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The Malaya Mountains were a range of mountains that were mentioned in the Matsya Purana, the Kurma Purana, and the epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. These mountains are believed to have formed the Southernmost part (Southwards starting from the Mangalore region) of the Western Ghats, between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, while the Northern part of the same was called the Sahya Mountains. The peaks of these Malaya mountains are higher than those of the Sahya Mountains. The Anaimalai and Nilgiri form some of its higher ranges. Believably in the Ramayana and Mahabharata ages, and later in the period of recorded History, it might have been the junction of the Chera and Pandya Kingdoms.

The deity rediscovered by Madhavendra Puri and worshiped by Vallabhacharya at Govardhan hill

Madhavendra Puri (Mādhavendra Purī in IAST) also known as Madhavendra Puri Goswami is a Vaishnava saint who appeared in the 14th century.

Biography[link]

Very little is known about early years of Madhavendra Puri, as in majority of sources he is figuring already a mendicant, sannyasi. After making an extensive pilgrimage of India as a sannyasi he passed his life in Vrndavana and Orissa.^[1] The main source of knowledge about this personality is Caitanya Caritamrita. What is known that he was a sannyasi of the Sankara sampradaya order, however he also belongs to Madhva line being a disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha and it appears that Madhavendra was the founder of the Vaishnava centre at Mathura, Vrindavana.^[2] He is considered a fountainhead of devotional worship of Krishna and he has started the worship of the Gopala deity,^[3] better known as Shrinathji. He is attributed to mysterious discovery of the famous deity of Gopala near Govardhana that was later worshiped by Vallabhacharya, follower of Vishnuswami in Rudra sampradaya,^[4] who in turn was influenced by devotional mood of Vrindavana.^[5]

Close-up of Govardhan hill, Vrindavan, area where Madhavendra puri worshiped Bala-Gopala

He is also famed for receiving direct instructions and gifts from the deity of Gopinatha, who commanded him to travel for the supply of scarce sandal wood paste from the Orissa to Malaya Mountains.^[6]

Initiating sankirtana movement[link]

Madhavendra Puri is often accepted as initial inspiration or initiator of the movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,^[7][8] who accepted Madhavendras intimate disciple, Isvara Puri as his diksa guru.^[9] He is believed to be preaching the principles of Gaudiya Vaishnavism prior to Caitanya.^[10]

Service in separation[link]

It is believed that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s service in feelings of separation viraha begins with a single verse spoken by Madhavendra Puri, (his grand preceptor)^[1]:

"O, my beloved Lord, the friend of the afflicted! He Mathura-natha, when, when shall I see you? Without seeing you, my heart is perplexed, my beloved, and I am very restless! What am I to do?"^[11]

Lineage[link]

In accordance with Gaudiya Vaishnava sources he is believed to belong to Madhvacharya lineage^[12] that has been transcribed in the books like Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika,^[13] Prameya-ratnavali^[14] and the writings of Gopala Guru Goswami. There is a version of this line of gurus recorded as a version found in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika^[15] which matches other historical records.^[16] He had many disciples but Advaita Acarya and Isvara Puri are believed to be the chief disciples of Madhavendra Puri.

Early History of the famous deity of Gopinatha (Ksirachora) is not given in Gaudiya texts – it is given by Vinod Bijaya Babaji in Gopinatha Caritamrta. However there is large account of his interactions with this Deity in Caitanya caritamrita, the foundational book for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Memorial[link]

Madhavendra Puri died in Remuna, his memorial Samādhi and sandals are still worshiped there.^[17] It is a place of pilgrimage for many Vaishnava groups.

More information[link]

• BB Teertha (2001). Chaitanya: His Life and Associates. Mandala Publishing. ISBN 1-886069-28-X. 
• "Giriraj Swami — Lecture - Madhavendra Puri Disappearance day". www.rupa.com. http://www.rupa.com/blog/archives/196-Giriraj-Swami-Lecture-Madhavendra-Puri-Disappearance-day.html. Retrieved 2008-04-22. 

• Kaviraja Goswami, Krishnadasa. "Madhavendra Puri - references in Caitanya caritamrta online". vedabase.net. http://vedabase.net/m/madhavendra. Retrieved 2008-04-22. 

References and notes[link]

See also[link]