ROMAN TEXT WITH TRANSLITERATION AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION Part I About the Book In the introduction to the play, King Prataparudra approaches the playwright, and after expressing his grief that Lord Caitanya has disappeared after concluding His transcendental pastimes at Jagannatha Puri, requests him to write a drama that is full of the nectar of the Lord’s characteristics. Thus, for the pleasure of the king, Sri Caitanya-candrodaya is being presented. After being questioned by his assistant, the playwright describes the advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Kali-yuga and His mission of propagating the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, which is the essence of devotional service. The introduction ends with the appearance of Kali and his associate, Irreligion. In the conversation that ensues, Kali expresses his inability to cause the degradation of the sincere devotees of the Lord, while Irreligion attempts to encourage him with various kinds of flattery. During the conversation, Kali repeatedly maintains that his power has been slashed to pieces by the son of Saci-devi. Introduction The author of Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka Kavi-karnapura, was the third son of Srila Sivananda Sena, as was find in a purport of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, where Srila Prabhupada wrote: It is stated in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (145) that the two famous parrots named Daksa and Vicaksana in krsna-lila became the elder brothers of Kavi-karnapura, namely Caitanya dasa and Ramadasa. Karnapura, the third son, who was also known as Paramananda dasa or Puri dasa, was initiated by Srinatha Pandita, who was a disciple of Sri Advaita Prabhu. Karnapura wrote many books that are important in Vaisnava literature, such as the Ananda-vrndavana-campu, Alankara- kaustubha, Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, and the great epic Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka. He was born in the year 1448 Sakabda (A.D/ 1526). He continually wrote books of ten years, from 1488 until 1498.