According to Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (126), Sri Ramadasa was formerly Sridama, one of the cowherd associates of Krishna. In the Bhakti-ratnakara (Fourth Wave), there is a detailed description of Sri Abhirama Thakura.
By the order of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Abhirama Thakura became a great acharya and preacher of the Chaitanya movement. He was a very influential personality, and nondevotees were very much afraid of him. He was always in ecstasy and was extremely kind to fallen souls.
It is said that if Abhirama Thakura offered obeisances to any stone other than a salagrama shila, it would immediately fracture. It is also said that he had a whip, and whoever he touched with it would immediately become an elevated devotee of Krishna.
Approximately ten miles southwest of Champadanga railway station, on the narrow-gauge railway line from Howrah to Amta in the Hugli district, there is a small town named Khanakula Krishnanagara. The temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped is situated there.
