appearance day of Srila Rghunandan Thakura and Pundarika Vidyanithi

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

 

 

One will receive the mercy of the Goswamis and compassionate followers of

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by obtaining their association. That association is

available in their books, in the books describing their activities, in the line

of their followers, and in their samadhi sitting in Vrndavana. Remembering the

Supreme Lord Krishna and His pure devotees is a powerful form of devotional

service called smaranam. Hence, a devotee will make spiritual advancement

simply by remembering and praying for the mercy of the departed Vaisnavas. The

mercy of the Vaisnavas is absolutely essential in order to attain the goal of

human life i.e. eternal service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna.'

 

 

 

One becomes purified of material contamination and attains love of Godhead by

chanting the holy names of Lord Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna Caitanya. Because

the Lord and His pure devotees are non-different, one also becomes free from

sinful reactions and spiritually elevated by chanting the names of Lord

Caitanya's loving associates. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja confirms this in

Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi Lila 12:92,

 

"Yan-saba smarane pai Caitanya-carana, yan-saba-smarane haya vanchita purana,"

 

Simply by remembering the names of Lord Gauranga's eternal associates, one gets

the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all his desires become

fulfilled.

 

 

 

One must take shelter at the lotus feet of a devotee mahatma and treat him as

the most exalted well-wisher of all human society. We should take shelter of

such a mahatma and ask for his causeless mercy. Only by his benediction can one

be relived from attachment to the materialistic way of life. C.C. Madhya Lila

22:51 "mahat-krpa vina kona karme bhakti naya Krsna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara

nahe kasya"- unless one is favoured by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the

platform of devotional service. To say nothing of Krishna bhakti, one cannot

even be relived from the bondage of material existence.

 

 

 

On 13th Feb is the appearance day of Srila Rghunandan Thakura and Pundarika

Vidyanithi. Kindly glorify them by reading their short biography and ask for

their causeless mercy. Kindly use font type 'Balarama'or 'Sca Goudy' to read

the text below

 

 

 

Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

Nanda Gopal dasa

 

 

 

 

Srila Raghunandan Thakura

 

 

Being called away on medical business, Mukund Dasa once asked his

young son Raghunandan, to offer Raja bhoga to the family deity of Gopinatha.

Raghunanadan prepared everything timely carefully, and with great devotion.

When he made the offering he remembered his father's order, "Make sure the

deity eats." Ringing the bell the simple boy told the Gopinatha deity, "Eat,

eat!" Raghunandan began crying when he saw the untouched food remaining on the

deity's plate. He feared his father's anger for his inability to "make the

diety eat." Gopinatha coulddn't resist the child's intense devotion. So the

lord ate everything on the plate, leaving no remnants.

 

Upon returning Mukunda asked for Gopinatha's maha prasadam.

Raghunandan said the Diety ate everything. Astonished, Mukunda told his son to

make the offering again. From a hidden place Mukunda watched in total amazement

as Raghunandan offered a laddhu to Gopinatha. But the lord only took half a

laddhu. Mukunda understood that the deity only took half because He was still

full from eatingthe lunch offering. Choked with divine emotion in appreciation

of his pure devotee son, Mukunda embraced Raghunandana.

 

Later in Jaganatha Puri, Lord Gauranga lovingly asked Mukunda Dasa,

"who is the father and who is the son?"

 

Mukunda replied, "Raghunandana is definitely my father. Because he

has given me Krishna bhakti and showed me pure Krishna conciousness." In

Krishna lila, Raghunandana is Kandarpa Manjari or pradyumna (of Catur-vyuha).

His samadhi is in the 64 samadhis area.

 

CC 15:TEXTS 128-129

 

raghunandana sevä kare kåñëera mandire

 

dväre puñkariëé, tära ghäöera upare

 

kadambera eka våkñe phuöe bära-mäse

 

nitya dui phula haya kåñëa-avataàse

 

TRANSLATION

 

"Raghunandana is constantly engaged in serving Lord Kåñëa in the temple. Beside

the entrance of the temple is a lake, and on its banks is a kadamba tree, which

daily delivers two flowers to be used for Kåñëa's service."

 

 

 

CC Madhya: TEXT 76

 

ei-mata saba vaiñëava gauòe calilä

 

vidyänidhi se vatsara nélädri rahilä

 

TRANSLATION

 

Finally all the Vaiñëavas returned to Bengal, but that year Puëòaréka

Vidyänidhi remained at Jagannätha Puré.

 

Madhya 16.77

 

svarüpa-sahita täìra haya sakhya-préti

 

dui-janäya kåñëa-kathäya ekatra-i sthiti

 

 

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé and Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi had a friendly, intimate

relationship, and as far as discussing topics about Kåñëa, they were situated

on the same platform.

 

Madhya 16.78

 

gadädhara-paëòite teìho punaù mantra dila

 

oòana-ñañöhéra dine yäträ ye dekhila

 

TRANSLATION

 

Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi initiated Gadädhara Paëòita for the second time, and on

the day of Oòana-ñañöhé Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi saw the festival.

 

PURPORT

 

At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Oòana-ñañöhé. This

ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be

given to Lord Jagannätha. That covering is directly purchased from a weaver.

According to the arcana-märga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the

starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi saw

that the priest neglected to wash the cloth before covering Lord Jagannätha.

Since he wanted to find some fault in the devotees, he became indignant.

 

Madhya 16.79

 

TEXT 79

 

jagannätha parena tathä 'mäòuyä' vasana

 

dekhiyä saghåëa haila vidyänidhira mana

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi saw that Lord Jagannätha was given a starched

garment, he became a little hateful. In this way his mind was polluted.

 

Madhya 16.80

 

sei rätrye jagannätha-baläi äsiyä

 

dui-bhäi caòä'na täìre häsiyä häsiyä

 

TRANSLATION

 

That night the brothers Lord Jagannätha and Balaräma came to Puëòaréka

Vidyänidhi and, smiling, began to slap him.

 

Madhya 16.81

 

gäla phulila, äcärya antare ulläsa

 

vistäri' varëiyächena våndävana-däsa

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although his cheeks were swollen from the slapping, Puëòaréka Vidyänidhi was

very happy within. This incident has been elaborately described by Öhäkura

Våndävana däsa.