Giriraj Swami: Today is the disappearance day of Srivasa Pandita, one of the members of the Panca-tattva: sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasa. In describing the Caitanya tree, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 10.8–11) states,
“The two brothers Srivasa Pandita and Sri Rama Pandita started two branches that are well known in the world. Their two brothers were named Sripati and Srinidhi. These four brothers and their servants and maidservants are considered one big branch. There is no counting the subbranches of these two branches. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu held congregational chanting daily at the house of Srivasa Pandita. These four brothers and their family members fully engaged in the service of Lord Caitanya. They knew no other god or goddess.”
Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to text 8, “In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (90), Srivasa Pandita (Srivasa Thakura) is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni.”
Srivasa Pandita is considered the chief among all the devotees and thus we offer him—and them—our respectful obeisances and pray for their sublime mercy, following the statement of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 1.38):
bhagavanera bhakta yata srivasa pradhana
tan’-sabhara pada-padme sahasra pranama
“There are innumerable devotees of the Lord, of whom Srivasa Thakura is the foremost. I offer my respectful obeisances thousands of times unto their lotus feet.”
O Srivasa Thakura, please engage us in your divine service and that of your dear lords and servants, following Srila Prabhupada.
(Pictured here are Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Pancha-tattva chanting in Srivasa Thakura’s house. Srivasa is wearing white, third from right.)
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