Saints of Braj: Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, a foremost disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

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Vrindavan, August 13th, 2013: In the 16th century there were many descended Saints on this earth. At the same time, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Who Graced this planet along with His eternal associates, was also present. Among His disciples, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, Roop Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, Jeev Goswami and some others were prominent. In the next series of posts we’re going to talk about Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, Shree Swamiji.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was born in South India in the 16th Century. Since childhood he was very intelligent and was unattached to the attractions of the world. He was a good scholar. He studied almost all of our scriptures, but he was mostly drawn towards the theory of Shankaracharya.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati took the order of sanyas, traveled to various parts of India and went to Varanasi which is situated in North India. It is also called Benaras or Kashi. In the 16th Century, Kashi was the center of scriptural wisdom. Even now, there are great scholars of Sanskrit who spend their whole life in studying the scriptures. There is a saying that Kashi is a holy place which is made holy by Lord Shiva.

Shankaracharya was the descension of Shiva, so, generally the followers of Shankaracharya prefer to stay in Kashi. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati lived in Kashi and within a short time became very popular. He was a genius scholar and a learned person. Quickly he became the Master of thousands of sanyasi disciples. Many of them lived in his own ashram. His name spread far and wide in India. In the 16th Century two personalities were very famous and great scholars of Shankaracharya’s philosophy: Sarvabhaum Bhattacharya in East India and Swami Prakashanand Saraswati in North India.

Nothing much is known about Swami Prakashanand Saraswati but one incident, which changed his whole life, is well known. When Lord Chaitanya went on a tour of South India he met Swami Prakashanand Saraswati‘s family. His family (including his elder brother Venkat Bhatt) were worshipers of Lakchmi and Vishnu. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu met that family, they were drawn towards the philosophy of Divine Love and accepted His discipleship. The whole family was thus converted to Krishna devotion. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed with them for some time and showed them the path of raganuga bhakti. From that time onwards only Krishna name was sung in their house.

Before this incident, Vasudeo Sarvabhaum Bhattacharya was also influenced by the personality of Chaitanya. Sarvabhaum appreciated Chanitanya’s intelligent explanation of Vedant Sutra and of Shankaracharya’s philosophy. He also took discipleship of Lord Chaitanya. These two events reached the ears of Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. He heard that Sarvabhaum Bhattacharya had taken discipleship of Lord Chaitanya and his elder brother along with his whole family had become Krishna devotees. He was a bit crossed, amazed, excited and could not understand how it all happened. He did not know who Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was because he had never seen him. Anyway there was a great curiosity in his heart to see that personality.

After some time, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was on his way to Vrindavan he stayed in Kashi for a few days. At that time someone told Mahaprabhuji about Swami Prakashanand Saraswati that he is a very learned Sanyasi of Kashi but he did not like the idea of Krishna devotion. He is a follower of Shankaracharya. Mahaprabhuji carelessly said, “O.K.! I will see afterwards when I come back.” He went to Vrindavan and on his way back he again stayed in Kashi in the house of Tapan Mishra who was one of His disciples. Mahaprabhuji knew that the time had come for Swami Prakashanand Saraswati to be changed.

On one pious occasion one of Chaitanya’s disciples organized a meeting between Mahaprabhuji and Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. Mahaprabhuji smiled and consented. He then invited Swami Prakashanand Saraswati and his followers. There was a big celebration. It was held in a very big house with a large courtyard. Everything was well organized. According to Indian custom, when you invite a distinguished personality you have to seat him properly on a higher platform out of respect. In such celebrations people are seated according to their status. The one who holds the prime importance sits at a higher level in the middle.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati arrived early. Shortly Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati saw that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was young, handsome, brilliant and polite. He was impressed. Mahaprabhuji came and sat where the common public were supposed to sit. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was further impressed with his humbleness. He went over to Mahaprabhuji, took his hand and asked to sit beside him. Now, both were seated side by side. The celebration went on. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was anxious to talk to him. He was curious to know why Chaitanya was propagating Krishna devotion when he himself was a Sanyasi. He said, “Mahaprabhuji, why don’t you accept the great path of absolute monism taught by Shankaracharya?” Mahaprabhuji said, “I am not brilliant enough to accept that intelligent theory, so I thought that Krishna name would be enough for me, to save me from maya“.

This answer did not content Swami Prakashanand Saraswati. He further asked, “Would you like to say something on the Brahm Sutra?”

Brahm Sutra was written by Ved Vyas who is a Divine personality and a power of Krishna. He always remains on this earth. He is responsible for maintaining all the scriptures in their true form. Five thousand years ago he wrote all the scriptures viz. Ved, Gita, Bhagwatam, Puranas and Smritis, so whatever we find nowadays has all been written by Ved Vyas. He also wrote the Brahm Sutra, where, in codified sentences, he explains the philosophy of soul, God and maya, their relativity and their status.

Mahaprabhuji answered, “Ved Vyas is the writer of Brahm Sutra. The one who writes a book knows better than anyone else who studies it. Ved Vyas knew exactly what he wrote but Shankaracharya misinterpreted it. In his last work, the Bhagwatam, Ved Vyas himself explained about the relativity between soul, God and maya. So, the Bhagwatam is the true explanation of the Brahm Sutra.”

Mahaprabhuji further continued. He said, “Ved Vyas has already stated in his verse ‘Sarva vedant saram hi,’ the essence of all the vedantas (philosophies) which are related to soul, God and maya, along with the path of God realization, is in the Bhagwatam. So, those who understand the Bhagwatam, never pay any attention to other philosophies because they are incomplete. Moreover, the Bhagwatam shows the path of Divine Love and reveals the Bliss of Krishna. It says that Krishna name is the only simple thing that unfolds the path of God realization. In this way the theme of Brahm Sutra is profoundly explained in the Bhagwatam.”

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was very impressed. His pride of learning was gone, and his heart was now wanting the association of Chaitanya. Mahaprabhuji explained how Krishna name is the only means of receiving Divine love. Krishna, His abode, His name amd Divine love are all one. Through Krishna name, one receives Krishna’s love.

Vrindavan News: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in ecstacy
Vrindavan News: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in ecstacy


While he was describing the bliss of Krishna name suddenly the expression of His eyes changed and he stopped talking. His body began to perspire and shake and he entered into ecstatic state. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati knew about the Divine emotions. He understood who Lord Chaitanya was and, in his mind, he surrendered himself.

When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to his normal consciousness, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati got up and threw himself at the feet of Chaitanya, saying: “Oh, My Lord, I was ignorant. I accept my mistake and now I only want to take the refuge of your Lotus feet.”

Now, the scene changed radically. When Mahaprabhuji first arrived, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was glorifying the highest seat among all the visitors, but now he was holding the feet of Lord Chaitanya, crying and repenting for wasting his life in learning the advait philosophy of the Vedant. His sanyasi disciples also saw all that, but they remained unchanged. See the vanity of the human mind and the wonder of the world that Swami Prakashanand Saraswati’s disciples began to criticize him. The philosophy of absolute monism had made their minds so vain and sly that even Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could not help them. That is why our scriptures say that only through faith and dedication can a devotee receive Spiritual benefit from a Divine personality.

That evening, in the town, the news was amazing. “Oh, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati has become a disciple of Chaitanya, and is following him like a pet.” But Swami Prakashanand Saraswati did not mind. He had found eternal consolence. His life was completely changed. He forgot all of what he had previously learned in the name of philosophy. He only remembered Krishna name. Singing “Krishna Govind, Govind, Gopala,” he followed Chaitanya.

After this event, one day Mahaprabhuji while visiting a temple entered into ecstasy. Chanting “Hari bol, Hari bol, Hari bol…” he began to dance. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was also there. This time he felt so much love for Chaitanya that it was beyond his own imagination. From that moment he did not leave Chaitanya. All the time he remained with him. He left his throne, his ashram, his disciples and everything. Mahaprabhuji said, “Prakashanand you already knew the Truth, but now you know it more precisely. So, now you are Prabodhanand.” “Bodh” means Divine knowledge and “prabodh” means that specific Divine understanding which leads a devotee to the kingdom of Divine love, Vrindavan. From that day his name was Prabodhanand Saraswati.

When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu decided to go back to Bengal, Prabodhanand (Swami Prakashanand Saraswati) asked, “Can I have the permission to come with you, because, I feel, if you leave me I will die. I feel so much love for you that I find it difficult to retain my life in your separation.”

Whatever he said was a fact. We see in the Ramayan, Goswamiji says,

“Milat eak darun dukh dehin,
bichurat eak pran har lehin.”

“There are some very materialistic people in the world who cause distress and pain to devotees by the materialistic behavior and advice, and there are such Divine personalities who give so much love to a devotee when they meet that the pain of their separation becomes unbearable.” This state of consciousness was seen in Prabodhanand (Prakashanand Saraswati). He felt he would not be able to retain his life (pran) in his body. He would die in the separation from Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhuji knew this, but he wanted Prabodhanand (Prakashanand Saraswati) to be useful for other souls, so he said, “I know your love for me, but I am not leaving you. Whenever you will desire me, I will be with you.” He secretly promised to be with him. He taught him the secrets of Krishna devotion and then sent him to Vrindavan.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati went to Vrindavan and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to Bengal. In those days, there were only irregular unpaved roads and tracks going through jungles and villages. There was no conveyance available, so it took some time to reach Vrindavan. All the way, Prakashanand Saraswati kept singing Krishna name. When he reached Vrindavan, he met other disciples of Chaitanya and was naturally happy to see them. There were quite a few disciples of Lord Chaitanya in Vrindavan, Among them, Roop Goswami and Sanatan Goswami were prominent. Prakashanand Saraswati was happy to live there and have their association. His only activity was to sing the name of Radha Krishna and remember Chaitanya. To him, Chaitanya was Krishna himself who had descended on the earth to raise the fallen souls and show them the path of Divine love.

Prakashanand Saraswati was a great scholar of Sanskrit. He wrote many books, out of which three are most important, Chaitanya Chandramrit, Sangeet Madhao and Vrindavan Mahimamritam. In the Chaitanya Chanramrit he describes all about Lord Chaitanya, his glory, his personality, his Grace and his kindness,

A verse from it,

“Qua sanirankush kripa
qua tadvaibhav-madbhutam,
Qua sa vatsalta shaorey
Gaurey yadrik shaorey.“ (Verse 56)

Literally Chaitanya Chandramrit means the nectar of Chaitanya’s Divine Glory. The above verse says, “Chaitanya’s Grace is endless. Anyone who comes to Him is Graced, whether he is a pious soul or an impious one or to what caste, creed or sect he belongs. The warmth of his Divine love is amazingly incredible, and his kindness is boundless. The affection that Chaitanya gives to His disciples was never seen in any of the Divine descensions.”

Further Prakashanand Saraswati says,

“Avatarney Gaurchandry…
Ye na majianti…“ (Verse 35)

He explains “Just as a dull dark night becomes charming with moonlight, similarly and afflicted soul coming to Chaitanya is pacified with the radiance of his Divine love. He has limitlessly expanded his kindness and Love. Those who do not come to the feet of Chaitanya are really ill-fated, drowning in the ocean of miseries. There is no way for them to realize any happiness on this earth because they have forgotton the feet of Lord Chaitanya”

These verses explain the heart of Prakashanand Saraswati that how much he loved his Chaitanya. In his words, the descension of Chaitanya was much more beautiful and useful for the souls than the descension of Krishna Himself.

Another verse from the Vrindavan Mahimamritam,

“Pashu-rekah khag eakas-trinmekam…
Shyam-rasadbhut-vanye…” (Part 4/64)

He says, “Oh, my Beloved Krishna, I ask Your favor to allow me to live in the Divine Vrindavan in any form, because Vrindavan is the expansion of Your Own personality. You and Vrindavan are not two but one. So, even if I become a bird, a plant or even a particle of dust in the Divine Vrindavan I would be with You all the time. I would feel myself most grateful and happy and praise my good fortune.”

From these lines we can understand his dedication for Vrindavan. According to him, Vrindavan, Radha, Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were all one.

For the rest of his life he lived in Vrindavan. In the end he left his body and entered into the Divine abode of Chaitanya, the Divine Vrindavan.