Sacidevi and Advaita 

Sacidevi and Advaita 

Since Advaita Prabhu was very emotional about the condition of the fallen souls, Mahaprabhu could not forgive even his own mother when she looked incorrectly at him. Once, by chastising her, he warned all devotees of the danger of offences to the Vaishnavas. If Saci, who is the essence of motherly affection, the incarnation of Yashoda Devi, cannot be forgiven an offence to the Vaishnava, then what chance do others have? By the same lila, Caitanya also showed that in order to become free of Vaishnavaparadha, one should beg for forgiveness from the Vaishnava one has offended. 

When Vishvarupa concluded, after having studied with Advaita Prabhu, that the world is a temporary place and the only real duty of humankind is to worship the supreme lord, he left home and took sannyasa. Saci Mata, though troubled by his departure, was careful not to insult Advaita for the role he had played in it because he was a Vaishnava, and took consolation in Nimai’s presence at home. But when she saw that Nimai was also constantly going to associate with Advaita, leaving his wife Lakshmipriya alone at home, she then thought that Advaita’s name was really unsuitable, that rather than unifying people as his name would indicate, he split them apart. “Dvaita” would thus be a more appropriate name. “This old gosai goes by the name Advaita, but he should be called Dvaita. One son of mine, as beautiful as the moon, has left home because of him, and he hasn’t let me keep the other one settled. No one has mercy on me who am now without anyone in this world. He may be one (advaita) with the world, but I see him as maya (dvaita).”  

Because of her affection for her son, Saci mentally criticized Advaita in this way and no one knew except for her son, Gaura Hari, who is the indweller of all beings. On the day of the mahaprakasha in the house of Srivasa, when Mahaprabhu was fulfilling the desires of every one of his devotees by allowing them to see his divine form for twenty-one hours, Srivasa asked him whether Saci Devi could also be blessed with this divine vision. Mahaprabhu answered, “My mother has committed an offense against Advaita Prabhu, so I will not show her this form.” 

When the devotees told Saci what her son had said, she immediately went to Advaita and begged him for forgiveness. After Advaita had heard Saci’s confession, he began to glorify her as the one who had carried the supreme lord of all creation in her womb. He continued to do so until he became unconscious from the overwhelming love that he felt. Only when he fell unconscious could Saci finally take the dust of his lotus feet and thus be free from her offense. Mahaprabhu was satisfied with his mother and showed her his glorious, divine form. Another important lesson we can draw from this story is that Vaishnavas are never proud. Even though she had given birth to Lord Gaurahari, Saci had no inflated pride as a result. As soon as she became aware of having committed an offense, she immediately went without any hesitation to Advaita and prayed to be pardoned. 

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