Guest guest Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Today is Vasant-pancami, the first day of the spring season, and Saraswati puja. It is the appearance day of Srimate Vishnupriya Devi, Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, and Sri Raghunandana Thakura, and the disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami: Raghunatha dasa Goswami was born in Bengal in 1494. Although he came from a very wealthy family, he had absolutely no interest in material affairs. On a number of occasions, much to the consternation of his loving parents, Raghunatha tried to run away from home and join Lord Caitanya at Jagannath Puri. At Jagannath Puri, Lord Caitanya placed Raghunatha under a care of Svarupa Damodara Goswami, Lord's principle secretary. Raghunatha dasa was the embodiment of renunciation and ate only to keep his soul and body together. His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines etched in stone, as such lines can never be erased. Lord Caitanya presented Raghunatha with His own Govardhana-sila to worship as well as gunja-mala, sacred to Radharani. Rupa and Sanatan, who took care about Raghunatha in Vrindavan, took it as a sign that Raghunatha should take shelter of Govardhan Hill and reside on the banks of Radhakunda. One day he was chanting holy name and as the day went by the sunshine became unbearably hot. Raghunatha started perspiring and from his eyes torrents of tears were flowing. Srimati Radharani could not bear this scene. She personally came there and stood behind holding Her veil shielding Raghunatha from the sun. It so happened that Sanatana Goswami saw both those scenes from a distance and became furious with Raghunatha for his taking service from Radharani and Krisna. "You should serve Them and not because of your negligence force Them to serve you!" thus getting Raghunatha to built his bhajan-kutir. Every day Raghunatha dasa Goswami used to talk for three hours about ecstatic pastimes of Lord Caitanya on the banks of Syamakunda surrounded by all the devotees. Krisnadasa Kaviraja was also there listening in rapt attention and everything recorded in Antya-lila of Caitanya-caritamrta. Raghunatha spent the rest of his life at Radhakunda. In 1583, after 40 years of bhajan, he passed away due to intense feelings of separation from Radha and Krishna. In the temple of Radha-Gopinath the ashes of Raghunatha dasa Goswami are entombed. Jiva Goswami personally performed last rites and placed ashes in the samadhi. It is said that some parts of his ashes were placed in different places because of fear of repressive Mogul rule, to prevent desecration. Behind the samadhi is a small movable stone. Under this stone is caranamrita of the samadhi-murti of Raghunatha dasa Goswami. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are d to the Google Groups "ISKCON - Hare Krishna - Nectar of devotion group" group. To post to this group, send email to nectarofdevotion (AT) googl (DOT) com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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