Srila Prabhupada glorifies Raghunandana Thakura [disappearance day August 4, 2019]

Subject: Srila Prabhupada glorifies Raghunandana Thakura [disappearance day August 4, 2019]
 
Inline image
 
 

Inline image


Inline image
 
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa
 
There are many Vaiṣṇava families in Bengal whose members, although not actually born brāhmaṇas, act as ācāryas by initiating disciples and offering the sacred thread as enjoined in the Vaiṣṇava tantras. For example, in the families of Ṭhākura Raghunandana Ācārya, Ṭhākura Kṛṣṇadāsa, Navanī Hoḍa and Rasikānanda-deva (a disciple of Śyāmānanda Prabhu), the sacred thread ceremony is performed, as it is for the caste Gosvāmīs, and this system has continued for the past three to four hundred years. Accepting disciples born in brāhmaṇa families, they are bona fide spiritual masters who have the facility to worship the śālagrāmaśilā, which is worshiped with the Deity. As of this writing, śālagrāmaśilā worship has not yet been introduced in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but soon it will be introduced in all our temples as an essential function of arcanamārga (Deity worship).  Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/7/45

 

 

 

khaṇḍavāsī mukunda-dāsa, śrī-raghunandana

narahari-dāsa, cirañjīva, sulocana

ei saba mahāśākhā–caitanya-kṛpādhāma

prema-phala-phula kare yāhāṅ tāhāṅ dāna

 

SYNONYMS

 

khaṇḍavāsī mukundadāsa—of the name Mukunda dāsa; śrīraghunandana—of the name Raghunandana; naraharidāsa—of the name Narahari dāsa; cirañjīva—of the name Cirañjīva; sulocana—of the name Sulocana; ei saba—all of them; mahāśākhā—great branches; caitanyakṛpādhāma—of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the reservoir of mercy; prema—love of God; phala—fruit; phula—flower; kare—does; yāhāṅ—anywhere; tāhāṅ—everywhere; dāna—distribution.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Khaṇḍavāsī Mukunda and his son Raghunandana were the thirty-ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Cirañjīva the forty-first and Sulocana the forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-merciful tree of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere.

 

PURPORT

 

Śrī Mukunda dāsa was the son of Nārāyaṇa dāsa and eldest brother of Narahari Sarakāra. His second brother’s name was Mādhava dāsa, and his son was named Raghunandana dāsa. Descendants of Raghunandana dāsa still live four miles west of Katwa in the village named Śrīkhaṇḍa, where Raghunandana dāsa used to live. Raghunandana had one son named Kānāi, who had two sons-Madana Rāya, who was a disciple of Narahari Ṭhākura, and Vaṁśīvadana. It is estimated that at least four hundred men descended in this dynasty. All their names are recorded in the village known as Śrīkhaṇḍa. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 175, it is stated that the gopī whose name was Vṛndādevī became Mukunda dāsa, lived in Śrīkhaṇḍa village and was very dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. His wonderful devotion and love for Kṛṣṇa are described in the Caitanyacaritāmṛta, Madhyalīlā, Chapter Fifteen. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Eighth Wave), that Raghunandana used to serve a Deity of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

 

Narahari dāsa Sarakāra was a very famous devotee. Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, the celebrated author of Śrī Caitanyamaṅgala, was his disciple. In the Caitanyamaṅgala it is stated that Śrī Gadādhara dāsa and Narahari Sarakāra were extremely dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but there is no specific statement regarding the inhabitants of the village of Śrīkhaṇḍa.

Cirañjīva and Sulocana were both residents of Śrīkhaṇḍa, where their descendants are still living. Of Cirañjīva’s two sons, the elder, Rāmacandra Kavirāja, was a disciple of Śrīnivāsācārya and an intimate associate of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. The younger son was Govinda dāsa Kavirāja, the famous Vaiṣṇava poet. Cirañjīva’s wife was Sunandā, and his father-in-law was Dāmodara Sena Kavirāja. Cirañjīva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumāranagara. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 207, states that he was formerly Candrikā in Vṛndāvana.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/78-79

 

 

bhāgavatācārya, cirañjīva śrī-raghunandana

mādhavācārya, kamalākānta, śrī-yadunandana

 

SYNONYMS

 

bhāgavatācārya—of the name Bhāgavatācārya; cirañjīva—of the name Cirañjīva; śrīraghunandana—of the name Śrī Raghunandana; mādhavācārya—of the name Mādhavācārya; kamalākānta—of the name Kamalākānta; śrīyadunandana—of the name Śrī Yadunandana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bhāgavatācārya, Cirañjīva, Śrī Raghunandana, Mādhavācārya, Kamalākānta and Śrī Yadunandana were all among the branches of the Caitanya tree.

 

PURPORT

 

Śrī Mādhavācārya was the husband of Lord Nityānanda’s daughter, Gaṅgādevī. He took initiation from Puruṣottama, a branch of Nityānanda Prabhu. It is said that when Nityānanda Prabhu’s daughter married Mādhavācārya, the Lord gave him the village named Pāṅjinagara as a dowry. Mādhavācārya’s temple is situated near the Jīrāṭ railway station on the eastern railway. According to the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (169) Śrī Mādhavācārya was formerly the gopī named Mādhavī. Kamalākānta belonged to the branch of Śrī Advaita Prabhu. His full name was Kamalākānta Viśvāsa.  Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/10/119

 

 

mukunda, narahari, raghunandana khaṇḍa haite

ācāryera ṭhāñi āilā nīlācala yāite

 

SYNONYMS

 

mukundaMukunda; narahariNarahari; raghunandanaRaghunandana; khaṇḍa haite—from the place known as Khaṇḍa; ācāryera ṭhāñi—to Advaita Ācārya; āilā—came; nīlācala yāite—to go to Nīlācala (Jagannātha Purī).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mukunda, Narahari, Raghunandana and all the others came from Khaṇḍa to Advaita Ācārya’s home to accompany Him to Jagannātha PurīLink to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/10/90

 

 

 

mukunda-dāsa, narahari, śrī-raghunandana

khaṇḍa-vāsī cirañjīva, āra sulocana

 

SYNONYMS

 

mukundadāsaMukunda dāsa; narahariNarahari; śrīraghunandana—Śrī Raghunandana; khaṇḍavāsī—residents of Khaṇḍa; cirañjīvaCirañjīva; āra—and; sulocanaSulocana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Here are Mukunda dāsa, Narahari, Śrī Raghunandana, Cirañjīva and Sulocana, all residents of Khaṇḍa.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/11/92

 

 

khaṇḍera sampradāya kare anyatra kīrtana

narahari nāce tāhāṅ śrī-raghunandana

 

 

SYNONYMS

 

khaṇḍera—of the place named Khaṇḍa; sampradāya—party; kare—performs; anyatra—in a different place; kīrtana—chanting; narahariNarahari; nāce—dances; tāhāṅ—there; śrīraghunandanaRaghunandana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Another party was formed by the people of Khaṇḍa. These people were singing in a different place. In that group, Narahari Prabhu and Raghunandana were dancing. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/13/46

 

 

khaṇḍera mukunda-dāsa, śrī-raghunandana

śrī-narahari,–ei mukhya tina jana

 

SYNONYMS

 

khaṇḍera—of the place known as Khaṇḍa; mukundadāsaMukunda dāsa; śrīraghunandana—Śrī Raghunandana; śrīnarahari—Śrī Narahari; ei—these; mukhya—chief; tina—three; jana—persons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then turned His attention to three persons-Mukunda dāsa, Raghunandana and Śrī Narahari-inhabitants of the place called Khaṇḍa. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/112

 

 

mukunda dāsere puche śacīra nandana

‘tumi–pitā, putra tomāra–śrī-raghunandana?

 

SYNONYMS

 

mukunda dāsere—unto Mukunda dāsa; puche—inquired; śacīra nandana—the son of mother Śacī; tumi—you; pitā—father; putra—son; tomāra—your; śrīraghunandana—Śrī Raghunandana.

 

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, next asked Mukunda dāsa, “You are the father, and your son is Raghunandana. Is that so? Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/113

 

kibā raghunandana–pitā, tumi–tāra tanaya?

niścaya kariyā kaha, yāuka saṁśaya’

 

SYNONYMS

 

kibā—or; raghunandanaRaghunandana; pitā—father; tumi—you; tāra—his; tanaya—son; niścaya kariyā—making certain; kaha—just speak; yāuka saṁśaya—let My doubts be dissipated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Or is Śrīla Raghunandana your father whereas you are his son? Please let Me know the facts so that My doubts will go away.” Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/114

 

 

mukunda kahe,–raghunandana mora ‘pitā’ haya

āmi tāra ‘putra’,–ei āmāra niścaya

SYNONYMS

 

mukunda kaheMukunda dāsa replied; raghunandana—my son Raghunandana; mora—my; pitā—father; haya—is; āmi—I; tāra—his; putra—son; ei—this; āmāra—my; niścaya—decision.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mukunda replied,”Raghunandana is my father, and I am his son. This is my decision. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/115

 

 

 

āmā sabāra kṛṣṇa-bhakti raghunandana haite

ataeva pitā–raghunandana āmāra niścite

 

SYNONYMS

 

āmā sabāra—of all of us; kṛṣṇabhakti—devotion to Kṛṣṇa; raghunandana haite—because of Raghunandana; ataeva—therefore; pitā—father; raghunandanaRaghunandana; āmāra niścite—my decision.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“All of us have attained devotion to Kṛṣṇa due to Raghunandana. Therefore in my mind he is my father.”