Achyutananda Dasa

Mahapurusa Achyutananda Dasa (Odia:-ଅଚ୍ୟୁତାନନ୍ଦ ଦାସ ) was a 16th-century poet seer and
Vaishnava saint from Odisha, India. He was popularly known as Gopala Guru.[1] He was
considered to have the power to see the past, present and future. He was a prolific author, and
one of the group of five, that led a revolution in spirituality in Odisha by translating Sanskrit texts
into the Odia language for common people.

He was one of the famous five seers collectively called Panchasakha, named Sri Ananta Dasa,
Sri Jagannatha Dasa, Sri Balarama Dasa and Sri Jasobanta Dasa who translated the ancient
Hindu scriptures into Odia, for the people of Odisha. Achyutananda Dasa was the most prolific
writer of the Panchasakha[2] and wrote numerous books, many of which could be loosely
translated as the Book of Prophecies. He is known as the Mahapurusa (a Great Person) for his
vast knowledge on many subjects such as spirituality, Yoga, rituals, Yantra, Tantra, Ayurveda, and
other various shastras. His major works include Harivamsa (in Oriya), Kaibarta Gita, Gopalanka-
ogala, Gurubhakti Gita, Anakar-samhita, Chahayalisa-patala etc.[3]

Early life
As Achyutananda became a popular figure, much of his life began to become legend. He is
famous for being one of the few who wrote about the social situation of his time[4] and this is a
scholarly reason many study his writings. His poetry was often cryptic about himself, and written
in code or analogies. Mahapurusa Achyutananda belonged to Gopal caste by birth.[5][6] His
surname Dasa means servant of God.

Birth
Achyutananda was born in a village by the name Tilakana,[7] where two distributaries of the
Mahanadi, Luna (Labana Dhara) and Chitrotpala bifurcated, of Cuttack district of Odisha, during
the twenty first anka (year of region) of the Gajapati (king) Purushottama Deva. This is thought
to be somewhere between 1480 and 1505 by different scholars. His mother was Padmavati, and
his father was Dinabandhu Khuntia, and his grandfather was Gopinatha Mohanty, a scribe in the
Jagannath Temple, Puri. He was born after his mother prayed at the pillar in front of the
Jagannath Temple, and his father had a dream that the divine bird Garuda brought him a child. In
legend he is believed to be an incarnation of Garuda. He left his samadhi at Nemalo village at
Cuttack. His predecessors are Mahanta Gagananda Gosain, Mahanta Nigamananda Gosain and
others

Education
Achyutananda had a formal education in Puri. It is agreed by most texts that, like many
contemporaries, he met Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his youth, and took mantra initiation from
him. It is important to differentiate that he was an Utkaliya Vaishnava (ancient Odisha school of
Vaishnavism, Jagannatha Temple tradition), not a Gaudiya Vaishnavism (which means Bengali
Vaishnavism). He became the youngest of the Panchasakha.[8]
Panchasakha
Achyutānanda was part of the famous Panchasakha ('five friends'), who lived between 1450 and
1550 CE. The contemporaneous five saints – Achyutānanda Dasa, Sisu Ananta Dasa, Jasobanta
Dasa, Jagannātha Dasa, and Balarāma Dasa - shaped Vaiṣṇava philosophy, spiritualism and
literature of Odisha.

Two important factors set the Panchasakhas apart from other Indian Hindu Saints. They were
the first to take the Hindu Sanskrit texts into the reach of the common people, by translating
them into the local language (Odia). This was first done by Sāralā Dasa's translation of the
Mahābhārata in the mid-15th century, followed by Balarama Dasa's Jagamohana Ramayana,
Jagannath Dasa's Bhagavata Purana, and Achyutananda Dasa's Harivamsa. The second aspect is
their form of Odia Vaiṣṇavism, traditionally called Utkaliya Vaishnavism, which sees God as the
"Sunya Purusa" and the nature of the soul as being able to merge into the Absolute.

Some authors, such as N.N. Vasu, have depicted Odia Vaishnavism as 'Buddhist-Vaishnavism',
since it does not accept Ramanuja's Viśiṣṭādvaita philosophy (11th century), nor does it adhere
to orthodox Gaudiya Vaishnavism created in the 16th century Bengal. Other scholars, such as
Prabhat Mukerjee, have denied these claims supporting the different varieties of Vaishnava
philosophy.[9] Scholars debate the influence of the Panchasakha from the original Vaishnava
Agama (Pancharatras) while others source their ideas in Sahajayana Buddhism, and the Natha
sampradaya. Both the Sahajayana Buddhists and the Panchasakha worshipped the image of
Jagannatha as the Buddha,[10] though the Panchasakhas saw Jagannatha as an incarnation of
Vishnu as seen in the Dasāvatara image on the main mantel of the Jagannatha Temple.

Utkaliya Vaishnavism
Utkaliya Vaishnavism (sometimes called Odia Vaishnavism in modern literature) developed into
its present state, in the 15th century. According to the Panchasakhas, Lord Jagannath is the
"Purna-Brahma", and all the avatars of Vishnu emanate from Him, and also enter into Him at the
end. Jagannatha was the chief god of the devotional sect. The chief ideal of the Panchasakhas
was that as a bhakta they would be faithful, humble, learned, selfless, active, benevolent and
affectionate.[11] The Panchasakhas were against the caste system; they considered all beings as
one. They translated the Sanskrit Classics into local language, Odia. Anyone could become a
Vaishnava, even Muslims.[12]

At the time of Shri Chaitanya, his followers who came from Nadia, called later as Gaudiya,
considered themselves greater or superior to the Utkaliya Vaishnavas and disregarded them.[13]
So there was a cold war between them. Because of the animosity between the sects, Shri
Chaitanya conferred the title of 'Atibadi' (the greatest one) on Jagannatha Dasa.[14] The conflict
of these two groups is evident in the Barana Charita Gita of Achyutananda and Jagannatha
Charitamruta of Dibakara Dasa, and even in modern-day derogatory language of the Gaudiya
Vaishnavas towards the Utkaliya Vaishnavas.

Philosophical ideology of
Achyutananda

Sunya Purusa

nāhi tāhāra rūpa varṇa, adṛsha avarṇa tā cinha.

tāhāku brahmā boli kahi, śūnya brahmhati se bolāi.

It has no shape, no colour,

It is invisible and without a name
This Brahman is called Sunya Brahman.[15]

Achyutananda (and the other four saints) believed in a concept of God (Vishnu) as Sunya
(emptiness, void, zero) called Sunya Purusa and/or Sunya Brahman. This sunya signifies a
transcendental principle that eludes the conceptual nexus applied to human thinking as
described in the Upanishads.[16] Achyutananda's culminating work is called the Sunya Samhita
where he discusses this philosophy in depth.[17]

śūnyara ākāra viira śūnyara vicāra, śūnye thāi dekha vīra e

sacarācara.
dekha e sacarācara śūnyare prakāsha, śūnyu ude hoicanti śūnyare
vilāse.

Oh vira look at the sunya

By placing yourself in sunya,
And meditate on mahasunya,
Sunya itself is the form,
Ground of all discriminating knowledge.
Look at the whole world from the pedestal of sunya;
You will find everything manifested in the sunya,
Everything arises out of sunya and
Everything flourishes in the Sunya Brahman.[18]

The philosophy sees Sunya as being full or whole (purna), and this view of Brahman is
sometimes called the Purna Sunya (the full/complete void). The Panchasakhas project the deity
Jagannatha as the embodiment of the Sunya Purusa.[19] Achyutananda uses a classical (pre-
Ramanuja) concept of Vaishnavism that uses both form, and formless aspects of god. This is
seen in his statement from the Gurubhakti Gita :

dui je deṇāre pakṣī uḍikari jāi, dui je cakṣure sehi saṃsāre khelai.
eka je na thile kaṇā dui gale anḍha, eṇukari nirguṇa saguṇa sehi
bheda.

A bird can only fly with both wings. It can have a perfect vision with
both the eyes.
In the absence of one, it becomes one-eyed, and in the absence of both,
it is totally blind.
Thus like two eyes Nirguna [god perceived as formless]and Saguna
[god perceived with form] are chained together.[20]
Jnana-mishra bhakti-marga
The Panchasakhas were Vaishnavas by thought. But they differed from Chaitanya's path of
devotion and preached Jnana-mishra bhakti or Devotion with mix of Wisdom. Chaitanya's path of
devotion was known as Raganuga Bhakti Marga (brought to Odisha in 1509), which says all one
needs is love (devotion) to reach God. The Panchasakhas believed that one needs a
combination of love (bhakti) and wisdom (Jnana) to reach God. With one's knowledge, if one
shows one's pure love (bhakti), one can definitely reach the Sunyatma. The Panchasakhas
therefore promoted a Vaishnavism that involved study of scriptures, yoga, rituals, and
devotion.[21]

Pinda-Brahmanda Tattwa
The concept of the Piṇḍa-Brahmāṇḍa is that the body (Piṇḍa) is a replica of the Universe
(Brahmāṇḍa), or microcosm is a reflection of the macrocosm.[22] Many of the yogic teachings of
Achyutananda are based on this core concept. His teachings are filled with references to outer
locations existing as energies in the body.

Sabda Brahman
The concept of the Sabda Brahman is that God created the universe as sound, and that all things
have sound vibration as their essence. The writings of Achyutananda are filled with mantras and
esoteric concepts about sounds and their effects on consciousness. For example, in
Achyutananda's Rama Rasa Boli, the demon Ravanna is said to have meditated on the sound
"Sleem" while focusing on the ten other sacred sounds (yoga-dasakhyara) to please Goddess
Sita. Even more esoteric is this verse from the Sunya Rahasa where one can see the interwoven
nature of internal yogic theory and sound found in Achyutananda's writings:
 Oh Jnanins: utter the name of Hari [God]
May be you are the eldest or the youngest.
Piercing six chakras blooms the lotus
Near the ethereal void of air
Between the Sutala and Rasatala
The bee abides at the zenith of the void
One is not a servant of the Lord just because they have a rosary
Unless he utters the name of Krisna in his inner heart;
The Name is the seed, rosary its robe
Rosary is of no use if God's name is mindlessly uttered
The three cords are the three triadic streams
Make your oblations there
Ayudhya, Dwarika, and the city of Gopa
This knowledge is memorised by every soul.[23]

References

1. Deb, A.K. (1984). The Bhakti Movement in

Orissa: A Comprehensive History (https://b
ooks.google.com/books?id=_s8XAAAAIAA
J&q=Guru+milkman) . Orissa studies
project. Kalyani Devi. Retrieved 27 January
2022.

2. Chaini, p.7
3. Mukherjee, Sujit (1998). A Dictionary of
Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850 (https://
books.google.com/books?id=YCJrUfVtZxo
C&q=Kaivarta) . Orient Blackswan. p. 4.
ISBN 978-81-250-1453-9.

4. Chaini, p. 14
5. Das, p.iii of preface
6. Mukherjee, P. (1981). The History of
Medieval Vaishnavism in Orissa (https://bo
oks.google.com/books?id=7LFzfbhmJcMC
&pg=PA83) . Asian Educational Services.
p. 83. ISBN 978-81-206-0229-8. Retrieved
27 January 2022.

7. Due to lPANDIT LATE KURAMANI PATHI

SAHRAMA THE EXACT LOCATION OF
BIRTH PLACE OF SRI ACHYUTANDA HAS
BEEN IDENTIFIED.
 8. Sri Sri Mahapurusa Siddha Ashram, p.5
9. Prabhat, p.151-152
10. Mishra, p. 44
11. Chaini, Ratnakar, p.13
12. Chaini, Ratnakar, p.12
13. Chaini, Ratnakar p.6
14. Chaini, Ratnakar, p.7
15. Acyutānanda, Brahma Saṃhitā, translated
by Patnaik, p.117

16. Patnaik, p.106

17. Chaini, p.57
18. Acyutānanda, Śūnya Saṃhitā Cauṣaṭhī Ṭika,
translated by Patnaik p.146

19. Patnaik, p.125

20. Acyutananda, Gurubhakti Gita, translated by
Chaini, p.10

21. "Chaitanya's Panchasakha and Lord

Jagannath" (http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazin
e/Orissareview/2014/Jun/engpdf/115-119.
pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 5 May 2017.

22. Patnaik, p.171 and Chaini p.59

23. Shunya Rahasa, Canto 3, Verses 1–3,
translated by Chaini, p.43

Notes

Chaini, Ratnakar. Achyutananda Das.

Sahitya Akademi, Calcutta, 1998.
Mansingha, Mayadhar. History of Oriya
literature. Sahitya Akademi, New
Delhi,1962.
Patnaik, Tandra. Sunya Purusa. Utkal
Studies in Philosophy XII. Utkal
University, Bubhaneswar in association
with D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi,
2005.
Mishra, Ramprasad. Sahajayana: A Study
of Tantric Buddhism. Punthi Pustak,
Calcutta, 1991.
Mukherjee, Prabhat. History of Medieval
Vaishnavism in Orissa. Asian
Educational Services, New Delhi, 1981.
Sri Sri Mahapurusa Siddha Ashram.
Glimpse of a Yogi; Sri Sri Mahapurusa
Achyutananda Das. Sri Sri Mahapurusa
Achyutananda Trust, Sri Ram Nagar,
Puri, Odisha, India, 1998.
The History of Orissa: An Introduction
from Pages from the history of India and
the sub-continent (South Asian History) a
non-commercial web project (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20071117111717/htt
p://india_resource.tripod.com/orissa.ht
ml)
Das, Alekh Prasad. Jibanara Daka; an
autobiography, 1994; published by Sri
Lalita Prakasani, Bhubaneswar. Won
Odisha Sahitya Academy Award for
autobiography in 2000.
http://www.sai.uni-
heidelberg.de/abt/IND/publikation/bibor
issa/biborissa.htm Archived (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20200702165825/htt
ps://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/abt/IND/
publikation/biborissa/biborissa.htm) 2
July 2020 at the Wayback Machine :The
library of the South Asian Institute (SAI),
University of Heidelberg, has some
references and recollections of the
original works of Sri Achyutananda Das.
An "Orissan Project" was undertaken
some decades ago, funded by the
German Research Council, as a part of
the studies of the South Asian cultures.
 A number of references can be found in
this library.

External links

http://www.garoiashram.org/english/ind
ex-eng.html#
https://web.archive.org/web/200711050
91526/http://www.sriachyuta.org/
https://web.archive.org/web/200810190
42242/http://www.trahiachyuta.com/sri.
htm
https://web.archive.org/web/201107161
84243/https://tagmeme.com/orissa/pot
his.html
Retrieved from
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