Sri Sivananda Sena tirobhava tithi [disappearance day]2
Friday, July 1, 2022 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]
Srila Prabhupada glorifies Sri Sivananda Sena
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa
śrī-caitanya-padāmbhoja-
madhupebhyo namo namaḥ
kathañcid āśrayād yeṣāṁ
śvāpi tad-gandha-bhāg bhavet
SYNONYMS
śrī–caitanya—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; pada–ambhoja—the lotus feet; madhu—honey; pebhyaḥ—unto those who drink; namaḥ—respectful obeisances; namaḥ—respectful obeisances; kathañcit—a little of it; āśrayāt—taking shelter of; yeṣām—of whom; śvā—dog; api—also; tat–gandha—the aroma of the lotus flower; bhāk—shareholder; bhavet—may become.
TRANSLATION
Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.
PURPORT
The example of a dog is very significant in this connection. A dog naturally does not become a devotee at any time, but still it is sometimes found that a dog of a devotee gradually becomes a devotee also. We have actually seen that a dog has no respect even for the tulasī plant. Indeed, a dog is especially inclined to pass urine on the tulasī plant. Therefore, the dog is the number one nondevotee. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana movement is so strong that even a doglike nondevotee can gradually become a devotee by the association of a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Śrīla Śivānanda Sena, a great householder devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, attracted a dog on the street while going to Jagannātha Purī. The dog began to follow him and ultimately went to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu and was liberated. Similarly, cats and dogs in the household of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura were also liberated. Cats and dogs and other animals are not expected to become devotees, but in the association of a pure devotee they are also delivered.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-lila: Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree: Adi 10.1
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sivananda Sena to become his sarakhela or secretary, in order to control; his extravagant expenses
Vāsudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of Caṭṭagrāma. In the Caitanya-bhāgavata it is said, yāṅra sthāne kṛṣṇa haya āpane vikraya: Vāsudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that Kṛṣṇa was purchased by him. Vāsudeva Datta stayed at Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita’s house, and in the Caitanya-bhāgavata it is described that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so pleased with Vāsudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, “I am only Vāsudeva Datta’s man. My body is only meant to please Vāsudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere.” Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. “All My dear devotees,” He said, “I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for Vāsudeva Datta.” Vāsudeva Datta initiated Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya, the spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa, who later became Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līla, Sixth Chapter, verse 16 Vasudeva datta spent money very liberally; therefore, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sivananda Sena to become his sarakhela or secretary, in order to control; his extravagant expenses. Vāsudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Books: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.41 : PURPORT :
Once Sivananda Sena offered food to Lord Caitanya that had been cooked with excessive ghee; and the next day he Lord because sick and went to Murari Gupta for treatment. Lord Caitanya accepted some water from the waterpot of Murari Gupta, and thus he was cured
Śrī Murāri Gupta wrote a book called Śrī Caitanya-carita. He belonged to a vaidya physician family of Śrīhaṭṭa, the paternal home of Lord Caitanya, and later became a resident of Navadvīpa. He was among the elders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Caitanya exhibited His Varāha form in the house of Murāri Gupta, as described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-līlā, Third Chapter. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His mahā-prakāśa form, He appeared before Murāri Gupta as Lord Rāmacandra. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu were sitting together in the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, Murāri Gupta first offered his respects to Lord Caitanya and then to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu, however, was older than Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and therefore Lord Caitanya remarked that Murāri Gupta had violated social etiquette, for he should have first shown respect to Nityānanda Prabhu and then to Him. In this way, by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Murāri Gupta was informed about the position of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, and the next day he offered obeisances first to Lord Nityānanda and then to Lord Caitanya. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave chewed pan, or betel nut, to Murāri Gupt Once Sivananda Sena offered food to Lord Caitanya that had been cooked with excessive ghee; and the next day he Lord because sick and went to Murari Gupta for treatment. Lord Caitanya accepted some water from the waterpot of Murari Gupta, and thus he was cured. The natural remedy for indigestion is to drink a little water and since Murari Gupta was a physician, he gave the Lord some drinking water and he cured Him. Books: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-lila: Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree: Adi 10.49: PURPORT
Śivananda Sena, the twenty-fourth branch of the tree, was an extremely confidential servant of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu
śivānanda sena–prabhura bhṛtya antaraṅga
prabhu-sthāne yāite sabe layena yāṅra saṅga
SYNONYMS
śivānanda sena—of the name Śivānanda Sena; prabhura—of the Lord; bhṛtya—servant; antaraṅga—very confidential; prabhu–sthāne—in Jagannātha Purī, where the Lord was staying; yāite—while going; sabe—all; layena—took; yāṅra—whose; saṅga—shelter.
TRANSLATION
Śivananda Sena, the twenty-fourth branch of the tree, was an extremely confidential servant of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone who went to Jagannātha Purī to visit Lord Caitanya took shelter and guidance from Śrī Śivananda Sena.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-Lila: Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree: Adi 10.54
This last son later became Kavi–karṇapūra, and he is the author of Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā. His spiritual master was Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, who was Śivānanda Sena’s priest.
Sri Sivananda sena actually experienced Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s features of saksat, avesa and avirbhava.
When Sivananda Sena returned and Srila Nityananda Prabhu saw him, the Lord kicked him severely, complaining that he was very hungry, and asked why he did not arrange for his food.
āsvādila e saba rasa sena śivānanda
vistāri’ kahiba āge esaba ānanda
SYNONYMS
āsvādila—tasted; e—these; saba—all; rasa—mellows; sena śivānanda—Śivānanda Sena; vistāri‘-describing vividly; kahiba—I shall speak; āge—later on; esaba—all this; ānanda—transcendental bliss.
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Śivānanda Sena experienced the three features sākṣāt, āveśa and āvirbhāva. Later I shall vividly describe this transcendentally blissful subject.
PURPORT
Śrīla Śivānanda Sena has been described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Mahārāja as follows: He was a resident of Kumārahaṭṭa, which is also known as Hālisahara, and was a great devotee of the Lord. About one and a half miles from Kumārahaṭṭa is another village, known as Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā, in which there are Gaura–Gopāla Deities installed by Śivānanda Sena, who also established a temple of Kṛṣṇarāya that is still existing. Śivānanda Sena was the father of Paramānanda Sena, who was also known as Purī dāsa or Kavi–karṇapūra. Paramānanda Sena wrote in his Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (176) that two of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, whose former names were Vīrā and Dūtī, combined to become his father. Śrīla Śivānanda Sena guided all the devotees of Lord Caitanya who went from Bengal to Jagannātha Purī, and he personally bore all the expenses for their journey. This is described in the Caitanya–caritāmṛta, Madhya–līlā, Chapter Sixteen, verses 19 through 27. Śrīla Śivānanda Sena had three sons, named Caitanya dāsa, Rāmadāsa and Paramānanda. This last son later became Kavi–karṇapūra, and he is the author of Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā. His spiritual master was Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, who was Śivānanda Sena’s priest. Due to Vāsudeva Datta’s lavish spending, Śivānanda Sena was engaged to supervise his expenditures.
Sri Sivananda sena actually experienced Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s features of saksat, avesa and avirbhava. He once picked up a dog while on his way to Jagannātha Purī, and it is described in the Antya–līlā, First Chapter, that this dog later attained salvation by his association. When Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa, who later became Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, fled his paternal home to join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his father wrote a letter to Śivānanda Sena to get information about him. Śivānanda Sena supplied him the details for which he asked, and later Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s father sent some servants and money to Śivānanda Sena to take care of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Once Śrī Śivānanda Sena invited Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home and fed Him so sumptuously that the Lord felt indigestion and was somewhat sick. This became known to Śivānanda Sena’s son, who gave the Lord the kinds of food that would help His digestion, and thus Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased. This is described in the Antya–līlā, Tenth Chapter, verses 142 through 151.
Once while going to Jagannātha Purī all the devotees had to stay underneath a tree, without the shelter of a house or even a shed, and Nityānanda Prabhu became very angry, as if He were greatly disturbed by hunger. Thus, He cursed Śivānanda’s sons to die. Śivānanda’s wife was very much aggrieved at this, and she began to cry. She very seriously thought that since her sons had been cursed by Nityānanda Prabhu, certainly they would die. When Śivānanda later returned and saw his wife crying, he said, “Why are you crying? Let us all die if Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu desires. When Sivananda Sena returned and Srila Nityananda Prabhu saw him, the Lord kicked him severely, complaining that he was very hungry, and asked why he did not arrange for his food.
Such is the behavior of the Lord with His devotees. Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu behaved like an ordinary hungry man, as if completely dependent on the arrangements of Śivānanda Sena.
There was a nephew of Śivānanda Sena’s named Śrīkānta who left the company in protest of Nityānanda Prabhu’s curse and went directly to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī, where the Lord pacified him. On that occasion, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu allowed His toe to be sucked by Purī dāsa, who was then a child. It is by the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he could immediately compose Sanskrit verses. During the misunderstanding with Śivānanda’s family, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered His personal attendant Govinda to give them all the remnants of His food. This is described in the Antya–līlā, Chapter Twelve, verse 53.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-lila: Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree: Adi 10.60
śivānandera upaśākhā, tāṅra parikara
putra-bhṛty-ādi kari’ caitanya-kiṅkara
SYNONYMS
śivānandera—of Śivānanda Sena; upaśākhā—subbranch; tāṅra—his; parikara—associates; putra—sons; bhṛtya—servants; ādi—all these; kari‘-taking together; caitanya–kiṅkara—servants of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
The sons, servants and family members of Śivānanda Sena constituted a subbranch. They were all sincere servants of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition: Cc. Adi-lila: Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree: Adi 10.61
Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, one of the disciples of Advaita Prabhu, was the spiritual master of the third son of Śivānanda Sena, who was known as Paramānanda Kavi–karṇapūra
śrīnātha paṇḍita–prabhura kṛpāra bhājana
yāṅra kṛṣṇa-sevā dekhi’ vaśa tri-bhuvana
SYNONYMS
śrīnātha paṇḍita—of the name Śrīnātha Paṇḍita; prabhura—of the Lord; kṛpāra—of mercy; bhājana—receiver; yāṅra—whose; kṛṣṇa–sevā—worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa; dekhi‘-seeing; vaśa—subjugated; tri–bhuvana—all the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, the forty-ninth branch, was the beloved recipient of all the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone in the three worlds was astonished to see how he worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa.
PURPORT
About one and a half miles away from Kumārahaṭṭa, or Kāmarhaṭṭa, which is a few miles from Calcutta, is a village known as Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā which was the home of Śrī Śivānanda Sena. There he constructed a temple of Śrī Gauragopāla. Another temple was established there with Śrī Rādhā–Kṛṣṇa mūrtis by Śrīnātha Paṇḍita. The Deity of that temple is named Śrī Kṛṣṇa Rāya. The temple of Kṛṣṇa Rāya, which was constructed in the year 1708 śakābda (A.D. 1787) by a prominent Zamindar named Nimāi Mullik of Pāthuriyā-ghāṭa in Calcutta, is very large. There is a big courtyard in front of the temple, and there are residential quarters for visitors and good arrangements for cooking prasāda. The entire courtyard is surrounded by very high boundary walls, and the temple is almost as big as the Māheśa temple. Inscribed on a tablet are the names of Śrīnātha Paṇḍita and his father and grandfather and the date of construction of the temple. Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, one of the disciples of Advaita Prabhu, was the spiritual master of the third son of Śivānanda Sena, who was known as Paramānanda Kavi–karṇapūra. It is said that during the time of Kavi–karṇapūra the Kṛṣṇa Rāya Deity was installed. According to hearsay, Vīrabhadra Prabhu, the son of Nityānanda Prabhu, brought a big stone from Murśidābād from which three Deities were carved-namely, the Rādhāvallabha vigraha of Vallabhapura, the Śyāmasundara vigraha of Khaḍadaha and the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Rāya vigraha of Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā. The home of Sivananda Sena was situated on the bank of the Ganges near an almost ruined temple. It is said that the same Nimai Mullick saw this broken down temple of Krsna Raya, while he was going to Benares and thereafter constructed the present temple.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Sub-branches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.107