Advaita Vata

       This is the place where Shri Advaita Acharya resided when he came to Vrindavan. Advaita Acharya is the incarnation of Mahavishnu who appeared in this mortal world as one of the intimate associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Advaita Vata is very close to the historic Madanmohan temple built by Shrila Sanatan Goswami. Advaita Acharya stayed under the Banyan tree at this place for several days. Under this tree He served the deity of Madan-Gopal with great love and devotion. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also resided here for some time during His visit to Vrindavan. There is a monument erected at this place in remembrance of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s stay at Advaita Vata.

       As a young boy Advaita Acharya became a great scholar of all the Vedic literatures and came to the conclusion of pure Bhakti. When He was still young His mother and father both disappeared from this world and He went to Gaya to perform their Shraddha ceremony. On His pilgrimage to Gaya He met Shrila Madhavendra Puri who initiated Him in the Madhva Sampradaya. Shrila Madhavendra Puri instructed Him in all the nuances of the sweet Leela of Vrindavan especially Madhurya Rasa. He told Him that one can gain entrance into the sweet Leela of Vrindavan by always remembering Krishna, by hearing and chanting His pastimes and by constantly chanting His Holy Names.

       After that Advaita Acharya began to travel to all the holy places throughout India and at last he came to Vrindavan. He traveled through all the 12 forests of Vrindavan and then he came to this place. He lived under this Banyan tree at Advaita Vata. It was at this place that the deity of Madan-Gopal who later came to be known as Madanmohan appeared to Shri Advaita Acharya. He worshipped this beautiful deity of Madan-Gopal under this Banyan tree. He stayed here waiting for the indication of the Lord for Him to go back to Navadwip Dham for calling out to Lord Chaitanya to appear in this world.