Pundarika Vidyanidhi

PURPORT

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (54), Śrīla Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi is described as the father of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in kṛṣṇa-līlā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore treated him as His father. The original home of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi was in East Bengal(nowBangladesh) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called Pundarika Vidyanidhi “father,” and He gave him the title Premanidhi. Pundarika Vidyanidhi later became the spiritual master of Gadadhara Pandita and an intimate friend of Svarupa Damodara’s. Gadadhara Pandita at first misunderstood Pundarika Vidyanidhi to be an ordinary pounds-and-shillings man, but later, upon being corrected by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gadadhara Pandita became his disciple. Another incident in the life of Pundarika Vidyanidhi involves his criticizing the priest of the Jagannatha temple, for which Jagannatha Prabhu chastised him personally by slapping his cheeks. This is described in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Ten. Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura informs us that during his time there were still two living descendants of the family of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who were named Sri Harakumara Smrtitirtha and Sri Krsnakinkara Vidyalankara.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 10.14

TRANSLATION

Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Pundarika Vidyanidhi had a friendly, intimate relationship, and as far as discussing topics about Krsna, they were situated on the same platform.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.77

PURPORT

At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannātha. That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the arcana-mārga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi saw that the priest neglected to wash the cloth before covering Lord Jagannātha. Since he wanted to find some fault in the devotees, he became indignant.

TRANSLATION

When Pundarika Vidyanidhi saw that Lord Jagannatha was given a starched garment, he became a little hateful. In this way his mind was polluted.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.79

TRANSLATION

That night the brothers Lord Jagannatha and Balarama came to Pundarika Vidyanidhi and, smiling, began to slap him.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.80

TRANSLATION

Although his cheeks were swollen from the slapping, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was very happy within.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.81