S. RAMACANDRA KAVIRAJA--S. JAYADEVA GOSWAMI--S. GOPAL BHATTA GOSWAMI

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees:

 

Dandavat Pranams.

 

We are sending in this text the stories of 3 great acaryas, Sri RAMACANDRA

KAVIRAJA (disappearance on Jan 31st 2005), Sri GOPAL BHATTA GOSWAMI

(appearance on Jan 31st 2005). Sri JAYADEVA GOSWAMI (disappearance on Feb

1st 2005). On Feb 2nd 2005 is the disappearance of Sri Locan das Thakura but

i will not be sending since i did it few days back during his appearance

day.

 

ys

 

tmkd

 

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SRI RAMACANDRA KAVIRAJA

 

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya has sung: "O Acarya Prabhu

(Srinivasa), please bestow your mercy upon me. I pray that I might also have

the association of Ramacandra."

 

Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja was the disciple of Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu and the

very intimate friend of Narottama dasa Thakura. His father was Ciranjiva

Sena and mother Sri Sunanda. Ciranjiva was originally an inhabitant of

Kumaranagar but after marrying the daughter of Sri Damodara Kavi he moved to

Sri Khanda.

 

"Ciranjiva Sena was a pure devotee very much loved by Narahari Sarkar and

the other residents of Sri Khanda. He was extremely learned in all matters

and his wife was very chaste and gentle. Her activities were completely

transcendental." [C.C Mad. 11/92]

 

Sri Mukunda, Narahari, Raghunandana and Ciranjiva, who were all residents of

Sri Khanda, were of one mind and one purpose. Every year they would come to

Nilacala to have darshan of Mahaprabhu and to chant and dance in front of

Lord Jagannatha during Ratha Yatra. Ciranjiva was from a family of

physicians. His two jewel-like sons were Ramacandra and Govinda. Later they

both became disciples of Acarya Prabhu and came to reside at Teliya

Bhudari-gram in Murshidabad.

 

Ramacandra was very handsome, intelligent and perseverent. His maternal

grandfather, Sri Damodara Kaviraja, was a well-known poet who was a

worshiper of Krsna's energy (shakti) and was initiated in this cult. After

their father passed away, the two brothers Ramacandra and Govinda came to

live with their grandfather, who practiced the Shakta religion. Being

influenced by him, both became inclined to worship the various personified

forms of maya, Krsna's external deluding potency.

 

At this time Ramacandra practiced medicine and was also quite well known as

an accomplished poet.

 

After his marriage, Ramcandra was carried in a palanquin with his new bride

to his home at Kumaranagara. As the procession passed Srinivasa Acarya

Prabhu's house at Jajigram, he saw the Acarya seated on the verandah of his

house, discussing Krsna-katha with some of his disciples. Simply upon seeing

the Acarya he felt a strange new emotion dawn in his heart. It was as though

he was seeing a very dear friend after long time of separation. Similarly,

Acarya Prabhu, upon seeing Ramacandra seated in the palanquin, immediately

inquired from those who were present with him, "Who is that? What is his

name? Which varna (caste) he belong to? And where does he reside?" [b.R.

8/530] His associates replied, "He is great scholar of the name Ramacandra.

He is very excellent poet as well as a physician and resides at

Kumaranagara."

Hearing this, Acarya Prabhu simply smiled.

 

Ramacandra Sena, still seated within the palanquin, after seeing Srinivasa

Acarya and hearing his sweet voice, became extremely anxious to meet him.

After a short time the procession reached the house where much pomp and

celebration took place. Everyone was overjoyed to see the new bride, Ratna

Mala, and a great din and bustle ensued in welcoming her and her bridegroom

into their new home. Ramacandra's mind however was still back at Jagigram

where he had seen that divine personage. With great difficulty he somehow or

other passed the day there, but with the fall of night he returned to

Gajigram, where he passed the night in the house of one brahman.

 

With the approach of morning he came to Srinivasa Acarya's house and fell

down at the Acarya's and fell down at he Acarya's feet to offer his

prostrated obeisances. Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu had similarly been

continuously thinking of Ramacandra ever since he'd seen him the day before.

Upon seeing Ramacandra again, prostrated before him, he picked him up and

embraced him in deep ecstasy. Then he told him, "Birth after birth, you are

my most dear friend. In the same way that the Lord caused my meeting with

Sri Narottama dasa Thakura at Vrindavana, He has also re-united me with

another dear friend."

 

Ramacandra stayed with Acarya Prabhu and studied the literature’s of the six

Gosvamis under his tutorship. Acarya Prabhu was extremely pleased to see his

gentle and polite behavior and his deeply spiritual nature. On the next

auspicious day he initiated Ramacandra with Radha-Krsna mantra.

 

After some time, Ramacandra returned to his house. When the Shaktas saw he

had been initiated into Vaishnava religion they became very upset.

Ramacandra, however, was undaunted. With tilaka on his body in twelve places

and a japa mala in his hand, he sat down in front of them and began to chant

the holy names. One day, as Ramacandra was proceeding to his house after

having taken his bath, his Shakta neighbours called him.

 

"Kaviraja, without worshipping Lord Shiva, how is it that you are going

home? Your grandfather was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Have you given up

Lord Shiva's worship?"

 

Ramacandra replied, "Lord Shiva and Brahma are incarnations of two of the

material modes created by Sri Krsna. Sri Krsna Himself is the source of all

incarnations. Therefore, by worshipping Lord Krsna everyone's worship is

performed, just as by watering the roots of a tree all the leaves and

branches become nourished. Prahlad, Dhruva, Vibhisana and others were dear

devotees of Sri Krsna. Therefore Lord Shiva and Brahma were naturally

favorably disposed to them, whereas Ravana, Kumbakarna, Banasura and other

demons were only devotees of Lord Shiva and not devotees of Lord Krsna. Thus

their ultimate end was to simply be destroyed.

 

"The shastras say that Lord Brahma was able to create this world due to

having successfully worshipped Sri Visnu. Similarly, Lord Shiva has become

qualified to invoke auspiciousness in this world due to having received the

foot wash water of Lord Visnu (Ganges) on his head." Having heard these

various statements from the shastras, those scholars remained speechless.

 

Ramacandra became very anxious to have darsana of Sri Vrindavana and the

Gosvamis there. He petitioned Sri Raghunandana and various other Vaishnavas

for their permission which they readily gave. Thus on the next day he set

out for Sri Vrindavana Dhama. After passing through Gaya, Kasi and Prayaga,

he finally arrived at Mathura. There he took bath and some rest at

Visramaghat. After taking darsana of the Adi Kesava Temple, he started for

Vrindavana.

 

At this time his guru, Srinivasa Acarya, was present at Vrindavana.

Ramacandra offered his prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of his guru

and Sri Jiva Gosvami and conveyed the good news of the devotees from

Gaudadesa.

 

As ordered by Sri Jiva Gosvami, Ramacandra took darshana of Sri Govinda, Sri

Gopinatha, Sri Madanamohana and Sri Sanatana Gosvami's samadhi. Then he

offered his respects to Sri Gopala Bhatta, Sri Lokanatha and Sri Bhugarbha

Gosvami, who were very pleased with him and who offered him their

benediction. Hearing some samples of his great poetic ability, everyone

decided to present him with the title 'Kaviraja.' [b.R.9/214]

 

After remaining in the Gosvami's association for some days, they finally

instructed him to return to Gaudadesa. And so he returned, visiting Sri

Khanda, Jajigram, Khandaha and Kalna on the way. Finally he came to Sri

Mayapura, where he received the blessings of Sri Isana Thakur.

 

One time, some smarta brahmanas made a conspiracy to defame the name of

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya. They were very upset that though he

was only a kayastha by caste, he accepted those born in brahmana families as

his disciples. They enlisted Raja Narasimha and the conquering pandita Sri

Rupanarayana in a crusade to somehow expose Narottama dasa as a fraud. In a

large party they made their way to Kheturi, where Srila Narottama had his

headquarters.

 

Coming to know of this conspiracy, Sri Ramacandra and Sri Ganga Narayana

Cakravarti came forward to meet their challenge. They journeyed to

Kumarapura where they each set up two small shops in the market; one a pan

and betel nut shop and the other a store selling clay pots.

 

When the party of smarta brahmanas arrived at Kumarapura and sent their

disciples out to purchase wares for cooking their meals, the students came

to those shops. The 'shopkeepers' (actually Ramacandra and Ganga Narayana in

disguise) spoke to them in Sanskrit and began to raise a philosophical

dispute with them. Seeing the profound learning of those two shopkeepers,

the students were dumbfounded, but nevertheless took up the challenge. After

a short time, however, it became obvious that they were no match for these

'shopkeepers.' They called for their gurus, who arrived on the scene with

Raja Narasimha and Rupanarayana. Rupanarayana himself was drawn into the

debate and was defeated by the Bhagavata-based arguments of Ramacandra and

Ganga Narayana.

 

When the king requested their introduction, those two shop keepers informed

him that they were two extremely insignificant disciples of Srila Narottama

dasa Thakura Mahasaya. Having met defeat in this village marketplace,

Rupanarayana and the smarta brahmanas were no longer interested in

proceeding onward to Kheturi. Their crusade evaporated as they all decided

to return immediately to their respective homes.

 

That night, after Raja Narasimha had returned to his house, he had a dream

in which Durgadevi told him, "Narasimha! You have committed a great offense

at the feet of Narottama dasa Thakura. As a result of this Vaishnav

aparadha, I will have to cut you all to pieces with this chopper. If you

want to save yourself, then you had better immediately go and take shelter

at Narottama dasa Thakura's lotus feet."

 

When his sleep broke the king quickly took his bath and set out for Kheturi.

Rupanarayana had a similar dream and was also proceeding towards Kheturi at

the same time. They met upon their arrival there and approached the temple

of Sri Gauranga in order to meet Narottama Thakura. Thakur Mahasaya was

absorbed in his bhajana, but when a disciple informed him of the arrival of

the two guests, he came out to meet them. Simply by seeing his

transcendental form, imbued with Krsna-prema, the two offenders became

purified and fell down to offer their obeisances at Thakura Mahasaya's feet.

Thakura Mahasaya very humbly presented himself as being a fallen soul.

Finally he initiated them with Radha-Krsna mantra.

 

Many sinful atheists were delivered by Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja. He was

present at the Kheturi festival. He came to Vrindavana a second time on the

order of Srinivasa and Narottama, but this time he couldn't have darsana of

the Gosvamis as they had all departed this world for Goloka Vrindavana.

Feeling separation from them, he was very distressed at heart. Unable to

tolerate that pain, he joined them in their eternal pastimes there in

Vrindavana. In Vraja-lila his name is Karuna-manjari. His disappearance is

on the third day of the dark fortnight in the month of Pausa. His principal

disciple was Harirama Acarya.

 

The Deities worshipped by Ramcandra and Govinda Kaviraja have been brought

from Jeliya-Bhudargram to Bhagavan Gola where they are at present being

worshipped by the followers of Rama dasa Babaji. There is a station at

Bhagavan Gola on the Sealdah-Lal Gola rail line.

 

 

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SRI JAYADEVA GOSWAMI

 

Sri Jayadeva Gosvami was the chief pandita in the court of the king Sri

Laksman Sena. His father's name was Bhojadeva and his mothers name was Bama

devi. He made his appearance at Kendu- bilvagram within the district of

Birhum, during the 11th century.

 

Sri Jayadeva's wife's name was Sri Padmavati. During the time that he was

engaged as the chief pandita of Raja Laksman Sena, he resided at Navadwipa

on the banks of Ganga. Also present with were three other panditas whose

names he has mentioned in Sri Gita-Govinda: Sri Umapatidhar, Acarya Sri

Govardhan and Kavi Ksamapati, who were his close friends.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to especially relish hearing the Gita Govinda

as well as the works of Candidas, Vidyapati, Ramananda Ray and the

Krsna-karnamrta by Bilvamangala Thakur. Sri Gita Govinda is full of intimate

pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Govinda and is therefore meant for those who have

accumulated sufficient spiritual piety.

 

"For those who relish the remembrance of the pastimes of Sri Hari and who

are always anxious to hear those transcendental divine narrations, these

verses, sweet as honey, have been composed by Jayadeva with the blessings of

Mother Sarasvati."

 

In the Gita Govinda, while writing about the pastimes of Radharani as She

repented after Krsna had gone away, he became lost in thought. Not being

able to decide whether or not he should write a particular verse, he decided

to first take his bath, and return to his writing later. While he taking his

bath, Krsna Himself personally appeared in the form of Jayadeva, took his

meal and then wrote down that very verse with His own hand. Then, while

Padmavati was accepting her meal Jayadeva returned from taking his bath in

the Ganga. Padmavati was completely startled to see her husband, and

Jayadeva as well was very suprised to see that his wife was accepting her

meal before him (which is never done by Hindu wives). Finally she explained

that he had already returned from taking his bath once, taken his meal, and

then gone to his room. Jayadeva went to where he had been writing and saw

the verse that he had been considering whether to write or not, now composed

in golden letters.

 

With tears in his eyes and voice choked up he called out to his wife,

"Padmavati! You are so fortunate! You had darshana of the Supreme Lord!"

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura has commented that even though Sri Gauranga Deva hadn't

revealed his internal pastimes at that time, within the heart of Sri

Jayadeva, Sri Bilvamangala, Sri Candi das and Sri Vidyapati, the

transcendental mood of Mahaprabhu was awakened even before He Himself

actually made His appearance.

 

Jayadeva Gosvami also composed a book named Candraloka. His disappearance is

on Pausa sankranti. He also composed the celebrated Dasavatara Stotram.

 

His worshipable Deities, Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, are being worshipped in the

former temple of Radha-Govinda just outside the present city of Jaipur.

 

 

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January 31st, 2005,

Disappearance day of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami

 

 

SRI GOPAL BHATTA GOSWAMI

 

The all-merciful Lord Sri Gaura Hari, as He travelled from village

to village throughout the south of India, continued to distribute love of

Godhead wherever He went. Hearing the nectarean names of Hari from His lotus

mouth, thousands and thousands men and women felt relief from the blazing

fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen souls

lives were completely rejuvenated and thus they became virtuous and happy.

While causing rains of love of God to fall anywhere and everywhere, without

consideration of time or place, Sri Gaurasundara came to the holy place of

Sri Rangaksetra.

 

The temple of Sri Rangaksetra was extremely large, the crest of the

temple tower pierced the sky. Throughout the day and night hundreds and

thousands of pilgrims were going and coming to take darsan of Lord

Ranganath. The temple hall resounded with the sounds of hundreds and

thousand of brahmanas chanting Vedic hymns. In the midst of this scene from

Vaikuntha, entered Sri Gaurasundara chanting the names of Krsna in his sweet

voice that defeated the voices of 10 million Gandharvas. Everyone in the

temple became dumbstruck, amazed and thrilled with wonder.

 

What unprecedented beauty; His bodily effulgence makes molten gold

appear lack-lustre. From His eyes which are like the full blown petals of a

lotusflower trickled down tears of ecstatic love. Every limb, every part of

His body was filled with such exquisite grace that even the mind of Cupid

gets stolen away. The brahmanas began to consider, "Is this a demigod? Can

such symptoms and emotions be found in human beings?" Again resounding the

halls with the transcendental vibrations of Sri Hari's name, when He came

before the Deity and fell down as a tree is blown down by the wind, some

people thought that a mountain of gold was rolling on the ground.

 

Sri Vyenkata Bhatta seeing this divine personage became restless

with ecstasy. His heart being flooded with devotion he got up and began to

move the crowds away so that the Lord could engage in chanting and dancing.

When the Lord had regained His external consiousness after engaging in

sankirtan, Vyenkata Bhatta approached Him and took the dust of His lotus

feet. Mahaprabhu gazed towards him and saying, "Krsna! Krsna!" embraced him

firmly. Sri Vyenkata Bhatta invited Mahaprabhu to come to his house and

having brought Him there, very reverently washed His lotus feet and along

with the other family members, he drank the water. Sri Bhattaji's house

became filled with joy.

 

Mahaprabhu came to Ranga Ksetra in the Christian year 1511. Vyenkata

Bhatta had two brothers, Trimalla Bhatta and Prabodhananda Sarasvati. They

all belonged to the Ramanuja sampradaya and Prabodhananda Sarasvati was a

tridandi sannyasi of that order. Vyenkata Bhatta had a son named Gopal, who

was then just a child. When the boy came to offer his obeisances at the

lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, He picked him up and very affectionately seated

him in His lap. Mahaprabhu would call Gopal after He had finished His meal

and offer His remnants to the boy. In this way He prepared him for the

positon of Acarya. After remaining at Vyenkata Bhatta's house during the

four months of the rainy season (Caturmasya) Mahaprabhu prepared to continue

His journey of the South. Vyenkata Bhatta's house began to ebb in a tide of

tears in anticipation of His departure. Gopal fell at His lotus feet in a

dead faint. Therefore Mahaprabhu remained for a couple of more days in order

to console the boy. He instructed him to serve his mother and father and

always engage in chanting Krsna's glories and thereafter to come to

Vrindavan.

 

Very quickly Gopal became expert in grammar, poetry and rhetoric and

then began his study of Vedanta. His uncle Prabodhananda, specifically began

to instruct him from the devotional scriptures (Bhakti-sastra).

 

Gopal Bhatta always remained thinking of the lotusfeet of Mahaprabhu

and when he might again be able to meet Him. At the same time however he

couldn't leave his aged mother and father. Finally having reached their

final days they called their son Gopal and instructed him to go to the

lotusfeet of Mahaprabhu in Vrindaban. Then while meditating on His lotusfeet

themselves they went to join Him in His eternal lila.

 

Thus Gopal set out for Vrindavan and when he arrived there Rupa

Gosvami immediately went word to Mahaprabhu to inform Him of Gopal's arrival

there.

 

Mahaprabhu had previously indicated to Rupa and Sanatan that Gopal

Bhatta would one day come there to Vrindavan, so upon his arrival they

treated him with the same care and affection they would their own brother.

They immediately became life long companions.

 

When Mahaprabhu received word that Gopal Bhatta had come to

Vrindavan, He was very pleased and sent with that messenger a wooden sitting

plank which He had used along with a pair of His undergarments and one of

His cloths. Having received these gifts Gopal Bhatta was in ecstasy and he

worshipped them as the prasad of Mahaprabhu. When he would worship his

Deities he would sit on that wooden plank. This piri (wooden seat) and

Mahaprabhus clothes are still being worshipped at Radha-Ramana Mandir.

Gopala Bhatta, like Rupa and Sanatana, had no fixed residence and would

spend the night in various kunjas (forest groves). He spent his time

studying the scriptures and composing various literatures.

 

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami used to worship eleven Saligram-silas.

Wherever he would go he would bring them with him in a piece of cloth tied

at the corner. One time a rich Seth came to meet Gopala Bhatta to have his

darsana. Being very impressed with the Gosvami he wanted to render some

service which he presented in the form of some valuable cloths and

ornaments.

 

Gopala Bhatta kept the cloths and ornaments with his silas and

thought that, "If I had a Deity then I would be able to decorate Him so

nicely with these clothes and ornaments." In the evening after offering some

bhoga and arotika to his salagram silas, Gopala Bhatta put them to rest,

covering them with a wicker basket. Late in the night, Gopala Bhatta took a

little rest and then, in the early morning went to take bath in the Yamuna.

Returning from his bath, he uncovered the salagramas in order to wake Them,

and saw amongst Them a Deity of Krsna playing the flute. There were now

eleven silas and this Deity. Floating in the ocean of ecstasy, he fell to

the ground in order to offer his dandavats and then recited various prayers

and hymns. When Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis as well as many other devotees

received news of this miraculous event they came running to see the Lord.

Gazing on the Lord's transcendental form, which bewildered all the living

entities of the many various planets, they all bathed Him with their tears.

This Deity whom the Gosvamis named, "Sri Radha-Raman Deva" made His

appearance on the full moon day of Vaisakha in the year 1542. Except for

Vrindadevi, Sri Radha-Ramanaji is the only one of the original Deities of

Vrindavana who never left to go to Jaipur. He is still being worshipped in

Vrindavana near Nidhuban kunj.

 

Sri Radha-ramana Deva, unlike other Deities, has very intricate

features, including fingernails and even teeth. On the back side of His body

parts of the original salagram sila from which He manifested Himself can be

seen. There is a story that the small son of one of the sevaits was playing

with the Deity once and put a small stick in one ear of the Deity and pushed

it through out the other ear. The stick however, had blood on it, and that

boy died vomiting blood that very day.

 

Once Sri Gopala Bhatta went to Hardwar. As he was returning,

suddenly a downpour started and thus he took shelter in the house of one

brahmana. This brahmana was very devoted and he very carefully began to

serve Sri Gopala Bhatta, who thus became very pleased. As this brahmana had

no children Sri Bhattaji blessed him that he might have a son who would be a

devoted follower of Lord Hari. The brahman replied that, "My first son I

will send to you in order to serve you."

 

Approximately ten years later when Gopala Bhatta returned from

bathing in the Yamuna one day, he saw a young boy sitting at the door of his

kutir. When the boy saw the Gosvamiji approaching, he got up and then fell

down to offer his dandavats. Gopala Bhattaji inquired who the boy was, to

which he replied, "My home was in Devandyagram within Saharanpur near

Hardwar. My father has sent me here to serve you. My name is Gopinatha."

 

Then Gopal Bhatta could remember the time when he went to Haridwar

many years ago. So this boy remained with him and very carefully began to

serve him. Eventually he became known as Sri Gopinatha Pujari Gosvami as he

served Sri Radha-ramana Deva through his life as a brahmacari. His younger

brother Sri Damodara dasa, along with his family, accepted iniation from Sri

Gopinathaji and also became engaged in the service of the Deity. Sri

Damodara dasa's three sons were named Harinatha, Mathuranatha and Harirama.

Sri Gopala Bhatta, in his worship of Sri Radha-ramana would sometimes see

that He had taken the form of Sri Gaurasundara. "Becoming subservient to the

love of Sri Gopala Bhatta, Sri Radha-ramana would sometimes accept the form

of Sri Gaurasundara."

 

Sri Gopala Bhatta was the initiating guru of Srinivasa Acarya

Prabhu. He wrote many books including: Sat-sandarbha-karika,

Sri-Krsna-vallabha (Krsna-karnamrta-tika), Sat-kriya-sara-dipika, and Laghu

Hari-bhakti-vilasa with Dig-darsini-tika. From this work, Sri Sanatana

Gosvami compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa now followed by Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

 

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's name in

Vraja-lila has been given as Guna manjari. His birth was on the day of the

dark fortnight of the month Pausa in the year 1503 (Christian), 1425

(Sakabda). His disappearance was on the sixth day of the dark fortnight of

the month of Sravana in the year 1578 (Christian), 1500 (Sakabda). Age: 75

years.