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Advaitacharya is considered the main pillar of Gaur tradition. He incarnated on this earth much before Gauranga (Nimayi) and created a conducive atmosphere for Gauranga's lilas. In spite of being superior in age, learning and wisdom he considered it his privilege to place the dust of the lotus feet of Gauranga on his head. In his younger days he was known as Kamalaksha. His father, Tarakapanchanan was unequalled in 'Nyaya' shastra (logic).

Even as a youth, Kamalaksha was extremely brilliant, full of humility and deeply devoted. In those days, in Bengal, animals were being sacrified in the name of dharma. This was a cause of agony for Kamalaksha. It was at this time that Kamalaksha attended a Kali puja in which King Divya Narasimha, too, participated. Many famous musicians sang 'kirtanas'. Kamalaksha did not bow down to Kali Devi before he took his seat.

The King, perturbed by the unrighteous act of a son of a great pundit, summoned him up and questioned, "Kamalaksha, Why did you not bow down to the Devi before taking your seat? Fearlessly, Kamalaksha explained, "The Devi is the mother of the whole Universe and all are her children. How can one who eats her own children be called a mother?

She can only be a demoness. A son may turn bad but a mother is essentially good and can never turn bad. The only One Sat-Chit-Ananda, the God, is worthy of worship and service. Bowing down to Him means bowing down to all. In the name of God you are only satisfying your own desires." The king was amazed at the daring words of the young boy. From his childhood Kamalaksha was daring, kind and a great Vaishnavite.

Kamalaksha went to Shantipur for learning the Vedas and subsequently became a big Pundit. The knowledge gained only helped blossom his devotion and love. He always thought of only others' welfare. After his parents' demise he visited all the holy places of India. After his visits to Rameswaram, Sivakanchi, Mathura he reached the ashram of Bhagawan Madhwacharya. Sriman Madhavendrapuri Maharaj was then the pontiff of this Peeta. It was he who first preached 'Bhakti Bhava' and 'Madhura Upasana' to Sanyasins. Sri Easwarapuri, Sri Paramanandapuri, Sri Brahmanandapuri, Sri Rangapuri, Sri Pundarika Vidya Nidhi, Sri Raghupathy Upadhyaya, were his important disciples. Of these, Sri Easwarapuri was the foremost and intimate disciple. It was this Easwarapuri who later became the Diksha Guru of Gauranga.

Sri Madhavendrapuri was delighted to see Advaitacharya. He was pleased by his manners, humility, knowledge, devotion, and patriotism. Sri Madhavendrapuri embraced Advaitacharya and transmitted a new power into him through the initiation of Sri Krishna 'Mantra'.

Advaitacharya expressed to his Guru his anxiety for true devotion to flourish in the country. His Gurudev pacified him, " Has not this world been created by God? Only He, who is the remover of fear (of His devotees), can put an end to all atrocities prevailing today.

Very soon God will incarnate in some special form and propagate devotion. Why do you worry?" These words of his Guru put Advaitacharya at rest. He placed the dust of the holy feet of his Guru on his head. He then completed his 'vraja yatra' (pilgrimage) and returned to Shantipur.

Advaitacharya was very wealthy, too. As King Divya Narasimha patronized his father royal assets, too, were aplenty. An expert of the Shastras he defeated many a pundit in debates. He was a favourite of the King. The old 'Shakta' King bowed before Advaitacharya's devotion filled knowledge. The King even composed songs in his praise.

Advaitacharya's Gurudev Sri Madhavendrapuri undertook Gauda Desa yatra and arrived at Shantipur. He spent some happy moments with Advaitacharya. At his Gurudev's instructions to enter household life he married Sita and Takurani, the two daughters of Krishna Pundit.

Krishna bhajan was his most favourite activity. As he did not show any caste discrimination he had disciples from all castes and creed. Observing the Krishna- devotion of Haridas, a muslim devotee of his, he taught him Vyakarana, Gita, Bhagavata, etc. He treated him as his own son. The other pundits vehemently opposed a muslim boy staying in his house. Undeterred by this, Advaitacharya even offered the 'shradha anna' to Haridas.

When the pundits condemned this he elucidated, "I believe that feeding Haridas reaps the same benefit as feeding a crore Brahmins." His was not just dry, bookish knowledge but one born out of deep contemplation and enquiry. Unlike the other pundits who only 'spoke' philosophy he led his life as per scriptural injunctions. He was always engaged in 'Hari Kirtanam'. Whatever the potency of the medicine is, the mere thought of it does not cure a disease. It has to be consumed to take effect. Similarly, it does not suffice to just study the shastras but it should be put into practice. Only then can God be attained. Due to this realization of Advaitacharya, his 'patashala' gave due importance to and held discussions on Bhakthi Shastra.

It was through his blessings that Vishwarupa was first born to Jagannatha Mishra. When Mishraji's wife Sachi Devi came to pay her respects to Advaitacharya while in her second pregnancy, the Acharya blessed her, "An 'Avatara Purusha' (incarnation) will be born to you this time." As a result of this blessing Gauranga was born.

Jagannatha Mishra's family was very friendly towards the Acharya. Mishraji left Vishwarupa in his care. Acharya's patashala contained intelligent and devotion filled students and not students who merely memorized grammar lessons. Vishwarupa was very intelligent and deeply devoted to the Acharya. He developed noble qualities and strong dispassion as a result of keen observation of Bhakthi Shastra discussions held in the 'patashala'.

Vishwarupa, the elder brother of Nimayi, was also not an ordinary boy. Even as a young boy of fourteen he had noble thoughts. He spoke only to his cousin, Lokanathan, and had very little to do with the others. The two were involved in spiritual discussions for hours on end. They were so filled with the thought of God and quest of knowledge that there was no place for either mundane happiness or family ties. Vishwarupa felt deeply disturbed when his parents expressed their desire to get him married. His heart yearned for sanyasa .

On a cold night, he decided to leave his home. He hesitated for a moment looking at his old parents and his young brother, Nimayi. But the fever of renunciation soon took over and he thought, "Why do I have to worry? God, the creator and the protector of the whole universe, is the one who takes on the responsibility of all creatures. Why do I think myself as the doer? I am just an instrument in His hands. I should not move away from my resolution." And he left home. As planned, his cousin, Lokanathan, awaited his arrival on the banks of the Ganges. Without any fear or love for their lives they jumped into and swam across the Ganges. Undaunted by the cold weather and totally wet clothing the two young boys left to do Self-enquiry.

Not much is known about his life though it is said that he took up sanyasa from a sanyasi named Aranyar and that he was called Sankaranyar. It is also learnt that his cousin, Lokanathan, took sanyasa from Vishwarupa himself. It is also said that he finally gave up his mortal coil in the famous Pandaripura Kshetra in Maharashtra and that prior to this he visited Sri Madhavendrapuri ashram where he transmitted all his divine powers to Sri Easwarapuri, the favourite disciple of Sri Madhavendrapuri. From Sri Easwarapuri these divine powers were passed on to Nityanandar. It is this Nityanandar who is held as the incarnation of Sri Balarama. He was an inseparable part of Gauranga. This we will read later in Gauranga's life.

In Navadweep, the news of the two young boys' renunciation soon spread like wild fire. Tears flowed down Mishraji's eyes while mother Sachi Devi cried out, "How could you abandon your old parents, Vishwarupa?" Nimayi, too, wept and fell unconscious. The people sprinkled water on his face and brought him back to consciousness. He wiped his mother's tears and consoled her, "Mother! Please do not weep. Even if my brother has left you I am here. When I grow up I will work and take care of you both. Do not worry."

When people decided to send a search party, once again, to find the two young boys, Mishraji stopped them. He said to them, "Is Vishwarupa a child? If a life of renunciation is what he seeks let God fulfill his desire. If he finds joy only in a life of sanyasa let him do so. Please pray to God that as a sanyasi he upholds sanyasa dharma. Please pray that he does not return home after having embraced sanyasa ashrama. The people rejoiced at and applauded Mishraji's words.

After this incident Mishraji refused to send Nimayi to 'patashala' due to the notion that it was his education that perpetuated the thought of sanyasa to Vishwarupa. Nimayi, too, respected his father's words and stopped attending his classes. With nothing else to do he went back to his old ways of pranks and mischief. Once again complaints started pouring in. When his father chastised him, Nimayi questioned back, "Father, tell me what else shall I do, now that you have stopped me from attending my classes?" Mishraji had no answer to this.

One day, Nimayi, dressed himself in rags and blindfolded his eyes. He then stopped at each door in the neighbourhood and clapped his hands seeking alms. The totally distraught mother reprimanded Nimayi, "What is this disguise? Can a Brahmin boy dress himself up as a beggar? We provide you with everything." Nimayi retorted, "An ignorant son of a Brahmin is a beggar, indeed! An illiterate is also a beggar! Have you not stopped me from studying? This is the reason that I have taken to begging!" Each day the idle Nimayi found new ways of troubling his parents.

Unable to bear his pranks anymore Sachi Devi tried to reason out with Mishraji. She said to him, "Let Nimayi study in the 'patashala'. Do all those who study become sanyasis? There are thousands of pundits and students in the town. Has any one of them taken to sanyasa? This is nothing but fate. If it is ordained that Nimayi take to sanyasa can we stop it? It is not right for a Brahmin boy to remain an illiterate. Mishraji gave in and permitted Nimayi to attend 'patashala'. Nimayi gave up his pranks, attended 'patashala' regularly and studied well.

One day, Nimayi ate up the 'naivedya' along with the leaf on which it was kept. He immediately swooned. When he regained consciousness, he narrated the vision he had had. "Mother, Vishwarupa appeared before me and asked me also to take up sanyasa. But when I explained to him that I was but a young boy who knew nothing about sanyasa and that I had to serve my old parents he left requesting me to pass on his respects to you." Sachi Devi hugged him and with tearful eyes said, "Nimayi, you are our only hope. Do not forsake these old parents of yours."

Nimayi was now nine years of age and his father made arrangements for his 'Yagnopavitha'(Sacred thread) ceremony.

To be continued......