Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c5.s3.15

c5.s3.15

This small community must have been inspired and encouraged in its Vaiṣṇava tendencies by Mādhavendra Purī and his disciples: for we find that the most commanding figure of this group was a disciple of Mādhavendra, named Kamalākṣa Bhaṭṭācārya, better known by his other name of Advaita Ācārya. He was an elderly Brahman scholar of Śāntipur who lived for the most part at Navadvīpa, and whose scholarly attainments, pious life and sincere devotion made him a natural leader of his group. He came of distinguished and learned ancestry, and his original home, like that of Caitanya's father, was in Sylhet¹. He was probably older than Caitanya, and an old friend of the family, whom Caitanya's mother accused of having led her two sons to asceticism. There can be no doubt that Advaita very early recognised the power and fell under the spell of Caitanya's rapturous devotion, and a close relationship sprang up between the pious old man and the young religious enthusiast. The *Prema-vilāsa* (ch. i) tells us that at one time Advaita taught the older doctrine of Mukti (Jñāna) and deviated from the emotional creed of Vaiṣṇava Bhakti; and this seems probable from his very title Advaita Ācārya,² which apparently indicates his leanings towards non-dualistic Vedānta¹. The *Caitanya-bhāgavata* describes him as the greatest teacher of Jñāna, Bhakti and Vairāgya (ज्ञान भक्ति वैराग्येर गुरु मुख्यतर). The *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* of Kṛṣṇadāsa also refers unmistakably to Advaita's leanings towards Jñāna-mārga, and speaks of occasions when his views did not receive entire approval of Caitanya (Ādi xii. 40; xvii. 67). It is highly probable that Advaita, following the tradition of Śrīdhara Svāmin and Mādhavendra Purī, believed in tempering intellectual Advaitaism with emotional Bhakti. But he seems to have very closely identified himself with the new movement, and influenced its course of development to such an extent that he came to be regarded in the later history of the sect as one of the five Tattvas or Realities of the new faith². It is also recorded piously that Advaita was an Avatāra of Śiva and preceded Caitanya in his descent to the world, and that it was in response to Advaita's prayer and appeal that the descent of Caitanya took place¹. Whatever may be the value of this belief, there can be no doubt that in spite of his Vedāntic scholarship, Advaita was the precursor of the devotional Vaiṣṇava tendency which later on took definite shape as Caitanyaism; and the small band of devout men who gathered round him formed the nucleus and presented the incipient features which were to mark the course of the new movement. They prepared the way for Caitanya and welcomed him as their leader; and to his life and personality, therefore, which gathered together the prevalent religious forces, we must now turn our attention.