Teen Goswami Samadhi

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

 

 

1st ps forgive me for the offense & mistake I made in my previous email where

in I had quoted from CC Adi 10:119 BUT the Madhavacarya mentioned is not the

same Madhvacarya!

 

 

 

On 24th Oct. is the disappearance of Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Krishna Dasa

Kaviraja, and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami (Teen Goswami Samadhi). Kindly glorify

them by reading their short biography and get their causeless mercy.

 

 

 

Kindly use 'Balarama' or 'Sca Goudy' to read the text below.

 

 

 

Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

Nanda Gopal dasa

 

 

Teen Goswami Samadhi

 

 

It is believed that this is the actual cremation place of three Goswamis;

namely Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja and Raghunatha Dasa

Goswami. During their stay at Radha-kunda all three entered samadhi on the same

date, Asvina-sukla dvadasi in the month of Damodara, but in different years:

1579, 1582 and 1583 respectively. In those days it was feared that the Moslem

fanatics might find out the tombs of Vaisnava Saints and desecrate them.

Therefore to protect the security of such great devotees of the Lord, their

bodies were cremated here under the guidance of Srila Jiva Goswami. A portion

of their ashes were kept here at the Teen Goswami Samadhi, while another

portion of ashes were entombed elsewhere. The ashes of Raghunatha Bhatta

Goswami were placed in samadhi inside the garden of the 64 Samadhis near

Radha-Govinda Mandira in Vrndavana. The ashes of Krishna Dasa Kaviraja were

placed in samadhi at the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrndavana. The ashes of

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami were placed in samadhi on the banks of Radha-kunda next

to the Gopinatha Mandira. Inside this shrine can be seen three small marble

platforms marking the samadhis of Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Krishna Dasa

Kaviraja and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.

 

 

 

Teen Samadhis ki Jay Jay!!

 

 

 

Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami

 

 

By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami remained a

life long Brahmacari. His service was constant chanting of Hare Krishna and

reading Srimad Bhagavatam. In Jagannatha Puri, Raghunatha satisfied Lord

Gauranga by his exceptional cooking and kirtana performance, which won him the

title, kirtana Acarya. When he came to Vrndavana, the Vaisnavas (including Sri

Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis) would regularly listen to his singing of Bhagavata

slokas in four tunes as sweet as a cuckoo. His recitation was unparalleled;

even Vyasadeva enjoyed it.

 

He fulfilled Lord Caitanya's order to preach the glories and peerless

significance of the grantha-raja Srimad Bhagavatam. His tears of pure love for

Radha-Govinda would wet the pangs. Raghunatha Bhatta was absorbed in

Krishna-katha that he never heard or spoke worldly topics, what to speak of

criticizing devotees. He believed that all Vaisnavas are sincerely serving the

Lord according to their realization, and therefore one should overlook their

faults.

 

 

 

Under his inspiration, a wealthy disciple built a gorgeous temple in Vrndavana

for Sri Sri Radha-Govindaji. Even after four hundred and fifty years, this

intricately hand carved red stone temple remains the most beautiful temple in

Vrndavana and all of Northern India. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami faithfully

served Govindaji for forty years. He was scholar in all subjects, although he

didn't write any books like the other Goswamis, Raghunatha Bhatta learned

everything simply by hearing sastras. Fearing that Muslims might desecrate

Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami's sacred form, Srila Jiva Goswami had his body

cremated. The ashes were placed in two samadhis, one in Radha-kunda, another in

the 64 Samadhi area - Vrndavana. In Radha-Govindaji's nitya-lila he serves as

Rasa or Raga Manjari, one of Radha's asta-manjaris.

 

 

Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvämé

 

 

Appearing near Katva, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja left for Vrndavana after Lord

Nityanda told him in a dream: CC Adi lila 5:195

 

TEXT 195

 

TEXT

 

äre äre kåñëadäsa, nä karaha bhaya

 

våndävane yäha,--täìhä sarva labhya haya

 

TRANSLATION

 

"O my dear Kåñëadäsa, do not be afraid. Go to Våndävana, for there you will

attain all things."

 

 

 

Krishna Dasa took diksa from Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami. He lived a renounced

life Syama-kunda near Manasa Pavana Ghat, Radharani's midday bathing place.

Srila Jiva Goswami as per his custom of giving titles of honor to qualified

devotees gave Krishna Dasa the title Kaviraja (the king of poets) for his

poetic masterpiece Govinda-lilamrta. Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura wrote in

Prarthana: "Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, who composed the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,

is the connoisseur among devotees. His Govinda-lilamrta moves stones to tears,

but alas, my mind is not attracted to it".

 

 

 

During Krishna Dasa's time, all the Vaisnavas would gather at Govindji's temple

to hear Sri Haridasa Pandit read Sri Caitanya Bhagavat. The devotees were

eager to hear about Lord Gauranga's later pastimes, so they asked Krishna Dasa

Kaviraja to write them. Krishna Dasa prayed to Madana Mohana for ability and

blessings. The Deity's flower fell down, indicating divine sanction.

 

 

 

Krishna Dasa Kaviraja's Caitanya-caritamrta is the most accurate, authentic,

and philosophical biography of Lord Caitanya. Every line is full of infinite

humility, enthusiasm, and devotion for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri

Nityananda Prabhu. Krishna Dasa had the wonderful power of speaking without

offending, even when rebuking his opponents. He had vast knowledge in all Vedic

scriptures. His books show his skill in the Srutis, Smrtis, Nyaya, Jyotir

sastra, and the culinary arts. Although he was an erudite scholar, a strict

ascetic, a paramahamsa rasika Vaisnava, Krishna Dasa writes about himself, "I

am deaf, dumb, wholly illiterate, worldly-minded, and lower than a worm in

stool." His personal humility automatically attracts the heart of any reader

of Caitanya-caritamrta.

 

 

 

Krishna Dasa Kaviraja was a living example of "humbler than a blade of grass,

more tolerant than a tree". A devotee will advance spiritually and understand

Sri Caitanya's teachings on Radha-Krishna prema bhakti by reading

Caitanya-caritamrta. By associating with Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, an

eternally liberated associate of Lord Caitanya, one will develop the Vaisnava

qualities of humility, selflessness, patience, kindness, gravity, freedom from

material desires, mild temperament, control over the six passions,

friendliness, honouring all beings, being silent, expert, poetic and absolute

surrender to Sri Krishna. In Vraja lila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja is

Kasturi-manjari, one of the eight most intimate maidservants of Srimati

Radharani. His samadhi is at Radha-kunda, and at the Radha-Damodara temple

according to some.

 

 

 

 

 

Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami

Adi 10:91

 

TEXT

 

mahäprabhura priya bhåtya--raghunätha-däsa

 

sarva tyaji' kaila prabhura pada-tale väsa

 

TRANSLATION

 

Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, the forty-sixth branch of the tree, was one of

the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He left all his material

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

 

 

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura writes in his Anubhäñya, "Çréla

Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé was most probably born in the year 1416 Çakäbda (A.D.

1494) in a käyastha family as the son of Govardhana Majumadära, who was the

younger brother of the then zamindar, Hiraëya Majumadära. The village where he

took birth is known as Çré-kåñëapura. On the railway line between Calcutta and

Burdwan is a station named Triçäbaghä [now known as Ädi-saptagräma], and about

one and a half miles away is the village of Çré-kåñëapura, where the parental

home of Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé was situated. A temple of Çré Çré

Rädhä-Govinda is still there. In front of the temple is a large open area but

no large hall for devotees to assemble. A rich Calcutta gentleman named

Haricaraëa Ghoña, who resided in the Simlä quarter, recently repaired the

temple. The entire temple compound is surrounded by walls, and in a small room

just to the side of the temple is a small platform on which Raghunätha däsa

Gosvämé used to worship the Deity. By the side of the temple is the dying river

Sarasvaté."

 

The forefathers of Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé were all Vaiñëavas and were

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

Raghunätha däsa 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 Jagannätha Puré to meet Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

This incident took place in the year 1439 Çakäbda (A.D. 1517). Raghunätha däsa

Gosvämé compiled three books, named Stava-mälä (or Stavävalé), Däna-carita and

Muktä-carita. He lived a long time, residing for most of his life at

Rädhä-kuëòa. The place where Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé performed his devotional

service still exists by Rädhä-kuëòa. 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 Çréniväsa Äcärya went to see Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, the Gosvämé blessed

him by embracing him. Çréniväsa Äcärya requested his blessings for preaching in

Bengal, and Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé granted them. In the

Gaura-gaëoddeça-dépikä (186) it is stated that Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé

was formerly the gopé named Rasa-maïjaré. Sometimes it is said that he was

Rati-maïjaré.