A resident of Navadvipa, he belonged to the sakha of Lord Chaitanya. He had beautiful handwriting, hence he was popularly known as “Akhariya” (copyist). He copied several books for Lord Gauranga. The Lord referred to him as “Ratnavahu”. In his past incarnation Vijayadasa was Kundanidhi (GGD. 103). He was overwhelmed with ecstacy on the day in which Lord Gauranga revealed his spiritual opulence (CC. 1.10.65-66)
sri-vijaya-dasa-nama prabhura akhariya
prabhure aneka punthi diyache likhiya
(C.C. 1.10.65)
Sri Vijaya dasa, the twenty-seventh branch, another of the Lord’s chief singers, gave the Lord many books written by hand.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport: Formerly there were no printing presses or printed books. All books were handwritten. Precious books were kept in manuscript form in temples or other important places, and anyone who was interested in a book had to copy it by hand. Vijaya dasa was a professional writer who copied many manuscripts and gave them to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
‘ratnabahu’ bali’ prabhu thuila tanra nama
akiñcana prabhura priya krsnadasa-nama
(C.C. 1.10.66)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave Vijaya dasa the name Ratnabahu [“jewel-handed”] because he copied many manuscripts for Him. The twenty-eighth branch was Krsnadasa, who was very dear to the Lord. He was known as Akiñcana Krsnadasa.