Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur was born four years after Mahaprabhu took sannyasa.
His mother was Sri Narayani Devi. She was the niece of Srivasa Pandit.
Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur describes how his mother received the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when she was just four years old. He told Narayani to chant the Name of Krishna. She became mad with love of God and started crying, ‘O Krishna!’ she was filled with divine love.
Very often she would receive the remnants of Mahaprabhu’s meal. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu liked her very much. By the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the incarnation of Vyasa (the writer of the Vedas/Vedic scriptures) came as Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur in the womb of Sri Narayani Devi.
Narayani Devi was the daughter of Srivas Thakura's brother. After the disappeareance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srivas Thakura went to live in Kumar Hatta. Srivasa Thakura had three brothers: Sripati, Srirama and Srinidhi. He also had one son, but at a young age, his son passed away, returning to the Lord's supreme abode.
Srivasa Thakura had previously lived in Sri Hatta, but because he wanted the association of devotees he went to live on the banks of the Ganges in Nabadwip. When Mahaprabhu revealed his divinity in the house of Srivasa, showing his true self to the assembled devotees there, Narayani devi was only a four year old girl. In the Caitanya Bhagavata it is written:
"The golden moon, Sri Gauranga, revealed himself as the soul of all souls. At that time he ordered Narayani to chant the name of Krishna. Although she was only four years old she became mad with love of God. And crying, "O Krishna!" she swooned in ecstasy. As she laid on the ground in a trance of bliss, her eyes filled with tears, overwhelmed with divine love."
In text 43 of the Gaura-gannoddesa-dipika, a book written by Kavi-Karnapura that describes all the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and who they previously were, there is the following statement regarding Narayani: When Lord Krsna was a child, He was nursed by a woman named Ambika, who had a younger sister named Kilimbika. During the time of Lord Caitanya’s incarnation, the same Kilimbika used to eat the remnants of food left by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That Kilimbika was Narayani, who was a niece of Srivasa Thakura’s. Later on, when she grew up and married, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was born from her womb. A devotee of Lord Sri Krsna is celebrated in terms of devotional service rendered to the Lord; thus we know Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura as the son of Srimati Narayani.
Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in Krsna-lila. In other words, the author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srivasa Thakura’s niece Narayani, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyasa and the cowherd boy Kusumapida.
Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura’s Sri Caitanya-bhagavata was originally entitled Sri Caitanya-mangala, but when Srila Locana dasa Thakura later wrote another book named Sri Caitanya-mangala, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura changed the name of his own book, which is now therefore known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata. The life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very elaborately described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, and Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has already informed us that in his Sri Caitanya-caritamrta he has described whatever Vrndavana dasa Thakura has not mentioned. This acceptance of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami indicates his acceptance of the disciplic succession. A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous acaryas. (CC Adi-lila 8.33-48, 11.54-55. Antya-lila 20.82-89)
O fools, just read Sri Caitanya-mangala! By reading this book you can understand all the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of Vrndavana dasa Thakura. No one else could write such a wonderful book for the deliverance of all fallen souls. (Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami CC Adi-lila 8.33-40)
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
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