Krishnananda Agambagish (a.k.a.Mahamahopadhyaya Krishnananda Bhattacharya) was a notedKulin BengaliBrahmin ofNabadwip,Nadia district origin and a renownedPandita (Scholar) andSadhaka ofTantra tradition who lived around 1575 CE or 1575 Saka era (1653 CE). He is the author of the greatest tantric text ever written , The Brihad[1]Tantrasara.[2]
He (being the introducer of Navya Tantric-scripture,Tantrasara) is considered to be one among the four pillars of Shreehatta origin scholars inNabadwip worked forSanatana philosophy, alongsideRaghunatha (introducer ofNavya Nyaya),Raghunandana (introducer of Navya Smriti), andVishvambhara:Chaitanya (introducer ofNavya Vaishnava).
Agamavagish was born from Acharya Mahesh Bhattacharya in the year 1533 at Nabadwip.[3] He had four sons - Kashinatha, Mathuranatha, Harinatha and Vishvanath. He had a brother Sahasraksha who was a staunch Vaishnava and a worshipper of Lord Krishna. Krishnananda was a descendant of Ramatoshana Vidyalankara, the author ofPranatoshani.He was also one of the four main disciples ofVasudeva Sarvabhauma.
Krishnananda is best known for popularizing the celebrations of Kali Puja, particularly in Bengal.
He is considered one of the greatest exponents of Tantric activism in Bengal. He authoredBrihat Tantrasara, one of the most exhaustive worship and sadhana text for Tantra. Aagameshwari Kali puja, the oldest Kali Puja ofNabadwip was started by him.[4] Agamavaisha is also considered as one of those rarest of the rarest sadhakas who had the divine vision of Adyashakti Mahamaya.
To his credit he popularizedKali Puja, in Bengal and turned it into a household practice, which was later carried on by his disciple SadhakRamprasad Sen. Before that, Kali Puja was considered a complicated form of worshipping not suitable for common people, which required high degree of expertise in Tantric sadhana. Krishnananda took it upon himself to reform the Tantra practice by removing the terrifying parts and establish it as a benevolent, tender and devotional practice for commoners.[5]
It is believed that he underwent death inmeditative trance atMallarpur,Birbhum.
The development of worship of the form of Goddess Kali asDakshinakali, is also often attributed to Krishnananda Agamavagish.
It is said that during this time, there was no idol of goddess Kali, known to anyone. Kali Puja used to take place using Tantric substances. One day Krishnananda, had a dream where goddess Kali said that whoever Krishnananda will first see in the morning, should be used as an inspiration to create her idol.
Krishnananda, went out in the early morning and saw a village woman, applying cow dung patties on a wall. She was supported by her right foot on a rock in front of her and was dark skinned with long untied hair touching her knee. Suddenly becoming conscious about presence of another male around her she stuck her tongue out in shame, as was the practice in the society of that era.
Krishnananda was deeply moved by this posture and took it as an inspiration to create an idol ofMaa Kaali. It is said that since then, Maa Kali is being worshipped in Bengal in this form as all forgiving, tender and divine mother.[6]
Rajorshi Dey's 2019Bengalithriller film,Purba Paschim Dakshin was based on theTantra cult of Krishnananda Agamavagisha.[7] The film is an adaptation of the bookEbong Inquisition, by Avik Sarkar.Paran Bandopadhyay played the role of Agamavagisha.[8]