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Adi 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityananda

Chapter 11:

The Expansions of Lord Nityananda

As the branches and subbranches of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu were

described in the Tenth Chapter, in this Eleventh Chapter the branches

and subbranches of Sri Nityananda Prabhu are similarly listed.

Adi 11.1

TEXT 1

TEXT

nityananda-padambhoja-

bhrngan prema-madhunmadan

natvakhilan tesu mukhya

likhyante katicin maya

SYNONYMS

nityananda -- of Lord Sri Nityananda; pada-ambhoja -- lotus feet;

bhrngan -- the bumblebees; prema -- of love of Godhead; madhu -- by the

honey; unmadan -- maddened; natva -- offering obeisances; akhilan -- to

all of them; tesu -- out of them; mukhyah -- the chief; likhyante --

being described; katicit -- a few of them; maya -- by me.

TRANSLATION

After offering my obeisances unto all the devotees of Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, who are like bumblebees collecting honey from His lotus feet, I

shall try to describe those who are the most prominent.

Adi 11.2

TEXT 2

TEXT

jaya jaya mahaprabhu sri-krsna-caitanya

tanhara caranasrita yei, sei dhanya

SYNONYMS

jaya jaya -- all glories; mahaprabhu -- unto Lord Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu; sri-krsna-caitanya -- known as Krsna Caitanya; tanhara

carana-asrita -- all who have taken shelter at His lotus feet; yei --

anyone; sei -- he is; dhanya -- glorious.

TRANSLATION

All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! Anyone who has taken shelter at

His lotus feet is glorious.

Adi 11.3

TEXT 3

TEXT

jaya jaya sri-advaita, jaya nityananda

jaya jaya mahaprabhura sarva-bhakta-vrnda

SYNONYMS

jaya jaya -- all glories; sri-advaita -- unto Sri Advaita Acarya; jaya --

all glories; nityananda -- unto Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu; jaya jaya --

all glories; mahaprabhura -- of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sarva --

all; bhakta-vrnda -- devotees.

TRANSLATION

All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and all the

devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Adi 11.4

TEXT 4

TEXT

tasya sri-krsna-caitanya-

sat-premamara-sakhinah

urdhva-skandhavadhutendoh

sakha-rupan ganan numah

SYNONYMS

tasya -- His; sri-krsna-caitanya -- Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu;

sat-prema -- of eternal love of Godhead; amara -- indestructible;

sakhinah -- of the tree; urdhva -- very high; skandha -- branch;

avadhuta-indoh -- of Sri Nityananda; sakha-rupan -- in the form of

different branches; ganan -- to the devotees; numah -- I offer my

respects.

TRANSLATION

Sri Nityananda Prabhu is the topmost branch of the indestructible tree

of eternal love of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my

respectful obeisances to all the subbranches of that topmost branch.

Adi 11.5

TEXT 5

TEXT

sri-nityananda-vrksera skandha gurutara

tahate janmila sakha-prasakha vistara

SYNONYMS

sri-nityananda-vrksera -- of the tree known as Sri Nityananda; skandha --

main branch; gurutara -- extremely heavy; tahate -- from that branch;

janmila -- grew; sakha -- branches; prasakha -- subbranches; vistara --

expansively.

TRANSLATION

Sri Nityananda Prabhu is an extremely heavy branch of the Sri Caitanya

tree. From that branch grow many branches and subbranches.

Adi 11.6

TEXT 6

TEXT

malakarera iccha jale bade sakha-gana

prema-phula-phale bhari' chaila bhuvana

SYNONYMS

mala-karera -- of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; iccha-jale -- by the water of

His wish; bade -- increase; sakha-gana -- the branches; prema -- love of

Godhead; phula-phale -- with flowers and fruits; bhari' -- filling;

chaila -- covered; bhuvana -- the whole world.

TRANSLATION

Watered by the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, these branches and

subbranches have grown unlimitedly and covered the entire world with

fruits and flowers.

Adi 11.7

TEXT 7

TEXT

asankhya ananta gana ke karu ganana

apana sodhite kahi mukhya mukhya jana

SYNONYMS

asankhya -- innumerable; ananta -- unlimited; gana -- devotees; ke --

who; karu -- can; ganana -- count; apana -- the self; sodhite -- to

purify; kahi -- I speak; mukhya mukhya -- only the chief; jana --

persons.

TRANSLATION

These branches and subbranches of devotees are innumerable and unlimited.

Who could count them? For my personal purification I shall try to

enumerate only the most prominent among them.

PURPORT

One should not write books or essays on transcendental subject matter

for material name, fame or profit. Transcendental literature must be

written under the direction of a superior authority because it is not

meant for material purposes. If one tries to write under superior

authority, he becomes purified. All Krsna conscious activities should be

undertaken for personal purification (apana sodhite), not for material

gain.

Adi 11.8

TEXT 8

TEXT

sri-virabhadra gosani -- skandha-mahasakha

tanra upasakha yata, asankhya tara lekha

SYNONYMS

sri-virabhadra gosani -- Sri Virabhadra Gosani; skandha -- of the trunk;

maha-sakha -- the biggest branch; tanra -- his; upasakha -- subbranches;

yata -- all; asankhya -- innumerable; tara -- of that; lekha -- the

description.

TRANSLATION

After Nityananda Prabhu, the greatest branch is Virabhadra Gosani, who

also has innumerable branches and subbranches. It is not possible to

describe them all.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "

Virabhadra Gosani was the direct son of Srila Nityananda Prabhu and a

disciple of Jahnava-devi. His real mother was Vasudha. In the Gaura-

ganoddesa-dipika (67) He is mentioned as an incarnation of Ksirodakasayi

Visnu. Therefore Virabhadra Gosani is nondifferent from Sri Krsna

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In a village of the name Jhamatapura, in the

district of Hugli, Virabhadra Gosani had a disciple named Yadunathacarya,

who had two daughters -- a real daughter named Srimati and a foster

daughter named Narayani. Both these daughters married, and they are

mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Thirteenth Wave). Virabhadra Gosani

had three disciples who are celebrated as his sons -- Gopijana-vallabha,

Ramakrsna and Ramacandra. The youngest, Ramacandra, belonged to the

Sandilya dynasty and had the surname Vatavyala. He established his

family at Khadadaha, and its members are known as the gosvamis of

Khadadaha. The eldest disciple, Gopijana-vallabha, was a resident of a

village known as Lata, near the Manakara railway station in the district

of Burdwan. The second, Ramakrsna, lived near Maladaha, in a village

named Gayesapura." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura notes that

since these three disciples belonged to different gotras, or dynasties,

and also had different surnames and lived in different places, it is not

possible to accept them as real sons of Virabhadra Gosani. Ramacandra

had four sons, of whom the eldest was Radhamadhava, whose third son was

named Yadavendra. Yadavendra's son was Nandakisora, his son was

Nidhikrsna, his son was Caitanyacanda, his son was Krsnamohana, his son

was Jaganmohana, his son was Vrajanatha, and his son was Syamalala

Gosvami. This is the genealogical table given by Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakura for the descendants of Virabhadra Gosani.

Adi 11.9

TEXT 9

TEXT

isvara ha-iya kahaya maha-bhagavata

veda-dharmatita hana veda-dharme rata

SYNONYMS

isvara -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ha-iya -- being; kahaya --

calls Himself; maha-bhagavata -- great devotee; veda-dharma -- the

principles of Vedic religion; atita -- transcendental; hana -- being;

veda-dharme -- in the Vedic system; rata -- engaged.

TRANSLATION

Although Virabhadra Gosani was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He

presented Himself as a great devotee. And although the Supreme Godhead

is transcendental to all Vedic injunctions, He strictly followed the

Vedic rituals.

Adi 11.10

TEXT 10

TEXT

antare isvara-cesta, bahire nirdambha

caitanya-bhakti-mandape tenho mula-stambha

SYNONYMS

antare -- within Himself; isvara-cesta -- the activities of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead; bahire -- externally; nirdambha -- without pride;

caitanya-bhakti-mandape -- in the devotional hall of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu; tenho -- He is; mula-stambha -- the main pillar.

TRANSLATION

He is the main pillar in the hall of devotional service erected by Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew within Himself that He acted as the Supreme

Lord Visnu, but externally He was prideless.

Adi 11.11

TEXT 11

TEXT

adyapi yanhara krpa-mahima ha-ite

caitanya-nityananda gaya sakala jagate

SYNONYMS

adyapi -- until today; yanhara -- whose; krpa -- mercy; mahima --

glorious; ha-ite -- from; caitanya-nityananda -- Sri Caitanya-Nityananda;

gaya -- sing; sakala -- all; jagate -- in the world.

TRANSLATION

It is by the glorious mercy of Sri Virabhadra Gosani that people all

over the world now have the chance to chant the names of Caitanya and

Nityananda.

Adi 11.12

TEXT 12

TEXT

sei virabhadra-gosanira la-inu sarana

yanhara prasade haya abhista-purana

SYNONYMS

sei -- that; virabhadra-gosanira -- of Sri Virabhadra Gosani; la-inu --

I take; sarana -- shelter; yanhara -- whose; prasade -- by mercy; haya --

it becomes so; abhista-purana -- fulfillment of desire.

TRANSLATION

I therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of Virabhadra Gosani, so that

by His mercy my great desire to write Sri Caitanya-caritamrta will be

properly guided.

Adi 11.13

TEXT 13

TEXT

sri-ramadasa ara, gadadhara dasa

caitanya-gosanira bhakta rahe tanra pasa

SYNONYMS

sri-ramadasa -- Sri Ramadasa; ara -- and; gadadhara dasa -- Gadadhara

dasa; caitanya-gosanira -- of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta --

devotees; rahe -- stay; tanra pasa -- with Him.

TRANSLATION

Two devotees of Lord Caitanya named Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa

always lived with Sri Virabhadra Gosani.

PURPORT

Sri Ramadasa, later known as Abhirama Thakura, was one of the twelve

gopalas, or cowherd boyfriends, of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Gaura-

ganoddesa-dipika (126) states that Sri Ramadasa was formerly Sridama. In

the Bhakti-ratnakara (Fourth Wave), there is a description of Srila

Abhirama Thakura. By the order of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Abhirama

Thakura became a great acarya and preacher of the Caitanya cult of

devotional service. He was a very influential personality, and

nondevotees were very much afraid of him. Empowered by Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was extremely kind to all fallen

souls. It is said that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than

a salagrama-sila, it would immediately fracture.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Ten

miles southwest of the Canpadanga railway station on the narrow-gauge

railway line from Howrah, in Calcutta, to Amta, a village in the Hugli

district, is a small town named Khanakula-krsnanagara, where the temple

in which Abhirama Thakura worshiped is situated. During the rainy season,

when this area is inundated with water, people must go there by another

line, which is now called the South Eastern Railway. On this line there

is a station named Kolaghata, from which one has to go by steamer to

Ranicaka. Seven and a half miles north of Ranicaka is Khanakula. The

temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped is situated in Krsnanagara,

which is near the kula (bank) of the Khana (Dvarakesvara River);

therefore this place is celebrated as Khanakula-krsnanagara. Outside of

the temple is a bakula tree. This place is known as Siddha-bakula-kunja.

It is said that when Abhirama Thakura came there, he sat down under this

tree. In Khanakula-krsnanagara there is a big fair held every year in

the month of Caitra [March-April] on the Krsna-saptami, the seventh day

of the dark moon. Many hundreds and thousands of people gather for this

festival. The temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped has a very old

history. The Deity in the temple is known as Gopinatha. There are many

sevaita families living near the temple. It is said that Abhirama

Thakura had a whip and that whoever he touched with it would immediately

become an elevated devotee of Krsna. Among his many disciples, Sriman

Srinivasa Acarya was the most famous and the most dear, but it is

doubtful that he was his initiated disciple."

Adi 11.14–15

TEXTS 14–15

TEXT

nityanande ajna dila yabe gaude yaite

mahaprabhu ei dui dila tanra sathe

ataeva dui-gane dunhara ganana

madhava-vasudeva ghoserao ei vivarana

SYNONYMS

nityanande -- unto Lord Nityananda; ajna -- order; dila -- gave; yabe --

when; gaude -- to Bengal; yaite -- to go; mahaprabhu -- Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu; ei dui -- these two; dila -- gave; tanra sathe -- with Him;

ataeva -- therefore; dui-gane -- in both the parties; dunhara -- two of

them; ganana -- are counted; madhava -- Madhava; vasudeva -- Vasudeva;

ghoserao -- of the surname Ghosa; ei -- this; vivarana -- description.

TRANSLATION

When Nityananda Prabhu was ordered to go to Bengal to preach, these two

devotees [Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa] were ordered to go with Him.

Thus they are sometimes counted among the devotees of Lord Caitanya and

sometimes among the devotees of Lord Nityananda. Similarly, Madhava

Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa belonged to both groups of devotees

simultaneously.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "There

is a place named Danihata, near the Agradvipa railway station and Patuli

in the district of Burdwan, where the Deity of Sri Gopinathaji is still

situated. This Deity accepted Govinda Ghosa as His father. Even until

today, the Deity performs the sraddha ceremony on the anniversary of the

death of Govinda Ghosa. The temple of this Deity is managed by the raja-

vamsa family of Krsnanagara, whose members are descendants of Raja

Krsnacandra. Every year in the month of Vaisakha, when there is a

baradola ceremony, this Gopinatha Deity is taken to Krsnanagara. The

ceremony is performed with eleven other Deities, and then Sri

Gopinathaji is brought back to the temple in Agradvipa."

Adi 11.16

TEXT 16

TEXT

ramadasa -- mukhya-sakha, sakhya-prema-rasi

solasangera kastha yei tuli' kaila vamsi

SYNONYMS

rama-dasa -- Ramadasa; mukhya-sakha -- chief branch; sakhya-prema-rasi --

full of fraternal love; solasa-angera -- of sixteen knots; kastha --

wood; yei -- that; tuli' -- raising; kaila -- made; vamsi -- flute.

TRANSLATION

Ramadasa, one of the chief branches, was full of fraternal love of

Godhead. He made a flute from a stick with sixteen knots.

Adi 11.17

TEXT 17

TEXT

gadadhara dasa gopibhave purnananda

yanra ghare danakeli kaila nityananda

SYNONYMS

gadadhara dasa -- Gadadhara dasa; gopi-bhave -- in the ecstasy of the

gopis; purna-ananda -- fully in transcendental bliss; yanra ghare -- in

whose house; dana-keli -- performance of danakeli-lila; kaila -- did;

nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

TRANSLATION

Srila Gadadhara dasa was always fully absorbed in ecstasy as a gopi. In

his house Lord Nityananda enacted the drama Dana-keli.

Adi 11.18

TEXT 18

TEXT

sri-madhava ghosa -- mukhya kirtaniya-gane

nityananda-prabhu nrtya kare yanra gane

SYNONYMS

sri-madhava ghosa -- Sri Madhava Ghosa; mukhya -- chief; kirtaniya-gane -

- amongst the performers of sankirtana; nityananda-prabhu -- Nityananda

Prabhu; nrtya -- dance; kare -- does; yanra -- whose; gane -- in song.

TRANSLATION

Sri Madhava Ghosa was a principal performer of kirtana. While he sang,

Nityananda Prabhu danced.

Adi 11.19

TEXT 19

TEXT

vasudeva gite kare prabhura varnane

kastha-pasana drave yahara sravane

SYNONYMS

vasudeva -- Vasudeva; gite -- while singing; kare -- does; prabhura --

of Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; varnane -- in

description; kastha -- wood; pasana -- stone; drave -- melt; yahara --

whose; sravane -- by hearing.

TRANSLATION

When Vasudeva Ghosa described Lord Caitanya and Nityananda while

performing kirtana, even wood and stone would melt upon hearing it.

Adi 11.20

TEXT 20

TEXT

murari-caitanya-dasera alaukika lila

vyaghra-gale cada mare, sarpa-sane khela

SYNONYMS

murari -- Murari; caitanya-dasera -- of the servant of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu; alaukika -- uncommon; lila -- pastimes; vyaghra -- tiger;

gale -- on the cheek; cada mare -- slaps; sarpa -- a snake; sane -- with;

khela -- playing.

TRANSLATION

There were many extraordinary activities performed by Murari, a great

devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes in his ecstasy he would

slap the cheek of a tiger, and sometimes he would play with a venomous

snake.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Murari

Caitanya dasa was born in the village of Sar-vrndavana-pura, which is

situated about two miles from the Galasi station on the Burdwan line.

When Murari Caitanya dasa came to Navadvipa, he settled in the village

of Modadruma, or Mamagachi-grama. At that time he became known as Sarnga

or Saranga Murari Caitanya dasa. The descendants of his family still

reside in Sarer Pada. In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter

Five, there is the following statement: ‘Murari Caitanya dasa had no

material bodily features, for he was completely spiritual. Thus he would

sometimes chase after tigers in the jungle and treat them just like cats

and dogs. He would slap the cheek of a tiger and take a venomous snake

on his lap. He had no fear for his external body, of which he was

completely forgetful. He could spend all twenty-four hours of the day

chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra or speaking about Lord Caitanya and

Nityananda. Sometimes he would remain submerged in water for two or

three days, but he would feel no bodily inconvenience. Thus he behaved

almost like stone or wood, but he always used his energy in chanting the

Hare Krsna maha-mantra. No one can describe his specific characteristics,

but it is understood that wherever Murari Caitanya dasa passed, whoever

was present would be enlightened in Krsna consciousness simply by the

atmosphere he created.'"

Adi 11.21

TEXT 21

TEXT

nityanandera gana yata -- saba vraja-sakha

srnga-vetra-gopavesa, sire sikhi-pakha

SYNONYMS

nityanandera -- of Lord Nityananda Prabhu; gana -- followers; yata --

all; saba -- all; vraja-sakha -- residents of Vrndavana; srnga -- horn;

vetra -- cane stick; gopa-vesa -- dressed like a cowherd boy; sire -- on

the head; sikhi-pakha -- the plume of a peacock.

TRANSLATION

All the associates of Lord Nityananda were formerly cowherd boys in

Vrajabhumi. Their symbolic representations were the horns and sticks

they carried, their cowherd dress and the peacock plumes on their heads.

PURPORT

Jahnava-mata is also within the list of Lord Nityananda's followers. She

is described in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (66) as Ananga-manjari of

Vrndavana. All the devotees who are followers of Jahnava-mata are

counted within the list of Sri Nityananda Prabhu's devotees.

Adi 11.22

TEXT 22

TEXT

raghunatha vaidya upadhyaya mahasaya

yanhara darsane krsna-prema-bhakti haya

SYNONYMS

raghunatha vaidya -- the physician Raghunatha; upadhyaya mahasaya -- a

great personality with the title Upadhyaya; yanhara -- whose; darsane --

by visiting; krsna-prema -- love of Krsna; bhakti -- devotional service;

haya -- awakened.

TRANSLATION

The physician Raghunatha, also known as Upadhyaya, was so great a

devotee that simply by seeing him one would awaken his dormant love of

Godhead.

Adi 11.23

TEXT 23

TEXT

sundarananda -- nityanandera sakha, bhrtya marma

yanra sange nityananda kare vraja-narma

SYNONYMS

sundarananda -- Sundarananda; nityanandera sakha -- a branch of

Nityananda Prabhu; bhrtya marma -- very intimate servant; yanra sange --

with whom; nityananda -- Lord Nityananda; kare -- performs; vraja-narma -

- activities of Vrndavana.

TRANSLATION

Sundarananda, another branch of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, was Lord

Nityananda's most intimate servant. Lord Nityananda Prabhu perceived the

life of Vrajabhumi in his company.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "In the

Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Five, it is stated that

Sundarananda was an ocean of love of Godhead and the chief associate of

Sri Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (127) he is stated

to have been Sudama in krsna-lila. Thus he was one of the twelve cowherd

boys who came down with Balarama when He descended as Sri Nityananda

Prabhu. The holy place where Sundarananda lived is situated in the

village known as Mahesapura, which is about fourteen miles east of the

Majadiya railway station of the Eastern Railway from Calcutta to Burdwan.

This place is within the district of Jessore, [which is now in

Bangladesh]. Among the relics of this village, only the old residential

house of Sundarananda still exists. At the end of the village resides a

baula [pseudo Vaisnava], and all the buildings, both the temples and the

house, appear to be newly constructed. In Mahesapura there are Deities

of Sri Radhavallabha and Sri Sri Radharamana. Near the temple is a small

river of the name Vetravati.

"Sundarananda Prabhu was a naisthika-brahmacari: he never married in his

life. Therefore he had no direct descendants except his disciples, but

the descendants of his family still reside in the village known as

Mangaladihi in the district of Birbhum. In that same village is a temple

of Balarama, and the Deity there is regularly worshiped. The original

Deity of Mahesapura, Radhavallabha, was taken by the Saidabad Gosvamis

of Berhampur, and since the present Deities were installed, a zamindar

family of Mahesapura has looked after Their worship. On the full-moon

day of the month of Magha (January-February), the anniversary of

Sundarananda's disappearance is regularly celebrated, and people from

the neighboring areas gather together to observe this festival."

Adi 11.24

TEXT 24

TEXT

kamalakara pippalai -- alaukika rita

alaukika prema tanra bhuvane vidita

SYNONYMS

kamalakara pippalai -- Kamalakara Pippalai; alaukika -- uncommon; rita --

behavior or pastime; alaukika -- uncommon; prema -- love of Godhead;

tanra -- his; bhuvane -- in the world; vidita -- celebrated.

TRANSLATION

Kamalakara Pippalai is said to have been the third gopala. His behavior

and love of Godhead were uncommon, and thus he is celebrated all over

the world.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "In the

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (128) Kamalakara Pippalai is described as the

third gopala. His former name was Mahabala. The Jagannatha Deity at

Mahesa in Sri Ramapura was installed by Kamalakara Pippalai. This

village of Mahesa is situated about two and a half miles from the Sri

Ramapura railway station. The genealogy of the family of Kamalakara

Pippalai is given as follows. Kamalakara Pippalai had a son named

Caturbhuja, who had two sons named Narayana and Jagannatha. Narayana had

one son named Jagadananda, and his son's name was Rajivalocana. During

the time of Rajivalocana, there was a scarcity of finances for the

worship of the Jagannatha Deity, and it is said that the Nawab of Dacca,

whose name was Shah Suja, donated 1,185 bighas of land [about 395 acres]

in the Bengali year 1060 [A.D. 1653]. The land being the possession of

Jagannatha, the village was named Jagannatha-pura. It is said that when

Kamalakara Pippalai left home his younger brother Nidhipati Pippalai

searched for him and in due course of time found him in the village of

Mahesa. Nidhipati Pippalai tried his best to bring his elder brother

home, but he would not return. Under these circumstances, Nidhipati

Pippalai, with all his family members, came to Mahesa to reside. The

members of this family still reside in the vicinity of the Mahesa

village. Their family name is Adhikari, and they are a brahmana family.

"The history of the Jagannatha temple in Mahesa is as follows. One

devotee of the name Dhruvananda went to see Lord Jagannatha, Balarama

and Subhadra at Jagannatha Puri, wanting to offer food to Jagannathaji

that he had cooked with his own hands. This being his desire, one night

Jagannathaji appeared to him in a dream and asked him to go to Mahesa on

the bank of the Ganges and there start worship of Him in a temple. Thus

Dhruvananda went to Mahesa, where he saw the three deities -- Jagannatha,

Balarama and Subhadra -- floating in the Ganges. He picked up all those

deities and installed them in a small cottage, and with great

satisfaction he executed the worship of Lord Jagannatha. When he became

old, he was very anxious to hand over the worship to the charge of

someone reliable, and in a dream he got permission from Jagannatha

Prabhu to hand it over to a person whom he would meet the next morning.

The next morning he met Kamalakara Pippalai, who was formerly an

inhabitant of the village Khalijuli in the Sundaravana forest area of

Bengal and was a pure Vaisnava, a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha; thus

he immediately gave him charge of the worship. In this way, Kamalakara

Pippalai became the worshiper of Lord Jagannatha, and since then his

family members have been designated as Adhikari, which means ‘one who is

empowered to worship the Lord.' These Adhikaris belong to a respectable

brahmana family. Five types of upper-class brahmanas are recognized by

the surname Pippalai."

Adi 11.25

TEXT 25

TEXT

suryadasa sarakhela, tanra bhai krsnadasa

nityanande drdha visvasa, premera nivasa

SYNONYMS

suryadasa sarakhela -- Suryadasa Sarakhela; tanra bhai -- his brother;

krsnadasa -- Krsnadasa; nityanande -- unto Lord Nityananda; drdha

visvasa -- firm faith; premera nivasa -- the reservoir of all love of

Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Suryadasa Sarakhela and his younger brother Krsnadasa Sarakhela both

possessed firm faith in Nityananda Prabhu. They were a reservoir of love

of Godhead.

PURPORT

In the Bhakti-ratnakara (Twelfth Wave), it is stated that a few miles

from Navadvipa is a place called Saligrama that was the residence of

Suryadasa Sarakhela. He was employed as a secretary in the Muslim

government of that time, and thus he amassed a good fortune. Suryadasa

had four brothers, all of whom were pure Vaisnavas. Vasudha and Jahnava

were two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhela.

Adi 11.26

TEXT 26

TEXT

gauridasa pandita yanra premoddanda-bhakti

krsna-prema dite, nite, dhare mahasakti

SYNONYMS

gauridasa pandita -- Gauridasa Pandita; yanra -- whose; prema-uddanda-

bhakti -- the most elevated in love of Godhead and devotional service;

krsna-prema -- love of Krsna; dite -- to deliver; nite -- and to receive;

dhare -- empowered; mahasakti -- great potency.

TRANSLATION

Gauridasa Pandita, the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in

love of Godhead, had the greatest potency to receive and deliver such

love.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "It is

said that Gauridasa Pandita was always patronized by King Krsnadasa, the

son of Harihoda. Gauridasa Pandita lived in the village of Saligrama,

which is situated a few miles from the railway station Mudagacha, and

later he came to reside in Ambika-kalana. It is stated in the Gaura-

ganoddesa-dipika (128) that formerly he was Subala, one of the cowherd

boyfriends of Krsna and Balarama in Vrndavana. Gauridasa Pandita was the

younger brother of Suryadasa Sarakhela, and with the permission of his

elder brother he shifted his residence to the bank of the Ganges, living

there in the town known as Ambika-kalana. Some of the names of the

descendants of Gauridasa Pandita are as follows: (1) Sri Nrsimha-

caitanya, (2) Krsnadasa, (3) Visnudasa, (4) Bada Balarama dasa, (5)

Govinda, (6) Raghunatha, (7) Badu Gangadasa, (8) Auliya Gangarama, (9)

Yadavacarya, (10) Hrdaya-caitanya, (11) Canda Haladara, (12) Mahesa

Pandita, (13) Mukuta Raya, (14) Bhatuya Gangarama, (15) Auliya Caitanya,

(16) Kaliya Krsnadasa, (17) Patuya Gopala, (18) Bada Jagannatha, (19)

Nityananda, (20) Bhavi, (21) Jagadisa, (22) Raiya Krsnadasa and (221/2)

Annapurna. The eldest son of Gauridasa Pandita was known as big Balarama,

and the youngest was known as Raghunatha. The sons of Raghunatha were

Mahesa Pandita and Govinda. Gauridasa Pandita's daughter was known as

Annapurna.

"The village Ambika-kalana, which is situated just across the river

Ganges from Santipura, is two miles east of the Kalana-korta railway

station, on the Eastern Railway. In Ambika-kalana there is a temple

constructed by the zamindar of Burdwan. In front of the temple there is

a big tamarind tree, and it is said that Gauridasa Pandita and Lord

Caitanya Mahaprabhu met underneath this tree. The place where the temple

is situated is known as Ambika, and because it is in the area of Kalana,

the village is known as Ambika-kalana. It is said that a copy of the

Bhagavad-gita written by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu still exists in this

temple."

Adi 11.27

TEXT 27

TEXT

nityanande samarpila jati-kula-panti

sri-caitanya-nityanande kari pranapati

SYNONYMS

nityanande -- to Lord Nityananda; samarpila -- he offered; jati -- caste

distinction; kula -- family; panti -- fellowship; sri-caitanya -- Lord

Caitanya; nityanande -- in Lord Nityananda; kari -- making; prana-pati --

the Lords of his life.

TRANSLATION

Making Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda the Lords of his life,

Gauridasa Pandita sacrificed everything for the service of Lord

Nityananda, even the fellowship of his own family.

Adi 11.28

TEXT 28

TEXT

nityananda prabhura priya -- pandita purandara

premarnava-madhye phire yaichana mandara

SYNONYMS

nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu; prabhura -- of the Lord; priya --

very dear; pandita purandara -- Pandita Purandara; prema-arnava-madhye --

in the ocean of love of Godhead; phire -- moved; yaichana -- exactly

like; mandara -- the Mandara Hill.

TRANSLATION

The thirteenth important devotee of Sri Nityananda Prabhu was Pandita

Purandara, who moved in the ocean of love of Godhead just like the

Mandara Hill.

PURPORT

Pandita Purandara met Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Khadadaha. When

Nityananda Prabhu visited this village, He danced very uncommonly, and

His dancing captivated Purandara Pandita. The pandita was in the top of

a tree, and upon seeing the dancing of Nityananda he jumped down on the

ground and proclaimed himself to be Angada, one of the devotees in the

camp of Hanuman during the pastimes of Lord Ramacandra.

Adi 11.29

TEXT 29

TEXT

paramesvara-dasa -- nityanandaika-sarana

krsna-bhakti paya, tanre ye kare smarana

SYNONYMS

paramesvara-dasa -- Paramesvara dasa; nityananda-eka-sarana --

completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda; krsna-bhakti

paya -- gets love of Krsna; tanre -- him; ye -- anyone; kare -- does;

smarana -- remembering.

TRANSLATION

Paramesvara dasa, said to be the fifth gopala of krsna-lila, completely

surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda. Anyone who remembers his

name, Paramesvara dasa, will get love of Krsna very easily.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The

Caitanya-bhagavata states that Paramesvara dasa, known sometimes as

Paramesvari dasa, was the life and soul of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The

body of Paramesvara dasa was the place of Lord Nityananda's pastimes.

Paramesvara dasa, who lived for some time at Khadadaha village, was

always filled with the ecstasy of a cowherd boy. Formerly he was Arjuna,

a friend of Krsna and Balarama. He was the fifth among the twelve

gopalas. He accompanied Srimati Jahnava-devi when she performed the

festival at Khetari. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnakara that by the

order of Srimati Jahnava-mata, he installed Radha-Gopinatha in the

temple at Atapura, in the district of Hugli. The Atapura station is on

the narrow-gauge railway line between Howrah and Amata. Another temple

in Atapura, established by the Mitra family, is known as the Radha-

Govinda temple. In front of the temple, in a very attractive place among

two bakula trees and a kadamba tree, is the tomb of Paramesvari Thakura,

and above it is an altar with a tulasi bush. It is said that only one

flower a year comes out of the kadamba tree. It is offered to the Deity.

"Paramesvari Thakura belonged, it is said, to a vaidya family. A

descendant of his brother's is at present a worshiper in the temple.

Some of their family members still reside in the district of Hugli, near

the post office of Canditala. The descendants of Paramesvari Thakura

took many disciples from brahmana families, but as these descendants

gradually took to the profession of physicians, persons from brahmana

families ceased becoming their disciples. The family titles of

Paramesvari's descendants are Adhikari and Gupta. Unfortunately, his

family members do not worship the Deity directly; they have engaged paid

brahmanas to worship the Deity. In the temple, Baladeva and Sri Sri

Radha-Gopinatha are together on the throne. It is supposed that the

Deity of Baladeva was installed later because according to

transcendental mellow, Baladeva, Krsna and Radha cannot stay on the same

throne. On the full-moon day of Vaisakha (April -- May), the

disappearance festival of Paramesvari Thakura is observed in this temple.

Adi 11.30

TEXT 30

TEXT

jagadisa pandita haya jagat-pavana

krsna-premamrta varse, yena varsa ghana

SYNONYMS

jagadisa pandita -- Jagadisa Pandita; haya -- becomes; jagat-pavana --

the deliverer of the world; krsna-prema-amrta varse -- he always pours

torrents of devotional service; yena -- like; varsa -- rainfall; ghana --

heavy.

TRANSLATION

Jagadisa Pandita, the fifteenth branch of Lord Nityananda's followers,

was the deliverer of the entire world. Devotional love of Krsna showered

from him like torrents of rain.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "

Descriptions of Jagadisa Pandita are available from the Caitanya-

bhagavata, Adi-khanda, Chapter Six, and the Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-

lila, Chapter Fourteen. He belonged to the village of Yasada-grama, in

the district of Nadia near the Cakadaha railway station. His father, the

son of Bhatta Narayana, was named Kamalaksa. Both his father and mother

were great devotees of Lord Visnu, and after their death, Jagadisa, with

his wife Duhkhini and brother Mahesa, left his birthplace and came to

Sri Mayapur to live in the company of Jagannatha Misra and other

Vaisnavas. Lord Caitanya asked Jagadisa to go to Jagannatha Puri to

preach the hari-nama-sankirtana movement. After returning from

Jagannatha Puri, on the order of Lord Jagannatha he established Deities

of Jagannatha in the village of Yasada-grama. It is said that when

Jagadisa Pandita brought the Deity of Jagannatha to Yasada-grama, he

tied the heavy Deity to a stick and thus brought Him to the village. The

priests of the temple still show the stick used by Jagadisa Pandita to

carry the Jagannatha Deity."

Adi 11.31

TEXT 31

nityananda-priyabhrtya pandita dhananjaya

atyanta virakta, sada krsna-premamaya

SYNONYMS

nityananda-priya-bhrtya -- another dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu;

pandita dhananjaya -- Pandita Dhananjaya; atyanta -- very much; virakta -

- renounced; sada -- always; krsna-prema-maya -- merged in love of Krsna.

TRANSLATION

The sixteenth dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu was Dhananjaya Pandita.

He was very much renounced and always merged in love of Krsna.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "

Pandita Dhananjaya was a resident of the village in Katwa named Sitala.

He was one of the twelve gopalas. His former name, according to the

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (127), was Vasudama. Sitala-grama is situated

near the Mangalakota police station and Kaicara post office in the

district of Burdwan. On the narrow railway from Burdwan to Katwa is a

railway station about nine miles from Katwa known as Kaicara. One has to

go about a mile northeast of this station to reach Sitala. The temple

was a thatched house with walls made of dirt. Some time ago, the

zamindars of Bajaravana Kabasi, the Mulliks, constructed a big house for

the purpose of a temple, but for the last sixty-five years the temple

has been broken down and abandoned. The foundation of the old temple is

still visible. There is a tulasi pillar near the temple, and every year

during the month of Kartika (October-November) the disappearance day of

Dhananjaya is observed. It is said that for some time Pandita Dhananjaya

was in a sankirtana party under the direction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,

and then he went to Vrndavana. Before going to Vrndavana, he lived for

some time in a village named Sancadapancada, which is six miles south of

the Memari railway station. Sometimes this village is also known as ‘the

place of Dhananjaya' (Dhananjayera Pata). After some time, he left the

responsibility for worship with a disciple and went back to Vrndavana.

After returning from Vrndavana to Sitala-grama, he established a Deity

of Gaurasundara in the temple. The descendants of Pandita Dhananjaya

still live in Sitala-grama and look after the temple worship."

Adi 11.32

TEXT 32

TEXT

mahesa pandita -- vrajera udara gopala

dhakka-vadye nrtya kare preme matoyala

SYNONYMS

mahesa pandita -- Mahesa Pandita; vrajera -- of Vrndavana; udara -- very

liberal; gopala -- cowherd boy; dhakka-vadye -- with the beating of a

kettledrum; nrtya kare -- used to dance; preme -- in love; matoyala --

as if a madman.

TRANSLATION

Mahesa Pandita, the seventh of the twelve gopalas, was very liberal. In

great love of Krsna he danced to the beating of a kettledrum like a

madman.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The

village of Mahesa Pandita, which is known as Palapada, is situated in

the district of Nadia within a forest about one mile south of the

Cakadaha railway station. The Ganges flows nearby. It is said that

formerly Mahesa Pandita lived on the eastern side of Jirat in the

village known as Masipura or Yasipura, and when Masipura merged into the

riverbed of the Ganges, the Deities there were brought to Palapada,

which is situated in the midst of various villages such as Beledanga,

Berigrama, Sukhasagara, Candude and Manasapota. (There are about

fourteen villages, and the entire neighborhood is known as Pancanagara

Paragana.) It is mentioned that Mahesa Pandita joined the festival

performed by Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Panihati. Narottama dasa Thakura

also joined in the festival, and Mahesa Pandita saw him on that occasion.

In the temple of Mahesa Pandita there are Deities of Gaura-Nityananda,

Sri Gopinatha, Sri Madana-mohana and Radha-Govinda, as well as a

salagrama-sila."

Adi 11.33

TEXT 33

TEXT

navadvipe purusottama pandita mahasaya

nityananda-name yanra mahonmada haya

SYNONYMS

navadvipe purusottama -- Purusottama of Navadvipa; pandita mahasaya -- a

very learned scholar; nityananda-name -- in the name of Lord Nityananda

Prabhu; yanra -- whose; maha-unmada -- great ecstasy; haya -- becomes.

TRANSLATION

Purusottama Pandita, a resident of Navadvipa, was the eighth gopala. He

would become almost mad as soon as he heard the holy name of Nityananda

Prabhu.

PURPORT

It is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata that Purusottama Pandita was born

in Navadvipa and was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. As one

of the twelve gopalas, his former name was Stokakrsna.

Adi 11.34

TEXT 34

TEXT

balarama dasa -- krsna-prema-rasasvadi

nityananda-name haya parama unmadi

SYNONYMS

balarama-dasa -- Balarama dasa; krsna-prema-rasa -- the nectar of always

merging in love of Krsna; asvadi -- fully tasting; nityananda-name -- in

the name of Sri Nityananda Prabhu; haya -- becomes; parama -- greatly;

unmadi -- maddened.

TRANSLATION

Balarama dasa always fully tasted the nectar of love of Krsna. Upon

hearing the name of Nityananda Prabhu, he would become greatly maddened.

Adi 11.35

TEXT 35

TEXT

maha-bhagavata yadunatha kavicandra

yanhara hrdaye nrtya kare nityananda

SYNONYMS

maha-bhagavata -- a great devotee; yadunatha kavicandra -- Yadunatha

Kavicandra; yanhara -- whose; hrdaye -- in the heart; nrtya -- dancing;

kare -- does; nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

TRANSLATION

Yadunatha Kavicandra was a great devotee. Lord Nityananda Prabhu always

danced in his heart.

PURPORT

In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter One, it is said that a

gentleman known as Ratnagarbha Acarya was a friend of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's father. They had been residents of the same village.

Ratnagarbha Acarya had three sons -- Krsnananda, Jiva and Yadunatha

Kavicandra.

Adi 11.36

TEXT 36

TEXT

radhe yanra janma krsnadasa dvijavara

sri-nityanandera tenho parama kinkara

SYNONYMS

radhe -- in West Bengal; yanra -- whose; janma -- birth; krsnadasa --

Krsnadasa; dvija-vara -- the best brahmana; sri-nityanandera -- of

Nityananda Prabhu; tenho -- he; parama -- first-class; kinkara --

servant.

TRANSLATION

The twenty-first devotee of Sri Nityananda in Bengal was Krsnadasa

Brahmana, who was a first-class servant of the Lord.

PURPORT

In this verse the word radhe refers to Radhadesa, the part of Bengal

where the Ganges does not flow.

Adi 11.37

TEXT 37

TEXT

kala-krsnadasa bada vaisnava-pradhana

nityananda-candra vinu nahi jane ana

SYNONYMS

kala-krsnadasa -- Kala Krsnadasa; bada -- great; vaisnava-pradhana --

first-class Vaisnava; nityananda-candra -- Lord Nityananda; vinu --

except; nahi jane -- he did not know; ana -- of anything else.

TRANSLATION

The twenty-second devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kala Krsnadasa,

who was the ninth cowherd boy. He was a first-class Vaisnava and did not

know anything beyond Nityananda Prabhu.

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (132) it is said that Kala Krsnadasa, who

was also known as Kaliya Krsnadasa, was formerly a gopa (cowherd boy) of

the name Lavanga. He was one of the twelve cowherd boys.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Kaliya

Krsnadasa had his headquarters in a village named Akaihata, which is

situated in the district of Burdwan within the jurisdiction of the post

office and police station of Katwa. It is situated on the road to

Navadvipa. To reach Akaihata, one has to go from the Byandel junction

station to the Katwa railway station and then go about two miles, or one

has to get off at the Danihata station and from there go one mile. The

village of Akaihata is very small. In the month of Caitra, on the day of

Varuni, there is a festival commemorating the disappearance day of Kala

Krsnadasa."

Adi 11.38

TEXT 38

TEXT

sri-sadasiva kaviraja -- bada mahasaya

sri-purusottama-dasa -- tanhara tanaya

SYNONYMS

sri-sadasiva kaviraja -- Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja; bada -- great; mahasaya -

- respectable gentleman; sri-purusottama-dasa -- Sri Purusottama dasa;

tanhara tanaya -- his son.

TRANSLATION

The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda

Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the

tenth gopala.

Adi 11.39

TEXT 39

TEXT

ajanma nimagna nityanandera carane

nirantara balya-lila kare krsna-sane

SYNONYMS

ajanma -- from birth; nimagna -- merged; nityanandera -- of Lord

Nityananda Prabhu; carane -- in the lotus feet; nirantara -- always;

balya-lila -- childish play; kare -- does; krsna-sane -- with Krsna.

TRANSLATION

From birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet

of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he always engaged in childish play with

Lord Krsna.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "

Sadasiva Kaviraja and Nagara Purusottama, who were father and son, are

described in the Caitanya-bhagavata as maha-bhagyavan, greatly fortunate.

They belonged to the vaidya caste of physicians. Text 156 of the Gaura-

ganoddesa-dipika says that Candravali, a most beloved gopi of Krsna's,

later took birth as Sadasiva Kaviraja. In texts 194 and 200 it is said

that Kamsari Sena, the father of Sadasiva Kaviraja, was formerly the

gopi named Ratnavali in Krsna's pastimes. All the family members of

Sadasiva Kaviraja were great devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Purusottama dasa Thakura sometimes lived at Sukhasagara, near the

Cakadaha and Simurali railway stations. All the Deities installed by

Purusottama Thakura were formerly situated in Beledanga-grama, but when

the temple was destroyed the Deities were brought to Sukhasagara. When

that temple merged into the bed of the Ganges, the Deities were brought

with Jahnava-mata's Deity to Sahebadanga Bedigrama. Since that place

also has been destroyed, all the Deities are now situated in the village

named Candude-grama, which is situated one mile up from Palapada, as

referred to above."

Adi 11.40

TEXT 40

TEXT

tanra putra -- mahasaya sri-kanu thakura

yanra dehe rahe krsna-premamrta-pura

SYNONYMS

tanra putra -- his son; mahasaya -- a respectable gentleman; sri-kanu

thakura -- Sri Kanu Thakura; yanra -- whose; dehe -- in the body; rahe --

remained; krsna-prema-amrta-pura -- the nectar of devotional service to

Krsna.

TRANSLATION

Sri Kanu Thakura, a very respectable gentleman, was the son of

Purusottama dasa Thakura. He was such a great devotee that Lord Krsna

always lived in his body.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "To go

to the headquarters of Kanu Thakura, one has to proceed by boat from the

Jhikaragacha-ghata station to the river known as Kapotaksa. Otherwise,

if one goes about two or two and a half miles from the Jhikaragacha-

ghata station, he can see Bodhakhana, the headquarters of Kanu Thakura.

The son of Sadasiva was Purusottama Thakura, and his son was Kanu

Thakura. The descendants of Kanu Thakura know him as

Nagara Purusottama. He was the cowherd boy named Dama during krsna-lila.

It is said that just after the birth of Kanu Thakura, his mother,

Jahnava, died. When he was about twelve days old, Sri Nityananda Prabhu

took him to His home at Khadadaha. It is ascertained that Kanu Thakura

was born some time in the Bengali year 942 [A.D. 1535]. It is said that

he took birth on the Ratha-yatra day. Because he was a great devotee of

Lord Krsna from the very beginning of his life, Sri Nityananda Prabhu

gave him the name Sisu Krsnadasa. When he was five years old he went to

Vrndavana with Jahnava-mata, and the Gosvamis, upon seeing the ecstatic

symptoms of Kanu Thakura, gave him the name Kanai Thakura.

"In the family of Kanu Thakura there is a Radha-Krsna Deity known as

Pranavallabha. It is said that his family worshiped this Deity long

before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When there was a

Maharashtrian invasion of Bengal, the family of Kanu Thakura was

scattered, and after the invasion one Harikrsna Gosvami of that family

came back to their original home, Bodhakhana, and re-established the

Pranavallabha Deity. The descendants of the family still engage in the

service of Pranavallabha. Kanu Thakura was present during the Khetari

utsava, when Jahnava-devi and Virabhadra Gosvami were also present. One

of Kanu Thakura's family members, Madhavacarya, married the daughter of

Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who was named Gangadevi. Both Purusottama Thakura

and Kanu Thakura had many disciples from brahmana families. Most of the

disciplic descendants of Kanu Thakura now reside in the village named

Gadabeta, by the river Silavati, in the Midnapore district."

Adi 11.41

TEXT 41

TEXT

maha-bhagavata-srestha datta uddharana

sarva-bhave seve nityanandera carana

SYNONYMS

maha-bhagavata -- great devotee; srestha -- chief; datta -- the surname

Datta; uddharana -- Uddharana; sarva-bhave -- in all respects; seve --

worships; nityanandera -- of Lord Nityananda; carana -- lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

Uddharana Datta Thakura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was

an exalted devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus

feet of Lord Nityananda in all respects.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (129) states that Uddharana Datta Thakura was

formerly the cowherd boy of Vrndavana named Subahu. Uddharana Datta

Thakura, previously known as Sri Uddharana Datta, was a resident of

Saptagrama, which is situated on the bank of the Sarasvati River near

the Trisabigha railway station in the district of Hugli. At the time of

Uddharana Thakura, Saptagrama was a very big town, encompassing many

other places such as Vasudeva-pura, Bansabediya, Krsnapura, Nityananda-

pura, Sivapura, Sankhanagara and Saptagrama."

Calcutta was developed under British rule by the influential mercantile

community, and especially by the suvarna-vanik community who came down

from Saptagrama to establish their businesses and homes all over

Calcutta. They were known as the Saptagrami mercantile community of

Calcutta, and most of them belonged to the Mullik and Sil families. More

than half of Calcutta belonged to this community, as did Srila Uddharana

Thakura. Our paternal family also came from this district and belonged

to the same community. The Mulliks of Calcutta are divided into two

families, namely the Sil family and De family. All the Mulliks of the De

family originally belong to the same family and gotra. We also formerly

belonged to the branch of the De family whose members, intimately

connected with the Muslim rulers, received the title Mullik.

In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Five, it is said that

Uddharana Datta was an extremely elevated and liberal Vaisnava. He was

born with the right to worship Nityananda Prabhu. It is also stated that

Nityananda Prabhu, after staying for some time in Khadadaha, came to

Saptagrama and stayed in the house of Uddharana Datta. The suvarna-vanik

community to which Uddharana Datta belonged was actually a Vaisnava

community. Its members were bankers and gold merchants (suvarna means "

gold," and vanik means "merchant"). Long ago there was a

misunderstanding between Ballal Sena and the suvarna-vanik community

because of the great banker Gauri Sena. Ballal Sena was taking loans

from Gauri Sena and spending money extravagantly, and therefore Gauri

Sena stopped supplying money. Ballal Sena took revenge by instigating a

social conspiracy to make the suvarna-vaniks outcastes, and since then

they have been ostracized from the higher castes, namely the brahmanas,

ksatriyas and vaisyas. But by the grace of Srila Nityananda Prabhu, the

suvarna-vanik community was again elevated. It is said in the Caitanya-

bhagavata, yateka vanik-kula uddharana haite pavitra ha-ila dvidha

nahika ihate: there is no doubt that all the

community members of the suvarna-vanik society were again purified by

Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

In Saptagrama there is still a temple with a six-armed Deity of Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu that was personally worshiped by Srila Uddharana

Datta Thakura. On the right side of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is a Deity

of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and on the left side is Gadadhara Prabhu.

There are also a Radha-Govinda murti and a salagrama-sila, and below the

throne is a picture of Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura. In front of the

temple there is now a big hall, and in front of the hall is a Madhavi-

lata plant. The temple is in a very shady, cool and nicely situated

location. When we returned from America in 1967, the executive committee

members of this temple invited us to visit it, and thus we had the

opportunity to visit this temple with some American students. Formerly,

in our childhood, we visited this temple with our parents because all

the members of the suvarna-vanik community enthusiastically take

interest in this temple of Uddharana Datta Thakura.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura adds in his Anubhasya: "In the

Bengali year 1283 [A.D. 1876] a babaji of the name Nitai dasa arranged

for a donation of twelve bighas of land (about four acres) for the

temple where Uddharana Datta Thakura worshiped. The management of the

temple later deteriorated, but then in 1306 (A.D. 1899), through the

cooperation of the famous Balarama Mullik of Hugli, who was a subjudge,

and many rich suvarna-vanik community members, the management of the

temple improved greatly. Not more than fifty years ago, one of the

family members of Uddharana Datta Thakura named Jagamohana Datta

established a wooden murti [statue] of Uddharana Datta Thakura in the

temple, but that murti is no longer there; at present, a picture of

Uddharana Datta Thakura is worshiped. It is understood, however, that

the wooden murti of Uddharana Thakura was taken away by Sri Madana-

mohana Datta and is now being worshiped with a salagrama-sila by

Srinatha Datta.

"Uddharana Datta Thakura was the manager of the estate of a big zamindar

in Naihati, about one and a half miles north of Katwa. The relics of

this royal family are still visible near the Dainhata station. Since

Uddharana Datta Thakura was the manager of the estate, it was also known

as Uddharana-pura. Uddharana Datta Thakura installed Nitai-Gaura Deities

that were later brought to the house of the zamindar, which was known as

Vanaoyaribada. Srila Uddharana Datta Thakura remained a householder

throughout his life. His father's name was Srikara Datta, his mother's

name was Bhadravati, and his son's name was Srinivasa Datta."

Adi 11.42

TEXT 42

TEXT

acarya vaisnavananda bhakti-adhikari

purve nama chila yanra ‘raghunatha puri'

SYNONYMS

acarya -- teacher; vaisnavananda -- Vaisnavananda; bhakti -- devotional

service; adhikari -- fit candidate; purve -- previously; nama -- name;

chila -- was; yanra -- whose; raghunatha puri -- Raghunatha Puri.

TRANSLATION

The twenty-seventh prominent devotee of Nityananda Prabhu was Acarya

Vaisnavananda, a great personality in devotional service. He was

formerly known as Raghunatha Puri.

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (97) it is said that Raghunatha Puri was

previously very powerful in the eight mystic successes. He was an

incarnation of one of the successes.

Adi 11.43

TEXT 43

TEXT

visnudasa, nandana, gangadasa -- tina bhai

purve yanra ghare chila thakura nitai

SYNONYMS

visnudasa -- Visnudasa; nandana -- Nandana; gangadasa -- Gangadasa; tina

bhai -- three brothers; purve -- previously; yanra -- whose; ghare -- in

the house; chila -- stayed; thakura nitai -- Nityananda Prabhu.

TRANSLATION

Another important devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Visnudasa, who

had two brothers, Nandana and Gangadasa. Lord Nityananda Prabhu

sometimes stayed at their house.

PURPORT

The three brothers Visnudasa, Nandana and Gangadasa were residents of

Navadvipa and belonged to the Bhattacarya brahmana family. Both

Visnudasa and Gangadasa stayed for some time with Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, and the Caitanya-bhagavata states that

formerly Nityananda Prabhu stayed at their house.

Adi 11.44

TEXT 44

TEXT

nityananda-bhrtya -- paramananda upadhyaya

sri-jiva pandita nityananda-guna gaya

SYNONYMS

nityananda-bhrtya -- servant of Nityananda Prabhu; paramananda upadhyaya

-- Paramananda Upadhyaya; sri-jiva pandita -- Sri Jiva Pandita;

nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu; guna -- qualities; gaya --

glorified.

TRANSLATION

Paramananda Upadhyaya was Nityananda Prabhu's great servitor. Sri Jiva

Pandita glorified the qualities of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

PURPORT

Sri Paramananda Upadhyaya was an advanced devotee. His name is mentioned

in the Caitanya-bhagavata, where Sri Jiva Pandita is also mentioned as

the second son of Ratnagarbha Acarya and a childhood friend of Hadai

Ojha, the father of Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (

169) it is said that Sri Jiva Pandita was formerly the gopi named Indira.

Adi 11.45

TEXT 45

TEXT

paramananda gupta -- krsna-bhakta mahamati

purve yanra ghare nityanandera vasati

SYNONYMS

paramananda gupta -- Paramananda Gupta; krsna-bhakta -- a great devotee

of Lord Krsna; maha-mati -- advanced in spiritual consciousness; purve --

formerly; yanra -- whose; ghare -- in the house; nityanandera -- of

Lord Nityananda Prabhu; vasati -- residence.

TRANSLATION

The thirty-first devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Paramananda Gupta,

who was greatly devoted to Lord Krsna and highly advanced in spiritual

consciousness. Formerly Nityananda Prabhu also resided at his house for

some time.

PURPORT

Paramananda Gupta composed a prayer to Lord Krsna known as Krsna-

stavavali. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (194 and 199) it is stated that

he was formerly the gopi named Manjumedha.

Adi 11.46

TEXT 46

TEXT

narayana, krsnadasa ara manohara

devananda -- cari bhai nitai-kinkara

SYNONYMS

narayana -- Narayana; krsnadasa -- Krsnadasa; ara -- and; manohara --

Manohara; devananda -- Devananda; cari bhai -- four brothers; nitai-

kinkara -- servants of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

TRANSLATION

The thirty-second, thirty-third, thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth

prominent devotees were Narayana, Krsnadasa, Manohara and Devananda, who

always engaged in the service of Lord Nityananda.

Adi 11.47

TEXT 47

TEXT

hoda krsnadasa -- nityananda-prabhu-prana

nityananda-pada vinu nahi jane ana

SYNONYMS

hoda krsnadasa -- Hoda Krsnadasa; nityananda-prabhu -- of Lord

Nityananda; prana -- life and soul; nityananda-pada -- the lotus feet of

Lord Nityananda; vinu -- except; nahi -- does not; jane -- know; ana --

anything else.

TRANSLATION

The thirty-sixth devotee of Lord Nityananda was Hoda Krsnadasa, whose

life and soul was Nityananda Prabhu. He was always dedicated to the

lotus feet of Nityananda, and he knew no one else but Him.

PURPORT

The residence of Krsnadasa Hoda was Badagachi, which is now in

Bangladesh.

Adi 11.48

TEXT 48

TEXT

nakadi, mukunda, surya, madhava, sridhara

ramananda vasu, jagannatha, mahidhara

SYNONYMS

nakadi -- Nakadi; mukunda -- Mukunda; surya -- Surya; madhava -- Madhava;

sridhara -- Sridhara; ramananda vasu -- Ramananda Vasu; jagannatha --

Jagannatha; mahidhara -- Mahidhara.

TRANSLATION

Among Lord Nityananda's devotees, Nakadi was the thirty-seventh, Mukunda

the thirty-eighth, Surya the thirty-ninth, Madhava the fortieth,

Sridhara the forty-first, Ramananda the forty-second, Jagannatha the

forty-third and Mahidhara the forty-fourth.

PURPORT

Sridhara was the twelfth gopala.

Adi 11.49

TEXT 49

TEXT

srimanta, gokula-dasa hariharananda

sivai, nandai, avadhuta paramananda

SYNONYMS

sri-manta -- Srimanta; gokula-dasa -- Gokula dasa; hariharananda --

Hariharananda; sivai -- Sivai; nandai -- Nandai; avadhuta paramananda --

Avadhuta Paramananda.

TRANSLATION

Srimanta was the forty-fifth, Gokula dasa the forty-sixth, Hariharananda

the forty-seventh, Sivai the forty-eighth, Nandai the forty-ninth and

Paramananda the fiftieth.

Adi 11.50

TEXT 50

TEXT

vasanta, navani hoda, gopala, sanatana

visnai hajara, krsnananda, sulocana

SYNONYMS

vasanta -- Vasanta; navani hoda -- Navani Hoda; gopala -- Gopala;

sanatana -- Sanatana; visnai hajara -- Visnai Hajara; krsnananda --

Krsnananda; sulocana -- Sulocana.

TRANSLATION

Vasanta was the fifty-first, Navani Hoda the fifty-second, Gopala the

fifty-third, Sanatana the fifty-fourth, Visnai the fifty-fifth,

Krsnananda the fifty-sixth and Sulocana the fifty-seventh.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Navani

Hoda appears to have been the same person as Hoda Krsnadasa, the son of

the King of Badagachi. His father's name was Hari Hoda. One can visit

Badagachi by taking the Lalagola-ghata railway line. Formerly the Ganges

flowed by Badagachi, but now it has become a canal known as the Kalsira

Khala. Near the Mudagacha station is a village known as Saligrama in

which King Krsnadasa arranged for the marriage of Sri Nityananda Prabhu,

as described in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Twelfth Wave). It is sometimes

said that Navani Hoda was the son of Raja Krsnadasa. His descendants

still live in Rukunapura, a village near Bahiragachi. They belong to the

daksina-radhiya-kayastha community, but, having been reformed as

brahmanas, they still initiate all classes of men."

Adi 11.51

TEXT 51

TEXT

kamsari sena, ramasena, ramacandra kaviraja

govinda, sriranga, mukunda, tina kaviraja

SYNONYMS

kamsari sena -- Kamsari Sena; ramasena -- Ramasena; ramacandra kaviraja -

- Ramacandra Kaviraja; govinda -- Govinda; sriranga -- Sriranga; mukunda

-- Mukunda; tina kaviraja -- all three are Kavirajas, or physicians.

TRANSLATION

The fifty-eighth great devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kamsari

Sena, the fifty-ninth was Ramasena, the sixtieth was Ramacandra Kaviraja,

and the sixty-first, sixty-second and sixty-third were Govinda,

Sriranga and Mukunda, who were all physicians.

PURPORT

Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, the son of Khandavasi Ciranjiva and Sunanda,

was a disciple of Srinivasa Acarya and the most intimate friend of

Narottama dasa Thakura, who prayed several times for his association.

His youngest brother was Govinda Kaviraja. Srila Jiva Gosvami very much

appreciated Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja's great devotion to Lord Krsna and

therefore gave him the title Kaviraja. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, who was

perpetually disinterested in family life, greatly assisted in the

preaching work of Srinivasa Acarya and Narottama dasa Thakura. He

resided at first in Srikhanda but later in the village of Kumara-

nagara, on the bank of the Ganges.

Govinda Kaviraja was the brother of Ramacandra Kaviraja and youngest son

of Ciranjiva of Srikhanda. Although at first a sakta, or worshiper of

goddess Durga, he was later initiated by Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu.

Govinda Kaviraja also resided first in Srikhanda and then in Kumara-

nagara, but later he moved to the village known as Teliya Budhari, on

the southern bank of the river Padma. Since Govinda Kaviraja, the author

of two books, Sangita-madhava and Gitamrta, was a great Vaisnava kavi,

or poet, Srila Jiva Gosvami gave him the title Kaviraja. He is described

in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Ninth Wave).

Kamsari Sena was formerly Ratnavali in Vraja, as described in the Gaura-

ganoddesa-dipika (194 and 200).

Adi 11.52

TEXT 52

TEXT

pitambara, madhavacarya, dasa damodara

sankara, mukunda, jnana-dasa, manohara

SYNONYMS

pitambara -- Pitambara; madhavacarya -- Madhavacarya; dasa damodara --

Damodara dasa; sankara -- Sankara; mukunda -- Mukunda; jnana-dasa --

Jnana dasa; manohara -- Manohara.

TRANSLATION

Among the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Pitambara was the sixty-

fourth, Madhavacarya the sixty-fifth, Damodara dasa the sixty-sixth,

Sankara the sixty-seventh, Mukunda the sixty-eighth, Jnana dasa the

sixty-ninth and Manohara the seventieth.

Adi 11.53

TEXT 53

TEXT

nartaka gopala, ramabhadra, gauranga-dasa

nrsimha-caitanya, minaketana ramadasa

SYNONYMS

nartaka gopala -- the dancer Gopala; ramabhadra -- Ramabhadra; gauranga-

dasa -- Gauranga dasa; nrsimha-caitanya -- Nrsimha-caitanya; minaketana

rama-dasa -- Minaketana Ramadasa.

TRANSLATION

The dancer Gopala was the seventy-first, Ramabhadra the seventy-second,

Gauranga dasa the seventy-third, Nrsimha-caitanya the seventy-fourth and

Minaketana Ramadasa the seventy-fifth.

PURPORT

The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (68) describes Minaketana Ramadasa as an

incarnation of Sankarsana.

Adi 11.54

TEXT 54

TEXT

vrndavana-dasa -- narayanira nandana

‘caitanya-mangala' yenho karila racana

SYNONYMS

vrndavana-dasa -- Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura; narayanira nandana --

son of Narayani; caitanya-mangala -- the book of the name Caitanya-

mangala; yenho -- who; karila -- did; racana -- composition.

TRANSLATION

Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srimati Narayani, composed Sri

Caitanya-mangala [later known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata].

Adi 11.55

TEXT 55

TEXT

bhagavate krsna-lila varnila vedavyasa

caitanya-lilate vyasa -- vrndavana dasa

SYNONYMS

bhagavate -- in Srimad-Bhagavatam; krsna-lila -- the pastimes of Lord

Krsna; varnila -- described; veda-vyasa -- Dvaipayana Vyasadeva;

caitanya -- lilate -- in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyasa --

Vedavyasa; vrndavana dasa -- Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

TRANSLATION

Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The Vyasa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.

PURPORT

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a

friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In other words, the

author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son

of Srivasa Thakura's niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of

Vedavyasa and the cowherd boy Kusumapida. There is a descriptive

statement by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in his commentary

on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata giving the biographical details of the life of

Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

Adi 11.56

TEXT 56

TEXT

sarvasakha-srestha virabhadra gosani

tanra upasakha yata, tara anta nai

SYNONYMS

sarva-sakha-srestha -- the best of all the branches; virabhadra gosani --

Virabhadra Gosani; tanra upasakha -- His subbranches; yata -- all; tara

-- of them; anta -- limit; nai -- there is not.

TRANSLATION

Among all the branches of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Virabhadra Gosani was

the topmost. His subbranches were unlimited.

Adi 11.57

TEXT 57

TEXT

ananta nityananda-gana -- ke karu ganana

atma-pavitrata-hetu likhilan kata jana

SYNONYMS

ananta -- unlimited; nityananda-gana -- followers of Sri Nityananda

Prabhu; ke karu -- who can; ganana -- count; atma-pavitrata -- of self-

purification; hetu -- for the reason; likhilan -- I have written; kata

jana -- some of them.

TRANSLATION

No one can count the unlimited followers of Nityananda Prabhu. I have

mentioned some of them just for my self-purification.

Adi 11.58

TEXT 58

TEXT

ei sarva-sakha purna -- pakva prema-phale

yare dekhe, tare diya bhasaila sakale

SYNONYMS

ei -- these; sarva-sakha -- all branches; purna -- complete; pakva prema-

phale -- with ripened fruits of love of Godhead; yare dekhe -- whomever

they see; tare diya -- distributing to him; bhasaila -- overflooded;

sakale -- all of them.

TRANSLATION

All these branches, the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, being full

of ripened fruits of love of Krsna, distributed these fruits to all they

met, flooding them with love of Krsna.

Adi 11.59

TEXT 59

TEXT

anargala prema sabara, cesta anargala

prema dite, krsna dite dhare mahabala

SYNONYMS

anargala -- unchecked; prema -- love of Krsna; sabara -- of everyone of

them; cesta -- activity; anargala -- unchecked; prema dite -- to give

love of Krsna; krsna dite -- to deliver Krsna; dhare -- they possess;

mahabala -- great strength.

TRANSLATION

All these devotees had unlimited strength to deliver unobstructed,

unceasing love of Krsna. By their own strength they could offer anyone

Krsna and love of Krsna.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, krsna se tomara, krsna dite para,

tomara sakati ache. In this song, Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes that a

pure Vaisnava, as the proprietor of Krsna and love of Krsna, can deliver

both to anyone and everyone he likes. Therefore to get Krsna and love of

Krsna one must seek the mercy of pure devotees. Srila Visvanatha

Cakravarti Thakura also says, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado

yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: ** "By the mercy of the spiritual

master one is blessed by the mercy of Krsna. Without the grace of the

spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." By the grace of a

Vaisnava or bona fide spiritual master one can get both love of Godhead,

Krsna, and Krsna Himself.

Adi 11.60

TEXT 60

TEXT

sanksepe kahilan ei nityananda-gana

yanhara avadhi na paya ‘sahasra-vadana'

SYNONYMS

sanksepe -- in brief; kahilan -- described; ei -- these; nityananda-gana

-- devotees of Lord Nityananda; yanhara -- of whom; avadhi -- limitation;

na -- does not; paya -- get; sahasra-vadana -- the thousand-mouthed

Sesa Naga, on whom Lord Visnu lies.

TRANSLATION

I have briefly described only some of the followers and devotees of Lord

Nityananda Prabhu. Even the thousand-mouthed Sesa Naga cannot describe

all of these unlimited devotees.

Adi 11.61

TEXT 61

TEXT

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa

caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

SYNONYMS

sri-rupa -- Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha -- Srila Raghunatha dasa

Gosvami; pade -- at the lotus feet; yara -- whose; asa -- expectation;

Caitanya-caritamrta -- the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe --

describes; krsna-dasa -- Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

TRANSLATION

With an ardent desire to serve the purpose of Sri Rupa and Sri

Raghunatha, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in

their footsteps.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila,

Eleventh Chapter, in the matter of the expansions of Lord Nityananda.

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Adi 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityananda
 
Chapter 11: 
The Expansions of Lord Nityananda
 
As the branches and subbranches of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu were 
described in the Tenth Chapter, in this Eleventh Chapter the branches 
and subbranches of Sri Nityananda Prabhu are similarly listed.
 
Adi 11.1
 
TEXT 1
 
TEXT
 
nityananda-padambhoja-
bhrngan prema-madhunmadan
natvakhilan tesu mukhya
likhyante katicin maya
SYNONYMS
 
nityananda -- of Lord Sri Nityananda; pada-ambhoja -- lotus feet; 
bhrngan -- the bumblebees; prema -- of love of Godhead; madhu -- by the 
honey; unmadan -- maddened; natva -- offering obeisances; akhilan -- to 
all of them; tesu -- out of them; mukhyah -- the chief; likhyante -- 
being described; katicit -- a few of them; maya -- by me.
 
TRANSLATION
 
After offering my obeisances unto all the devotees of Sri Nityananda 
Prabhu, who are like bumblebees collecting honey from His lotus feet, I 
shall try to describe those who are the most prominent.
 
Adi 11.2
 
TEXT 2
 
TEXT
 
jaya jaya mahaprabhu sri-krsna-caitanya
tanhara caranasrita yei, sei dhanya
SYNONYMS
 
jaya jaya -- all glories; mahaprabhu -- unto Lord Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu; sri-krsna-caitanya -- known as Krsna Caitanya; tanhara 
carana-asrita -- all who have taken shelter at His lotus feet; yei -- 
anyone; sei -- he is; dhanya -- glorious.
 
TRANSLATION
 
All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! Anyone who has taken shelter at 
His lotus feet is glorious.
 
Adi 11.3
 
TEXT 3
 
TEXT
 
jaya jaya sri-advaita, jaya nityananda
jaya jaya mahaprabhura sarva-bhakta-vrnda
SYNONYMS
 
jaya jaya -- all glories; sri-advaita -- unto Sri Advaita Acarya; jaya --
 all glories; nityananda -- unto Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu; jaya jaya --
 all glories; mahaprabhura -- of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sarva -- 
all; bhakta-vrnda -- devotees.
 
TRANSLATION
 
All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and all the 
devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
 
Adi 11.4
 
TEXT 4
 
TEXT
 
tasya sri-krsna-caitanya-
sat-premamara-sakhinah
urdhva-skandhavadhutendoh
sakha-rupan ganan numah
SYNONYMS
 
tasya -- His; sri-krsna-caitanya -- Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; 
sat-prema -- of eternal love of Godhead; amara -- indestructible; 
sakhinah -- of the tree; urdhva -- very high; skandha -- branch; 
avadhuta-indoh -- of Sri Nityananda; sakha-rupan -- in the form of 
different branches; ganan -- to the devotees; numah -- I offer my 
respects.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Sri Nityananda Prabhu is the topmost branch of the indestructible tree 
of eternal love of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my 
respectful obeisances to all the subbranches of that topmost branch.
 
Adi 11.5
 
TEXT 5
 
TEXT
 
sri-nityananda-vrksera skandha gurutara
tahate janmila sakha-prasakha vistara
SYNONYMS
 
sri-nityananda-vrksera -- of the tree known as Sri Nityananda; skandha --
 main branch; gurutara -- extremely heavy; tahate -- from that branch; 
janmila -- grew; sakha -- branches; prasakha -- subbranches; vistara -- 
expansively.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Sri Nityananda Prabhu is an extremely heavy branch of the Sri Caitanya 
tree. From that branch grow many branches and subbranches.
 
Adi 11.6
 
TEXT 6
 
TEXT
 
malakarera iccha jale bade sakha-gana
prema-phula-phale bhari' chaila bhuvana
SYNONYMS
 
mala-karera -- of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; iccha-jale -- by the water of 
His wish; bade -- increase; sakha-gana -- the branches; prema -- love of 
Godhead; phula-phale -- with flowers and fruits; bhari' -- filling; 
chaila -- covered; bhuvana -- the whole world.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Watered by the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, these branches and 
subbranches have grown unlimitedly and covered the entire world with 
fruits and flowers.
 
Adi 11.7
 
TEXT 7
 
TEXT
 
asankhya ananta gana ke karu ganana
apana sodhite kahi mukhya mukhya jana
SYNONYMS
 
asankhya -- innumerable; ananta -- unlimited; gana -- devotees; ke -- 
who; karu -- can; ganana -- count; apana -- the self; sodhite -- to 
purify; kahi -- I speak; mukhya mukhya -- only the chief; jana -- 
persons.
 
TRANSLATION
 
These branches and subbranches of devotees are innumerable and unlimited.
 Who could count them? For my personal purification I shall try to 
enumerate only the most prominent among them.
 
PURPORT
 
One should not write books or essays on transcendental subject matter 
for material name, fame or profit. Transcendental literature must be 
written under the direction of a superior authority because it is not 
meant for material purposes. If one tries to write under superior 
authority, he becomes purified. All Krsna conscious activities should be 
undertaken for personal purification (apana sodhite), not for material 
gain.
 
Adi 11.8
 
TEXT 8
 
TEXT
 
sri-virabhadra gosani -- skandha-mahasakha
tanra upasakha yata, asankhya tara lekha
SYNONYMS
 
sri-virabhadra gosani -- Sri Virabhadra Gosani; skandha -- of the trunk; 
maha-sakha -- the biggest branch; tanra -- his; upasakha -- subbranches; 
yata -- all; asankhya -- innumerable; tara -- of that; lekha -- the 
description.
 
TRANSLATION
 
After Nityananda Prabhu, the greatest branch is Virabhadra Gosani, who 
also has innumerable branches and subbranches. It is not possible to 
describe them all.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "
Virabhadra Gosani was the direct son of Srila Nityananda Prabhu and a 
disciple of Jahnava-devi. His real mother was Vasudha. In the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika (67) He is mentioned as an incarnation of Ksirodakasayi 
Visnu. Therefore Virabhadra Gosani is nondifferent from Sri Krsna 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In a village of the name Jhamatapura, in the 
district of Hugli, Virabhadra Gosani had a disciple named Yadunathacarya,
 who had two daughters -- a real daughter named Srimati and a foster 
daughter named Narayani. Both these daughters married, and they are 
mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Thirteenth Wave). Virabhadra Gosani 
had three disciples who are celebrated as his sons -- Gopijana-vallabha, 
Ramakrsna and Ramacandra. The youngest, Ramacandra, belonged to the 
Sandilya dynasty and had the surname Vatavyala. He established his 
family at Khadadaha, and its members are known as the gosvamis of 
Khadadaha. The eldest disciple, Gopijana-vallabha, was a resident of a 
village known as Lata, near the Manakara railway station in the district 
of Burdwan. The second, Ramakrsna, lived near Maladaha, in a village 
named Gayesapura." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura notes that 
since these three disciples belonged to different gotras, or dynasties, 
and also had different surnames and lived in different places, it is not 
possible to accept them as real sons of Virabhadra Gosani. Ramacandra 
had four sons, of whom the eldest was Radhamadhava, whose third son was 
named Yadavendra. Yadavendra's son was Nandakisora, his son was 
Nidhikrsna, his son was Caitanyacanda, his son was Krsnamohana, his son 
was Jaganmohana, his son was Vrajanatha, and his son was Syamalala 
Gosvami. This is the genealogical table given by Bhaktisiddhanta 
Sarasvati Thakura for the descendants of Virabhadra Gosani.
 
Adi 11.9
 
TEXT 9
 
TEXT
 
isvara ha-iya kahaya maha-bhagavata
veda-dharmatita hana veda-dharme rata
SYNONYMS
 
isvara -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ha-iya -- being; kahaya -- 
calls Himself; maha-bhagavata -- great devotee; veda-dharma -- the 
principles of Vedic religion; atita -- transcendental; hana -- being; 
veda-dharme -- in the Vedic system; rata -- engaged.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Although Virabhadra Gosani was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He 
presented Himself as a great devotee. And although the Supreme Godhead 
is transcendental to all Vedic injunctions, He strictly followed the 
Vedic rituals.
 
Adi 11.10
 
TEXT 10
 
TEXT
 
antare isvara-cesta, bahire nirdambha
caitanya-bhakti-mandape tenho mula-stambha
SYNONYMS
 
antare -- within Himself; isvara-cesta -- the activities of the Supreme 
Personality of Godhead; bahire -- externally; nirdambha -- without pride;
 caitanya-bhakti-mandape -- in the devotional hall of Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu; tenho -- He is; mula-stambha -- the main pillar.
 
TRANSLATION
 
He is the main pillar in the hall of devotional service erected by Sri 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew within Himself that He acted as the Supreme 
Lord Visnu, but externally He was prideless.
 
Adi 11.11
 
TEXT 11
 
TEXT
 
adyapi yanhara krpa-mahima ha-ite
caitanya-nityananda gaya sakala jagate
SYNONYMS
 
adyapi -- until today; yanhara -- whose; krpa -- mercy; mahima -- 
glorious; ha-ite -- from; caitanya-nityananda -- Sri Caitanya-Nityananda;
 gaya -- sing; sakala -- all; jagate -- in the world.
 
TRANSLATION
 
It is by the glorious mercy of Sri Virabhadra Gosani that people all 
over the world now have the chance to chant the names of Caitanya and 
Nityananda.
 
Adi 11.12
 
TEXT 12
 
TEXT
 
sei virabhadra-gosanira la-inu sarana
yanhara prasade haya abhista-purana
SYNONYMS
 
sei -- that; virabhadra-gosanira -- of Sri Virabhadra Gosani; la-inu -- 
I take; sarana -- shelter; yanhara -- whose; prasade -- by mercy; haya --
 it becomes so; abhista-purana -- fulfillment of desire.
 
TRANSLATION
 
I therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of Virabhadra Gosani, so that 
by His mercy my great desire to write Sri Caitanya-caritamrta will be 
properly guided.
 
Adi 11.13
 
TEXT 13
 
TEXT
 
sri-ramadasa ara, gadadhara dasa
caitanya-gosanira bhakta rahe tanra pasa
SYNONYMS
 
sri-ramadasa -- Sri Ramadasa; ara -- and; gadadhara dasa -- Gadadhara 
dasa; caitanya-gosanira -- of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta -- 
devotees; rahe -- stay; tanra pasa -- with Him.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Two devotees of Lord Caitanya named Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa 
always lived with Sri Virabhadra Gosani.
 
PURPORT
 
Sri Ramadasa, later known as Abhirama Thakura, was one of the twelve 
gopalas, or cowherd boyfriends, of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika (126) states that Sri Ramadasa was formerly Sridama. In 
the Bhakti-ratnakara (Fourth Wave), there is a description of Srila 
Abhirama Thakura. By the order of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Abhirama 
Thakura became a great acarya and preacher of the Caitanya cult of 
devotional service. He was a very influential personality, and 
nondevotees were very much afraid of him. Empowered by Sri Nityananda 
Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was extremely kind to all fallen 
souls. It is said that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than 
a salagrama-sila, it would immediately fracture.
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Ten 
miles southwest of the Canpadanga railway station on the narrow-gauge 
railway line from Howrah, in Calcutta, to Amta, a village in the Hugli 
district, is a small town named Khanakula-krsnanagara, where the temple 
in which Abhirama Thakura worshiped is situated. During the rainy season,
 when this area is inundated with water, people must go there by another 
line, which is now called the South Eastern Railway. On this line there 
is a station named Kolaghata, from which one has to go by steamer to 
Ranicaka. Seven and a half miles north of Ranicaka is Khanakula. The 
temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped is situated in Krsnanagara, 
which is near the kula (bank) of the Khana (Dvarakesvara River); 
therefore this place is celebrated as Khanakula-krsnanagara. Outside of 
the temple is a bakula tree. This place is known as Siddha-bakula-kunja. 
It is said that when Abhirama Thakura came there, he sat down under this 
tree. In Khanakula-krsnanagara there is a big fair held every year in 
the month of Caitra [March-April] on the Krsna-saptami, the seventh day 
of the dark moon. Many hundreds and thousands of people gather for this 
festival. The temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped has a very old 
history. The Deity in the temple is known as Gopinatha. There are many 
sevaita families living near the temple. It is said that Abhirama 
Thakura had a whip and that whoever he touched with it would immediately 
become an elevated devotee of Krsna. Among his many disciples, Sriman 
Srinivasa Acarya was the most famous and the most dear, but it is 
doubtful that he was his initiated disciple."
 
Adi 11.14–15
 
TEXTS 14–15
 
TEXT
 
nityanande ajna dila yabe gaude yaite
mahaprabhu ei dui dila tanra sathe
ataeva dui-gane dunhara ganana
madhava-vasudeva ghoserao ei vivarana
SYNONYMS
 
nityanande -- unto Lord Nityananda; ajna -- order; dila -- gave; yabe -- 
when; gaude -- to Bengal; yaite -- to go; mahaprabhu -- Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu; ei dui -- these two; dila -- gave; tanra sathe -- with Him; 
ataeva -- therefore; dui-gane -- in both the parties; dunhara -- two of 
them; ganana -- are counted; madhava -- Madhava; vasudeva -- Vasudeva; 
ghoserao -- of the surname Ghosa; ei -- this; vivarana -- description.
 
TRANSLATION
 
When Nityananda Prabhu was ordered to go to Bengal to preach, these two 
devotees [Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa] were ordered to go with Him. 
Thus they are sometimes counted among the devotees of Lord Caitanya and 
sometimes among the devotees of Lord Nityananda. Similarly, Madhava 
Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa belonged to both groups of devotees 
simultaneously.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "There 
is a place named Danihata, near the Agradvipa railway station and Patuli 
in the district of Burdwan, where the Deity of Sri Gopinathaji is still 
situated. This Deity accepted Govinda Ghosa as His father. Even until 
today, the Deity performs the sraddha ceremony on the anniversary of the 
death of Govinda Ghosa. The temple of this Deity is managed by the raja-
vamsa family of Krsnanagara, whose members are descendants of Raja 
Krsnacandra. Every year in the month of Vaisakha, when there is a 
baradola ceremony, this Gopinatha Deity is taken to Krsnanagara. The 
ceremony is performed with eleven other Deities, and then Sri 
Gopinathaji is brought back to the temple in Agradvipa."
 
Adi 11.16
 
TEXT 16
 
TEXT
 
ramadasa -- mukhya-sakha, sakhya-prema-rasi
solasangera kastha yei tuli' kaila vamsi
SYNONYMS
 
rama-dasa -- Ramadasa; mukhya-sakha -- chief branch; sakhya-prema-rasi --
 full of fraternal love; solasa-angera -- of sixteen knots; kastha -- 
wood; yei -- that; tuli' -- raising; kaila -- made; vamsi -- flute.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Ramadasa, one of the chief branches, was full of fraternal love of 
Godhead. He made a flute from a stick with sixteen knots.
 
Adi 11.17
 
TEXT 17
 
TEXT
 
gadadhara dasa gopibhave purnananda
yanra ghare danakeli kaila nityananda
SYNONYMS
 
gadadhara dasa -- Gadadhara dasa; gopi-bhave -- in the ecstasy of the 
gopis; purna-ananda -- fully in transcendental bliss; yanra ghare -- in 
whose house; dana-keli -- performance of danakeli-lila; kaila -- did; 
nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Srila Gadadhara dasa was always fully absorbed in ecstasy as a gopi. In 
his house Lord Nityananda enacted the drama Dana-keli.
 
Adi 11.18
 
TEXT 18
 
TEXT
 
sri-madhava ghosa -- mukhya kirtaniya-gane
nityananda-prabhu nrtya kare yanra gane
SYNONYMS
 
sri-madhava ghosa -- Sri Madhava Ghosa; mukhya -- chief; kirtaniya-gane -
- amongst the performers of sankirtana; nityananda-prabhu -- Nityananda 
Prabhu; nrtya -- dance; kare -- does; yanra -- whose; gane -- in song.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Sri Madhava Ghosa was a principal performer of kirtana. While he sang, 
Nityananda Prabhu danced.
 
Adi 11.19
 
TEXT 19
 
TEXT
 
vasudeva gite kare prabhura varnane
kastha-pasana drave yahara sravane
SYNONYMS
 
vasudeva -- Vasudeva; gite -- while singing; kare -- does; prabhura -- 
of Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; varnane -- in 
description; kastha -- wood; pasana -- stone; drave -- melt; yahara -- 
whose; sravane -- by hearing.
 
TRANSLATION
 
When Vasudeva Ghosa described Lord Caitanya and Nityananda while 
performing kirtana, even wood and stone would melt upon hearing it.
 
Adi 11.20
 
TEXT 20
 
TEXT
 
murari-caitanya-dasera alaukika lila
vyaghra-gale cada mare, sarpa-sane khela
SYNONYMS
 
murari -- Murari; caitanya-dasera -- of the servant of Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu; alaukika -- uncommon; lila -- pastimes; vyaghra -- tiger; 
gale -- on the cheek; cada mare -- slaps; sarpa -- a snake; sane -- with;
 khela -- playing.
 
TRANSLATION
 
There were many extraordinary activities performed by Murari, a great 
devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes in his ecstasy he would 
slap the cheek of a tiger, and sometimes he would play with a venomous 
snake.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Murari 
Caitanya dasa was born in the village of Sar-vrndavana-pura, which is 
situated about two miles from the Galasi station on the Burdwan line. 
When Murari Caitanya dasa came to Navadvipa, he settled in the village 
of Modadruma, or Mamagachi-grama. At that time he became known as Sarnga 
or Saranga Murari Caitanya dasa. The descendants of his family still 
reside in Sarer Pada. In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter 
Five, there is the following statement: ‘Murari Caitanya dasa had no 
material bodily features, for he was completely spiritual. Thus he would 
sometimes chase after tigers in the jungle and treat them just like cats 
and dogs. He would slap the cheek of a tiger and take a venomous snake 
on his lap. He had no fear for his external body, of which he was 
completely forgetful. He could spend all twenty-four hours of the day 
chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra or speaking about Lord Caitanya and 
Nityananda. Sometimes he would remain submerged in water for two or 
three days, but he would feel no bodily inconvenience. Thus he behaved 
almost like stone or wood, but he always used his energy in chanting the 
Hare Krsna maha-mantra. No one can describe his specific characteristics,
 but it is understood that wherever Murari Caitanya dasa passed, whoever 
was present would be enlightened in Krsna consciousness simply by the 
atmosphere he created.'"
 
Adi 11.21
 
TEXT 21
 
TEXT
 
nityanandera gana yata -- saba vraja-sakha
srnga-vetra-gopavesa, sire sikhi-pakha
SYNONYMS
 
nityanandera -- of Lord Nityananda Prabhu; gana -- followers; yata -- 
all; saba -- all; vraja-sakha -- residents of Vrndavana; srnga -- horn; 
vetra -- cane stick; gopa-vesa -- dressed like a cowherd boy; sire -- on 
the head; sikhi-pakha -- the plume of a peacock.
 
TRANSLATION
 
All the associates of Lord Nityananda were formerly cowherd boys in 
Vrajabhumi. Their symbolic representations were the horns and sticks 
they carried, their cowherd dress and the peacock plumes on their heads.
 
PURPORT
 
Jahnava-mata is also within the list of Lord Nityananda's followers. She 
is described in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (66) as Ananga-manjari of 
Vrndavana. All the devotees who are followers of Jahnava-mata are 
counted within the list of Sri Nityananda Prabhu's devotees.
 
Adi 11.22
 
TEXT 22
 
TEXT
 
raghunatha vaidya upadhyaya mahasaya
yanhara darsane krsna-prema-bhakti haya
SYNONYMS
 
raghunatha vaidya -- the physician Raghunatha; upadhyaya mahasaya -- a 
great personality with the title Upadhyaya; yanhara -- whose; darsane -- 
by visiting; krsna-prema -- love of Krsna; bhakti -- devotional service; 
haya -- awakened.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The physician Raghunatha, also known as Upadhyaya, was so great a 
devotee that simply by seeing him one would awaken his dormant love of 
Godhead.
 
Adi 11.23
 
TEXT 23
 
TEXT
 
sundarananda -- nityanandera sakha, bhrtya marma
yanra sange nityananda kare vraja-narma
SYNONYMS
 
sundarananda -- Sundarananda; nityanandera sakha -- a branch of 
Nityananda Prabhu; bhrtya marma -- very intimate servant; yanra sange -- 
with whom; nityananda -- Lord Nityananda; kare -- performs; vraja-narma -
- activities of Vrndavana.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Sundarananda, another branch of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, was Lord 
Nityananda's most intimate servant. Lord Nityananda Prabhu perceived the 
life of Vrajabhumi in his company.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "In the 
Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Five, it is stated that 
Sundarananda was an ocean of love of Godhead and the chief associate of 
Sri Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (127) he is stated 
to have been Sudama in krsna-lila. Thus he was one of the twelve cowherd 
boys who came down with Balarama when He descended as Sri Nityananda 
Prabhu. The holy place where Sundarananda lived is situated in the 
village known as Mahesapura, which is about fourteen miles east of the 
Majadiya railway station of the Eastern Railway from Calcutta to Burdwan.
 This place is within the district of Jessore, [which is now in 
Bangladesh]. Among the relics of this village, only the old residential 
house of Sundarananda still exists. At the end of the village resides a 
baula [pseudo Vaisnava], and all the buildings, both the temples and the 
house, appear to be newly constructed. In Mahesapura there are Deities 
of Sri Radhavallabha and Sri Sri Radharamana. Near the temple is a small 
river of the name Vetravati.
 
"Sundarananda Prabhu was a naisthika-brahmacari: he never married in his 
life. Therefore he had no direct descendants except his disciples, but 
the descendants of his family still reside in the village known as 
Mangaladihi in the district of Birbhum. In that same village is a temple 
of Balarama, and the Deity there is regularly worshiped. The original 
Deity of Mahesapura, Radhavallabha, was taken by the Saidabad Gosvamis 
of Berhampur, and since the present Deities were installed, a zamindar 
family of Mahesapura has looked after Their worship. On the full-moon 
day of the month of Magha (January-February), the anniversary of 
Sundarananda's disappearance is regularly celebrated, and people from 
the neighboring areas gather together to observe this festival."
 
Adi 11.24
 
TEXT 24
 
TEXT
 
kamalakara pippalai -- alaukika rita
alaukika prema tanra bhuvane vidita
SYNONYMS
 
kamalakara pippalai -- Kamalakara Pippalai; alaukika -- uncommon; rita --
 behavior or pastime; alaukika -- uncommon; prema -- love of Godhead; 
tanra -- his; bhuvane -- in the world; vidita -- celebrated.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Kamalakara Pippalai is said to have been the third gopala. His behavior 
and love of Godhead were uncommon, and thus he is celebrated all over 
the world.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "In the 
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (128) Kamalakara Pippalai is described as the 
third gopala. His former name was Mahabala. The Jagannatha Deity at 
Mahesa in Sri Ramapura was installed by Kamalakara Pippalai. This 
village of Mahesa is situated about two and a half miles from the Sri 
Ramapura railway station. The genealogy of the family of Kamalakara 
Pippalai is given as follows. Kamalakara Pippalai had a son named 
Caturbhuja, who had two sons named Narayana and Jagannatha. Narayana had 
one son named Jagadananda, and his son's name was Rajivalocana. During 
the time of Rajivalocana, there was a scarcity of finances for the 
worship of the Jagannatha Deity, and it is said that the Nawab of Dacca, 
whose name was Shah Suja, donated 1,185 bighas of land [about 395 acres] 
in the Bengali year 1060 [A.D. 1653]. The land being the possession of 
Jagannatha, the village was named Jagannatha-pura. It is said that when 
Kamalakara Pippalai left home his younger brother Nidhipati Pippalai 
searched for him and in due course of time found him in the village of 
Mahesa. Nidhipati Pippalai tried his best to bring his elder brother 
home, but he would not return. Under these circumstances, Nidhipati 
Pippalai, with all his family members, came to Mahesa to reside. The 
members of this family still reside in the vicinity of the Mahesa 
village. Their family name is Adhikari, and they are a brahmana family.
 
"The history of the Jagannatha temple in Mahesa is as follows. One 
devotee of the name Dhruvananda went to see Lord Jagannatha, Balarama 
and Subhadra at Jagannatha Puri, wanting to offer food to Jagannathaji 
that he had cooked with his own hands. This being his desire, one night 
Jagannathaji appeared to him in a dream and asked him to go to Mahesa on 
the bank of the Ganges and there start worship of Him in a temple. Thus 
Dhruvananda went to Mahesa, where he saw the three deities -- Jagannatha,
 Balarama and Subhadra -- floating in the Ganges. He picked up all those 
deities and installed them in a small cottage, and with great 
satisfaction he executed the worship of Lord Jagannatha. When he became 
old, he was very anxious to hand over the worship to the charge of 
someone reliable, and in a dream he got permission from Jagannatha 
Prabhu to hand it over to a person whom he would meet the next morning. 
The next morning he met Kamalakara Pippalai, who was formerly an 
inhabitant of the village Khalijuli in the Sundaravana forest area of 
Bengal and was a pure Vaisnava, a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha; thus 
he immediately gave him charge of the worship. In this way, Kamalakara 
Pippalai became the worshiper of Lord Jagannatha, and since then his 
family members have been designated as Adhikari, which means ‘one who is 
empowered to worship the Lord.' These Adhikaris belong to a respectable 
brahmana family. Five types of upper-class brahmanas are recognized by 
the surname Pippalai."
 
Adi 11.25
 
TEXT 25
 
TEXT
 
suryadasa sarakhela, tanra bhai krsnadasa
nityanande drdha visvasa, premera nivasa
SYNONYMS
 
suryadasa sarakhela -- Suryadasa Sarakhela; tanra bhai -- his brother; 
krsnadasa -- Krsnadasa; nityanande -- unto Lord Nityananda; drdha 
visvasa -- firm faith; premera nivasa -- the reservoir of all love of 
Godhead.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Suryadasa Sarakhela and his younger brother Krsnadasa Sarakhela both 
possessed firm faith in Nityananda Prabhu. They were a reservoir of love 
of Godhead.
 
PURPORT
 
In the Bhakti-ratnakara (Twelfth Wave), it is stated that a few miles 
from Navadvipa is a place called Saligrama that was the residence of 
Suryadasa Sarakhela. He was employed as a secretary in the Muslim 
government of that time, and thus he amassed a good fortune. Suryadasa 
had four brothers, all of whom were pure Vaisnavas. Vasudha and Jahnava 
were two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhela.
 
Adi 11.26
 
TEXT 26
 
TEXT
 
gauridasa pandita yanra premoddanda-bhakti
krsna-prema dite, nite, dhare mahasakti
SYNONYMS
 
gauridasa pandita -- Gauridasa Pandita; yanra -- whose; prema-uddanda-
bhakti -- the most elevated in love of Godhead and devotional service; 
krsna-prema -- love of Krsna; dite -- to deliver; nite -- and to receive;
 dhare -- empowered; mahasakti -- great potency.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Gauridasa Pandita, the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in 
love of Godhead, had the greatest potency to receive and deliver such 
love.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "It is 
said that Gauridasa Pandita was always patronized by King Krsnadasa, the 
son of Harihoda. Gauridasa Pandita lived in the village of Saligrama, 
which is situated a few miles from the railway station Mudagacha, and 
later he came to reside in Ambika-kalana. It is stated in the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika (128) that formerly he was Subala, one of the cowherd 
boyfriends of Krsna and Balarama in Vrndavana. Gauridasa Pandita was the 
younger brother of Suryadasa Sarakhela, and with the permission of his 
elder brother he shifted his residence to the bank of the Ganges, living 
there in the town known as Ambika-kalana. Some of the names of the 
descendants of Gauridasa Pandita are as follows: (1) Sri Nrsimha-
caitanya, (2) Krsnadasa, (3) Visnudasa, (4) Bada Balarama dasa, (5) 
Govinda, (6) Raghunatha, (7) Badu Gangadasa, (8) Auliya Gangarama, (9) 
Yadavacarya, (10) Hrdaya-caitanya, (11) Canda Haladara, (12) Mahesa 
Pandita, (13) Mukuta Raya, (14) Bhatuya Gangarama, (15) Auliya Caitanya, 
(16) Kaliya Krsnadasa, (17) Patuya Gopala, (18) Bada Jagannatha, (19) 
Nityananda, (20) Bhavi, (21) Jagadisa, (22) Raiya Krsnadasa and (221/2) 
Annapurna. The eldest son of Gauridasa Pandita was known as big Balarama,
 and the youngest was known as Raghunatha. The sons of Raghunatha were 
Mahesa Pandita and Govinda. Gauridasa Pandita's daughter was known as 
Annapurna.
 
"The village Ambika-kalana, which is situated just across the river 
Ganges from Santipura, is two miles east of the Kalana-korta railway 
station, on the Eastern Railway. In Ambika-kalana there is a temple 
constructed by the zamindar of Burdwan. In front of the temple there is 
a big tamarind tree, and it is said that Gauridasa Pandita and Lord 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu met underneath this tree. The place where the temple 
is situated is known as Ambika, and because it is in the area of Kalana, 
the village is known as Ambika-kalana. It is said that a copy of the 
Bhagavad-gita written by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu still exists in this 
temple."
 
Adi 11.27
 
TEXT 27
 
TEXT
 
nityanande samarpila jati-kula-panti
sri-caitanya-nityanande kari pranapati
SYNONYMS
 
nityanande -- to Lord Nityananda; samarpila -- he offered; jati -- caste 
distinction; kula -- family; panti -- fellowship; sri-caitanya -- Lord 
Caitanya; nityanande -- in Lord Nityananda; kari -- making; prana-pati --
 the Lords of his life.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Making Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda the Lords of his life, 
Gauridasa Pandita sacrificed everything for the service of Lord 
Nityananda, even the fellowship of his own family.
 
Adi 11.28
 
TEXT 28
 
TEXT
 
nityananda prabhura priya -- pandita purandara
premarnava-madhye phire yaichana mandara
SYNONYMS
 
nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu; prabhura -- of the Lord; priya -- 
very dear; pandita purandara -- Pandita Purandara; prema-arnava-madhye --
 in the ocean of love of Godhead; phire -- moved; yaichana -- exactly 
like; mandara -- the Mandara Hill.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The thirteenth important devotee of Sri Nityananda Prabhu was Pandita 
Purandara, who moved in the ocean of love of Godhead just like the 
Mandara Hill.
 
PURPORT
 
Pandita Purandara met Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Khadadaha. When 
Nityananda Prabhu visited this village, He danced very uncommonly, and 
His dancing captivated Purandara Pandita. The pandita was in the top of 
a tree, and upon seeing the dancing of Nityananda he jumped down on the 
ground and proclaimed himself to be Angada, one of the devotees in the 
camp of Hanuman during the pastimes of Lord Ramacandra.
 
Adi 11.29
 
TEXT 29
 
TEXT
 
paramesvara-dasa -- nityanandaika-sarana
krsna-bhakti paya, tanre ye kare smarana
SYNONYMS
 
paramesvara-dasa -- Paramesvara dasa; nityananda-eka-sarana -- 
completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda; krsna-bhakti 
paya -- gets love of Krsna; tanre -- him; ye -- anyone; kare -- does; 
smarana -- remembering.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Paramesvara dasa, said to be the fifth gopala of krsna-lila, completely 
surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda. Anyone who remembers his 
name, Paramesvara dasa, will get love of Krsna very easily.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The 
Caitanya-bhagavata states that Paramesvara dasa, known sometimes as 
Paramesvari dasa, was the life and soul of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The 
body of Paramesvara dasa was the place of Lord Nityananda's pastimes. 
Paramesvara dasa, who lived for some time at Khadadaha village, was 
always filled with the ecstasy of a cowherd boy. Formerly he was Arjuna, 
a friend of Krsna and Balarama. He was the fifth among the twelve 
gopalas. He accompanied Srimati Jahnava-devi when she performed the 
festival at Khetari. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnakara that by the 
order of Srimati Jahnava-mata, he installed Radha-Gopinatha in the 
temple at Atapura, in the district of Hugli. The Atapura station is on 
the narrow-gauge railway line between Howrah and Amata. Another temple 
in Atapura, established by the Mitra family, is known as the Radha-
Govinda temple. In front of the temple, in a very attractive place among 
two bakula trees and a kadamba tree, is the tomb of Paramesvari Thakura, 
and above it is an altar with a tulasi bush. It is said that only one 
flower a year comes out of the kadamba tree. It is offered to the Deity.
 
"Paramesvari Thakura belonged, it is said, to a vaidya family. A 
descendant of his brother's is at present a worshiper in the temple. 
Some of their family members still reside in the district of Hugli, near 
the post office of Canditala. The descendants of Paramesvari Thakura 
took many disciples from brahmana families, but as these descendants 
gradually took to the profession of physicians, persons from brahmana 
families ceased becoming their disciples. The family titles of 
Paramesvari's descendants are Adhikari and Gupta. Unfortunately, his 
family members do not worship the Deity directly; they have engaged paid 
brahmanas to worship the Deity. In the temple, Baladeva and Sri Sri 
Radha-Gopinatha are together on the throne. It is supposed that the 
Deity of Baladeva was installed later because according to 
transcendental mellow, Baladeva, Krsna and Radha cannot stay on the same 
throne. On the full-moon day of Vaisakha (April -- May), the 
disappearance festival of Paramesvari Thakura is observed in this temple.
"
 
Adi 11.30
 
TEXT 30
 
TEXT
 
jagadisa pandita haya jagat-pavana
krsna-premamrta varse, yena varsa ghana
SYNONYMS
 
jagadisa pandita -- Jagadisa Pandita; haya -- becomes; jagat-pavana -- 
the deliverer of the world; krsna-prema-amrta varse -- he always pours 
torrents of devotional service; yena -- like; varsa -- rainfall; ghana --
 heavy.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Jagadisa Pandita, the fifteenth branch of Lord Nityananda's followers, 
was the deliverer of the entire world. Devotional love of Krsna showered 
from him like torrents of rain.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "
Descriptions of Jagadisa Pandita are available from the Caitanya-
bhagavata, Adi-khanda, Chapter Six, and the Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-
lila, Chapter Fourteen. He belonged to the village of Yasada-grama, in 
the district of Nadia near the Cakadaha railway station. His father, the 
son of Bhatta Narayana, was named Kamalaksa. Both his father and mother 
were great devotees of Lord Visnu, and after their death, Jagadisa, with 
his wife Duhkhini and brother Mahesa, left his birthplace and came to 
Sri Mayapur to live in the company of Jagannatha Misra and other 
Vaisnavas. Lord Caitanya asked Jagadisa to go to Jagannatha Puri to 
preach the hari-nama-sankirtana movement. After returning from 
Jagannatha Puri, on the order of Lord Jagannatha he established Deities 
of Jagannatha in the village of Yasada-grama. It is said that when 
Jagadisa Pandita brought the Deity of Jagannatha to Yasada-grama, he 
tied the heavy Deity to a stick and thus brought Him to the village. The 
priests of the temple still show the stick used by Jagadisa Pandita to 
carry the Jagannatha Deity."
 
Adi 11.31
 
TEXT 31
 
nityananda-priyabhrtya pandita dhananjaya
atyanta virakta, sada krsna-premamaya
SYNONYMS
 
nityananda-priya-bhrtya -- another dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu; 
pandita dhananjaya -- Pandita Dhananjaya; atyanta -- very much; virakta -
- renounced; sada -- always; krsna-prema-maya -- merged in love of Krsna.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The sixteenth dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu was Dhananjaya Pandita. 
He was very much renounced and always merged in love of Krsna.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "
Pandita Dhananjaya was a resident of the village in Katwa named Sitala. 
He was one of the twelve gopalas. His former name, according to the 
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (127), was Vasudama. Sitala-grama is situated 
near the Mangalakota police station and Kaicara post office in the 
district of Burdwan. On the narrow railway from Burdwan to Katwa is a 
railway station about nine miles from Katwa known as Kaicara. One has to 
go about a mile northeast of this station to reach Sitala. The temple 
was a thatched house with walls made of dirt. Some time ago, the 
zamindars of Bajaravana Kabasi, the Mulliks, constructed a big house for 
the purpose of a temple, but for the last sixty-five years the temple 
has been broken down and abandoned. The foundation of the old temple is 
still visible. There is a tulasi pillar near the temple, and every year 
during the month of Karttika (October-November) the disappearance day of 
Dhananjaya is observed. It is said that for some time Pandita Dhananjaya 
was in a sankirtana party under the direction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
 and then he went to Vrndavana. Before going to Vrndavana, he lived for 
some time in a village named Sancadapancada, which is six miles south of 
the Memari railway station. Sometimes this village is also known as ‘the 
place of Dhananjaya' (Dhananjayera Pata). After some time, he left the 
responsibility for worship with a disciple and went back to Vrndavana. 
After returning from Vrndavana to Sitala-grama, he established a Deity 
of Gaurasundara in the temple. The descendants of Pandita Dhananjaya 
still live in Sitala-grama and look after the temple worship."
 
Adi 11.32
 
TEXT 32
 
TEXT
 
mahesa pandita -- vrajera udara gopala
dhakka-vadye nrtya kare preme matoyala
SYNONYMS
 
mahesa pandita -- Mahesa Pandita; vrajera -- of Vrndavana; udara -- very 
liberal; gopala -- cowherd boy; dhakka-vadye -- with the beating of a 
kettledrum; nrtya kare -- used to dance; preme -- in love; matoyala -- 
as if a madman.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Mahesa Pandita, the seventh of the twelve gopalas, was very liberal. In 
great love of Krsna he danced to the beating of a kettledrum like a 
madman.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The 
village of Mahesa Pandita, which is known as Palapada, is situated in 
the district of Nadia within a forest about one mile south of the 
Cakadaha railway station. The Ganges flows nearby. It is said that 
formerly Mahesa Pandita lived on the eastern side of Jirat in the 
village known as Masipura or Yasipura, and when Masipura merged into the 
riverbed of the Ganges, the Deities there were brought to Palapada, 
which is situated in the midst of various villages such as Beledanga, 
Berigrama, Sukhasagara, Candude and Manasapota. (There are about 
fourteen villages, and the entire neighborhood is known as Pancanagara 
Paragana.) It is mentioned that Mahesa Pandita joined the festival 
performed by Sri Nityananda Prabhu at Panihati. Narottama dasa Thakura 
also joined in the festival, and Mahesa Pandita saw him on that occasion.
 In the temple of Mahesa Pandita there are Deities of Gaura-Nityananda, 
Sri Gopinatha, Sri Madana-mohana and Radha-Govinda, as well as a 
salagrama-sila."
 
Adi 11.33
 
TEXT 33
 
TEXT
 
navadvipe purusottama pandita mahasaya
nityananda-name yanra mahonmada haya
SYNONYMS
 
navadvipe purusottama -- Purusottama of Navadvipa; pandita mahasaya -- a 
very learned scholar; nityananda-name -- in the name of Lord Nityananda 
Prabhu; yanra -- whose; maha-unmada -- great ecstasy; haya -- becomes.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Purusottama Pandita, a resident of Navadvipa, was the eighth gopala. He 
would become almost mad as soon as he heard the holy name of Nityananda 
Prabhu.
 
PURPORT
 
It is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata that Purusottama Pandita was born 
in Navadvipa and was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. As one 
of the twelve gopalas, his former name was Stokakrsna.
 
Adi 11.34
 
TEXT 34
 
TEXT
 
balarama dasa -- krsna-prema-rasasvadi
nityananda-name haya parama unmadi
SYNONYMS
 
balarama-dasa -- Balarama dasa; krsna-prema-rasa -- the nectar of always 
merging in love of Krsna; asvadi -- fully tasting; nityananda-name -- in 
the name of Sri Nityananda Prabhu; haya -- becomes; parama -- greatly; 
unmadi -- maddened.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Balarama dasa always fully tasted the nectar of love of Krsna. Upon 
hearing the name of Nityananda Prabhu, he would become greatly maddened.
 
Adi 11.35
 
TEXT 35
 
TEXT
 
maha-bhagavata yadunatha kavicandra
yanhara hrdaye nrtya kare nityananda
SYNONYMS
 
maha-bhagavata -- a great devotee; yadunatha kavicandra -- Yadunatha 
Kavicandra; yanhara -- whose; hrdaye -- in the heart; nrtya -- dancing; 
kare -- does; nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Yadunatha Kavicandra was a great devotee. Lord Nityananda Prabhu always 
danced in his heart.
 
PURPORT
 
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter One, it is said that a 
gentleman known as Ratnagarbha Acarya was a friend of Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu's father. They had been  residents of the same village. 
Ratnagarbha Acarya had three sons -- Krsnananda, Jiva and Yadunatha 
Kavicandra.
 
Adi 11.36
 
TEXT 36
 
TEXT
 
radhe yanra janma krsnadasa dvija-vara
sri-nityanandera tenho parama kinkara
SYNONYMS
 
radhe -- in West Bengal; yanra -- whose; janma -- birth; krsnadasa -- 
Krsnadasa; dvija-vara -- the best brahmana; sri-nityanandera -- of 
Nityananda Prabhu; tenho -- he; parama -- first-class; kinkara -- 
servant.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The twenty-first devotee of Sri Nityananda in Bengal was Krsnadasa 
Brahmana, who was a first-class servant of the Lord.
 
PURPORT
 
In this verse the word radhe refers to Radhadesa, the part of Bengal 
where the Ganges does not flow.
 
Adi 11.37
 
TEXT 37
 
TEXT
 
kala-krsnadasa bada vaisnava-pradhana
nityananda-candra vinu nahi jane ana
SYNONYMS
 
kala-krsnadasa -- Kala Krsnadasa; bada -- great; vaisnava-pradhana -- 
first-class Vaisnava; nityananda-candra -- Lord Nityananda; vinu -- 
except; nahi jane -- he did not know; ana -- of anything else.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The twenty-second devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kala Krsnadasa, 
who was the ninth cowherd boy. He was a first-class Vaisnava and did not 
know anything beyond Nityananda Prabhu.
 
PURPORT
 
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (132) it is said that Kala Krsnadasa, who 
was also known as Kaliya Krsnadasa, was formerly a gopa (cowherd boy) of 
the name Lavanga. He was one of the twelve cowherd boys.
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Kaliya 
Krsnadasa had his headquarters in a village named Akaihata, which is 
situated in the district of Burdwan within the jurisdiction of the post 
office and police station of Katwa. It is situated on the road to 
Navadvipa. To reach Akaihata, one has to go from the Byandel junction 
station to the Katwa railway station and then go about two miles, or one 
has to get off at the Danihata station and from there go one mile. The 
village of Akaihata is very small. In the month of Caitra, on the day of 
Varuni, there is a festival commemorating the disappearance day of Kala 
Krsnadasa."
 
Adi 11.38
 
TEXT 38
 
TEXT
 
sri-sadasiva kaviraja -- bada mahasaya
sri-purusottama-dasa -- tanhara tanaya
SYNONYMS
 
sri-sadasiva kaviraja -- Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja; bada -- great; mahasaya -
- respectable gentleman; sri-purusottama-dasa -- Sri Purusottama dasa; 
tanhara tanaya -- his son.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda 
Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the 
tenth gopala.
 
Adi 11.39
 
TEXT 39
 
TEXT
 
ajanma nimagna nityanandera carane
nirantara balya-lila kare krsna-sane
SYNONYMS
 
ajanma -- from birth; nimagna -- merged; nityanandera -- of Lord 
Nityananda Prabhu; carane -- in the lotus feet; nirantara -- always; 
balya-lila -- childish play; kare -- does; krsna-sane -- with Krsna.
 
TRANSLATION
 
From birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet 
of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he always engaged in childish play with 
Lord Krsna.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "
Sadasiva Kaviraja and Nagara Purusottama, who were father and son, are 
described in the Caitanya-bhagavata as maha-bhagyavan, greatly fortunate.
 They belonged to the vaidya caste of physicians. Text 156 of the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika says that Candravali, a most beloved gopi of Krsna's, 
later took birth as Sadasiva Kaviraja. In texts 194 and 200 it is said 
that Kamsari Sena, the father of Sadasiva Kaviraja, was formerly the 
gopi named Ratnavali in Krsna's pastimes. All the family members of 
Sadasiva Kaviraja were great devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 
Purusottama dasa Thakura sometimes lived at Sukhasagara, near the 
Cakadaha and Simurali railway stations. All the Deities installed by 
Purusottama Thakura were formerly situated in Beledanga-grama, but when 
the temple was destroyed the Deities were brought to Sukhasagara. When 
that temple merged into the bed of the Ganges, the Deities were brought 
with Jahnava-mata's Deity to Sahebadanga Bedigrama. Since that place 
also has been destroyed, all the Deities are now situated in the village 
named Candude-grama, which is situated one mile up from Palapada, as 
referred to above."
 
Adi 11.40
 
TEXT 40
 
TEXT
 
tanra putra -- mahasaya sri-kanu thakura
yanra dehe rahe krsna-premamrta-pura
SYNONYMS
 
tanra putra -- his son; mahasaya -- a respectable gentleman; sri-kanu 
thakura -- Sri Kanu Thakura; yanra -- whose; dehe -- in the body; rahe --
 remained; krsna-prema-amrta-pura -- the nectar of devotional service to 
Krsna.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Sri Kanu Thakura, a very respectable gentleman, was the son of 
Purusottama dasa Thakura. He was such a great devotee that Lord Krsna 
always lived in his body.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "To go 
to the headquarters of Kanu Thakura, one has to proceed by boat from the 
Jhikaragacha-ghata station to the river known as Kapotaksa. Otherwise, 
if one goes about two or two and a half miles from the Jhikaragacha-
ghata station, he can see Bodhakhana, the headquarters of Kanu Thakura. 
The son of Sadasiva was Purusottama Thakura, and his son was Kanu 
Thakura. The descendants of Kanu Thakura know Purusottama Thakura  as 
Nagara Purusottama. He was the cowherd boy named Dama during krsna-lila. 
It is said that just after the birth of Kanu Thakura, his mother, 
Jahnava, died. When he was about twelve days old, Sri Nityananda Prabhu 
took him to His home at Khadadaha. It is ascertained that Kanu Thakura 
was born some time in the Bengali year 942 [A.D. 1535]. It is said that 
he took birth on the Ratha-yatra day. Because he was a great devotee of 
Lord Krsna from the very beginning of his life, Sri Nityananda Prabhu 
gave him the name Sisu Krsnadasa. When he was five years old he went to 
Vrndavana with Jahnava-mata, and the Gosvamis, upon seeing the ecstatic 
symptoms of Kanu Thakura, gave him the name Kanai Thakura.
 
"In the family of Kanu Thakura there is a Radha-Krsna Deity known as 
Pranavallabha. It is said that his family worshiped this Deity long 
before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When there was a 
Maharashtrian invasion of Bengal, the family of Kanu Thakura was 
scattered, and after the invasion one Harikrsna Gosvami of that family 
came back to their original home, Bodhakhana, and re-established the 
Pranavallabha Deity. The descendants of the family still engage in the 
service of Pranavallabha. Kanu Thakura was present during the Khetari 
utsava, when Jahnava-devi and Virabhadra Gosvami were also present. One 
of Kanu Thakura's family members, Madhavacarya, married the daughter of 
Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who was named Gangadevi. Both Purusottama Thakura 
and Kanu Thakura had many disciples from brahmana families. Most of the 
disciplic descendants of Kanu Thakura now reside in the village named 
Gadabeta, by the river Silavati, in the Midnapore district."
 
Adi 11.41
 
TEXT 41
 
TEXT
 
maha-bhagavata-srestha datta uddharana
sarva-bhave seve nityanandera carana
SYNONYMS
 
maha-bhagavata -- great devotee; srestha -- chief; datta -- the surname 
Datta; uddharana -- Uddharana; sarva-bhave -- in all respects; seve -- 
worships; nityanandera -- of Lord Nityananda; carana -- lotus feet.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Uddharana Datta Thakura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was 
an exalted devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus 
feet of Lord Nityananda in all respects.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "The 
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (129) states that Uddharana Datta Thakura was 
formerly the cowherd boy of Vrndavana named Subahu. Uddharana Datta 
Thakura, previously known as Sri Uddharana Datta, was a resident of 
Saptagrama, which is situated on the bank of the Sarasvati River near 
the Trisabigha railway station in the district of Hugli. At the time of 
Uddharana Thakura, Saptagrama was a very big town, encompassing many 
other places such as Vasudeva-pura, Bansabediya, Krsnapura, Nityananda-
pura, Sivapura, Sankhanagara and Saptagrama."
 
Calcutta was developed under British rule by the influential mercantile 
community, and especially by the suvarna-vanik community who came down 
from Saptagrama to establish their businesses and homes all over 
Calcutta. They were known as the Saptagrami mercantile community of 
Calcutta, and most of them belonged to the Mullik and Sil families. More 
than half of Calcutta belonged to this community, as did Srila Uddharana 
Thakura. Our paternal family also came from this district and belonged 
to the same community. The Mulliks of Calcutta are divided into two 
families, namely the Sil family and De family. All the Mulliks of the De 
family originally belong to the same family and gotra. We also formerly 
belonged to the branch of the De family whose members, intimately 
connected with the Muslim rulers, received the title Mullik.
 
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Five, it is said that 
Uddharana Datta was an extremely elevated and liberal Vaisnava. He was 
born with the right to worship Nityananda Prabhu. It is also stated that 
Nityananda Prabhu, after staying for some time in Khadadaha, came to 
Saptagrama and stayed in the house of Uddharana Datta. The suvarna-vanik 
community to which Uddharana Datta belonged was actually a Vaisnava 
community. Its members were bankers and gold merchants (suvarna means "
gold," and vanik means "merchant"). Long ago there was a 
misunderstanding between Ballal Sena and the suvarna-vanik community 
because of the great banker Gauri Sena. Ballal Sena was taking loans 
from Gauri Sena and spending money extravagantly, and therefore Gauri 
Sena stopped supplying money. Ballal Sena took revenge by instigating a 
social conspiracy to make the suvarna-vaniks outcastes, and since then 
they have been ostracized from the higher castes, namely the brahmanas, 
ksatriyas and vaisyas. But by the grace of Srila Nityananda Prabhu, the 
suvarna-vanik community was again elevated. It is said in the Caitanya-
bhagavata, yateka vanik-kula uddharana haite pavitra ha-ila dvidha 
nahika ihate: [CB Antya-khanda 5.453] there is no doubt that all the 
community members of the suvarna-vanik society were again purified by 
Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
 
In Saptagrama there is still a temple with a six-armed Deity of Sri 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu that was personally worshiped by Srila Uddharana 
Datta Thakura. On the right side of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is a Deity 
of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and on the left side is Gadadhara Prabhu. 
There are also a Radha-Govinda murti and a salagrama-sila, and below the 
throne is a picture of Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura. In front of the 
temple there is now a big hall, and in front of the hall is a Madhavi-
lata plant. The temple is in a very shady, cool and nicely situated 
location. When we returned from America in 1967, the executive committee 
members of this temple invited us to visit it, and thus we had the 
opportunity to visit this temple with some American students. Formerly, 
in our childhood, we visited this temple with our parents because all 
the members of the suvarna-vanik community enthusiastically take 
interest in this temple of Uddharana Datta Thakura.
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura adds in his Anubhasya: "In the 
Bengali year 1283 [A.D. 1876] a babaji of the name Nitai dasa arranged 
for a donation of twelve bighas of land (about four acres) for the 
temple where Uddharana Datta Thakura worshiped. The management of the 
temple later deteriorated, but then in 1306 (A.D. 1899), through the 
cooperation of the famous Balarama Mullik of Hugli, who was a subjudge, 
and many rich suvarna-vanik community members, the management of the 
temple improved greatly. Not more than fifty years ago, one of the 
family members of Uddharana Datta Thakura named Jagamohana Datta 
established a wooden murti [statue] of Uddharana Datta Thakura in the 
temple, but that murti is no longer there; at present, a picture of 
Uddharana Datta Thakura is worshiped. It is understood, however, that 
the wooden murti of Uddharana Thakura was taken away by Sri Madana-
mohana Datta and is now being worshiped with a salagrama-sila by 
Srinatha Datta.
 
"Uddharana Datta Thakura was the manager of the estate of a big zamindar 
in Naihati, about one and a half miles north of Katwa. The relics of 
this royal family are still visible near the Dainhata station. Since 
Uddharana Datta Thakura was the manager of the estate, it was also known 
as Uddharana-pura. Uddharana Datta Thakura installed Nitai-Gaura Deities 
that were later brought to the house of the zamindar, which was known as 
Vanaoyaribada. Srila Uddharana Datta Thakura remained a householder 
throughout his life. His father's name was Srikara Datta, his mother's 
name was Bhadravati, and his son's name was Srinivasa Datta."
 
Adi 11.42
 
TEXT 42
 
TEXT
 
acarya vaisnavananda bhakti-adhikari
purve nama chila yanra ‘raghunatha puri'
SYNONYMS
 
acarya -- teacher; vaisnavananda -- Vaisnavananda; bhakti -- devotional 
service; adhikari -- fit candidate; purve -- previously; nama -- name; 
chila -- was; yanra -- whose; raghunatha puri -- Raghunatha Puri.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The twenty-seventh prominent devotee of Nityananda Prabhu was Acarya 
Vaisnavananda, a great personality in devotional service. He was 
formerly known as Raghunatha Puri.
 
PURPORT
 
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (97) it is said that Raghunatha Puri was 
previously very powerful in the eight mystic successes. He was an 
incarnation of one of the successes.
 
Adi 11.43
 
TEXT 43
 
TEXT
 
visnudasa, nandana, gangadasa -- tina bhai
purve yanra ghare chila thakura nitai
SYNONYMS
 
visnudasa -- Visnudasa; nandana -- Nandana; gangadasa -- Gangadasa; tina 
bhai -- three brothers; purve -- previously; yanra -- whose; ghare -- in 
the house; chila -- stayed; thakura nitai -- Nityananda Prabhu.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Another important devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Visnudasa, who 
had two brothers, Nandana and Gangadasa. Lord Nityananda Prabhu 
sometimes stayed at their house.
 
PURPORT
 
The three brothers Visnudasa, Nandana and Gangadasa were residents of 
Navadvipa and belonged to the Bhattacarya brahmana family. Both 
Visnudasa and Gangadasa stayed for some time with Sri Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, and the Caitanya-bhagavata states that 
formerly Nityananda Prabhu stayed at their house.
 
Adi 11.44
 
TEXT 44
 
TEXT
 
nityananda-bhrtya -- paramananda upadhyaya
sri-jiva pandita nityananda-guna gaya
SYNONYMS
 
nityananda-bhrtya -- servant of Nityananda Prabhu; paramananda upadhyaya 
-- Paramananda Upadhyaya; sri-jiva pandita -- Sri Jiva Pandita; 
nityananda -- Lord Nityananda Prabhu; guna -- qualities; gaya -- 
glorified.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Paramananda Upadhyaya was Nityananda Prabhu's great servitor. Sri Jiva 
Pandita glorified the qualities of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
 
PURPORT
 
Sri Paramananda Upadhyaya was an advanced devotee. His name is mentioned 
in the Caitanya-bhagavata, where Sri Jiva Pandita is also mentioned as 
the second son of Ratnagarbha Acarya and a childhood friend of Hadai 
Ojha, the father of Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (
169) it is said that Sri Jiva Pandita was formerly the gopi named Indira.
 
Adi 11.45
 
TEXT 45
 
TEXT
 
paramananda gupta -- krsna-bhakta mahamati
purve yanra ghare nityanandera vasati
SYNONYMS
 
paramananda gupta -- Paramananda Gupta; krsna-bhakta -- a great devotee 
of Lord Krsna; maha-mati -- advanced in spiritual consciousness; purve --
 formerly; yanra -- whose; ghare -- in the house; nityanandera -- of 
Lord Nityananda Prabhu; vasati -- residence.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The thirty-first devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Paramananda Gupta,
 who was greatly devoted to Lord Krsna and highly advanced in spiritual 
consciousness. Formerly Nityananda Prabhu also resided at his house for 
some time.
 
PURPORT
 
Paramananda Gupta composed a prayer to Lord Krsna known as Krsna-
stavavali. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (194 and 199) it is stated that 
he was formerly the gopi named Manjumedha.
 
Adi 11.46
 
TEXT 46
 
TEXT
 
narayana, krsnadasa ara manohara
devananda -- cari bhai nitai-kinkara
SYNONYMS
 
narayana -- Narayana; krsnadasa -- Krsnadasa; ara -- and; manohara -- 
Manohara; devananda -- Devananda; cari bhai -- four brothers; nitai-
kinkara -- servants of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The thirty-second, thirty-third, thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth 
prominent devotees were Narayana, Krsnadasa, Manohara and Devananda, who 
always engaged in the service of Lord Nityananda.
 
Adi 11.47
 
TEXT 47
 
TEXT
 
hoda krsnadasa -- nityananda-prabhu-prana
nityananda-pada vinu nahi jane ana
SYNONYMS
 
hoda krsnadasa -- Hoda Krsnadasa; nityananda-prabhu -- of Lord 
Nityananda; prana -- life and soul; nityananda-pada -- the lotus feet of 
Lord Nityananda; vinu -- except; nahi -- does not; jane -- know; ana -- 
anything else.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The thirty-sixth devotee of Lord Nityananda was Hoda Krsnadasa, whose 
life and soul was Nityananda Prabhu. He was always dedicated to the 
lotus feet of Nityananda, and he knew no one else but Him.
 
PURPORT
 
The residence of Krsnadasa Hoda was Badagachi, which is now in 
Bangladesh.
 
Adi 11.48
 
TEXT 48
 
TEXT
 
nakadi, mukunda, surya, madhava, sridhara
ramananda vasu, jagannatha, mahidhara
SYNONYMS
 
nakadi -- Nakadi; mukunda -- Mukunda; surya -- Surya; madhava -- Madhava;
 sridhara -- Sridhara; ramananda vasu -- Ramananda Vasu; jagannatha -- 
Jagannatha; mahidhara -- Mahidhara.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Among Lord Nityananda's devotees, Nakadi was the thirty-seventh, Mukunda 
the thirty-eighth, Surya the thirty-ninth, Madhava the fortieth, 
Sridhara the forty-first, Ramananda the forty-second, Jagannatha the 
forty-third and Mahidhara the forty-fourth.
 
PURPORT
 
Sridhara was the twelfth gopala.
 
Adi 11.49
 
TEXT 49
 
TEXT
 
srimanta, gokula-dasa hariharananda
sivai, nandai, avadhuta paramananda
SYNONYMS
 
sri-manta -- Srimanta; gokula-dasa -- Gokula dasa; hariharananda -- 
Hariharananda; sivai -- Sivai; nandai -- Nandai; avadhuta paramananda -- 
Avadhuta Paramananda.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Srimanta was the forty-fifth, Gokula dasa the forty-sixth, Hariharananda 
the forty-seventh, Sivai the forty-eighth, Nandai the forty-ninth and 
Paramananda the fiftieth.
 
Adi 11.50
 
TEXT 50
 
TEXT
 
vasanta, navani hoda, gopala, sanatana
visnai hajara, krsnananda, sulocana
SYNONYMS
 
vasanta -- Vasanta; navani hoda -- Navani Hoda; gopala -- Gopala; 
sanatana -- Sanatana; visnai hajara -- Visnai Hajara; krsnananda -- 
Krsnananda; sulocana -- Sulocana.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Vasanta was the fifty-first, Navani Hoda the fifty-second, Gopala the 
fifty-third, Sanatana the fifty-fourth, Visnai the fifty-fifth, 
Krsnananda the fifty-sixth and Sulocana the fifty-seventh.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Navani 
Hoda appears to have been the same person as Hoda Krsnadasa, the son of 
the King of Badagachi. His father's name was Hari Hoda. One can visit 
Badagachi by taking the Lalagola-ghata railway line. Formerly the Ganges 
flowed by Badagachi, but now it has become a canal known as the Kalsira 
Khala. Near the Mudagacha station is a village known as Saligrama in 
which King Krsnadasa arranged for the marriage of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, 
as described in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Twelfth Wave). It is sometimes 
said that Navani Hoda was the son of Raja Krsnadasa. His descendants 
still live in Rukunapura, a village near Bahiragachi. They belong to the 
daksina-radhiya-kayastha community, but, having been reformed as 
brahmanas, they still initiate all classes of men."
 
Adi 11.51
 
TEXT 51
 
TEXT
 
kamsari sena, ramasena, ramacandra kaviraja
govinda, sriranga, mukunda, tina kaviraja
SYNONYMS
 
kamsari sena -- Kamsari Sena; ramasena -- Ramasena; ramacandra kaviraja -
- Ramacandra Kaviraja; govinda -- Govinda; sriranga -- Sriranga; mukunda 
-- Mukunda; tina kaviraja -- all three are Kavirajas, or physicians.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The fifty-eighth great devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kamsari 
Sena, the fifty-ninth was Ramasena, the sixtieth was Ramacandra Kaviraja,
 and the sixty-first, sixty-second and sixty-third were Govinda, 
Sriranga and Mukunda, who were all physicians.
 
PURPORT
 
Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, the son of Khandavasi Ciranjiva and Sunanda, 
was a disciple of Srinivasa Acarya and the most intimate friend of 
Narottama dasa Thakura, who prayed several times for his association. 
His youngest brother was Govinda Kaviraja. Srila Jiva Gosvami very much 
appreciated Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja's great devotion to Lord Krsna and 
therefore gave him the title Kaviraja. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja, who was 
perpetually disinterested in family life, greatly assisted in the 
preaching work of Srinivasa Acarya and Narottama dasa Thakura. He 
resided at first in Sri Khanda but later in the village of Kumara-
nagara, on the bank of the Ganges.
 
Govinda Kaviraja was the brother of Ramacandra Kaviraja and youngest son 
of Ciranjiva of Srikhanda. Although at first a sakta, or worshiper of 
goddess Durga, he was later initiated by Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu. 
Govinda Kaviraja also resided first in Srikhanda and then in Kumara-
nagara, but later he moved to the village known as Teliya Budhari, on 
the southern bank of the river Padma. Since Govinda Kaviraja, the author 
of two books, Sangita-madhava and Gitamrta, was a great Vaisnava kavi, 
or poet, Srila Jiva Gosvami gave him the title Kaviraja. He is described 
in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Ninth Wave).
 
Kamsari Sena was formerly Ratnavali in Vraja, as described in the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika (194 and 200).
 
Adi 11.52
 
TEXT 52
 
TEXT
 
pitambara, madhavacarya, dasa damodara
sankara, mukunda, jnana-dasa, manohara
SYNONYMS
 
pitambara -- Pitambara; madhavacarya -- Madhavacarya; dasa damodara -- 
Damodara dasa; sankara -- Sankara; mukunda -- Mukunda; jnana-dasa -- 
Jnana dasa; manohara -- Manohara.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Among the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Pitambara was the sixty-
fourth, Madhavacarya the sixty-fifth, Damodara dasa the sixty-sixth, 
Sankara the sixty-seventh, Mukunda the sixty-eighth, Jnana dasa the 
sixty-ninth and Manohara the seventieth.
 
Adi 11.53
 
TEXT 53
 
TEXT
 
nartaka gopala, ramabhadra, gauranga-dasa
nrsimha-caitanya, minaketana ramadasa
SYNONYMS
 
nartaka gopala -- the dancer Gopala; ramabhadra -- Ramabhadra; gauranga-
dasa -- Gauranga dasa; nrsimha-caitanya -- Nrsimha-caitanya; minaketana 
rama-dasa -- Minaketana Ramadasa.
 
TRANSLATION
 
The dancer Gopala was the seventy-first, Ramabhadra the seventy-second, 
Gauranga dasa the seventy-third, Nrsimha-caitanya the seventy-fourth and 
Minaketana Ramadasa the seventy-fifth.
 
PURPORT
 
The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (68) describes Minaketana Ramadasa as an 
incarnation of Sankarsana.
 
Adi 11.54
 
TEXT 54
 
TEXT
 
vrndavana-dasa -- narayanira nandana
‘caitanya-mangala' yenho karila racana
SYNONYMS
 
vrndavana-dasa -- Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura; narayanira nandana -- 
son of Narayani; caitanya-mangala -- the book of the name Caitanya-
mangala; yenho -- who; karila -- did; racana -- composition.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srimati Narayani, composed Sri 
Caitanya-mangala [later known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata].
 
Adi 11.55
 
TEXT 55
 
TEXT
 
bhagavate krsna-lila varnila vedavyasa
caitanya-lilate vyasa -- vrndavana dasa
SYNONYMS
 
bhagavate -- in Srimad-Bhagavatam; krsna-lila -- the pastimes of Lord 
Krsna; varnila -- described; veda-vyasa -- Dvaipayana Vyasadeva; 
caitanya -- lilate -- in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyasa -- 
Vedavyasa; vrndavana dasa -- Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam. 
The Vyasa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a 
friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In other words, the 
author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son 
of Srivasa Thakura's niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of 
Vedavyasa and the cowherd boy Kusumapida. There is a descriptive 
statement by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in his commentary 
on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata giving the biographical details of the life of 
Vrndavana dasa Thakura.
 
Adi 11.56
 
TEXT 56
 
TEXT
 
sarvasakha-srestha virabhadra gosani
tanra upasakha yata, tara anta nai
SYNONYMS
 
sarva-sakha-srestha -- the best of all the branches; virabhadra gosani --
 Virabhadra Gosani; tanra upasakha -- His subbranches; yata -- all; tara 
-- of them; anta -- limit; nai -- there is not.
 
TRANSLATION
 
Among all the branches of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Virabhadra Gosani was 
the topmost. His subbranches were unlimited.
 
Adi 11.57
 
TEXT 57
 
TEXT
 
ananta nityananda-gana -- ke karu ganana
atma-pavitrata-hetu likhilan kata jana
SYNONYMS
 
ananta -- unlimited; nityananda-gana -- followers of Sri Nityananda 
Prabhu; ke karu -- who can; ganana -- count; atma-pavitrata -- of self-
purification; hetu -- for the reason; likhilan -- I have written; kata 
jana -- some of them.
 
TRANSLATION
 
No one can count the unlimited followers of Nityananda Prabhu. I have 
mentioned some of them just for my self-purification.
 
Adi 11.58
 
TEXT 58
 
TEXT
 
ei sarva-sakha purna -- pakva prema-phale
yare dekhe, tare diya bhasaila sakale
SYNONYMS
 
ei -- these; sarva-sakha -- all branches; purna -- complete; pakva prema-
phale -- with ripened fruits of love of Godhead; yare dekhe -- whomever 
they see; tare diya -- distributing to him; bhasaila -- overflooded; 
sakale -- all of them.
 
TRANSLATION
 
All these branches, the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, being full 
of ripened fruits of love of Krsna, distributed these fruits to all they 
met, flooding them with love of Krsna.
 
Adi 11.59
 
TEXT 59
 
TEXT
 
anargala prema sabara, cesta anargala
prema dite, krsna dite dhare mahabala
SYNONYMS
 
anargala -- unchecked; prema -- love of Krsna; sabara -- of everyone of 
them; cesta -- activity; anargala -- unchecked; prema dite -- to give 
love of Krsna; krsna dite -- to deliver Krsna; dhare -- they possess; 
mahabala -- great strength.
 
TRANSLATION
 
All these devotees had unlimited strength to deliver unobstructed, 
unceasing love of Krsna. By their own strength they could offer anyone 
Krsna and love of Krsna.
 
PURPORT
 
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, krsna se tomara, krsna dite para, 
tomara sakati ache. In this song, Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes that a 
pure Vaisnava, as the proprietor of Krsna and love of Krsna, can deliver 
both to anyone and everyone he likes. Therefore to get Krsna and love of 
Krsna one must seek the mercy of pure devotees. Srila Visvanatha 
Cakravarti Thakura also says, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado 
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: ** "By the mercy of the spiritual 
master one is blessed by the mercy of Krsna. Without the grace of the 
spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." By the grace of a 
Vaisnava or bona fide spiritual master one can get both love of Godhead, 
Krsna, and Krsna Himself.
 
Adi 11.60
 
TEXT 60
 
TEXT
 
sanksepe kahilan ei nityananda-gana
yanhara avadhi na paya ‘sahasra-vadana'
SYNONYMS
 
sanksepe -- in brief; kahilan -- described; ei -- these; nityananda-gana 
-- devotees of Lord Nityananda; yanhara -- of whom; avadhi -- limitation;
 na -- does not; paya -- get; sahasra-vadana -- the thousand-mouthed 
Sesa Naga, on whom Lord Visnu lies.
 
TRANSLATION
 
I have briefly described only some of the followers and devotees of Lord 
Nityananda Prabhu. Even the thousand-mouthed Sesa Naga cannot describe 
all of these unlimited devotees.
 
Adi 11.61
 
TEXT 61
 
TEXT
 
sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa
SYNONYMS
 
sri-rupa -- Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha -- Srila Raghunatha dasa 
Gosvami; pade -- at the lotus feet; yara -- whose; asa -- expectation; 
Caitanya-caritamrta -- the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe -- 
describes; krsna-dasa -- Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.
 
TRANSLATION
 
With an ardent desire to serve the purpose of Sri Rupa and Sri 
Raghunatha, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in 
their footsteps.
 
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila,
 Eleventh Chapter, in the matter of the expansions of Lord Nityananda.
 