Govindadasa (1535–1613) was a Bengali Vaishnava poet known for his body of devotional songs addressed to Krishna. Living in an atmosphere of Krishna-bhakti preached by Sri Chaitanya(1486–1533), he composed extensively on the Radha-Krishna love legend. He is also known as Govinda Das Kaviraja. His grandfather (Sulochana's father) Damodar Sen was also a poet, the author of sangit damodar. His brother Ramachandra Sen was a noted philosopher-poet.

 

"Ciranjiva and Sulocana were both residents of Srikhanda, where their descendants are still living. Of Ciranjiva's two sons, the elder, Ramacandra Kaviraja, was a disciple of Srinivasacarya and an intimate associate of Narottama dasa Thakura. The younger son was Govinda dasa Kaviraja, the famous Vaisnava poet. Ciranjiva's wife was Sunanda, and his father-in-law was Damodara Sena Kaviraja. Ciranjiva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumaranagara. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 207, states that he was formerly Candrika in Vrndavana." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi lila 10:78-79)

 

According to the Chaitanya Charitamrita, in his early life, Govindadasa was at a shakta, a worshiper of the goddess Shakti, (Durga / Kali).[2] He and his brother Ramchandra were both initiated into Vaishnavism by Srinivasa Acharya. Govinda Kaviraja also resided first in Srikhanda and then in Kumara-nagara, but later he moved to the village known as Teliya Budhari, on the southern bank of the river Padma. Since Govinda Kaviraja, the author of two books, Sangita-madhava and Gitamrta, was a great Vaisnava kavi, or poet, Srila Jiva Gosvami gave him the title Kaviraja. He is described in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Ninth Wave)."

Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi lila 12:51

 

He was very excellent writer and poet, and after he wrote "Bhajahu re mana, sri nanda-nandana abhaya-caranaravinda re," he sent it to Srila Jiva Gosvami. When Jiva Gosvami heard the bhajana of Govinda dasa Kaviraja, he appreciated it so much that he told him, "Continue to compose kirtanas like these. You are very qualified, so you should compose more and send them to me in Vrndavana." Srila Govinda dasa Kaviraja then composed many poems about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Radha-Krsna.