Shyamananda Prabhu was a great devotee of Lord Chaitanya. He was a contemporary of the great Acharyas Srinivasa Acharya and Narottama Dasa Thakura. The three were eternal associates of Lord Chaitanya incarnated to spread His teachings after the Lord’s disappearance. They studied under Srila Jiva Goswami in Vrindavan. They created a resurgence of Lord Chaitanya’s Bhakti movement in Bengal and Orissa, where it was flagging in the period after the Lord had left the planet.
Birth & Childhood
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Shri Syamananda made his appearance at Utkala in the village of Dharenda Bahadurpur. His father’s name was Shri Krishna Mandal and his mother’s name was Shri Durika. Shri Krishna Mandal, who descended in the line of sad-gopas, had many sons and daughters who unfortunately passed away before the birth of this son. For this reason this son was named Dukhiya.
Everyone said that this child would be a very high-souled saintly person. “On the full moon day of the month of Caitra he has taken his birth at a very auspicious moment, by the mercy of Lord Jagannatha. It is as though Lord Jagannatha has personally brought him here in order to propagate His teachings, and therefore He is personally maintaining him. He looks just like a new cupid. One’s eyes and mind are soothed just to look upon him.”
As time passed, the purificatory rites, his first taking of grains, tonsure (the hair-cutting ceremony) and the rites for beginning his education were performed, one after the other. The scholars were astounded to see his profound intellect. Within a short period he completed his studies of grammar, poetry and rhetoric. When he heard of the glories of Shri Gaura-Nityananda from the Vaishnavas of his village, a very deep attachment to Their lotus feet developed in him.
Shri Krishna Mandal was himself a very advanced devotee. Seeing that his son was always absorbed in thinking of Gaura-Nityananda. He told him that he should be initiated into the divine mantra.
The boy replied, “Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya is my guru. He is at Ambika Kalna. His guru is Shri Gauri dasa Pandita. The two brothers, Shri Gaura-Nityananda, are eternally present in his house. If you give your permission, I will proceed to there to become his disciple.” His father asked, “But Duhkhiya, how will you get there?” “Father, there are many people from here who go there to bath in the Ganges. I will go with them.”
Meeting his Guru and got Initation
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His father deliberated for a great while on this matter and after going so he finally gave his permission. Thus Duhkhiya set out for Gaudadesa. Gradually he came to Navadwipa, then Santipur and finally Ambika Kalna, where he inquired from the local people where he might find the house of Gauri dasa Pandita. Outside the gate of the mandira, he fell down and offered his dandavats. Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya happened to be passing by at this time. Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu looked at him for a few moments and then asked, “Who are you?”
Dukhiya replied, “I have come to serve Your lotus feet. My home is at Dharenda Bahadurpur. I was born in the caste of sad-gopas. My father’s name is Shri Krishna Mandal. My name is Duhkhiya.”
Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya was very pleased by this sweet speech. He told the boy, “From now your name is Krishna das. Since early this morning I was feeling that someone would come today.”
Shri Krishna dasa began his service with great devotion, and on an auspicious day his guru initiated him into the divine mantra. Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya could see that his new disciple was extremely intelligent and at the same time very devoted, so he ordered him to go to Vrindavana to study the literatures of the under the tutelage of Shrila Jiva Gosvami. Shri Krishna das bowed his head in assent, and on an auspicious day he set out for the holy dhama. At the time of his departure, his guru gave him many instructions and conveyed through his disciple his obeisances to the lotus feet of the Gosvamis of Vrindavan.
Vrindavan yatra and meeting Jiva Goswami
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Duhkhi Krishna das first came to Navadwipa. After inquiring from someone as to the whereabouts of Shri Jagannatha Misra Bhavan, he came there and went inside. Seeing Shri Isana Thakura, he fell down and offered his obeisances. Isana Thakura then asked him who he was, and so the boy introduced himself. Isana Thakura blessed him and he remained there that day.
The next day he set out for Mathura with a party of pilgrims. Upon coming to Gaya Dham he took of the lotus feet of Shri Visnu there. He remembered Mahaprabhu’s lila of accepting initiation from Shri Ishvara Puri here and became overwhelmed in ecstatic love. From Gaya he came to Kasi Dham where he met with Tapan Misra, Candrasekhara and the other devotees, and he offered his salutations to their lotus feet. They in turn blessed him.
He finally entered Mathura Dhama. After taking bath at Visrama Ghata, he took darsana of Shri Adikesava and rolled on the ground in the dust of the birthplace of Shri Krishna. From here he proceeded towards Vrindavana where, after learning the where abouts of Shrila Jiva Gosvami, he offered his obeisances to the lotus feet of that great acharya. After being asked, he introduced himself with full particulars.
“Gurudeva has committed me to your charge. His petition to Your Divine Grace is, ‘I am entrusting Duhkhi Krishna das to your care. Please fulfill his mind’s desire and send him back to me after some time.’”
Shrila Jiva Gosvami was extremely happy to receive Duhkhi Krishna dasa into his care. Krishna das very carefully began to serve Jiva Gosvami as well as study the literatures of the Gosvamis.
Srinivasa Acharya and Narottama dasa Thakura also came to Shri Jiva at this time to study under him. Thus Krishna das had the opportunity to meet them.
Meeting with Srimati Radharani
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Krishna das requested Shrila Jiva Gosvami for a special service. Shri Jiva instructed him to sweep the forest grove of Sevakunja everyday. From that day he began to carry out this service with great pleasure. He felt that his life had become successful. As he swept, tears flowed from his eyes. Sometimes he would loudly chant the names of Shri Shri Radha-Govinda and sometimes he would become inert while remembering Their pastimes. Sometimes he would put the broom, which was full of dust, on his head. Even Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva pray to receive a little of this dust of Vrindavana on their heads.
The Lord of Vrindavana and His consort were very pleased with the service of Krishna das, and desired to grant him Their darshan. One day while Krishna das was cleaning the kunja, his heart filled with love. Just then he happened to notice a very beautiful ankle bracelet lying in the dust. He picked it up, touched it to his head and then bound it in the corner of his upper cloth. “I’ll give it to whom ever it belongs to when they come to look for it,” he thought.
The next morning the were quite shocked when they noticed that Shrimati Radharani’s left ankle bracelet was missing. Radharani explained, “Last night, when I was dancing in the kunja, it must have fallen off. Please look for it and bring it back to me, who ever finds it.”
When the gopis came to search for the bracelet, Visakha devi noticed Krishna das sweeping the grove. She asked him, “Have you found an ankle bracelet here?” Duhkhi Krishna dasa was so mesmerized by her sweet words and radiant form, which was like that of a demigoddess descended from heaven, that he simply stared at her dumbfounded. Again she asked him, “Have you found an ankle bracelet here?”
Duhkhi Krishna made obeisances and humbly replied, “Yes, I found it. Who are you?”
“I am a cowherd girl.”
“Where do you stay?”
“In this village.”
“Is it your ankle bracelet?”
“No it isn’t mine. It belongs to a new bride in our house.”
“How did it get here?”
“She came here yesterday to pick flowers and it must have fallen off then.”
“All right, then please tell her she can come and collect it from me.”
“No, you can just give it to me.”
“No, I want to give it to her personally.”
After a few moments, Visakha devi returned with Shrimati Radha Thakurani who stood in the shade at the foot of a large tree. Visakha called out to Krishna dasa, “Bhakta, the person who lost her ankle bracelet has come to receive it.”
Duhkhi Krishna das completely forgot himself while gazing, even though it was from some distance, at the unparalleled, brilliant splendor of Shri Vrsabhanunandini. In great joy he handed the ankle bracelet to Visakha. At this point, Duhkhi Krishna dasa could sense that something very profound was about to take place. His eyes filled with tears and he fell down on the ground to offer his obeisances. In great ecstasy he rolled in the dust.
Visakha then told him, “O best of the devotees! Our Sakhi wants to give you a benediction to express her gratitude.”
Duhkhi Krishna dasa saw the holy waters of Radha kunda before him. After offering his obeisances, he immersed himself in her waters. Thus he attained a transcendentally beautiful feminine form. Coming out of the sacred kunda, he stood before Visakha devi and offered prayers. Taking this ‘forest sakhi’ by the hand, Visakha approached Shrimati Radha Thakurani, and the new sakhi fell down at Her lotus feet. Then Shrimati Radharani decorated her forehead with tilaka using the ankle bracelet and the kumkum of her lotus feet.
“This tilak will remain on your forehead. From today you will be known as Syamananda. Now you can go.” After She said this, Shrimati Radha Thakurani and Her sakhis were no longer to be seen. Dukhi Krishna dasa’s trance broke and he found himself as before, alone and in his male body: yet with the tilaka applied by Shrimati Radharani still on his forehead. Being overwhelmed with emotion, he repeated over and over, “What have I seen?”
“What have I seen?”, while tears of ecstasy rolled down his cheeks.
After reciting prayers hundreds and hundreds of times to Shri Radhika, he finally returned to Shrila Jiva Gosvami. Shri Jiva Prabhu was struck with wonder when he saw the brilliant new design of tilaka on his young student’s forehead. After offering his prostrated obeisances, Dukhi Krishna dasa, his eyes brimming with tears, recounted at Jiva Goswami’s request his experience in Sevakunja.
Hearing of his great fortune, Shri Jiva was elated, but cautioned Dukhi, “Don’t reveal this blessed event to anyone. From today, just carry on with the name Syamananda.”
Noticing that Dukhi Krishna dasa’s name and style of tilaka had for reasons unknown been changed, the Vaishnavas naturally began to discuss this strange development amongst themselves. The news finally reached Ambika Kalna. When he heard of the seemingly unauthorized behavior of his disciple, Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu was unsettled and angered. He immediately set out for Vrindavana.
Arriving there some months later, he let it be known he wished to see the rest while Dukhi Krishna dasa, Syamananda came and offered his prostrated obeisances at his gurudeva’s lotus feet.
Seeing his disciple’s tilaka, Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu was enraged and exclaimed, “Your conduct towards me is completely abominable.”
“I had fixed the form of your tilak, but you’ve erased it. In its place you have adopted a new form. I hereby renounce you. Leave this ashram this very moment” he commanded.
He continued to chastise him The Vaishnavas finally managed to restrain and pacify him by offering various explanations on Syamananda’s behalf. Syamananda simply tolerated it all with an unfaded countenance and continued to serve his gurudeva faithfully.
Eyes filled with tears, Shyamananda looked on silently. Feeling a bit sorry for him, Hriday-Chaitanya said, “if you wash away that tilak and put on the old one again, I can withdraw my order.”
But poor Shyamananda could not wipe out the tilak mark from his forehead. As soon as he wiped it, it emerged by itself on his forehead again.
Shyamananda left the ashram and went away. He stayed on the banks of the yamuna without taking any food.
That night, Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu had a dream in which Shri Radha Thakurani appeared in a very severe mood. She rebuked him by saying, “I am the one who, being very satisfied by Dukhi Krishna dasa’s service, changed his tilaka and his name. What do you or anyone else have to say about it?” Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu prayed for forgiveness at the lotus feet of Shri Vrajesvari and considered what an offender he had become.
Hriday-Chaitanya realized his mistake and ran all the way to the river and gathered Shyamananda in his embrace. Placing him in his lap, he embraced him again and again in great affection. With his eyes brimming with tears he repeated, “You are so fortunate.”
Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu remained at Vrajadhama for a while and then, after instructing Syamananda to remain with Shri Jiva Gosvami for some more days, he returned to Gaudadesa.
Leaving Vrindavan and going out for Preaching
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Shri Syamananda, Srinivasa and Shri Narottama began to pass their days in great bliss, studying the literatures of the goswamis and begging a little to eat from door to door. The three of them resolved to continue in this way and thus devote the better part of their time to serving and worshipping Shri Krishna in Vrindavana.
The goswamis held a council together and decided that these three should be sent to Gaudadesa to preach the teachings of Mahaprabhu as presented in the gosvami literature. One day Shrila Jiva Gosvami called the three of them together and informed them of this decision. Thus the three of them accepted that order on their bowed heads.
Thereafter, on an auspicious day Shrila Jiva Gosvami sent them on their way with a large, nicely decorated container filled with scriptures. But the books were stolen by the dacoit king, Sir Hambhir, in Bisnupur. There Srinivasa Acharya prabhu remained behind to recover the books while Narottama continued on towards Kheturi and Syamananda proceeded to Ambika Kalna. Arriving there, Syamananda paid his obeisances to his guru, and Shri Hrday Chaitanya Prabhu embraced him and inquired about the well being of the gosvamis of Vrindavana. When he heard that the books of the gosvamis had been stolen in Bishnupur, he was very concerned.
Syamananda served the lotus feet of his guru in great happiness and in this way passed his days. At this time most of the devotees of Lord Chaitanya in Orissa had all passed away. Thus the preaching of Mahaprabhu’s teachings had all but come to a halt. Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu considered this a very serious problem and finally instructed Shyamananda Prabhu to go there to carry on the preaching of Mahaprabhu’s mission.
Syamananda was at first very sad that he would have to be separated again so soon from his spiritual master, but Shri Hrdaya Chaitanya Prabhu explained clearly that he had no other alternative but to accept this order on his head.
The Story of Sher Khan
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When his studies were complete. Syamananda travelled to re spread the teachings of Chaitanya Mahapisho. Even though wa only one generation since the presence of Lord Chaitanya, Orissa til already become a bad place to live People were living in fear of the violent Afghan rulers who didy tiike Vaisbaas at all. One such Pathan ruler was named Sher Khan
At this time. Shyamananda had many of his own disciples. One day he was leading them in a unirtan party dancing and chanting in the streets Hearing the blissful chanting, Sher Khan became extremely angry and forcibly stopped the kirtan party ordering them never to chant and dance in this way again. The devotees didn't care The very next day Shyamananda gathered even more devotees and led them through the streets Sher Khan now became infuriated. He and his soldiers stopped the devotees, broke the mrdangas and threw the karatals into the river. At this point Shyamananda began to shout the holy names of Radha and Krishna very loudly Immediately Sher Khan and his followers began to cough blood, and their beards caught fire. They panicked and took to their heels.
Sher Khan Surrenders
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The next day Shyamananda again led the dancing sankirtan party into the streets. This time, when Sher Khan heard them he ran towards them and fell before them in the dust, offering his obeisances to Shyamananda. In a shaken voice he revealed, "Last night I had the most terrible nightmare. The Supreme Lord, Allah, appeared before me and was very angry. He slapped my face again and again and told me that He is the same as your God. He revealed to me His golden form as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and He told me that you should initiate me into the chanting of the Holy Name." Shyamananda felt satisfied with the surrender of Sher Khan. According to the will of the Lord, he initiated him, giving him the name Chaitanya Das. In this way Shyamananda converted many Muslim Pathans into devotees of Lord Krishna Eventually the whole of Orissa was again turned into a Vaishnava.
His Final Days
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One day Shyamananda received the message that his dear guru, Hridoy Chaitanya, had passed away. This broke his heart, and he felt unable to continue his preaching activities. With the help of his disciples, he over came his sorrow and pressed on. Then shortly afterwards, he received another message-his dear disciple Damodar had also passed away. This was a great shock for Shyamananda. He fell sick, and although he received the best medical care, he never recovered. In the middle of the seventeenth century he passed away in a town called Narasinghapur in Orissa. His foremost disciple and follower, Rasikananda, built a beautiful samadhi for his guru, which can be seen even today.
Shyamananda Prabhu’s puspa samadhi and the place where he found Shrimati Radharani’s ankle bracelet is just across the street from Shri Shri Radha-Syamsundara’s temple in Vrndavana. Shri Shri Radha-Syamsundara are his worshippable Deities.
Shrila Shyamananda Pandit ki jay!
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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
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Hare Krishna 🙏
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