SRI RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSWAMI-- Appearance

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SRI RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSWAMI

 

mahaprabhura priya bhryta-raghunatha-dasa

sarva tyaji' kaila prabhura pada-tale vasa

 

"Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, the forty-sixth of the tree, was one of the

most

dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He left all his material

possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at His lotus

feet."

[C.c. Adi 10.91]

 

The forefathers of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami were all Vaisnavas and were

very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Acarya. Although

Raghunatha dasa was a family man, he had no attachment for his estate and

wife. Seeing his tendency to leave home, his father and uncle engaged

special

bodyguards to watch over him, but nevertheless he managed to escape their

vigilance and went away to Jagannatha Puri to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

This incident took place in the year 1439 Sakabda.

 

sodasa vatsara kaila antaranga-sevana

svarupera antardhane aila vrndavana

 

"He rendered confidential service to the Lord for sixteen years at

Jagannatha

Puri, and after the disappearance of both the Lord and Svarupa Damodara, he

left Jagannatha Puri and went to Vrndavana." [C.c. Adi 10.93]

 

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to reside on the bank of Sri Radhakunda. At the

time Radha-kunda was just a small pond of water, and therefore sometimes

Raghunatha would meditate on enlarging the kund. Then he would chastise

himself for desiring something which would require a large amount of money.

 

Around this time one very wealthy Seth underwent great austerity by walking

to

Badarikasrama in the Himalayas. Arriving there he very reverently worshiped

Sri Badrinarayana and offered much wealth at His lotus feet. That night as

he

slept there, he had a dream in which Sri Badrinarayana instructed him to

proceed to Vraja, where he should present all his wealth to Sri Raghunatha

Dasa Gosvami, who was residing at Aritgram. "If he declines to accept it,

then

you can mention My name and remind him about renovating Radha-kunda and

Syama-kunda."

 

That Seth was very happy to have seen such a wonderful dream and after

returning to his home he very joyfully set out for Vraja. There he met

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and related all of these events to him. Dasa Gosvami

was somewhat taken aback to hear this news, but then immediately gave his

consent. Thus Sethji began to work of re-digging the two kunds.

 

On the banks of Radha-kunda, the five Pandavas were residing in the form of

trees. As the work was proceeding it was decided that on the following day

these trees would have to be cut down, but that night the five Pandavas

appeared in a dream of Raghunatha dasa and forbade the cutting of those

trees.

Today they are still residing there. When the work of beautifying the kundas

was complete, the devotees bliss knew no bounds. Nearby the kundas, the

kunjas

of the eight gopies were also constructed. Seeing all this, Raghunatha dasa

forgot himself in ecstasy.

 

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami lived on the banks of Radha-kunda without any fixed

residence, staying under a different tree every night. Sometimes he would

stay

on the banks of the Manasa Ganga. At that time these areas were jungles

filled

with ferocious animals. One day Sanatana Gosvami came to the banks of Manasa

Ganga to meet Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Before accepting his noon meal at Gopal

Bhatta's bhajan kutir, he went to take bath at the Pavan ghat of Manasa

Ganga.

>From there he saw two tigers come to the kund and after drinking some water

saunter off. Just near that spot Raghunatha das Gosvami was sitting under a

tree absorbed in his bhajana. Sanatana Gosvami was startled to see this but

even more so when he saw Sri Krsna standing at some distance observing

everything. He then requested Raghunatha to do his bhajana within a hut.

 

On another occasion, Raghunatha dasa, who still hadn't bothered to have a

kutir constructed, was sitting in the noon day sun absorbed in his bhajana.

Srimati Radharani happened to pass that way at this time and, seeing that

the

sun was beating down on Raghunatha's head, she stood behind him and held the

end of her sari to shield him from the suns rays. Then one of the Gosvamis

came along and saw this heart-rending scene, while profuse perspiration

continued to flow from Srimati Radharani's transcendental body. This time

when

he was again requested to do his bhajan in a kutir, he immediately agreed to

comply.

 

In Vraja, Krsna is served by Radharani and Candravali, who each have

unlimited

maid servants. According to the mellows of paramour love, Sri Raghunatha

dasa

Gosvami counted himself as a maidservant of the friends of Srimati

Radharani.

As Candravali is the chief competitor of Radharani, Sri dasa Gosvami would

never go to her kunja or talk with any of the sakhis. Thus he served the

servants of Radharani within his mind in this way.

 

One Brajabasi known as Sri dasa Brijabasi used to bring Sri das Gosvami a

leafcup of buttermilk every day. Drinking this much only Raghunath dasa

would

engage in bhajana throughout the day. One day Sri Das Brijabasi went to

Candravali's kunda, known as Sakhi-sthali, to herd his cows. There he saw a

palash tree with very large leaves, so he collected some leaves to make

leafcups. The next day, in one of the new leafcups he brought some

buttermilk

to das Gosvami. Raghunatha dasa accepted the leafcup of buttermilk and

inquired, "Sri dasji, where did you get these nice palash leaves?" Sri dasji

replied, "While I was pasturing the cows I came to Sakhi-sthali and found

them

there."

 

Simply hearing the word 'Sakhi-sthali' Raghunatha dasa flew into a rage and

threw the leafcup of buttermilk away saying, "The followers of Srimati

Radharani never accept anything from that place." Seeing the loyal devotion

of

Raghunatha dasa for Srimati Radharani Sridasji was amazed.

 

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to always serve Sri Sri Radha-Govinda in his

mind. One day in his meditation he cooked sweet rice and offered it to Sri

Sri

Radha and Krsna. In great pleasure they accepted the offering and the other

sakhis also relished this prasadam. Then Raghunatha himself honored the

remnants of their prasadam and in great ecstasy, due to the pleasure of

having

been able to satisfy Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Their loving attendants, he

ate

a little more than was his custom.

 

In the afternoon Raghunatha dasa used to speak about Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

However, this day when the devotees came in the afternoon to hear him speak,

they found that the door to his kutir was closed. They waited for some time

but when it appeared that there was no movement inside they became a little

anxious and called out, "Gosvamiji, are you all right?" Sri dasa Gosvami

answered, "My body is not well."

 

The devotees became concerned and immediately sent word to Sanatana Gosvami

in

Mathura. At that time Sri Sanatana Gosvami was staying with Sri

Vallabhacarya's son Sri Vithalnathji, who immediately sent two physicians to

Radha-kunda to examine Sri dasa Gosvami. After checking his pulse, the

doctors

concluded that, "due to eating a combination of rice and milk his body is

feeling very heavy."

 

Hearing this diagnosis everyone was struck with wonder. That Raghunatha dasa

Gosvami, who subsisted on only a little buttermilk each day, should fall ill

from eating too much sweet rice was astonsihing, especially because it was

eaten only in meditation.

 

Raghunatha dasa lived for a long duration of life. For most of his life he

resided at Radhakunda. The place where Raghunatha dasa Gosvami performed his

devotional service still exists by Radhakunda. He almost completely gave up

eating, and therefore he was very skinny and of weak health. His only

concern

was to chant the holy name of the Lord. He gradually reduced his sleeping

until he was almost not sleeping at all. It is said that his eyes were

always

full of tears. When Srinivasa Acarya went to see Raghunatha dasa Gosvami,

the

Gosvami blessed him by embracing him. Srinivasa Acarya requested his

blessings

for preaching in Bengal, and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami granted them.

 

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (186) it is stated that Srila Raghunatha dasa

Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Rasa-manjari. Sometimes it is said that

he

was Rati-manjari, while other opinions say that he was Bhanumati.

 

The Govardhana-sila given by Sriman Mahaprabhu to Raghunatha dasa to worship

is still worshiped at Sri Gokulananda Mandira, in Vrindavana.

 

He compiled following books: Stavavali, Dana-carita, and Mukta-carita, among

others.

 

Birth: 1428 (Sakabda) (Cc. Adi 10.91 purport says probably 1416)

 

Disappearance: 1504 on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of the month of

Asvin.