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1130
|
Adi 11-1975: The Expansions of Lord Nityananda
Chapter 11
The Expansions of Lord Nityananda
As the branches and sub-branches of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
were described in the Tenth Chapter, in this Eleventh Chapter the
branches and sub-branches 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 of 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 sub-branches 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 -- sub-branches;
vistara -- expansively.
TRANSLATION
Sri Nityananda Prabhu is an extremely heavy branch of the Sri Caitanya
tree. From that branch grow many branches and sub-branches.
Adi 11.6
TEXT 6
TEXT
malakarera iccha-jale bade sakha-gana
prema-phula-phale bhari' chaila bhuvana
SYNONYMS
malakarera -- 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
sub-branches 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 sub-branches 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 -- of the name Sri Virabhadra Gosani; skandha --
of the trunk; maha-sakha -- the biggest branch; tanra -- his; upasakha --
sub-branches; 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 sub-branches. It is not
possible to describe them all.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura describes
Virabhadra Gosani as the direct son of Srila Nityananda Prabhu and
disciple of Jahnava-devi. His real mother was Vasudha. In the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika, verse 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 Hugali, 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 Bhakti-ratnakara, Chapter Thirteen.
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-rama-dasa ara, gadadhara dasa
caitanya-gosanira bhakta rahe tanra pasa
SYNONYMS
sri-rama-dasa -- of the name Sri Ramadasa; ara -- and; gadadhara
dasa -- of the name 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, cowherd boy friends, of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika, verse 126, states that Sri Ramadasa was formerly
Sridama. In the Bhakti-ratnakara, Chapter Four, 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 non-devotees 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.
Ten
miles southwest of the railway station Canpadanga on the
narrow gauge railway line from Howrah in Calcutta to Amta, a village
in the Hugali district, is a small town named Khanakula-krsnanagara
where the temple of Abhirama Thakura 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 southeastern 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 of Abhirama Thakura 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 of Abhirama Thakura
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 -- of the name Madhava; vasudeva --
of the name Vasudeva; ghoserao -- of the surname Ghosh; 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
and Vasudeva Ghosh belonged to both groups of devotees
simultaneously.
PURPORT
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 Ghosh as His father. Even until
today, the Deity performs the sraddha ceremony on the anniversary of the
death of Govinda Ghosh. The temple of this Deity is managed by the
rajavamsa 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 again brought back to the temple in Agradvipa.
Adi 11.16
TEXT 16
TEXT
rama-dasa -- mukhya-sakha, sakhya-prema-rasi
sola-sangera kastha yei tuli' kaila vamsi
SYNONYMS
rama-dasa -- of the name Ramadasa; mukhya-sakha -- chief branch; sakhya-
prema-rasi -- full of fraternal love; sola-sangera -- 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 -- of the name Gadadhara dasa; gopi-bhave -- in the
ecstasy of the gopis; purna-ananda -- fully in transcendental bliss;
yanra ghare -- in whose house; danakeli -- 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 Danakeli.
Adi 11.18
TEXT 18
TEXT
sri-madhava ghosa -- mukhya kirtaniya-gane
nityananda-prabhu nrtya kare yanra gane
SYNONYMS
sri-madhava ghosa -- of the name Sri Madhava Ghosh; mukhya -- chief;
kirtaniya-gane -- amongst the performers of sankirtana; nityananda-
prabhu -- of the name Nityananda Prabhu; nrtya -- dance; kare -- does;
yanra -- whose; gane -- in song.
TRANSLATION
Sri Madhava Ghosh 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 -- of the name Vasudeva; gite -- while singing; kare -- does;
prabhura -- of Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Prabhu; varnane --
in description; kastha -- wood; pasana -- stone; drave -- melt; yahara --
whose; sravane -- by hearing.
TRANSLATION
When Vasudeva Ghosh performed kirtana, describing Lord Caitanya and
Nityananda, 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 -- of the name 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
Murari
Caitanya dasa was born in the village of Sarvrndavana-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 Maugachi-grama. At that time he became known
as Sarnga or Saranga Murari Caitanya dasa. The descendants of his family
still reside in Sarer Pata. In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila,
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, verse 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 seeing him would awaken one's dormant love of
Godhead.
Adi 11.23
TEXT 23
TEXT
sundarananda -- nityanandera sakha, bhrtya marma
yanra sange nityananda kare vraja-narma
SYNONYMS
sundarananda -- of the name 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
In the
Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Six, 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 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 Jeshore, 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 -- of the name 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
In the
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 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 geneology 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
in the Bengali year 1060. The land being the possession of
Jagannatha, the village was named Jagannatha-pura. It is said that
Kamalakara Pippalai left home, and therefore 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 foodstuffs 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 much 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 -- of the name Suryadasa Sarakhela; tanra bhai --
his brother; krsnadasa -- of the name 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, Chapter Twelve, 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 of the Mohammedan
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 -- of the name 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
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, verse 128, that formerly he was Subala, one of the
cowherd boy friends 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
Nrsimhacaitanya, (2) Krsnadasa, (3) Visnudasa, (4) Bada
Balarama dasa, (5) Govinda, (6) Raghunatha, (7) Badu Gangadasa, (8)
Auliya Gangarama, (9) Yadavacarya, (10) Hrdayacaitanya, (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 (22 1/2) 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 Kalanakorta
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
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 -- of the name 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 proclaiming 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 -- of the name 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
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 Kheturi. 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 Hugali. 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 is at present a worshiper in the temple.
Some of their family members still reside in the district of Hugali
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 -- of the name 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
Descriptions of Jagadisa Pandita are available from Caitanya-
bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapter Four, and 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
TEXT
nityananda-priyabhrtya pandita dhananjaya
atyanta virakta, sada krsna-premamaya
SYNONYMS
nityananda-priya-bhrtya -- another dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu;
pandita dhananjaya -- of the name Pandita Dhananjaya; atyanta -- very
much; virakta -- renounced; sada -- always; krsna-premamaya --
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
Pandita Dhananjaya was a resident of the village in Katwa named Sitala.
He was one of the twelve gopalas. His former name, according to
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, 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 Kutwa known as Kaicara. One has to
go about a mile northeast of this station to reach Sitala. The temple
was a thached 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 January 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 -- of the name 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
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 in 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 -- of the name 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 -- of the name
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-lila, Chapter One, it is said that a
gentleman known as Ratnagarbha Acarya was a friend of Sri Nityananda
Prabhu's father. They were both residents of the same village,
known as Ekacakra-grama. He had four sons -- Krsnapada-
makaranda, 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 -- of
the name Krsnadasa; dvijavara -- 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
Radha-desa refers to 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 -- of the name 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 Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Six, it is said that
Krsnadasa, who was known as Kaliya Krsnadasa, was
formerly a gopala (cowherd boy) of the name Labanga. He was one of the
twelve cowherd boys. 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 Vyandela 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 -- of the name Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja; bada --
great; mahasaya -- respectable gentleman; sri-purusottama-dasa -- of the
name 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 -- since 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
Since 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
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. The Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika, verse 156, says that Candravali, a most beloved gopi
of Krsna, later took birth as Sadasiva Kaviraja. 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 in 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 -- of the name 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
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. It is said that he took birth on the
Rathayatra 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 upon seeing the ecstatic symptoms of
Kanu Thakura, the Gosvamis 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
Maharastrian 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 -- of the name 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
The
Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 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 Hugali. 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 Mohammedan rulers, received the title
Mullik.
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Six, 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 Balla Sena and the suvarna-vanik community
because of the great banker Gauri Sena. Balla Sena was taking loans
from Gauri Sena and spending money extravagantly, and therefore Gauri
Sena stopped supplying money. Balla 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 Gadadhara Prabhu.
There are also a Radha-Govinda murti and 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. In the Bengali year
1283 one babaji of the name Nitai dasa arranged for a donation of twelve
bighas of land for this temple. The management of the temple later
deteriorated, but then in 1306, through the cooperation of the famous
Balarama Mullik of Hugali, 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 Deity of
Uddharana Datta Thakura in the temple, but that Deity is no longer there;
at present, a picture of Uddharana Datta Thakura is worshiped. It is
understood, however, that the wooden Deity 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 -- of the name Vaisnavananda; bhakti --
devotional service; adhikari -- fit candidate; purve -- previously; nama
-- name; chila -- was; yanra -- whose; raghunatha puri -- of the name
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, verse 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 -- of the name Visnudasa; nandana -- of the name Nandana;
gangadasa -- of the name 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
-- of the name Paramananda Upadhyaya; sri-jiva pandita -- of the name
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,
verse 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 -- of the name Paramananda Gupta; krsna-bhakta -- a
great devotee of Lord Krsna; mahamati -- 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, verse 194, 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 -- of the name Narayana; krsnadasa -- of the name Krsnadasa;
ara -- and; manohara -- of the name Manohara; devananda -- of the name
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 -- of the name 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 -- of the name Nakadi; mukunda -- of the name Mukunda; surya --
of the name Surya; madhava -- of the name Madhava; sridhara -- of the
name Sridhara; ramananda vasu -- of the name Ramananda Vasu; jagannatha -
- of the name Jagannatha; mahidhara -- of the name 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
sri-manta, gokula-dasa hariharananda
sivai, nandai, avadhuta paramananda
SYNONYMS
sri-manta -- of the name Sri Manta; gokula-dasa -- of the name
Gokula dasa; hariharananda -- of the name Hariharananda; sivai -- of the
name Sivai; nandai -- of the name Nandai; avadhuta paramananda -- of the
name Avadhuta Paramananda.
TRANSLATION
Sri Manta 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 -- of the name Vasanta; navani hoda -- of the name Navani Hoda;
gopala -- of the name Gopala; sanatana -- of the name Sanatana; visnai
hajara -- of the name Visnai Hajara; krsnananda -- of the name
Krsnananda; sulocana -- of the name 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
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
Khal. 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, Taranga Twelve. 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 -- of the name Kamsari Sena; ramasena -- of the name
Ramasena; ramacandra kaviraja -- of the name Ramacandra Kaviraja;
govinda -- of the name Govinda; sriranga -- of the name Sriranga;
mukunda -- of the name 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 Taranga.
Kamsari Sena was formerly Ratnavali in Vraja, as described in the Gaura-
ganoddesa-dipika, verses 194 and 200.
Adi 11.52
TEXT 52
TEXT
pitambara, madhavacarya, dasa damodara
sankara, mukunda, jnana-dasa, manohara
SYNONYMS
pitambara -- of the name Pitambara; madhavacarya -- of the name
Madhavacarya; dasa damodara -- of the name Damodara dasa; sankara -- of
the name Sankara; mukunda -- of the name Mukunda; jnana-dasa -- of
the name Jnanadasa; manohara -- of the name 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, Jnanadasa the
sixty-ninth and Manohara the seventieth.
Adi 11.53
TEXT 53
TEXT
nartaka gopala, ramabhadra, gauranga-dasa
nrsimha-caitanya, minaketana rama-dasa
SYNONYMS
nartaka gopala -- the dancer Gopala; ramabhadra -- of the name
Ramabhadra; gauranga-dasa -- of the name Gauranga dasa; nrsimha-caitanya
-- of the name Nrsimha-caitanya; minaketana rama-dasa -- of the name
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, verse 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 the Srimad-Bhagavatam; krsna-lila -- the pastimes of
Lord Krsna; varnila -- described; vedavyasa -- 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 the 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
sarvasakha-srestha -- the best of all the branches; virabhadra
gosani -- of the name Virabhadra Gosani; tanra upasakha -- His
sub-branches; 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 sub-branches 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 every one
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 benedicted 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
Sesanaga 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 Sesanaga 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 of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-
lila, Chapter Eleven, 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 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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