Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was born in a Nadiya family of
physicians at the village of Jhamatpur, within the district of
Barddhaman, near Naihati. His father was Sri Bhagiratha, and his
mother was Sri Sunanda. He had a younger brother named Syama das.
The deity of Gaura-Nityananda installed by Sri Kaviraja Gosvami is
still being worshiped there. It appears that his family line is no
more. More information about the early life of Sri Kaviraja is
available in a book called Ananda-ratnavali. In Caitanya
caritamrta, Adi-lila chapter five, Sri Kaviraja relates the cause
of his leaving family life: "Lord Nityananda Prabhu had a servant
named Sri Minaketana Ramadasa, who was a reservoir of love. At my
house there was sankirtana day and night, and therefore he visited
there, having been invited. Absorbed in emotional love, he sat in
my courtyard, and all the Vaisnavas bowed down at his feet. In a
joyful mood of love of God he sometimes climbed upon the shoulder
of someone offering obeisances, and sometimes he struck others with
his flute or mildly slapped them. When someone saw the eyes of
Minaketana Ramadasa, tears would automatically flow from his own
eyes, for a constant shower of tears flowed from the eyes of
Minaketana Ramadasa. Sometimes there were eruptions of ecstacy like
kadamba flowers on some parts of his body, and sometimes one limb
would be stunned while another would be trembling. Whenever he
shouted aloud the name Nityananda, the people around him were filed
with great wonder and astonishment. "One respectable brahmana named
Sri Gunarnava Misra was serving the Deity. When Minaketana was
seated in the yard, this brahmana did not offer him respect. Seeing
this, Sri Ramadasa became angry and spoke. "'Here I find the second
Romaharsana suta, who did not stand to show honor when he saw Lord
Balarama.' "After saying this, he danced and sang to his heart's
content, but the brahmana did not become angry, for he was then
serving Lord Krsna. At the end of the festival Minaketana Ramadasa
went away, offering his blessings to everyone. At that time he had
some controversy with my brother. My brother had firm faith in Lord
Caitanya but only a dim glimmer of faith in Lord Nityananda.
Knowing this, Sri Ramadasa felt unhappy in his mind. I then
rebuked my brother. "'These two brothers,' I told him, 'are like
one body; They are identical manifestations. If you do not believe
in Lord Nityananda, you will fall down. If you have faith in one
but disrespect the other, your logic is like the logic of accepting
half a hen.
It would be better to be an atheist by slighting both brothers
than a hypocrite by believing in one and slighting the other.
'"Thus Sri Ramadasa broke his flute in anger and went away, and at
that time my brother fell down. "That night, because He was pleased
with the chastisement that Krsnadasa gave his brother for offending
His dear devotee Mineketana Ramadasa, Lord Nityananda appeared in
his dreams and declared: Are are krsnadasa, na karaha bhaya,
vrndavana yaha, tanha sarva larya haya "O my dear Krsnadasa, do not
be afraid. Go to Vrndavana, for there you will attain all things."
[C.C. Adi 5.195] Thus receiving the mercy of Lord Nityananda in his
dream, he started for Vrndavana with a joyful mind. The lotus feet
of the spiritual master of Sri Kaviraja are none other than those
of Lord Nityananda Himself. He accepted the Gosvamis Sri Rupa, Sri
Sanatana, Sri Jiva, Sri Raghunatha, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta and Sri
Gopala Bhatta as his instructing spiritual masters. From Sri
Lokanatha Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami he begged
permission to write Sri Caitanya caritamrta. Lokanatha directed Sri
Kaviraja that he desired to be unmentioned in his book; that is
why, in Sri Caitanya caritamrta, hardly a reference about Lokanatha
Gosvami is to be found. Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled the
following books still extant: Sri Govinda lilamrta, Krsna karnamrta
commentary (Saran gaurangada [kangada?] tika) and of course, Sri
Caitanya carit amrta.
"The author of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Srila Krishna Das
Kaviraj Goswami , stands as the direct disciple of Srila Rüpa
Goswami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami.
The direct disciple of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami was
Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Viçvanätha
Cakravarté as his servitor. Srila Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakura
accepted Srila Jagannätha Dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn accepted Srila Gaurakishora
dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Vishnupada Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, the divine master of
our humble self." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Sri
Chaitanya Charitamrita chapter 1. "The Spiritual Masters".)
Born:1496 (Christian) Diappearence: 12th day bright fortnight
month of Asvin (the year is not known).
