Mahanta Sri Sri Vaishnavananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada
Mahanta Sri Sri Vaishnavananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada was born in1685 AD. He became the eighth Mahanta of the Sri Sri Shyamanandi Gaddi after the disappearance of his father, Sri Sri Vrindavanananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada. The Nawab of Odisha, Mabar jung mulk Main Ud-Daula Syed Muhammad, (8 jaloos 21 Sawal) commanded the landlords and officers in Odisha and Bengal to keep giving a share of the taxes of lands (pasasra and Ganda etc. ) to the Mahanta as per tradition and not to share tax with any other person . In exchange, he only requested the blessings of the Mahanta for the prosperity of his kingdom. The Emperor of Delhi, Gaji Muhammad Shah Majaul Mulk, also issued a certificate (sanad) to the same effect. Besides these, Sri Sri Vrindavanananda Prabhupada obtained many other such certificates from the Emperor and Nawabs.
He was a disciple of Mahanta Sri Sri Brajajanananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada. He composed several songs exhibiting deep scholarship. He had two sons:The elder was Sri Sri Gokulananda Deva, and the younger was Sri Sri Netrananda Deva. He entered the eternal pastimes on the twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Bhadra month of 1770 AD.