Raghunatha dasa Goswami Feeding Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

[suchandra]

Raghunatha dasa Goswami used money sent by his father to feed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Vaisnavas, but then suddenly stopped inviting the devotees fearing that it would be contaminating and not pleasing to the Lord.

 

“My consciousness is impure because I accept all these goods from people who are interested only in pounds, shillings, and pence. Therefore by this kind of invitation I get only some material reputation.” Antya-lila 6.275

 

According such consideration one can hardly think of spreading the Sankirtan Movement since accepting donations from materialistic people not only purifies the donator but helps the cause of spreading the yuga-dharma. Additionally it says, to reject things which can be used in the service of the Lord is phalgu-vairagya, false renunciation.

 

anasaktasya visayan

yatharham upayunjatah

nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe

yuktam vairagyam ucyate

 

prapancikataya buddhya

hari-sambandhi-vastunah

mumuksubhih parityago

vairagyam phalgu kathyate

 

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.255-256)

 

"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation."

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu hears that Raghunatha das Goswami has stopped inviting the devotees for prasadam as it was sponsored by materialistic people He is very pleased and explains why:

 

“When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one’s mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Krishna properly.” Antya-lila 6.278

 

“When one accepts an invitation from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person who offers food and the person who accepts it are both mentally contaminated.” Antya-lila 6.279

 

Looks like devotees who took the vow to never leave the Holy Dham have to be really strict about not accepting any donations from materialistc people.