Shrinivasa Acharya

Shrinivasa Acharya

Seeing his absorption in Gauranga prema, they knew he was "an embodiment of Gaura-shakti, the energy of Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu." (In the image: Shrinivasa Acharya

After witnessing Lord Gauranga's sannyasa ceremony at Katva, Chaitanya Dasa and his pregnant wife visited Lord Chaitanya in Jagannatha Puri. "Soon your wife will give birth to a son named 'Shrinivasa' said Lord Chaitanya, "and through Shrinivasa all the bhakti shastras of Rupa and Sanatana will be distributed."

   When his father left this world Shrinivasa visited the remaining associates of Lord Gauranga in Katva, Navadwipa, Jagannatha Puri. They blessed Shrinivasa and gave him valuable instructions for spiritual advancement. Seeing his absorption in Gauranga prema, they knew he was "an embodiment of Gaura-shakti, the energy of Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu."

   He came to Vrindavana, toured the twelve forests, and took diksha from Gopala Bhatta Goswami. Shri Jiva Goswami taught him the complete philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Acknowledging his vast learning, Shri Jiva gave Shrinivasa the title "Acharya."

   Accepting Shri Jiva's order, Shrinvasa and his two friends Shyamananda Prabhu and Narottama Dasa Thakura pioneered the first transcendental book distribution party. Vrajabasi Sankirtana Party ki jai! They took a bullock cart of the Goswami's devotional writings from Vrindavana and passed them out all over Bengal and Orissa.

   Shrinivasa Acharya initiated many disciples (Ramachandra Kaviraja and others), wrote songs full of bhakti (Sad Goswami-ashtakam), and introduced a special kirtana style. When leading kirtana he would sometimes lose his voice from chanting so long.

   Besides his external activities of preaching and writing, Shrinivasa Acharya practised intensive raganuga bhajana. Raganuga bhajana is the spontaneous internal worship of Radha and Krishna based on the mood and sentiments of the eternal residents of Shri Vrindavana dhama, such as the gopis. While doing manasi seva (service to Radha-Krishna within one's mind in a mentally conceived spiritual form) he would often bring tangible paraphernalia from these meditations back with him upon returning to external consciousness. Once Shrinivasa sat Lord Gauranga on a jeweled throne within his mind. Then he worshiped the Lord with a golden handled chamara whisk and a five flower garland. Pleased with his service, Gaura Raya offered the garland back to Shrinivasa, who then immeditately awoke and lost the meditation. A surprised Shrinivasa found the sweetest flower garland he ever smelled hanging around his neck when he returned to external consciouness.

   Another time Shrinivasa was in his siddha svarupa as Mani-manjari watching Shrimati Radharani, Shri Krishna, and the gopis in Holi lila (joyfully throwing colored powders and dyes on each other). The gopis told Mani-manjari to supply colors to Radhika and side with them in their "war" against Shyama. The earth shook from Their furious battle. Shrinivasa's meditation abruptly broke. His body was completely covered from head to toe with fragrant and exotic rainbow colored powders imported from the spiritual world. Holi lila ki jai! Shrinivasa Acharya's samadhi is in the Dhira Samira samadhis area.