Stoka-Krishna Comes In Gauranga-Lila

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The Most Holy Appearance day of Shrila Purusottama dasa Thakura-7th Mar 2003

 

Lord Krsna's intimate cowherd friend Stokakrsna appeared in Lord Caitanya's pastimes as Sri Purusottama das. (Gaura Gannodesha Dipika Verse 130)

 

Cc Adi 11.38

 

sri-sadasiva kaviraja--bada mahasaya

sri-purusottama-dasa--tanhara tanaya

 

The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the tenth gopala.

 

TEXT 39 ajanma nimagna nityanandera carane

nirantara balya-lila kare krsna-sane

 

From birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he always engaged in childish play with Lord Krsna.

 

PURPORT

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, "Sadasiva Kaviraja and Nagara Purusottama, who were father and son, are described in the Caitanya-bhagavata as maha-bhagyavan, greatly fortunate. They belonged to the vaidya caste of physicians. Text 156 of the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika says that Candravali, a most beloved gopi of Krsna's, later took birth as Sadasiva Kaviraja. In texts 194 and 200 it is said that Kamsari Sena, the father of Sadasiva Kaviraja, was formerly the gopi named Ratnavali in Krsna's pastimes. All the family members of Sadasiva Kaviraja were great devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Purusottama dasa Thakura sometimes lived at Sukhasagara, near the Cakadaha and Simurali railway stations. All the Deities installed by Purusottama Thakura were formerly situated in Beledanga-grama, but when the temple was destroyed the Deities were brought to Sukhasagara. When that temple merged into the bed of the Ganges, the Deities were brought with Jahnava-mata's Deity to Sahebadanga Bedigrama.

 

Since that place also has been destroyed, all the Deities are now situated in the village named Candude-grama, which is situated one mile up from Palapada, as referred to above."

 

TEXT 40

 

Sri Kanu Thakura, a very respectable gentleman, was the son of Purusottama dasa Thakura. He was such a great devotee that Lord Krsna always lived in his body.

 

[sri Purusottama Thakura had three main disciples: Sri Madhavacarya, Sri Yadavacarya and Devakinandana dasa, who were born in Kulina brahmana families. Madhavacarya married Nityananda Prabhu's daughter, Ganga-devi.

 

Devakinandana was the author of the book Vaisnav-vandane. Purusottama Thakura's Sripat was previously at Sukhasagar. Now his Deities are at Candriya Gram.

 

This temple is called Vasu-Jahnava Pat. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Kanai Thakura, the son of Purusottama, was the adopted son of Sri Jahnava. When Kanu Thakura was five, Jahnava Devi took him to Vrindavana where the Goswamis joyously greeted him seeing the genuine devotion].

 

[Krsna has four types of friends in Vrndavana:

 

1.) Suhrt - well-wishers

2.) Sakhas - friends

3.) Priya-sakhas - confidential friends

4.) Priya-narma-sakhas - most intimate friends

 

Stoka-krsna (Purusottama Dasa Thakura) is a Priya-sakha.

 

The more confidential friends are called priya-sakhas and are almost Krsna's age. Because of their very confidential friendship, their behavior is only on the basis of pure friendship. The behavior of other friends is on the ground of parental love or servitude, but the basic principle of the confidential friends is simply friendship on an equal level (pg. 324)." Suhrts are older than Krsna. Consequently, parental love mixes with their friendship. Sakhas are younger than Krsna. Thus, servitude mixes with their friendship. Priya-sakhas, however, are the same age as Krsna. Their friendship is perfectly on the level of equality. It is pure friendship without any influence of parental affection or servitude.]

 

PURUSOTTAMA DASA:

 

He was the son of Sadasiva Kaviraja and a disciple of Lord Nityananda. He is considered to be the eighth of the twelve Gopalas. Purusottama's disciple, Daivakinandana dasa composed Vaisnava-vandana and wrote the Sanskrit book Vaisnavabhidhan. The padavali's composed by Purusottama deserve great praise. Descendants of his family later settled at Bodhakhana of Jessore (Bangladesh) and at Bhajanghat of Nadia.

 

GGD 130 describes Purusottama as Stokakrsna in his past incarnation.

 

"The twenty©third and twenty©fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the tenth gopala. Since birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he was always engaged in childish play with Lord Krsna." [C.C. Adi 11.8-39]

 

"Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja was extremely fortunate. His son's name was Sri Purusottama das. He was never externally consious of his material body.

 

Nityananda Candra enacted many pastimes from within his heart." [C.B. Antya 5/741-742]

 

Sri Purusottama Thakura had three main disciples: Sri Madhavacarya, Sri Yadavacarya and Devakinandana dasa, who were born in Kulina brahmana families. Madhavacarya married Nityananda Prabhu's daughter, Ganga©devi.

 

Devakinandana was the author of the book Vaisnav©vandane. Purusottama Thakura's Sripat was previously at Sukhasagar. Now his Deities are at Candriya Gram.

 

This temple is called Vasu-Jahnava Pat. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Kanai Thakura, the son of Purusottama, was the adopted son of Sri Jahnava.

 

Sri Purusottama Thakura was the cowherd boy Stokakrsna in Krisna-lila.

 

Daaso'smi, Tridandi Bhikshu Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami.