Prominent mystic poet and leading light of the Utkaliya Vaishavite movement in Odisha, Mahapurush Achyutananda Das was born in Tilakana village near Nemala, Cuttack, to parents Dinabandhu Khuntia and Padmavati in 1485 as a blessing from Bhagawan Garuda. His childhood name was Agani. When he was about 18 years old, he had a mystic dream where the Lord taught him the Gita, the Upanishads and the Tantra. Immediately he went on pilgrimage and met Chaitanya on the way and received initiation from him. Chaitanya asked Sanatana Goswami to take his care and coach him in spiritual knowledge.

Achyutananda married the daughter of Raghurana Champati Rai and stayed in Dhauligram. He had 12 main disciples; the most prominent among them was Ramachandra Das. The King gave him some land in Banki Muhana area of the holy city Puri. The Vij mantra he chanted and taught was the Radha mantra.

Achyutananda is mostly famous for the book of prophecies called Achyutananda Malika, consisting of 13 chapters, describing the future destruction of the town of Puri after Jagannath would be moved out of His temple, and the incarnation of Kalki who will annihilate all the evildoers, starting from Odisha.

Achyutananda also translated into Oriya and commented on Harivamsa. Tattva bodhini, Sunya samhita, Jyoti samhita, Gopala ogala, Anakara Brahma Samhita, Abhayada Kavacha, Astagujari, Sarana panjara stotra, Vipra chalaka, Mana mahima are some of his creations..

He wrote a book about the preaching mission of the Pancha sakhas, the famous Five-Spiritual-Comrades-in-Arms and organised a travelling party of Rahasa kirtana, for which he also wrote several bhajans. It is said that once when he was attacked by a group of Brahmin zealots, he resorted to his laghima siddhi (a yogic feat) by becoming extremely light and floated away in the air.

The teachings of Achyutananda present a fusion of Saguna and Nirguna (Form and Formless) worship, uniting the doctrines of Dvaita (Duality) and Advaita (Non-duality) and knowledge from Upanishads and Kundalini yoga. He left for his heavenly abode on Jyestha sukla Ekadasi.

Poetry

Anthology of Lyrics

Religion & Philosophy

Poem

Hymn