Sri Purushottama Thakura was absorbed in meditation on Sri Nityananda’s lotus feet since his childhood. Sadasiva Kaviraja says, “Sri Purushottama Das, the great soul, was the son of Sadasiva Kaviraja. From his birth, he was immersed in the service of Sri Nityananda’s lotus feet and constantly engaged in childhood pastimes with Krishna.” (Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 11.38-39)
Sadasiva Kaviraja further says, “Sri Purushottama Das Thakura was a great soul, and his body was always externally engaged in the service of Sri Nityananda. Sri Nityananda Chandra always resides in his heart.” (Chaitanya Bhagavata, Antya 5.741-742)
Sri Purushottama Thakura had four principal disciples: Srimad Madhavacharya, Sri Yadavacharya, Devakinandan Das, and others. They were from the Kulina Brahmin family. Srimad Madhavacharya was the husband of Sri Nityananda’s daughter, Gangadevi. Devakinandan Das was the author of Sri Vaishnava Bandana.
Sri Purushottama Thakura’s deities were initially worshiped at his seat in Chakdaha and later moved to Sukhasagara, near Simurali station. After Sukhasagara was destroyed, the deities were brought to Chanduria. Currently, they are being worshiped under the care of the Ganga family of Jirat, along with other deities.
Sri Purushottama Thakura’s seat is known as “Basu Jahabbar’s Pat”. The current elderly sevayet is Sritanath Das. (See Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 11.38-39, Anubhashya)
Sri Purushottama Thakura’s son was Sri Kanu Thakura. His son was Mahashaya Sri Kanu Thakura, who was filled with Krishna’s love and nectar. (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 11.40)
Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja’s son was Sri Purushottama Das Thakura, and his son was Sri Kanu Thakura. It is said that Sri Purushottama Thakura’s wife, Jahnava, passed away after the birth of Kanai. Sri Nityananda Prabhu came to their house and took the child Kanu to Khardaha village.
Sri Kanu Thakura was born in Shaka 1457, Bengali 942, Ashadhi Shukla Dvitiya, Ratha Yatra day. Sri Nityananda Prabhu named him Shishu Krishna Das due to his devotion to Krishna. At the age of five, Sri Kanai Thakura went to Sri Vrindavana Dham with Sri Ishwari Jahnava Devi. Sri Jiva Goswami and other acharyas named him “Thakura Kanai”.
It is said that when Thakura Kanai was dancing in ecstasy while singing kirtana in Vrindavana, one of his anklets fell off. He said, “I will live in the place where this anklet has fallen.” The anklet fell in a village called Khana in the Jessore district. Since then, Thakura Kanai has been living in Bodhkhana.
According to the Premavilasa, Sri Kanai Thakura attended the Khetri festival with Sri Jahnaba Mata. Sri Kanai Thakura had many Srotriya Brahmin disciples, just like his father, Sri Purushottama Thakura.
During the Bargi turmoil, Sri Kanai Thakura’s descendants left Bodhkhana with the deities and settled in Bhajan Ghat village in the Nadia district. Later, after the turmoil subsided, Harikrishna Goswami, a descendant of Kanai Thakura’s younger son, returned to Bodhkhana and established the Pranaballabha deity.
Currently, Sri Haripada Goswami, MA, Kavya Sankhya Vyakaran Tirtha, a descendant of Bodhkhana Goswami, lives in Baranagar. Sriram, a Brahmin from the Samavedi Koumudi branch, was a famous disciple of Sri Kanai Thakura. His descendants live in Garbeta village, near the Shilabati river in the Medinipur district.
Hare Krishna
