Advaita Prakash chapter one ,how Advaita Acarya appeared!

[Paramananda das]

Chapter One

mangalacarana

sniadvaita gururh vande han'na~dvaitam eva tath

prakasitam param brahma yo 'vaurnah ksitau harih

"I offer my respectful obeisances to my spiritual master, Sri Advaita Prabhu, who is nondifferent from Lord Han. He induced the Supreme Lord Han to manifest in this world."

antah ~ am bahir goram krs.na-caitanya sam jnakam

premabdhim sac-cid-anandam sarva-s'aktas'rayam bhaje

"I worship Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is out­wardly of a fair complexion but is inwardly Krsna Himself. He is an ocean of love, eternally full of knowledge and bliss, and the origin of all energies."

Sn nilyananda-ramam hi davalum' prema-dipakam

gadadharam ca snyasam vande radhesa sevinam

"I offer my obeisances unto Sri Nityananda Rama, who is most merciful and who illuminates love of God. I offer my obeisances to Gadadhara and Srivasa, who are engaged in the service of the Lord of Radharani."

All glories to Sri Caitanya! All glories to Sitanatha! All glories to Nityananda, along with all the devotees!

When the five-headed Lord Siva saw Kali-yuga was filled with terrible sins, he thought, "How can I deliver the living entities?" After a long discussion with Yogamaya, he concluded that no one other than Lord Han could deliver the fallen souls. Sadasiva, who is always joyful at heart, then went to the shore of the Causal Ocean. That great yogi then sat in yogic meditation for seven hundred years, until Maha-Visnu, the Lord of the universe, was pleased by his severe austerities and appeared before him. When the five-headed Siva saw Lord Narayan.a there, he offered many indescribable prayers. Maha-Visnu then said, "You and I are non-different except for our separate bodies."

Saying this, He embraced Lord Siva and their two bodies be­came one. Who could understand His mind? It was most wonderful how they became one form with pure golden effulgent limbs, chanting, "Krsna! Krsna!" Suddenly there was a miraculous voice from the sky saying, "Listen, Maha-Visnu! You first descend in this form in the womb of Labha, later I will descend in the district of Nadia in the house of Saci and Jagannatha. Balarama and other devotees will also take birth in order to deliver the living entities."

On hearing this, Maha-visnu, who is nondifferent from Lord Siva, entered the womb of Labha in Santipura. Labha was the austere, chaste, religious-minded wife of Kuvera Pandita. Pre­viously, the well-to-do Kuvera Pandita had devotedly performed austerities and chanted mantras to get Lord Siva as his son. Lord Siva was pleased by his austerities and agreed by saying, "So be it. Your desire will be fulfilled." That is why Kuvera took birth in this world. He was given the name Sriman Kuvera Acarya, and by dint of his knowledge and religiousness he was worshipable by all. I am unable to describe all his good qualities. People glorify him as the son of Nrsimha.

Nrsimha was a descendant of Aru Ojha and was also known as Nadiyala. He could remember anything he heard and was famous throughout the three worlds for being well-versed in the scriptures and expert in their explanations. By the strength of Nrsimha's counsel, Sri Ganesa captured the throne of Gauda-desa by killing the Badasaha. The class of Kapa brahmanas who resided in Lauda were formed by his daughter's marriage.

Kuvera Acarya was an inspiration to his family line by his role as the King's Pandita. After marriage he gradually had many sons, but when they all died he had some realization. He went to beau­tiful Santipura on the bank of the Ganges and stayed there with Labha for some days. One day he noted symptoms of pregnancy in Labha's form. He therefore worshiped Lord Narayana with vari­ous articles and satisfied the brahmanas, the poor, and the blind by feeding them.

At that time Kuvera got a letter from the King, so he returned home with his wife. His residence was in Nava-grama, in the dis­trict of Lauda, where Divyasimha was reigning. 'When he returned to Nava-grama, the residents offered him a warm reception. De­lighted on seeing the Acarya after many days, the King greeted him and inquired about his well-being. The King said, "Tell me some good news. Why have you been delayed? Your good association is a source of joy for me. I consider my kingdom void without you.',

The Acarya replied, "You are an ocean of mercy. You are always kind to the poor brahmanas. The bank of the Ganges is an enchanting holy place. Living there is equal to living in Svarga. I returned because of your order, otherwise I had no desire to leave that place. By the will of the Lord, my wife has again became pregnant, for whatever is destined becomes manifest."

The King said, "As she became pregnant in a holy place, I'm sure the result will be auspicious. Forget your past lamentation. Pray to the Lord, and He will bless you with a wonderful son"'

In this way they had many discussions. At that time a brahmana astrologer came there. The astrologer said, "Listen, Pandita Mahasaya. There is no doubt that you will get a divine son. He will live a long life and be fully conversant with the religious codes of the scriptures. I can see that He will widely preach devotional service."

Saying this, the astrologer disappeared. Later, the King searched for him, but he could not be found. Considering this very astounding, people considered that the astrologer must have been some demigod.

The Acarya was pleased by the astrologer's prediction. He returned home and explained everything to Labha, who replied, "The Lord's glories are unlimited. By His grace our miseries may disappear. Saintly persons say that whoever worships Lord Visnu with devotion will meet good fortune everywhere."

On hearing this, Acarya, who is situated in pure knowledge, said, "Yes, dear, this is the Vedic conclusion. By worshiping Visnu, all demigods are worshiped, all perfection is attained, and one is freed from all illusion."

Kuvera then devotedly worshiped Lord Narayana in great opu­lence with many articles. He offered visnu-prasada to the brahmanas and gave clothes to the poor, the blind, and the dis­tressed.

Now listen to a wonderful story. Once at the end of night Labha Thakurani had a dream in which she saw Lord Harihara appear in her lotus heart. The beauty of the Lord's limbs illumined all direc­tions. He sweetly chanted the holy name of Hari and danced with raised arms. Tears of love flowed from His eyes, and He lost all external consciousness. He chanted Hare Krsna and roared loudly. Hearing His chanting, Yamaraja, the son of Surya, came there.

Yamaraja saw that the sweetness of Harihara's combined form resembled that of Hara-Gauri. The enchanting effulgence of His body defeated the shining of millions of suns. Who has the capacity to describe that beauty? As He chanted Hare Krsna, His hairs stood on end and tears incessantly flowed from His eyes like the Ganges. His body was inundated with ecstatic love, and the waves of that love expanded as He danced. Seeing His transcendental mood, the beloved son of Surya offered full obeisances and various prayers.

With folded hands, Yamaraja sweetly said, "0 Lord, please listen. This Kali-yuga is covered with the darkness of ignorance. It is certainly wonderful that You incarnate in such an age. By seeing You, the sinful will be delivered and my authority will be finished. Therefore, dear Lord, kindly remain unmanifest and deliver this servant of Yours from danger."

Hearing Yamarija's appeal, the Lord slightly smiled and said, "0 Dharmaraja, you are in illusion. Be peaceful. Don't you realize how much the sinful living entities are suffering? Learned persons and saints feel sorry for the sufferings of others. If someone is suffering the reactions of his karma, then who has the power to free him? Being covered by illusion, the living entity does not know his own self-interest. He foolishly considers insignificant sense enjoyment as his self-interest. One who is attached to material life is bound by his fruitive work just as a diseased person suffers when he takes the wrong food. Particularly in Kali-yuga the living entity becomes whimsical and suffers in the blazing fire of material life. Seeing their unbearable distress, My mind became impatient and I made a vow. The maha-mantra counteracts the bondage of karma and enables one to attain pure krsna-prema. By teaching sinful persons the transcendental holy name, I will empower and deliver them. That is why I will take birth now. Later, saints will sing the glories of Kali-yuga.

"I have one more staunch vow. I will without doubt make the Lord Himself descend. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will descend along with His followers, and the whole country will be over-flooded with pure krsna-prema. Your authority will not be lost by this, however, for blasphemers and atheists will never be deliv­ered."

On hearing this, Yamaraja returned to his abode. Labhadevi then woke from her dream and described the wonderful vision to her husband, Kuvera Pandita, who was amazed to hear the story.

The chaste Labhadevi passed ten months in pregnancy, and then Advaita Prabhu took birth on the auspicious seventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha [January-Februaryj. On that auspicious day all the ladies took bath, gave charity, chanted the holy names, and made auspicious sounds of hulu. Although the devotees did not understand the cause of their happiness, their bliss knew no bounds.

In due course of time Kuvera called an astrologer, who after calculation named the child Kamalaksa. At the age of five the child looked strikingly wonderful. He didn't eat anything other than krsna-prasada. Thereafter, on an auspicious day, Kuvera gave his son His first lesson, and within a month Advaita Prabhu mastered the entire alphabet.

Praying at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Sri Advaita, always desiring Their mercy, I, Isana Nagara, narrate Sn Advaita Prakasa.

comments: We see how Lord Siva did tapasya at the Causual Ocean where Lord Mahavisnu resides, for 700 years, what those years are we are not told, if it is that of the devas.

However Mahavisnu appeared to Lord Siva, and they manifested a combined form. HariHara, that later appeared as Sri Advaita Acarya.

In His Gaura Ganodessa Dipika Kavi Karnapure states:  2. We offer respectful obeisances to Lord Advaita and the other dear associates of the Lord, who are all full of compassion for the fallen souls. We offer our respectful obeisances to Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and the other companions of the Lord. As the Lord Himself is full of auspicious transcendental qualities, so are they. As the Lord Himself is full of mercy, so are they. These great devotees are filled with the sweet nectar of devtional rapture. These great devotees remove the grave sins of this material world.

So Advaita Acarya brought Lord Caitanya to this world by His prayers, and Kavi Karnapure reveals:

34. Just as the moon of Lord Caitanya was about to rise in this material world, the Lord said to Advaita Acarya: "Some devotees are attached to Me in the spirit of servitude, some are attached to Me in the spirit of friendship, and others are attached to Me with a mixture of the spirits of servitude and friendship. Some have firm faith and love for My forms as Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, and others are attached to My form as the king of Dvaraka. Some are attached to My various incarnations and thus display various kinds of love for me. I shall show them how to love Me as the residents of Vraja did.