Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

   Appearing near Katva, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja left for Vrindavana after Lord Nityananda told him in a dream: are are krishnadasa, na karaha bhaya, Vrindavana yaha tanha, sarva larya haya, "0 my dear Krishnadasa, do not be afraid. Go to Vrindavana. For there you will attain all things." (Chaitanya-charitamrta Adi 5.195)

   Krishna Dasa took diksha from Raghunatha Dasa Goswami. He lived a renounced life at Syama-kunda near Manasa Pavana Ghat, Radharani's midday bathing place.

   Shri Jiva Goswami, as per his custom of giving titles of honor to qualified Devotees, gave Krishna Dasa the title Kaviraja (the king of poets) for his poetic masterpiece Govinda-lilamrta. Shri Narottam a Dasa Thakura wrote in Prarthana: "Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, who composed the Shri Chaitanya-charitamrta, is the connoisseur among Devotees. His Govinda-lilamrta moves stones to tears, but alas, my mind is not attracted to it."

   During Krishna Dasa's time, all the Vaishnavas would gather at Govindaji's Temple to hear Shri Haridasa Pandit read Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata. The Devotees were eager to hear about Lord Gauranga's later pastimes, so they asked Krishna Dasa Kaviraja to write them. Krishna Dasa prayed to Madana Mohana for ability and blessings. The Deity's flower garland fell down, indicating divine sanction. 

 Krishna Dasa Kaviraja's Chaitanya-charitamrta is the most accurate, authentic, and philosophical biography of Lord Chaitanya. Every line is full of infinite humility, enthusiasm, and devotion for Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shri Nityananda Prabhu. Krishna Dasa had the wonderful power of speaking without offending, even when rebuking his opponents.

   He had vast knowledge in all Vedic scriptures. His books show his skill in the Srutis, Smrtis, Nyaya, Jyotir shastra, and the culinary arts. Although he was an erudite scholar, a strict ascetic, a paramahamsa rasika Vaishnava, Krishna Dasa writes about himself, "I am deaf, dumb, wholly illiterate, worldly-minded, and lower than a worm in stool." His personal humility automatically attracts the heart of any reader of Chaitanya-charitamrta.    Krishna Dasa Kaviraja was a living example of "humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree." A Devotee will advance spiritually and understand Shri Chaitanya's teachings on Radha-Krishna prema bhakti by reading Chaitanya-charitamrta.

   By associating with Shri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, an eternally liberated associate of Lord Chaitanya, one will develop the Vaishnava qualities of humility, innocence, integrity, equanimity, gentleness, purity, selflessness, patience, kindness, gravity, freedom from material desires, mild temperament, control over the six passions, friendliness, honoring all beings, being silent, expert, poetic, and absolute surrender to Shri Krishna.    In Vraja lila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja is Kasturi-manjari, one of the eight most intimate maidservants of Srimati Radharani. His samadhi is at Radha-kunda, and at the Radha-Damodara Temple according to some. 

In Vraja lila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja is Kasturi-manjari, one of the eight most intimate maidservants of Srimati Radharani. His samadhi is at Radha-kunda, and at the Radha-Damodara Temple according to some. (In the image: Samadhi of Shrila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami).