SRI ADVAITA ACHARYA appearance (fasting till noon)

Lecture from
Srila Prabhupada

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.13

Mayapur, April 6, 1975
"...because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Acarya. 
He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Therefore I 
take shelter of Him." 

Srila Prabhupada:

advaitam harinadvaitad
acaryam bhakti-samsanat
bhaktavataram isam tam
advaitacaryam asraye

So gradually the author is offering respect, sri-krsna-caitanya 
prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita. He has already offered respect to Lord 
Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. Now it is the turn for Sri Advaitacarya. 
So advaitam, nondifferent, expansion of Mahavisnu. Therefore He is 
Visnu-tattva. He is not jiva-tattva. Therefore, He is Advaita. Advaita 
acyuta anadi ananta-rupam. Krsna has got unlimited number of 
expansions, expansion, expansion of the expansion, then expansion of 
the expansion, in this way. So Advaitacarya is expansion of Krsna, it 
is already explained. Therefore He is called advaitam, and acaryam 
bhakti-samsanat. This is the business of acarya, to spread bhakti 
cult. Acaryam mam vijaniyat navamanyeta karhicit. It is said by the 
Lord that "You should accept the acarya..." Acarya means one who 
transmits bhakti cult. Bhakti-samsanat, spreading, gosthy-anandi.

One who is not spreading - he is cultivating Krsna consciousness for 
his personal benefit in a secluded place, sitting and chanting - that 
is also nice, but he's not acarya. Acarya means he must spread, 
Gosthy-anandi. Bhajananandi, gosthy-anandi. So generally, 
gosthy-anandi means one who wants to increase the number of devotees. 
He's called gosthy-anandi. And one who is self-satisfied, that "Let me 
do my own duty", he is called bhajananandi. So my Guru Maharaja, 
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he was gosthy-anandi; he wanted to 
increase the number of devotees. And the more you increase the number 
of devotees, the more you become very much recognized by Krsna. It is 
Krsna's business. Krsna personally comes as He is, Krsna, to spread 
this bhakti cult. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. 
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. He's canvassing 
personally. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam, 
dharmasamstha-panarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. So - same thing 
entrusted to another devotee, and who spreads, he's acarya. So Krsna 
says, the acarya... Here it is said, that advaita harina advaitad. So, 
of course Advaita Acarya is expansion of Visnu-tattva, but any acarya, 
he is to be considered identical with the Lord. The Lord says that, 
that acaryam mam vijaniyat. "One should understand the acarya." Acarya 
bhakti-samsanat. Acarya means who is spreading pure bhakti cult. "That 
acarya", Krsna says, "you should consider such acarya as Myself".

Acaryam mam vijaniyat navamanyeta karhicit, that... You cannot 
consider, "Yes, he's acarya, but not as good as Krsna". No. Na 
avamanyeta. Don't deride in that way. Then there will be falldown. 
Acaryam mam vijaniyat navamanyeta karhicit. And in the Vedas also it 
is said, yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau: "Anyone who 
has got unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality and the similar 
faith in guru..." Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau, 
tasyaite kathita hy arthah: "All the Vedic literature", prakasante, 
"becomes revealed simply by these two principle". Guru krsna krpapaya 
bhakti lata bija. We should not jump over Krsna without the help of 
guru. That is not possible. You must go through. Because Krsna says, 
acaryam mam vijani... Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam: 
"Actually one who is serious to understand higher transcendental 
subject matter, he must approach guru." Tasmad gurum, prapadyeta. 
These are Vedic injunctions. Caksudana dilo yei, janme janme pita sei. 
So anyone who opens... Guru means who opens the eyes of the ignorant 
person.

Ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya. Opening the eyes by giving 
real knowledge... Guru krsna krpapaya bhakti lata bija. So 
bhakti-lata, the devotional service, the seed of devotional service, 
can be received by the parampara system through bona fide spiritual 
master. And if we abide by the orders of spiritual master faithfully, 
then Krsna becomes pleased. That is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti 
Thakura, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Ara na koriya mane asa. 
Narottama dasa... All the acaryas they say like that.

Acaryam mam vijaniyat. Acaryavan puruso veda: "One who has accepted 
acarya, he knows things are they are." Others, they do not know. It is 
not possible. So Advaita Acarya is the typical example, how to become 
acarya. All are our acaryas, sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda, 
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. All of them are 
acaryas because they are following the acarya, Supreme Acarya, 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore they are acarya. Evam parampara-praptam 
imam rajarsayo viduh. So we have to follow the acarya. Then, when we 
are completely, cent per cent follower of acarya, then you can also 
act as acarya. This is the process. Don't become premature acarya. 
First of all follow the orders of acarya, and you become mature. Then 
it is better to become acarya. Because we are interested in preparing 
acarya, but the etiquette is, at least for the period the guru is 
present, one should not become acarya.

Even if he is complete, he should not, because the etiquette is, if 
somebody comes for becoming initiated, it is the duty of such person 
to bring that prospective candidate to his acarya, not that "Now 
people are coming to me, so I can become acarya". That is avamanya. 
Navamanyeta karhicit. Don't transgress this etiquette. Navamanyeta. 
That will be fall down. Just like during the lifetime of our Guru 
Maharaja, all our godbrothers now who are acting as acarya, they did 
not do so. That is not etiquette. Acaryam mam vijaniyat na avaman... 
That is insult. So if you insult your acarya, then you are finished. 
Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasya aprasadat na gatih kuto 'pi - 
finished. If you displease your acarya, then you are finished. 
Therefore it is said, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says to all the acaryas... 
Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Srivasadi-gaur-bhakta-vrnda, 
they are all carriers of orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

So try to follow the path of acarya process. Then life will be 
successful. And to become acarya is not very difficult. First of all, 
to become very faithful servant of your acarya, follow strictly what 
he says, try to please him and spread Krsna consciousness. That's all. 
It is not at all difficult. Try to follow the instruction of your guru 
maharaja and spread Krsna consciousness. That is the order of Lord 
Caitanya. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa, yare dekha tare kaha 
krsna-upadesa: "By following My order, you become guru." And if we 
strictly follow the acarya system and try our best to spread the 
instruction of Krsna... Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. There are 
two kinds of krsna-upadesa. Upadesa means instruction. Instruction 
given by Krsna, that is also krsna-upadesa, and instruction received 
about Krsna, that is also krsna-upadesa. Krsnasya upadesa iti krsna 
upadesa. Samasa, sasti-tat-purusa-samasa. And Krsna visaya upadesa, 
that is also Krsna upadesa. Bahu-vrihi-samasa.

This is the way of analyzing Sanskrit grammar. So Krsna's upadesa is 
Bhagavad-gita. He's directly giving instruction. So one who is 
spreading Krsna-upadesa, simply repeat what is said by Krsna. Then you 
become acarya. Not difficult at all. Everything is stated there. We 
have to simply repeat like parrot. Not exactly parrot. Parrot does not 
understand the meaning; he simply vibrates. But you should understand 
the meaning also. Otherwise how you can explain. So, so we want to 
spread Krsna consciousness. Simply prepare yourself how to repeat 
Krsna's instructions very nicely, without any malinterpretation. Then, 
in future... Suppose you have got now ten thousand. We shall expand to 
hundred thousand. That is required. Then hundred thousand to million, 
and million to ten million.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupada: So there will be no scarcity of acarya, and people will 
understand Krsna consciousness very easily. So make that organization. 
Don't be falsely puffed up. Follow the acarya instruction and try to 
make yourself perfect, mature. Then it will be very easy to fight out 
maya. Yes. Acaryas, they declare war against maya's activities, that 
maya instructing that "here is wine, here is cigarette, here is tha"t, 
in your country these advertisements are very prominent, holding both 
ways, wine advertisement, cigarette advertisement, naked woman 
advertisements, and sometimes gambling also, advertisement. What is 
that? Congo?

Devotees: Bingo.

Prabhupada: Bingo. (laughter) Yes. So this is maya. And our 
declaration of war with maya - no intoxication, no meat-eating, no 
bingo - (laughter) these are our declaration of war. So we have to 
fight in that way because nobody can understand Krsna without being 
free from all sinful activities. These are sinful activities.

Therefore it is acarya's business to stop these nonsense activities. 
Otherwise they'll not be able to understand, especially the 
meat-eaters. They cannot understand. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad 
bhavausadhi chrotra-mano 'bhiramat, ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat puman 
virajyeta vina pasughnat. Unless one is very expert in killing 
animals, he's not bereft from Krsna consciousness. That means one who 
is very expert in killing, he cannot understand. Therefore Christ also 
said, "Thou shall not kill", the first business. Nobody will be able 
if one is a killer of animal, small or big, ultimately killer of his 
own children, killer of his own self. The killing process is so nice 
that it goes up to the point of killing one's children. That is now 
happening. Killing business has so expanded that they are killing 
their own children. Just see the influence of Kali-yuga. The children, 
they take shelter of the father and mother, thinking very safe. Now, 
in this Kali-yuga, even there is no safety under the care of father 
and mother. Just see how this material civilization is progressing. 
Very, very dangerous. Kalau nasta-drsam. Therefore that Bhagavata 
verse is there, krsnesvadhamopagate dharma-jnanadibhih, kalau 
nasta-drsam puranarko 'dhunoditam. Very, very abominable condition in 
this age of Kali, very, very. It is the beginning of Kali. Now we have 
to pass through 427,000's of years. Kali-yuga will make progress in 
that way. And people are now practicing eating their children, and at 
the end of Kali there will be no food available.

They'll... They have to eat the children just like the snakes do. The 
snake eat their own children. There are many animals; they eat their 
own children. So don't try to repeat your birth again and again in 
this Kali-yuga. It will be not very happy life. Better sacrifice 
everything in this life and be fully Krsna conscious and go back to 
home, back to Godhead. Don't wait for the next life. This is very 
seriously repeated, that "This life I shall finish my Krsna 
consciousness business", and, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, 
that Krsna consciousness business means to understand Krsna rightly. 
And He's explaining Himself rightly. Where is the difficulty to finish 
the Krsna consciousness business? If Krsna is explaining Himself, what 
He is, then where is your difficulty? Krsna is explaining Himself in 
the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is sending His representative acarya to teach 
you and Krsna is within yourself trying to teach you if you are 
actually serious. Then where is the difficulty? Inside, outside, 
always, books, knowledge - He is prepared.

So where is the difficulty to make yourself perfect in Krsna 
consciousness? There is no difficulty at all. Provided you are 
serious, you can become fully Krsna conscious in this very life. You 
are all young men. You are not old man like me. I have no opportunity.

------------------------------------------------------------

The Appearance of Sri Advaita Acharya.

Shri-Advaita-Tattva
The Philosophical Truths About Shrila Advaita Acharya Prabhu

`advaita acarya' bali' katha kaha ya'ra
sei `nada' lagi mora ei avatara

The Supreme Lord Gauranga said: "This incarnation of Mine in Kali-yuga 
was induced by Nada, whom you all call as Advaita Acharya."

Shrila Advaita Acharya is the original cause for the advent of the 
most merciful incarnation of Lord Krishna as Lord Gauranga. Thus if we 
do not worship and celebrate with great enthusiasm the appearance day 
of Shrila Advaita Acharya - Advaita Saptami - which falls on Saturday 
8th February 2003, we will find if very difficult to achieve the mercy 
of Lords Nityananda- Gauranga. By celebrating the festival of Advaita 
Saptami, we try to express our gratitude to Shri Advaita Acharya for 
the greatest service ever rendered to the conditioned souls of 
inducing the Lord to appear in His most magnanimous incarnation along 
with His elder brother Lord Nityananda Balarama (je anilo prema dhana 
karuna prachura). Recommended reading: Cc Adi ch. 12 and other 
references given below from CBh and Cc.

Prayer of this day:

doya koro sitapati advaita gosai
tava kripa bale pai chaitanya-nitai

"O Lord Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, husband of Shrimati Sita 
Thakurani (incarnation of Goddess Durga or Katyayani), please be 
causelessly merciful on me, so that I can achieve the shelter of the 
lotus feet of Lords Nityananda and Lord Gauranga by the strength of 
Your mercy, which is the only way."

6.1
maha-visnur jagat-karta    mayaya yah srjaty adah
tasyavatara evayam    advaitacarya-isvarah

Lord Advaita Acarya is the incarnation of Maha-Visnu, whose main 
function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of maya. 
(Cc. Adi 6.4)

6.2
advaitam harinadvaitad    acaryam bhakti-samsanat
bhaktavataram isam tam    advaitacaryam asraye

Because He is nondifferent from Hari, He is called Advaita, and 
because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Acarya. He is 
the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Therefore I take 
shelter of Him. (Cc. Adi 1.13)

Mahavisnu is the Efficient Cause
and Advaita is the Material Cause of Mundane Creation

6.3
apane purusa visvera 'nimitta'-karana
advaita-rupe 'upadana' hana narayana
'nimittamse' kare tenho mayate iksana
'upadana' advaita karena brahmanda-srjana

Lord Visnu is the efficient cause (nimitta) of the material world, and 
Narayana, in the form of Sri Advaita, is the material cause (upadana). 
Lord Visnu, in His efficient aspect glances over the material energy, 
and Sri Advaita as the material cause, creates the material world. 
(Cc. Adi 6.16,17)

Advaita is Sadasiva
6.4
bhaktavatara acaryo 'dvaita yah sri sadasivah

He who was Sri Sadasiva is the bhakta-avatara, Sri Advaita Prabhu. 
(Gaura-ganoddesadipika, 11)

The Meaning of the Name Advaita
6.5

maha-visnura amsa advaita guna-dhama
isvare abheda, teni 'advaita' purna nama

Sri Advaita, who is the reservoir of virtues, is the main limb of 
Mahavisnu. His full name is Advaita, for He is identical in all 
respects with the Lord. (Cc. Adi 6.26)

Advaita Acarya is a Preacher of Krsna-bhakti
6.6
jiva nistarila krsna-bhakti kari' dana
gita-bhagavate kaila bhaktira vyakhyana

He delivered all living beings by offering the gift of krsna-bhakti. 
He explained Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-bhagavatam in the light of 
devotional service. (Cc. Adi 6.28)

He is the Avatara of Mahavisnu and a Devotee of Lord Caitanya
6.7
advaita-acarya-gosani saksat isvara
prabhu guru kari' mane, tinho ta' kinkara

Lord Advaita Acarya is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 
Although Lord Gauranga accepts Him as His preceptor, Advaita Acarya is 
a servant of the Lord. (Cc. Adi. 5.147)

Advaita and Nityananda are Servants of Lord Gauranga
6.8
eka mahaprabhu, ara prabhu duijana
dui prabhu sebe mahaprabhura carana

There is one "Mahaprabhu" and two Prabhus. The two Prabhus serve the 
lotus feet of Mahaprabhu. (Cc. Adi 7.14)

Two Branches Among the Followers of Advaita
6.9
advaitanghry-abja-bhrogams tan sarasara-bhrto 'khilan
hitva 'saran sara-bhrto naumi caitanya jivanan

The followers of Sri Advaita were of two kinds. Some were real 
followers (saragrahi) and the others were false (asaragrahi). 
Rejecting the false followers, I offer my respectful obeisances to the 
real followers of Sri Advaita Acarya, whose life and soul was Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu. (Cc. Adi 12.1)

The Saragrahi Followers of Advaita are Devotees of Gauranga
6.10
prathame ta' eka-mata acaryera gana
pache dui-mata haila daivera karana
keha ta' acarya ajnaya, keha ta' svatantra
sva-mata kalpana kare daiva-paratantra
acaryera mata yei, sei mata sara
tanra ajna langhi' cale, sei ta' asara

At first all the followers of Advaita Acarya shared a single opinion, 
but later they followed two opinions as ordained by providence. Some 
of the disciples strictly accepted the orders of the acarya, and 
others deviated, independently concocting their own opinions under the 
spell of daivi-maya. The opinion of the acarya is essential. Anyone 
who disregards his order is useless (asara-grahi). (Cc. Adi 12.8-10)

The Useless Followers of Advaita Acarya were cut off
From Gauranga's Mercy
6.11
ihara madhye mali pache kona sakha-gana
na mane caitanya-mali durdaiva karana
srjaila, jiyaila, tanre na manila
krtaghna ha-ila, tanre skandha kruddha ha-ila
kruddha hana skandha tare jala na sancare
jalabhave krsa sakha sukaiya mare

After the disappearance of Lord Gauranga, the gardener of the tree of 
love of Godhead, some of the sub-branches of the Advaita branch, for 
unfortunate reasons, deviated from His path. Some branches did not 
accept the trunk that vitalized and maintained the entire tree When 
they thus became ungrateful, the trunk was angry at them. Thus Lord 
Caitanya did not sprinkle upon them the water of His mercy, and they 
gradually withered and died. (Cc. Adi 12.67-69)

Thus ends the Sixth Jewel of Gaudiya Kanthahara, entitled 
Advaita-tattva. compiled by Om Visnupada Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta 
Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

CBh Madhya Ch. 5:
TEXT 49

saghane dhulaya sira, `nada', `nada' bale
nadara sandarbha keha na bujhe sakale

The Lord vigorously shook His head while calling, "Nada, Nada," but no 
one understood the actual meaning of the word Nada.

The word sandarbha means "purport," "confidential meaning," or 
"mystery." It is stated: "Those statements that reveal a most 
confidential meaning, that are the essence of a subject, and that give 
various meanings to understand a subject matter are known by learned 
scholars as sandarbha."

TEXT 50

sabe balilena,-"prabhu, `nada' bala kare?"
prabhu bale,-"ailun muni yahara hunkare

Everyone inquired, "O Lord, who is this Nada You are calling?" The 
Lord replied, "He by whose loud cries I came.

TEXT 51

`advaita acarya' bali' katha kaha ya'ra
sei `nada' lagi mora ei avatara

"This incarnation of Mine was induced by Nada, whom you all call 
Advaita Acarya.

TEXT 52

mohare anila nada vaikuntha thakiya
niscinte rahila giya haridasa laina

"Nada has brought Me from Vaikuntha, but now He is living free from 
all cares with Haridasa.

Lord Gauranga Himself holds the feet of Shrila Acharya

Text 41
Lord Caitanya always thought Advaita Acarya His spiritual master. At 
this Advaita would feel very unhappy.

Text 42
Advaita was not able to serve Lord Caitanya directly. While Lord 
Caitanya slept, Advaita would grasp the Lord's feet.

Text 43
In His heart He meditated on Lord Caitanya's feet. Advaita always 
desired to serve Lord Caitanya directly. That was His constant desire.

Text 44
Although He did not have the power to serve Him directly, Advaita 
yearned to serve Lord Caitanya. Therefore Advaita resorted to stealing 
the dust from Lord Caitanya's feet.

Text 45
When Lord Caitanya fainted in ecstatic love, Advaita approached the 
Lord's feet.

Text 46
Offering daavat obeisances, Advaita fell before the soles of the 
Lord's feet. With the tears from His eyes, Advaita washed Lord 
Caitanya's feet.

Text 47
When Lord Caitanya fainted in ecstasy, on His own head Advaita wiped 
the Lord's feet. Offering daavat obeisances, He worshiped the Lord.

Text 48
Only because he had attained Lord Caitanya's great, great mercy could 
Advaita act in these ways.

Text 49
Therefore Advaita was the first of the Vaisnavas. All the Vaisnavas 
affirmed, "Advaita is very fortunate."

Text 50
Wicked persons do not understand the secret of Lord Advaita's 
transcendental glories.

Text 51
One day Lord Caitanya danced, and Advaita happily followed Him.

Text 52
Then Lord Caitanya fell unconscious. Seeing this, Advaita anointed His 
limbs with the dust of the Lord's feet. Then He hid.

Text 53
Lord Caitanya was perfectly aware of all these wonderful activities. 
Then Lord Caitanya began dancing again. Dancing and dancing, He did 
not feel happy.

Text 54
Lord Caitanya said, "Why is it not revealed to My heart? Whom have I 
offended, that now I do not feel joyful?

Text 55
"What was stolen from Me. Who stole it? Because of this offense, I 
have no power to dance in ecstasy.

Text 56
"Did someone touch the dust of My feet? Tell the truth. Don't worry. 
This I tell to you."

Text 57
Hearing the words of He who is the Supersoul present in everyone's 
heart, the devotees became afraid. Silent, no one spoke.

Text 58
If they spoke, they were afraid of Advaita's response. If they did not 
speak they would die. Understanding their dilemma, Advaita folded His 
hands and said,

Text 59
"If a thief cannot take directly, he will take when no one is looking. 
Text 60 "I am the thief. Please forgive My transgression. If it 
displeases You, I will not do it."

Text 61
Advaita's words made Lord Caitanya angry. On the preText of angry 
words Lord Caitanya described the glories of Advaita.

Text 62
He said, "You destroy everything, and even then You feel no remorse in 
Your heart.

Text 63
"Then, when everything is destroyed, You won't be happy unless You 
destroy Me also.

Text 64
"You kill the ascetics, sannyss, yogs, and philosophers. Whom do 
You not kill with Your trident?

Text 65
"When people grasp Your feet to attain the goal of life, You respond 
by killing them.

Text 66
"A certain sincere Vaiava who lives in Mathur has come to see the 
glory of Your feet.

Text 67
"After seeing You, how can anyone attain devotion to Lord Viu? 
Whatever devotion he attains, Your eternal potency will take away.

Text 68
"When You touch the dust of a person's feet, You destroy him. Without 
mercy You destroy him.

Text 69
"Lord Ka has given to You all the devotion that exists in the 
countless universes.

Text 70
"Still You ro from a small person who has little. There is no mercy 
in Your heart. You ro from the poor.

Text 71
"You are a hoodlum. You are the greatest of robbers. You have robbed 
My happiness of love for Lord Ka."

Text 72
In this way, on the pretext of criticizing Him, Lord Caitanya praised 
Advaita Acarya. Hearing the Lord's words, all the devotees floated in 
bliss.

Text 73
Then Lord Caitanya said, "You have robbed Me. Can I not ro You? Look! 
Look! I will ro from the robber."

Text 74
After speaking these words, Lord Caitanya grasped Advaita's feet and, 
laughing and laughing, took the dust that was there.

Text 75
Advaita had no power to defeat the fair lion of Lord Caitanya. On His 
own head Lord Caitanya rubbed Advaita's feet.

Text 76
Holding to His own chest Advaita's feet, Lord Caitanya said, "Look! 
Look! I have tied up the thief. I have imprisoned Him in My heart.

Text 77
"A hundred times You robbed Me. I am the master of the house. Now, in 
one time, I reclaim all that was robbed from My house."

Text 78
Then Advaita said, "What You say is true. You are the master of the 
house. I did not understand anything.

Text 79
"My life, intelligence, mind, and body are all Your property. Lord, if 
You kill someone, who can protect him?

Text 80
"You give happiness, and You also give suffering. If You punish 
someone, who can protect him?

Text 81
"Narada and the sages went to Dvaraka City to see the life's treasure 
that is Your feet.

Text 82
"Then You would take the dust from their feet. What could they do 
then? That I ask You.

Text 83
"When You take the dust of his feet, what can Your servant do?

Text 84
"How can Your servant give the dust of his feet to You? Who can 
disobey Your command?

Text 85
"It is not right for the Supreme Lord to act in this way. You will 
destroy me, and You think it is funny.

Text 86
"You may either protect Me or destroy Me. Lord, You will do whatever 
You wish."

Text 87
Then Lord Caitanya said, "You are the keeper of the storehouse of 
devotional service. That is why I serve Your feet.

Text 88
"Anyone who anoints his body with the dust of Your feet will float in 
the nectar of pure love for Lord Ka.

Text 89
"If You do not give it, no one can attain devotional service. Please 
know perfectly well that, "I am Your property."

Text 90
"You can sell Me as You like. Lord, I tell You the truth."

Text 91
In their hearts all the devotees meditated on Lord Caitanya's great 
mercy to Advaita.

Text 92
They said, "The Lord has truly served Him. Therefore Advaita is a very 
exalted person. Ten million liberations are not equal to a small 
fragment of the mercy Advaita has attained.

Text 93
"Even the demigod Siva never attained mercy like the mercy Advaita 
attained from Lord Caitanya."

Text 94
"We are fortunate to associate with such an exalted devotee. The dust 
of this devotee's feet we place on all our limbs."

Text 95
The devotees were very happy to praise Advaita. Because of their past 
misdeeds, the sinners feel unhappy to hear Advaita's glories.

Text 96
Everything I have now said is true. They who have no faith in the 
Vaisnavas' words will perish.

Text 97
Lord Caitanya stood up and said, "Haribol!" Then the devotees around 
Him in the four directions began to sing.

Text 98
Overcome with bliss, forgetting all else, and now become like a wild 
man, Advaita Acarya danced.

Text 99
Placing His hand on His beard and knitting His eyebrows, Advaita 
Acarya, the master of Santipura, loudly roared. Then He began to 
dance.

ADVAITA (ACARYA PRABHU):

He is a disciple of Madhavendra Puri, and constitutes one of the figures
amongst the Pancatattva. He is the combined incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu
and Lord Sadashiva. He was born in a varendra brahmana family on the seventh
day of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha, 1355 Saka (1433 AD), in
the village named Lauda in Srihatta.

According to Bangabhasa O Sahitya, Advaita Prabhu was born in 1434 AD 
and met Vidyapati in 1458 AD. Advaita's former name was Kamalaksha 
(Kamalakanta) Vedapancanana. His two wives were Sita Devi and Sri 
Devi. Acyutananda was born of Sita Devi (1425 Saka 1503 AD), followed 
by Krsnadasa, Gopala, Balarama, Svarupa, and Jagadisa Misra. While Sri 
Devi gave birth to one son named Syamadasa (Premavilasa 24).

From Lauda, Advaita Prabhu migrated to the village of Navahatta and 
later to Santipura. He also had a house at Navadvipa. In 1480 Saka 
(1558 AD), at the age of 125 years (i.e. 25 years after the 
disappearance of Lord Gauranga) Advaita Prabhu returned to the 
spiritual world.

However, according to Premavilasa 24, Advaita Prabhu was born in 
Santipura. He studied the Vedas and other scriptures under a scholar 
named Santacarya in Phullavati village near Santipura, where he was 
awarded the title Acarya. The genealogy of Advaita Prabhu can be found 
in Premavilasa 24.

To verify the meeting of Advaita with Vidyapati, it is known that in 
1330 Saka (1408 AD) Vidyapati received the endowment of Bisaphi 
village from Sivasimha. Vidyapati was born around 1307 Saka (1385 AD), 
and was a contemporary of Candidasa. Vidyapati mentions their meeting 
one another in songs he composed in 1325 Saka (1403 AD).

One manuscript of the Bhagavata which was copied by Vidyapati is still 
available and carries the date of copying as 1379 Saka (1457 AD). 
Evidence shows that Vidyapati was alive until 1401 Saka (1479 AD). In 
1485 AD Advaita Prabhu, at the age of fifty two, arrived at the room 
where Lord Gauranga was born. Much earlier he undertook a pilgrimage. 
Hence his meeting with Vidyapati should be taken as a fact.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sri Advaita Acarya, Ideal Householder Devotee
A lecture by Giriraj Swami
(Durban, February 1989)

Today is the auspicious appearance day of Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu, 
who is one of the associates of Lord Caitanya in the Panca-tattva and 
the incarnation of Maha-Visnu. So we shall read some of the pastimes 
of Advaita Acarya with Lord Caitanya from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, 
Madhya-lila, Chapter Three, "Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Stay at 
the House of Advaita Acarya."

"In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gives the 
following summary study of the Third Chapter. After accepting the 
sannyasa order at Katwa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu traveled continuously 
for three days in Radha-desa and, by the trick of Nityananda Prabhu, 
eventually came to the western side of Santipura. Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu was induced to believe that the river Ganges was the 
Yamuna. When He was worshiping the sacred river, Advaita Prabhu 
arrived in a boat. Advaita Prabhu asked Him to take His bath in the 
Ganges and took Him to His (Advaita's) house."

We shall begin reading from this point:

TEXTS 38-41

Advaita Acarya said, "You have been fasting continuously for three 
days in Your ecstasy of love for Krsna. I therefore invite You to My 
home, where You may kindly take Your alms. Come with Me to My 
residence."

Advaita Prabhu continued, "At My home I have just cooked one palmful 
of rice. The vegetables are always very simple. There is no luxurious 
cooking - simply a little liquid vegetable and spinach."

Saying this, Sri Advaita Acarya took the Lord into the boat and 
brought the Lord to His residence. There Advaita Acarya washed the 
feet of the Lord and was consequently very happy within.

All the eatables were first cooked by the wife of Advaita Acarya. Then 
Srila Advaita Acarya personally offered everything to Lord Visnu.

PURPORT
by Srila Prabhupada

This is the ideal householder's life. The husband and wife live 
together, and the husband works very hard to secure paraphernalia for 
worshiping Lord Visnu. The wife at home cooks a variety of foods for 
Lord Visnu, and the husband offers it to the Deity. After that, arati 
is performed, and the prasadam is distributed amongst family members 
and guests. According to the Vedic principles, there must always be a 
guest in a householder's house. In my childhood I have actually seen 
my father receive not less than four guests every day, and in those 
days my father's income was not very great. Nonetheless, there was no 
difficulty in offering prasadam to at least four guests every day. 
According to Vedic principles, a householder, before taking lunch, 
should go outside and shout very loudly to see if there is anyone 
without food. In this way he invites people to take prasadam. If 
someone comes, the householder offers him prasadam, and if there is 
not much left, he should offer his own portion to the guest. If no one 
responds to his call, the householder can accept his own lunch. Thus 
the householder's life is also a kind of austerity. Because of this, 
the householder's life is called the grhastha-asrama. Although a 
person may live with his wife and children happily in Krsna 
consciousness, he also observes the regulative principles followed in 
any temple. If there is no Krsna consciousness, the householder's 
abode is called a grhamedhi's house. Householders in Krsna 
consciousness are actually grhasthas - that is, those living in the 
asrama with their families and children. Sri Advaita Prabhu was an 
ideal grhastha, and His house was the ideal grhastha-asrama.

COMMENTARY
by Giriraj Swami

We can learn many things about how to live in the grhastha-asrama from 
Advaita Acarya. Acarya means one who teaches by example. So Advaita 
Acarya taught by example the life of the ideal householder devotee.

The first point is that the grhastha should worship the Deity at home. 
Deity worship means that the Deity is installed and the householder 
worships the Deity according to the rules and regulations of the 
scriptures, under the guidance of the spiritual master. Then the 
worship is accepted as bona fide. The husband should work very hard to 
collect the paraphernalia for worship. Householders may be materially 
opulent, so their opulence must be engaged in the service of the 
Deity. Otherwise the householders will become contaminated by their 
material activities and fall down. Deity worship is most essential for 
householders. The wife cooks nice foods to offer to the Lord, and then 
the husband offers the foods to the Deity. Then arati is performed 
according to the rules and regulations and the prasadam is 
distributed. In other words, one should invite people to one's home to 
attend arati, hear Bhagavad-gita, and take prasadam. In this way one's 
home becomes an asrama.

Or one can visit the temple and attend the arati in the temple, one 
can sacrifice one's possessions for the service of the Deity in the 
temple, and one can invite guests to come to the temple. Thus one can 
fulfill the basic principles of grhastha-asrama.

TEXT 42

All the prepared food was divided into three equal parts. One part was 
arranged on a metal plate for offering to Lord Krsna.

PURPORT

The word badaila, meaning "increased," is very significant in this 
verse. It is a sophisticated word used by the grhasthas in Bengal. 
Whenever food is prepared and we take away a portion, the food is 
actually decreased. But here it is the system to say badaila, or 
"increased." If food is prepared for Krsna and offered to Him and the 
Vaisnavas, the stock is increased, never decreased.

TEXTS 43-47

Of the three divisions, one was arranged on a metal plate, and the 
other two were arranged on plantain leaves. These leaves were not 
bifurcated, and they were taken from a banana tree that held at least 
thirty-two bunches of bananas. The two plates were filled very nicely 
with the kinds of food described below.

The cooked rice was a stack of very fine grains nicely cooked, and in 
the middle was yellow clarified butter from the milk of cows. 
Surrounding the stack of rice were pots made of the skins of banana 
trees, and in these pots were varieties of vegetables and mung dal.

Among the cooked vegetables were patolas, squash, manakacu, and a 
salad made with pieces of ginger and various types of spinach.

There was sukhta, bitter melon mixed with all kinds of vegetables, 
defying the taste of nectar. There were five types of bitter and 
pungent sukhtas.

Amongst the various vegetables were newly grown leaves of nimba trees 
fried with eggplant. The fruit known as patola was fried with 
phulabadi, a kind of dal preparation first mashed and then dried in 
the sun. There was also a preparation known as kusmanda-manacaki.

PURPORT

We request our editors of cookbooks to add all these nice preparations 
described by the experienced author Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

TEXTS 48-63

The preparation made with coconut pulp mixed with curd and rock candy 
was very sweet. There was a curry made of banana flowers and squash 
boiled in milk, all in great quantity.

There were small cakes in sweet and sour sauce and five or six kinds 
of sour preparations. All the vegetables were so made that everyone 
present could take prasada.

There were soft cakes made with mung dal, soft cakes made with ripe 
bananas, and soft cakes made with urad dal. There were various kinds 
of sweetmeats, and condensed milk mixed with rice cakes, a coconut 
preparation and every kind of cake desirable.

All the vegetables were served in pots made of banana leaves taken 
from trees producing at least thirty-two bunches of bananas. These 
pots were very strong and big and did not tilt or totter.

All around the three eating places were a hundred pots filled with 
various kinds of vegetables.

Along with the various vegetables was sweet rice mixed with ghee. This 
was kept in new earthen pots. Earthen pots filled with highly 
condensed milk were placed in three places.

Besides the other preparations, there were chipped rice, made with 
milk and mixed with bananas, and also white squash boiled in milk. 
Indeed, it is not possible to describe all the preparations that were 
made.

In two places there were earthen pots filled with another preparation 
made with yogurt, sandesa (a sweetmeat made with curd) and banana. I 
am unable to describe it all.

Upon the stack of boiled rice and all the vegetables were flowers of 
the tulasi trees. There were also pots filled with scented rosewater.

There were three sitting places where soft cloths were placed. Thus 
Lord Krsna was offered all the food, and the Lord took it very 
pleasantly.

It is the system, after offering food, to perform bhoga-arati. Advaita 
Prabhu asked the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda 
Prabhu, to come see the arati. The two Lords and all others present 
went to see the arati ceremony.

After arati was performed for the Deities in the temple, Lord Krsna 
was made to lie down to rest. Advaita Acarya then came out to submit 
something to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Advaita Prabhu said, "My dear Lords, kindly enter this room." The 
two brothers, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, then came 
forward to take the prasadam.

When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu went to accept 
the prasadam, They both called Mukunda and Haridasa to come with Them. 
However, Mukunda and Haridasa, both with folded hands, spoke as 
follows.

When Mukunda was called for, he submitted, "My dear sir, I have 
something to do that is not yet finished. Later I shall accept the 
prasadam, so You two Prabhus should now please enter the room."

Haridasa Thakura said, "I am the most sinful and lowest among men. 
Later I shall eat one palmful of prasadam while waiting outside."

PURPORT

Although the Hindus and Muslims lived together in a very friendly 
manner, still there were distinctions between them. The Mohammedans 
were considered yavanas, or lowborn, and whenever a Muslim was 
invited, he would be fed outside of the house. Although personally 
called by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu to take 
prasadam with Them, still, out of great humility, Haridasa Thakura 
submitted, "I shall take the prasadam outside of the house." Although 
Haridasa Thakura was an exalted Vaisnava accepted by Advaita Acarya, 
Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, nonetheless, in order 
not to disturb social tranquility, he humbly kept himself in the 
position of a Muslim, outside the jurisdiction of the Hindu community. 
Therefore he proposed to take prasadam outside the house. Although he 
was in an exalted position and equal to other great Vaisnavas, he 
considered himself a papistha, a most sinful man, and adhama, the 
lowest among men. Although a Vaisnava may be very much advanced 
spiritually, he keeps himself externally humble and submissive.

TEXT 64

Advaita Acarya took Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu within the room, and the two Lords saw the arrangement of 
the prasadam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu especially was very pleased.

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was pleased because He saw how nicely so many 
varieties of food were prepared for Krsna. Actually all kinds of 
prasadam are prepared for Krsna, not for the people, but the devotees 
partake of prasadam with great pleasure.

TEXT 65

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved of all the methods employed in 
cooking and offering food to Krsna. Indeed, He was so pleased that He 
said, "Frankly, I will personally take the lotus feet of anyone who 
can offer Krsna such nice food and place those lotus feet on My head 
birth after birth."

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered the room, He saw three divisions 
of food, and He knew that all of these were meant for Krsna. However, 
He did not understand the intentions of Advaita Acarya.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that one of these 
servings was offered in a metal dish and was meant for Krsna, whereas 
the other two were placed on big banana leaves. The offering on the 
metal plate was personally offered by Advaita Acarya to Krsna. The 
other two servings, on banana leaves, were to be accepted by Sri 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda. This was Advaita Acarya's 
intention, but He did not disclose this to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 
Thus when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw the food offered in three 
places, He thought that all of it was meant for Krsna.

TEXTS 67-70

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Let Us sit down in these three places, 
and We shall take prasadam." However, Advaita Acarya said, "I shall 
distribute the prasadam."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought that all three servings were meant for 
distribution; therefore He asked for another two banana leaves, 
saying, "Let Us have a very little quantity of vegetable and rice."

Advaita Acarya said, "Just sit down here on these seats." Catching 
Their hands, He sat Them both down.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "It is not proper for a sannyasi to eat 
such a variety of foods. If he does, how can he control his senses?"

PURPORT

The word upakarana indicates a variety of foods, such as dal, 
vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat 
very nicely with rice. It is not proper, however, for a sannyasi to 
eat such palatable dishes. If he did so, he would not be able to 
control his senses. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not encourage 
sannyasis to eat very palatable dishes, for the whole Vaisnava cult is 
vairagya-vidya, as renounced as possible. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also 
advised Raghunatha dasa Gosvami not to eat very palatable dishes, wear 
very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all 
prohibited for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept 
anything to eat that is not first offered to Krsna. All the rich foods 
offered to Krsna are given to the grhasthas, the householders. There 
are many nice things offered to Krsna - garlands, bedsteads, nice 
ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared pan, betel nuts - but a 
humble Vaisnava, thinking his body material and nasty, does not accept 
such preparations for himself. He thinks that by accepting such things 
he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. Those who are sahajiyas 
cannot understand what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu meant when He asked 
Advaita Acarya to bring two separate leaves and give a small quantity 
of the prasadam to Him.

TEXTS 71-74

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not accept the food that had already 
been served, Advaita Acarya said, "Please give up Your concealment. I 
know what You are, and I know the confidential meaning of Your 
accepting the sannyasa order."

Advaita Acarya thus requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to eat and give 
up juggling words. The Lord replied, "I certainly cannot eat so much 
food."

Advaita Acarya then requested the Lord to simply accept the prasadam 
without pretense. If He could not eat it all, the balance could be 
left on the plate.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I will not be able to eat so much food, 
and it is not the duty of a sannyasi to leave remnants."

PURPORT

According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.18.19):

bahir jalasayam gatva
tatopasprsya vag-yatah
vibhajya pavitam sesam
bhunjitasesam ahrtam

"Whatever edibles a sannyasi gets from a householder's house he should 
take outside near some lake or river, and after offering it to Visnu, 
Brahma and the sun (three divisions), he should eat the entire 
offering and not leave anything for others to eat."

TEXTS 75-85

In this connection Advaita Acarya referred to Caitanya Mahaprabhu's 
eating at Jagannatha Puri. Lord Jagannatha and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 
are identical. Advaita Acarya pointed out that at Jagannatha Puri 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu ate fifty-four times a day, and each time He ate 
many hundreds of pots of food.

Sri Advaita Acarya said, "The amount of food that three people can eat 
does not constitute even a morsel for You. In proportion to that, 
these edibles are not even five morsels of food for You."

Advaita Acarya continued, "By My great fortune You have just come to 
My home. Please do not juggle words. Just begin eating and do not 
talk."

Upon saying this, Advaita Acarya supplied water to the two Lords so 
that They could wash Their hands. The two Lords then sat down and, 
smiling, began to eat the prasadam.

Nityananda Prabhu said, "I have undergone fasting for three days 
continuously. Today I had hoped to break My fast."

Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was thinking that the quantity of 
food was enormous, Nityananda Prabhu, on the contrary, thought it not 
even a morsel. He had been fasting for three days and had greatly 
hoped to break fast on that day. Indeed, He said, "Although I am 
invited to eat by Advaita Acarya, today is also a fast. So small a 
quantity of food will not even fill half My belly."

Advaita Acarya replied, "Sir, You are a mendicant traveling on 
pilgrimage. Sometimes You eat fruits and roots, and sometimes You 
simply go on fasting.

"I am a poor brahmana, and You have come to My home. Please be 
satisfied with whatever little food You have received and give up Your 
greedy mentality."

Lord Nityananda Prabhu replied, "Whatever I may be, You have invited 
Me. Therefore You must supply as much as I want to eat."

His Divine Grace Advaita Acarya, after hearing the statement of 
Nityananda Prabhu, took the opportunity presented by the joking words 
and spoke to Him as follows.

Advaita Acarya said, "You are a reject paramahamsa, and You have 
accepted the renounced order of life just to fill up Your belly. I can 
understand that Your business is to give trouble to brahmanas."

PURPORT

There is always a difference of opinion between a smarta-brahmana and 
a Vaisnava gosvami. There are even smarta opinions and Vaisnava 
gosvami opinions available in astrological and astronomical 
calculations. By calling Nityananda Prabhu a bhrasta avadhuta (a 
rejected paramahamsa), Advaita Acarya  Prabhu in a sense accepted Sri 
Nityananda Prabhu as a paramahamsa. In other words, Nityananda Prabhu 
had nothing to do with the rules governing smarta-brahmanas. Thus, 
under pretense of condemning Him, Advaita Acarya was actually praising 
Him. In the avadhuta stage, the paramahamsa stage, which is the 
supermost stage, one may appear to be visayi, on the platform of sense 
gratification, but in actuality he has nothing to do with sense 
gratification. At that stage, a person sometimes accepts the symptoms 
and dress of a sannyasi and sometimes does not. Sometimes he dresses 
like a householder. We should know, however, that these are all joking 
words between Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu. They are not to be 
taken as insults.

TEXT 86

Advaita Acarya accused Nityananda Prabhu, saying, "You can eat ten to 
twenty manas of rice. I am a poor brahmana. How shall I get so much 
rice?

PURPORT

A mana is a measurement containing about four kilograms.

TEXTS 87-96

"Whatever You have, though it be a palmful of rice, please eat it and 
get up. Don't show Your madness and strew the remnants of food here 
and there."

In this way, Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu ate and 
talked with Advaita Acarya jokingly. After eating half of each 
vegetable preparation given to Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu abandoned 
it and went on to the next.

As soon as half of the vegetable in the pot was finished, Advaita 
Acarya filled it up again. In this way, as the Lord finished half of a 
preparation, Advaita Acarya again and again filled it up.

After filling a pot with vegetables, Advaita Acarya requested Them to 
eat more, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "How much more can I go on 
eating?"

Advaita Acarya said, "Please do not give up whatever I have already 
given You. Now, whatever I am giving, You may eat half and leave 
half."

In this way, by submitting various humble requests, Advaita Acarya 
made Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda eat. Thus Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu fulfilled all the desires of Advaita Acarya.

Again Nityananda Prabhu jokingly said, "My belly is not yet filled up. 
Please take away Your food. I have not taken the least of it."

After saying this, Nityananda Prabhu took a handful of rice and threw 
it on the floor in front of Him, as if He were angry.

When two or four grains of the thrown rice touched His body, Advaita 
Acarya began to dance in various ways with the rice still stuck to His 
body.

When the rice thrown by Nityananda Prabhu touched His body, Advaita 
Acarya thought Himself purified by the touch of remnants thrown by 
Paramahamsa Nityananda. Therefore He began dancing.

PURPORT

The word avadhuta refers to one above all rules and regulations. 
Sometimes, not observing all the rules and regulations of a sannyasi, 
Nityananda Prabhu exhibited the behavior of a mad avadhuta. He threw 
the remnants of food on the ground, and some of these remnants touched 
the body of Advaita Acarya. Advaita Acarya accepted this happily 
because He presented Himself as a member of the community of 
smarta-brahmanas. By touching the remnants of food thrown by 
Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acarya immediately felt Himself purified of 
all smarta contamination. The remnants of food left by a pure Vaisnava 
are called maha-maha-prasadam. This is completely spiritual and is 
identified with Lord Visnu. Such remnants are not ordinary. The 
spiritual master is to be considered on the stage of paramahamsa and 
beyond the jurisdiction of the varnasrama institution. The remnants of 
food left by the spiritual master and similar paramahamsas or pure 
Vaisnavas are purifying. When an ordinary person touches such 
prasadam, his mind is purified, and his mind is raised to the status 
of a pure brahmana. The behavior and statements of Advaita Acarya are 
meant for the understanding of ordinary people who are unaware of the 
strength of spiritual values, not knowing the potency of food left by 
the bona fide spiritual master and pure Vaisnavas.

TEXT 97

Advaita Acarya jokingly said, "My dear Nityananda, I have invited You, 
and indeed I have received the results. You have no fixed caste or 
dynasty. By nature You are a madman.

PURPORT

The words sahaje pagala ("by nature a madman") indicate that 
Nityananda Prabhu was transcendentally situated on the paramahamsa 
stage. Because He always remembered Radha-Krsna and Their service, 
this was transcendental madness. Sri Advaita Acarya was pointing out 
this fact.

TEXT 98

"To make Me a madman like Yourself, You have thrown the remnants of 
Your food at Me. You did not even fear the fact that I am a brahmana."

PURPORT

The words apanara sama indicate that Advaita Acarya considered Himself 
to belong to the smarta-brahmanas, and He considered Nityananda Prabhu 
to be on the transcendental stage with pure Vaisnavas. Lord Nityananda 
gave Advaita Acarya His remnants to situate Him on the same platform 
and make Him a pure unalloyed Vaisnava or paramahamsa. Advaita 
Acarya's statement indicates that a paramahamsa Vaisnava is 
transcendentally situated. A pure Vaisnava is not subject to the rules 
and regulations of the smarta-brahmanas. That was the reason for 
Advaita Acarya's stating, apanara sama more karibara tare: "to raise 
Me to Your own standard." A pure Vaisnava, or a person on the 
paramahamsa stage, accepts the remnants of food (maha-prasadam) as 
spiritual. He does not consider it to be material or sense 
gratificatory. He accepts maha-prasadam not as ordinary dal and rice 
but as spiritual substance. To say nothing of the remnants of food 
left by a pure Vaisnava, prasadam is never polluted, even if it is 
touched by the mouth of a candala. Indeed, it retains its spiritual 
value. Therefore by eating or touching such maha-prasadam, a brahmana 
is not degraded. There is no question of being polluted by touching 
the remnants of such food. Actually, by eating such maha-prasadam, one 
is freed from all the contaminations of the material condition. That 
is the verdict of the sastra.

COMMENTARY

There is a story that a plate of maha-prasadam that had been offered 
to the Deity in one of the temples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati 
Thakura had somehow been approached by a dog who started to sniff and 
touch the maha-prasadam. None of the devotees knew what to do with the 
maha-prasadam after the dog had touched it, but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta 
Sarasvati Thakura, as the acarya, took the plate of maha-prasadam and 
honored it - ate it.

TEXT 99

Nityananda Prabhu replied, "These are the remnants of food left by 
Lord Krsna. If You take them to be ordinary remnants, You have 
committed an offense."

PURPORT

In the Brhad-visnu Purana it is stated that one who considers 
maha-prasadam to be equal to ordinary rice and dal certainly commits a 
great offense. Ordinary edibles are touchable and untouchable, but 
there are no such dualistic considerations where prasadam is 
concerned. Prasadam is transcendental, and there are no 
transformations or contaminations, just as there are no contaminations 
or transformations in the body of Lord Visnu Himself. Thus even if one 
is a brahmana, he is certain to be attacked by leprosy and bereft of 
all family members if he makes such dualistic considerations. Such an 
offender goes to hell, never to return. This is the injunction of the 
Brhad-visnu Purana.

TEXTS 100-106

Srila Nityananda Prabhu continued, "If You invite at least one hundred 
sannyasis to Your home and feed them sumptuously, Your offense will be 
nullified."

Advaita Acarya replied, "I shall never again invite another sannyasi, 
for it is a sannyasi who has spoiled all My brahminical smrti 
regulations."

After this, Advaita Acarya made the Lords wash Their hands and mouths. 
He then took Them to a nice bed and made Them lie down to take rest.

Sri Advaita Acarya fed the two Lords cloves and cardamom mixed with 
tulasi flowers. Thus there was a good flavor within Their mouths.

Sri Advaita Acarya then smeared the bodies of the Lords with 
sandalwood pulp and then placed very fragrant flower garlands on Their 
chests.

When the Lord lay down on the bed, Advaita Acarya wanted to massage 
His legs, but the Lord was very hesitant and spoke as follows to 
Advaita Acarya.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Advaita Acarya, You have made Me dance 
in various ways. Now give up this practice. Go with Mukunda and 
Haridasa and accept Your lunch."

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is here telling Advaita Acarya that it is not 
befitting for a sannyasi to accept nice beds to lie on or to chew 
cloves and cardamom and have his body smeared with sandalwood pulp. 
Nor is it befitting for him to accept fragrant garlands and have his 
legs massaged by a pure Vaisnava. "You have already made Me dance 
according to Your vow," Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Now please stop it. 
You can go and take Your lunch with Mukunda and Haridasa."

TEXTS 107-111

Thereupon Advaita Acarya took prasadam with Mukunda and Haridasa, and 
they all wholeheartedly ate as much as they desired.

When the people of Santipura heard that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 
was staying there, they all immediately came to see His lotus feet.

Being very pleased, all the people loudly began to shout the holy name 
of the Lord, "Hari! Hari!" Indeed, they became struck with wonder upon 
seeing the beauty of the Lord.

They saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's very fair-complexioned body and its 
bright luster, which conquered the brilliance of the sun. Over and 
above this was the beauty of the saffron garments that glittered upon 
His body.

People came and went with great pleasure. There was no calculating how 
many people assembled there before the day was over.

* * *

So we can end the reading now, and you can hand me the papers with the 
questions to answer.

Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!

Question: Some devotees say that one who is chanting Hare Krsna can 
perform fire sacrifice. Others say no. Please clarify.

Giriraj Swami: A fire sacrifice is meant to be performed on a specific 
occasion, such as an initiation, marriage, or Deity installation. The 
fire sacrifice can be performed by twice-initiated brahmanas who 
recite the gayatri-mantra, not really by devotees who have only been 
initiated into hari-nama.

Question: Sandalwood soap in not available in the supermarket. What 
soap would you recommend us to buy?

Giriraj Swami: Om apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato 'pi va / yah 
smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantarah sucih: "One who remembers the 
lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is purified within 
and without."

Question: If Krsna is the supreme creator, then why are there 
spiritual and material creators?

Giriraj Swami: The Supreme Authority does not have to do everything 
Himself. He has His agents to do His bidding. In fact, if Krsna had to 
do all of the work Himself, what would be the meaning of His being 
Supreme? Being Supreme means that His order cannot be disobeyed. Thus, 
He orders people to act on His behalf.

There is an interesting story of a German scholar who went to India to 
find God. He visited so many temples. Finally he came to the 
Radha-Krsna temple in Calcutta, and he announced, "Now I have found 
God." The devotees asked him, "How do you say that now you have found 
God?" The German scholar replied, "I visited so many temples in this 
country, and in every temple I saw that the Deity was engaged in some 
sort of work, either in meditating or killing some demon - something. 
But here I see that this God is simply playing on His flute and 
dancing, so He must be the Supreme: He doesn't have any work to do."

Even in the ordinary world, a big man doesn't have much work to do. If 
the big man wants to create a factory he just orders his secretary, 
the secretary passes on the order, and the big man's agents do 
everything. The big man simply says two words, and his agents do 
everything else. In the same way, Krsna doesn't have to create 
personally. He just tells Brahma, tapah, and Brahma creates the 
universe for Krsna. Although Brahma is the immediate agent for 
executing the order of Krsna to create or engineer the material 
universe, Krsna is the original cause of all causes. He is the origin 
of Baladeva, His first expansion, and Baladeva expands into 
Sankarsana, Vasudeva , Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, then Narayana, and 
then another quadruple expansion. Eventually Maha-Visnu expands into 
Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and from the lotus navel of the Garbhodakasayi 
Visnu Lord Brahma is born, and Lord Brahma creates the material 
universe. Thus Brahma is also an expansion of Krsna, indirectly. So 
Krsna has His potencies to act on His behalf. Therefore the Vedas say, 
na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca 
drsyate / parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki 
jnana-bala-kriya ca. "The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, but He has 
so many energies which do everything for Him, and those energies act 
so perfectly that everything seems to be taking place automatically." 
That is God.

(Even then, Brahma does not actually create the material elements. 
Lord Visnu or Krsna supplies the material ingredients, and Brahma just 
fashions and assembles them to form the universe.)


Question: Can it be recommended that the book "Process of Deity 
Worship" by BBT be used to assist the householders in Deity worship?

Giriraj Swami: There are many books that can assist householders in 
Deity worship. The Nectar of Devotion gives instructions about Deity 
worship, as do the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Caitanya-caritamrta. But 
if one is actually serious about worshiping the Deity, the Deity has 
to be installed. Then one must worship the Deity according to the 
rules and regulations. One must be twice initiated as a brahmana to 
worship an installed Deity, and one must follow the rules and 
regulations - just as we read of Advaita Acarya, the ideal 
householder. One should follow the same rules and regulations at home 
as in the temple. So if one is actually serious and able, one must 
follow the standard process. Otherwise, Deities that are not installed 
may be like pictures. To a picture you can offer as much as you like: 
you can offer a flower, you can offer incense, you can offer arati, 
you can offer whatever you can. So an uninstalled Deity may be 
considered the same as a picture in the house. Of course, for the sake 
of show if one wants to keep Deities so that others may think, "Oh, he 
is very advanced!" that's something else. But if one is actually 
serious about making advancement in spiritual life, one has to begin 
by following the regulative principles, chanting Hare Krsna, sixteen 
rounds, taking initiation, and actually becoming qualified to worship 
the Deity. Then one can really make advancement. And certainly the GBC 
approved guidelines in the Deity worship book can help.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Hare Krsna.
