purā sudāma-nāmāsīd adya sundara-ṭhakkuraḥ

Sundarānanda Ṭhākura was previously one of the twelve gopālas known as Sudāma. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 127)

Sundarānanda, a true servant, is counted amongst the branches of Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu joked with him in the Vṛndāvana mood. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.11.23)

Sundarānanda is an ocean of sacred rapture. He is chief amongst the associates of Nityānanda Prabhu. (Caitanya Bhāgavata 3.5.728)

His home was in the village of Maheshpur in Jessore district. Maheshpur stands on the Betravati River, fourteen miles east of the Mazdia railway station. Only his place of birth remains there at present.

His deities were named Śrī Rādhā-Vallabha and Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa. Their priests later moved these deities to Sayyidabad and later a wooden deity was installed in Maheshpur.

Sundarānanda never married and thus has no descendants. Descendants of his disciples continue to maintain the site in Maheshpur. Some of his relatives live in Mangaldihi in Birbhum district.

Sundarānanda possessed great mystic powers. He made kadamba flowers bloom on a lime tree, which he later used in the service of Rādhā-Ramaṇa, as is stated in the Vaiṣṇava-vandanā:

sundarānanda ṭhākura vandibo bara āśe
phuṭālo kadamba-phula jabīrera gāche

In great hope, I worship Sundarānanda Ṭhākura, who made a kadamba flower bloom on a lime tree.

On another occasion, he dove into a river and pulled a crocodile out. He resembled Nityānanda Prabhu as being a saviour of the most fallen.

His disappearance took place on the full moon day of Kārtika month.