[Advaita-l] Was Madhusudana Sarswati influenced by Gaudiya Vaishnavas?

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Rajaramji,
 
Yes. Madhusudana Saraswati was a bengali by birth and at the time of his birth, Bengal was under the influence of Krishna Chaitanya's Madhura Bhakti Marga. He adopted that. 
 
BTW, the Bhakti in Advaita is defined as "sva-svarUpa anusandhAnaM bhaktiritabhidhIyatE" (vide reference Vivekachudamani).  Further Sankara says that
"svAtma tattvAnusandhAnaM bhaktiritiaparE jaguH".  
 
Shri Chandrasekhara Bharati while commenting this above sentence emphasizes on the word "aparE jaguH".  (Vide reference "bhEda buddhi purassarAyAH bhrAnti rUpAyA asyAH mukhyabhakti tvaM nAstIti sUchitaM").  HH Shri Chandrasekhara Bharati Ji says that the sense of difference that Jivatma & Paramatma are different a Delusion which is not mukhya bhakti.  His Holiness purport is that the culmination of sravaNa & manana that results in Nidhidhyasana is the ONLY Bhakti as per the Sankara Advaita.  
 
regs,
sriram