The following text is adapted from the "Gaudiya Vaishnava Samadhis in Vrindavana".
Sri Madhavendra Puri's Bhajan Kutir
on the banks of Govinda KundaSri Madhavendra PuriBefore Lord Caitanya appeared He sent His eternal associates like Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Jagannatha Misra, Saci Mata, Madhavendra Puri and Isvari Puri to earth. Sri Madhavendra Puri received initiation from Sri Laksmipati Tirtha in the Madhvacarya sampradaya. He had many disciples, among whom Sri Advaita Acarya and Sri Isvara Puri were prominent. In one way or another, all the Vaisnavas in Bengal and Ksetra mandala (Jagannatha Puri) were connected with Sri Madhavendra Puri. After Lord Caitanya came many of his disciples joined Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement.
"Madhavendra Puri's body was completely full of divine love; so were his followers. He displayed uncommon love of God. Seeing a dark blue rain cloud, he would fall down unconscious. Day and night he was intoxicated from drinking the ambrosia of Krishna-prema." (Vrndavana Dasa Thakura)
After making an extensive pilgrimage of Bharata-bhumi (India) he passed his life in Vrndavana and Orissa. He began the restoration work of Vrndavana that Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis continued later. Wandering from grove to grove, remembering Radha-Krishna's sweet Vrndavana pastimes, Madhavendra Puri would faint in ecstasy.
In a dream, Sri Gopala ordered Madhavendra Puri to uncover a buried Gopala Deity and install Him atop Govardhana Hill. Madhavendra Puri celebrated Gopala's installation with an annakuta (grand festival offering a mountain of foodstuffs to Krishna). This Annakuta festival, also called Govardhana Puja, is one of the most important Vaisnava festivals in Vrndavana, in India and around the world. The original Gopala Deity, known as Sri Nathaji, is now worshiped in Nathadvara, Rajasthan.
In Jagannatha Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed an intense mood of viraha bhava. This increased unlimitedly when the Lord heard verses from the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna Karnamrta, Gita Govinda, Padyavali, and the love poems of Candidasa and Vidyapati. Mahaprabhu's viraha begins with a single verse spoken by Madhavendra Puri, His parama guru (grand preceptor):
ayi dIna-dayArdra nAtha he
mathurA-nAtha kadAvalokyase
hRdayaM tvad-aloka-kAtaraM
dayita bhrAmyati kiM karomy aham
“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?”
Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja says that just as the diamond kaustubha jewel is the most precious amongst all rare valuable jewels, this sloka is the rasa kavya (the best verse in the entire treasury of rasa poetry). Actually, this verse was spoken by Srimati Radharani Herself. It was Radha's pathetic cry to Syamasundara, who had gone to Mathura leaving Her alone, desperate in Vrndavana. Radharani's mercy brought this same verse from the mouth of Madhavendra Puri.
Reciting even a few words of this sloka would tear open the door of Mahaprabhu's ecstatic love, making Him swoon in ecstasy falling unconscious. Feeling intense separation from Krishna, Madhavendra Puri constantly chanted this verse when departing this world. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja says that with this verse Madhavendra Puri teaches devotees how to achieve Krishna-prema by cultivating intense feelings of separation from Sri Krishna.
Madhavendra Puri's samadhi is in Remuna, Orissa near the temple of Ksira-cora Gopinatha.
In Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 4.187-203, Caitanya Mahaprabhu remembers the pastimes of Madhavendra Puri and relishes the
ayi dIna dayAdra-verse.
“Sri Gopala wanted to show how intensely Madhavendra Puri loved Krsna; therefore He asked him to go to Nilacala to fetch sandalwood and camphor.
“With great trouble and after much labor, Madhavendra Puri brought the load of sandalwood to Remuna. However, he was still very pleased; he discounted all the difficulties.
“Such behavior exhibited in loving service between the devotee and the devotee’s lovable object, Sri Krsna, is transcendental. It is not possible for a common man to understand. Common men do not even have the capacity.”
“With great trouble and after much labor, Madhavendra Puri brought the load of sandalwood to Remuna. However, he was still very pleased; he discounted all the difficulties.
“To test the intense love of Madhavendra Puri, Gopala, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ordered him to bring sandalwood from Nilacala, and when Madhavendra Puri passed this examination, the Lord became very merciful to him.
“Such behavior exhibited in loving service between the devotee and the devotee’s lovable object, Sri Krsna, is transcendental. It is not possible for a common man to understand. Common men do not even have the capacity.”
After saying this, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu read the famous verse of Madhavendra Puri. That verse is just like the moon. It has spread illumination all over the world.
Continuous rubbing increases the aroma of Malaya sandalwood. Similarly, consideration of this verse increases one’s understanding of its importance.
As the Kaustubha-mani is considered the most precious of valuable stones, this verse is similarly considered the best of poems dealing with the mellows of devotional service.
Actually this verse was spoken by Srimati Radharani Herself, and by Her mercy only was it manifest in the words of Madhavendra Puri.
Only Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No fourth man is capable of understanding it.
Madhavendra Puri recited this verse again and again at the end of his material existence. Thus uttering this verse, he attained the ultimate goal of life.ayi dIna-dayArdra nAtha he
mathurA-nAtha kadAvalokyase
hRdayaM tvad-aloka-kAtaraM
dayita bhrAmyati kiM karomy aham
“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?”
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recited this verse, He immediately fell to the ground unconscious. He was overwhelmed and had no control over Himself.
When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell to the ground in ecstatic love, Lord Nityananda quickly took Him on His lap. Crying, Caitanya Mahaprabhu then got up again.
Exhibiting ecstatic emotions, the Lord began to run here and there, making resounding noises. Sometimes He laughed, and sometimes He cried, and sometimes He danced and sang.
‘ayi dIna, ‘ayi dIna’ bale bAra-bAra
kaNThe nA niHsare vANI, netre azru-dhAra
Caitanya Mahaprabhu could not recite the whole verse. He simply said, “Ayi dina! Ayi dina!” repeatedly. Thus He could not speak, and profuse tears were in His eyes.
Trembling, perspiration, jubilant tears, shock, fading of the bodily luster, disappointment, moroseness, loss of memory, pride, joy and humility were all visible in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s body.
This verse uncovered the door of ecstatic love, and when it was exhibited, all the servants of Gopinatha saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu dance in ecstasy.