Śrī Advaita-bhavana is situated twenty yards north of Śrīvāsa aṅgana. Śrī Advaita Ācārya’s birthplace is Navagrāma in the district of Śrīhaṭṭa, but he later moved to Śāntipura. He also resided here in Navadvīpa. He taught his many students the explanations of bhakti as given in the Gītā and Bhāgavatam. Nimāī’s elder brother, Śrī Viśvarūpa, was one of his many students. On the order of His mother, the boy Nimāī used to fetch Viśvarūpa from school and bring him home.
Though normally grave, Advaita Ācārya was enchanted by Nimāī’s behaviour and broken speech. Smiling, Nimāī looked at him as if to say, “Although you called for Me to come to this world, you cannot recognise Me. The time will come though, when you certainly will.” This amazing child made a deep impression on Śrī Advaita Ācārya. It was at this very same place that Śrī Advaita Ācārya used to worship Kṛṣṇa with tulasī leaves and Gaṅgā water, according to the rules of the pāñcarātrika system, the regulative principles enjoined in the Nārada-pañcarātra.
To remove the sorrows of the living entities, he loudly called out to the Lord. Hearing this call Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Śrī Gaurāṅga. Here at Advaita-bhavana, Viśvarūpa, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīvāsa, Gaṅgādāsa, Śuklāmbara, Candraśekhara, Murārī Gupta and other Vaiṣṇavas used to assemble and become absorbed in the sweet mellows of kṛṣṇa-kathā. After Śrīman Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa, Advaita Ācārya moved to Śāntipura. He then met with Śrīman Mahāprabhu every year at the time of the Ratha-yātrā in Jagannātha Purī.
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