Panihati Chida-Dahi Festival

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Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is one of the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavana. The Six Gosvamis of Vrindavana represent a class of highly perfected personalities, who threw away all prospects of the most attractive pleasures like pebbles in the street. By hearing about their lives and teachings, a seeker gets insight into the possibilities awaiting him if he simply continues sincerely on this path. They have painstakingly constructed aesthetically pleasing temples for the pleasure of the Lord and the spiritual upliftment of mankind. Raghunatha dasa was the son of an extremely wealthy zamindar, Govardhana Majumadara. His family’s fabulous opulence and wealth equalled that Indra, the king of heaven. From childhood, he was uninterested in material enjoyment. When he was very small, he was blessed with the association of Srila Haridasa Thakura. He was so much influenced by Haridasa Thakura that he had no attachment for any of the materialistic things. This posed a big problem for his parents because they wanted him to take over everything. He met Lord Caitanya for the first time when Lord came to Santipura after accepting His sannyasa. By the mercy of Advaita Acarya he got chance to partake remnants of Lord and render service to Him. After returning home, Raghunatha dasa became mad with ecstatic love. Raghunatha dasa used to run away from home again and again to go to Jagannatha Puri, but his father kept binding him and bringing him back. He employed 11 people to incessantly keep Raghunatha dasa under control. When Lord Caitanya again came to Santipura to the way to Vrindavana, Raghunatha dasa again met Lord Caitanya. He had offered to dedicate his life at the Lord’s lotus feet. However Lord instructed him not to become a show-bottle renunciate. Lord said, “Within your heart you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Krishna will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of maya. You may see Me at Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri, when I return after visiting Vrindavana. By that time you can think of some trick to escape. What kind of means you will have to use at that time will be revealed by Krishna. If one has Krishna’s mercy, no one can check him.”

For one year he gave up all craziness and external pseudo renunciation and engaged in his household duties without attachment. Meantime, a Muslim official became envious of Hiranya dasa, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s uncle, and induced some big official court minister to have him arrested. By the intelligence of Raghunatha dasa the misunderstanding was mitigated. Then Raghunatha dasa went to Panihati, and following the order of Nityananda Prabhu, he observed a festival (cida-dadhi-mahotsava) by distributing chipped rice mixed with yogurt. The day after the festival, Nityananda Prabhu gave Raghunatha dasa the blessing that he would very soon attain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After this incident, Raghunatha dasa, with the help of his priest, whose name was Yadunandana Acarya, got out of his house by trickery and thus ran away. Not touching the general path, he secretly went to Jagannatha Puri. After 12 days, hardly eating or drinking anything for all these days, he arrived in Jagannatha Puri at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Raghunatha dasa met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord said, “The mercy of Lord Krishna is stronger than anything else. Therefore the Lord has delivered you from the ditch of materialistic life, which is like a hole into which people pass stool. My dear Raghunatha dasa, your father and his elder brother are just like worms in stool in the ditch of material enjoyment, for the great disease of the poison of material enjoyment is what they consider happiness. Although your father and uncle are charitable to brahmanas and greatly help them, they are nevertheless not pure Vaisnavas. However, they are almost like Vaisnavas. Those who are attached to materialistic life and are blind to spiritual life must act in such a way that they are bound to repeated birth and death by the actions and reactions of their activities. By His own free will, Lord Krishna has delivered you from such a condemned materialistic life. Therefore the glories of Lord Krishna’s causeless mercy cannot be expressed.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. For 5 days Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took prasadam at the temple, but later he would stand at the Simha-dvara gate and eat only whatever he could gather by alms. When Raghunatha’s father received news of this, he sent some men and money, but Raghunatha dasa refused to accept the money. Thereafter, he used to eat rejected food that he had collected and washed. This renounced life greatly pleased both Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took by force some of the same food, thus blessing Raghunatha dasa for his renunciation. Pleased by the renunciation of Raghunatha dasa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed His mercy and gifted him with His own Govardhana sila and gunja-mala that Lord got from Vrindavana. Raghunatha dasa lived in Jagannatha Puri as personal associate of Lord Caitanya for 16 years.

When Lord Caitanya disappeared from this world, in the pangs of separation, he decided to go to the holy land of Vrindavana and commit suicide by jumping from the highest peak of Govardhana Hill. When he reached Vrindavana, he met Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Upon seeing them, he felt a revival in his heart, and he lived in there association. He was given residence on the banks of Sri Radhakunda. There he was constantly immersed in the ecstasy of love and devotion to Lord Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. He would bow down to the Supreme Personality of Godhead a minimum of 1000 times every day. One time, as the tiger was drinking water from Shyamakunda, Lord Krishna appeared with a stick in His hand to protect Raghunatha dasa Gosvami when he was immersed in his bhajan. Next time Sanatana Gosvami saw Srimati Radharani appear and with the veil of Her sari She was shading Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s head when he was immersed in the chanting of the holy names on a very hot summer day. At Govardhana he discovered the “Tongue of Govardhana”. Sri Radhakunda and Sri Shyamakunda was also renovated with his instructs.

Srila Prabhupada told that Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was so austere that he would just have a little buttermilk every day sometimes every few days. Even while honouring that little buttermilk, he would feel ashamed of himself and think, “If one has love and devotion, to Lord Krishna, that love is so satisfying that one should not be concerned with maintaining this physical body.” He is the prayojana acarya - teaching by his writings and his example the highest principles of love in separation as an associate of Srimati Radharani.

Panihati Chida-dahi Mahotsav, also known as the Chipped Rice Festival, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of Srila Raghnnatha dasa Gosvami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. This astonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges at Panihati, which is about 1 hour drive from Kolkata airport. (Ask for ‘Panihati Boat Ghat’, Sodepur.) Lord Caitanya and His associates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida-Dahi Mahotsav remembers how Lord mercifully reciprocated with His devotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunatha dasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yogurt and chipped rice, along with various other nectar foodstuffs.

At Panihati, Raghunatha dasa obtained interview with Nityananda Prabhu. Sitting on a rock, Lord Nityananda seemed as effulgent as hundreds of thousands of rising suns. Many devotees sat on the ground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityananda Prabhu, Raghunatha dasa was astonished. He offered his obeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place, and the servant of Nityananda Prabhu pointed out, “There is Raghunatha dasa, offering You obeisances.” Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you!” The Lord called him, but he did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon his head. Lord Nityananda was by nature very merciful and funny. Being merciful, He spoke to Raghunatha dasa as follows. “You are just like a thief, for instead of coming near, you stay away at a distant place. Now that I have captured you, I shall punish you. Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice.” Hearing this, Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. He immediately sent his own men to the village to purchase all kinds of eatables and bring them back. He brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sugar, bananas and other eatables and placed them all around. As soon as everyone heard that a festival was going to be held, all began to arrive. Thus there were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd increasing, Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages. He also brought 200-400 large, round earthen pots. He also obtained 5-7 especially large earthen pots, and in these pots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityananda. In one place, chipped rice was soaked in hot milk in each of the large pots. Then half the rice was mixed with yogurt, sugar and bananas. The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a special type of banana known as canpa-kala. Then sugar, clarified butter and camphor were added. After Nityananda Prabhu had changed His cloth for a new one and sat on a raised platform, the brahmana brought before Him the 7 huge pots. Everyone was offered two earthen pots. No one could count how many people there were. Some of the brahmanas, not having gotten a place on the platform, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthen pots and soaked their chipped rice there. Others, who could not get a place even on the bank of the Ganges, got down into the water and began eating their two kinds of chipped rice. When chipped rice had been served to everyone, Lord Nityananda, in meditation, brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived, Lord Nityananda Prabhu stood up. They then saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurt and condensed milk. From each and every pot, Lord Nityananda took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, also smiling, took a morsel of food, pushed it into the mouth of Nityananda and laughed as He made Lord Nityananda eat it. In this way Lord Nityananda was walking through all the groups of eaters, and all the Vaisnavas standing there were seeing the fun. No one could understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing as He walked about. Some, however, who were very fortunate, could see that Lord Caitanya was also present. Then Nityananda Prabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots of chipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy. Lord Nityananda offered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a place and had Him sit down. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice. Seeing Lord Caitanya eating with Him, Lord Nityananda became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love. Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered, “All of you eat, chanting the holy name of Hari.” Immediately the holy names “Hari, Hari” resounded, filling the entire universe. When all the Vaisnavas were chanting the holy names “Hari, Hari” and eating, they remembered how Krishna and Balarama ate with Their companions the cowherd boys on the bank of the Yamuna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are extremely merciful and liberal. It was Raghunatha dasa’s good fortune that They accepted all these dealings. Who can understand the influence and mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that He induced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice on the bank of the Ganges. After Lord Nityananda Prabhu finished eating, He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunatha dasa the food remaining in the four pots. With His own hands Lord Nityananda distributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained. After receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityananda, Raghunatha dasa, who was greatly happy, ate some and distributed the rest among his own associates. (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila, chapter 6.35-100)

Since year 1516, the Panihati festival, also known as Danda Mahatosava, has continued in this way, offering pots and pots of chipped rice preparations to the Lord and then distributing the prasadam amongst the devotees, in honour of this pastime. Sri Caitanya came to Panihati twice, once in 1515 on His way to Jagannatha Puri and another time when going to Vrindavana from Jagannatha Puri via Gauda. He came here in the month of Kartika and stayed in the house of Raghava Pandita. The deity of Sri Sri Radha Madanmohan worshiped by Sri Caitanya is in the house of Raghava. On every Krishnadadashi tithi in the month of Kartika, a festival is celebrated in memory of the first arrival of Lord Caitanya at Panihati. Temple also has Sri Sri Radha-Raman deities of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami which are been worshipped with great care. The samadhi of Raghava Pandita under a canopy of Madhavi creepers can still be seen in the Raghava Bhawan. Panihati is renounced as Sri Raghava Pandita Dhama or Pat Bari where the Abhishek Utsav of Lord Nityananda took place.

Panihati is a suburb in Kolkata and a Municipal Corporation, about 1 hour drive from Kolkata airport. Ask for “Panihati boat ghat, Sodepur”. Just besides Panihati boat ghat is the exact spot where this transcendental pastime of “Dadhi-Cida Festival” manifested. ISKCON Panihati temple is 150 meters from the exact spot. Devotees at the temple will be happy to take you to Sri Raghava Pandita house, which is 10 min walk. Because of holy footprints of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and subsequent Hare Krishna movement, Panihati is a great pilgrim centre for all Vaishnavas. M.K. Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) also paid tribute to this holy place in 1939.

This article covers:

Life and Pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami:

I. Early life and meeting Lord Caitanya:

1. Appearance and Early Childhood

2. Association of Srila Haridasa Thakura

3. First meeting with Lord Caitanya at Santipura

4. Lord Caitanya’s instructions at the first meeting

5. Raghunatha dasa during his family life

6. Raghunatha dasa and the Turkish Chowdhary

7. Panihati Dadhi-Cida Festival

8. Nectarean Cooking of Raghava Pandita and Damayanti

9. Lord Nityananda Blesses Raghunatha dasa

10. Raghunatha dasa Escapes to Jagannatha Puri

II. Raghunatha dasa in Jagannatha Puri:

1. Meeting Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri

2. Lord Caitanya Instructs Raghunatha dasa

3. Renunciation of Raghunatha dasa

4. Gift of Govardhana sila and Gunjamala

III. Pastimes at Sri Vrindavana Dhama:

1. Residence at Radhakunda

2. Accepting a Bhajan Kutir

3. Discovery of Tongue of Govardhana

4. Renovating Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda

5. Apparent Overeating

6. Lalita Madhava and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

7. Meeting with Srimati Jahnava Devi

8. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami - the Prayojana Acarya

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

Panihati is where Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami met. This is where famous Chida-Dahi Festival took place on the bank of Ganges. Panihati is in Kolkata, about one hour drive from Kolkata airport. Ask for ‘Panihati boat ghat’, Sodepur.

As instructed by Lord Caitanya at the first meeting with Raghunatha dasa at Santipura, Raghunatha dasa passed one year exactly like a first-class business manager, but the next year he again decided to leave home. He got up alone one night and left, but his father caught him in a distant place and brought him back. This became almost a daily affair. Raghunatha would run away from home, and his father would again bring him back.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site) - Banyan tree under which Lord Nityananda sat on the banks of Ganges at Panihati where Raghunatha dasa met Lord.

Then Raghunatha dasa’s mother spoke to his father as follows: “Our son has become mad,” she said. “Just keep him by binding him with ropes.”

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

His father, being very unhappy, replied to her as follows. “Raghunatha dasa, our son, has opulences like Indra, the heavenly king, and his wife is as beautiful as an angel. Yet all this could not tie down his mind. How then could we keep this boy home by binding him with ropes? It is not possible even for one’s father to nullify the reactions of one’s past activities. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has fully bestowed His mercy on him. Who can keep home such a madman of Caitanyacandra?”

Banyan tree under which Lord Nityananda sat accompanied by many kirtana performers, servants and others

Then Raghunatha dasa considered something in his mind, and the next day he went to Nityananda Gosai. In the village of Panihati, he obtained an interview with Nityananda Prabhu, who was accompanied by many kirtana performers, servants and others.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

Lord Nityananda blesses Raghunatha dasa

Sitting on a rock under a tree on the bank of the Ganges, Lord Nityananda seemed as effulgent as hundreds of thousands of rising suns. Many devotees sat on the ground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityananda Prabhu, Raghunatha dasa was astonished.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

Raghunatha dasa offered his obeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place, and the servant of Nityananda Prabhu pointed out, “There is Raghunatha dasa, offering You obeisances.”

Raghunatha dasa offering obeisances to Lord Nityananda who was sitting under this tree

Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you!” The Lord called him, but he did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon his head.

Banyan tree under which Lord Nityananda was sitting

Lord Nityananda was by nature very merciful and funny. Being merciful, He spoke to Raghunatha dasa as follows. “You are just like a thief, for instead of coming near, you stay away at a distant place. Now that I have captured you, I shall punish you. Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice.”

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

Hearing this, Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. He immediately sent his own men to the village to purchase all kinds of eatables and bring them back. He brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sweetmeats, sugar, bananas and other eatables and placed them all around.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

As soon as everyone heard that a festival was going to be held, all brahmanas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thus there were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd increasing, Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

He also brought two to four hundred large, round earthen pots. He also obtained five or seven especially large earthen pots, and in these pots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityananda. In one place, chipped rice was soaked in hot milk in each of the large pots. Then half the rice was mixed with yogurt, sugar and bananas. The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a special type of banana known as canpa-kala. Then sugar, clarified butter and camphor were added.

Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

After Nityananda Prabhu had changed His cloth for a new one and sat on a raised platform, the brahmana brought before Him the seven huge pots. On that platform, all the most important associates of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, as well as other important men, sat down in a circle around the Lord.

Panihati boat ghat and Ganges river

Many other personal associates of the Lord sat on the raised platform with Nityananda Prabhu. No one could count them all. Hearing about the festival, all kinds of learned scholars, brahmanas and priests went there. Lord Nityananda honoured them and made them sit on the raised platform with Him.

Temple at Danda Mahotsava Tala where Chida-Dahi festival took place

Everyone was offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice with condensed milk, and in the other chipped rice with yogurt. All the other people sat in groups around the platform.

Temple at Panihati boat ghat where Chida-Dahi festival took place

No one could count how many people there were. Each and every one of them was supplied two earthen pots - one of chipped rice soaked in yogurt and the other of chipped rice soaked in condensed milk. Some of the brahmanas, not having gotten a place on the platform, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthen pots and soaked their chipped rice there.

Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and image of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Others, who could not get a place even on the bank of the Ganges, got down into the water and began eating their two kinds of chipped rice. Thus some sat on the platform, some at the base of the platform, and some on the bank of the Ganges, and they were all supplied two pots each by the twenty men who distributed the food.

Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and image of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

At that time, Raghava Pandita arrived there. Seeing the situation, he began to laugh in great surprise. He brought many kinds of food cooked in ghee and offered to the Lord. This prasadam he first placed before Lord Nityananda and then distributed among the devotees.

Lotus feet of Lord Caitanya

Raghava Pandita said to Lord Nityananda, “For You, Sir, I have already offered food to the Deity, but You are engaged in a festival here, and so the food is lying there untouched.”

Lotus feet of Lord Caitanya

Lord Nityananda replied, “Let Me eat all this food here during the day, and I shall eat at your home at night. I belong to a community of cowherd boys, and therefore I generally have many cowherd associates with Me. I am happy when we eat together in a picnic like this by the sandy bank of the river.” Lord Nityananda made Raghava Pandita sit down and had two pots delivered to him also. There were two kinds of chipped rice soaked in them.

Lotus feet of Lord Nityananda

The Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

When chipped rice had been served to everyone, Lord Nityananda Prabhu, in meditation, brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Lord Caitanya arrived, Nityananda Prabhu stood up. They then saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurt and condensed milk. From each and every pot, Lord Nityananda Prabhu took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke.

The Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, also smiling, took a morsel of food, pushed it into the mouth of Nityananda and laughed as He made Lord Nityananda eat it.

Chida Dahi

In this way Lord Nityananda was walking through all the groups of eaters, and all the Vaisnavas standing there were seeing the fun. No one could understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing as He walked about. Some, however, who were very fortunate, could see that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also present.

The Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Then Nityananda Prabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots of chipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy. Lord Nityananda offered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a place and had Him sit down. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice.

The Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Seeing Lord Caitanya eating with Him, Nityananda Prabhu became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love. Nityananda Prabhu ordered, “All of you eat, chanting the holy name of Hari.”

Harinam Sankirtana at the Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Immediately the holy names “Hari, Hari” resounded, filling the entire universe. When all the Vaisnavas were chanting the holy names “Hari, Hari” and eating, they remembered how Krishna and Balarama ate with Their companions the cowherd boys on the bank of the Yamuna.

Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are extremely merciful and liberal. It was Raghunatha dasa’s good fortune that They accepted all these dealings.

Festival of Chipped Rice at Panihati

Who can understand the influence and mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that He induced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice on the bank of the Ganges. All the confidential devotees who were cowherd boys, headed by Sri Ramadasa, were absorbed in ecstatic love. They thought the bank of the Ganges to be the bank of the Yamuna.

Devotees preparing bhoga at festival of Chipped Rice

When the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about the festival, they arrived there to sell chipped rice, yogurt, sweetmeats and bananas. As they came, bringing all kinds of food, Raghunatha dasa purchased it all. He gave them the price for their goods and later fed them the very same food. Anyone who came to see how these funny things were going on was also fed chipped rice, yogurt and bananas.

Devotees performing kirtan at festival of Chipped Rice

After Lord Nityananda finished eating, He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunatha dasa the food remaining in the four pots. There was food remaining in the three other big pots of Lord Nityananda, and a brahmana distributed it to all the devotees, giving a morsel to each.

Festival of Chipped Rice

Then a brahmana brought a flower garland, placed the garland on Nityananda Prabhu’s neck and smeared sandalwood pulp all over His body. When a servant brought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityananda, the Lord smiled and chewed them.

Festival of Chipped Rice

With His own hands Lord Nityananda Prabhu distributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained.

Hare Krishna (ISKCON) temple at Panihati - this is 200 meters from Panihati Boat Ghat

After receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Raghunatha dasa, who was greatly happy, ate some and distributed the rest among his own associates. (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila, chapter 6.35-100)

Hare Krishna (ISKCON) temple at Panihati

Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai at ISKCON Panihati temple

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder-acarya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

ISKCON Panihati temple

Holy Places to visit near Panihati - (1) Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site) (2) Raghava Bhawan (Birthplace/Samadhi of Srila Raghava Pandita), Radharani’s Kitchen, Raghavera Jhali, handled by Damayanti Devi, Raghava’s sister. Eternal residence of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya once placed His Lotus feet on Srila Gadadhara Dasa’s head here. (3) Makardhwaja Kara’s birth place at Old Harisabha Tala (4) Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundara Mandir, Khardah: Birthplace of Srila Birachandra Prabhu, son of Lord Nityananda and Jahnava Devi. (5) Bhagavatacharya’s house at Varahanagar where Lord Caitanya instructed Srila Raghunath Pandita to relish Srimad-Bhagavatam.

ISKCON Panihati temple -  Year 2016 marks the 500^th year of Panihati Chida-Dahi festival

Beautiful Ganges ghat at ISKCON Panihati temple

Raghava Bhavan (or Pat Bari) - Raghava Pandita’s Birthplace/Samadhi and Radharani’s Kitchen

When Raghava Pandita would cook along with his sister Damayanti, every preparation was ecstatically sweet like nectar. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would personally appear in Raghava Pandita’s house to eat that food. Raghava Pandita’s house is 10 mins walk from Panihati boat ghat.

Raghava Pandita’s house - This is also the eternal residence of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya once placed His Lotus feet on Srila Gadadhara Dasa’s head here.

Raghava Pandita’s samadhi (Madhavi tala)

In the courtyard is Raghava Pandita’s samadhi. The tree sprouting from his samadhi is 500 years old.

Raghava Pandita’s samadhi (Madhavi tala)

Raghava Pandita’s samadhi (Madhavi tala)

Raghava Pandita’s samadhi (Madhavi tala)

Temple at Raghava Pandita’s house

Sri Sri Radha-Madan Mohan, worshiped by Srila Raghava Pandita, Sri Sri Radha-Raman worshiped by Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Gopal Jiu, worshiped by Raghav Pandita's sister Damayanti devi. In Raghav-Bhawan, Panihati

Raghava Pandita’s kitchen

Raghava Pandita’s kitchen

Raghava Pandita’s kitchen

Raghava Pandita’s kitchen

Offerings to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu prepared by Raghava Pandita.

Nectarean Cooking of Raghava Pandita and Damayanti

At night Raghunatha dasa would collect that decomposed rice, bring it home and wash it with ample water. Then he ate the hard inner portion of the rice with salt.

Who could list the unlimited transcendental attributes of Raghunatha dasa? His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines on a stone. Raghunatha dasa spent more than 22 hours out of every 24 chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord. He ate and slept for less than an hour and a half, and on some days that also was impossible. Topics concerning his renunciation are wonderful. Throughout his life he never allowed his tongue sense gratification. He never touched anything to wear except a small torn cloth and a patchwork wrapper. Thus he very rigidly executed the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whatever he ate was only to keep his body and soul together, and when he ate he would reproach himself thus. “‘If one’s heart has been cleansed by perfect knowledge and one has understood Krishna, the Supreme Brahman, he then gains everything. Why should such a person act like a debauchee by trying to maintain his material body very carefully?’”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu forcibly takes some rice from Raghunatha dasa

"Lord Jagannatha's prasad is sold by shopkeepers, and that which is not sold decomposes after two or three days. All the decomposed food is thrown before the cows from Tailanga at the Simha-dvara gate. Because of its rotten odor, even the cows cannot eat it. At night Raghunatha dasa would collect that decomposed rice, bring it home and wash it with ample water. Then he ate the hard inner portion of the rice with salt.
One day Svarupa Damodara saw the activities of Raghunatha dasa. Thus he smiled and asked for a small portion of that food and ate it. Svarup Damodara said, 'You eat such nectar every day, but you never offer it to us. Where is your character?' When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard news of this from the mouth of Govinda, He went there the next day and spoke as follows. 'What nice things are you eating? Why don't you give anything to Me?' Saying this, He forcibly took a morsel and began to eat." [Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Antya-lila, 6.315-322]

Govardhana sila that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gifted to Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. One can have darshan of this at Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Temple in Vrindavana.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed His mercy upon Raghunatha dasa by giving him a stone from Govardhana Hill and a garland of small conchshells. Previously, when Sankarananda Sarasvati had returned from Vrindavana, he had brought the stone from Govardhana Hill and also the garland of conchshells. He presented Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with these two items - the garland of conchshells and the stone from Govardhana Hill. Upon receiving these two uncommon items, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was extremely happy. While chanting, He would put the garland around His neck. The Lord would put the stone to His heart or sometimes to His eyes. Sometimes He would smell it with His nose and sometimes place it on His head. The stone from Govardhana was always moist with tears from His eyes. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would say, “This stone is directly the body of Lord Krishna.” For three years He kept the stone and garland. Then, greatly satisfied by the behavior of Raghunatha dasa, the Lord delivered both of them to him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunatha dasa, “This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Krishna. Worship the stone with great eagerness.” [Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila, chapter 6.287-308]

Raghunatha dasa was just a little boy engaged in studies he had the darshan of Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa was merciful to him and this mercy was the reason that he later was able to attain the company of Lord Caitanya. [Sri Caitanya Caritamrta 3.3.168-9]

One time, as the tiger was drinking water from Shyamakunda, Lord Krishna appeared with a stick in His hand to protect Raghunatha dasa Gosvami when he was immersed in his bhajan. Next time Sanatana Gosvami saw Srimati Radharani appear and with the veil of Her sari She was shading Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s head when he was immersed in the chanting of the holy names on a very hot summer day.

Apparent Overeating

One day Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had terrible pains in his stomach from indigestion. Devotees brought a an Ayurvedic doctor. The doctor examined Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and told the devotees, “He has over-eaten sweet rice-milk, rice, and sugar cooked together.” The devotees were outraged as they thought the doctor was in illusion. Actually, Raghunatha dasa revealed, that in his internal transcendental loving meditation on Radha and Krishna, Srimati Radharani gave, him Her own remnants of sweet rice, and in his transcendental meditation he ate it. That is what gave him the indigestion.

Samadhi of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami at Radha Kunda

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami left his body on the banks of Radha Kunda where his samadhi tomb stands. This took place on the Shukla Dvadashi tithi of the month of Ashwina, in the year 1586.

Samadhi of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Samadhi of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami at Radha Kunda

Radha Kunda and Samadhi of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

"May very fragrant Radha-kunda, on the shore of which, in a pleasant courtyard Queen Radha and Her friends sweetly joke with Lord Krishna, the moon of Vraja, be my shelter." (Vraja-vilasa-stava, Srila Raghunath dasa Gosvami)

Six Gosvamis of Vrindavana

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who are very expert in scrutinisingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honoured all over the three worlds and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krishna." (Sri Sri Sad-Goswamy-astaka, Verse 2)

Panihati Dadhi-Cida Festival

Life and Pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

[Ref. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-lila, chapter 16; Antya-lila, chapter 6; and “Vrindavana Yatra” Vol 1 book by His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj]

Appearance and Early Childhood

Even the great author Krishna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami considers himself unable and practically speechless to explain the glories of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was born in a village named Sri Krishnapur. His father Govardhana Majumdar and Uncle Hiranya Majumdar were big landholders and tax collectors. They had such fabulous wealth that it was compared to that of Indra, the king of heaven. Srila Prabhupada describes that the family of Raghunatha dasa, if compared to today’s standards, would be billionaires. Between the two brothers Hiranya and Govardhana, there was only

one heir, Raghunatha dasa.

His father and uncle were Vaishnavas. They were very sincere devotees of the Lord. They were disciples of the great Yadunandana Thakura, who was initiated by Srila Advaita Acarya, and was an intimate student of the great and most compassionate soul, Srila Vasudev Datta. Yadunandana Acarya’s dear friend Balarama Acarya also lived there. These were two very devoted servants of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yadunandana Acarya and Balarama Acarya had great affection for Raghunatha dasa. He was an ocean of transcendental qualities. Anyone who met Raghunatha dasa would find that his or her heart became completely satisfied, because he had so much natural bhakti.

Association of Srila Haridasa Thakura

When we love someone we naturally want to give him or her the best possible things that we can. So Balarama Acarya took Raghunatha dasa to meet Srila Haridasa Thakura, who was living close by. With Balarama and Yadunandana, Raghunatha dasa would regularly meet with Srila Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura led a very simple life. Sometimes Haridasa would live in a cave or sometimes under a tree. But he was always absorbed in very strict renunciation, constantly chanting the holy names of Krishna. In fact, Srila Haridasa Thakura would not eat, sleep, or drink water before he completed the chanting of three hundred thousand names of Lord Krishna every day-more than 190 rounds of chanting of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||

Haridasa Thakura would preach, by his words and living example, the way to perfect one’s life by constantly chanting the holy names in the spirit of Lord Caitanya’s most important teaching:

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna

amanina mana dena kirtaniya sada harih

Because Haridasa Thakura was genuinely more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, he offered all respects to others and never expected any respect in return; therefore, he could chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra constantly day and night.

Raghunatha dasa, although, only a small child, was so much influenced by the example of Haridasa Thakura and the teachings of his Guru that he had no attachment or affection for any of the materialistic things of this world. This posed a big problem for his parents because they wanted him to take over everything. So they married Raghunatha dasa to a beautiful, chaste young woman who was endowed with all good qualities. Thus they were gradually training him to take over everything. They gave him a beautiful home, much wealth and much prestige. But Raghunatha dasa was not concerned.

Raghunatha dasa’s First meeting with Lord Caitanya at Santipura

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned from Katwa to Santipura after accepting the renounced order, Raghunatha dasa came to meet Him. When Raghunatha dasa went to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he fell at the Lord’s lotus feet in ecstatic love. Showing him mercy, the Lord touched him with His feet. Raghunatha dasa’s father, Govardhana, always rendered much service to Advaita Acarya. Consequently Advaita Acarya was very pleased with the family. When Raghunatha dasa was there, Advaita Acarya favoured him by giving him the food remnants left by the Lord. Raghunatha dasa was thus engaged for 5 or 7 days in rendering service to the Lord’s lotus feet. After bidding farewell to Raghunatha dasa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannatha Puri.

After returning home, Raghunatha dasa became mad with ecstatic love. Raghunatha dasa used to run away from home again and again to go to Jagannatha Puri, but his father kept binding him and bringing him back. His father even had five watchmen guard him day and night. Four personal servants were employed to look after his comfort, and two brahmanas were employed to cook for him. In this way, eleven people were incessantly keeping Raghunatha dasa under control. Thus he could not go to Jagannatha Puri, and because of this he was very unhappy.

When Raghunatha dasa learned that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had arrived at Santipura, he submitted a request to his father. Raghunatha dasa asked his father, “Please give me permission to go see the lotus feet of the Lord. If you do not, my life will not remain within this body.” Hearing this request, Raghunatha dasa’s father agreed. Giving him many servants and materials, the father sent him to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, requesting him to return soon. For seven days Raghunatha dasa associated with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Santipura. During those days and nights, he had the following thoughts. Raghunatha dasa thought, “How shall I be able to get free from the hands of the watchmen? How shall I be able to go with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Nilacala?” Since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was omniscient, He could understand Raghunatha dasa’s mind.

Do Not Become a Monkey Renunciate

The Lord therefore instructed him with the following reassuring words. “Be patient and return home. Don’t be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence. You should not make yourself a show-bottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it. Within your heart you should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Krishna will soon be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of maya. You may see Me at Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri, when I return after visiting Vrindavana. By that time you can think of some trick to escape. What kind of means you will have to use at that time will be revealed by Krishna. If one has Krishna’s mercy, no one can check him.”

Purport: As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.58): This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with Brahmaloka and extends to Patalaloka, and there are many planets, or islands, in this ocean. Not knowing about devotional service, the living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to reach the shore. Our struggle for existence is similar to this. Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence. One cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavours, he can cross the ocean by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. One may be very eager to cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently under the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return home, back to Godhead.

The word markata-vairagya, indicating false renunciation, is very important in this verse. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, in commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external show of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in the forest. In this way they consider themselves renunciants, but actually they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female monkeys. Such renunciation is called markata vairagya - the renunciation of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one actually becomes disgusted with material activity and sees it as a stumbling block to spiritual advancement. Renunciation should not be phalgu, temporary, but should exist throughout one’s life. Temporary renunciation, or monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels at a cremation ground. When a man takes a dead body to the crematorium, he sometimes thinks, “This is the final end of the body. Why am I working so hard day and night?” Such sentiments naturally arise in the mind of any man who goes to a crematorial ghata. However, as soon as he returns from the cremation grounds, he again engages in material activity for sense enjoyment. This is calledsmasana-vairagya, or markata-vairagya.

In order to render service to the Lord, one may accept necessary things. If one lives in this way, he may actually become renounced. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said: “The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should not superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is necessary to help one advance spiritually.”

In his Durgama-sangamani, Sri Jiva Gosvami comments that the word sva-nirvahah actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvahah. The experienced devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.256), markata-vairagya, or phalgu-vairagya, is explained as follows: “When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them to be material, their renunciation is called incomplete.”

Whatever is favourable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing. Yukta-vairagya, or befitting renunciation, is thus explained: “Things should be accepted for the Lord’s service and not for one’s personal sense gratification. If one accepts something without attachment and accepts it because it is related to Krishna, one’s renunciation is called yukta-vairagya.” Since Krishna is the Absolute Truth, whatever is accepted for His service is also the Absolute Truth.

The word markata-vairagya is used by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to indicate so-called Vaisnavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying to imitate Srila Rupa Gosvami. Such people carry a bead bag and chant, but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and money. Unknown to others, these markata-vairagis maintain women but externally present themselves as renunciants. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very much opposed to these markata-vairagis, or pseudo Vaisnavas.

Although Srila Raghunatha dasa was very anxious to join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord advised him to wait for the mercy of Lord Krishna. He recommended that Raghunatha dasa keep his Krishna consciousness firmly fixed in his heart while externally behaving like an ordinary man. This is a trick for everyone advanced in Krishna consciousness. One can live in society like an ordinary human being, but at the same time one’s own business should be to satisfy Krishna and spread His glories. A Krishna conscious person should not be absorbed in material things, for his only business is the devotional service of the Lord. If one is engaged in this way, Krishna will certainly bestow His mercy. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Raghunatha dasa, yatha-yogya visaya bhuñja’ anasakta haña. The same is repeated, antare nistha kara, bahye loka-vyavahara. This means that one must have no desire within his heart other than to serve Krishna. On the basis of such a conviction, one can cultivate Krishna consciousness. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.200): A devotee may act as an ordinary human being or as a strict follower of Vedic injunctions. In either case, everything he does is favourable for the advancement of devotional service because he is in Krishna consciousness.

Raghunatha dasa during his family life

In this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to Raghunatha dasa, who returned home and did exactly what the Lord told him. After returning home, Raghunatha dasa gave up all craziness and external pseudo renunciation and engaged in his household duties without attachment. When Raghunatha dasa’s father and mother saw that their son was acting like a householder, they became very happy. Because of this, they slackened their guard.

[Ref. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-lila, chapter 16, verses 222-244]

Raghunatha dasa and the Turkish Chowdhary

When Raghunatha dasa, during his family life, went to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Santipura, the Lord gave him worthy instructions by His causeless mercy. Instead of becoming a so-called renunciant, Raghunatha dasa, following the instructions of the Lord, returned home and played exactly like a pounds-and-shillings man. Raghunatha dasa was inwardly completely renounced, even in family life, but he did not express his renunciation externally. Instead, he acted just like an ordinary businessman. Seeing this, his father and mother were satisfied.

When he received a message that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had returned from Mathura City, Raghunatha dasa endeavoured to go to the lotus feet of the Lord. At that time there was a Muslim official collecting the taxes of Saptagrama.

When Hiranya dasa, Raghunatha dasa’s uncle, made an agreement with the government to collect taxes, the Muslim caudhuri, or tax collector, having lost his position, became extremely envious of him. Hiranya dasa was collecting 2,000,000 coins and therefore should have delivered 1,500,000 to the government. Instead, he was giving only 1,200,000, thus making an extra profit of 300,000 coins. Seeing this, the Muslim caudhuri, who was a Turk, became his rival. After sending a confidential account to the government treasury, the caudhuri brought the minister in charge. The caudhuri came, wanting to arrest Hiranya dasa, but Hiranya dasa had left home. Therefore the caudhuri arrested Raghunatha dasa.

Every day, the Muslim would chastise Raghunatha dasa and tell him, “Bring your father and his elder brother. Otherwise you will be punished.” The caudhuri wanted to beat him, but as soon as he saw Raghunatha’s face, his mind changed, and he could not beat him. Indeed, the caudhuri was afraid of Raghunatha dasa because Raghunatha dasa belonged to the kayastha community. Although the caudhuri would chastise him with oral vibrations, he was afraid to beat him.

Purport: Raghunatha dasa belonged to a very aristocratic family of the kayastha community. He had substantial influence with the local people, and therefore the caudhuri, or minister, was afraid to beat him. Superficially he would chastise Raghunatha dasa with threatening vibrations, but he did not beat him. The members of the kayastha community in India are generally very intelligent and expert in business management. Formerly they were mostly government officers. They were mentioned even by Yajñavalkya, as quoted by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya: cata-taskara-durvrttair maha-sahasikadibhih pidyamana praja rakset kayasthais ca visesatah. From this verse it appears that the governmental officials of the kayastha community would sometimes chastise the citizens, and thus it was the duty of the king to protect the people in general from the atrocities of the kayasthas. In Bengal the kayastha community is honored almost as much as the brahmana community, but in the up-country of India the kayasthas are considered sudras because they generally eat meat and drink wine. In any case, from history the kayasthas appear very intelligent. Thus the Muslim caudhuri was afraid of Raghunatha dasa because he belonged to the kayastha community.

While this was going on, Raghunatha dasa thought of a tricky method of escape. Thus he humbly submitted this plea at the feet of the Muslim caudhuri. “My dear sir, my father and his elder brother are your brothers. All brothers always fight about something. Sometimes brothers fight among themselves, and sometimes they have very friendly dealings. There is no certainty when such changes will take place. Thus I am sure that although today you are fighting, tomorrow you three brothers will be sitting together in peace. Just as I am my father’s son, so I am also yours. I am your dependent, and you are my maintainer. For a maintainer to punish the person he maintains is not good. You are expert in all the scriptures. Indeed, you are like a living saint.”

When the Muslim heard Raghunatha dasa’s appealing voice, his heart softened. He began to cry, and tears glided down his beard. The Muslim caudhuri told Raghunatha dasa, “You are my son from this day on. Today, by some means, I shall have you released.” After informing the minister, the caudhuri released Raghunatha dasa and then began to speak to him with great affection. “Your father’s elder brother is less intelligent,” he said. “He enjoys 800,000 coins, but since I am also a shareholder, he should give some portion of it to me. Now you go arrange a meeting between me and your uncle. Let him do whatever he thinks best. I shall completely depend on his decision.” Raghunatha dasa arranged a meeting between his uncle and the caudhuri. The matter was settled, and everything was peaceful.

Panihati Dadhi-Cida Festival

As instructed by Lord Caitanya, Raghunatha dasa passed one year exactly like a first-class business manager, but the next year he again decided to leave home. He got up alone one night and left, but his father caught him in a distant place and brought him back. This became almost a daily affair. Raghunatha would run away from home, and his father would again bring him back.

Then Raghunatha dasa’s mother spoke to his father as follows: “Our son has become mad,” she said. “Just keep him by binding him with ropes.”

His father, being very unhappy, replied to her as follows. “Raghunatha dasa, our son, has opulences like Indra, the heavenly king, and his wife is as beautiful as an angel. Yet all this could not tie down his mind. How then could we keep this boy home by binding him with ropes? It is not possible even for one’s father to nullify the reactions of one’s past activities. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has fully bestowed His mercy on him. Who can keep home such a madman of Caitanyacandra?”

Then Raghunatha dasa considered something in his mind, and the next day he went to Nityananda Gosai. In the village of Panihati, Raghunatha dasa obtained an interview with Nityananda Prabhu, who was accompanied by many kirtana performers, servants and others. Sitting on a rock under a tree on the bank of the Ganges, Lord Nityananda seemed as effulgent as hundreds of thousands of rising suns. Many devotees sat on the ground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityananda Prabhu, Raghunatha dasa was astonished.

Raghunatha dasa offered his obeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place, and the servant of Nityananda Prabhu pointed out, “There is Raghunatha dasa, offering You obeisances.” Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you!” The Lord called him, but Raghunatha dasa did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa’s head.

Lord Nityananda was by nature very merciful and funny. Being merciful, He spoke to Raghunatha dasa as follows. “You are just like a thief, for instead of coming near, you stay away at a distant place. Now that I have captured you, I shall punish you. Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice.”

Hearing this, Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. He immediately sent his own men to the village to purchase all kinds of eatables and bring them back. He brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sweetmeats, sugar, bananas and other eatables and placed them all around. As soon as everyone heard that a festival was going to be held, all brahmanas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thus there were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd increasing, Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages. He also brought two to four hundred large, round earthen pots. He also obtained five or seven especially large earthen pots, and in these pots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityananda. In one place, chipped rice was soaked in hot milk in each of the large pots. Then half the rice was mixed with yogurt, sugar and bananas. The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a special type of banana known as canpa-kala. Then sugar, clarified butter and camphor were added.

After Nityananda Prabhu had changed His cloth for a new one and sat on a raised platform, the brahmana brought before Him the seven huge pots. On that platform, all the most important associates of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, as well as other important men, sat down in a circle around the Lord. Among them were Ramadasa, Sundarananda, Gadadhara dasa, Murari, Kamalakara, Sadasiva and Purandara. Dhananjaya, Jagadisa, Paramesvara dasa, Mahesa, Gauridasa and Hoda Krsnadasa were also there. Similarly, Uddharana Datta Thakura and many other personal associates of the Lord sat on the raised platform with Nityananda Prabhu. No one could count them all.

Hearing about the festival, all kinds of learned scholars, brahmanas and priests went there. Lord Nityananda Prabhu honoured them and made them sit on the raised platform with Him. Everyone was offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice with condensed milk, and in the other chipped rice with yogurt. All the other people sat in groups around the platform. No one could count how many people there were. Each and every one of them was supplied two earthen pots - one of chipped rice soaked in yogurt and the other of chipped rice soaked in condensed milk. Some of the brahmanas, not having gotten a place on the platform, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthen pots and soaked their chipped rice there. Others, who could not get a place even on the bank of the Ganges, got down into the water and began eating their two kinds of chipped rice. Thus some sat on the platform, some at the base of the platform, and some on the bank of the Ganges, and they were all supplied two pots each by the twenty men who distributed the food.

At that time, Raghava Pandita arrived there. Seeing the situation, he began to laugh in great surprise. He brought many kinds of food cooked in ghee and offered to the Lord. This prasadam he first placed before Lord Nityananda and then distributed among the devotees. Raghava Pandita said to Lord Nityananda, “For You, Sir, I have already offered food to the Deity, but You are engaged in a festival here, and so the food is lying there untouched.” Lord Nityananda replied, “Let Me eat all this food here during the day, and I shall eat at your home at night. I belong to a community of cowherd boys, and therefore I generally have many cowherd associates with Me. I am happy when we eat together in a picnic like this by the sandy bank of the river.” Lord Nityananda made Raghava Pandita sit down and had two pots delivered to him also. There were two kinds of chipped rice soaked in them.

When chipped rice had been served to everyone, Lord Nityananda Prabhu, in meditation, brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived, Lord Nityananda Prabhu stood up. They then saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurt and condensed milk. From each and every pot, Lord Nityananda Prabhu took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, also smiling, took a morsel of food, pushed it into the mouth of Nityananda and laughed as He made Lord Nityananda eat it. In this way Lord Nityananda was walking through all the groups of eaters, and all the Vaisnavas standing there were seeing the fun. No one could understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing as He walked about. Some, however, who were very fortunate, could see that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also present.

Then Nityananda Prabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots of chipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy. Lord Nityananda offered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a place and had Him sit down. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice. Seeing Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu eating with Him, Lord Nityananda Prabhu became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love. Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered, “All of you eat, chanting the holy name of Hari.” Immediately the holy names “Hari, Hari” resounded, filling the entire universe. When all the Vaisnavas were chanting the holy names “Hari, Hari” and eating, they remembered how Krishna and Balarama ate with Their companions the cowherd boys on the bank of the Yamuna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are extremely merciful and liberal. It was Raghunatha dasa’s good fortune that They accepted all these dealings.

Who can understand the influence and mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that He induced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice on the bank of the Ganges. All the confidential devotees who were cowherd boys, headed by Sri Ramadasa, were absorbed in ecstatic love. They thought the bank of the Ganges to be the bank of the Yamuna. When the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about the festival, they arrived there to sell chipped rice, yogurt, sweetmeats and bananas. As they came, bringing all kinds of food, Raghunatha dasa purchased it all. He gave them the price for their goods and later fed them the very same food. Anyone who came to see how these funny things were going on was also fed chipped rice, yogurt and bananas.

After Lord Nityananda Prabhu finished eating, He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunatha dasa the food remaining in the four pots. There was food remaining in the three other big pots of Lord Nityananda, and a brahmana distributed it to all the devotees, giving a morsel to each. Then a brahmana brought a flower garland, placed the garland on Nityananda Prabhu’s neck and smeared sandalwood pulp all over His body. When a servant brought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityananda, the Lord smiled and chewed them. With His own hands Lord Nityananda Prabhu distributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained. After receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Raghunatha dasa, who was greatly happy, ate some and distributed the rest among his own associates.

Nectarean Cooking of Raghava Pandita and Damayanti

Nityananda Prabhu rested for the day, and when the day ended He went to the temple of Raghava Pandita and began congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Lord Nityananda Prabhu first influenced all the devotees to dance, and finally He Himself began dancing, thus inundating the entire world in ecstatic love. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was observing the dancing of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu could see this, but the others could not. The dancing of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, like the dancing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, cannot be compared to anything within these three worlds. No one can properly describe the sweetness of Lord Nityananda’s dancing. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally comes to see it.

After the dancing and after Lord Nityananda had rested, Raghava Pandita submitted his request that the Lord take supper. When Raghava Pandita would cook along with his sister Damayanti, every preparation was ecstatically sweet like nectar. Whenever anything was cooked in the house of Raghava Pandita, Srimati Radharani would personally appear to perform the cooking through the hands of Her devotees. Srimati Radharani had received a benediction from Durvasa Muni that anything She prepared would be sweeter than nectar. Whenever Raghava Pandita and Damayanti would cook, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would personally appear in Raghava Pandita’s house to eat that food.

Lord Nityananda Prabhu sat down for supper with His personal associates and made a sitting place on His right side for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came there and sat down at His place. Seeing this, Raghava Pandita felt increasing happiness. Raghava Pandita brought the prasadam before the two brothers and thereafter distributed prasadam to all the other Vaisnavas. There were varieties of cakes, sweet rice and fine cooked rice that surpassed the taste of nectar. There were also varieties of vegetables. The food prepared and offered to the Deity by Raghava Pandita was like the essence of nectar. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came there again and again to eat such prasadam.

When Raghava Pandita offered the food to the Deity after cooking, he would make a separate offering for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Every day, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would eat at the house of Raghava Pandita. Sometimes He would give Raghava Pandita the opportunity to see Him. Raghava Pandita would bring and distribute prasadam to the two brothers, feeding Them with great attention. They ate everything, and therefore there were no remnants left. He brought so many presentations that no one could know them perfectly. Indeed, it was a fact that the supreme mother, Radharani, personally cooked in the house of Raghava Pandita. Srimati Radharani received from Durvasa Muni the benediction that whatever She cooked would be sweeter than nectar. That is the special feature of Her cooking. Aromatic and pleasing to see, the food was the essence of all sweetness. Thus the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu, ate it with great satisfaction.

All the devotees present requested Raghunatha dasa to sit down and take prasadam, but Raghava Pandita told them, “He will take prasadam later.” All the devotees took prasadam, filling themselves to the brim. Thereafter, chanting the holy name of Hari, they stood up and washed their hands and mouths. After eating, the two brothers washed Their hands and mouths. Then Raghava Pandita brought flower garlands and sandalwood pulp and decorated Them. Raghava Pandita offered Them betel nuts and worshiped Their lotus feet. He also distributed betel nuts, flower garlands and sandalwood pulp to the devotees. Raghava Pandita, being very merciful toward Raghunatha dasa, offered him the dishes with the remnants of food left by the two brothers. He said, “Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has eaten this food. If you take His remnants, you will be released from the bondage of your family.”

Lord Nityananda Blesses Raghunatha dasa

The Supreme Personality of Godhead always resides either in the heart or in the home of a devotee. This fact is sometimes hidden and sometimes manifest, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fully independent. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervasive, and therefore He resides everywhere. Anyone who doubts this will be annihilated. In the morning, after taking His bath in the Ganges, Nityananda Prabhu sat down with His associates beneath the same tree under which He had previously sat. Raghunatha dasa went there and worshiped Lord Nityananda’s lotus feet. Through Raghava Pandita, he submitted his desire.

“I am the lowest of men, the most sinful, fallen and condemned. Nevertheless, I desire to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Like a dwarf who wants to catch the moon, I have tried my best many times, but I have never been successful. Every time I tried to go away and give up my home relationships, my father and mother unfortunately kept me bound. No one can attain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu without Your mercy, but if You are merciful, even the lowest of men can attain shelter at His lotus feet. Although I am unfit and greatly afraid to submit this plea, I nevertheless request You, Sir, to be especially merciful toward me by granting me shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Placing Your feet on my head, give me the benediction that I may achieve the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu without difficulty. I pray for this benediction.”

After hearing this appeal by Raghunatha dasa, Lord Nityananda Prabhu smiled and told all the devotees, “Raghunatha dasa’s standard of material happiness is equal to that of Indra, the King of heaven. Because of the mercy bestowed upon him by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Raghunatha dasa, although situated in such material happiness, does not like it at all. Therefore let every one of you be merciful toward him and give him the benediction that he may very soon attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One who experiences the fragrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna does not value even the standard of happiness available in Brahmaloka, the topmost planet. And what to speak of heavenly happiness? One who experiences the fragrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna does not value even the standard of happiness available in Brahmaloka, the topmost planet. And what to speak of heavenly happiness?”

Then Lord Nityananda Prabhu called Raghunatha dasa near Him, placed His lotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa’s head and began to speak. “My dear Raghunatha dasa,” He said, “since you arranged the feast on the bank of the Ganges, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came here just to show you His mercy. By His causeless mercy He ate the chipped rice and milk. Then, after seeing the dancing of the devotees at night, He took His supper. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaurahari, came here personally to deliver you. Now rest assured that all the impediments meant for your bondage are gone. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will accept you and place you under the charge of His secretary, Svarupa Damodara. You will thus become one of the most confidential internal servants and will attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Being assured of all this, return to your own home. Very soon, without impediments, you will attain shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Lord Nityananda had Raghunatha dasa blessed by all the devotees, and Raghunatha dasa offered his respects to their lotus feet. After taking leave of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and then all the other Vaisnavas, Sri Raghunatha dasa consulted secretly with Raghava Pandita. After consulting with Raghava Pandita, he secretly delivered one hundred gold coins and about seven tolas of gold into the hand of Nityananda Prabhu’s treasurer. Raghunatha dasa admonished the treasurer, “Do not speak about this to Lord Nityananda Prabhu now, but when He returns home, kindly inform Him about this presentation.” Thereupon, Raghava Pandita took Raghunatha dasa to his home. After inducing him to see the Deity, he gave Raghunatha dasa a garland and sandalwood pulp. He gave Raghunatha dasa a large quantity of prasadam to eat on his way home. Then Raghunatha dasa again spoke to Raghava Pandita. “I want to give money,” he said, “just to worship the lotus feet of all the great devotees, servants and subservants of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. As you think fit, give twenty, fifteen, twelve, ten or five coins to each of them.” Raghunatha dasa drew up an account of the amount to be given and submitted it to Raghava Pandita, who then made up a list showing how much money was to be paid to each and every devotee. With great humility, Raghunatha dasa placed one hundred gold coins and about two tolas of gold before Raghava Pandita for all the other devotees. After taking dust from the feet of Raghava Pandita, Raghunatha dasa returned to his home, feeling greatly obligated to Lord Nityananda Prabhu because of having received His merciful benediction.

Raghunatha dasa Escapes to Jagannatha Puri

From that day on, he did not go into the interior section of the house. Instead, he would sleep on the Durga-mandapa [the place where mother Durga was worshiped]. There, however, the watchmen alertly kept guard. Raghunatha dasa was thinking of various means by which to escape their vigilance. At that time, all the devotees of Bengal were going to Jagannatha Puri to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunatha dasa could not accompany them, for they were so famous that he would have been caught immediately. Thus Raghunatha dasa thought deeply about how to escape, and one night while he was sleeping on the Durga-mandapa, the priest Yadunandana Acarya entered the house when only four dandas remained until the end of the night. Yadunandana Acarya was the priest and spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa. Although born in a brahmana family, he had accepted the mercy of Vasudeva Datta. Yadunandana Acarya had been officially initiated by Advaita Acarya. Thus he considered Lord Caitanya his life and soul.

Purport: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that although the atheists who have deviated from the order of Sri Advaita Acarya introduce themselves as followers of Advaita Acarya, they do not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Yadunandana Acarya, one of the most confidential followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was the initiated disciple of Advaita Acarya. He was not polluted by sentimental distinctions classifying Vaisnavas according to birth. Therefore, although Vasudeva Datta had not been born in a brahmana family, Yadunandana Acarya also accepted him as his spiritual master.

When Yadunandana Acarya entered the house of Raghunatha dasa and stood in the courtyard, Raghunatha dasa went there and fell down to offer his obeisances. One of Yadunandana Acarya’s disciples had been worshiping the Deity but had left that service. Yadunandana Acarya wanted Raghunatha dasa to induce the disciple to take up that service again. Yadunandana Acarya requested Raghunatha dasa, “Please induce the brahmana to resume the service, for there is no other brahmana to do it.” After saying this, Yadunandana Acarya took Raghunatha dasa with him and went out. By that time all the watchmen were deeply asleep because it was the end of the night. East of the house of Raghunatha dasa was the house of Yadunandana Acarya. Yadunandana Acarya and Raghunatha dasa talked together as they went toward that house. Halfway along the path, Raghunatha dasa submitted at the lotus feet of his spiritual master, “I shall go to the home of that brahmana, induce him to return, and send him to your home. You may go home without anxiety. Following your order, I shall persuade the brahmana.” On this plea, after asking permission, Raghunatha dasa decided to go away.

Raghunatha dasa thought, “This is the greatest opportunity to go away because this time there are no servants or watchmen with me.” Thinking in this way, he quickly proceeded toward the east. Sometimes he turned around and looked back, but no one was following him. Thinking of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu, he left the general path and proceeded with great haste on the one not generally used. Giving up the general path from village to village, he passed through the jungles, thinking with heart and soul about the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He walked about thirty miles in one day, and in the evening he took rest in the cowshed of a milkman. When the milkman saw that Raghunatha dasa was fasting, he gave him some milk. Raghunatha dasa drank the milk and lay down to rest there for the night.

At the house of Raghunatha dasa, the servant and watchman, not seeing him there, immediately went to inquire about him from his spiritual master, Yadunandana Acarya. Yadunandana Acarya said, “He has already asked my permission and returned home.” Thus there arose a tumultuous sound, as everyone cried, “Now Raghunatha has gone away!” Raghunatha dasa’s father said, “Now all the devotees from Bengal have gone to Jagannatha Puri to see Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. “Raghunatha dasa has fled with them. Ten men should immediately go catch him and bring him back.” Raghunatha dasa’s father wrote a letter to Sivananda Sena, asking him with great humility, “Please return my son.” In Jhankara, the ten men caught up with the group of Vaisnavas going to Nilacala. After delivering the letter, the men inquired from Sivananda Sena about Raghunatha dasa, but Sivananda Sena replied, “He did not come here.” The ten men returned home, and Raghunatha dasa’s father and mother were filled with anxiety.

Raghunatha dasa, who had been resting at the milkman’s house, got up early in the morning. Instead of going to the east, he turned his face south and proceeded. He crossed Chatrabhoga, but instead of going on the general path, he proceeded on the path that went from village to village. Not caring about eating, he traveled all day. Hunger was not an impediment, for his mind was concentrated upon obtaining shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes he chewed fried grains, sometimes he cooked, and sometimes he drank milk. In this way he kept his life and soul together with whatever was available wherever he went. He reached Jagannatha Puri in 12 days but could eat only for three days on the way.

Raghunatha dasa Meets Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri

When Raghunatha dasa met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord was sitting with His companions, headed by Svarupa Damodara. Staying at a distant place in the courtyard, he fell down to offer obeisances. Then Mukunda Datta said, “Here is Raghunatha.” As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these words, He immediately welcomed Raghunatha dasa. “Come here,” He said. Raghunatha dasa then clasped the lotus feet of the Lord, but the Lord stood up and embraced him out of His causeless mercy. Raghunatha dasa offered prayers at the lotus feet of all the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Seeing the special mercy Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had bestowed upon Raghunatha dasa, they embraced him also.

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “The mercy of Lord Krishna is stronger than anything else. Therefore the Lord has delivered you from the ditch of materialistic life, which is like a hole into which people pass stool.”

Purport: According to the law of karma, everyone is destined to suffer or enjoy according to a certain material standard, but the mercy of Lord Krishna is so powerful that the Lord can change all the reactions of one’s past karma, or fruitive activities. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu specifically drew attention to the mercy of Lord Krishna. That mercy is more powerful than anything else, for it had saved Raghunatha dasa from the strong bondage of materialistic life, which the Lord compared to a hole where people pass stool. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave His verdict that those addicted to the materialistic way of life are like worms that are living in stool but cannot give it up. A grha-vrata, one who has decided to live in a comfortable home although it is actually miserable, is in a condemned position. Only the mercy of Krishna can save one from such misery. Without Krishna’s mercy, one cannot get out of the filthy entanglement of materialistic life. The poor living entity cannot give up his materialistic position on his own; only when granted the special mercy of Krishna can he give it up. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew very well that Raghunatha dasa was already liberated. Nevertheless He emphasized that Raghunatha dasa’s life of material comfort as a very rich man’s son with a very beautiful wife and many servants to attend him was like a ditch of stool. The Lord thus specifically indicated that ordinary men who are very happy with material comforts and family life are in no better position than worms in stool.

Raghunatha dasa answered within his mind, “I do not know who Krishna is. I simply know that Your mercy, O my Lord, has saved me from my family life.”

The Lord continued, “Your father and his elder brother are both related as brothers to My grandfather, Nilambara Cakravarti. Therefore I consider them My grandfathers. Since your father and his elder brother are younger brothers of Nilambara Cakravarti, I may joke about them in this way. My dear Raghunatha dasa, your father and his elder brother are just like worms in stool in the ditch of material enjoyment, for the great disease of the poison of material enjoyment is what they consider happiness. Although your father and uncle are charitable to brahmanas and greatly help them, they are nevertheless not pure Vaisnavas. However, they are almost like Vaisnavas. Those who are attached to materialistic life and are blind to spiritual life must act in such a way that they are bound to repeated birth and death by the actions and reactions of their activities. By His own free will, Lord Krishna has delivered you from such a condemned materialistic life. Therefore the glories of Lord Krishna’s causeless mercy cannot be expressed.”

Purport: Nilambara Cakravarti, the grandfather of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was very intimately related to Raghunatha dasa’s father and uncle. Nilambara Cakravarti used to call them his younger brothers because both of them were very much devoted to the brahmanas and were very respectable gentlemen. Similarly, they used to call him Dada Cakravarti, addressing him as an elder brother brahmana. Raghunatha dasa, however, was almost the same age as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Generally a grandchild may joke about his grandfather. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took advantage of the relationship between His grandfather and Raghunatha dasa’s father and uncle to speak in a joking way.

When a man is attached to material enjoyment, he is attached to many miserable conditions, but nevertheless he accepts his condemned position as one of happiness. Sense enjoyment is so strong for such a person that he cannot give it up, exactly as a worm in stool cannot give up the stool. From the spiritual point of view, when a person is too absorbed in material enjoyment, he is exactly like a worm in stool. Although such a position is utterly miserable to the eyes of liberated souls, the materialistic enjoyer is greatly attached to it.

As stated by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, some people, usually very rich men, dress like Vaisnavas and give charity to brahmanas. They are also attached to Deity worship, but because of their attachment to material enjoyment, they cannot be pure Vaisnavas. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jñana-karmady-anavrtam. The pure Vaisnava has no desire for material enjoyment. That is the basic qualification of a pure Vaisnava. There are men, especially rich men, who regularly worship the Deity, give charity to brahmanas and are pious in every respect, but they cannot be pure Vaisnavas. Despite their outward show of Vaisnavism and charity, their inner desire is to enjoy a higher standard of material life. Raghunatha dasa’s father, Govardhana, and uncle, Hiranya dasa, were both very charitable to brahmanas. Indeed, the brahmanas from the Gaudiya district were practically dependent upon them. Thus they were accepted as very pious gentlemen. However, they presented themselves as Vaisnavas to the eyes of people in general, although from a purely spiritual point of view they were ordinary human beings, not pure Vaisnavas. Actual Vaisnavas considered them almost Vaisnavas, not pure Vaisnavas. In other words, they were kanistha-adhikaris, for they were ignorant of higher Vaisnava regulative principles. Nevertheless, they could not be called visayis, or blind materialistic enjoyers.

As clearly stated in the Bhagavad-Gita (3.9), yajñarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah: if one does not act as a pure devotee, whatever acts he performs will produce reactions of fruitive bondage (karma-bandhanah). Similarly, in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.4) it is said: “A materialistic person, madly engaged in activities for sense enjoyment, does not know that he is entangling himself in repeated birth and death and that his body, although temporary, is full of miseries.” A visayi, a person blindly caught in a web of materialistic life, remains in the cycle of birth and death perpetually. Such a person cannot understand how to execute pure devotional service, and therefore he acts as a karmi, jñani, yogi or something else, according to his desire, but he does not know that the activities of karma, jñana and yoga simply bind one to the cycle of birth and death.

In the Brahma-samhita (5.54) it is said, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam. Lord Krishna is so merciful that He can stop the reactions of karma for His devotee. Everyone - from the small insect called indra-gopa up to Indra, the King of heaven - is bound by the reactions of fruitive activities. Everyone, whether an insect or the King of heaven, is entangled and bound by the actions and reactions of his karma. However, when one becomes a pure devotee, free from material desires and from bondage to karma, jñana and yoga, one is freed from material actions and reactions by the causeless mercy of Krishna. One cannot express sufficient gratitude to Krishna for being freed from the materialistic way of life.

Seeing Raghunatha dasa skinny and dirty because of having traveled for twelve days and fasted, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His heart melting due to causeless mercy, spoke to Svarupa Damodara. “My dear Svarupa,” He said, “I entrust this Raghunatha dasa to you. Please accept him as your son or servant. There are now three Raghunathas among My associates. From this day forward, this Raghunatha should be known as the Raghu of Svarupa Damodara.” Saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu grasped the hand of Raghunatha dasa and entrusted him to the hands of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Svarupa Damodara Gosvami accepted Raghunatha dasa, saying, “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whatever You order is accepted.” He then embraced Raghunatha dasa again.

I cannot properly express the affection of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for His devotees. Being merciful toward Raghunatha dasa, the Lord spoke as follows to Govinda. “On the way, Raghunatha dasa has fasted and undergone hardships for many days. Therefore, take good care of him for some days so that he may eat to his satisfaction.” Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa, “Go bathe in the sea. Then see Lord Jagannatha in the temple and return here to take your meal.” After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu got up and went to perform His midday duties, and Raghunatha met all the devotees present. Having seen the causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu upon Raghunatha dasa, all the devotees, struck with wonder, praised his good fortune. Raghunatha dasa took his bath in the sea and saw Lord Jagannatha. Then he returned to Govinda, the personal servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Govinda offered him a plate with the remnants of food left by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Raghunatha dasa accepted the prasadam with great happiness.

Raghunatha dasa stayed under the care of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, and Govinda supplied him remnants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s food for five days. Beginning from the sixth day, Raghunatha dasa would stand at the gate known as Simha-dvara to beg alms after the puspa-anjali ceremony, in which flowers were offered to the Lord. After finishing their prescribed duties, the many servants of Lord Jagannatha, who are known as visayis, return home at night. If they see a Vaisnava standing at the Simha-dvara begging alms, out of mercy they arrange with the shopkeepers to give him something to eat. Thus it is a custom for all time that a devotee who has no other means of support stands at the Simha-dvara gate to receive alms from the servants. A completely dependent Vaisnava thus chants the holy name of the Lord all day and sees Lord Jagannatha with full freedom. It is a custom for some Vaisnavas to beg from the charity booths and eat whatever they obtain, whereas others stand at night at the Simha-dvara gate, begging alms from the servants. Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.

Purport: Anyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behavior of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not at all attached to any kind of material enjoyment. They have completely given up sense enjoyment to engage fully in the service of Lord Sri Krishna and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Krishna without material desires. Because their devotional service is free from material desires, it is unimpeded by material circumstances. Although ordinary men have great difficulty understanding this attitude of the devotees, it is greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Lord Caitanya Instructs Raghunatha dasa

Govinda said to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Raghunatha dasa no longer takes prasadam here. Now he stands at the Simha-dvara, where he begs some alms to eat.” When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this, He was greatly satisfied. “Raghunatha dasa has done well,” He said. “He has acted suitably for a person in the renounced order. A person in the renounced order should always chant the holy name of the Lord. He should beg some alms to eat, and he should sustain his life in this way. A vairagi [a person in the renounced order] should not depend on others. If he does so, he will be unsuccessful, and he will be neglected by Krishna. If a renunciant is eager for his tongue to taste different foods, his spiritual life will be lost, and he will be subservient to the tastes of his tongue. The duty of a person in the renounced order is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra always. He should satisfy his belly with whatever vegetables, leaves, fruits and roots are available. One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Krishna.”

Purport: As stated in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa at the end of the twentieth vilasa (366, 379, 382): A well-to-do householder Vaisnava cannot live like a person in the renounced order who completely takes shelter of the holy name. Such a householder should chant the holy name of Krishna in the morning, at midday and in the evening. Then he will be able to cross beyond nescience. Pure devotees in the renounced order, however, who fully surrender to the lotus feet of Krishna, should chant the holy name of the Lord with great love and faith, always thinking of Krishna’s lotus feet. They should have no occupation other than chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Srila Jiva Gosvami says:

yady api sri-bhagavata-mate pañca-ratradi-vad-arcana-margasyavasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapatty-adinam ekatarenapi purusartha-siddher abhihitatvat.

“It is Srimad-Bhagavatam’s opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pañcaratra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhagavatam enjoins that even without practicing Deity worship one can achieve the complete success of human life by any of the other devotional processes, such as simply offering oneself at the Lord’s feet for His protection.”

The next day, Raghunatha dasa inquired at the lotus feet of Svarupa Damodara about his duty. “I do not know why I have given up household life,” he said. “What is my duty? Kindly give me instructions.” Raghunatha dasa never even spoke a word before the Lord. Instead, he informed the Lord of his desires through Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Govinda. Raghunatha dasa never even spoke a word before the Lord. Instead, he informed the Lord of his desires through Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Govinda. The next day, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami submitted to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Raghunatha dasa has this to say at Your lotus feet. “ ‘I do not know my duty or the goal of my life. Therefore, please personally give me instructions from Your transcendental mouth.’ ” Smiling, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa, “I have already appointed Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as your instructor. You may learn from him what your duty is and how to discharge it. I do not know as much as he. Nevertheless, if you want to take instructions from Me with faith and love, you may ascertain your duties from the following words. Do not talk like people in general or hear what they say. You should not eat very palatable food, nor should you dress very nicely. Do not expect honor, but offer all respect to others. Always chant the holy name of Lord Krishna, and within your mind render service to Radha and Krishna in Vrindavana. I have briefly given you My instructions. Now you will get all details about them from Svarupa Damodara. One who thinks himself lower than grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

Purport: Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya that when a man and woman are married, they beget children and are thus entangled in family life. Talk concerning such family life is called gramya-katha. A person in the renounced order never indulges in either hearing or talking about such subjects. He should not eat palatable dishes, since that is unfit for a person in the renounced order. He should show all respect to others, but should not expect respect for himself. In this way, one should chant the holy name of the Lord and think of how to serve Radha and Krishna in Vrindavana.

Having heard this, Raghunatha dasa offered prayers at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord, out of great mercy, embraced him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu again entrusted him to Svarupa Damodara. Thus Raghunatha dasa rendered very confidential service with Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. At this time, all the devotees from Bengal arrived, and, as previously, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met them with great feeling. At this time, all the devotees from Bengal arrived, and, as previously, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met them with great feeling. As He had previously done, He cleansed the Gundica temple and held a picnic feast in the garden with the devotees. The Lord again danced with the devotees during the Ratha-yatra festival. Seeing this, Raghunatha dasa was struck with wonder.

Renunciation of Raghunatha dasa

When Raghunatha dasa met all the devotees, Advaita Acarya showed him great mercy. He also met Sivananda Sena, who informed him, “Your father sent ten men to take you away. He wrote me a letter asking me to send you back, but when those ten men received no information about you, they returned home from Jhankara.” When all the devotees from Bengal returned home after staying at Jagannatha Puri for four months, Raghunatha dasa’s father heard about their arrival and therefore sent a man to Sivananda Sena. That man inquired from Sivananda Sena, “Did you see anyone in the renounced order at the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu? That person is Raghunatha dasa, the son of Govardhana Majumadara. Did you meet him in Nilacala?”

Sivananda Sena replied, “Yes, sir. Raghunatha dasa is with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and is a very famous man. Who does not know him? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has placed him under the charge of Svarupa Damodara. Raghunatha dasa has become just like the life of all the Lord’s devotees. He chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra all day and night. He never gives up the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, not even for a moment. He is in the supreme order of renounced life. Indeed, he does not care about eating or dressing. Somehow or other he eats and maintains his life. After ten dandas [four hours] of the night have passed and Raghunatha dasa has seen the performance of puspañjali, he stands at the Simha-dvara gate to beg some alms to eat. He eats if someone gives him something to eat. Sometimes he fasts, and sometimes he chews fried grains.”

After hearing this, the messenger returned to Govardhana Majumadara and informed him all about Raghunatha dasa. Hearing the description of Raghunatha dasa’s behavior in the renounced order, his father and mother were very unhappy. Therefore they decided to send Raghunatha some men with goods for his comfort. Raghunatha dasa’s father immediately sent four hundred coins, two servants and one brahmana to Sivananda Sena. Sivananda Sena informed them, “You cannot go to Jagannatha Puri directly. When I go there, you may accompany me. w go home. When all of us go, I shall take all of you with me.”

Describing this incident, the great poet Sri Kavi-karnapura has written extensively about the glorious activities of Raghunatha dasa in his Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka. “Raghunatha dasa is a disciple of Yadunandana Acarya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vasudeva Datta, a resident of Kancanapalli. Because of Raghunatha dasa’s transcendental qualities, he is always more dear than life for all of us devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Since he has been favored by the abundant mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he is always pleasing. Vividly providing a superior example for the renounced order, this very dear follower of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami is the ocean of renunciation. Who among the residents of Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri] does not know him very well? Because he is very pleasing to all the devotees, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami easily became like the fertile earth of good fortune in which it was suitable for the seed of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be sown. At the same time that the seed was sown, it grew into a matchless tree of the love of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and produced fruit.” In these verses, the great poet Kavi-karnapura gives the same information that Sivananda Sena conveyed to the messenger from Raghunatha dasa’s father.

The next year, when Sivananda Sena was going to Jagannatha Puri as usual, the servants and the brahmana, who was a cook, went with him. The servants and brahmana brought four hundred coins to Jagannatha Puri, and there they met Raghunatha dasa. Raghunatha dasa did not accept the money and men sent by his father. Therefore the brahmana and one of the servants stayed there with the money. At that time, Raghunatha dasa began inviting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to his house with great attention for two days every month. The cost for these two occasions was 640 kaudis. Therefore he would take that much from the servant and the brahmana. Raghunatha dasa continued to invite Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this way for two years, but at the end of the second year he stopped.

When Raghunatha dasa neglected to invite Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for two consecutive months, the Lord, the son of Saci, questioned Svarupa Damodara. The Lord asked, “Why has Raghunatha dasa stopped inviting Me?” Svarupa Damodara replied, “He must have reconsidered something in his mind.  ‘I invite Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by accepting goods from materialistic people. I know that the Lord’s mind is not satisfied by this. 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. At my request Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepts the invitations because He knows that a foolish person like me would be unhappy if He did not accept them.’ Considering all these points,” Svarupa Damodara concluded, “he has stopped inviting You.”

Purport: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks that people who are under the bodily conception of life are called materialists. If we accept the offerings of such people, place them before the Lord and invite Vaisnavas to partake of the prasadam, that attempt will gain us only a material reputation, not the actual benefit of service to a pure Vaisnava. One should therefore try to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead by fully surrendering at His lotus feet. If one engages for the service of the Lord whatever money one has honestly earned, that is spiritual service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that people who are advanced in learning but attached to material enjoyment, who are puffed up by material possessions, by birth in an elevated aristocratic family or by education, may offer showbottle devotional service to the Deity and also offer prasadam to Vaisnavas. Because of their ignorance, however, they cannot understand that since their minds are materially polluted, neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, nor the Vaisnavas accept their offerings. If one accepts money from such materialistic persons to offer food to the Deity and Vaisnavas, a pure Vaisnava does not accept it. This causes unhappiness for the materialists because they are fully absorbed in the bodily conception of life. Therefore they sometimes turn against the Vaisnavas.

Hearing this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled and spoke as follows. “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. When one accepts an invitation from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person who offers the food and the person who accepts it are both mentally contaminated. Because of Raghunatha dasa’s eagerness, I accepted his invitation for many days. It is very good that Raghunatha dasa, knowing this, has now automatically given up this practice.”

Purport: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyas, or so-called Vaisnavas who take everything very casually, are both visayis, or materialists. Eating food offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man. There are six kinds of association - giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating with both the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaisnavas, and the non-Vaisnavas, or avaisnavas. Their association changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Krishna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krishna.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are three varieties of invitations - those in the mode of goodness, those in passion and those in ignorance. An invitation accepted from a pure devotee is in the mode of goodness, an invitation accepted from a person who is pious but materially attached is in the mode of passion, and an invitation accepted from a person who is materially very sinful is in the mode of ignorance.

After some days, Raghunatha dasa gave up standing near the Simha-dvara gate and instead began eating by begging alms from a booth for free distribution of food. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this news from Govinda, He inquired from Svarupa Damodara, “Why does Raghunatha dasa no longer stand at the Simha-dvara gate to beg alms?” Svarupa Damodara replied, “Raghunatha dasa felt unhappy standing at the Simha-dvara. Therefore he is now going at midday to beg alms from the charity booth.” Hearing this news, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “He has done very well by no longer standing at the Simha-dvara gate. Such begging of alms resembles the behavior of a prostitute. ‘Here is a person coming near. He will give me something. This person gave me something last night. Now another person is coming near. He may give me something. The person who just passed did not give me anything, but another person will come, and he will give me something.’ Thus a person in the renounced order gives up his neutrality and depends on the charity of this person or that. Thinking in this way, he adopts the occupation of a prostitute. If one goes to the booth where free food is distributed and fills his belly with whatever he obtains, there is no chance of further unwanted talk, and one can very peacefully chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.”

Gift of Govardhana sila and Gunjamala

After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu again bestowed His mercy upon Raghunatha dasa by giving him a stone from Govardhana Hill and a garland of small conchshells. Previously, when Sankarananda Sarasvati had returned from Vrindavana, he had brought the stone from Govardhana Hill and also the garland of conchshells. He presented Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with these two items - the garland of conchshells and the stone from Govardhana Hill. Upon receiving these two uncommon items, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was extremely happy. While chanting, He would put the garland around His neck. The Lord would put the stone to His heart or sometimes to His eyes. Sometimes He would smell it with His nose and sometimes place it on His head. The stone from Govardhana was always moist with tears from His eyes. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would say, “This stone is directly the body of Lord Krishna.” For three years He kept the stone and garland. Then, greatly satisfied by the behavior of Raghunatha dasa, the Lord delivered both of them to him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunatha dasa, “This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Krishna. Worship the stone with great eagerness.”

Purport: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya that in the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the govardhana-sila, the stone from Govardhana Hill, was directly the form of Krishna, the son of Maharaja Nanda. The Lord used the stone for three years, and then in the heart of Raghunatha dasa the Lord awakened devotional service to the stone. The Lord then gave the stone to Raghunatha dasa, accepting him as one of His most confidential servants. However, some envious people conclude that because Raghunatha dasa had not taken birth in the family of a brahmana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not give him the right to worship the Deity directly but instead gave him a stone from Govardhana. This kind of thought is naraki, or hellish. As stated in the Padma Purana, arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih . . . yasya va naraki sah. If one thinks that the worshipable salagrama-sila is a mere stone, that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being or that a pure Vaisnava preaching the bhakti cult all over the world is a member of a particular caste or material division of society, he is considered a naraki, a candidate for hellish life. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed that the govardhana-sila, the stone taken from Govardhana, is nondifferent from the body of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He indirectly advised such foolish persons that one should not be envious of a Vaisnava who belongs to a different caste or sect. One should accept a Vaisnava as transcendental. In this way one can be saved; otherwise, one is surely awaiting a hellish life.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, “Worship this stone in the mode of goodness like a perfect brahmana, for by such worship you will surely attain ecstatic love of Krishna without delay. For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasi tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity. With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasi flowers, each with two tulasi leaves, one on each side of each flower.” After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered Raghunatha dasa the govardhana-sila with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunatha dasa worshiped the sila in great transcendental jubilation. Svarupa Damodara gave Raghunatha dasa two cloths, each about six inches long, a wooden platform and a jug in which to keep water.

Thus Raghunatha dasa began worshiping the stone from Govardhana, and as he worshiped he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, directly in the stone. Thinking of how he had received the govardhana-sila directly from the hands of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Raghunatha dasa was always overflooded with ecstatic love. The amount of transcendental bliss that Raghunatha dasa enjoyed simply by offering water and tulasi is impossible to achieve even if one worships the Deity with sixteen kinds of paraphernalia. After Raghunatha dasa had thus worshiped the govardhana-sila for some time, Svarupa Damodara one day spoke to him as follows. “Offer the Govardhana stone eight kaudis worth of the first-class sweetmeats known as khaja and sandesa. If you offer them with faith and love, they will be just like nectar.” Raghunatha dasa then began offering the costly sweetmeats known as khaja, which Govinda, following the order of Svarupa Damodara, would supply.

When Raghunatha dasa received from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the stone and the garland of conchshells, he could understand the Lord’s intention. Thus he thought as follows. “By offering me the govardhana-sila, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has offered me a place near Govardhana Hill, and by offering me the garland of conchshells, He has offered me shelter at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.” Raghunatha dasa’s transcendental bliss was boundless. Forgetting everything external, he served the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his body and mind.

Who could list the unlimited transcendental attributes of Raghunatha dasa? His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines on a stone. Raghunatha dasa spent more than 22 hours out of every 24 chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord. He ate and slept for less than an hour and a half, and on some days that also was impossible. Topics concerning his renunciation are wonderful. Throughout his life he never allowed his tongue sense gratification. He never touched anything to wear except a small torn cloth and a patchwork wrapper. Thus he very rigidly executed the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whatever he ate was only to keep his body and soul together, and when he ate he would reproach himself thus.

Purport: The principle of very rigidly carrying out the order of the spiritual master must be observed. The spiritual master gives different orders to different people. For example, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Jiva Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami to preach, and He ordered Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to strictly follow the rules and regulations of the renounced order. All six Gosvamis strictly followed the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the principle for progress in devotional service. After receiving an order from the spiritual master, one must strictly try to execute the order. That is the way of success.

“‘If one’s heart has been cleansed by perfect knowledge and one has understood Krishna, the Supreme Brahman, he then gains everything. Why should such a person act like a debauchee by trying to maintain his material body very carefully?’” Lord Jagannatha’s prasadam is sold by shopkeepers, and that which is not sold decomposes after two or three days. All the decomposed food is thrown before the cows from Tailanga at the Simha-dvara gate. Because of its rotten odor, even the cows cannot eat it. At night Raghunatha dasa would collect that decomposed rice, bring it home and wash it with ample water. Then he ate the hard inner portion of the rice with salt.

One day Svarupa Damodara saw the activities of Raghunatha dasa. Thus he smiled and asked for a small portion of that food and ate it. Svarupa Damodara said, “You eat such nectar every day, but you never offer it to us. What is your character?” When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard news of this from the mouth of Govinda, He went there the next day and spoke as follows. “What nice things are you eating? Why don’t you give anything to Me?” Saying this, He forcibly took a morsel and began to eat.” When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was taking another morsel of food, Svarupa Damodara caught Him by the hand and said, “It is not fit for You.” Thus he forcibly took the food away. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Of course, every day I eat varieties of prasadam, but I have never tasted such nice prasadam as that which Raghunatha is eating.” Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed many pastimes at Jagannatha Puri. Seeing the severe penances performed by Raghunatha dasa in the renounced order, the Lord was greatly satisfied.

In his poem known as the Gauranga-stava-kalpavrksa, Raghunatha dasa has described his personal deliverance. “Although I am a fallen soul, the lowest of men, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered me from the blazing forest fire of great material opulence by His mercy. He handed me over in great pleasure to Svarupa Damodara, His personal associate. The Lord also gave me the garland of small conchshells that He wore on His chest and a stone from Govardhana Hill, although they were very dear to Him. That same Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu awakens within my heart and makes me mad after Him.” Thus I [Krishna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami] have described the meeting of Raghunatha dasa with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Anyone who hears about this incident attains the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in Vrindavana

In this way, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami lived in Jagannatha Puri as personal associate of Lord Caitanya for 16 years. How he lived, no one can possibly imitate. He was the life and soul of all the Vaishnavas. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu disappeared from this world, soon afterwards Swarup Damodar Gosvami also followed Him. In the pangs of separation from the Lord and Swarup Damodar Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami felt no reason to live. He decided to go to the holy land of Vrindavana and commit suicide by jumping from the highest peak of Govardhana Hill. With this determination in his heart, he walked to Vrindavana.

In Vrindavana, Raghunatha dasa met Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Upon seeing them, he felt a revival, in his heart and mentioned, “I was dying. I was withering up in separation from Lord Caitanya and Swarup Damodar Gosvami, but now I see that in the form of Rupa and Sanatana, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is present. He is living in this world. The same mercy, the same teachings, the same spirit of compassion of Lord Caitanya is residing always in the lives of Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis.” When Rupa and Sanatana heard Raghunatha dasa

Gosvamis desire to commit suicide, they said, “No, you cannot commit suicide. You become one of our brothers. You become our third brother and live with us here in Vrindavana, and always tell us the glorious pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Residence at Radhakunda

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was given residence on the banks of the holiest of all holy places, Sri Radhakunda. There he was constantly immersed in the ecstasy of love and devotion to Lord Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. All the Vrajavasis worshiped and loved Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. He was the very embodiment of complete dedication in the spirit of vairagya.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami would bow down to the Supreme Personality of Godhead a minimum of one thousand times every day. It is said that he would chant the holy names of the Lord a minimum of a hundred thousand times every day, and sometimes even two hundred thousand times a day. He would bow down to Vaishnavas a minimum of two thousand times every day. He was constantly chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. Twenty-two hours a day he would be immersed in kirtan and meditation on the Lord. Three hours every day he would narrate the beautiful pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as he had witnessed directly or heard from his beloved Swarup Damodar Gosvami.

One of the devotees who would daily attend the three-hour class of Raghunatha dasa Gosvamis narration of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes and teachings was Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraj Gosvami. It was on the basis of what he heard from Raghunatha dasa Gosvami that he was empowered to write the most important of all scriptures for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta - the most venerable of all of our literatures and the postgraduate study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. After each chapter Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami surrenders his life by taking the dust from the feet of Sri Rupa Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, giving all mercy and credit to them for the literature that he had composed. The kind of life exhibited by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami at Radhakunda is the very pinnacle of what all renunciates must strive to follow; he would just sit and chant all day long.

Accepting a Bhajan Kutir

This story is described in Bhakti Ratnakar by Narahari Chakravarty. One day Sanatana Gosvami went to Radhakunda to meet Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Raghunatha dasa was so immersed in his bhajan that he was oblivious to the external circumstances of the world. While he was performing his bhajan, a tiger came to drink water from Radhakunda and Shyamakunda. As the tiger was drinking water from Shyamakunda, Lord Krishna appeared with a stick in His hand to protect Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami happened to see that incident. When the tiger went away, Krishna also left. Sanatana Gosvami came to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and said, “Raghunatha dasa, we are supposed to be rendering service to Radha and Krishna. The purpose of our bhajan is to give seva or pleasure to Radha and Krishna. We should not expect Radha and Krishna to serve us. Your bhajan is causing Krishna to come and serve you like a chowkidar (guard), and protect you with a stick.”

The next time Sanatana Gosvami came, it was summer and the sun was very hot overhead. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was immersed in the chanting of the holy names in meditation on the lila of Radha and Krishna. Sanatana Gosvami saw Srimati Radharani appear and with the veil of Her sari She was shading Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s head. When the sun went down, Srimati Radharani left. Sanatana Gosvami came and told Raghunatha dasa, “This is too much; now Sri Radharani is standing for hours at a time shading your head. You are in the nice cool shade of Her sari and She is under the sun perspiring. What type of bhajan is this? Because of the nature of your bhajan, They are coming from Their own lila just to protect you, to serve you. This is not the spirit of Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s teachings. You should build a bhajan kutir.”

So Sanatana Gosvami had a bhajan kutir built for Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. To this day on the banks of Sri Radhakunda, we worship Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in this holy place. That was the beginning of the bhajan kutir system in Vrindavana. There he could completely immerse himself in giving pleasure and service to Radha and Krishna through his bhajan without Their having to come and serve him.

Discovery of Tongue of Govardhana

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s following of the regulative principles were like lines on a stone. Under no circumstances could they ever be erased or changed. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami saw Sri Radhakunda to be the sacred bathing place of Srimati Radharani, the favorite place for Radha Shyamasundar to perform Their most intimate confidential pastimes. He saw that the water of Sri Radhakunda was filled with none other than the ambrosial nectar of Sri Radharani’s love for Shyamasundar. Therefore, he would never wash any kind of utensils or anything like that in Radhakunda. He would take a bath in Sri Radhakunda three times every day He saw that sometimes people were washing utensils and everything like that, and felt very bad. He decided that there should be mother source of water for this purpose, so his followers began to dig a well. As they were digging they hit a piece of stone, and that stone began to bleed profusely. When this information was given to Raghunatha dasa, he told them, “Stop this well-digging.”

That night as Raghunatha dasa was resting on the banks of Sri Radhakunda, Krishna appeared to him in a dream and said, “Govardhana hill is My body and each of the limbs of My body are various parts of Govardhana Hill. That stone which began to bleed when cut is the tongue of Govardhana. Now take that stone out, install it, and make a small temple for My devotees to worship.” Raghunatha dasa Gosvami personally arranged for that stone to be taken out of the ground and installed it in a little temple. Today, the “Tongue of Govardhana” is still worshipped by so many fortunate Vaishnavas who visit Sri Radhakunda.

Renovating Radhakunda and Shyamakunda

In the Padma Purana and in other great scriptures it is described that Radhakunda is the pinnacle, the ultimate culmination, of all holy places. But no one in Vrindavana knew where Radhakunda and Shyamakunda were. But when Lord Caitanya, who is Sri Krishna and Sri Radharani in one form, was doing His Govardhana parikrama, He saw two tiny little ponds of water in a paddy field and understood that they were the sacred Radhakunda and Shyamakunda.

So then Raghunatha dasa Gosvami thought of excavating and renovating them, but in his mind he also thought, ‘Why should I go and try to collect money and get involved in all these types of activities? Lord Caitanya would like me to do bhajan.” But Lord Caitanya is in the heart of His devotee. He understood Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s desire to perform this service.

A very wealthy man went on a pilgrimage in the Himalayas, to the holy Badrikashrarn. He brought lots of money with him, as he wanted to renovate and build the temple of Badrinath. But then he had a dream where Badrivishal, Lord Narayan, appeared to him and said, “Go to Vrindavana. There you will find Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Give him all your money and help him to renovate Shyamakunda and Radhakunda.”

So this wealthy man went to Vrindavana and told Raghunatha dasa Gosvami the story and the message of Lord Badrivishal. Raghunatha dasa was very happy. So they excavated and renovated Sri Radhakunda. As they were excavating Sri Shyamakunda, Maharaja Yudisthira appeared to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in a dream and told him, ‘My four brothers and I are living in the form of trees on the banks of Shyamakunda always meditating on the

wonderful pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Please do not cut us down and disturb our meditation.” Therefore, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami engineered the excavation of that area while giving due respect to the five Pandavas. Thus, Shyamakunda is not a square like Radhakunda but irregularly shaped in various places.

Apparent Overeating

Srila Prabhupada told us that Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was so austere that he would just have a little buttermilk every day sometimes every few days. Even while honouring that little buttermilk, he would feel ashamed of himself and think, “If one has love and devotion, to Lord Krishna, that love is so satisfying that one should not be concerned with maintaining this physical body.” He considered himself a supreme enjoyer when he would have a little bit of butter or buttermilk every few days. As a result, he became very skinny and thin. He would just wear torn discarded clothes that were thrown on the street as garbage. His dress was just a kaupin, a small chaddar, and in the winter, perhaps a patched, torn quilt. This was the standard of his renunciation.

One day Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had terrible pains in his stomach from indigestion. Devotees brought a Kaviraj, an Ayurvedic doctor. The doctor examined Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and told the devotees, “He has over-eaten sweet rice-milk, rice, and sugar cooked together.” The devotees were outraged, “What is this nonsense? How can Raghunatha dasa Gosvami overeat? Moreover, he never eats sweet rice.” They thought the doctor was in illusion or he was blasphemous.

Actually, Raghunatha dasa revealed, that in his internal transcendental loving meditation on Radha and Krishna, Srimati Radharani gave, him Her own remnants of sweet rice, and in his transcendental meditation he ate it. That is what gave him the indigestion. So, he was given some real medicine for indigestion md then he recovered.

Lalita Madhava and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Srila Rupa Gosvami had just written the first draft of Lalita Madhava. Lalita Madhava describes the intense separation between Radharani and Krishna, and especially the separation of the gopis from Krishna. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who was living at Sri Radhakunda, received the manuscript of Lalita Madhava. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is the prayojana acarya - teaching by his writings and his example the highest principles of love in separation as an associate of Radharani. When he read Lalita Madhava, he was so engrossed in the feelings of separation that Srila Rupa Gosvami had so beautifully described that he went mad. There were tears pouring out of his eyes, and he just held the Lalita Madhava to his heart, and was just crying and crying. He could not even communicate with anyone.

The devotees informed Rupa Gosvami of what had happened to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. So Srila Rupa Gosvami quickly wrote another book called the Danakeli Kaumudi, which describes the ecstatic meeting of Radha and Krishna. He went directly to Sri Radhakunda and said to Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, “I want you to read this nice book I have written. And as far as that Lalita Madhava goes, some corrections are necessary, so give it back to me.” Raghunatha dasa Gosvami read Danakeli Kaumudi, describing the beautiful reunion, or sambhoga, of Radha and Krishna, and his heart became completely pacified and all his anxieties disappeared. He became filled with joy.

Meeting with Srimati Jahnava Devi

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami remained at Radhakunda and lived a very long life. When Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami left this planet, Sri Jiva Gosvami was made the prominent leader of the Vaishnavas. Jiva Gosvami would always be happy to go to Radhakunda to worship Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. When Srinivas Acharya, Narottama dasa Thakur and Shyamananda Gosvami came to Vrindavana, they would often go to Radhakunda, just to surrender their lives in great humility and devotion before Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. He would embrace them with great love and literally bathe them with the tears of his affection. He was the embodiment of mercy.

One day Jahnava Devi, the eternal consort of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, came with Her entourage to Vrindavana. She went to visit Sri Jiva Gosvami and other Vaishnavas. They told Her about the pitiable condition of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami-what type of love and separation he was suffering ecstatically He was not even eating or sleeping. He was just crying in the ecstasy of love for Sri Radha and Krishna, weeping in separation from Rupa, Sanatana, Swarup Damodar and Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Jahnava Devi travelled to Radhakunda just for the purpose of meeting Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. It is explained that even though Jahnava Devi saw the beautiful Radhakunda and Shyamakunda-the ultimate holy places worshipped by all Gaudiya Vaishnavas-still She found even more happiness in getting the darshan of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who was just weeping and crying in great separation while chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rania Hare Hare ||

Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraj Gosvami came to Raghunatha dasa and said, “Jahnava Devi has come.” When Raghunatha dasa heard that Jahnava Devi has come all the way from Kardaha in Bengal, he became very ecstatic. He got up and as quickly as he possibly could, he began to approach Jahnava Devi. When She saw him She began to weep in ecstatic love and so did he as he saw Her. This pure transcendental exchange was something wonderful. Raghunatha dasa fell at the feet of Jahnava Devi and worshipped Her. Then Jahnava Devi tried to somehow pacify him and give him happiness from his feelings of separation.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami - the Prayojana Acarya

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wrote a beautiful verse describing the very essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava Siddhanta-to be the, servant of the servant of the servant of Srimati Radharani, the dear most beloved of Lord Krishna. In this verse, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is praying to Srimati Radharani in separation, begging Her to award him the ultimate benediction of Her service. He is praying, Through all my life I have waited for Your mercy and I am growing impatient, old, and tired. Srimati Radharani, I cannot wait any longer without Your love and Your mercy. I will give up

my life; I cannot tolerate the separation any more. Without Your mercy, I do not even care to live in Vrindavana. Even Vrindavana has no appeal or charm to me without connection to Your loving service. I do not even care for Krishna, the all-attractive Supreme Lord. I have no desire even for Krishna without service to You.”

In this prayer of separation, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami revealed the perfection of Prayojana. Lord Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu has taught that the supreme of all devotees are the gopis, and the ultimate perfection of our life is service in separation to Lord Krishna, which is obtained through the mercy and grace of Srimati Radharani. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami did not want Vrindavana or even Krishna. He just wanted to please the associates of Srimati Radharani, and assist them in their service to Krishna.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami left his body on the banks of Radha Kunda where his samadhi tomb stands. This took place on the Shukla Dvadashi tithi of the month of Ashwina, in the year 1586. He composed many books such as: Stavavali, Danacarita, Muktacarita, etc. He also composed many padas. Kavi Karnapura has written in GGD (186) that he was Rasamanjari in Krishna lila.

Directions to Panihati:

Panihati is a suburb in Kolkata and a Municipal Corporation, is about 1 hour drive from Kolkata airport. Ask for “Panihati boat ghat”, Sodepur. Just besides Panihati boat ghat is the exact spot where this transcendental pastime of “Dadhi-Cida Festival” manifested. ISKCON Panihati temple is 200 meters from the exact spot. Devotees at the temple will be happy to take you to Sri Raghava Pandita house, which is 10 min walk. For more details please visit: www.iskconpanihati.com

Holy places to visit near Panihati:

1. Danda Mahotsava Tala (Chida-Dahi festival site)

2. Raghava Bhawan (Birthplace/Samadhi of Srila Raghava Pandita), Radharani’s Kitchen, Raghavera Jhali, handled by Damayanti Devi, Raghava’s sister. Eternal residence of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya once placed His Lotus feet on Srila Gadadhara Dasa’s head here.

3. Makardhwaja Kara’s birth place at Old Harisabha Tala

4. Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundara Mandir, Khardah: Birthplace of Srila Birachandra Prabhu, son of Lord Nityananda and Jahnava Devi.

5. Bhagavatacharya’s house at Varahanagar where Lord Caitanya instructed Srila Raghunath Pandita to relish Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami (1): www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgH-RxJvPo (Hindi) or

http://audio.iskcondesiretree.com/06_-_More/02_-_ISKCON_Juhu_Mumbai/01_-_2014/Hindi/06_-_June/14-06-10_CC_Antya_Lila_06-51_Hindi_-_By_H.H_Gopal_Krishna_Goswami_ISKCON_Juhu.mp3 (Hindi)

Pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami (2): http://radhanathswamiweekly.com/radhanath-swami-glorifies-raghunath-das-goswami/ (lectures)

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami (3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naY58UAV4o4 (lecture)

Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-lila Chapter 6: www.vedabase.com/en/cc/antya/6

ISKCON Panihati: www.iskconpanihati.com / ISKCON Kolkata: www.iskconkolkata.com

Mayapur TV: http://Mayapur.tv   /   Vrindavana TV: http://Vrindavana.tv/

Holy Pilgrimages: www.holy-pilgrimages.com

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami ki jaya!

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Nitai-Gaura-premanande Hari-Haribol!

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE |

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE ||