Parishads: Sri Buddhimanta Khan

by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja

Buddhimanta Khan was very dear to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was one of the Lord’s greatest servants who obeyed him from the time of his birth.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.74)

Buddhimanta’s Previous Life

Buddhimanta Khan is considered to be one of Chaitanya’s branches. In his Nabadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written the following in connection with the village of Suvarna Bihar in Godrumadvipa: “In the Satya Yuga, a pious king named Suvarna Sena lived in this village of Suvarna Bihar. Through the blessings of Narada Muni, this king obtained love for Radha and Krishna as well as for their joined form, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. One night, Suvarna Sena saw Gaura and Gadadhara with all their associates in a dream. When he awoke, the King cried out in distress from the loss of the vision. Suddenly, he heard a voice from the sky which told him that when Mahaprabhu appeared again in the Age of Kali, then the King would also take birth as Buddhimanta Khan in order to expand the Lord’s pastimes.”

Buddhimanta's Charitable Works

Buddhimanta lived in Nabadwip. He and Mukunda Sanjaya were amongst the richest people in the town. They performed charitable works such as providing medicines and treatment for the poor who fell ill. Once, when the Lord was undergoing ecstatic transformations as a householder, the other devotees called Buddhimanta Khan in order to see to his treatment.

Buddhimanta paid for all the costs of Mahaprabhu’s wedding when he married for the second time, to Vishnupriya, the daughter of a local zamindar’s priest, Sanatan Mishra. He participated in all of Mahaprabhu’s Nabadwip pastimes--in the kirtans at Srivasa Angana, at Chandrasekhara’s house, in the public kirtans, the liberation of Jagai and Madhai, and the water sports in the Ganges.

Buddhimanta at Chandrasekhara’s House

One day Mahaprabhu revealed his desire to put on a play about Vraja lila and dance in the mood of Maha Lakshmi. He told Buddhimanta Khan that he wanted him to take responsibility for the costumes and decorations. He himself dressed Mahaprabhu.

[Mahaprabhu said,] Buddhimanta Khan! Go quickly and arrange for costumes for today I shall dance.” Upon receipt of the order, Sadashiva [and] Buddhimanta Khan immediately returned home, feeling unlimited joy. The devotees immediately put up an awning of bamboo and cloth and there started dressing the actors in the play. Buddhimanta brought the costumes and placed them before the Lord.
(Chaitanya Bhagavat 2.18.13-16)

Look here. This is the house of Chandrasekhara Acharya. The Lord came here with his dearest associates. Sadashiva and Buddhimanta Khan took charge of the costumes and dressing the actors.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 12.2902-3)

When Mahaprabhu took sannyasa in Katwa, he went to Shantipur where he met with all the Nabadwip devotees, including Buddhimanta Khan. He also accompanied the Bengali devotees to Puri to see the Lord. The Lord also lovingly accepted Buddhimanta Khan and the Bengali devotees’ gifts of foodstuffs, etc., which they brought to Puri for him.

Buddhimanta Khan, for whom the Lord’s order had been the only interest from his very birth, also went.
(Chaitanya Bhagavat 3.8.30)

[Excerpted from "Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates" by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj]

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