20230412 Some of the Names and Characters of the Associates of Nityānanda [Part 2]

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 12th,2023 in Dallas, Texas, USA.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book Today's chapter is entitled as: 

Some of the Names and Characters of the Associates of Nityānanda [Part 2]

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.34

balarāma dāsa—kṛṣṇa-prema-rasāsvādī
nityānanda-nāme haya parama unmādī

Translation: Balarāma dāsa always fully tasted the nectar of love of Kṛṣṇa. Upon hearing the name of Nityānanda Prabhu, he would become greatly maddened.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.735

yadunātha kavicandra—

yadunātha kavicandra—prema-rasa-māyā
niravadhi nityānanda yāṅhāre sadaya

Jayapatākā Swami: Yadunātha Kavicandra was filled with the mellows of ecstatic love. Lord Nityānanda was always merciful to him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.35

mahā-bhāgavata yadunātha kavicandra
yāṅhāra hṛdaye nṛtya kare nityānanda

Translation: Yadunātha Kavicandra was a great devotee. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu always danced in his heart.

Purport: In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, chapter one, it is said that a gentleman known as Ratnagarbha Ācārya was a friend of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s father. They had been residents of the same village. Ratnagarbha Ācārya had three sons — Kṛṣṇānanda, Jīva and Yadunātha Kavicandra.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.736

jagadīśa paṇḍita—

jagadīśa-paṇḍita—parama-jyotir-dhāma
sa-pārṣade nityānanda yāṅra dhana prāṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Jagadīśa Paṇḍita was the abode of great effulgence. Lord Nityānanda and His associates were Jagadīśa Paṇḍita’s life and soul.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.30

jagadīśa paṇḍita haya jagat-pāvana
kṛṣṇa-premāmṛta varṣe, yena varṣā ghana

Translation: Jagadīśa Paṇḍita, the fifteenth branch of Lord Nityānanda’s followers, was the deliverer of the entire world. Devotional love of Kṛṣṇa showered from him like torrents of rain.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Descriptions of Jagadīśa Paṇḍita are available from the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa, chapter six, and the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, chapter fourteen. He belonged to the village of Yaśaḍā-grāma, in the district of Nadia near the Cākadaha railway station. His father, the son of Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa, was named Kamalākṣa. Both his father and mother were great devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, and after their death, Jagadīśa, with his wife Duḥkhinī and brother Maheśa, left his birthplace and came to Śrī Māyāpur to live in the company of Jagannātha Miśra and other Vaiṣṇavas. Lord Caitanya asked Jagadīśa to go to Jagannātha Purī to preach the hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana movement. After returning from Jagannātha Purī, on the order of Lord Jagannātha he established Deities of Jagannātha in the village of Yaśaḍā-grāma. It is said that when Jagadīśa Paṇḍita brought the Deity of Jagannātha to Yaśaḍā-grāma, 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 Jagadīśa Paṇḍita to carry the Jagannātha Deity.”

Jayapatākā Swami: This Yaśaḍā-grāma is a part of Cākadaha. And there is a Gauḍīya Maṭha worships the Jagannātha which was brought by Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and as it is stated here, they show the stick, on which Lord Jagannātha was brought there.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.737

paṇḍita puruṣottama—

paṇḍita puruṣottama—navadvīpe janma
nityānanda-svarūpera mahābhṛtya marma

Jayapatākā Swami: Paṇḍita Puruṣottama took birth in Navadvīpa dhāma. He was a confidential and great servant of Lord Nityānanda Svarūpa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.33

navadvīpe puruṣottama paṇḍita mahāśaya
nityānanda-nāme yāṅra mahonmāda haya

Translation: Puruṣottama Paṇḍita, a resident of Navadvīpa, was the eighth gopāla. He would become almost mad as soon as he heard the holy name of Nityānanda Prabhu.

Purport: It is stated in the Caitanya-bhāgavata that Puruṣottama Paṇḍita was born in Navadvīpa and was a great devotee of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu. As one of the twelve gopālas, his former name was Stokakṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.738

pūrve yāṅra ghare nityānandera vasati
yāṅhāra prasāde haya nityānande mati

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda had previously stayed in his house. By his mercy, one’s mind would be fixed on Lord Nityānanda.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.739

dvija kṛṣṇadāsa—

rāḍhe janma mahāśaya dvija-kṛṣṇadāsa
nityānanda-pāriṣade yāṅhāra vilāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Dvija Kṛṣṇadāsa Mahāśaya was born in Rāḍhadeśa. Lord Nityānanda’s associates were his association.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.36

rāḍhe yāṅra janma kṛṣṇadāsa dvija-vara
śrī-nityānandera teṅho parama kiṅkara

Translation: The twenty-first devotee of Śrī Nityānanda in Bengal was Kṛṣṇadāsa Brāhmaṇa, who was a first-class servant of the Lord.

Purport: In this verse the word rāḍhe refers to Rāḍhadeśa, the part of Bengal where the Ganges does not flow.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.740

kāliyā-kṛṣṇadāsa—

prasiddha kāliyā-kṛṣṇadāsa tribhuvane
gauracandra labhya haya yāṅhāra smaraṇe

Jayapatākā Swami: Kāliya Kṛṣṇadāsa was famous throughout the three worlds. By remembering him one could attain Gauracandra.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.37

kālā-kṛṣṇadāsa baḍa vaiṣṇava-pradhāna
nityānanda-candra vinu nahi jāne āna

Translation: The twenty-second devotee of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu was Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa, who was the ninth cowherd boy. He was a first-class Vaiṣṇava and did not know anything beyond Nityānanda Prabhu.

Purport: In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (132) it is said that Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa, who was also known as Kāliyā Kṛṣṇadāsa, was formerly a gopa (cowherd boy) of the name Lavaṅga. He was one of the twelve cowherd boys.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Kāliyā Kṛṣṇadāsa had his headquarters in a village named Ākāihāṭa, 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 Navadvīpa. To reach Ākāihāṭa, one has to go from the Bandel junction station to the Katwa railway station and then go about two miles, or one has to get off at the Dāṅihāṭa station and from there go one mile. The village of Ākāihāṭa is very small. In the month of Caitra, on the day of Vāruṇī, there is a festival commemorating the disappearance day of Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: These associates of Lord Nityānanda had helped Lord Nityānanda to spread the saṅkīrtana movement throughout Bengal. And they were very important. They come down from the spiritual world to assist Nitāi-Gaura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.741

sadāśiva-kavirāja—

sadāśiva-kavirāja—mahā-bhāgyavān
yāṅra putra—puruṣottama-dāsa-nāma

Jayapatākā Swami: Sadāśiva Kavirāja was greatly fortunate. He had a son named Puruṣottama dāsa.

Purport: For a description of Sadāśiva Kavirāja, see Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Eleven, text 38 and the Anubhāṣya commentary on it.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.38

śrī-sadāśiva kavirāja—baḍa mahāśaya
śrī-puruṣottama-dāsa—tāṅhāra tanaya

Translation: The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityānanda Prabhu were Sadāśiva Kavirāja and his son Puruṣottama dāsa, who was the tenth Gopāla.

Jayapatākā Swami: So twelve Gopālas came down and associated with Lord Nityānanda. And we sing śrī kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nāhi anya, balarāma ha-ila nitāi. So along with Nitāi, came the twelve Gopālas.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.742

puruṣottama-dāsa—

bāhya nāhi puruṣottama dāsera śarīre
nityānanda-candra yāṅra hṛdaye vihare

Jayapatākā Swami: The body of Puruṣottama dasa would not display any external consciousness, for Lord Nityānandacandra resided in his heart.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.743

uddhāraṇa-datta—

uddhāraṇa-datta—mahā-vaiṣṇava udāra
nityānanda-sevāya yāṅhāra adhikāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Uddhāraṇa Datta, he was a great Vaiṣṇava, most magnanimous. He was qualified for the service of Lord Nityānanda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.41

mahā-bhāgavata-śreṣṭha datta uddhāraṇa
sarva-bhāve seve nityānandera caraṇa

Translation: Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was an exalted devotee of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda in all respects.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (129) states that Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura was formerly the cowherd boy of Vṛndāvana named Subāhu. Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura, previously known as Śrī Uddhāraṇa Datta, was a resident of Saptagrāma, which is situated on the bank of the Sarasvatī River near the Triśabighā railway station in the district of Hugli. At the time of Uddhāraṇa Ṭhākura, Saptagrāma was a very big town, encompassing many other places such as Vāsudeva-pura, Bāṅśabeḍiyā, Kṛṣṇapura, Nityānanda-pura, Śivapura, Śaṅkhanagara and Saptagrāma.”

Calcutta was developed under British rule by the influential mercantile community, and especially by the suvarṇa-vaṇik community who came down from Saptagrāma to establish their businesses and homes all over Calcutta. They were known as the Saptagrāmī 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 Śrīla Uddhāraṇa Ṭhākura. 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-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, chapter five, it is said that Uddhāraṇa Datta was an extremely elevated and liberal Vaiṣṇava. He was born with the right to worship Nityānanda Prabhu. It is also stated that Nityānanda Prabhu, after staying for some time in Khaḍadaha, came to Saptagrāma and stayed in the house of Uddhāraṇa Datta. The suvarṇa-vaṇik community to which Uddhāraṇa Datta belonged was actually a Vaiṣṇava community. Its members were bankers and gold merchants (suvarṇa means “gold,” and vaṇik means “merchant”). Long ago there was a misunderstanding between Ballāl Sena and the suvarṇa-vaṇik community because of the great banker Gaurī Sena. Ballāl Sena was taking loans from Gaurī Sena and spending money extravagantly, and therefore Gaurī Sena stopped supplying money. Ballāl Sena took revenge by instigating a social conspiracy to make the suvarṇa-vaṇiks outcastes, and since then they have been ostracized from the higher castes, namely the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. But by the grace of Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu, the suvarṇa-vaṇik community was again elevated. It is said in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, yateka vaṇik-kula uddhāraṇa haite pavitra ha-ila dvidhā nāhika ihāte: there is no doubt that all the community members of the suvarṇa-vaṇik society were again purified by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

In Saptagrāma there is still a temple with a six-armed Deity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that was personally worshiped by Śrīla Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura. On the right side of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a Deity of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, and on the left side is Gadādhara Prabhu. There are also a Rādhā-Govinda mūrti and a śālagrāma-śilā, and below the throne is a picture of Śrī Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura. In front of the temple there is now a big hall, and in front of the hall is a Mādhavī-latā 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 suvarṇa-vaṇik community enthusiastically take interest in this temple of Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura adds in his Anubhāṣya: “In the Bengali year 1283 [A.D.1876] a bābājī of the name Nitāi dāsa arranged for a donation of twelve bighās of land (about four acres) for the temple where Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura worshiped. The management of the temple later deteriorated, but then in 1306 (A.D. 1899), through the cooperation of the famous Balarāma Mullik of Hugli, who was a subjudge, and many rich suvarṇa-vaṇik community members, the management of the temple improved greatly. Not more than fifty years ago, one of the family members of Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura named Jagamohana Datta established a wooden mūrti [statue] of Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura in the temple, but that mūrti is no longer there; at present, a picture of Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura is worshiped. It is understood, however, that the wooden mūrti of Uddhāraṇa Ṭhākura was taken away by Śrī Madana-mohana Datta and is now being worshiped with a śālagrāma-śilā by Śrīnātha Datta.

“Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura was the manager of the estate of a big zamindar in Naihāṭī, about one and a half miles north of Katwa. The relics of this royal family are still visible near the Dāiṅhāṭa station. Since Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura was the manager of the estate, it was also known as Uddhāraṇa-pura. Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura installed Nitāi-Gaura Deities that were later brought to the house of the zamindar, which was known as Vanaoyārībāda. Śrīla Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura remained a householder throughout his life. His father’s name was Śrīkara Datta, his mother’s name was Bhadrāvatī, and his son’s name was Śrīnivāsa Datta.”

Jayapatākā Swami: As you heard, Śrīla Prabhupāda came from this family of Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura. And just as Lord Caitanya, He did His saṅkīrtana in Navadvīpa, Lord Nityānanda chanted in Saptagrāma and got all the vaiśyas to become Vaiṣṇavas. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is considered that the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are very elevated. But there Lord Kṛṣṇa said, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim [Bg 9.32] - if you fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa whether ladies, whether businessmen, whether they are śūdras, whatever they may be they can be elevated to the perfectional state. So we see that Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura, he was actually one of the twelve Gopālas, who came down from the spiritual world to serve and associate with Lord Nityānanda.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.744

maheśa-paṇḍita o paramānanda upādhyāya—

maheśa-paṇḍita—ati parama mahānta
paramānanda-upādhyāya—vaiṣṇava ekānta

Jayapatākā Swami: Maheśa Paṇḍita was the most exalted devotee, he was called a Mahānta, a great spiritual leader. Paramānanda Upādhyāya was an unalloyed Vaiṣṇava.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.32

maheśa paṇḍita—vrajera udāra gopāla
ḍhakkā-vādye nṛtya kare preme mātoyāla

Translation: Maheśa Paṇḍita, the seventh of the twelve gopālas, was very liberal. In great love of Kṛṣṇa he danced to the beating of a kettledrum like a madman.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “The village of Maheśa Paṇḍita, which is known as Pālapāḍā, is situated in the district of Nadia within a forest about one mile south of the Cākadaha railway station. The Ganges flows nearby. It is said that formerly Maheśa Paṇḍita lived on the eastern side of Jirāṭ in the village known as Masipura or Yaśīpura, and when Masipura merged into the riverbed of the Ganges, the Deities there were brought to Pālapāḍā, which is situated in the midst of various villages such as Beleḍāṅgā, Berigrāma, Sukhasāgara, Cānduḍe and Manasāpotā. (There are about fourteen villages, and the entire neighborhood is known as Pāñcanagara Paragaṇā.) It is mentioned that Maheśa Paṇḍita joined the festival performed by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu at Pānihāṭi. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura also joined in the festival, and Maheśa Paṇḍita saw him on that occasion. In the temple of Maheśa Paṇḍita there are Deities of Gaura-Nityānanda, Śrī Gopīnātha, Śrī Madana-mohana and Rādhā-Govinda, as well as a śālagrāma-śilā.”

Jayapatākā Swami: We went with Śrīla Prabhupāda to Pālapāḍā. The sevaite wanted there wanted to join ISKCON and give the temple to ISKCON. And people there generally go from Pālapāḍā to Calcutta to work. Śrīla Prabhupāda was suggesting that when they all come home on Sundays, whatever they eat, the quantity they could offer to the Deity and then all take kṛṣṇa-prasāda together. So this is a very dynamic program Śrīla Prabhupāda was suggesting.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.44

nityānanda-bhṛtya—paramānanda upādhyāya
śrī-jīva paṇḍita nityānanda-guṇa gāya

Translation: Paramānanda Upādhyāya was Nityānanda Prabhu’s great servitor. Śrī Jīva Paṇḍita glorified the qualities of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

Purport: Śrī Paramānanda Upādhyāya was an advanced devotee. His name is mentioned in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, where Śrī Jīva Paṇḍita is also mentioned as the second son of Ratnagarbha Ācārya and a childhood friend of Hāḍāi Ojhā, the father of Nityānanda Prabhu. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (169) it is said that Śrī Jīva Paṇḍita was formerly the gopī named Indirā.

Jayapatākā Swami: We see that in the 11th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it was predicted that Lord Kṛṣṇa would come but He would not be black in color. He will come with His expansions, His energies, and His associates. Here we see how all these associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they came either to associate with Lord Nityānanda or Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.745

gaṅgā-dāsa—

caturbhuja-paṇḍita-nandana gaṅgādāsa
pūrve yāṅra ghare nityānanadera vilāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaṅgādāsa was the son of Catur-bhuja Paṇḍita. Lord Nityānanda had previously stayed in his house.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.43

viṣṇudāsa, nandana, gaṅgādāsa—tina bhāi
pūrve yāṅra ghare chilā ṭhākura nitāi

Translation: Another important devotee of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu was Viṣṇudāsa, who had two brothers, Nandana and Gaṅgādāsa. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu sometimes stayed at their house.

Purport: The three brothers Viṣṇudāsa, Nandana and Gaṅgādāsa were residents of Navadvīpa and belonged to the Bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇa family. Both Viṣṇudāsa and Gaṅgādāsa stayed for some time with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī, and the Caitanya-bhāgavata states that formerly Nityānanda Prabhu stayed at their house.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we see that some of these devotees had both relationship with both Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.746

ācārya vaiṣṇavānanda—

ācārya vaiṣṇavānanda—parama-udāra
pūrve raghunātha-purī nāma khyāti yāṅra

Jayapatākā Swami: Ācārya Vaiṣṇavānanda was most magnanimous. Previously he was famous as Raghunātha Purī.

Purport: For a description of Ācārya Vaiṣṇavānanda, see Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Eleven, text 42 and the Anubhāṣya commentary on it.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.747

paramānanda gupta—

prasiddha paramānanda-gupta mahāśaya
pūrve yāṅra ghare nityānandera ālaya

Jayapatākā Swami: Paramānanda Gupta Mahāśaya was famous. Previously Lord Nityānanda enjoyed pastimes in his house.

Purport: For a description of Paramānanda Gupta, see Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Eleven, text 45 and the Anubhāṣya commentary on it.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.748

baḍagāchira kṛṣṇadāsa—

baḍagāchi-nivāsī sukṛti kṛṣṇadāsa
yāṅhāra mandire nityānandera vilāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: The fortunate Kṛṣṇadāsa was a resident of Baḍagāchi. Lord Nityānanda enjoyed pastimes in his house.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.23

sundarānanda—nityānandera śākhā, bhṛtya marma
yāṅra saṅge nityānanda kare vraja-narma

Translation: Sundarānanda, another branch of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, was Lord Nityānanda’s most intimate servant. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu perceived the life of Vrajabhūmi in his company.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, chapter five, it is stated that Sundarānanda was an ocean of love of Godhead and the chief associate of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (127) he is stated to have been Sudāmā in kṛṣṇa-līlā. Thus he was one of the twelve cowherd boys who came down with Balarāma when He descended as Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The holy place where Sundarānanda lived is situated in the village known as Maheśapura, which is about fourteen miles east of the Mājadiyā 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 Sundarānanda still exists. At the end of the village resides a bāula [pseudo Vaiṣṇava], and all the buildings, both the temples and the house, appear to be newly constructed. In Maheśapura there are Deities of Śrī Rādhāvallabha and Śrī Śrī Rādhāramaṇa. Near the temple is a small river of the name Vetravatī.

“Sundarānanda Prabhu was a naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī: 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 Maṅgalaḍihi in the district of Birbhum. In that same village is a temple of Balarāma, and the Deity there is regularly worshiped. The original Deity of Maheśapura, Rādhāvallabha, was taken by the Saidābād Gosvāmīs of Berhampur, and since the present Deities were installed, a zamindar family of Maheśapura has looked after Their worship. On the full-moon day of the month of Māgha (January-February), the anniversary of Sundarānanda’s disappearance is regularly celebrated, and people from the neighboring areas gather together to observe this festival.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, some festivals are being observed since the time of Nitāi-Gaura! And how some were brahmacārīs and some gṛhasthas, so everyone they took the responsibility to help spread the saṅkīrtana movement. So that is why Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave a lecture in Māyāpur in 1975, he said he wanted ten thousand gurus, and from that number he wanted one lakh that means hundred thousand gurus, and from hundred thousand, he wanted a million, and from a million he wanted ten million. So that means devotees have to take some responsibility to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, to read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, etc. and become expert in spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.749

kṛṣṇadāsa, devānanda o ācāryacandra—

kṛṣṇadāsa, devānanda—dui śuddha-mati
mahānta ācāryacandra—nityānanda-gati

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇadāsa and Devānanda were both pure hearted. The exalted devotees Ācāryacandra accepted Lord Nityānanda as his goal of life.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.46

nārāyaṇa, kṛṣṇadāsa āra manohara
devānanda—cāri bhāi nitāi-kiṅkara

Translation: The thirty-second, thirty-third, thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth prominent devotees were Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇadāsa, Manohara and Devānanda, who always engaged in the service of Lord Nityānanda.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! 

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.750

mādhavānanda-ghoṣa—

gāyana mādhavānanda-ghoṣa mahāśaya
vāsudeva-ghoṣa—ati prema-rasa-maya

Jayapatākā Swami: Mādhavānanda Ghoṣa Mahāśaya was an exalted devotee and he was a singer. Vāsudeva Ghoṣa, he was filled with the mellows of ecstatic love.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 11.15

ataeva dui-gaṇe duṅhāra gaṇana
mādhava-vāsudeva ghoṣerao ei vivaraṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Similarly, Mādhava Ghoṣa and Vāsudeva Ghoṣa belonged to both groups of devotees simultaneously.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “There is a place named Dāṅihāṭa, near the Agradvīpa railway station and Pāṭuli in the district of Burdwan, where the Deity of Śrī Gopīnāthajī is still situated. This Deity accepted Govinda Ghoṣa as His father. Even until today, the Deity performs the śrāddha ceremony on the anniversary of the death of Govinda Ghoṣa. The temple of this Deity is managed by the rāja-vaṁśa family of Kṛṣṇanagara, whose members are descendants of Rājā Kṛṣṇacandra. Every year in the month of Vaiśākha, when there is a bāradola ceremony, this Gopīnātha Deity is taken to Kṛṣṇanagara. The ceremony is performed with eleven other Deities, and then Śrī Gopīnāthajī is brought back to the temple in Agradvīpa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: You see I went to Agradvīpa and saw the ceremony of the Deity offering śrāddhā for His devotee. You see Lord Caitanya, He was travelling with Govinda Ghoṣa. He was a brahmacārī at that time. So in one village He took a lot of prasāda and He said, “I need a little harītakī,” to help with the digestion. They travelled and in the next day, they were in the island of Agradvīpa. Lord Caitanya said, “I need some more harītakī, too much prasāda.” Like here they give me a lot of prasāda, but they don’t give me any harītakī. Then Govinda Ghoṣa, he immediately pulled out some harītakī and gave it to Lord Caitanya. So then Lord Caitanya said, “How did you bring the harītakī so quick?” He said, “Yesterday it took you half an hour to bring and today you brought it immediately.” Govinda Ghoṣa said, “I thought that You may need it so I saved it.” “This saving for a rainy day is the quality of a gṛhastha,” say Lord Caitanya. “Gṛhastha always keeps something for emergency. But we are in the renounced order, we depend on Kṛṣṇa. So, since you are saving, you have to be become a gṛhastha.” As a brahmacārī, he was shocked that Lord Caitanya told him to become a gṛhastha.

So receiving the order of Lord Caitanya, he married and had a son. Then his wife died, I think by a snake bite or something. Then the son also died. He was very depressed. That since Lord Caitanya did not think I was qualified to be a brahmacārī, to be in the renounced order, He told me to marry, and my wife died, my son died. So his service to the Deity was being interrupted. The Deity talked to him, “Why are you not serving Me properly?” He said, “Lord Caitanya thought I was not qualified to be in the renounced order, but I lost my wife, my son, who will offer me śrāddhā when I die?” And the Deity said, “I am your son.” “On the death anniversary day every year, I will do śrāddhā and do piṇḍī for my devotee Govinda Ghoṣa.”

I was there and they brought the Deity to the tomb of Govinda Ghoṣa. They put me inside on the one corner of the tomb. There were thousands of devotees who wanted to see the ceremony. On one side window, the ladies were coming in. The ladies at the back were pulling the hair of the ladies in front and pulling them back. One side ladies one side men. It was wild, everyone wanted to see how the Deity was offering śrāddhā for the devotee. The pūjārīs, they were offering the rice from the hand of the Deity and it was falling on the piṇḍas. They had created like piṇḍas. That ceremony is still being observed after 500 years. Haribol! Of course, it is quite amazing how the Deity is talking. He is saying, alright on the death anniversary day of Govinda Ghoṣa I will offer piṇḍa. And literally, hundreds of thousands of people gather for that festival. Even the political parties put their booths out there!