Thursday, October 10, 2019 , Mayapura time, West Bengal, Bharata bhum
Srila Prabhupada explains the glories of Sri Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja. – Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance day]
Srila Prabhupada glorifies Raghunatha dasa and Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa
THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION
Evaṁ paramparā–prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. (Bhagavad-gīta, 4.2) This Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is received through this disciplic succession:
1) Kṛṣṇa, 2) Brahmā, 3) Nārada; 4) Vyāsa, 5) Madhva, 6) Padmanābha, 7) Nṛhari, 8) Mādhava, 9) Akṣobhya, 10) Jayatīrtha, 11) Jñānasindhu, 12) Dayānidhi, 13) Vidyānidhi, 14) Rājendra, 15) Jayadharma, 16) Puruṣottama, 17) Brahmaṇyatīrtha, 18) Vyāsatīrtha, 19) Lakṣmīpati, 20) Mādhavendra Purī, 21) Īśvara Purī, (Nityānanda, Advaita), 22) Lord Caitanya, 23) Rūpa (Svarūpa, Sanātana), 24) Raghunātha, Jīva, 25) Kṛṣṇadāsa, 26) Narottama, 27) Viśvanātha, 28) (Baladeva) Jagannātha, 29) Bhaktivinode, 30) Gaurakiśora, 31) Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, 32) His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/introduction
Many devotees of Lord Caitanya like Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Śrī Kavikarṇapūra, Śrī Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and in this latter age within two hundred years, Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, Śrī Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and at last Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura (our spiritual master) and many other great and renowned scholars and devotees of the Lord have prepared voluminous books and literatures on the life and precepts of the Lord. Such literatures are all based on the śāstras like the Vedas, Purāṇas, Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata and other histories and authentic literatures approved by the recognized ācāryas. They are unique in composition and unrivaled in presentation, and they are full of transcendental knowledge. Unfortunately, the people of the world are still ignorant of them, but when these literatures, which are mostly in Sanskrit and Bengali, come to light the world and when they are presented before thinking people, then India’s glory and the message of love will overflood this morbid world, which is vainly searching after peace and prosperity by various illusory methods not approved by the ācāryas in the chain of disciplic succession. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/introduction/sb_introduction
Thus at the end of His twenty-fourth year the Lord accepted the sannyāsa order of life in the month of Māgha. After accepting this order He became a full-fledged preacher of the Bhāgavata–dharma. Although He was doing the same preaching work in His householder life, when He experienced some obstacles to His preaching He sacrificed even the comfort of His home life for the sake of the fallen souls. In His householder life His chief assistants were Śrīla Advaita Prabhu and Śrīla Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, but after He accepted the sannyāsa order His chief assistants became Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu, who was deputed to preach specifically in Bengal, and the six Gosvāmīs (Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī), headed by Śrīla Rūpa and Sanātana, who were deputed to go to Vṛndāvana to excavate the present places of pilgrimage. The present city of Vṛndāvana and the importance of Vrajabhūmi were thus disclosed by the will of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/introduction/sb_introduction
namo ‘kiñcana-vittāya
SYNONYMS
namaḥ—all obeisances unto You; akiñcana–vittāya—unto the property of the materially impoverished; nivṛtta—completely transcendental to the actions of the material modes; guṇa—material modes; vṛttaye—affection; ātma–ārāmāya—one who is self-satisfied; śāntāya—the most gentle; kaivalya–pataye—unto the master of the monists; namaḥ—bowing down.
TRANSLATION
My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You are the most gentle and are master of the monists.
PURPORT
A living being is finished as soon as there is nothing to possess. Therefore a living being cannot be, in the real sense of the term, a renouncer. A living being renounces something for gaining something more valuable. A student sacrifices his childish proclivities to gain better education. A servant gives up his job for a better job. Similarly, a devotee renounces the material world not for nothing but for something tangible in spiritual value. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and others gave up their worldly pomp and prosperity for the sake of the service of the Lord. They were big men in the worldly sense. The Gosvāmīs were ministers in the government service of Bengal, and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was the son of a big zamindar of his time. But they left everything to gain something superior to what they previously possessed. The devotees are generally without material prosperity, but they have a very secret treasure-house in the lotus feet of the Lord. There is a nice story about Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. He had a touchstone with him, and this stone was left in a pile of refuse. A needy man took it, but later on wondered why the valuable stone was kept in such a neglected place. He therefore asked him for the most valuable thing, and then he was given the holy name of the Lord. Akiñcana means one who has nothing to give materially. A factual devotee, or mahātmā, does not give anything material to anyone because he has already left all material assets. He can, however, deliver the supreme asset, namely the Personality of Godhead, because He is the only property of a factual devotee. The touchstone of Sanātana Gosvāmī, which was thrown in the rubbish, was not the property of the Gosvāmī, otherwise it would not have been kept in such a place. This specific example is given for the neophyte devotees just to convince them that material hankerings and spiritual advancement go ill together. Unless one is able to see everything as spiritual in relation with the Supreme Lord, one must always distinguish between spirit and matter. A spiritual master like Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, although personally able to see everything as spiritual, set this example for us only because we have no such spiritual vision.
Advancement of material vision or material civilization is a great stumbling block for spiritual advancement. Such material advancement entangles the living being in the bondage of a material body followed by all sorts of material miseries. Such material advancement is called anartha, or things not wanted. Actually this is so. In the present context of material advancement one uses lipstick at a cost of fifty cents, and there are so many unwanted things which are all products of the material conception of life. By diverting attention to so many unwanted things, human energy is spoiled without achievement of spiritual realization, the prime necessity of human life. The attempt to reach the moon is another example of spoiling energy because even if the moon is reached, the problems of life will not be solved. The devotees of the Lord are called akiñcanas because they have practically no material assets. Such material assets are all products of the three modes of material nature. They foil spiritual energy, and thus the less we possess such products of material nature, the more we have a good chance for spiritual progress.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no direct connection with material activities. All His acts and deeds, which are exhibited even in this material world, are spiritual and without affection for the modes of material nature. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that all His acts, even His appearance and disappearance in and out of the material world, are transcendental, and one who knows this perfectly shall not take his birth again in this material world, but will go back to Godhead.
The material disease is due to hankering after and lording it over material nature. This hankering is due to an interaction of the three modes of nature, and neither the Lord nor the devotees have attachment for such false enjoyment. Therefore, the Lord and the devotees are called nivṛtta–guṇa–vṛtti. The perfect nivṛtta–guṇa–vṛtti is the Supreme Lord because He never becomes attracted by the modes of material nature, whereas the living beings have such a tendency. Some of them are entrapped by the illusory attraction of material nature.
Because the Lord is the property of the devotees, and the devotees are the property of the Lord reciprocally, the devotees are certainly transcendental to the modes of material nature. That is a natural conclusion. Such unalloyed devotees are distinct from the mixed devotees who approach the Lord for mitigation of miseries and poverty or because of inquisitiveness and speculation. The unalloyed devotees and the Lord are transcendentally attached to one another. For others, the Lord has nothing to reciprocate, and therefore He is called ātmārāma, self-satisfied. Self-satisfied as He is, He is the master of all monists who seek to merge into the existence of the Lord. Such monists merge within the personal effulgence of the Lord called the brahmajyoti, but the devotees enter into the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, which are never to be misunderstood as material. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/8/27
One word used here is very significant—avicalendriyaḥ, which means that he was not disturbed by the agitation of the senses nor was his sensory power diminished, although in years he was a very old man. Since he ruled over the world for thirty-six thousand years, naturally one may conclude that he became very, very old, but factually his senses were very young—and yet he was not interested in sense gratification. In other words, he remained self-controlled. He performed his duties perfectly according to the materialistic way. That is the way of behavior of great devotees. Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, one of the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya, was the son of a very rich man. Although he had no interest in enjoying material happiness, when he was entrusted with doing something in managing the state, he did it perfectly. Śrīla Gaurasundara advised him, “From within, keep yourself and your mind completely aloof, but externally execute the material duties just as they need to be done.” This transcendental position can be achieved by devotees only, as described in the Bhagavad-gītā: while others, such as yogīs, try to control their senses by force, devotees, even though possessing full sensory powers, do not use them because they engage in higher, transcendental activities.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/12/14
The word asakṛt is significant, for it means not just for a few minutes but continuously. That is the instruction given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Śikṣāṣṭaka 3. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: [Cc. adi 17.31] “The holy name of the Lord should be chanted twenty-four hours daily.” Therefore in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we request the devotees to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads daily. Actually one has to chant twenty-four hours daily, just like Ṭhākura Haridāsa, who was chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra three hundred thousand times daily. Indeed, he had no other business. Some of the Gosvāmīs, like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, were also chanting very rigidly and also offering obeisances very rigidly. As stated in Śrīnivāsācārya’s prayer to the six Gosvāmīs (Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka): saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma–gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. The word saṅkhyā-pūrvaka means “maintaining a numerical strength.” Not only was Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī chanting the holy name of the Lord, but he was also offering obeisances in the same prolific numbers. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/24/70
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Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami (1505–1579) was a disciple of the Vaishnava saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and member of the influential Gaudiya Vaishnava group collectively known as the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan. He is regarded by followers in the Gaudiya tradition as an ideal practitioner of the Bhakti yoga system.
śrī-rūpa, sanātana, bhaṭṭa-raghunātha
SYNONYMS
śrī–rūpa—Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; sanātana—Sanātana Gosvāmī; bhaṭṭa–raghunātha—Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; śrī–jīva—Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī; gopāla–bhaṭṭa—Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; dāsa–raghunātha—Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
The instructing spiritual masters are Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-Lila 1.36
Sri Raghunatha Bhatta rendered direct service to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
raghunātha bālye kaila prabhura sevana
SYNONYMS
raghunātha—Raghunātha, the son of Tapana Miśra; bālye—in his boyhood; kaila—did; prabhura—of Lord Caitanya; sevana—rendering service; ucchiṣṭa–mārjana—washing the dishes; āra—and; pāda–saṁvāhana—massaging the feet.
TRANSLATION
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Miśra, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, who was then a boy, washed His dishes and massaged His legs. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-Lila 10.155
Sri Raghunatha Bhatta accompanied Rupa Goswami to Mathura
saṅge gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātha
SYNONYMS
saṅge—with Rūpa Gosvāmī; gopāla–bhaṭṭa—Gopāla Bhaṭṭa; dāsa–raghunātha—Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; raghunātha–bhaṭṭa–gosāñi—Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; āra—and; lokanātha—Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
When Rūpa Gosvāmī stayed at Mathurā, he was accompanied by Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
PURPORT
Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī was a personal associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and a great devotee of the Lord. He was a resident of a village named Tālakhaḍi in the district of Yaśohara in Bengal. Previously he lived in Kācnāpāḍā. His father’s name was Padmanābha, and his only younger brother was Pragalbha. Following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Lokanātha went to Vṛndāvana to live. He established a temple named Gokulānanda. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura selected Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī to be his spiritual master, and he was his only disciple. Because Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī did not want his name mentioned in Caitanya–caritāmṛta, we do not often see it in this celebrated book. On the E.B.R. Railroad, the Yaśohara station is located in Bangladesh. From the railway station one has to go by bus to the village of Sonākhāli and from there to Khejurā. From there one has to walk, or, during the rainy season, go by boat to the village of Tālakhaḍi. In this village there are still descendants of Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s younger brother. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 18.49
tina ‘raghunātha’-nāma haya āmāra gaṇe
SYNONYMS
tina raghunātha—three Raghunāthas; nāma—named; haya—are; āmāra gaṇe—among My associates; svarūpera raghu—the Raghunātha of Svarūpa Dāmodara; āji haite—from this day; ihāra—of this one; nāme—the name.
TRANSLATION
“There are now three Raghunāthas among My associates. From this day forward, this Raghunātha should be known as the Raghu of Svarūpa Dāmodara.”
PURPORT
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three Raghus among His associates-Vaidya Raghunātha (vide Ādi-līlā 11.22), Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha and Dāsa Raghunātha. Dāsa Raghunātha became celebrated as the Raghunātha of Svarūpa. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 6.203
kāśī haite calilā teṅho gauḍa-patha diyā
SYNONYMS
kāśī haite—from Kāśī; calilā—proceeded; teṅho—he; gauḍa–patha diyā—by the path through Bengal; saṅge—along with him; sevaka—one servant; cale—goes; tāṅra—his; jhāli—baggage; vahiyā—carrying.
TRANSLATION
Accompanied by one servant carrying his baggage, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa started from Vārāṇasī and traveled along the path leading through Bengal. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.90
nānā sevā kari’ kare pāda-samvāhana
SYNONYMS
nānā sevā kari‘-serving in various ways; kare pāda–samvāhana—massaged his legs; tāte—because of this; raghunāthera—of Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; haya—there was; saṅkucita mana—hesitation in the mind.
TRANSLATION
Rāmadāsa served Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa in various ways, even massaging his legs. Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa felt some hesitation in accepting all this service. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.95
ei-mate raghunātha āilā nīlācale
SYNONYMS
ei–mate—in this way; raghunātha—Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; āilā—came; nīlācale—to Jagannātha Purī; prabhura caraṇe—to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; yāñā—going; mililā—met; kutūhale—in great delight.
TRANSLATION
Traveling in this way, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa soon arrived at Jagannātha Purī. There, with great delight, he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and fell at His lotus feet. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.100
Sri Raghunatha Bhatta had the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for eight months
ei-mata prabhu-saṅge rahilā aṣṭa-māsa
SYNONYMS
ei–mata—in this way; prabhu–saṅge—along with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; rahilā—remained; aṣṭa–māsa—eight months; dine dine—day after day; prabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpāya—by the mercy; bāḍaye ullāsa—felt increased jubilation.
TRANSLATION
Thus Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa lived with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continuously for eight months, and by the Lord’s mercy he felt increased transcendental happiness every day. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.105
parama santoṣe prabhu karena bhojana
SYNONYMS
parama santoṣe—in great satisfaction; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karena bhojana—eats; prabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; avaśiṣṭa–pātra—the plate of remnants; bhaṭṭera—of Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; bhakṣaṇa—the eatables.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would accept with great satisfaction all the food he prepared. After the Lord was satisfied, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would eat His remnants. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.108
aṣṭa-māsa rahi’ prabhu bhaṭṭe vidāya dilā
SYNONYMS
aṣṭa–māsa—for eight months; rahi‘-staying; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhaṭṭe—to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; vidāya dilā—bid farewell; vivāha nā kariha—do not marry; bali‘-saying; niṣedha karilā—he forbade.
TRANSLATION
After eight months, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade farewell to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, the Lord flatly forbade him to marry. “Do not marry,” the Lord said.
PURPORT
Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya had become a greatly advanced devotee while still unmarried. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could see this, and therefore He advised him not to begin the process of material sense gratification. Marriage is a concession for people who are unable to control their senses. Raghunātha, however, being an advanced devotee of Kṛṣṇa, naturally had no desire for sense gratification. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised him not to enter the bondage of marriage. Generally, a person cannot make much advancement in spiritual consciousness if he is married. He becomes attached to his family and is prone to sense gratification. Thus, his spiritual advancement is very slow or almost nil. . Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.112
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Raghunatha Bhatta to read Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita from a Bhagavata devotee
vṛddha mātā-pitāra yāi’ karaha sevana
SYNONYMS
vṛddha—old; mātā–pitāra—of the mother and father; yāi‘-going back; karaha sevana—engage in service; vaiṣṇava–pāśa—from a pure Vaiṣṇava; bhāgavata—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; kara adhyayana—study.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, “When you return home, serve your aged father and mother, who are devotees, and try to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a pure Vaiṣṇava who has realized God.”
PURPORT
One should note how Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, advised Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya to learn Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He advised him to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam not from professional men but from a real bhāgavata, devotee. He also advised Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to serve his mother and father because they were both His devotees. Anyone who wishes to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must try to serve the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava–sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Without serving a self-realized Vaiṣṇava, no one has ever been released from the materialistic way of life.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would have never advised Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to serve ordinary parents, but since his parents were Vaiṣṇavas, the Lord advised him to serve them.
One might ask “Why shouldn’t ordinary parents be served?” As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.18):
gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān
na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān
na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum
“One who cannot deliver his dependent from the path of birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a relative, a father or mother, or a worshipable demigod, nor should such a person become a husband.” Everyone naturally gets a father and mother at the time of birth, but the real father and mother are they who can release their offspring from the clutches of imminent death. This is possible only for parents advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, any parents who cannot enlighten their offspring in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be accepted as a real father and mother. The following verse from the Bhakti–rasāmṛta–sindhu (1.2.200) confirms the uselessness of serving ordinary parents:
“One should perform only those activities-either worldly or prescribed by Vedic rules and regulations-which are favorable for the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Concerning the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu clearly advises that one avoid hearing from a non-Vaiṣṇava professional reciter. In this connection Sanātana Gosvāmī quotes a verse from the Padma Purāṇa:
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
“No one should hear or take lessons from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava. Even if he speaks about Kṛṣṇa, such a lesson should not be accepted, for it is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent.” Nowadays it is fashionable to observe Bhāgavata-saptāha and hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from persons who are anything but advanced devotees or self-realized souls. There are even many Māyāvādīs who read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to throngs of people. Many Māyāvādīs have recently begun reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in Vṛndāvana, and because they can present the Bhāgavatam with word jugglery, twisting the meaning by grammatical tricks, materialistic persons who go to Vṛndāvana as a matter of spiritual fashion like to hear them. All this is clearly forbidden by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We should note carefully that since these Māyāvādīs cannot personally know the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they can never deliver others by reciting it. On the other hand, an advanced devotee of the Lord is free from material bondage. He personifies the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in life and action. Therefore, we advise that anyone who wants to learn the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam must approach such a realized soul. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.113
punarapi eka-bāra āsiha nīlācale”
SYNONYMS
punarapi—again, also; eka–bāra—once; āsiha nīlācale—come to Jagannātha Purī; eta bali‘-saying this; kaṇṭha–mālā—neck beads; dilā—gave; tāṅra gale—on his neck.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu concluded, “Come again to Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī].” After saying this, the Lord put His own neck beads on Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa’s neck. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.114
āliṅgana kari’ prabhu vidāya tāṅre dilā
SYNONYMS
āliṅgana kari‘-embracing; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vidāya tāṅre dilā—bade him farewell; preme—in ecstatic love; gara gara—overwhelmed; bhaṭṭa—Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; kāndite lāgilā—began to cry.
TRANSLATION
Then the Lord embraced him and bade him farewell. Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa began to cry due to imminent separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.115
eta bali’ prabhu tāṅre āliṅgana kailā
SYNONYMS
eta bali‘-saying this; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅre—Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; āliṅgana kailā—embraced; prabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpāte—by the mercy; kṛṣṇa–preme—in love of Kṛṣṇa; matta hailā—became enlivened.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, and by the Lord’s mercy Raghunātha was enlivened with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.122
sei mālā, chuṭā pāna prabhu tāṅre dilā
SYNONYMS
sei mālā—that garland; chuṭā pāna—the betel; prabhu—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅre dilā—delivered to him; iṣṭa–deva—his worshipable Deity; kari‘-accepting as; mālā—that garland; dhariyā rākhilā—kept.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave the garland and betel to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, who accepted them as a worshipable Deity, preserving them very carefully. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.124
rūpa-gosāñira sabhāya karena bhāgavata-paṭhana
SYNONYMS
rūpa–gosāñira sabhāya—in the assembly of Rūpa, Sanātana and other Vaiṣṇavas; karena-performs; bhāgavata–paṭhana-recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; bhāgavata paḍite-while reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; preme-in ecstatic love; āulāya-becomes overwhelmed; tāṅra mana-his mind.
TRANSLATION
When reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the company of Rūpa and Sanātana, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.126
nija śiṣye kahi’ govindera mandira karāilā
SYNONYMS
nija śiṣye—to his own disciples; kahi‘-by speaking; govindera—of Lord Govinda; mandira karāilā—constructed a temple; vaṁśī—flute; makara kuṇḍala–ādi—earrings shaped like sharks, etc.; bhūṣaṇa—ornaments; kari‘-preparing; dilā—gave.
TRANSLATION
Subsequently Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa ordered his disciples to construct a temple for Govinda. He prepared various ornaments for Govinda, including a flute and earrings shaped like sharks. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.131
grāmya-vārtā nā śune, nā kahe jihvāya
SYNONYMS
grāmya–vārtā—common topics; nā śune—he never heard; nā—not; kahe—utters; jihvāya—with his tongue; kṛṣṇa–kathā—topics on Kṛṣṇa; pūjā–ādite—and in worshiping and so on; aṣṭa–prahara yāya—he passed the whole day and night.
TRANSLATION
Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would neither hear nor speak about anything of the material world. He would simply discuss Kṛṣṇa and worship the Lord day and night. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.132
vaiṣṇavera nindya-karma nāhi pāḍe kāṇe
SYNONYMS
vaiṣṇavera—of the Vaiṣṇava; nindya–karma—reproachable activities; nāhi pāḍe kāṇe—he does not hear; sabe—all; kṛṣṇa bhajana kare—are engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service; ei–mātra—only this; jāne—he understands.
TRANSLATION
He would not listen to blasphemy of a Vaiṣṇava, nor would he listen to talk of a Vaiṣṇava’s misbehavior. He knew only that everyone was engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service; he did not understand anything else.
PURPORT
Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa never did anything harmful to a Vaiṣṇava. In other words, he was never inattentive in the service of the Lord, nor did he ever violate the rules and regulations of a pure Vaiṣṇava. It is the duty of a Vaiṣṇava ācārya to prevent his disciples and followers from violating the principles of Vaiṣṇava behavior. He should always advise them to strictly follow the regulative principles, which will protect them from falling down. Although a Vaiṣṇava preacher may sometimes criticize others, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa avoided this. Even if another Vaiṣṇava was actually at fault, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would not criticize him; he saw only that everyone was engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service. That is the position of a mahā–bhāgavata. Actually, even if one is serving māyā, in a higher sense he is also a servant of Kṛṣṇa. Because māyā is the servant of Kṛṣṇa, anyone serving māyā serves Kṛṣṇa indirectly. Therefore, it is said:
keha māne, keha nā māne, saba tāṅra dāsa
ye nā māne, tāra haya sei pāpe nāśa
ye nā māne, tāra haya sei pāpe nāśa
“Some accept Him, whereas others do not, yet everyone is His servant. One who does not accept Him, however, will be ruined by his sinful activities.” (Cc. Ādi 6.85). Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13,133
mahāprabhura datta mālā mananera kāle
SYNONYMS
mahāprabhura—by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; datta—given; mālā—tulasī garland; mananera—of remembering; kāle—at the time; prasāda–kaḍāra—the remnants of Lord Jagannātha; saha—with; bāndhi—binding together; lena—takes; gale—on his neck.
TRANSLATION
When Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was absorbed in remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he would take the tulasī garland and the prasāda of Lord Jagannātha given to him by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, bind them together and wear them on his neck. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya-Lila 13.134