Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c5.s3.19

c5.s3.19

² It is remarkable, however, that the Vṛndāvana Gosvāmins do not, in their authoritative Sanskrit works, explicitly recognise this doctrine, and seldom mention Advaita and Nityānanda. Only in the introductory verses to the *Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī* (1578 A.D.), obeisance is made to Advaita and Nityānanda but there is nothing there to distinguish them from the other disciples and associates of Caitanya, mentioned along with them in a fairly long list. Recognition is found, however, in the works of Kavikarṇapūra (especially *Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā*) and in the Bengali lives of Caitanya; and the promotion to the exclusive dignity is thus of popular growth in the Navadvīpa, rather than in the Vṛndāvana, circle. Kavikarṇapūra, however, attributes the origin of the doctrine of Pañca-tattva to Svarūpa Dāmodara, the five Tattvas being Caitanya, Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa (Locana substitutes his own Guru Narahari Surakāra for Śrīvāsa). Advaita is mentioned in the first *Caitanyāṣṭaka* of Rūpa Gosvāmin (verse 3).