The great vaishnav saint Sri Sri Madhavdeva is a well-known name in Assamese society. Sri Sri Madhavdeva is in the deep heart of each and every Assamese since the medieval era. The great man Madhavadeva joined Sankardeva and spread devotion in Assam and united the Assamese nation with a single wave of unity irrespective of caste, creed, caste and language. Madhavdeva was the great source of knowledge. He was a playwriter, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, musician and so on. Sri Sri Madhavadeva was the person who introduced Assamese society to the greatness of Lord Krishna’s childhood. Following the footsteps of Sankardeva, Madhavadeva built the Assamese nation-building bridge.
The great man Sri Sri Madhavadeva was born in Narayanpur, Lakhimpur on the date of Krishna Pratipada in the year 1489 AD i.e. 1411 Shaka of Jeth in Indian Calender. That day was Sunday. Madhavadev’s father was Govindagiri and his mother was Manorama. At the time of Madhavdeva’s birth, his parents were in the house of Harshinga Bara Uzir. After his birth he was named as Ratnakar.
This is how Madhavadeva grown up and began to read and write. Madhavdeva acquired knowledge by studying many books over time. After that, he arranged the marriage of his sister Urvashi to Ramdas. Shortly after his sister’s marriage, Madhav went to his father’s house in Banduka with his father Govindagiri. In Banduka, Madhavadeva met Damodar, the son of the first wife of his father Govindagiri. This is how Madhavadeva stayed in Banduka for a long time and his father Govindagiri died there.
After that, Madhavadeva completed his father’s shraddha and left his elder brother Damodara in Banduka and returned to see his mother. His mother Manoroma was very sad after knowing the death of her husband.
After a few years with her mother, Madhavdeva again went to Banduka to meet his brother Damodar and to fetch his belongings. There Madhavadeva was employed as a laborer. But for some of the mistakes in his works Damodar scolded Madhavdeva and sent him back. Madhavadeva claimed his share of the ancestral property and got ready to return. After Damodar shared Madhavdeva’s ancestral property, he returned the same to Damodar and came back to his mother. However, on the way to home Madhavdeva got ill due to chronic cholera disease, his brother did not let him return and took care of him. After recovery, Madhavdeva returned to his home.
On the way back to home, Madhavdeva heard about the serious illness of his mother. And he planned to sacrifice a white goat to the Goddess. But after reaching home he noticed that his mother is already recovered. Shortly afterwards, Madhavadeva asked Ramdas to bring a white goat to offer Goddess due to Gosani Puja(Celebration for Goddess). But Ramdas did not allow Madhavdeva to bring the goat and said that he could not kill the animal. And told that if he kills an animal, he will go to hell. There was a heated argument between Madhavadev and Ramdas. Ramdas said that they both have to go to Sankardeva, so that he will explain the essence of all.
The next day, after the two reached Sankardeva, Ramdas introduced Madhava to Sankardeva and gave a full account. After that arguments started at Belguri Dhuahat in between Sankardeva and Madhavdeva till the end of the day. Finally, Sankardeva ended the argument with the Tarumul verse. And Madhavadeva laid down to Sankardeva considering him as Guru. This moment of Sankara-Madhava alliance is the famous Manikanchan sanjug.
Sri Sri Madhavdeva is an integral part of Assamese social life. Assamese culture, social life and rituals are incomplete without Madhavdeva. He was Sankardeva’s favorite disciple. Sankara-Madhav’s reunion brought a lot of changes to the lives of the people of Assam and the entire Assamese. Everyone should learn from Sri Sri Madhavdeva how to respect the Guru or Teacher i.e. Guru Bhakti. He was a great scholar, but he never disregarded his guru and always obeyed his guru Sankardeva. The name of the great man Sri Sri Madhavdeva will flow forever in Assamese society and the entire Assamese people.