Sri Krsnahnika Kaumudi (The White Lotus of Radha Krsna's Daily Pastimes)

“Kavi-Karnapura’s main purpose in writing this book was to expand the lila-rasa, and to help sadhakas advance on the path of bhakti. A fortunate sadhaka will definitely attain the perfection of life by spending his days and nights remembering the pastimes so beautifully depicted in this parama lila-grantha, krsnahnika kaumudi.”

"The Three sons of Sivandanda Sena, named Caitanya dasa, Ramadasa and Karnapura, were all heroic devotees of Lord Caitanya."

Kavi-Karnapura and his illustrious father, sivandanda are both eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Kavi-Karnapura took diksa from Srinatha Pandita, a disciple of Sri Advaita acarya. In his childhood Kavi-karnapura was known as Paramananda dasa or Puri dasa. In kVraja Dhama, Kavi Karnapura is Gunacuda-sakhi.

"Suvababda sena ubtridyced gus three sons to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because they were his sons, the Lord showed the boys great mercy. Lord Caitanya asked the youngest sons's name, and Sivananda informed the Lord that his name was paramananda dasa. Once before when Sivananda Sena had visited Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at His residence, the Lord had told him, 'When this son is born, give him the name Puri dasa' (after Paramananda Puri)

"The son was in the womb of his wife, and when he returned home the son was born. The child was named Paramananda dasa in accordance with the Lord's order, and the Lord Jokingly called him Puri Dasa. When Sivananda Sena introduced the child to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord put His tow inthe child's mouth

Srila Krsna dasa kaviraja gisvami describes another amusing pastime of Lord Caitanya and Kavi- Karnapura that occurred sometime later. "Taking his son (Kavi-Karnapura), Sivananda Sena wen to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at His residence. He made his son offer respectful besisances at the lotus feet of the Lord. Sri Caitanya Mcaitanya mahaprabhu asked the boy agin and again to chant the name of Krsna, but the boy would not utter the holy name. although Sivananda Sena repeatedly asked his boy to speak Krsna's holy name, the boy would not utter it.

"Sri caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I have induced the whole world to take to the holy name of Krsna. I have induced event he trees and immovable plants to chant the holy name. But I could not induce this boy to chant the holy name of Krsna.

"Hearing this, Svarupa Damadara Gosvami began to speak. "My Lord,'Lord,'he said,'You have given him initation into the name of Krsna, ut after receiving the mantra he will not express it in fron of everyone. This boy chants the mantra within his mind, but does of everyone. That is his intention, as far as I can guess.'

"Sri Krsna is the blue lotus flower on the the ears of the gopis, the oinment on ther eyes, the blue sapphire on their breasts and all their other ornaments. May that Sri Hari be always glorified.

"Although the boy was only seven years old and still had no education, he composed such a nice verse. Everyone was struck with wonder."

The Devotees became astonished upon hearing such a small boy recite a perfectly composed Sanskrit verse glorifying Krsna. They concluded that by sucking Mahaprabhu's toe he had received some special potency, because miracles easily manifest by the mercy of the Lord. In response to the boy's recitation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, " My dear child! like a great poet (Kavi) you have so nicely described the ornament on the ear ( Karma) of the Vraja-gopis. So from today on You will be known as Kavi-Karnapura.

The descriptions of Mahaprabhu’s intimate dealings with Kavi-karnapura show his exalted position as a confidential, eternal associate of Radha-govinda and Lord Caitanya. Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu personally empowered Kavi-karnapura with extraordinary poetic talent. As a result, he produced such transcendental masterpieces as Ananda Vrndavana Campu and Krsnahnika Kaumudi. For the last five hundred years, kavi-karnapura’s works have been cherished and studied by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Stalward acaryas such as Srila visvanatha Cakravartipada often quote kavi-Karnapura in their own works, The famous Gaudiya Vaisnava Historian, Sri Haridasa Dasa, offered this wonderful glorification:

“Krsnahnika Kaumudi is a work meant for smarana-bhajana. It gives a clear understanding of visuaddha-bhajana pantha, the path of pure devotional service. This book, which was written shortly after Ananda Vrndavana Campu ( 1576 a.d.), teaches a sadhaka how to attain prema-bhakti , and how to execute prema-seva to Mahabhava Svarupini Sri Radhika and Rasaraja Svarupa Sri Krsna. Krsnahnika Kaumudi describes how to properly remember Radha Madhava’s asta- kaliya-lila, elight-fold daily pastimes.

“Kavi-Karnapura’s main purpose in writing this book was to expand the lila-rasa, and to help serious sadhakas advance on the path of bhakti. A fortunate Sadhaka will definitely attain the perfection of life by spending his days and nights remembering the pastimes so beautifully depicted in this parama lila-grantha, Krsnahnika Kaumudi.”(Vaisnava Abhidana)

In 1999, we published Kavi-karnapura’s Ananda Vrndavana Campu, which elaborates upon and portrays with spectacular poetic sweetness the Bhauma Vrndavana pastimes of sri krsna depicted in the Srimad Bhagavatam. After giving us Ananda Vrndavana Campu to wet our appetites with honey drops of divine ambrosia, Srila Kavi-karnapura gave us Krsnahnika Kaumudi to completely submerge our souls in the ocean of transcendental ecstasy by opening the white lotus of Radha-Madhava’s asta-Kaliyalila in the blissful spiritual realm of vraja gokula.

Narottama dasa Thakura says in Prema-Bhakti-candrika V.60: rati Premamaya Parabandhe,”MayI become firmly attached to the books affectionately given by the pure devotees in my tradition( Gaudiya-sampradaya) who are realized in Krsna Bhakti-rasa.” Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada Comments on this verse, “May I always be fully attached to the loving topics about krsna bhakti-rasa composed by realized premi-bhaktas.”

The Sacred works of Mahajanas like Srila Kavi-Karnapura are Saturated with the rasa of their realizations and their direct visions of radha-syama’s ecstatic transcendental pastimes. A sensitive devotee will awaken a deep attraction and appreciation for Radha-syama’s pastimes by regularly reading such books. Gradually the heart will melt and one will awaken pure love for the beautiful, playful Lord of Vrndavana. Srila Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami Confirms this in the Phala sruti ( verse of benediction for the readers) of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta:

Yeba nahi bujhe keha, sunite sunite seha, ki adbhuta caitanya-carita krsne upajibe priti, janibe rasera riti, sunilei bada haya hita.

“If one does not understand the Sri caitanya caritamrta in the beginning but continues to hear again and again, the wonderful effects of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes will bring love for Krsna. Gradually One will come to understand the loving affairs between Krsna and the gopis and other associates of Vrndavana. Everyone is advised to continue to hear over and over again in order to greatly benefit.

The conclusion is that by continually reading scriptures full of transcendental nectar lke Krsnahnika Kaumudi, written by a realized Krsna Premi-Bhakta like srila Kavi-Karnapura, one will uickly attain the eternal loving service of Radha-syama in Their Blissful spiritual abode, Sri Vrndavana Dhaa.

May the devoted readers forever forget the orld of darkness by immersing their minds and hearts in the brilliant light of the white lotus of Krsna’s eternal pastimes of ecstasy.