Category: West Bengal

Ramachandra Kaviraja & Govinda Kaviraja – Life & Teachings | Bhagawangola, Murshidabad

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 17, 2019

bhagawangola

The two brothers, Sri Ramachandra Kaviraja and Govinda kaviraja, are great acharyas and renowned stalwarts of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. They are the two sons of Ciranjiva (an eternal associate of Lord Caitanya) and Sunanda Devi.Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja identifies Ciranjiva (a resident of Srikhanda) as the 41st branch of Lord Caitanya’s desire tree of devotional service.

khandavasi mukunda das, sri Raghunandana
Narahari das, ciranjiva, sulocana
ei saba mahasakha — caitanya-kripadhama
Prema phala phula kare yahan tahan daana
(Sri Caitanya caritamrta, Adi,10.78-79)

Sunanda Devi was the daughter of the great poet, Damodara Sen. Sri Bhakti Ratnakara reveals how Damodara Pandita was a great scholar and almost undefeatable in debates. One such scholar, who was defeated by him, cursed him to never have any male progenies in his life. Damodara went to great lengths to pacify the defeated scholar, who at last blessed him saying that his daughter, would give birth to two illustrious sons, who would benedict the whole world, by driving away all its inauspiciousness. In due course of time, Damodara was blessed with a daughter, whom he named Sunanda. She was beautiful and a reservoir of all good qualities. Sunanda Devi subsequently got married to Ciranjiva and settled down at Srikhanda (near Katwa, Bengal). In due course of time, she gave birth to Sri Ramachandra Kaviraja and Govinda Kaviraja, the great saviors of fallen souls. Before ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ delves into the life and pastimes of these exalted personalities, we would like to apprise the readers that here at the Gauranga Bari ashrama in Bhagawangola, presently rests the Gaura Govinda and Gaura Gopala deities of Ramachandra Kaviraja and Govinda Kaviraja. Not a few miles from here lies the renowned ‘Teliya Budhari’ village where the Sripat of Govinda Kaviraja once existed. We shall discuss more on these later in this article.

Medinipur and surroundings Vaishnava acharyas

Rasikananda Murari – Life and pastimes | Sripat Gopiballavpur

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 10, 2019

rasikananda gopiballavpur

Sri Rasikananda Murari was born in the city of Rohini, which was then part of the kingdom of Mallabhum. He was born on a Sunday, the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartika, in the year 1590 AD. It was the time of Dipavali and lamps had illuminated the entire city. All the auspicious planets had converged at the time of his birth. Sri Acyuta Mahasaya, the King of Mallabhum, and Bhavani Devi became the fortunate parents of Sri Rasikananda Murari, who was an eternal associate of the Lord Caitanya. In this article we are going to discuss about Rasikananda’s childhood, devotional life, widespread preaching and the enchanting pastimes of Gopiballavpur. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ offers millions of humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Rasikananda Murari, the mere contemplation upon whose life and pastimes, evokes within one, the pure ecstatic love of God.

Rasikendra pada dvandvam , vande parama mangalam
Sarva madhurya sharanam , asharam paramotsava
–
I worship the lotus feet of Rasikendra (Sri Rasikananda) , who is the reservoir of all sweetness and the highest joy

The Kingdom of Utkala, which then stretched from modern-day Orissa and included the provinces of Bankura, Purulia, and Medinipur in Bengal, was largely inhabited by impious people in those days. These people used to attack anyone who sang the holy names of Lord Hari. They used to attack and rob sages who meditated within the forests. Whenever they would see Vaishnavas, they would immediately attack them, and push them out of their villages. The devotees of Utkala would always pray to Lord Krishna, to bestow His causeless mercy upon these sinners and bless them with the understanding of absolute truth. Lord Krishna, who is bhakta-vatsala, listened to these prayers, and sent His dear servant, Rasikananda, to widely preach and deliver the land of Utkala.

Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Jiva Goswami’s Mayapur Nabadwip Parikrama with Lord Nityananda

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 31, 2018

jiva goswami

Sri Jiva Goswami left his home in Candradvipa, at a very early age, and began crying ‘Nadia’ , ‘Nadia’ out of an intense eagerness.Calling out the names of Gauranga and Nityananda he finally arrived at Navadvipa. People were startled to see the effulgent attractive form of Jiva Gosai, who was performing great renunciations. He wanted to meet Nityananda prabhu, and begged the people to take him to the Lord. Swayed by great compassion, Nityananda Prabhu accepted Jiva and embraced him. Jiva Goswami then glorified Nityananda Prabhu. He exclaimed that Nityananda prabhu, who was none other than Lord Balarama, was the very form and the abode of the universe. Addressing himself as an insignificant living entity, Sri Jiva expressed how only by receiving the causeless mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, can one achieve the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga. If Lord Gaurahari punishes someone, that person can still be protected by Lord Nityananda. However one rejected by Nityananda prabhu is never accepted by Sri Caitanya. Jiva Goswami begged Nityananda Prabhu for His causeless mercy, and seeked His permission so that he could receive Lord Gaurahari’s darsana and developed attachment unto Him.

Lord Nityananda Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Reunion of Nitai Gauranga | Nandan Acharya Sripat, Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Post author By gaudiya
Post date July 5, 2018

gaura nitai nandan acharya bhavan After touring various holy places, Nityananda Prabhu (Nitai) finally reached Vrindavana. Visiting His previous pastime places (ie, those of Lord Balarama), He became ecstatic and began roaring loudly. Going without any food or water, He incessantly chanted the names of Krishna and rolled upon the sacred dust of Vrindavana dham. By this time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Gaura) had already started revealing His devotional mood in Navadvipa. Mahaprabhu (who was Krishna Himself) started to feel an intense separation from His brother Nitai (Balaram), and longed to have Him in His sankirtana. As soon Lord Nityananda realized that Mahaprabhu had begun manifesting His ecstatic mood, He at once came over to Navadvipa to assist the Lord in His magnanimous pastimes. But how Nitai Gauranga (Lord Nityananda and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) met with each other is a fascinating pastime, as we shall read below.

hooghly

Paramesvari das Thakura – Life and Pastimes | Sripat, Antpur, Hooghly

Post author By gaudiya
Post date April 13, 2018

antpur paramesvari das thakur

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja mentions in the Adi Lila of his Caitanya Caritamrta, that Sri Paramesvari das Thakura ( sometimes also referred to as Paramesvara Das) was the fifth of the twelve cowherd boys (Dvadasha Gopala) who had appeared in order to assist Sri Gaura Nitai manifest their magnanimous pastimes. He was completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu. It is further revealed, that anyone who remembers his name or contemplates upon his pastimes, achieves the love of Krishna very easily. So it is for the ultimate benefit of one and all that today we are going to discuss about his wonderful pastimes and glorify this great Vaishnava saint.

paramesvara das – Nityanandaika sharana
Krishna-bhakti paya, tanre ye kare smarana
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi, 11.29)

From Sri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika, we come to know that Sri Paramesvari Das Thakura was the incarnation of the cowherd boy ‘Arjuna’ (not to be confused with Arjuna – the Pandava), an intimate friend (Priya Narma sakha) of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.

Lord Jagannath Ranaghat

Jagadish Pandit – Biography | Jasra (Yashora) Jagannatha temple, Chakdaha

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 27, 2018

chakdaha

Sri Jagadish Pandit was the fifteenth branch to have expanded out of Lord Nityananda’s trunk of devotional service.Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja has highly glorified him in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. Sri Jagadish Pandit has been described as ‘Jagat-pavana’, the deliverer of the entire world. It has been exclaimed that devotional love of Krishna showered from him like torrents of heavy rain.

jagadisa paṇḍita haya jagat-pavana
Krishna premamrita varse, yena varsa ghana
(Caitanya Caritamrta, adi, 11.30)

‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit the sripat of Sri Jagadish pandit in this holy town of Chakdaha and seek blessings from his worshipable Jagannatha and Gaura-Gopal deities. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has mentioned in his anubhashya commentary that both of Jagadish pandit’s parents were great devotees of Lord Vishnu. After they had passed away, Jagadish Pandit, shifted his residence to Mayapur to live in the company of Jagannatha Misra (Mahaprabhu’s father) and the other vaishnavas. His wife Dukhini and brother Hiranya accompanied him. Gaura Gonodesha Dipika confirms that both the brothers, Jagadish and Hiranya, were formerly the wives of the sacrificial brahmanas in Vrindavana. In the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, Jagadish pandit worshipped Mahaprabhu in the mood of parental affection.

Ranaghat

Mahesh Pandita – Biography | Sripat Palpara, Chakdaha, Nadia

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 27, 2018

palpara mahesh pandita

Mahesh Pandita, is one of the twelve cowherd boys (Dvadasha gopala) of Vrindavana, who had appeared in order to assist Nityananda Prabhu manifest His magnanimous pastimes.He is counted as the seventeenth expansion to have arisen out of Lord Nityananda’s trunk of devotional service.Sri Krishnadasa kaviraja has described him as a very liberal person ,who remained forever immersed in relishing the ecstatic love of God.

mahesa pandita — vrajera udaara gopala
dhakka-vadye nritya kare preme matoyala
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi, 11.32)

From the above verse it is also clear that Mahesh pandita enchanted the hearts of one and all with his ecstatic dance to the tune of kettledrums. He was formerly the cowherd boy Mahabahu, an intimate associate of Sri Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.

Ranaghat

Worshipable deities of Jahnava Mata and Purusottama Das, Chandure gram, Simurali

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 27, 2018

Jahnava Mata Purusottama Das simurali

In this article we intend to discuss about the life and exalted pastimes of Sri Purusottama Das Thakura. It is here at Simurali, a small town of Bengal, that the deities of Purusottama das and Jahnava mata are still being worshiped. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja describes Sri Purusottama Das Thakura as one who always engaged himself in serving the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. He worshipped Lord Krishna as his friend and always engaged in childish play with Him.

ajanma nimagna Nityanandera charane
nirantara balya-lila kare Krishna-sane
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi, 11.39)

Sri Purusottama or Nagara Purusottama ,as he was sometimes referred to, was the twenty-fifth expansion of Lord Nityananda’s trunk of devotional service.He was formerly the cowherd boy Dama, and had appeared in order to assist Nityananda prabhu manifest His magnanimous pastimes. His father, Sadashiva Kaviraja, was the incarnation of the Vraja gopi , Chandravali.He was a vaidya (physician) by profession.Both father and son have been referred to as greatly fortunate (Maha-Vagyavan) in the Caitanya Bhagavata.Kamsari Sen, the father of Sadashiva kaviraja, was the incarnation of the vraja gopi Ratnavali, who eternally serves the divine couple in vrindavana. All the family members were great devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.Sri Purusottama Das’ son, Sri Kanu Thakura, was also a great devotee of the Lord. Seeing Kanu Thakura’s devotional symptoms, Nityananda prabhu named him as Sishu Krishna das (sishu means ‘little boy’ in bengali). When he was just five years old, he accompanied Jahnava Mata, on her trip to Vrindavana and the Goswamis, noting his spiritual acumen, gave him the name Kanai Thakura. Sri Kanai Thakura’s worshipable Pranavallava deities are presently being worshipped at a place near Baranagar Path bari (refer – ‘Sri Bhagavatacharya’s residence,Baranagar Path bari’).
One of the family members of Sri Purusottama, named Madhvacharya, got married to Gangamuni devi, Nityananda Prabhu’s daughter. Thus the two families were very close to each other. One desiring to learn more about Jahnava Mata can refer to our article entitled – ‘Lord Nityananda’s marriage with Srimati Jahnava and Vasudha, Ambika Kalna’.

Bhaktivinoda thakur Ranaghat

Ula Birnagar – Birthplace of Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 2, 2018

birnagar

Sri Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who is sometimes also referred to as the seventh Goswami, is an eternal associate of the Supreme Lord. His contribution to the Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya is invaluable.At a time when the science of pure devotional service (Bhakti) had almost become lost due to the cultural and religious chauvinism of the ruling British, and the essence of Vaishnavism largely discredited due to the perverted actions and lifestyles of a few non bonafide Vaishnava sects, Srila Bhaktivinoda was largely responsible for rescuing and unearthing the timeless teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In Fact it was he who ,after conducting a painstaking research, had rediscovered the long lost birthsite of Sri Gaurasundara (refer – ‘YogPeeth, Mayapur, Navadvipa – The birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’). Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, was not only a magistrate, but also a renowned and recognised scholar in his days, with vast knowledge in english,bengali,hindi,oriya and sanskrit.He was also a member of the royal asiatic society of London. Such was the degraded state of affairs during those days, that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura could not find a bonafide copy of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, the most important literature for understanding Lord Caitanya’s life and teachings, anywhere. It was only after several enquiries and a long wait, that he received a copy of this book. He subsequently published it along with his commentaries (Amrta-pravaha-bhasya). Likewise, he was instrumental in unearthing several ancient manuscripts like Caitanyopanishad ( portion of Atharva Veda) ,Sri Krishna Vijaya, etc. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself an insignificant servant of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, whose causeless mercy has enabled us fools to get a glimpse of his elevated stature and pen a few lines in his glorification. We have dedicated a separate article covering the details of the Thakura’s later life (Remembering Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Svananda Sukhada Kunja & Surabhi Kunja, Navadvipa (Godrumadvipa)). In this article however, we shall mainly focus upon the birth and the early childhood of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

Birbhum

Jayadeva Goswami – Biography, Life & Teachings | Sripat Kenduli (Near Shantiniketan)

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 15, 2018

kenduli

About 300 years prior to the appearance of Lord Caitanya, lived a great Bengali poet named Jayadeva Goswami. Jayadeva was born here at the village of Kenduli, situated on the banks of Ajay river, a place not very far from Shantiniketan. Kenduli came across as a calm, serene and a spiritually exalted destination, perfect for one desiring to escape into the realm of transcendence. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself greatly fortunate to have been able to visit Kenduli, and pray for the causeless mercy of this great Vaishnava saint.We humbly beg for His blessings and empowerment in order to rewind the clock a few hundred years and pen a few lines in His glorification.