anāyāse pāila sei caitanya-caraṇa
acyutera yei mata, sei mata sāra
āra yata mata saba haila chārakhāra
sei ācārya-gaṇe mora koṭi namaskāra
acyutānanda-prāya, caitanya — jīvana yāṅhāra
ei ta’ kahilāṅ ācārya-gosāñira gaṇa
tina skandha-śākhāra kaila saṅkṣepa gaṇana
śākhā-upaśākhā, tāra nāhika gaṇana
kichu-mātra kahi’ kari dig-daraśana
śrī-gadādhara paṇḍita śākhāte mahottama
tāṅra upaśākhā kichu kari ye gaṇana
By the mercy of Advaita Acarya, the devotees who strictly followed the path of Caitanya Mahaprabhu attained the shelter of Lord Caitanya's lotus feet without difficulty.
acyutera yei mata, sei mata sāra
āra yata mata saba haila chārakhāra
It should be concluded, therefore, that the path of Acyutananda is the essence of spiritual life. Those who did not follow this path simply scattered.
sei ācārya-gaṇe mora koṭi namaskāra
acyutānanda-prāya, caitanya — jīvana yāṅhāra
I therefore offer my respectful obeisances millions of times to Acyutananda's actual followers, whose life and soul was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
ei ta’ kahilāṅ ācārya-gosāñira gaṇa
tina skandha-śākhāra kaila saṅkṣepa gaṇana
Thus I have briefly described the three branches [Acyutananda, Krsna Misra and Gopala] of Sri Advaita Acarya's descendants.
śākhā-upaśākhā, tāra nāhika gaṇana
kichu-mātra kahi’ kari dig-daraśana
There are multifarious branches and sub-branches of Advaita Acarya. It is very difficult to enumerate them fully. I have simply given a glimpse of the whole trunk and its branches and sub-branches.
śrī-gadādhara paṇḍita śākhāte mahottama
tāṅra upaśākhā kichu kari ye gaṇana
After describing the branches and sub-branches of Advaita Acarya, I shall now attempt to describe some of the descendants of Sri Gadādhara Pandita, the most important among the branches.
nitya nityānanda caitanya govinda
pandita gadādhara rādhe
caitanya yugala-rūpa kevala rasera kūpa avatāra sadā-śiva sādhe
antare nava-ghana bāhire gaura-tanu
yugala-rūpa parakāśe
kahe väsudeva ghoşa yugala-bhajana-vaśe
janame janame rahu āśe
paṇḍitera bhāva-mudrā kahana nā yāya
'gadādhara-prāṇa-nātha' nāma haila yāya
CC Antya 7.163
paṇḍite krpa prasāda kahana nā yāya
'gadāira gaurāṅga' bali' yāṅre loke gāya
CC Antya 7.164
So, before speaking about the branches of Gadadhara Pandita, I want to tell you something briefly about the holy life history, jivan-carita, of Gadadhara Pandita. It ought to be known.
So, in Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, it is mentioned that who is this daughter of King Vrsabhanu, that is Srimati Radharani in krsna-lila, he is Gadadhara Pandita in gaura-lila. Also, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has written in his karcha:
avadhi-sura varah śrī panditākhyā yatīndrah sa khalu bhavati rādhā śrīla gaurāvatāre
Vasudeva Ghosh Thakura has also written the same thing, that is Krsna and Radha. antare nava-ghana bāhire gaura-tanu - Gauranga inside is Krsna with His bluish hue, and outside is yellowish, molted golden, molted gold hue. That is Krsna, and Gadadhara, Vrsabhanu-nandini, daughter of King Vrsabhanu, Radha. This is yugala-rupa, two: Radha and Krsna combined, two are there.
kahe vāsudeva ghose yugal bhavana bhajan base janame janame rahu āśe
Vasudeva Gosh says, "Life after life, let me engage myself in this bhajan of these Two." And Gadadhar Pandita from very babyhood, boyhood, was Mahaprabhu's friend. The father's name of Gadadhar Pandita is Mādhav Miśra and mother's name was Ratnavati-devi. They were staying close to the house of Jagannatha Miśra in Mayapur.
Ratnavati-devi, was paying respect to Sacidevi, Sacimata, as her elder sister, and she was also always associating with her. When Mahaprabhu and Gadadhar Pandit were manifesting their babyhood lila, at that time, Mahaprabhu Gaurahari was always taking Gadadhar with Him. Sometimes, they were playing in the courtyard of Sacimata, sometimes they were playing in the courtyard of Ratnavati-devi, Gadadhar's mother. Both of them were also studying in the village Pathśālā. Gadādhar was younger than Mahaprabhu; a few years, one, two years. Still, Mahaprabhu didn't want to leave Gadadhar from His companion. Gadadhar also doesn't want to leave the company of Mahaprabhu. In Caitanya-Caritamita it is mentioned.
paṇḍitera bhāva-mudrā kahana nā yāya
'gadādhara-prāṇa-nātha' nāma haila yāya
CC antya 7.163
paṇḍite prabhura prasāda kahana nā yāya
'gadāira gaurāṅga' bali' yāṅre loke gāya
CC antya 7.164
This is mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrta. Nobody can understand the activities of Gadädhar Pandit. And Gadādhar Pandit's krpa, mercy also, one cannot understand, conceive. They are all known, both of them, Gadāi and Gauranga, Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Gadadhar Pandit.
When Īśvara Puri, he was staying in Navadvip-Mayapur, in the house of Gopīnāth Acharya, he stayed a few months there, at that time Īśvara Puri made Gadadhar read his grantha, book, named Krsna-lilamrta.
That is mentioned in Caitanya-caritamta.
gadādhara-panditere āpanāra krta punthi padāyena nāma 'krşņa-līlāmīta'
Gadādhar Pandit from very boyhood, Gadādhar very sober, peaceful. He was fond of solitary places. He was very detached to material activities. But, Gaurasundar, during His boyhood days, was very fickle whereas Gadādhar was very peaceful, sober, not fickle. But Gadādhar doesn't appreciate the fickleness of Gaurasundar. Sometimes therefore Gadādhar kept himself aloof from Gaurasundar. But Gaurasundar doesn't want to leave him. Sometimes Gaurasundar was saying, "Gadādhar , you will see, that after a few days I will be a Vaisnava like you, and Brahma and Shiva and all demigods will come to our house. You will see it." Gadādhar Pandit was liking very much Mukunda Datta. If some sadhu, sannyasi, vaisnava comes to Navadvip, Mukunda Datta informs Gadādhar Pandit that such and such sädhu Vaisnava has come to Navadvip. So both of them, both Mukunda and Gadādhar, used to go and have the darshan of that sadhu and sannyasi. So once, Pundarika Vidyanidhi came to Navadvip so Mukunda Datta, taking Gadādhar Pandit with him, went to see Pundarika Vidyanidhi. Pundarika Vidyanidhi externally poses himself as a materialistic person. He puts on gorgeous dresses, chewes pan and spitted the pan into a valuable gold pot, in a spitting pot. That pot is very, a is golden pot, very valuable pot, a spitting pot. And he has put on rings in ten fingers, very valuable rings. Yes, made up of gold, jewels, gems, some valuable stones.
And he was sitting on a very gorgeous seat, very soft cushion. He looked so gorgeous, as a very materialistic person, as if he was enjoying, enjoying, a great enjoyer. External, this is only external. But Pundarika Vidyanidhi was a great devotee, mahā-bhagavata. Yes. What is inside, nobody could understand. This is vañcana.. This is the vañcana. Sadhu has two things: krpã and vañcana, mercy and cheating. One who deserves mercy, he gets mercy: one who deserves cheating, he gets cheating. Sadhu has two things. And sadhu knows what one deserves, what one deserves. Whether he deserves mercy or cheating, accordingly he gets. Do you understand?
So this is Pundarika Vidyanidhi's cheating. Outward appearance is like a materialistic person. So, seeing Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Gadadhar Pandit thought of, "What is this? Why did Mukunda Datta bring me to see such a materialistic person?" In his mind he thought of, just thought of. So Mukunda Datta could understand that thing, this Pundarika Vidyanidhi is a maha-bhagavata, a great devotee, such a great Vaisnava, exalted Vaisnava. Why he appears like a materialistic person? What is that? He thought of like that. Gadadhar Pandit thought of in his mind and Mukunda could understand. Then, immediately Mukunda Datta uttered that verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam:
aho bakī yaṁ stana-kāla-kūṭaṁ
jighāṁsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī
lebhe gatiṁ dhātry-ucitāṁ tato ’nyaṁ
kaṁ vā dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema
3.2.23
Famous verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam Mukunda uttered. That means, this Baki, the sister of Bakasura, came, that is Putana, demoness Putanã came smearing dreadful poison on her breast to kill Krsna. She will allow baby Krsna to suck to her breast thereby Krsna will die. With that motive she came. But, Krsna accepted the good thing. Do you understand? The motive is very bad but one good this is that, "I will allow Krsna to suck to my breast." That means she does the work of a mother, like Yasoda. Krna sucks the breast of Yasoda, Yasoda stana-dvaye. Yes, so she does the work of Yasodã. But Krsna, while sucking breast, sucked her life, baby Krsna. Do you understand? Baby Krsna is also the Supreme Lord, He is not an ordinary baby. Can anybody, such baby, suck the life?
So one should not think that baby Krsna is like an ordinary baby. No. So, kam vã daylum, such merciful is Krsna, He accepts all good thing. So Putana died but Putana got the place where is Mother Yasodā's place because she did the work of a mother. So, Krsna accepts the good thing. This is the meaning of the verse.
When Mukunda uttered this verse Pundarika Vidyanidhi, the bhava inside him became swelled up, swelled up, swelled up. So, Mukunda's voice was very sweet voice, with a sweet voice he uttered that verse. Then when such nice pastime of Krsna is depicted in that verse, Pundarika Vidyanidhi heard so he became ecstatic then said, "Krsna! Krsna! Krsna!" and he shed tears and cried and cried and cried, rolled on the ground and kicked off his cushion, his spitting pot, everything, and shed tears. Such ecstasy manifested and he became fainted at last. Yes. Tears rolled down from his eyes like flowing of Ganges. gańgā-dhāra, gańgādevī rahilāvatar.
When Gadadhar Pandit saw this thing then he became ashamed. He chastised himself in his mind, "What I did? I committed a great offence. Thinking such a maha-bhagavata as a materialistic person. So I have committed, certainly I have committed a great offence. How can I be free from the reactions of these offences? I must be punished. If I am not punished by this maha-bhagavata, my offences cannot be counteracted, destroyed. So I have committed, certainly I have committed a great offence. How can I be free from the reactions of these offences? I must be punished. If I am not punished by this maha-bhagavata, my offences cannot be counteracted, destroyed. So I must be his disciple. I will accept mantra from him and he will inflict punishment on me, then my offence will be destroyed." So he became his disciple, mantra śișya. Do you understand? Mukunda Datta introduced Gadādhar Pandit to Pundarika Vidyanidhi. When Puņdarīka Vidyānidhi heard this thing about Gadādhar Pandit, he became very much pleased.
śuniyā hāsena puṇḍarīka vidyānidhi
āmāre ta’ mahāratna milāilā vidhi
karāimu, ihāte sandeha kichu nāi
bahu janma-bhāgye se e-mata śiṣya pāi
CB 2.7.117-118
Puņdarīka Vidyānidhi became very much pleased. He said, "I have very good fortune, I got such a sisya in my life. Vidhātā...". Vidhata means creator. Vidhata was very merciful on me so He gave me such a disciple. Unless one is very, very fortunate, he cannot get such a disciple. I must accept him as my disciple and give mantra." So on one holy day, all auspicious day, Pundarika Vidyanidhi gave mantra to Gadādhar Pandit. So Gadādhar Pandit became his disciple.
muñi bhaye nāhi pāri sammukha haite
śiśu hai’ kemana prabodhila bhāla-mate”
CB 2.210
gadādhara pandita prabhura age bosi
pade bhāgavata - sudhā tāle raśī raśī
nyāsī śiromani cesthā bujhe sādhya kāra
akasmāt prthivī karilā andhakāra
praveśilā ei gopīnāthera mandire
hailā adarśana, punaḥ nā āilā bāhire
smara gaura-gadādhara-keli-kalāṁ
bhava gaura-gadādhara-pakṣa-caraḥ
śrṇu gaura-gadādhara-cāru-kathāṁ
bhaja godruma-kānana-kuñja-vidhum
Godruma Bhajanopadesa by Bhaktivinoda Thākura
So when Mahaprabhu came back from Gaya, Mahaprabhu went to Gaya to pay pinda for His deceased father Jagannatha Misra, but He met His spiritual master Īśvara Puri there. So Mahaprabhu said,
prabhu bale,—“gayā-yātrā saphala āmāra yata-kṣaṇe dekhilāṅa caraṇa tomāra
tīrthe piṇḍa dile se nistare pitṛ-gaṇa
seha,—yāre piṇḍa deya, tare’ sei jana
tomā’ dekhilei mātra koṭi-pitṛ-gaṇa
sei-kṣaṇe sarva-bandha pāya vimocana
ataeva tīrtha nahe tomāra samāna
tīrther o parama tumi maṅgala pradhāna
saṃsāra-samudra haite uddhāraha more
ei āmi deha samarpilāṅa tomāre
CB 1.17.50-54
This is Mahāprabhu’s statement. Mahaprabhu said, "My Gaya-yatra has become successful because I met you, O My spiritual master, Sripad Isvara Puri. I saw your lotus feet here so my Gayā-yatra has become successful. If someone goes to a tīrtha, to a holy place to offer pinda, so to whom is offers pinda, that pitr-purusa may be delivered. But when someone sees you, such a Vaisnava, most elevated Vaisnava, crores, millions upon millions of pitr-purusas will be delivered. Therefore this tirtha, this holy place, is not equal to you. You are parama-tirtha, you are supreme tirtha, you are the tirtha of tirthas, the supreme tirtha."
saṃsāra-samudra haite uddhāraha more
ei āmi deha samarpilāṅa tomāre
CB 1.17.54
Then Mahāprabhu said, "Please deliver Me from this dreadful ocean of material existence. Ocean of krsna-prema and always shedding tears, premasru, tears of love like torrential rain rolling down from His eyes. When Gadādhar Pandit saw such wonderful change in Mahaprabhu, and Mahaprabhu is always crying for Krsna, mad after Krsna krsna-prema, and is always crying, similarly, Gadädhar Pandit also cried for Krsna. From that day, Gadādhar Pandit didn't leave the company of Gaurasundar even for a moment - always with Gaurasundar.
One day, Gadādhar Pandit was offering tāmbūla to Mahāprabhu. Beetle nut, tāmbūla, pān, pān. Do you understand? Radharani gives pān to Krsna. Do you understand? So Gadādhar Pandit was offering tambula, pān, to Mahaprabhu. So Mahaprabhu was very much ecstatic, always thinking of Krsna, crying for Krsna and said, "Gadādhar , where is that Syamasundar? Where is that pīta-vāsā-sundarī Śyāmasundar, who has put on yellow cloth? Where is He, Śyāmasundar?" Saying this Mahaprabhu started crying, weeping, crying, crying. Gadādhar couldn't think of what to say, couldn't think of. With some apprehension, some fear, Gadādhar said, "Krsna is in Your heart." When Gadādhar said like this, that 'Krsna is in Your heart', then Mahaprabhu started to tear open His heart with His nails! Yes. So Gadadhara became afraid, what to do? So immediately Gadādhar caught hold of the hands of Mahaprabhu to stop Him to do this thing. Mahaprabhu said,
"No, Gadādhar, leave My hands, leave My hands! I want to see Krsna, I want to see Krsna! I cannot live without seeing Krsna! Don't check Me, don't prevent Me! Yes, leave My hands, leave My hands!"
Then Gadādhar couldn't think of what to do. "O Gaurasundar, be patient, be patient, Krsna will now come. He is now coming, it is His arrival time. Just now, He will come now. Don't be impatience, have patience. It is the time now, Krsna will come!"
Then Mahaprabhu became pacified. From a distance, Mother Śacī, Śacīmātā, was seeing this, observing this, and she came running and said, "O Gadādhar, you are very intelligent, you are very intelligent. Though you are a small boy, still you are very intelligent. I was very much afraid of to come to the front of Nimai. But how intelligently you made Him calm down." Sacimata said.
muñi bhaye nāhi pāri sammukha haite
śiśu hai’ kemana prabodhila bhāla-mate”
CB 2.210
In Caitanya-Bhagavata it is mentioned. Then Sacimata said, "Gadādhar, you should be always with Nimai. If you will be with Nimai then I am free from anxiety. Yes."
One day, in the house of Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī, Mahaprabhu was speaking, narrating krsna-lila. Do you understand, lila-kirtana, He was doing krsna-lila kirtana.
Gadādhar went there. Hearing such nice krsna-lila kirtana, Gadādhar went there, sat down inside the room. Mahaprabhu was sitting outside in the veranda and doing krsna-lila kirtana, Gadādhar was inside the room. When Mahaprabhu was doing this krsna-lila kirtana, speaking about Krsna, narrating krsna-lila, Mahaprabhu was becoming ecstatic, shedding tears and also relishing the mellows, sweet mellow, lila rasa emanating from such transcendental lilas of Krsna. Gadādhar was hearing everything sitting inside the room and Gadādhar became ecstatic and started crying inside the room. When Mahäprabhu heard such crying, He said, "Who is crying there inside the room?" Suklambara Brahmacari said, "It is Your Gadādhar." You understand? Mahaprabhu said, "Gadādhar! O, you are very, very fortunate.
From this very boyhood, you have developed so much love and affection, ecstasy for Krsna. I am unfortunate, I am unfortunate, I am unfortunate. My birth, My whole life became spoiled. I cannot develop such love as you have developed love for Krsna. That is My bad fortune. That is My karma doșa, the reaction of My bad karma. I cannot find Krsna. Gadadhar, you are very, very fortunate. You have gotten Krsna from this very babyhood, boyhood you have developed so much love for Krsna whereas I have no such love at all."
Saying this, Mahaprabhu embraced Gadadhar, tight embrace. This is Mahāprabhu's Navadvip with Gadadhar.
Then Mahaprabhu, this is Krsna, and Gadādhar is Radhā. As in Vrajabhūmi, They are Rāi and Kānāi. Rāi means Radharani, Kanāi means Kānhā, Krsna. Rāi-Kanāi. Similarly now in this Navadvip, they are Gadādhar, Gaur-Gadādhar. And they are manifesting their lila on the bank of Ganga. In Vraja, they manifest their lila on the bank of Yamuna. Now they are manifesting their lilā on the bank of Ganga.
One day, Mahaprabhu came to the bank of Ganga, entered into one of the nice upavanas, gardens there. At that time, Mahaprabhu remembered the vraja-lila pastimes of Krsna. Mukunda Datta, at that time, started singing nice songs depicting Krsna's vraja-lila. Mahaprabhu became ecstatic. Gadadhar plucked some flowers from that garden and made a nice garland and put that garland on the neck of Mahaprabhu, as in Vrndavana, Radharani puts garland on the neck of Krsna, similarly Gadadhar did like that. As Radharani was decorating Krsna, Gadādhar started decorating Mahāprabhu. At that time, Mukunda Datta and some others, they started singing nicely. Some others started dancing. So, taking Gadädhar with Him, Gaurasundar sat down underneath a tree there. An elevated pandal was there, He sat down there taking Gadadhar with Him. Gadādhar on Mahaprabhu's left hand side, and Advaita Acarya started, arranged arati plate to do arati. Do you understand?
Advaita Acarya arranged arati plate to do arati. At that time, Nityānanda Prabhu came and sat down at the right hand side of Mahaprabhu. bāme gadadhara dakșiņe nityananda, isn't it that arati sangita, what is that? daksine nitāi canda, bame gadādhara, sandhya arati sangita. That is there. Srivasa Pandita plucked some more flowers and made more flower garlands and decorated Gaura-Gadādhar and Nityananda Prabhu, putting garlands on their necks.
narahari-cāmara dhulāya
Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī put on sandal paste, camara dhulaya, Murari Gupta said, "Jay jay!" jaya dvani; Mãdhava, Vasudeva, Purusottama, Vijaya, Mukunda, they are all singing and dancing and doing kirtana - nice lila, you understand.
Then Mahaprabhu took up sannyasa. By the order of His mother Sacimata, when Mahaprabhu came to Nilacala Purusottama Dham Jagannatha Puri Dham, Gadādhar also came and stayed there in Jagannatha Puri Dham. So there is Tota Gopinatha Mandir Temple. Have you visited? Yes, nice. Gadädhar Pandit, that Tota Gopinatha. Gadadhar Pandit was engaged in serving Tota Gopinath, his Deity, Gadādhar Pandit's Deity is Tota Gopinatha. Every day, Mahaprabhu used to go there to Tota Gopinātha temple, Gadādhar's temple, and speaks krsna-katha, sings krsna-lila, becomes ecstatic there, dances there, every day. And, when Mahaprabhu, leaving Jagannatha Puri, goes to Vrndavana, Gadādhar Pandita feels the pangs of separation from Mahaprabhu and wants to go with Him. But Mahaprabhu says, "No, you stay here and take care of Tota Gopinatha." Mahaprabhu doesn't take him with Him. Somehow Mahaprabhu was pacifying him and makes him stay there. Gadādhar Pandit every day reads Srimad-Bhagavata and Mahaprabhu with His devotees would come and hear.
gadādhara paņdita prabhura age bosi
pade bhāgavata - sudhā tāle raśī raśī
Mahaprabhu, sitting with His devotees, Gadädhar Pandit reads Bhagavata. Mahaprabhu with His devotees hear. Mahaprabhu enjoys, relishes, the nectarean mellow, sweet mellow, coming out from Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Mahaprabhu was here for 48 years, prakata kāla: 48 years. So very wonderful lilãs of Mahaprabhu and Gadādhar Pandit. That Tota Gopinatha Mandir still is there and Gadādhar Pandit's Deity, it was Gadädhar Pandit's Deity, Gadādhar Pandit was offering worship to that Deity Tota Gopināth. When Mahaprabhu manifested His disappearance lila, it is mentioned in Bhakti-ratnakara, that Mahaprabhu entered into that Deity of Tota Gopinatha.
praveśilā ei gopīnāthera mandire
haila adarśana, punaḥ nā āilā bāhire
He entered and didn't come out. Mahaprabhu entered into the Deity of Tota Gopinatha. It is said that one crack is there in His knee and Mahaprabhu entered through that. Still that crack is there. That Deity was standing Deity. Formally it was standing; now it is in sitting posture. Still sitting posture, very big Deity. And such dressed that everything is covered, nobody can understand He is sitting. He is as standing. He was a very big Deity in standing posture. Gadādhar Pandit became very old. He became bent, he couldn't garland it. It was very difficult - very big Deity. So, bhakta vatsala. Gopināth is bhakta vatsala. Krsna is bhakta vatsala, dear to His devotee. He saw, "My devotee cannot garland Me." So He sat down, the Deity sat down. Yes, you see. How it is? This is the līlā.
And Bhaktivinod Thakura has written this nice song we were chanting. Can you chant?
smara gaura-gadādhara-keli-kalāṁ
bhava gaura-gadādhara-pakṣa-caraḥ
śrṇu gaura-gadādhara-cāru-kathāṁ
bhaja godruma-kānana-kuñja-vidhum
Godruma Bhajanopadesa by Bhaktivinoda Thākura
Gadādhar Paņdit Goswami ki jaya!
Gaur-Gadādhar ki jaya!
So now, finishing the description of Advaita's branches ans sub-branches of Advaita Acãrya's sub-branches, now Kaviraj Goswami will start describing the branches of Gadādhar sakha, of Gadādhar Pandita.
"After describing the branches and sub branches of Advaita Acãrya, I shall now attempt to describe some of the descendants of Sri Gadādhar Pandit, the most important among the branches."
Thank you.