Chandrashekhara Acharya

Chandrashekhara Acharya

   Shri Chandrashekhara Acharya (Acharyaratna) lived in Navadwipa near the house of Sri Nimai Pandit, his nephew. Since Chandrashekhara had no children, he accepted Nimai Pandit as his own and often entertained the Lord within his home. After the disappearance of Sri Jagannatha Mishra, Acharyaratna served as Gauranga's guardian and father Sri Gaurasundara would regularly hold kirtans and once enacted a play in Chandrashekhara's house. Dressed as Sri Laksmi Devi, Lord Chaitanya played the part so expertly that even Mother Sachi couldn't recognize Him. 

   Overcome with intense pangs of separation, Chandrashekhara fell down on the ground when he heard Lord Gauranga's plan to take sannyasa. "Are You going to plunge Nadia into darkness by going away?" he asked the Lord. 

Overcome with intense pangs of separation, Chandrashekhara fell down on the ground when he heard Lord Gauranga's plan to take sannyasa. "Are You going to plunge Nadia into darkness by going away?" he asked the Lord. (In the image: Lord Chaitanya is going to take sannyasa because of that Devotees are in great pain).

    With tears spilling out of His lotus eyes Lord Gauranga embraced him and replied, "Acharyaratna, although I may accept sannyasa, I will forever remain bound within the Temple of your heart. Please be patient, for you must assist in My sannyasa ceremony." 

   Sri Chandrashekhara was one of the main branches of Sri Chaitanya's sankirtana movement. From the beginning of Sri Chaitanya's Navadwipa lila he and his innumerable disciples faithfully served the Lord. In Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established the headquarters of Sri Chaitanya Matha at the site of Chandrasekhara Acharya's original home. His samadhi is behind the Madana Mohana Temple and next to Sanatana Gosvami's samadhi. He is Subhadra or Candra-deva (moon god) in Krishna's divine pastimes.