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Today we are observing Advaita Acarya’s appearance day, which is on saptami tithi in the month of Magha.
Advaita Acarya appeared first, then He made Mahaprabhu, Krishna, appear. By Advaita Acarya’s calling Krishna appeared. Therefore it is a very auspicious day so we should speak something on Srila Advaita Acarya and beg for His mercy. If He bestows His mercy on us then we can get Caitanya Nitai, otherwise we cannot.

He Is the Lord and the Incarnation of the Lord’s Devotee

First we should know who Advaita Acarya is. It is mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila,

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

“Lord Advaita Acarya is the incarnation of Maha-Vishnu, whose main function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of maya.” (Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila 1.12)

advaitam harinadvaitad
acaryam bhakti-samsanat
bhaktavataram isam tam
advaitacaryam asraye

”Because He is non-different from Hari, the Supreme Lord, 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.” (Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila 1.13)

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika states,

bhaktavatara acaryo’dvaito yah sri-sadasivah
(Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 11)

That means Advaita Acarya is bhakta-avatara.

panca-tattvatmakam krshnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-saktikam (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.6)

“I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is non-different from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation, pure devotee and devotional energy.”

Advaita-Tattva

The panca-tattva is bhakta-rupa, bhakta-svarupa, bhakta-avatara, bhaktakhya and bhakti-sakti. Bhakta-rupa is Mahaprabhu in the form of a devotee. Bhakta-svarupa is Nityananda. Bhakta-avatara is Advaita Acarya. Bhaktakhya is Srivasa and bhakta-sakti is Gadadhara; panca-tattva. Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika states, bhaktavatara acaryo’dvaito yah sri-sadasivah. Advaita Acarya is bhaktavatara and He is also Sadasiva, Sadasiva Maha-Vishnu avatara. When we say Maha-Vishnu avatara then Sadasiva comes. This is Advaita Acarya. This is advaita-tattva. Advaita Acarya is such a devotee that He made Krishna descend here.

Santipura-Natha

Advaita Acarya’s father’s name was Kuvera Misra and His mother’s name was Srimati Nabhadevi. They were first living in Srihatta. Kuvera Pandita, the father of Advaita Acarya, had no son for a very long period. In his old age he got this son Advaita Acarya. In Srihatta district there was a village named Nava-grama. That is the birthplace of Advaita Acarya. He appeared on this day in the month of Magha saptami, on the seventh day of the bright fortnight, Magha sukla saptami.
After that Kuvera Pandita wanted to go and stay on the bank of the Ganges. He left and shifted his residence from the bank of the Ganges to Santipura. Santipura is now famous as Advaita’s dhama, patha. He is also called Santipura-natha, Lord of Santipura.
When Kuvera Pandita performed the nama-karana, name giving ceremony, of his son, he gave one name Mangala and another name Kamalakna, but why is He called Advaita Acarya we quoted already from Caitanya-caritamrta.

The Two Wives of Advaita Acarya

Advaita Acarya’s father and mother disappeared when he was very young. Feeling very distressed he went on pilgrimage visiting many, many holy places. When He came back, some of His relatives requested Him to marry. Therefore, at the request of the relatives He was willing to marry. At that time one very pious orthodox brahmana was living there whose name was Nrsimha Vaduri. He had two daughters; their names were Sri and Sita. They were both very beautiful and Advaita Acarya married both of them. Thus Advaita Acarya had two wives; Sri and Sita. Sita Thakurani is famous. Advaita Acarya is also famous as Sita-natha or Sita-pati because the name of His wife was Sita Thakurani. Sita Thakurani is an incarnation of Yogamaya, and Sri devi is a manifestation of Yogamaya. Advaita Acarya is a Maha-Vishnu avatara and in Maha-Vishnu there is Sadasiva therefore we call Him Sadasiva avatara.

I Am Dependent on My Bhakta

When Advaita Acarya grew up, He saw how the people of this Kali-yuga are suffering and He could not tolerate it. He thought, “I must make Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appear here.” Who can make the Supreme Lord appear? It is stated, bhaktera icchaya krshnera sarva avatara Cc Adi 3.112], and bhaktecchopatta-rupaya, [Bhag. 10.59.25] by the desire of His dear devotee the Lord appears. No one can make the Lord appear. He is not our order carrier. However He has said, aham bhakta-paradhino. One who is His very dear devotee, intimate devotee, prema-bhakti, Krishna said, “I am dependent on him. I have no independence.” Though He is supremely independent.
In Bhagavad-gita Krishna has said, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg.7.7], “O Dhananjaya, Arjuna, there is no one superior to Me.” Ekale isvara krshna, ara saba bhrtya, Krishna is the only isvara. All others are His servants, but that Krishna is bhakta-vatsala because He is very dear to His devotees, and a prema-bhakti can bind Him with the rope of love. Therefore it is said in the ninth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam,

aham bhakta-paradhino
hy asvatantra iva dvija
sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyah

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brahmana: I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the core of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.4.63)

He said this to Durvasa Muni, “I have no independence”. He, who is supremely independent, says, “I have no independence. I am bhakta-paradhino, I am dependent on My bhakta. What My bhakta says I do.” So what a dear devotees says Krishna does. If a dear devotee says, “Please come down here”, then He comes down here. Bhaktera bhaktera icchaya krshnera sarva avatara, all incarnations are there by the will of a bhakta [Cc Adi 3.112], and this is also mentioned in the verse bhaktecchopatta-rupaya paramatman namo ‘stu te. [SB 10.59.25] Thus, without the call of His dear devotee Goloka-bihari, Purna-brahma Krishna will never descend here. He never comes here for ordinary reasons.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca dunkrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
(Bhagavad-gita 4.7-8)

In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna has said, “When there is a rise of irreligion and when bhagavata-dharma is declining, miscreants, demons are rising and sadhus, bhaktas are persecuted, at that time I descend to kill the miscreants and protect the sadhus and establish bhagavata-dharma.” For that purpose His incarnation descends.

Advaita Acarya Was Crying in His Heart

At one time all the demigods headed by Brahma, went to the bank of knira-sagara, the milk ocean, and offered prayers to Krishna. By their prayers Krishna appeared. Similarly, by the prayers of Advaita Acarya, Prema Purunottama Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared in this material world and manifested His lila. Advaita Acarya could not tolerate the suffering of the jivas of Kali-yuga. He was crying in His heart. Therefore He thought, “I must make the Supreme Lord Krishna appear here”.

advaita-acarya gosani saknat isvara
yanhara mahima nahe jivera gocara

“Sri Advaita Acarya is indeed directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. His glory is beyond the conception of ordinary living beings.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 6.6)

advaita-acarya koti-brahmandera karta
ara eka eka murtye brahmandera bharta

“Sri Advaita Acarya is the creator of millions and millions of universes, and by His expansions [as Garbhodakasayi Vishnu] He maintains each and every universe.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 6.21

He is isvara [the controller], He is non-different from Hari therefore He is advaita [oneness, non-dual]. Here it says, [referring to Cc Adi 1.12-13 above] “Advaita Acarya, because He is non-different from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Acarya”. Therefore he is called Advaita Acarya. Caitanya-caritamrta states the same, advaita-acarya gosani saknat isvara, because He is non-different from Hari, saknat isvara. Yanhara mahima nahe jivera gocara, ordinary jivas cannot understand the glory of Advaita Acarya.

He Made a Wonderful Promise

Maha-Vishnu avatara, He is an incarnation of Maha-Vishnu, and therefore He could feel the pains of the jivas here because all jivas come from Maha-Vishnu. He was a Maha-Vishnu avatara, and He could feel the suffering and pain of the kali-hata jiva. He observed that there was no bhakti in Kali-yuga and therefore He promised, “I must make Krishna appear to propagate bhakti”.

karaimu krshna sarva-nayana-gocara
tabe se ‘advaita’-nama krshnera kinkara!

“I will make Krishna appear before the eyes of all, then this person named “Advaita” will be known as the servant of Krishna. (Caitanya Bhagavata. Adi-khanda 11.64)

Advaita Acarya promised, “I must make Krishna appear here and show Krishna to every one. If I do not, then I will not be known by the name Advaita Acarya, krshnera kinkara, the servant of Krishna.” He made this promise. It is a wonderful promise. Who can make such a promise? Only because He is such a dear devotee He can make Krishna appear. Otherwise no one can make Krishna appear.

“If I cannot make Krishna appear here, if I cannot make Him manifest here, and cannot show Him to all the people of Kali-yuga, My name is not Advaita Acarya. Then I’ll give up this name.” He made such a promise, a very strong promise. This is a very wonderful promise. No one has ever heard of such a promise. No one has made such a promise.

He Worshipped salagrama-sila with Tulasi and Ganga-Jala

So every day He was offering worship to salagrama-sila with tulasi leaf and ganga-jala, and uttering the name of Krishna, crying, crying, and crying.
In Caitanya-caritamrta there is a verse quoted from Gautamiya-tantra vacana,

tulasi-dala-matrena jalasya culukena va
vikrinite svam atmanam bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah

“Sri Krishna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to a devotee who offers Him merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water.” (Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila 3.104)

Every day He was offering tulasi leaf and a palmful of ganga-jala, Ganges water. So He thought of this and He deliberated on this. He said,

ei slokartha acarya karena vicarana
krshnake tulasi-jala deya yei jana
tara rna sodhite krshna karena cintana —
‘jala-tulasira sama kichu ghare nahi dhana’

“Advaita Acarya considered the meaning of the verse in this way: “Not finding any way to repay the debt He owes to one who offers Him a tulasi leaf and water, Lord Krishna thinks, ‘There is no wealth in My possession that is equal to a tulasi leaf and water.” Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 3.105-106

tabe atma veci’ kare rnera sodhana
eta bhavi’ acarya karena aradhana

“Thus the Lord liquidates the debt by offering Himself to the devotee.” Considering in this way, the Acarya began worshiping the Lord. (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 3.107)

Every day He was worshipping the Lord in the form of salagrama-sila with tulasi leaf and ganga-jala, Ganges water, crying, crying, crying and uttering the name of Krishna and calling in a roaring voice, “Please come down! Please come down!”

His Call Entered the Spiritual Sky

One of Advaita Acarya’s names is Nada. One day Mahaprabhu said “Nadair-hunkara.” Hunkara means “roaring voice”. “With a roaring voice Nada, Advaita Acarya, called Me. My seat shook in My eternal abode so I couldn’t stay there; I had to come down here. He made Me come down.”
Krishna also had the desire to come down again to teach bhakti. Yoga-maya manifests all lilas. So antaranga-sakti, Yoga-maya, was waiting for Advaita Acarya’s call, “Let Advaita Acarya call.” Advaita Acarya was calling Him every day with a roaring voice, while offering worship to salagrama-sila. His call penetrated the seven layers of this material universe, entered into the spiritual sky and went to Goloka Vrndavana. Upon hearing this lila-sutra-dhari, Yoga-maya thought, “Advaita Acarya is calling. Now I must make Krishna appear as Gaura.” Therefore Prema Purunottama Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared. This is one of the reasons of Gaura’s appearance.

Sitanatha Made Krishna Appear

Bhaktera icchaya krshnera sarva avatara [Cc Adi 3.112]; bhaktecchopatta-rupaya [Bhag. 10.59.25], by the will of His devotee Krishna appears. Who can make Krishna appear? A dear devotee can make Krishna appear. Who is bhakta-vatsala? Who is very dear? Advaita Acarya is so dear. He is bhakti-avatara. He is a very intimate devotee. Therefore He, Sitanatha, made Krishna appear.
Mahaprabhu appeared with His dhama, with His associates in this material world. When Mahaprabhu appeared in Nadia as the son of Jagashnatha Misra and Saci-mata, while staying at Santipura, Advaita Acarya could understand, “Yes, Mahaprabhu has appeared.” He first sent his wife Sita Thakurani to Navadvipa, Mayapur, to Jagashnath Misra’s house. After that He Himself came and saw the child. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is mentioned,

bhaknya, bhojya, upahara, sange la-ila bahu bhara,
saci-grhe haila upanita
dekhiya balaka-thama, saknat gokula-kana,
varna-matra dekhi viparita

“When Sita Thakurani came to the house of Sacidevi, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses and other gifts, she was astonished to see the newborn child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in colour, the child was directly Krishna of Gokula Himself.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 13.115)

He is saknat gokula-krshna, Krishna directly from Gokula except for a difference in His complexion; instead of black He is gaura. That it stated. So this saknat gokula-hari, Gokulanatha Hari, only has a different complexion; He is gaura-varna. When Advaita Acarya Prabhu saw Him He became very, very happy. “Yes, My desire is fulfilled. I made Krishna appear.”
In Caitanya-bhagavata also it is mentioned,

ye pujara samaye ye deva dhyana kare
taha dekhe cari-dige caranera tale

Those demigods that are meditated on at the time of worship were all seen surrounding the lotus feet of the Lord. (Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 6.86)

My Birth and Activities Are Crowned with Success

When Advaita Acarya looked at the child He saw the same child that He had been meditating upon, while He was daily offering worship to salagrama-sila with ganga-jala and tulasi leaf. “Yes, Krishna has appeared.” He also saw in His meditation all the demigods who were offering prayers to that Supreme Lord. Seeing this, Advaita Acarya became very much ecstatic, blissful and said,

“aji se saphala mora dina parakasa
aji se saphala haila yata abhilana

aji mora janma-karma sakala saphala
saknate dekhilun tora carana-yugala

ghone matra cari vede, yare nahi dekhe
hena tumi mora lagi’ haila parateke
Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-kandha 6.100-102

”Today My life has become successful.” Advaita Acarya said, “Because I saw My beloved Lord. Today all My desires were fulfilled.” aji mora janma-karma sakala saphala, “Today My birth and My activities are all crowned with success.” saknate dekhilun tora carana-yugala, “I have directly seen Your lotus feet, O My beloved Lord.” Ghone matra cari vede, yare nahi dekhe, hena tumi mora lagi’ haila parateke, “In the four Vedas His glories are described, but no one sees Him. Yet today I have seen Him. He has appeared O, My dear Lord, for Me.”

Advaita Acarya Worships Sriman Mahaprabhu

Mahaprabhu asked Acarya, “O, Acarya You offer worship to Me.” Then Advaita Acarya offered worship at the lotus feet of Sriman Mahaprabhu. This is mentioned in Caitanya-bhagavata,

prathame carana dhui’ suvasita jale
sene gandhe paripurna pada-padme dhale

“He first washed the lotus feet of the Lord with fragrant water and then smeared them with sandalwood paste.” Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-kandha 6.106

candane dubai’ divya tulasi-manjari
arghyera sahita dila carana-upari

“He dipped tulasi-manjaris in the sandalwood paste and placed them and the ingredients of arghya on the Lord’s lotus feet.” (Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-kandha 6.107)

gandha, punpa, dhupa, dipa, panca upacare
puja kare prema-jale vahe asru-dhare

“He worshipped the Lord with five ingredients like sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, and ghee. As He worshipped the Lord, tears of love flowed from His eyes.”

panca-sikha jvali’ punah karena vandana
sene ‘jaya-jaya’-dhvani karaye ghonana

“He offered a lamp with five ghee wicks and again offered prayers. Finally He loudly chanted, ‘Jaya! Jaya!’. ”

While shedding tears of love, prema-asru, He offered puja, lit panca-pradipa and offered arati. In this way He worshiped baby Gaura Hari. Advaita Acarya Prabhu offered worship to the lotus feet of Sri Gaura Hari according to scriptural evidences and scriptural methods.

Advaita Acarya’s Prayers to Mahaprabhu

At last He offered these prayers to Mahaprabhu, which are all mentioned in Caitanya-bhagavata:

jaya jaya sarva-prana-natha visvambhara
jaya jaya gauracandra karuna-sagara

jaya jaya bhakata-vacana-satyakari
jaya jaya mahaprabhu maha-avatari

jaya jaya sindhu-suta-rupa-manorama
jaya jaya srivatsa-kaustubha-vibhunana

jaya jaya ‘hare-krshna’-mantrera prakasa
jaya jaya nija-bhakti-grahana-vilasa

jaya jaya mahaprabhu ananta-sayana
jaya jaya jaya sarva-jivera sarana
(Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-kandha 6.114-118)

He offered this prayer unto Mahaprabhu. Jaya jaya sarva-prana-natha visvambhara His name is Visvambhara. All glories to Visvambhara, who is the life and soul of all jivas. Jaya jaya gauracandra karuna-sagara, all glories to Gauracandra, who is an ocean of mercy.
Jaya jaya bhakata-vacana-satyakari, all glories to He who makes the words of His devotees come true. That is Krishna’s thought, “When My devotee has promised to make Me appear, I must appear. If I won’t appear, then the words of My devotees will be false. Then no one will be My devotee.” Therefore He makes His dear devotee’s words come true. Jaya jaya mahaprabhu maha-avatari, “You are the source of all avataras.” Because He is Krishna and Krishna is the source of all avataras.
Jaya jaya sindhu-suta-rupa-manorama. Sindhu-suta means Laknmidevi. He is as beautiful as Laknmidevi; very beautiful. Jaya jaya srivatsa-kaustubha-vibhunana, “On His chest is srivatsa-kaustubha.”
Jaya jaya ‘hare-krshna’-mantrera prakasa, “Who spoke the hare-krshna maha-mantra. That Mahaprabhu, let Him be glorified.” Jaya jaya nija-bhakti-grahana-vilasa, “Who came to teach His own bhakti-yoga, let Him be glorified.”
Jaya jaya mahaprabhu ananta-sayana, “Who lies on the bed of Ananta-naga. That is Mahaprabhu, jaya jaya.” Jaya jaya jaya sarva-jivera sarana, “At whose lotus feet all jivas take shelter, let that Mahaprabhu be glorified.”
So these are His jaya-gana [songs of glorification]. In this way Advaita Acarya Prabhupada offered many prayers at the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasundara.

Advaita Acarya’s Boon

In this way He was offering worship and prayers to baby Gaura. Much talking was going on between Advaita Acarya and Gaurasundara. When the baby was talking, no one else would say anything. Gaurasundara laughed and said, “O Acarya, I am very much pleased with Your prayers. You may ask for a boon.” It is also mentioned in Caitanya-bhagavata that Advaita Acarya asked for this boon:

advaita balaye, — yadi bhakti bilai
bastri-sudra-adi yata murkhere se diba
(Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya-lila 6.167)

Advaita Acarya said, “All right. Please grant Me this boon: You should give bhakti to one and all; stri, women, sudras, to those who are most ignorant fools and to those who are most degraded. Please give bhakti to one and all. Please give Me this boon. Let it be granted.” When Advaita Acarya asked for this boon Mahaprabhu granted it. When He accepted Advaita Acarya’s prayer and granted it, His very intimate devotees could understand that this boon was granted. At that time, simultaneously they said, “Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!”

Gaurahari is karuna-sagara, an ocean of mercy, karuna-maya, merciful. He makes true what His bhakta has said, bhakta-vacana-satyakari. To those who are dina hina papi panandi, He offered that prema. Brahmara durlabha prema saba kare yache patita pamara nahi bache, it is not an easy thing even on the part of Brahma to obtain it. Mahaprabhu offered that prema, krshna-prema, which is such a rare attainment, indiscriminately to all patitas (fallen), pamaras (the most degraded souls), papis (sinful men), panandis (atheists), dina (distressed) and hina (inferior). Thus it is by the calling of Santipura-natha, Santipura-pati Advaita Acarya, that Mahaprabhu appeared.
Therefore His appearance day is a very, very auspicious day.

Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!

Please shower Your mercy on us most degraded jivas. O Advaita Acarya Prabhu, if You shower Your mercy on us then we can get Gaura and Nitai. Otherwise what is the value of our life?
So on this day we must offer prayers at the lotus feet of karuna-maya, the most merciful Lord of Santipura, Sri Sri Advaita Acarya.

This is only a brief summary about Advaita Acarya Prabhu’s life. At last we offer some prayers unto Him. So we will sing a song by Locana dasa Thakura glorifying Advaita Acarya. If you do not sing it, you cannot relish it. Therefore you should all sing it.

(1)
jaya jaya advaita acarya dayamaya
yara huhunkare gaura avatara haya

Hunkara means roaring call. With thunderous voice He was calling, “Please, please come down, please!” Yara huhunkare gaura avatara haya, by whose roaring call Gaura appeared.

(2)

prema-data sita-natha karuna-sagara
yara prema-rase a-ila gauranga nagara

The bestower of prema Sitanatha, the husband of Sita Thakurani, is an ocean of mercy, by whose loving mellow the all-merciful Gauranga Mahaprabhu came down.

(3)

yahare karuna kari krpa dithe caya
prema-rase se-jana caitanya-guna gaya

Sriman Mahaprabhu came down here and bestowed His mercy on Advaita Acarya Prabhu. If one is fortunate to get the mercy of Advaita Acarya then he will be able to glorify Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

(4)

tahara padete yeba la-ila sarana
se-jana pa-ila gaura-prema-maha-dhana

One who takes shelter at the lotus feet of Advaita Acarya is very fortunate and will definitely get gaura-prema, which is an invaluable asset.

(5)

emana dayara nidhi kene na bhajilum
locana bale nija mathe bajara padilum

Emana dayara nidhi, Advaita Acarya Prabhu is such an ocean of mercy. I am such a rascal. I am not doing the bhajana of Advaita Acarya. One who does not do the bhajana of Advaita Acarya, who is the ocean of mercy, Locana dasa Thakura says, bale nija mathe bajara padilum, “He puts a thunderbolt on his own head.”

This is a song written by Locana dasa Thakura glorifying Advaita Acarya Thakura.

Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Sri Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Sri Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Jaya karuna-maya Santipura-pati Sri Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki jaya!
Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki subha avirbhava-tithi ki jaya!
Advaita Acarya Prabhu ki subha avirbhava-tithi ki jaya!
Samaveta bhakta vrnda ki jaya!
Gaura-premanande hari hari bol!