Kavi Karnapura Goswami

Kavi Karnapura Goswami

   Shivananda Sena had three sons (Chaitanya Dasa, Shri Rama Dasa, Kavi Karnapura) Before Kavi Karnapura appeared, Lord Chaitanya gave him the name "Puri Dasa." Shivananda Sena brought Puri Dasa to meet Lord Chaitanya in Jagannatha Puri. Shivananda induced his infant son to offer dandavats to the Lord. Suddenly, in great ecstasy, the baby grabbed Gauranga's foot and sucked the Lord's lotus petal toe. Voicing their approval, the assembled Devotees chanted Hari! Hari!

   At age seven, Kavi Karnapura received nama mantra directly from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Ordered and empowered by the Lord, the boy instantly composed a wonderfully sweet, poetic Sanskrit verse. Everyone present felt deeply moved and satisfied with his recitation.

   Understanding that the boy had received Lord Chaitanya's mercy, Shri Svarupa Damodara said: "Since this boy's poetry pleases the heart, and completely fills the ears with nectar, his name will be "Kavi Karnapura." (kavi means poetry; karna-ear; pura-full).

   At the age of sixteen, Kavi Karnapura started his prolific writing career by producing Chaitanya-carita-mahakavya, a master-piece of transcendental srngara rasa poetry. Kavi Karnapura defines rasa: "That dearmost sentiment which is tasted in a purified heart, absolutely purged of all worldiness by contacting suddha-sattva (pure transcendental goodness). That which is the fountainhead of that striking, varied, charming sweetness, and is way beyond the realm of thought is rasa."

   He also wrote Chaitanya-cahndrodaya-nataka, Gaura and Radha Krishna gannodesh dipikas, Alankara Kaustubha, Ananda Vrindavana Champu. His samadhi is in the 64 Sam ad his Area.