Subject:
Srila Prabhupada describes the glories of Sivanananda Sena -Tirobhava
Tithi [disappearance day] Thursday, July 4, 2019 Mayapura time
Srila Prabhupada describes the glories of Sivanananda Sena
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa
sivānanda 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. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/54
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.
Śrī Śivānanda Sena actually experienced Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s features of sākṣat, āveśa and āvirbhāva. 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 Śivānanda Sena returned and Śrīla Nityānanda 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.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/60
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
SYNONYMS
titikṣavaḥ—tolerant; kāruṇikāḥ—merciful; suhṛdaḥ—friendly; sarva–dehinām—to all living entities; ajāta–śatravaḥ—inimical to none; śāntāḥ—peaceful; sādhavaḥ—abiding by scriptures; sādhu–bhūṣaṇāḥ—adorned with sublime characteristics.
TRANSLATION
The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.
PURPORT
A sādhu, as described above, is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, “Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Don’t spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” These are the preachings of a sādhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality towards all the fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is kāruṇika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sādhu, or devotee of the Lord, has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They do not like it; that is their disease. The sādhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally attacked with violence.
Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya’s principal assistant, Nityānanda, was violently attacked by Jagāi and Mādhāi. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen souls. One of the qualifications of a sādhu is that he is very tolerant and is merciful to all fallen souls. He is merciful because he is the well-wisher of all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a well-wisher of animal society as well. It is said here, sarva–dehinām, which indicates all living entities who have accepted material bodies. Not only does the human being have a material body, but other living entities, such as cats and dogs, also have material bodies. The devotee of the Lord is merciful to everyone—the cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material entanglement. Śivānanda Sena, one of the disciples of Lord Caitanya, gave liberation to a dog by treating the dog transcendentally. There are many instances where a dog got salvation by association with a sādhu, because a sādhu engages in the highest philanthropic activities for the benediction of all living entities. Yet although a sādhu is not inimical towards anyone, the world is so ungrateful that even a sādhu has many enemies.
What is the difference between an enemy and a friend? It is a difference in behavior. A sādhu behaves with all conditioned souls for their ultimate relief from material entanglement.
Therefore, no one can be more friendly than a sādhu in relieving a conditioned soul. A sādhu is calm, and he quietly and peacefully follows the principles of scripture. A sādhu means one who follows the principles of scripture and at the same time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of scripture must be a devotee of God because all the śāstras instruct us to obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. Sādhu, therefore, means a follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All these characteristics are prominent in a devotee. A devotee develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a nondevotee, even though academically qualified, has no actual good qualifications or good characteristics according to the standard of transcendental realization.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/3/25/21
dviṣataḥ para-kāye māṁ
mānino bhinna-darśinaḥ
bhūteṣu baddha-vairasya
na manaḥ śāntim ṛcchati
SYNONYMS
dviṣataḥ—of one who is envious; para–kāye—towards the body of another; mām—unto Me; māninaḥ—offering respect; bhinna–darśinaḥ—of a separatist; bhūteṣu—towards living entities; baddha–vairasya—of one who is inimical; na—not; manaḥ—the mind; śāntim—peace; ṛcchati—attains.
TRANSLATION
One who offers Me respect but is envious of the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of mind, because of his inimical behavior towards other living entities.
PURPORT
In this verse, two phrases, bhūteṣu baddha–vairasya (“inimical towards others”) and dviṣataḥ para–kāye (“envious of another’s body”), are significant. One who is envious of or inimical towards others never experiences any happiness. A devotee’s vision, therefore, must be perfect. He should ignore bodily distinctions and should see only the presence of the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord Himself in His plenary expansion as Supersoul. That is the vision of a pure devotee. The bodily expression of a particular type of living entity is always ignored by the devotee.
It is expressed herein that the Lord is always eager to deliver the conditioned souls, who have been encaged within material bodies. Devotees are expected to carry the message or desire of the Lord to such conditioned souls and enlighten them with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus, they may be elevated to transcendental, spiritual life, and the mission of their lives will be successful. Of course, this is not possible for living entities who are lower than human beings, but in human society it is feasible that all living entities can be enlightened with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even living entities who are lower than human can be raised to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by other methods. For example, Śivānanda Sena, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, delivered a dog by feeding him prasāda. Distribution of prasāda, or remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, even to the ignorant masses of people and to animals, gives such living entities the chance for elevation to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Factually it happened that the same dog, when met by Lord Caitanya at Purī, was liberated from the material condition.
It is especially mentioned here that a devotee must be free from all violence (jīvāhiṁsā). Lord Caitanya has recommended that a devotee not commit violence to any living entity. Sometimes the question is raised that since vegetables also have life and devotees take vegetable foodstuffs, isn’t that violence? Firstly, however, taking some leaves, twigs or fruit from a tree or plant does not kill the plant. Besides that, jīvāhiṁsā means that since every living entity has to pass through a particular type of body according to his past karma, although every living entity is eternal, he should not be disturbed in his gradual evolution. A devotee has to execute the principles of devotional service exactly as they are, and he must know that however insignificant a living entity may be, the Lord is present within him. A devotee must realize this universal presence of the Lord.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/3/29/23
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. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/41
vāsudeva datta–prabhura bhṛtya mahāśaya
sahasra-mukhe yāṅra guṇa kahile nā haya
SYNONYMS
vāsudeva datta—of the name Vāsudeva Datta; prabhura—of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhṛtya—servant; mahāśaya—great personality; sahasra–mukhe—with thousands of mouths; yāṅra—whose; guṇa—qualities; kahile—describing; nā—never; haya—becomes fulfilled.
TRANSLATION
Vāsudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the Śrī Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.
PURPORT
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 161. Vāsudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Śivānanda 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. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta’s Madhya–līlā, verses 159 through 180.
There is a railway station named Pūrvasthalī near the Navadvīpa railway station, and about one mile away, in a village known as Māmagāchi, which is the birthplace of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, there is presently a temple of Madana–gopāla that was established by Vāsudeva Datta. The Gauḍīya Maṭha devotees have now taken charge of this temple, and the sevā–pūjā is going on very nicely. Every year all the pilgrims on the navadvīpa–parikrama visit Māmagāchi. Since Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura inaugurated the navadvīpa–parikrama function, the temple has been very well managed Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/1
śrī-murāri gupta śākhā–premera bhāṇḍāra
prabhura hṛdaya drave śuni’ dainya yāṅra
SYNONYMS
śrī–murāri gupta—of the name Śrī Murāri Gupta; śākhā—branch; premera—of love of Godhead; bhāṇḍāra—store; prabhura—of the Lord; hṛdaya—the heart; drave—melts; śuni‘-hearing; dainya—humility; yāṅra—of whom.
TRANSLATION
Murāri Gupta, the twenty-first branch of the tree of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was a storehouse of love of Godhead. His great humility and meekness melted the heart of Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
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 Gupta. Once Śivānanda Sena offered food to Lord Caitanya that had been cooked with excessive ghee, and the next day the Lord became sick and went to Murāri Gupta for treatment. Lord Caitanya accepted some water from the waterpot of Murāri Gupta, and thus He was cured. The natural remedy for indigestion is to drink a little water, and since Murāri Gupta was a physician, he gave the Lord some drinking water and cured Him.
When Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura in His Caturbhuja mūrti, Murāri Gupta became His carrier in the form of Garuḍa, and in these pastimes of ecstasy the Lord then got up on his back. It was the desire of Murāri Gupta to leave his body before the disappearance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but the Lord forbade him to do so. This is described in Caitanya–bhagāvata, Madhya–līlā, Chapter Twenty. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu one day appeared in ecstasy as the Varāha mūrti, Murāri Gupta offered Him prayers. He was a great devotee of Lord Rāmacandra, and his staunch devotion is vividly described in the Caitanya–caritāmṛta, Madhya–līlā, Fifteenth Chapter, verses 137 through 157.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/49
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. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/61
caitanya-dāsa, rāmadāsa, āra karṇapūra
tina putra śivānandera prabhura bhakta-śūra
SYNONYMS
caitanya–dāsa—of the name Caitanya dāsa; rāmadāsa—of the name Rāmadāsa; āra—and; karṇapūra—of the name Karṇapūra; tina putra—three sons; śivānandera—of Śivānanda Sena; prabhura—of the Lord; bhakta–śūra—of the heroic devotees.
TRANSLATION
The three sons of Śivānanda Sena, named Caitanya dāsa, Rāmadāsa and Karṇapūra, were all heroic devotees of Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
Caitanya dāsa, the eldest son of Śivānanda Sena, wrote a commentary on Kṛṣṇa–karṇāmṛta that was later translated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his paper Sajjana-toṣaṇī. According to expert opinion, Caitanya dāsa was the author of the book Caitanya–carita (also known as Caitanya–caritāmṛta), which was written in Sanskrit. The author was not Kavi–karṇapūra, as generally supposed. This is the opinion of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Śrī Rāmadāsa was the second son of Śivānanda Sena. It is stated in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (145) that the two famous parrots named Dakṣa and Vicakṣaṇa in kṛṣṇa–līlā became the elder brothers of Kavi–karṇapūra, namely, Caitanya dāsa and Rāmadāsa. Karṇapūra, the third son, who was also known as Paramānanda dāsa or Purī dāsa, was initiated by Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, who was a disciple of Śrī Advaita Prabhu. Karṇapūra wrote many books that are important in Vaiṣṇava literature, such as Ānanda-vṛndāvana–campū, Alaṅkāra–kaustubha, Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā and the great epic Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka. He was born in the year 1448 śakābda (A.D. 1527). He continually wrote books for ten years, from 1488 until 1498. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/62
śrī-vallabhasena, āra sena śrīkānta
śivānanda-sambandhe prabhura bhakta ekānta
SYNONYMS
śrī–vallabha–sena—of the name Śrīvallabha Sena; āra—and; sena śrīkānta—of the name Śrīkānta Sena; śivānanda—Śivānanda Sena; sambandhe—in relationship; prabhura—the Lord’s; bhakta—devotees; ekānta—unflinching.
TRANSLATION
Śrīvallabha Sena and Śrīkānta Sena were also subbranches of Śivānanda Sena, for they were not only his nephews but also unalloyed devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
PURPORT
When Lord Nityānanda Prabhu rebuked Śivānanda Sena on the way to Purī, these two nephews of Śivānanda left the company as a protest and went to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī. The Lord could understand the feelings of the boys, and He asked His personal assistant Govinda to supply them prasāda until the party of Śivānanda arrived. During the Ratha–yātrā saṅkīrtana festival these two brothers were members of the party led by Mukunda. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 174, it is said that the gopī whose name was Kātyāyanī appeared as Śrīkānta Sena. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/63
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 Śivānanda Sena was situated on the bank of the Ganges near an almost ruined temple. It is said that the same Nimāi Mullik of Calcutta saw this broken-down temple of Kṛṣṇa Rāya while he was going to Benares and thereafter constructed the present temple.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/107
rāmadāsa, kavicandra, śrī-gopāladāsa
bhāgavatācārya, ṭhākura sāraṅgadāsa
SYNONYMS
rāmadāsa—of the name Rāmadāsa; kavicandra—of the name Kavicandra; śrī gopāla–dāsa—of the name Śrī Gopāla dāsa; bhāgavatācārya—of the name Bhāgavatācārya; ṭhākura sāraṅga–dāsa—of the name Ṭhākura Sāraṅga dāsa.
TRANSLATION
The seventy-third branch of the original tree was Rāmadāsa, the seventy-fourth was Kavicandra, the seventy-fifth was Śrī Gopāla dāsa, the seventy-sixth was Bhāgavatācārya, and the seventy-seventh was Ṭhākura Sāraṅga dāsa.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (203) it is said, “Bhāgavatācārya compiled a book entitled Kṛṣṇa–prema–taraṅgiṇī, and he was the most beloved devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited Varāhanagara, a suburb of Calcutta, He stayed in the house of a most fortunate brāhmaṇa who was a very learned scholar in Bhāgavata literature. As soon as this brāhmaṇa saw Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he began to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When Mahāprabhu heard his explanation, which expounded bhakti–yoga, He immediately became unconscious in ecstasy. Lord Caitanya later said, “I have never heard such a nice explanation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I therefore designate you Bhāgavatācārya. Your only duty is to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is My injunction.” His real name was Raghunātha. His monastery, which is situated in Varāhanagara, about three and a half miles north of Calcutta on the bank of the Ganges, still exists, and it is managed by the initiated disciples of the late Śrī Rāmadāsa Bābājī.
Presently, however, it is not as well managed as in the presence of Bābājī Mahārāja.
Another name of Ṭhākura Śāraṅga dāsa was Śārṅga Ṭhākura. Sometimes he was also called Śārṅgapāṇi or Śārṅgadhara. He was a resident of Navadvīpa in the neighborhood known as Modadruma-dvīpa, and he used to worship the Supreme Lord in a secluded place on the bank of the Ganges. He did not accept disciples, but he was repeatedly inspired from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to do so. Thus, one morning he decided, “Whomever I see I shall make my disciple.” When he went to the bank of the Ganges to take his bath, by chance he saw a dead body floating in the water, and he touched it with his feet. This immediately brought the body to life, and Ṭhākura Sāraṅga dāsa accepted him as his disciple. This disciple later became famous as Ṭhākura Murāri, and his name is always associated with that of Śrī Sāraṅga. His disciplic succession still inhabits the village of Śar. There is a temple at Māmagācchi that is said to have been started by Śārṅga Ṭhākura. Not long ago, a new temple building was erected in front of a bakula tree there, and it is now being managed by the members of the Gauḍīya Maṭha. It is said that the management of the temple is now far better than before. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (172) it is stated that Śāraṅga Ṭhākura was formerly a gopī named Nāndīmukhī. Some devotees say that he was formerly Prahlāda Mahārāja, but Śrī Kavi–karṇapūra says that his father, Śivānanda Sena, does not accept this proposition. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/113
śivānandera saṅge āilā kukkura bhāgyavān
prabhura caraṇa dekhi’ kaila antardhāna
SYNONYMS
śivānandera saṅge—with Śivānanda Sena; āilā—came; kukkura—a dog; bhāgyavān—fortunate; prabhura—of the Lord; caraṇa—the lotus feet; dekhi‘-seeing; kaila—did; antardhāna—disappearing.
TRANSLATION
A dog accompanied Śivānanda Sena and the devotees, and that dog was so fortunate that after seeing the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it was liberated and went back home, back to Godheand. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/1/140
śuni’ śivānanda-sena premāviṣṭa hañā
daṇḍavat hañā paḍe śloka paḍiyā
SYNONYMS
śuni‘-hearing; śivānanda–sena—Śivānanda Sena; prema–āviṣṭa hañā—becoming absorbed in pure love; daṇḍavat hañā—offering obeisances; paḍe—falls down; śloka—a verse; paḍiyā—reciting.
TRANSLATION
Immediately upon hearing this, Śivānanda Sena became absorbed in ecstatic love and fell down on the ground, offering obeisances to the Lord. He then began to recite the following verse. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/11/150
nimajjato ‘nanta bhavārṇavāntaś
cirāya me kūlam ivāsi labdhaḥ
tvayāpi labdhaṁ bhagavann idānīm
anuttamaṁ pātram idaṁ dayāyāḥ
SYNONYMS
nimajjataḥ—being immersed; ananta—O unlimited one; bhava–arṇava–antaḥ—within the ocean of nescience; cirāya—after a long time; me—of me; kūlam—the shore; iva—like; asi—You are; labdhaḥ—obtained; tvayā—by You; api—also; labdham—has been gained; bhagavan—O my Lord; idānīm—now; anuttamam—the best; pātram—candidate; idam—this; dayāyāḥ—for showing Your mercy.
TRANSLATION
” ‘O my Lord! O unlimited one! Although I was merged in the ocean of nescience, I have now, after a long time, attained You, just as one may attain the seashore. My dear Lord, by getting me, You have obtained the right person upon whom to bestow Your causeless mercy.’ “
PURPORT
This is a verse from the Stotra–ratna (21), composed by Ālabandāru Yāmunācārya. One’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead may be reestablished even after one has fallen into the ocean of nescience, which is the ocean of material existence involving the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, all arising out of the acceptance of the material body. There are 8,400,000 species of material life, but in the human body one attains a chance to get release from the repetition of birth and death. When one becomes the Lord’s devotee, he is rescued from this dangerous ocean of birth and death. The Lord is always prepared to show His mercy to the fallen souls struggling against miserable material conditions. As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.7):
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati
“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.”
Thus, every living
being is struggling hard in this material nature. Actually, the living
entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and when he surrenders
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he
attains release from the ocean of birth and death. The Lord, being very
kind to fallen souls, is always anxious to get the living entity out of
the ocean of nescience. If the living entity understands his position
and surrenders to the Lord, his life becomes
successful. Link to this page:
https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/11/151