Quick Facts
Biography
Krishnananda Agamavagisha (কৃষ্ণানন্দ আগমবাগীশ ) (born Agamavagisha Maitra) was a noted Varendra Bengali Brahmin and a renowned Pandita and Sadhaka of Veda and Tantra traditions who lived around 1575 CE.
Some writings also mention him as 'Mahamahopadhyay Krishnananda Vagisha Bhattacharya'.
Life
"Krishnananda Agambagish" was born in the year 1650 at Nabadwip, the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Mahesha Maitra.He belonged to the Varendra Brahmins.
He had 4 sons- Kashinatha Maitra, Mathuranatha Maitra, Harinatha Maitra and Vishvanath Maitra.
Krishnananda had a brother Sahasraksha who was a staunch Vaishnava and a worshipper of Lord Krishna.
Krsnananda was 7th in ascent from Ramatoshana, the author of celebrated text Pranatoshani.
Contributions
He is considered one of the greatest exponents of Tantric Mysticism in Bengal region.He authored the Brihat Tantrasara, one of the most exhaustive worship and sadhana text of Eastern India for Veda and Tantric mystics.
Agameswari Kali Maa, the oldest Kali Puja of Nabadwip was started by the him.
Death
It is believed that he underwent death while in a meditative trance at Mollarpur, Birbhum.
Dakshina Kali
The development of the worship of a more benign form of Kali, as Daksinakali, is also often attributed to Krishnananda Agamavagisha.
It is said, Kali appeared to him in a dream and told him to popularize her in a particular form that would appear to him the following day. The next morning he observed a young woman making cow dung patties. While placing a patty on a wall, she stood in the alidha pose, with her right foot forward. When she saw Krishnananda watching her, she was embarrassed and put her tongue between her teeth. Krishnananada took his previous worship of Kali out of the cremation grounds and into a more domestic setting.[31][28]
Influences
Krishnananda Vagamavagisha was also the guru of the Kali devotee and poet Ramprasad Sen.[32]