guṇarÄja-khÄá¹…na kaila Å›rÄ«-kṛṣṇa-vijaya
tÄhÄá¹… eka-vÄkya tÄá¹…ra Äche premamaya

 guṇarÄja-khÄá¹…na - GuṇarÄja KhÄn; kaila - compiled; Å›rÄ«-kṛṣṇa-vijaya - the book named ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa-vijaya; tÄhÄá¹… - there; eka-vÄkya - one sentence; tÄá¹…ra - of it; Äche - is; prema-maya - full of love of Kṛṣṇa.


Text

ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu then said, “GuṇarÄja KhÄn of KulÄ«na-grÄma compiled a book named ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa-vijaya, in which there is a sentence revealing the author’s ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.â€

Purport

ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa-vijaya is a book of poems considered to be the first poetry book written in Bengal. ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura states that this book was begun in the year 1395 ÅšakÄbda (A.D. 1473). After seven years, it was completed (in 1402 ÅšakÄbda). This book was written in plain language, and even half-educated Bengalis and women could read it very clearly. Even ordinary men with little knowledge of the alphabet could read this book and understand it. Its language is not very ornamental, and sometimes the poetry is not very sweet to hear. Although according to the sonnet style each line should contain fourteen syllables, there are sometimes sixteen, twelve or thirteen syllables in his verse. Many words used in those days could be understood only by local inhabitants, yet this book is still so popular that no bookstore is complete without it. It is very valuable for those who are interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

ÅšrÄ« GuṇarÄja KhÄn was one of the topmost Vaiṣṇavas, and he translated the Tenth and Eleventh Cantos of ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam for the understanding of the common man. The book ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa-vijaya was highly praised by ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, and it is very valuable for all Vaiṣṇavas. ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura gives a genealogical table and family history of GuṇarÄja KhÄn. When a Bengali emperor named Ä€diśūra first came from KÄnyakubja, or KÄnauj, he brought with him five brÄhmaṇas and five kÄyasthas. Since the king is supposed to be accompanied by his associates, the brÄhmaṇas accompanied the King to help him in higher spiritual matters. The kÄyasthas were to render other services. In the northern Indian high country, the kÄyasthas are accepted as śūdras, but in Bengal the kÄyasthas are considered among the higher castes. It is a fact that the kÄyasthas came to Bengal from northern India, specifically from KÄnyakubja, or KÄnauj. ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura says that the kÄyasthas who came from KÄnyakubja were high-class men. Of them, DaÅ›aratha Vasu was a great personality, and the thirteenth generation of his family included GuṇarÄja KhÄn.

His real name was MÄlÄdhara Vasu, but the title KhÄn was given to him by the Emperor of Bengal. Thus he became known as GuṇarÄja KhÄn. BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura gives the following genealogical table of GuṇarÄja KhÄn: (1) DaÅ›aratha Vasu; (2) KuÅ›ala; (3) ÅšubhaÅ›aá¹…kara; (4) Haá¹sa; (5) ÅšaktirÄma (BÄgÄṇá¸Ä), MuktirÄma (MÄinagara) and Alaá¹…kÄra (Baá¹…gaja); (6) DÄmodara; (7) AnantarÄma; (8) GuṇīnÄyaka and VīṇÄnÄyaka. The twelfth generation included BhagÄ«ratha, and the thirteenth MÄlÄdhara Vasu, or GuṇarÄja KhÄn. ÅšrÄ« GuṇarÄja KhÄn had fourteen sons, of whom the second son, Laká¹£mÄ«nÄtha Vasu, received the title SatyarÄja KhÄn. His son was ÅšrÄ« RÄmÄnanda Vasu; therefore RÄmÄnanda Vasu belonged to the fifteenth generation. GuṇarÄja KhÄn was a very well known and wealthy man. His palace, fort and temples are still existing, and from these we can deduce that the opulence of GuṇarÄja KhÄn was certainly very great. ÅšrÄ« GuṇarÄja KhÄn never cared for the artificial aristocracy introduced by BallÄl Sena.