Nityananda Prabhu and Laksmipati Tirtha

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CB adi 9.188 purp by bsst

 

Some people say that according to the accepted and listed disciplic

succession of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, Sri Nityananda Prabhu

was a disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri, and some people say that He was a

disciple of Sri Laksmipati Tirtha, which means that He was a Godbrother of

Sri Madhavendra Puri. (An ancient verse quoted in the Fifth Wave of the

Bhakti-ratnakara states:

nityananda prabhum vande srimal-laksmipati-priyam

madhva-sampradayananda- varddhanam bhakta-vatsalam

"I worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is very dear to Sri Laksmipati. He

increased the happiness of the Madhva-sampradaya and was always affectionate

to the devotees.") The consideration of Godbrotherhood is not separate from

the consideration of Guru; for this reason even though there is a difference

between a historical incident and the description of that incident, both

point to the same thing.

 

CB Madhya 5.37 purp by bsst

 

According to the opinion of some persons, since Sri Nityananda Svarupa lived

as a brahmacari with Sri Laksmipati Tirtha, He had a kamandalu and a

brahmacari danda (made from either kadira, palasa, or bamboo). According to

others, Sri Nityananda Prabhu traveled as a brahmacari with Sri Madhavendra

Puripada. At present, the brahmacari disciples f the Tirtha and Asrama

sannyasis are known as Svarupa. The brahmacari disciples of Sarasvati,

Bharati, and Puri sannyasis are known as Caitanya. The brahmacari name of

Nityananda Prabhu was Svarupa. Since Svarupa is the brahmacari name of a

Tirtha sannyasi's disciple, some people consider Him a follower of

Laksmipati Tirtha rather than a follower of Madhavendra Puri.