityananda. Anyone who feels even the slightest enmity for Nityananda can never be dear to Krishna, no matter how much of a devotee he is.” (Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.9.154-169)
The Bhakti-ratnakara also describes the glories of Madhavendra Puri and states that Nityananda treated him as a guru:
Madhavendra Puri is the embodiment of ecstatic loving devotion; simply by remembering his name, all perfections are achieved. Isvara Puri, Ranga Puri and so many of his other disciples were similarly intoxicated with the wine of devotion. Madhavendra had many disciples throughout Bengal and Orissa, all of whom were devotees and fixed in prema bhakti. (Bhakti-ratnakara 5.2272-4)
A few days later, in a holy place on the west coast of India, Nityananda met Madhavendra Puri. Who could describe the manifestations of love that arose upon their meeting? Only those who were there can know. Madhavendra treated Nityananda as a friend, an equal, but Nitai treated him like a superior. Madhavendra said, “I know that Krishna has been merciful toward me, for He has given me a companion like Nityananda.” On the other hand, Nityananda never treated him as anything but a guru. (Bhakti-ratnakara 5.2330-2334)v
GIRIDHARI GOPAL
After taking sannyas in Katwa, Mahaprabhu went to Shantipur and spent some time at Advaita Acharya’s house. Then He proceeded from there to Sri Purushottam (Puri), following the path through Chatrabhog along the banks of the Ganges. He traveled through Atisar, Panihati, and Barahanagar until finally He arrived at the border of the kingdom of Utkala (Orissa) at the place called Vriddha Mantreshwar. Nityananda Prabhu, Mukunda Datta, Jagadananda and Damodar were with Him. They came to the town of Remuna in the district of Balesor where they came to visit the deity Khirchora Gopinath. Afterward, Mahaprabhu recounted to His companions the story of Madhavendra Puri as He had heard it from His guru Isvara Puri, also telling how Khirchora Gopinath had earned his name:v
One day Madhavendra Puri was circumambulating Govardhana in a state of total intoxication and absorption in love for Krishna. When he arrived at Govinda Kund, he took his bath and sat down under a nearby tree to perform his evening sandhya meditation and rituals. While he was so doing, a young cowherd boy carrying a pot of milk approached him and said with a smile, “What have you been thinking? Why don’t you ask for something to eat? I have brought you some milk, drink some.”v
When Madhavendra Puri saw the beautiful lad, he was so overcome that he completely forgot his hunger and thirst. Instead he asked him, “Who are you? Where do you live? How did you know that I had not eaten?” The cowherd boy answered, “I am a cowherd and I live in this village. In our village, no one ever goes hungry. Some people beg for food, but if someone doesn’t ask, then I bring him something to eat. The womenfolk came here to fetch water and they saw that you had not eaten. They sent me here with this milk for you. But it is nearly milking time and I will have to leave. I’ll come back later to fetch the pot.”v
Madhavendra Puri was astonished to see the boy walk away and disappear. He drank the milk and then washed the pot and put it aside, waiting for the cowherd boy to return.v
He sat under the tree chanting the Holy Names until the end of the night when he started to doze. While asleep, he had a dream in which the cowherd youth came to him and led him by the hand to a wooded bower. The boy said, “I stay here in this bower. I am very uncomfortable due to the summer heat, the rains and the winter cold. Go and tell the village folk to help you uncover me, and take me to the top of the hill and build a shelter for me, and bathe me with cool, clear water. I have been waiting for you for a long time, wondering when you would come to serve me. I was waiting for your loving service so that I could show myself and thereby save the entire universe. My name is Gopal, the lifter of Govardhana. Krishna’s great grandson, Aniruddha’s son Vajra, established My service so many years ago, but the pujari in charge of My service hid me here when he fled out of fear of the Muslims. Since then I have been here. It is good that you have finally come here, now please dig Me up.”v
When Madhavendra woke up, he began to cry in an intense mood of love, thinking, “Alas! Krishna himself came to me in the form of a cowherd boy and I was unable to recognize Him!” However, after a few moments he brought himself under control in order to carry out Gopal’s orders. He took his morning bath and then gathered the village folk together and said, “Gopal, the lifter of Govardhana, is the deity of this village, but he is buried in this bower. Go and bring shovels, we have to dig Him up and release Him.”v
The village people enthusiastically started to clear the bower and soon discovered a large deity who was covered in earth and weeds. The strongest of the local people lifted the deity up and carried Him to the top of the hill where they placed Him on a large rock throne. In order to carry out the grand abhishek (bathing ceremony), the local Brahmins had water from Govinda Kund filtered and carried to the site in a hundred new jugs. When word got out about the discovery of the deity and that His puja and abhishek would soon be held, a joyful noise arose in all directions, musicians played on their instruments and the people danced and sang. The mountain was covered with all kinds of offerings, ghee, milk, yogurt and sandesh, all gifts of the local people.v
Madhavendra Puri himself performed the abhishek bathing ceremony. First of all, he cleaned the accumulated dirt from the body of the deity according to the regulations, for the scriptures say that barley flour, wheat flour, and a powder made from symplocos racemosa, as well as the powder of pistachio nuts, saffron and pulses, are to be used to clean the deity’s body. A brush made from long usira grasses and the hair of a cow’s tail is also to be used. Afterwards, the body of Gopal was made shiny with oil, before he was again bathed in pancha-gavya (milk, yogurt, clarified butter, cow’s urine and dung) and then in panchamrita (milk, yogurt, clarified butter, honey and sugar). These things are described in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa’s sixth chapter, where it is said,v
tatah sankhabhutenaiva ksirena snapayet kramat
dadhna ghrtena madhuna khandena ca prthak prthak
First bathe the deity with milk poured from a conch shell, then with yogurt, clarified butter, honey and then sugar, one after the other.
(Hari-Bhakti Vilasa 6.30)
After this, Gopal was bathed with the hundred jugs of water. This was the maha-snana, in which ghee and water are used in equal parts, and a total of a hundred seers of water are needed. A seer is approximately equal to a liter. After bathing the deity in this way and then oiling him once again, he was bathed in water scented with sandalwood and perfumes and poured from a conch. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa prescribes 100 palas of water for the bath, another 25 of oil for the body, and then 2,000 palas for the maha-snana.v
After the maha-snana or great bath was completed, the entire body of the deity was dried with a cloth and He was dressed in a clean cloth and decorated with sandalwood, tulasi and flower garlands. Just as Krishna instructed the cowherds at the end of the Dvapara Yuga to worship Govardhana with a mountain of foodstuffs, so in the Kali Yuga, Madhavendra Puri ordered a mountain of food to be prepared for Giridhari Gopal. Ten Brahmins were engaged in preparing the rice, another five in cooking vegetable preparations, another five or six Brahmins prepared various types of breads, which was all brought together in one place to make heaps which took the shape of a mountain. The mountain of rice was surrounded by many clay pots filled with soups, cooked vegetable preparations, milk, yogurt, whey, sikharini (a drink made of yogurt, milk, sugar, camphor and pepper), sweet rice, butter, and cream, etc. When the mountain of food was ready, Madhavendra Puri made the offering along with many jugs filled with water. Gopal, who had not eaten for such a long time, hungrily ate everything He was offered. Even so, by His merciful touch, all the pots were again filled. Only Madhavendra saw how the Lord did this.v
Afterwards, Madhavendra offered a mouthwash to the deity and then pan. Then he performed the arati ceremony, after which he brought a new bed for Gopal to rest upon. When Gopal was finally taking rest, Madhavendra Puri fed the prasad of the Anna-kuta festival, first to all the Brahmins and then to all the people, men, women and children, of the village.v
Word spread to all the villages of the area that Gopal had made his appearance, and people from each village took turns having their own feast in His honor on different days. “The people of Vraja are naturally affectionate toward Krishna. And Krishna, too, is affectionate to them.”v
(Chaitanaya Charitamrita 2.4.95)
In time, the rich kshatriyas had a temple built for Gopal and gave Him ten thousand cows. Madhavendra Puri remained there for two years in Gopal’s service until one day he again had a dream in which Gopal told him that He still suffered from the heat and that it was only by smearing Malayan sandalwood that He would be freed of the problem. Madhavendra was overjoyed to receive the direct order of the Lord and after engaging a qualified person to serve Him, started off on a journey to the east to find Malayan sandalwood.v
Malaya refers to the Malabar Coast in Kerala at the very south of India, in what is known as the Western Ghats. This area is also known as Nilgiri or Malaya Parvata. Sandalwood is so closely associated with this area that the word malayaja (“born of Malaya”) is a synonym for the perfumed wood.v
THE STORY OF KHIRCHORA GOPINATH
While on his way to the South, Madhavendra Puri stopped at Advaita Acharya’s house in Shantipur and initiated him. From there he went on until he arrived at Remuna. Seeing the wonderful appearance of Gopinath, Madhavendra was overwhelmed with love, and he sang his names and danced for some time. He asked one of Gopinath’s Brahmin servants what foods were offered to the deity. The Brahmin answered: “In the evening we give Gopinath twelve bowls of amrta-keli, a thickened milk preparation which is like the nectar of the gods. It is famous everywhere as Gopinath’s ksira, and no offering anywhere in the world is its equal.” (Chaitanaya Charitamrita 2.4.119)v
At that very moment, the servants of Gopinath started to offer the amrta-keli to their deity. Madhavendra thought that if he could just get a taste of this preparation, he would be able to one day make it himself and offer it to his own Gopal. However, this very thought shamed him, as it is improper to desire the food intended for the Lord. After watching the arati ceremony, Madhavendra went outside and sat in the empty marketplace, chanting the Holy Names. Madhavendra followed the ayacaka-vrtti, which means that he would never ask for food from anyone, only accepting what was offered him spontaneously. He was able to do this because he never felt hunger or thirst, as he was constantly engaged in drinking the nectar of prema and that kept him satisfied.
In the meantime, the pujari finished his duties and was taking rest when he had a vision of the deity in a dream telling him, “Get up! Open the door. I have put aside a bowl of ksira for the sannyasi. It is hidden behind the pleats of my dhoti. You did not see me put it there because of my Maya. The sannyasi, whose name is Madhava Puri, is sitting in the marketplace. Quickly take this ksira to him.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.127-129)v
The pujari was startled by the dream and immediately got up. He bathed and then opened the door to the altar and indeed found a bowl of the ksira behind the deity’s cloth,just as he had been told. He took the bowl and set off to find Madhavendra Puri. He began to wander through the market, shouting, “I have ksira here for Madhava Puri. Gopinath has stolen it for you. Take it and eat it with joy, for there is no person as fortunate as you in the three worlds.”v
When he heard this, Madhavendra approached the pujari and identified himself. The pujari gave him the ksira and then fell at his feet like a stick to offer his obeisances. When Madhavendra Puri heard the whole story from the pujari, he was overcome by feelings of love for Krishna. He respectfully ate the prasad and then, after washing the clay bowl, broke it into many small pieces and wrapped them up in his outer garment. Each day afterward, he would eat a piece of the clay bowl and again feel the same ecstatic love. Knowing that word of this would spread the next morning, Madhavendra Puri became fearful of the fame that would befall him and the people who would crowd around him. So, before dawn he paid his obeisance to Gopinath and left for Puri.v
When Madhavendra arrived in Jagannath Puri, he visited Lord Jagannath and became ecstatic with love at seeing him. But his fame had reached Puri even before he did and countless people came to see him and to pay him their respects. “The nature of fame in this world is well known. Even if one does not search it out, it comes anyway as a result of one’s destiny. Though Madhavendra Puri feared fame and ran away from it, Krishna prema brings its own reputation to one who possesses it.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.146)v
Though Madhavendra Puri wanted to avoid the fame that Krishna had bestowed upon him, he was not able to flee because he was bound to search out the sandalwood he had sworn to find for Gopal. He explained his need for sandalwood to the servants and directors of the Jagannath temple. Some of those people who had contacts with the king of the land interceded for him and collected both sandalwood and camphor on his behalf through these contacts. Then they arranged for another Brahmin and a servant to travel with him and to help him carry the load; in order to help him avoid customs duties he was given an official exemption paper.v
As he was on his return route, Madhavendra Puri stopped in Remuna again. Once again he spent some time dancing and singing kirtan in a state of loving absorption before Gopinath, and again accepted the ksira prasad from the pujari. That night he slept in the temple. Once again he had a vision of Gopal, who spoke to him as follows: “Listen, Madhava. I have received all the sandalwood and camphor. Now grind and make a paste of it and smear it on Gopinath’s body. Gopinath and I are one and the same person; if you give Him the sandalwood, I will feel the cooling effect. Don’t hesitate, don’t doubt this message at all. Just believe and accept My instruction: give Gopinath the sandalwood.” (Chaitanya Chaitamrita 2.4.158-161)v
Having received this dream message, Madhavendra Puri called the pujaris and servants of Gopinath together and let them know what he had been told. When they heard that Gopinath would be getting sandalwood paste, they were very happy, as it was summer time. Madhavendra had his two companions as well as two other persons daily ground the sandalwood into a paste. They stayed there until the sandalwood was gone, all of it having been used in the service of Gopinath. At the end of the summer season, with the coming of the rains, Madhavendra returned to Puri where he observed Caturmasya.v
MADHAVENDRA’S FEELINGS OF SEPARATION
At Puri, the exemplary character of Madhavendra’s love for Krishna was demonstrated. In this regard Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati wrote, “The feeling of separation from Krishna, or transcendental vipralambha is the only practice by which the spirit soul can achieve perfection. Material feelings of separation give rise to a despondency which reveals the attachment that one has for matter, whereas the despondency which comes out of the feelings of separation for Krishna are the best proof of the desire to bring pleasure to His senses. The desire to bring pleasure to Krishna’s senses shown by Madhavendra Puri, the great soul at the root of this movement, is the ideal example to follow for anyone who wishes to serve the Lord. It is especially worth remarking that Mahaprabhu and his intimate energies later followed this example and made it their standard.” Madhavendra Puri was completely indifferent to sensual enjoyment, but his eagerness to serve Gopal was so great that he traveled a thousand miles on foot over roads that were full of danger. His readiness to return with sandalwood over the same path was so sincere that Gopal had mercy on him.v
Gopal gave Madhavendra Puri the order to bring him the sandalwood paste in order to show the world the depth of his love. It took a great effort for Madhavendra to bring the sandalwood back to Remuna, but it was a joy for him and he did not experience it as a difficulty. Gopal gave him this order in order to test him; but when he passed the test, He was merciful to his devotee. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.187-189).v
Out of his mercy, Madhavendra Puri bestowed love for Krishna on a Sanoriya Brahmin in Mathura. He accepted food from this Brahmin, knowing him to be a Vaishnava. By this he showed how the daiva-varnasrama system is meant to operate. According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, members of the business community (vaisyas) in the west of India are divided into several castes: Agrawalas, Kanwars, Sanwars, etc. Of these, the Agrawalas are considered to be very pure, while the two other groups are considered fallen as a result of their own actions. Those Brahmins who perform the ritual activities for the Kanwars and Sanwars, who are gold and jewelry merchants, are known as Sanoriya Brahmins. Normally, because of these low caste associations, they are considered to be fallen as a caste and sannyasi refuse to accept food in their homes.v
Later on, Mahaprabhu himself went to take food at this Sanoriya Brahmin’s house between his visits to Kashi and Prayag because he knew that Madhavendra Puri had been merciful to him. He also showed him the respect that was due to senior personality, saying, “You are my guru, and I am practically your disciple. It is not fitting for a guru to pay obeisances to a disciple.”v
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.17.170)
MADHAVENDRA AND ISVARA PURI
There is one last important incident in Madhavendra Puri’s immaculate life. Ramachandra Puri and Ishvara Puri were two of his initiated disciples. However, due to disrespect for the guru, Ramachandra was unable to get his mercy, whereas Isvara Puri became blessed through his single-minded devotion to him and was thus able to attain the highest level of pure love for Krishna. Ramachandra was unable to understand the sweetness and supremacy of his guru deva’s feelings of separation and had the audacity to give him advice based on knowledge of Brahman. Madhavendra Puri became so angry that he shunned him completely. Even though he was such a great loving devotee, Madhavendra Puri showed anger to his own disciple when he committed an offense and chastised him severely, using harsh words. When Ramachandra told him to remember that he was a spiritual being, Madhavendra lost his temper and said,v
“Get away, get away, you most sinful rascal! I am dying from the distress of not having received Krishna’s mercy, of not having attained Mathura, and you come to add to my misery! Don’t show your face to me again, go wherever you like! If I see you while I am dying I will take a lower birth. I am dying from the distress of not having attained Krishna and this lowly fool is teaching me about Brahman.”v
As a result, Madhavendra Puri withdrew his blessings from his disciple, Ramachandra Puri, who then started to develop material desires. He became a dry philosopher without any interest in Krishna. Not only that, but he became critical of everyone, devoting himself to criticism. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.8.20-25)v
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Srila Prabhupada comments on this incident in his Anubhsaya, “Even though Ramachandra Puri saw his own guru suffering of separation from Krishna, he was incapable of recognizing the transcendental nature of this transport of emotions. He judged his guru to be an ordinary man and took his mood to be mundane, the result of some material insufficiency. As a result he tried to explain to him the value of experiencing the oneness of Brahman. Madhavendra Puri reacted to his disciple’s stupidity and disregard for his instructions and thus stopped wishing for his well-being. He abandoned him and drove him away.” The words “material desires” (vasana) means “the desire for dry knowledge” and from that arose the tendency to criticize the devotees.
On the other hand, Ishvara Puri not only adhered to his guru’s teaching but served him physically and thus received his mercy. He served the lotus feet of his spiritual master, even to the point of personally cleaning his urine and feces, as well as helping him to remember Krishna’s name and pastimes. In this way he satisfied him completely.
He continuously repeated the name of Krishna so that he could hear him, and recounted Krishna’s pastimes.v
Madhavendra Puri was so pleased with Ishvara Puri that he embraced him and blessed him, saying, “May you have the wealth of love for Krishna!” From that time onward, Ishvara Puri became an ocean of love for Krishna, while Ramachandra Puri became a mine of insults. These two personalities thus became witness to the results of pleasing or displeasing a great soul. Madhavendra Puri taught this truth through them.
He was the spiritual master of the whole world and he gave the gift of love of God. Repeating this verse, he left this world,
ayi dinadayardra natha he, mathuranatha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad-aloka-kataram dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham
“O lord, whose heart softens at seeing the condition of the unfortunate! Oh lord of Mathura, when will I see you? My heart is filled with pain from not seeing you, my love, and I am confused. What can I do?”
When Mahaprabhu recited this verse he became so intoxicated with love that Nityananda had to hold him to calm him down. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.8.26-31)
Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day is the sukla Dvadasi of the month of Phalgun.
