Krishnananda Agamavagisha

He (being the introducer of Navya Tantric-scripture, Tantrasara) is considered to be one among the four pillars of Shreehatta origin scholars in Nabadwip worked for Sanatana philosophy, alongside Raghunatha (introducer of Navya Nyaya), Raghunandana (introducer of Navya Smriti), and Vishvambhara: Chaitanya (introducer of Navya Vaishnava).

Agamavagish was born from Acharya Mahesh Bhattacharya in the year 1533 at Nabadwip. 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 of Pranatoshani.He was also one of the four main disciples of Vasudeva Sarvabhauma.

Krishnananda is best known for popularizing the celebrations of Kali Puja, particularly in Bengal.

Contributions

He is considered one of the greatest exponents of Tantric activism in Bengal. He authored Brihat Tantrasara, one of the most exhaustive worship and sadhana text for Tantra. Aagameshwari Kali puja, the oldest Kali Puja of Nabadwip was started by him. 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 popularized Kali Puja, in Bengal and turned it into a household practice, which was later carried on by his disciple Sadhak Ramprasad 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.