10.24

raghava-pandita--prabhura adya-anucara

tanra eka sakha mukhya--makaradhvaja kara

SYNONYMS

raghava pandita—of the name Raghava Pandita; prabhura—of the Lord; adya—original; anucara—follower; tanra—his; eka—one; sakha—branch; mukhya—chief; makaradhvaja—of the name Makaradhvaja; kara—surname.

Raghava Pandita, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s original follower, is understood to have been the seventh branch.

From him proceeded another subbranch, headed by Makaradhvaja Kara.

PURPORT

Kara was the surname of Makaradhvaja.

At present this surname is generally found in the Kayastha community.

The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 166, states:

dhanistha bhaksya-samagrim

krsnayadad vraje ’mitam

saiva sampratam gauranga-

priyo raghava-panditah Raghava Pandita was formerly a confidential gopi in Vraja during the time of Lord Krsna’s pastimes, and his former name was Dhanistha.

This gopi, Dhanistha, always engaged in preparing foods for Krsna.