Sri Madhavendra Puri Tirobhava Tithi-dvadasi

Srila Prabhupada explains the exalted position of Madhavendra Puri in the Gaudiya Sampradaya

Books : Bhagavad-gita As It Is – Macmillan 1972 Edition : Bg: introduction :
1) Krishna, 2) Brahma, 3) Narada; 4) Vyasa, 5) Madhva, 6) Padmanabha, 7) Nrhari, 8) Madhava, 9) Aksobhya, 10) Jayatirtha, 11) Jnanasindhu, 12) Dayanidhi, 13) Vidyanidhi, 14) Rajendra, 15) Jayadharma, 16) Purusottama, 17) Brahmanyatirtha, 18) Vyasatirtha, 19) Laksmipati, 20) Madhavendra Puri, 21) Isvara Puri, (Nityananda, Advaita), 22) Lord Caitanya, 23) Rupa (Svarupa, Sanatana), 24) Raghunatha, Jiva, 25) Krishnadasa, 26) Narottama, 27) Visvanatha, 28) (Baladeva) Jagannatha, 29) Bhaktivinode, 30) Gaurakisora, 31) Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, 32) His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 2: “The Cosmic Manifestation” : SB 2.9: Answers by Citing the Lord’s Version : SB 2.9.6 : PURPORT :

When Lord Brahma was perplexed about how to construct the material manifestations in the universe and went down within the water to find out the means and the source of his lotus seat, he heard the word tapa vibrated twice. Taking the path of tapa is the second birth of the desiring disciple. The word upasrnot is very significant.

It is similar to upanayana, or bringing the disciple nearer to the spiritual master for the path of tapa. So Brahmaji was thus initiated by Lord Krishna, and this fact is corroborated by Brahmaji himself in his book the Brahma-samhita. In the Brahma-samhita Lord Brahma has sung in every verse govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Thus Brahma was initiated by the Krishna mantra, by Lord Krishna Himself, and thus he became a Vaishnava, or a devotee of the Lord, before he was able to construct the huge universe. It is stated in the Brahma-samhita that Lord Brahma was initiated into the eighteen-letter Krishna mantra, which is generally accepted by all the devotees of Lord Krishna.

We follow the same principle because we belong to the Brahma sampradaya, directly in the disciplic chain from Brahma to Narada, from Narada to Vyasa, from Vyasa to Madhva Muni, from Madhva Muni to Madhavendra Puri, from Madhavendra Puri to Isvara Puri, from Isvara Puri to Lord Caitanya and gradually to His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, our divine master.
Books : Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 3: “The Status Quo” : SB 3.13: The Appearance of Lord Varaha : SB 3.13.8 : PURPORT :
Brahma is the direct recipient of Vedic knowledge from the Personality of Godhead, and anyone discharging his entrusted duties in disciplic succession from Brahma is sure to gain fame in this life and salvation in the next. The disciplic succession from Brahma is called the Brahma-sampradaya, and it descends as follows: Brahma, Narada, Vyasa, Madhva Muni (Purnaprajna), Padmanabha, Nrhari, Madhava, Aksobhya, Jayatirtha, Jnanasindhu, Dayanidhi, Vidyanidhi, Rajendra, Jayadharma, Purusottama, Brahmanyatirtha, Vyasatirtha, Laksmipati, Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara and Sri Rupa Gosvami and others, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Krishnadasa Gosvami, Narottama dasa Thakura, Visvanatha Cakravarti, Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Introduction :
This is the method of parampara, or disciplic succession. Similarly, Srimad-Bhagavatam explains that Krishna imparted knowledge into the heart of Brahma, the first created creature within the universe.

Brahma imparted those lessons to his disciple Narada, and Narada imparted that knowledge to his disciple Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva imparted it to Madhvacarya, and from Madhvacarya the knowledge has come down to Madhavendra Puri, to Isvara Puri, and from him to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Madhavendra Puri is one of the acaryas in the disciplic succession from Madhvacarya.
Madhavendra Puri had two principal disciples, Isvara Puri and Sri Advaita Prabhu. Therefore the Gaudiya Vaishnava-sampradaya is a disciplic succession from Madhvacarya.

This fact has been accepted in the authorized books known as Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika and Prameya-ratnavali, as well as by Gopala Guru Gosvami. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika clearly states the disciplic succession of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas as follows: “Lord Brahma is the direct disciple of Vishnu, the Lord of the spiritual sky. His disciple is Narada, Narada’s disciple is Vyasa, and Vyasa’s disciples are Sukadeva Gosvami and Madhvacarya.

Padmanabha Acarya is the disciple of Madhvacarya, and Narahari is the disciple of Padmanabha Acarya. Madhava is the disciple of Narahari, Aksobhya is the direct disciple of Madhava, and Jayatirtha is the disciple of Aksobhya. Jayatirtha’s disciple is Jnanasindhu, and his disciple is Mahanidhi. Vidyanidhi is the disciple of Mahanidhi, and Rajendra is the disciple of Vidyanidhi. Jayadharma is the disciple of Rajendra. Purusottama is the disciple of Jayadharma. Sriman Laksmipati is the disciple of Vyasatirtha, who is the disciple of Purusottama. And Madhavendra Puri is the disciple of Laksmipati.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 6: The Glories of Sri Advaita Acarya : Adi 6.40 :

PURPORT
Srila Prabhupada explains the appearance of the associates of Lord Caitanya like Madhavendra Puri,

madhava-isvara-puri, saci, jagannatha
advaita acarya prakata haila sei satha

SYNONYMS

madhava—Madhavendra Puri; isvara-puri—Isvara Puri; saci—Sacimata; jagannatha—Jagannatha Misra; advaita acarya—Advaita Acarya; prakata—manifested; haila—were; sei—this; satha—with.

TRANSLATION

Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri, Srimati Sacimata and Srila Jagannatha Misra all appeared with Sri Advaita Acarya.

PURPORT

Whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends in His human form, He sends ahead all His devotees, who act as His father, teacher and associates in many roles. Such personalities appear before the descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Before the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there appeared His devotees like Sri Madhavendra Puri; His spiritual master, Sri Isvara Puri; His mother, Srimati Sacidevi; His father, Sri Jagannatha Misra; and Sri Advaita Acarya. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 3: The External Reasons for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance : Adi 3.95 : TRANSLATION :
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 9: The Tree of Devotional Service : Adi 9.10 : PURPORT :
Sri Madhavendra Puri, also known as Sri Madhava Puri, belonged to the disciplic succession from Madhvacarya and was a greatly celebrated sannyasi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the third disciplic descendant from Sri Madhavendra Puri. The process of worship in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya was full of ritualistic ceremonies, with hardly a sign of love of Godhead; Sri Madhavendra Puri was the first person in that disciplic succession to exhibit the symptoms of love of Godhead and the first to write a poem beginning with the words ayi dina-dayardra natha, “O supremely merciful Personality of Godhead.” In that poem is the seed of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cultivation of love of Godhead.Srila Prabhupada explains how Srila Madhavendra Puri rediscovered Gopala ji.

yasmai datum corayan ksira-bhandam
gopinathah ksira-corabhidho ‘bhut
sri-gopalah pradurasid vasah san
yat-premna tam madhavendram nato ‘smi

SYNONYMS

yasmai—unto whom; datum—to deliver; corayan—stealing; ksira-bhandam—the pot of sweet rice; gopinathah—Gopinatha; ksira-cora—stealer of a pot of sweet rice; abhidhah—celebrated; abhut—became; sri-gopalah—Sri Gopala Deity; praduhrasit appeared; vasah—captivated; san—being; yat-premna—by his love; tam—unto him; madhavendram—Madhavendra Puri, who was in the Madhva-sampradaya; natah asmi—I offer my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Madhavendra Puri, who was given a pot of sweet rice stolen by Sri Gopinatha, celebrated thereafter as Ksira-cora. Being pleased by Madhavendra Puri’s love, Sri Gopala, the Deity at Govardhana, appeared to the public vision.

PURPORT

Bhaktivinoda Thakura annotates that this Gopala Deity was originally installed by Vajra, the grandson of Krishna. Madhavendra Puri rediscovered Gopala and established Him on top of Govardhana Hill. This Gopala Deity is still situated at Nathadvara and is under the management of descendants of Vallabhacarya. The worship of the Deity is very luxurious, and one who goes there can purchase varieties of prasada by paying a small price.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 4: Sri Madhavendra Puri’s Devotional Service : Madhya 4.1 :
TRANSLATION :

Sri Kavi karnapura explains the unique position of Sri Madhavendra Puri in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-Sampradaya

srimal laksmipatis tasya    sisyo bhakti  rasasrayah
tasya sissyo madhavendro   yad dharmo,yam pravartitah
kalpa-vrkshasyavataro    vraja dhamani tisthgitah
prita preyo vatsalato    ujjvalakhya phala dharinah (Text 22)

Lakshmipati’s disciple was Madhavendra Puri, a great preacher of devotional service. Madhavendra Puri was the incarnation of a kalpa-vriksha tree in the abode of Vraja.
This tree bears as its fruits the mellows of servitude to Lord Krishna, friendship with Lord Krishna, parental love for Lord Krishna, and conjugal love for Lord Krishna. GGD (22)

(submitted by Yashoda Nandana Das)