Shri Murari Gupta (Disappearance)

Murari Gupta (fl. 16th century) was a noted Bengali Vaishnava poet, author of the Sanskrit work ShNachaitanyacharitAmrita (1513), a poetic biography of Sri Chaitanya. This work, popularly known as Murari Guptar kaRchA, is the earliest source for the life of Sri Chaitanya; later hagiographies such as the Chaitanya Charitamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja were based on this work.

Shri Murari Gupta, a disciple of Shri Chandrashekhara Acharya, possessed extraordinary humility. He had an intimate lifelong relationship with Lord Chaitanya. Although senior in class, Murari would always lose in debates with Shri Nimai Pandit. During one heated argument they began pushing each other. The scuffle continued into the Ganges. They stirred up so much mud that ladies couldn't fill their pots and brahmanas couldn't bathe properly.

At the nightly kirtan in Shrivasa Angam Murari Gupta pleased Gaurahari with melodious chanting of the Bhagavata. He would also sing and dance expertly. Murari Gupta served Shri Chaitanya in all His Nadia lilas.

Lord Chaitanya once tested Murari Gupta's attachment to his worshipable Lord Ramachandra. Lord Gaurasundara preached to Murari about the supreme sweetness and position of Vrajendrakumara (Krishna): "Murari, just worship Krishna and take shelter of Him. Nothing but His service can satisfy the mind." Although Murari Gupta became somewhat inclined toward Shri Krishna, the thought of losing Lord Ramachandra's association devastated him. That night he prayed to Lord Rama to take his life. He asked for this because he couldn't stop serving Rama, nor could he defy Shri Chaitanya's request.

After crying all night Murari approached Lord Chaitanya and said: "What should I do? I've sold my head to the lotus feet of Lord Ramachandra. But if I break Your order to worship Lord Shri Krishna, then what can I do?"

Smiling, Shri Gaura Raya replied, "All glories to Murari Gupta! You're so fixed in your worship that even My request couldn't turn your mind. This is exactly the type of love and affection the servitor must have for the lotus feet of the Lord. Even if the Lord wants separation, a Devotee cannot abandon the shelter of His lotus feet. Just to test your firm faith in your Lord I repeatedly asked you to change your worship from Lord Rama to Lord Krishna."

Congratulating Murari Gupta, the Lord continued, "You are the incarnation of Hanuman, the eternal servant of Lord Rama. Therefore, why should you give up your worship of Lord Rama?"

At another time, Lord Chaitanya showed His form as Lord Ramachandra with Janaki, Lakshmana, and a host of monkeys reciting hymns and prayers. Seeing himself amongst those monkeys in his original form as Hanuman, Murari Gupta fainted. In Katva, when Lord Chaitanya took sannyasa Murari stood by weeping like a child. And when Shriman Mahaprabhu moved to Jagannatha Puri, Murari and his wife would come every year to relish the Lord's company.

Since he was born in a dynasty of Ayur Vedic doctors Murari Gupta practiced medicine. But his practice was unique in that he cured his patient's physical ailments and also freed them from the disease of material existence. He wrote the first biography of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an important Sanskrit work entitled Shri Chaitanya Charita Mahakavya. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.