Author Archives: Sevak

Uddharana Datta Thakura

Uddharana Datta Thakura, a dvadasa gopala, lived in Saptagrama, a cluster of seven villges (Krishnapura, Nityanandapura, Vasudevapura, Sivapura, Bansabediya, Sahanagara, Saptagrama.). Raised in luxury within a family of gold merchants, he later married and worked as a wealthy state minister. The place where he once held office is today called Uddharanapura in his honor.
 
Lord Nityananda would often stay in his home and accept food from his hand. Performing prema nama sankirtana in Saptagrama, Lord Nityananda delivered the entire community of bankers and gold merchants. Udhharana Datta said that Saptagrama is such a holy place that simply by seeing it one is freed from all sins. When he was twenty-six years old his wife suddenly died. He left everything to associate with Sri Nityananda Prabhu and preach the glories of Krishna's holy names.
 
He personally installed and' worshiped Deities of Sad-bhuja Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandit. He serves Lord Balarama as Subahu sakha in Vraja lila. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.
 
After glorifying Uddharana Datta Thakura as, "an exalted devotee of Lord Nityarianda who worshiped Him in all ways,"Krishna Dasa Kaviraja praises all of' Sri Nityananda Prabhu's devotees: "No one can count the unlimited followers of Nityananda Prabhu. I have mentioned some of them simply for my own purification. As branches of Lord Nityananda's tree, these eternal associates are full of the ripened fruits of Krishna prema. They gave these fruits to everyone, flooding them with pure love of God. These devotees have unlimited strength to give eternal unalloyed love of Krishna. They can offer anyone Krishna prema.

Mahesh Pandit

   "Shri Mahesh Pandit, the seventh of the twelve gopalas, tasting Krishna prema, used to dance like a madman to the sound of a huge kettledrum." Especially dear to Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he traveled and preached with the Lord. He established Deities of Nitai-Gauranga, Radha Madana Mohana, Radha Govinda, Gopinatha.
 
   In Vraja lila he serves Krishna-Balarama as the cowherd boy, Mahabahu. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.

Devananda Pandit

Devananda Pandit

Devananda understood the divinity of Sri Krishna Chaitanya and surrendered to Him. (In the image: Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya).

   Living in Kuliya during Sri Chaitanya's pastimes, Sri Devananda Pandit gave professional readings of Srimad Bhagavatam tainted with Mayavada philosophy. One day Shrivasa Pandit heard his Bhagavata-katha, began crying, and fell to the ground. Becoming disturbed by this display, the foolish disciples of Devananda threw Shrivasa out of the assembly. By silently observing this misbehavior of his disciples Devananda committed the hati-mata aparadha, the mad elephant offense of blaspheming a pure Devotee of Lord Chaitanya.
 
   Later, by the mercy of Vakreshvara Pandit, an intimate Devotee of Sri Gaura Raya, Devananda understood the divinity of Sri Krishna Chaitanya and surrendered to Him. The Lord pardoned his offense and blessed him with bhakti. He serves in Krishna lila as Bhaguri Muni. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vakresvara Pandit – Video

Once in the house of Srivasa Thakura Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sang while Vakresvara Pandit danced in, constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. At that time Lord Caitanya said, “Vakresvara, I have only one wing like you, but if I had another certainly I could fly in the sky”. Expert at singing and dancing, Vakresvara Pandit always pleased Lord Caitanya with his service in the Navadvipa sankirtana parties (which he joined from the beginning), the dramas at Srivas Angam, and the yearly Ratha-yatra at Jagannatha Puri.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Shivananda Sena – Video

Shivananda Sena showed Vaishnava compassion for all living entities, be they man or beast. When a stray dog joined the party Shivananda Sena fed the dog and even paid his boat fare. When the dog disappeared one day Shivananda sent 200 men to search for him. Upon arriving in Puri, they saw Lord Chaitanya throwing coconut pulp to the dog. The dog became purified of all material contamination by eating the Maha-Prasadam remnants of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not seeing the dog the next day, Shivananda Sena understood that the dog had attained liberation by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Four Kumaras – Video

The Four Kumaras namely: Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanat Kumara are traditionally the four mind-born sons of Lord Brahma. Famous throughout the Puranic literature, they are found also in the Upanishads. They are renowned yogis, who requested their father for the boon of remaining perpetually five years old. They were created by their father in order to advance creation, however, they chose to undertake lifelong vows of celibacy (brahmacharya). After obtaining initiation into the Shri Gopala Mantra, these four brothers then left meditations into an impersonal God, and realised the truth lies beyond the impersonal, in the Highest Person, the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. Having obtained His grace and being initiated into Vaishnava tradition, they began to spread the teachings of the path of renounciation. During initiation into this Vaishnava tradition, they received the Shri Shaligrama Shila known as Shri Sarve Svara Bhagavan, which has been passed on from each Guru to disciple since their time. The Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, in His conversation with Uddhava in the 11th Canto of the Bhagavata Purana declares: etavan yoga adisto macchisyaih sanakadibhih – ‘I taught this yoga to My disciples, the four brothers headed by Sanaka’.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Gopinath Pattanayaka – Video

Gopinath Pattanayaka was Bhavananda Raya’s second son. According to the tenth chapter of the Adi-lila of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Mahaprabhu says that Bhavananda Raya was formerly the king Pandu and that his sons were the five Pandavas. All of these five sons were very dear to the Lord.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Gadadhara Dasa Goswami – Video

Shri Gadadhara dasa Thakura previously lived at Navadwip. When the Lord went to live at Nilachala Shri Dasa Gadadhara also went there to be with Him. Later on Mahaprabhu sent him back with Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal. He first stayed at Eriyadahagram, which is situated on the banks of the Ganges. Then he spent some time in Navadwipa, taking care of Sachi Mata and Vishnupriya, but after their disappearance he came to live at Katwa, where Mahaprabhu had accepted sannyasa from Keshava Bharati.
He was a very confidential associate of Sri Sri Gaura-Nityananda. In Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika it is stated that he is an incarnation of the effulgence of Shrimati Radharani’s body, as well as an expansion of Purnananda gopi. Though he was one of the associates of Nityananda Prabhu, the majority of whom were cowherd boys and thus situated in the mellow of friendship, he was always absorbed in the mood of a gopi.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Viracandra Prabhu – Video

Shri Virachandra or Virabhadra Prabhu appeared on the ninth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartik. Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami has given this description of Him in the C.C. Adi 11.8-12:
Sri Birbhadra Gosvami is the son of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and the disciple of Sri Jahnava Mata. His mother is Srimati Vasudha Devi.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Yadavacharya Goswami – Video

Yadavacharya Goswami or Yadav Mishra He was the brother of Vishnupriya Devi.
He was a resident of Vrindavana & a disciple of Rupa Goswami. He was one of the improtant Vaishnavas who requested Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami to write Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita.

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History