Srila Madhavendra Puri appeared at Brahmangaon in Sunamganj District around 1400 AD. Once, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Lord Nityananda about Madhavendra Puri:
prabhukahe, — nityānanda, karahavicāra
purī-samabhāgyavānjagatenāhiāra
“Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Nityananda Mahaprabhu to judge whether there was anyone within the world as fortunate as Madhavendra Puri.”
dugdha-dāna-chalekṛṣṇayāṅredekhādila
tina-bāresvapneāsi’ yāṅreājñākaila
“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ‘MādhavendraPurī was so fortunate that Kṛṣṇa personally appeared before him on the plea of delivering milk. Three times the Lord gave orders to MādhavendraPurī in dreams.’”
yāṅrapremevaśahañāprakaṭa ha-ilā
sevāaṅgīkārakari’ jagatatārilā
“Being obliged because of the loving affairs of MādhavendraPurī, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as the Gopāla Deity, and, accepting his service, He liberated the whole world.”
yāṅralāgi’ gopīnāthakṣīrakailacuri
ataevanāmahaila ‘kṣīra-corā’ kari’
“On account of MādhavendraPurī, Lord Gopīnātha stole the pot of sweet rice. Thus He became famous as Kṣīra-corā, the thief who stole the sweet rice.”
(Cc. Madhya-lélä 4.171-174)
Feeling intense love for Kåñëa, Madhavendra Puri would sometimes weep, dance, and roll over the ground with great ecstasy. Seeing a dark-blue raincloud, he would fall down unconscious. Once he was circumambulating Govardhanaand went to Govinda-kunòa. He sat beneath a tree and became immersed in harinäma. He was an ayäcaka, or one who does not beg. He would eat only if he was offered food, otherwise he would simply fast. Seeing him hungry, Kåñëa appeared in the form of a cowherd boy, and offered Mädhavendra a pot of milk. Attracted by the sweet face of the cowherd boy, MädhavendraPuré said “Who are you? Where do you reside?” The boy replied, “I a a cowherd boy and I reside in this village. In this village no one fasts. The women who came here to take water saw you hungry and they gave me this milk and sent me to you.” Then the boy left the place and did not return.
At night, Gopälacame to MädhavendraPuré in a dream and said, “I am residing in this bush near you. Because of this, I suffer very much from severe cold, rain, showers, wind, and scorching heat. Please take Me out of this bush and construct a temple on top of the hill and install Me there. I have not taken any food for many long days.”
The Gopäla deity, established earlier by Vajranabh, the grandson of Kåñëa, was re-established through MädhavendraPuré. It is said in Caitanya-caritämåta,
bahu-dinatomārapathakarinirīkṣaṇa
kabeāsi’ mādhavaāmākaribesevana
“For many days I have been observing you, and I have been wondering, ‘When will MādhavendraPurī come here to serve Me?”
tomāraprema-vaśekari’ sevāaṅgīkāra
darśanadiyānistāribasakalasaṁsāra
“I have accepted your service due to your ecstatic love for Me. Thus I shall appear, and by My audience all fallen souls will be delivered.”
(Cc. Madhya-lélä 4.39-40)
Taking instruction from Gopäla, Madhavendra Puri then went to Puré-dhäma to bring sandalwood. On the way, he went to Remuna. The püjärés there offereda deliciouskheer to the Lord. MädhavendraPuré, though detached from any kind of sense gratification, thought, “Aha! If I can taste just a small portion, I will prepare a similar preparation for the pleasure of Gopäla.” Later he thought that hehad made an offence, as he hadvowed not to ask for anything (ayäcaka). So he felt very guilty andwent to a local marketplace to pass the night. The püjäré, after finishing his service, went to take rest, but in a dream, he saw Gopénätha appeared to him and said, “Please get up and open the door of the temple. I have kept one pot of kheer for the sannyäsé MädhavendraPuré. This pot of kheer is just behind My cloth. This sannyäsé is sitting in the vacant marketplace. Please take the pot of kheer and give it to him.” The püjäréarose and went to marketplace, giving the kheerto MädhavendraPuré as instructed. MädhavendraPuré understood that people would hear of this story the next day and there would be great crowds coming to take darçanaof him, so out of humility, he left the place immediately.
pratiṣṭhārasvabhāvaeijagatevidita
ye nāvāñche, tārahayavidhātā-nirmita
“Even though one may not like it, reputation, as ordained by providence, comes to him. Indeed, one’s transcendental reputation is known throughout the entire world.”
(Cc. Madhya-lélä 4.146)
On the way back from Puré-dhäma, Mädhavendra again went to Remuna. There Gopäla came to him in a dream, instructing him to grind all the sandalwood and then smear the pulp on Gopénätha. Gopäla also told him, “There is no difference between Gopäla and Gopénätha. Therefore if you smear the sandalwood on Gopénätha, I will get it.” MädhavendraPuré awoke and immediately called for the servants of Gopénätha and told them, “Smear the body of Gopinatha with this sandalwood that I have brought for Gopäla of Våndävana. Do this every day.” The servants of Gopénäthawere very pleased to hear this, and made arrangements to grind sandalwood and smear it on the body of Gopénätha daily. Thus the festival of Candana-yatra was revealed to the devotees.
While leaving his material body, Sri Madhavendra Puri recited the following verse:
ayidīna-dayārdranātha he
mathurā-nāthakadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁtvad-aloka-kātaraṁ
dayitabhrāmyatikiṁkaromyaham
“OMy Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?”
For Gauòéya-Vaiñëavas, this verse is known as the topmost form of rasa(mellow) in separation from Kåñëa. ÇrélaBhaktisiddantaSarasvatéÖhäkura said, “He is the first sprout of the great tree of devotional love, worshipped by the ÇréMädhva-Gauòéyasampradäya.”
‘bhakti-rasemadhavendraadi-sutra-dhara’
gauracandraihakahiyachena bare bara
“Gauracandrarepeatedly says that ÇréMädhavendraPuré is the original root of worship in ecstatic love.”
(Cb.Ädi-khaëda 9.160)
ÇrélaMädhavendraPuré resided in Brahmangaon in his early life. After that, we went to Viñëupura near Cakdaha in District Nadia. He took sannyäsa and travelled to different térthas. In the last stage of his life, he lived Remuna near Kñéra-corä-gopénäthaand entered into his internal pastimesthere. His samädhiis situated in Remuna.
The river named Patnai is flowing on the north side of Brahmangaon, the birthplace of ÇrélaMädhavendraPuré. The Meghalaya Hill stands nearby on the opposite side of the river. Currently, the relics of his house can be found and it looks like a tiny hill. The temple is in an unkempt condition, with the walls covered by bushes.
How to Go There
Brahmangaon is at Tahirpur in Sunamganj District and just 7 km away from ISKCON’s Pantirtha temple. The only mode of transportation is walking or riding a cycle or motorbike.
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