Courtesy: The book ‘The Lives of the Vaishnava Saints’ by Steven Rosen Summarized and Compiled by Tattvavit dāsa

Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was one of the most important Vaiṣṇava ācāryas in the generation immediately following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is the illustrious dīkṣā disciple of Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī (received initiation from him) and śikṣā disciple of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī (received teachings from him), who were two of amongst the famous Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, the direct disciples of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya is considered to be the personification of devotional ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

His chief achievements include:

  • Leading the very first book distribution campaign in the history of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism wherein the the teachings of the sacred devotional literatures of the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana were made available to the public at large;
  • Originating a unique style of kīrtana called Manohara Śaya;
  • Converting a powerful bandit king called Vīra Hamvīra of the town of Vana Viṣṇu-pura (Bengal) into a great devotee along with his entire country;
  • Co-organizing the first Gaura Pūrṇimā festival (appearance day celebrations of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu) along with Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura (as described in the previous issue).

BIRTH AND YOUTH

Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was the son of a great Vaiṣṇava couple. His father’s name was Gaṅgādhara Bhaṭṭacārya and mother’s name was Lakṣmī-priyā, and they lived in a small village of Cakhaṇḍī in Bengal, present-day India. Especially Gaṅgādhara was well-known for his pure devotion to Lord Caitanya. After many years of marriage without an offspring, they finally got Śrīnivāsa as their son by the blessings of Lord Caitanya. In fact, the Lord personally asked them to name their would-be child Śrīnivāsa. The child was born somewhere in the second decade of the 16th century.

His mother Lakṣmī-priyā’s father Balarāma Viprā and was a learned astrologer. Upon seeing the beautiful boy child, he noticed very prominent bodily features that suggested that the child was a mahā-puruṣa, a divinely empowered personality. It was then known that the child would grow up to be a great devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He had a long, elegant nose; his beautiful eyes extended like huge lotus petals; he had a broad chest and long arms extending down to his knees, also like Lord Caitanya. All of these were symptoms of a great soul.

The parents gave lavish charity to brāhmaṇas to celebrate their child’s birth and the brāhmaṇas in turn blessed the child profusely. Lakṣmī-priyā would always sing songs in praise of Lord Caitanya to the child and as he grew day-by-day, he learned to chant the names of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

He soon grew up to be the brightest and the most intelligent boy in the entire town of Cakhaṇḍī. His Vedic studies were done under a famed scholar Dhanañjaya Vidyāvacaspati. In fact, Dhanañjaya thought himself fortunate to have Śrīnivāsa as his disciple. Śrīnivāsa was the pride of the Cakhaṇḍī town and everyone loved him dearly.

HIS FIRST INSTRUCTING GURU

Due to Śrīnivāsa’s popularity, he soon came in contact with a pre-eminent personality named Narahari Sarkāra who resided in a nearby town called Śrīkhaṇḍa. Narahari Sarkāra was an intimate associate of Lord Caitanya and he had the exclusive rights to glorify the Lord in His presence although the Lord dismissed anyone else who would sing His glories.

Narahari Sarkāra instructed the young Śrīnivāsa, who accepted him as his first instructing guru. Narahari Sarkāra had a profound impact on the young man’s life and he eventually asked Śrīnivāsa to go meet Lord Caitanya in the town of Jagannātha Purī.

As Śrīnivāsa was contemplating his journey, his father became acutely ill and after seven days of fever, passed away from this mortal world. It was shocking and Śrīnivāsa tried all he could to console his aggrieved mother. Meanwhile, the omniscient Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu prepared His associates for Śrīnivāsa’s arrival in Jagannātha Purī so that he would be trained in spiritual life under the guidance of the Six Gosvāmīs.

Śrīnivāsa wanted to take spiritual initiation (dīkṣā) from Narahari Sarkāra  but Narahari told him that Mahāprabhu desired that he eventually take initiation from Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, one of the Six Gosvāmīs.

HIS TRAVEL TO JAGANNĀTHA PURĪ

Still a young boy, Śrīnivāsa traveled with a companion to Purī but on his way, he found out about the untimely departure of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu from this world. (Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left this mortal world at the age of 48.) When he first heard this devastating news, he wanted to commit suicide by immolating himself. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, who had also passed away, appeared to him in a dream and consoled him.

Before He departed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had ordered one of His principal associates — Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita — to teach Śrīnivāsa the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam when he reaches Jagannātha Purī. Śrīnivāsa went to Jagannātha Purī to meet Gadādhara Paṇḍita. Gadādhara was afflicted by intense ecstasy of separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu but became happy to see Śrīnivāsa because that would mean that he could execute one of the last desires of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu — teach Śrīnivāsa the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

But the palm-leaf manuscript of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam was rendered illegible due to being effaced by the tears of Gadādhara Paṇḍita and also ealrier by the tears of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was reading the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs.

Gadādhara then wrote to Narahari Sarkāra requesting him to secure another manuscript of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in order to instruct the enthusiastic young Śrīnivāsa. Narahari replied that there was another manuscript. Gadādhara then dispatched Śrīnivāsa to secure the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from Bengal and return to Jagannātha Purī and asked him to hurry as separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was intolerable for him and he did not know how long he could remain in this world.

Śrīnivāsa first fulfilled his long-cherished desire to meet the many direct associates of Lord Caitanya who resided at Jagannātha Purī before he left for Bengal. All of them gave him valuable instructions and blessings so that he would continue the divine mission of Lord Caitanya.

Eventually he left for Bengal and just as he secured the manuscript copy of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from Narahari Sarkāra, he heard of Gadādhara’s passing away. Suffering greatly in lamentation, he did not return to Purī. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s original plan for Śrīnivāsa to study under Gadādhara Paṇḍita seemed to only entice him and to make him mad with the ecstatic mood of separation toward the Lord and His devotees. Śrīnivāsa remained in Bengal for a few years.

HIS TRAVEL TO VṚNDĀVANA

Jāhnavā-devī, the widow of Lord Nityānanda, visited Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana and they asked her to send Śrīnivāsa as soon as possible. Jāhnavā-devī returned to Bengal and asked Narahari to do this. Narahari advised Śrīnivāsa to hasten but by the will of Providence, the young Śrīnivāsa chose to honor the homes of the principal associates of Lord Caitanya on his way.

In this way, he met the devotees of Navadvīpa and especially noted the uncommon austerities of Viṣṇupriyā-devī, the revered widow of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. She would chant the mahā-mantra — Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare — over each grain of rice in Her possession. When she was finished with Her daily chanting, She would cook and eat only those grains upon which She chanted. In fact, being the Goddess of Fortune Lakṣmī Herself, She performed the pinnacle of all austerities as a chaste wife.

On his way to Vṛndāvana, he made many stops in the homes of many prominent devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and each of them urged him to hasten to Vṛndāvana before Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs depart this world to join the Lord in His eternal pastimes in Goloka Vṛndāvana (the highest planet in the spiritual world.) He proceeded on but journey by foot was long and arduous. It was going to take months before he reached Vṛndāvana.

Meanwhile, Sanātana Gosvāmī passed away. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, unable to bear the separation from his elder brother Sanātana, also left this world about a couple months later. But Śrīnivāsa did not know this news until he reached Prayāga (present-day Allahabad), four days before he reached Vṛndāvana. He learned that Sanātana Gosvāmī had departed the world four months ago and Rūpa Gosvāmī two months ago. Śrīnivāsa’s condition became pitiable. He wished for his own death. He missed Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, learning under the tutelage of Gadādhara Paṇḍita and now Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs.

Then, Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs appeared to him in a dream and encouraged him to take initiation from Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and study under Jīva Gosvāmī. Thus solaced, he traveled on, arrived in Vṛndāvana and soon met Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī.

THE SACRED MANUSCRIPTS STOLEN

Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī initiated him and he placed Śrīnivāsa under the tutelage of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the pre-eminent Vaiṣṇava philosopher of his time. He quickly forged a very intimate friendship with two other illustrious disciples of Jīva Gosvāmī, namely Narottama and Duḥkhī Kṛṣṇa dāsa (later to be called Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita.) The three of them became the best students of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī.

As time went on, the three of them were given a special mission — to distribute the books of the Gosvāmīs especially in Bengal, where Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism was widely embraced but its underpinning in philosophy was wanting. Jāhnavā-devī asked Jīva Gosvāmī to send the voluminous literatures to Bengal. To comply with her request, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī summoned his three best men — Śrīnivāsa, Narottama and Duḥkhī Kṛṣṇa dāsa. He conferred special names and titles on them — Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya and Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita respectively. He asked them to go to Bengal, Orissa and other provinces of India to preach the bhakti movement according to the Gosvāmī literature.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī arranged a rich merchant disciple from Mathurā by having him supply a huge, spacious cart, four strong bullocks and ten armed guards. The manuscripts — original works of Rūpa, Sanātana, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Raghunātha dāsa, and Jīva Gosvāmīs, among others — were carefully placed in a large wooden chest, which was bolted and covered with a special wax-cloth. After thorough preparations, the distinguished triumvirate left Vṛndāvana.

The journey took them through many small towns and villages and also the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa. After many months of travel, they approached the land of Gauḍa-deśa — Bengal. They decided to rest in Gopāla-pura, a small village which was just within the boundaries of a Malla kingdom of Vana Viṣṇu-pura. In the night, as the three of them along with the guards were all sleeping soundly owing to their arduous journey, the priceless cargo of books was stolen!!!

King Vīra Hamvīra, the king of Vana Viṣṇu-pura was the leader of a strong, large body of bandits. He employed a large number of thugs and assassins who infested the highways and killed and robbed the wayfarers. The king also had astrolgers who gave him confidential reports of what fortunes the stars would grant him is he carried on robberies in particular localities.

The astrologers had prophesied that the cart contained untold treasure and therefore a huge band of about two hundred dacoits followed the cart for a many weeks and finally caught hold of the “treasure” in the village of Gopāla-pura.

In the morning, the three stalwart devotees could not contain their tears. Śrīnivāsa, the senior man in the party, advised the other two, Narottama and Śyāmānanda, to dry their eyes and to proceed on with their mission of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness to various parts of Bengal and Orissa respectively. Śrīnivāsa made it his solemn duty to retrieve the manuscripts and he wrote to Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī about all that had transpired. The whole of Vṛndāvana were deeply pained at the news.

A STRANGE TREASURE

Meanwhile, the dacoits presented King Vīra Hamvīra their “most-prized treasure chest.” The king eagerly unwrapped the chest only to find some manuscripts. Where was the priceless treasure? Lifting out the top manuscript, the king saw the signature “Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī” on a palm leaf. When he examined further and saw the Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s beautiful exposition of Vaiṣṇava philosophy, he felt a change deep within his heart. He then reverentially returned the book to the trunk and retired for the evening, aware of the grave sin that he had foolishly instigated.

As the king rested, he had an unusual dream. He saw a beautiful and effulgent person who, with a loving smile, spoke to him: “Do not worry. Soon I will come to Viṣṇu-pura and will retrieve the manuscripts from you. Then you will be relieved of all sinful reactions and feel transcendental happiness.” The next morning the king awoke and started his life anew waiting for that dream to come true.

ŚRĪNIVĀSA’S BRILLIANT ERUDITION

Meanwhile, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya arrived at the outskirts of Viṣṇu-pura and met a brāhmaṇa named Kṛṣṇa Vallabha. They became good friends and the latter invited Śrīnivāsa to stay at his residence. Gradually, by conversing with him, Kṛṣṇa Vallabha realized Śrīnivāsa’s exalted position and surrendered to him as a disciple.

In due course, Kṛṣṇa Vallabha mentioned that the king regularly convened a Bhāgavatam study group for all who were interested. Śrīnivāsa became extremely curious as to the nature of the Bhāgavatam presentation and asked Kṛṣṇa Vallabha to take him to the next meeting.

When they arrived at the king’s court on the appointed day, Vyāsācārya, the court Paṇḍita, was reciting and commenting upon Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Śrīnivāsa was unimpressed, but he said nothing. The series of talks continued for many days. After two weeks, Śrīnivāsa could not tolerate the blasphemous presentation of the scholar without any references to the stalwart ācāryas in the authorized disciplic succession.

After the meeting, Śrīnivāsa came up to Vyāsācārya and said, “Sir, you do not follow the text, nor are your commentaries in line with Śrīdhara Svāmī, the great ācārya and other standard exponents of Bhāgavata philosophy.” Vyāsācārya heard but ignored his advice. However, the king, who was nearby, overheard the comment and found it interesting.

The next day at the recital, Vyāsācārya attempted to explain the confidential rāsa-līlā (sublime pleasure dance) pastimes of the Lord which are very difficult to comprehend for ordinary people. Respectful but firm, Śrīnivāsa interrupted with a question: “How can you talk on such confidential subjects without referring to the authoritative statements of Śrīdhara Svāmī? You are obviously unfamiliar with his work.” Vyāsācārya fumed. But before he could say anything, the king spoke in defence of Śrīnivāsa, “How is it that this brāhmaṇa finds a fault in your explanantion? Perhaps your interpretations are indeed questionable.” Vyāsācārya retorted, “Who can interpret the Bhāgavatam better than me?” Then he turned to Śrīnivāsa and asked him to come forward and explain it if he could.

Śrīnivāsa rose to the challenge. He recited the verses in a melodious style and commented upon them with great verve and authority, drawing upon the conclusions of the Vedic scriptures and predecessor ācāryas. No one had ever heard such a masterful enunciation of bhāgavata philosophy. The king encouraged him to go on and he spoke for several hours.  When he finished, the whole assembly applauded and became ecstatic with devotional feelings for Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsācārya could not believe his ears. He was thoroughly defeated but was happy.

The king was very happy to hear his discourse and arranged for the best accommodation facilities for his exalted guest and asked him to stay in his kingdom for as long as he liked. King Vīra Hamvīra, although usually very proud, felt himself humbled before the great saint. He understood that this was the effulgent person indeed who had appeared to him in a dream some weeks ago.

The next day also, Śrīnivāsa spoke on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in the assembly with great erudition, sensitivity and devotion to honor his predecessor Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. Everyone was enthralled. Many people in the assembly became his disciples. The king submitted to him as a menial servant and begged him to give him some service.

BOOKS FOUND AND A VAIṢṆAVA CITY ESTABLISHED

Śrīnivāsa explained his desire to find the manuscripts and asked if the king could help in the search. The king burst into tears and narrated what had happened, explaining that he was solely responsible for the lost manuscripts. Śrīnivāsa was brought to the room where the manuscripts were kept. Śrīnivāsa was beside himself with joy. He worshiped the manuscripts by performing an ārati ceremony.

By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra into the ear of the king, Śrīnivāsa initiated him and gave him the name Haricaraṇa dāsa. Later Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī wrote him a letter and renamed him Caitanya dāsa. The king’s wife and son were also duly initiated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya. The brāhmaṇa Kṛṣṇa Vallabha and the court paṇḍita Vyāsācārya also became his disciples.

Thereafter, King Caitanya dāsa made it a mandate that all his citizens should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra a scheduled number of times and he employed extensive espionage to see to it that everyone does so. Those who were not interested were politely asked to find their residence in another kingdom. In this way, Vana Viṣṇu-pura became a great centre for Vaiṣṇava culture. This was a huge step forward in the history of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. When this news reached Vṛndāvana, the whole of Vṛndāvana rejoiced and sang praise of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

After this incident, Narahari Sarkāra, who was now on his deathbed, advised Śrīnivāsa to marry, thereby fulfilling the desire of his aging mother, who was a great Vaiṣṇavī. Soon, in Jajigrāma, the dwelling town of his mother, he married a very beautiful, chaste and devoted girl by the name Draupadī, the daughter of an elderly brāhmaṇa Gopāla Cakravartī. Soon, his father-in-law and his wife’s two brothers became disciples of Śrīnivāsa. His wife was also initiated and was named Īśvarī.

After a few years, Śrīnivāsa remarried upon the suggestion of his intimate disciples because his first wife’s two sons died untimely. Polygamy was acceptable in those days. Eventually, he had three daughters from his first wife and one son from his second wife. They were all great preachers, including his two wives. His first wife’s first daugher Hemalatā is especially noteworthy.

HIS UNCOMMON ECSTASIES AND LITERARY WORK

Meanwhile, Narahari Sarkāra passed away and Śrīnivāsa held a massive festival in his honor. He made another travel to Vṛndāvana and Vana Viṣṇu-pura. After that period, he was regular displaying great ecstatic symptoms while absorbed in deep devotional trances. Once, he displayed such an intense ecstasy in his meditation of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes that for three days he showed almost no symptoms of life. But then he came back to external consciousness and all his family members and intimate disciples were overjoyed and they organized a big festival to celebrate his return.

His literary work was very minimal. He wrote only five lyrical verses. In addition, he wrote an excellent commentary on the catur-ślokī Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (the core four verses of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam). He also wrote a famous song Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka, a song glorifying the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, the direct disciples of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Just as in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s case, Śrīnivāsa’s departure from the world was not recorded because it was too painful for his associates to be separated from him and they did not want to put it down in writing. Although his divine ascension remains a mystery, his life remains an inspiration.