Govinda Dasa Kaviraja

Govinda Dasa Kaviraja

 Govinda Dasa (1535–1613) was a Bengali Vaishnava poet known for his body of devotional songs addressed to Krishna. Living in an atmosphere of Krishna-bhakti preached by Shri Chaitanya(1486–1533), he composed extensively on the Radha-Krishna love legend. He is also known as Govinda Das Kaviraja. His grandfather (Sulochana's father) Damodar Sen was also a poet, the author of Sangit Damodar. His brother Ramachandra Sen was a noted philosopher-poet.

   "Chiranjiva and Sulochana were both residents of Shrikhanda, where their descendants are still living. Of Chiranjiva's two sons, the elder, Ramachandra Kaviraja, was a disciple of Shrinivas acharya and an intimate associate of Narottama dasa Thakura. The younger son was Govinda dasa Kaviraja, the famous Vaishnava poet. Chiranjiva's wife was Sunanda, and his father-in-law was Damodara Sena Kaviraja. Chiranjiva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumaranagara. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 207, states that he was formerly Chandrika in Vrindavana." (Chaitanya-charitamrta, Adi lila 10:78-79)

   According to the Chaitanya Charitamrita, in his early life, Govinda Dasa was at a shakta, a worshiper of the goddess Shakti, (Durga / Kali). He and his brother Ramchandra were both initiated into Vaishnavism by Shrinivasa Acharya. Govinda Kaviraja also resided first in Shrikhanda and then in Kumara-nagara, but later he moved to the village known as Teliya Budhari, on the southern bank of the river Padma. Since Govinda Kaviraja, the author of two books, Sangita-madhava and Gitamrta, was a great Vaishnava kavi, or poet, Shrila Jiva Gosvami gave him the title "Kaviraja". He is described in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Ninth Wave)."

   Chaitanya-charitamrta, Adi lila 12:51

   He was very excellent writer and poet, and after he wrote "Bhajahu re mana, sri nanda-nandana abhaya-caranaravinda re," he sent it to Shrila Jiva Gosvami. When Jiva Gosvami heard the bhajana of Govinda dasa Kaviraja, he appreciated it so much that he told him, "Continue to compose kirtanas like these. You are very qualified, so you should compose more and send them to me in Vrindavana." Shrila Govinda dasa Kaviraja then composed many poems about Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shri Radha-Krishna.