Shivananda Sen was a favorite disciple of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.  He had three sons, namely Shri Chaitanya dasa, Shri Ramadasa and Shri Paramananda (Kavi Karnapura).  Shrinath Pandita, a disciple of Advaita Acharya, was the spiritual master of Kavi Karnapura.  Paramananda lived in Kanchrapara, about half a mile from Kumarahatta.  Shri Krishnaraya, the Deity installed and worshiped by Shrinath Pandita, still exists there.  In the beginning of the book Shri Ananda-Vrindavana Champu, Shri Kavi Karnapura Goswami glorified Shrinath Pandita.

 

   Kavi Karnapura himself has identified his father in GGD, "The gopika named Vira in Krishna lila, has now become my father named Shivananda Sen."  Shri Shivananda Sen lived in Kumarahat (Halisahara).  His Deity is still being served in Kancrapada, about one and a half miles from Halisahara.

   Before Paramananda's birth, Shivananda and his wife went to see the Lord in Puri.  Mahaprabhu blessed them and told them that their son would be named Puridasa.  In the year 1524 AD a nice son was born to them and the name Paramananda was given to him.  A few months later, Shivananda Sen along with his wife and children started for Puri and reached there after walking for one month.  Upon seeing the lotus face of Mahaprabhu all the exhaustion and fatigue of the long journey was immediately mitigated.  The Lord made arrangements to house and feed the Devotees.  One day Shivananda Sen and his three sons fell prostrate before the Lord and Mahaprabhu wanted to know the name of his younger son.  When He heard that his name was Paramananda dasa, He smiled and said, "His name is Puri dasa."  The mother then placed her son in front of the Lord's feet.  Seeing the pinkish lotus feet of Prabhu, the child wanted to suck His toe.  Mahaprabhu then placed His toe in the child's mouth and the child happily sucked it. Seeing the Lord's boundless mercy upon Shivananda's son the Devotees began chanting the Holy Names joyfully.  Mahaprabhu then ordered that as long as Shivananda and his family remained in Nilachala they should receive Mahaprabhu's remnants.  After the Rathayatra festival, Shivananda Sen took permission from the Lord to return home.  (CC. 3.16.75)

 

   The next year Shivananda Sen went back to Puri along with the Gaudiya Devotees and his youngest son, Puri dasa.  Again, Mahaprabhu arranged for their stay.  Puri dasa touched the feet of the Lord respectfully and Mahaprabhu placed his palm on the boy's head and asked him to chant the name of Krishna. But the boy did not comply with the request.  Again Shivananda Sen asked the boy the same thing, but still he did not utter the name of Krishna.  Then Mahaprabhu said, "I have made innumerable animate and inanimate objects in the world chant the name of Krishna but I have failed this time."  Svarupa Damodara then said,  "I can understand that he will not disclose the mantra of Lord Krishna which he received from You to anyone and he is chanting the mantra within his mind." When Shivananda Sen returned to his room with the boy, everyone asked the boy why he did not utter the name of Lord Krishna, but Puri dasa did not answer them.

 

   Another day Shivananda brought Puri dasa to see Mahaprabhu and the boy worshipped the Lord's lotus feet.  Then Prabhu asked him to read any subject.  Puri dasa began speaking, "All glories to Shri Hari, whose beautiful blue lotus-like eyes are anointed with balm…(CC.3.16.74-76).  All the Devotees were astonished to hear the descriptive sloka from the young boy, and concluded that he must have received the special mercy of Gaurasundara.  Hearing the sloka, Mahaprabhu was overwhelmed with ecstasy and blessed the boy, "May you always lovingly remember the pastimes of Lord Krishna."  Shri Svarupa Damodara said, "Since this sloka has satiated the ears of the Devotees, let this boy's name be Karnapura (karna-means ears, and pura means satiation).  Thus Puri later became famous as Shri Kavi Karnapura.

 

   Every year Shivananda Sen paid all the expenses for the journey on foot to Nilachala of nearly two hundred Devotees. Whatever wealth and resources he possessed were offered to Mahaprabhu.  Sometimes Shri Nityananda Prabhu stayed at the house of Shivananda, and whenever Mahaprabhu went to Gauda, He always came to his house.

 

   The books written by Kavi Karnapura Goswami are:  Shri Chaitanya Chandradaya Nataka, Shri Ananda Vrindavana Champu, Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita Mahakavya, Shri Gauraganoddesa Dipika, Shri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika, Shri Krishnahnika Kaumudi, Alankara Kaustuva and Arya Sataka.