Buṅdhaipāḍā – Śrīpāṭa of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya’s disciple Śrī Kṛṣṇa Kīrtaniyā

Buṅdhaipāḍā is situated in the district of Murshidābād. While the ancient Śrīpāṭa Buṅdhaipāḍā went to the bottom of the Ganges, the Śrīpāṭa was moved to Nyāliśi locality. This present Śrīpāṭa is situated on the western banks of the Bhāgīrathī River which is on the other side of Saiyadābāda of Baharampur town.

This is the place of pastime of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya’s disciples Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Caṭṭarāja, his brother Śrī Kumuda Caṭṭarāja and their descendants Rādhā Vallabha, Gopījana Vallabha, Govinda Rāya, Gaurāṅga Vallabha, Caitanya Dāsa, Vṛndāvana Dāsa, Kṛṣṇa Dāsa and other members of Caṭṭarāja family. Rāmakṛṣṇa Caṭṭarāja’s son, Gopījana Vallabha, got married here to Śrīnivāsa Ācārya Ṭhākura’s eldest daughter, Śrīmatī Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī. Śrīmatī Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī started the worship of Śrī Rādhā-ramaṇa Deity. This has been described in Śrī Anurāga Vallabhī (6/248-251)-

katakāle śrī hemalatā ṭhākurjhi mahāśaya
sevāra prakāśa lāgi prayatna karaya

aneka prayāse tāṅra utkaṇṭhā jāniyā
ājñā dila sevā kara sāvadhāna haiyā

ājñā pāñā śrī vigrha prakāśa karila
aṅga-sevā karāiyā mandire basāila

ācārya ṭhākurera nija gurura sevana
tāṅra nāme nāma rākhe śrī rādhā-ramaṇa

Śrīmatī Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī was trying for many years to worship the Deities. After a lot of endeavour, her anxiety was understood. She was given permission for Deity worship, which should be carefully performed. Getting the permission, she revealed the Deity. She bathed and decorated the Deity and then installed the deity in the temple. Ācārya Ṭhākura gave the same name, Śrī Rādhā-ramaṇa, to his Deity, as that of his spiritual master’s Deity.

The Deity was made and installed in the presence of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya himself. A great festival was organized on this occasion. In the year 1529 Śakābda, Yadunandana Dāsa, the disciple of Śrīmatī Hemalatā Ṭhākurāṇī, carried out her order by writing one book

‘Śrī Karṇānanda’ at this Śrīpāṭa. This has been described in Śrī Karṇānanda (6/191-193)-

buṅdhai pāḍāte rahi śrīmatī nikaṭe
sadāi ānande bhāsi jāhṇvī taṭe

pañcadaśa śata āra vatsara ūnatriśe
vaiśākha māsete āra pūrṇimā divase

nija prabhura pādapadma mastake kariyā
sampūrṇa karilāṅa grantha śuna mana diyā

Staying in Buṅdhaipāḍā with Śrīmatī at the bank of the Ganges, I was always overwhelmed with joy. On the full-moon day of Vaiśākha month (April-May) in the year 1529 Śakābda, I finished writing the book by keeping my head at the lotus feet of my Prabhu. Now hear attentively about this book. Here is the Śrīpāṭa of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya’s disciple Śrī Kṛṣṇa Kīrtaniyā. This has been described in Śrī Karṇānanda (1/195)-

budhāi-pāḍāte bāḍi kṛṣṇa kīrtaniyā
yāhāra kīrtane yāya pāṣāṇa galiyā

Kṛṣṇa Kīrtaniyā was the resident of Budhāipāḍā. By hearing his kīrtana, even the stones would melt.