converting mayavadis / impersonalists

Prakasananda Saraswati replied, "Previously I spoke ill of You many times. Therefore, in order to free myself from the result of my offense, I fall down at Your Feet." He quoted in this connection a verse of Vedic literature in which it is stated that when even a liberated soul commits offense to the Supreme Lord he becomes again a victim of the material contamination. He quoted another verse from Srimad Bhagwatam, from the Tenth Canto, Thirty-fourth Chapter [10.34.9], in connection with Nanda Maharaj and the attack of a serpent who was previously Vidyadhavarehita. This serpent, being touched by the Lotus Feet of Krishna, regained his previous body and thus he was freed from the reaction of his sinful activities.    (More...)

After this incident, Lord Chaitanya returned to His place, and Bhattacharya became a pure devotee without any faults. Since he was formerly an academic scholar, this conversion of Bhattacharya was possible only by the causeless mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. From that day forward he never explained any Vedic literature without an explanation of devotional service. Gopinath Acharya, his brother-in-law, was very much pleased to see the condition of Bhattacharya, and he began to dance in ecstasy, vibrating the transcendental sound, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.    (More...)

After talking in this way, both Prakasananda Saraswati and Lord Chaitanya sat together and Prakasananda Saraswati began to enquire from the Lord as follows: "Whatever You have said in pointing out discrepancies in the Mayavadi philosophy is known to us also, because we know that all the commentaries on Vedic Scriptures by Mayavadi philosophers are in error by interpretation-especially those by Sankaracharya, whose interpretation of Vedanta Sutra is all his own imagination. You have not explained the codes of Vedanta Sutra and Upanishad by Your imagination, but You have explained them as they are, and by hearing Your explanation, all of us are very pleased. Such explanations of the codes of Vedanta Sutra or Upanishads could not be given by anyone else except the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and You have all the potencies. Kindly explain further about the Vedanta Sutra, so that I may be benefitted."    (More...)

Then the Lord replied, "My dear sir, so far as the Vedanta Sutra or the codes of the Vedanta are concerned, I can understand the meaning very nicely, but the explanation which you are promoting is not understandable by Me. There is nothing difficult about the meaning of the original codes of Vedanta Sutra. But the way you were explaining them appears to be obscuring the real meaning of the codes. You do not elucidate the direct meaning of the Vedanta Sutra, but you imagine something and hide the true meaning. I think you have a particular doctrine, and you are trying to expound it through the codes."    (More...)

"At the last stage of his life Sri Madhavendra Puri became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Isvara Puri so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and reminding Sri Madhavendra Puri about the pastimes of Lord Krsna in the last stage of his life, Isvara Puri gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Madhavendra Puri, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, 'My dear boy, I can only pray to Krsna that He will be pleased with you.' Thus Isvara Puri, by the grace of his spiritual master, Sri Madhavendra Puri, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead." Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states in his Gurvastaka prayer, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: "By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A Vaisnava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he appears to be an invalid, this gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Isvara Puri pleased his spiritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master he became such a great personality that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as His spiritual master.    (More...)

The Lord took this opportunity and accepted the invitation of the Brahmin, in order to meet the Mayavadi Sannyasis. It was, practically, an arrangement made by the Lord Himself The Brahmin who invited Him knew that Lord Chaitanya did not accept any invitations, but still he was very eager to invite Him.    (More...)

The next day Lord Chaitanya went to the house of the Brahmin. He saw that all the Mayavadi Sannyasis were sitting there. He offered His respects to all the Sannyasis, as was usual, and then He went to wash His Feet. After washing His Feet, He sat down at that spot, not amongst the Mayavadi Sannyasis, but in a place where water was kept for washing the feet. While He was sitting there, the other Sannyasis saw a glaring effulgence emanating from His body. All the Mayavadi Sannyasis were attracted by this glaring effulgence, and they stood up and showed Him respects. Amongst them there was one Sannyasi whose name was Prakasananda Saraswati. He was the chief amongst all the impersonalist Sannyasis, and he addressed Lord Chaitanya with great humility, and asked Him to come and sit amongst them.    (More...)

Lord Chaitanya replied: "Oh, I belong to an inferior sect of Sannyasis. Therefore I think I should not sit with you. Let Me sit down here."    (More...)

Prakasananda Saraswati was surprised to hear such a thing from such a learned man, and he actually took His hand and requested Him to please come and sit down with him. Lord Chaitanya was seated, and Prakasananda Saraswati enquired, "I think Your name is Sri Krishna Chaitanya, and I understand that You belong to our Mayavadi sect because You have taken Your Sannyasa from Keshav Bharati, who belongs to the Sankara Sampradaya."    (More...)

According to the Sankara sect, there are ten different names for Sannyasi. Out of them, the three names, Tirtha, Asram and Saraswati, are considered to be the most enlightened and cultured among the Sannyasis. Lord Chaitanya was a Vaishnava, and therefore naturally He was humble and meek, and He wanted to give the better place to Prakasananda, who belonged to the Saraswati Sampradaya. According to Sankara principles, a disciple of the Bharatic school is called Chaitanya. But Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, although He took Sannyasa, kept His Brahmachary name, without the title Bharati.    (More...)