purā vṛndāvane ceṭau sthitau bhṛṅgāra-bhaṅgurau
śrī-kāśīśvara-govindau tau jātau prabhu-sevakau

Śrī Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita (also Brahmacārī or Gosvāmī) was Kṛṣṇa’s servant Bhṛṇgāra or the sakhī Śasīrekhā. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 137)

Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita’s home was in the village of Chatra in the district of Hooghly, about one mile from the present day Serampore railway station. His father was Vāsudeva Bhaṭṭācārya, a brāhmaṇa of the Vātsya gotra in the line of Kañjīlāla Kānu. He also had the title Caudhurī and hence the place where he established the temple has come to be known as Caudhurī Para. There he installed the deities of Gaurāṅga and Śrī Rādhā-Govinda whose annual festival is held on Dola Pūrṇimā. Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita was especially known for his physical strength. Śrī Rudra Paṇḍita of Ballabhpur was his nephew.

Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita was a disciple of Īśvara Purī, who gave him much mercy. For this reason, he is counted as one of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s branches. Śrī Govinda was also Īśvara Purī’s disciple. Both of them devotedly served their spiritual master as long as he was present in this world. Just before he disappeared, he instructed them both to go engage in Mahāprabhu’s service. Govinda was the first to come to Purī to serve the Lord after the disappearance of their guru; Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita travelled throughout India on a pilgrimage before finally coming to Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet.

“I am a servant of Īśvara Purīpāda, my name is Govinda. On his order, I have come to You. At the time of his departure, my master ordered me: Go to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and serve Him. Kāśīśvara will also come after he has seen the pilgrimage sites. I have come directly to You.” (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.10.132-4)

On another day, Kāśīśvara Gosāñi arrived; the Lord greeted him respectfully and gave him a place to stay with Him. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.10.185)

Mahāprabhu felt something of a quandary about accepting the service of His guru’s servants. He consulted with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, saying, “The servant of My spiritual master is My superior, so how can I accept his service? On the other hand, if I do not obey My guru’s order, that too would be an offence. What should I do?” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya answered that the spiritual master’s order should take priority and so the Lord followed his guru’s directives and accepted Govinda and Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita as His personal servants.

sa śuśruvān mātari bhārgaveṇa
pitur niyogāt prahṛtaṁ dviṣadvat
pratyagrahīd agraja-śāsanaṁ tad-
ājñā gurūṇāṁ hy avicāraṇīyā

On the order of his father, Paraśurāma killed his own mother Reṇuka as though she were an enemy. When He heard this, Lakṣmaṇa accepted the order of His elder brother Rāma, for the orders of a guru are not to be debated. (Raghuvaṁśa 14.46)

nirvicāraṁ guror ājñā mayā kāryā mahātmanaḥ
śreyo hy evaṁ bhavatyāś ca mama caiva viśeṣataḥ

I must follow the order of my guru because he is a great soul. You will certainly benefit from this, but even more so will I. (Rāmāyaṇa Ayodhyā-khaṇḍa 22.9)