The seventy-second branch of Chaitanya tree was Dvija Haridasa. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, “There is some question about whether Dvija Haridasa was the author of Ashtottara-sata-nama. He had two sons, named Shri Dasa and Shri Gokulananda. Their village, Kanchana-gadiya, is situated within five miles of the Bajarasau station, the fifth station from Azimganj in the district of Murshidabad [in West Bengal].” (C.C. Adi 10.112)

 

Initiation from Shyamananda Pandita

 

   Shyamananda went to the city of Kesiari where he arranged for a Thakurani Deity for Shyama Raya. Then on the occasion of the marriage ceremony of Shyama Raya he held three joyful festivals which delighted the local citizens. At that time Shri Purushottama, Damodara, Mathura dasa, Hara Ghosha, Mahapatra and Dvija Haridasa took initiation and dedicated themselves to the service of Shyamananda. (Rasika-mangala – The Western Part – The First Wave)

 

   Some time later, on the Krishna Ekadashi  in the month of Magh they had a festival honoring the disappearance of Dvija Haridasa in Kanchangari Nagara.  To attend the festival Shrinivasa went to Kanchangari Nagara.  At that festival there was a great crowd.  It was on the day of the festival, that Dvija Haridas's sons Shri Dasa and Shri Gokulananda took initiation from Shrinivasa Acharya.

 

 

Observance of the death ceremony of Dvija Haridasa Acharya

(Bhaktiratnakara – Ch 10 by Narahari Chakravarti Thakura)

 

   When Shrinivasa Acharya Thakura returned to Jajigrama from Shri Khanda with all of his followers he began once again to teach his pupils from the books of the Goswamis. He silenced the heretics by boldly preaching that devotion was the best path. Shri Acharya was pleased with his disciples because they could quickly grasp the philosophy of the Goswami books, and the pupils were happy to have been trained by their Guru. He decided to give diksha to Shri Gokulananda, Shri Dasa and other followers.

 

   As Gokula sat amongst the other students, Shrinivasa told him how his heart burned because of the disappearance of Sarkara Thakura and Shri Dasa Gadadhara. Because of his unhappy state of mind he had left Jajigrama and gone to Vrindavana only to find that on the Krishna Ekadashi day in the month of Magha Dvija Haridasa Acharya had also disappeared. Thus he had sunk deeper in the ocean of misery. The Goswamis of Vrindavana were equally depressed, but they had requested Shrinivasa to Gaudadesh.

 

   Shrinivasa advised the two brothers to patiently take responsibility for the proper observance of the death anniversary of the Acharya. He ordered them to go to Kanchanagaria and make arrangements for various necessities, assuring them that he would also go there within two to four days. He advised them not to worry about anything because everything would be done easily by the mercy of the Acharya.

 

   Shri Gokulananda and his brother left immediately for Kanchanagaria where the inhabitants greeted him warmly. The brothers approached wealthy persons and requested them to help arrange the festival. Those wealthy people gave various useful items, built houses for the invited guests and informed the two brothers when their arrangements were completed. Shri Gokulananda and Shri Dasa were pleased with the arrangements.

 

   The people of the village speculated in various ways about the reason for the festival arrangements. One person clarified it by telling others that Dvija Haridasa Acharya was a great disciple of Shri Mahaprabhu. After Mahaprabhu's disappearance in Nilachala it became difficult for Dvija Haridasa to pass his days. He gradually dwindled to half life and then decided to leave this world forever. But according to the wish of Mahaprabhu, he checked himself for sometime and called his own two sons Shri Gokulananda and Shri Dasa to his side. He told them about the character of Shrinivasa Acharya and advised to take initiation from him. The next morning Dvija Haridasa left alone for Vrindavana.

 

   In Vrindavana Dvija Haridasa chose a very lonely place to live and Shrinivasa once went there to meet him. At that time Dvija Haridasa repeatedly requested Shrinivasa to give diksha mantra to his two sons. Shrinivasa returned to Gauda but as he was travelling to Vrindavana for his second visit he learned of the disappearance of Dvija Haridasa during the month of Magha. Shrinivasa was grief-stricken but Dvija Haridasa consoled him in a dream. When Shrinivasa reached Vrindavana everyone came to welcome him. At that time he met Shri Gokulananda and Shri Dasa and talked with them affectionately. He ordered them to go to Kanchanagaria and assured them that he would also go there after sometime. He also assured them that on the day of Krishna Ekadashi in the month of Magha he would give them diksha mantra. All these festival arrangements were made for observing the auspicious day of the disappearance of Dvija Haridasa Acharya.

 

   The man continued to claim that many great Bhagavatas would come for the festival and the entire village would float in the ocean of sweet san kirtana. He told them that although he had come to the village for some interaction with his relatives, he had heard about this festival and had decided to stay for the entire period. 

 

   At that time some commotion was noticed and the loud shouting of Lord Hari's name was heard. People began to move in the direction of the commotion asking one another what was happening. One man explained that Acharya Thakura had arrived from Jajigrama, so they all decided to go and meet him. They found that the house of Shri Gokulananda was already overcrowded with people who wanted to meet the Acharya.

 

   Shri Dasa and Shri Gokulananda were very glad to get the association of Shri Acharya Thakura and they cordially welcomed Ramachandra Kaviraja and others. Vaishnavas from many different places came and all the invited guests were taken to their respective houses. Gokula and Shri Dasa were happy to receive them all and the village Devotees engaged themselves willingly in the service of the respected guests. Other villagers brought many useful item for  the guests. 

 

   The people of the village had never seen such an attractive group of Vaishnava Devotees. They were charmed by the appearance of Shrinivasa, the perfect Vaishnava mahanta. They were disappointed only because the guests would leave Kanchanagaria the next day. One man reassured them that they need not worry about the immediate departure of the mahantas because the next day would be Krishna Ekadashi in the month of magha and on that day the Vaishnavas would behave in a way which was beyond the comprehension of the heretics. The Vaishnavas knew how to observe the days of Ekadashi and Dwadashi. They would take food only once today (i.e the day before Ekadashi) and they would observe the day of ekadashi with full fast. They would not even drink water. On Dwadashi they would again take food only once after making a variety of preparations and offering them to Lord Krishna. That offered food would be kept in different containers and then offered again before the feet of Shri Dvija Haridasa Acharya.

 

   One of the villager asked this educated man how he, an ignorant person could learn these various Vaishnava customs. The educated felt pity for the humble villager and encouraged him to remain there for another five days and observe the grand festival to be held at the house of Shri Gokula. He knew that the mahantas would stay there for five days so he advised the man to enjoy the nama sankirtana of the Bhagavatas.

 

   Everyone appreciated the sincere behavior of Shri Gokulananda and Shri Dasa. On the day of dasami they and there followers engaged themselves in sankirtana. They were joyful because they knew they would receive mantra diksha on the month of Ekadashi. As he promised, Shrinivasa Acharya did grant them diksha in Radha Krishna mantra and then dedicated his two new disciples to the feet of Radha Krishna and Shri Chaitanya. As they cried joyfully, Shrinivasa Acharya embraced then affectionately and those who observed the ceremony praised the occasion by calling out the name of Lord Hari.

 

   On Dwadashi Shri Dasa and Gokulananda cooked many delicious food preparations and Shri Acharya offered the food to Lord Krishna. When sufficient time had passed, Shrinivasa offered betel leafs and water for the Lord to wash His mouth and then transferred the food to other containers and offered them again to Shri Dvija Haridasa Acharya in a solitary place. Again, when sufficient time had passed, he offered water for Dvija Haridasa to wash his mouth. Shri Dasa then reported to Shri Acharya that he had arranged seats for the guests and eat. Shri Acharya requested the Vaishnavas to take their seats and ordered the serving men  to serve the fine food on banana leaves. The aroma of the fine food filled the air, and having invoked the name of Lord Hari, the mahantas relished the offered foodstuffs. After washing their mouths, they all took rest.

 

   Thereafter, many people from Kanchanagaria crowded around that place, eager to get maha Prasada. When all the other mahantas had eaten, Shrinivasa Acharya took a portion of the maha Prasada but Shri Gokulananda  and Shri Dasa ate only scrapes of foods left by Shri Acharya. Then they all assembled in the courtyard to take part in san kirtana.

 

   Before beginning the san kirtana, they loudly invoked the name of Lord Hari. In the ecstasy of their chanting and dancing accompanied by various musical instruments, the Bhagavatas did not notice the passing of days and nights. In this way they joyfully spent five days and nights.

 

   At last the time for Shri Acharya's departure arrived and not only the two brothers but all the people of that village lamented. The mahantas who participated in the festival all praised the behavior of the two brothers and then returned to their own homes. But on the request of his two new disciples Shrinivasa Acharya decided to stay there for another four days. He greatly appreciated their dedication and devotion to their guru.