CHAPTER SIX
The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī
A summary of this chapter is given by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya as follows. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went into transcendental fits of ecstatic love, Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī attended to Him and satisfied Him as He desired. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī had been attempting to come to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for a long time, and finally he left his home and met the Lord. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had gone to Śāntipura on His way to Vṛndāvana, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī had offered to dedicate his life at the Lord’s lotus feet. In the meantime, however, a Muslim official became envious of Hiraṇya dāsa, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s uncle, and induced some big official court minister to have him arrested. Thus Hiraṇya dāsa left his home, but by the intelligence of Raghunātha dāsa the misunderstanding was mitigated. Then Raghunātha dāsa went to Pānihāṭi, and following the order of Nityānanda Prabhu, he observed a festival (ciḍā-dadhi-mahotsava) by distributing chipped rice mixed with yogurt. The day after the festival, Nityānanda Prabhu gave Raghunātha dāsa the blessing that he would very soon attain the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. After this incident, Raghunātha dāsa, with the help of his priest, whose name was Yadunandana Ācārya, got out of his house by trickery and thus ran away. Not touching the general path, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī secretly went to Jagannātha Purī. After twelve days, he arrived in Jagannātha Purī at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. Therefore another name for Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is Svarūpera Raghu, or the Raghunātha of Svarūpa Dāmodara. For five days Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī took prasādam at the temple, but later he would stand at the Siṁha-dvāra gate and eat only whatever he could gather by alms. Later he lived by taking alms from various chatras, or food distributing centers. When Raghunātha’s father received news of this, he sent some men and money, but Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī refused to accept the money. Understanding that Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was living by begging from the chatras, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented him with His own guñjā-mālā and a stone from Govardhana Hill. Thereafter, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī used to eat rejected food that he had collected and washed. This renounced life greatly pleased both Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took by force some of the same food, thus blessing Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī for his renunciation.
Text
uddhṛtya bhaṅgyā raghunātha-dāsam
nyasya svarūpe vidadhe ’ntar-aṅgaṁ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyam amuṁ prapadye
Synonyms
kṛpā-guṇaiḥ — by the ropes of causeless mercy; yaḥ — who; ku-gṛha — of contemptible family life; andha-kūpāt — from the blind well; uddhṛtya — having raised; bhaṅgyā — by a trick; raghunātha-dāsam — Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; nyasya — giving over; svarūpe — to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; vidadhe — made; antaḥ-aṅgam — one of His personal associates; śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyam — unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu; amum — unto Him; prapadye — I offer my obeisances.
Translation
With the ropes of His causeless mercy, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu employed a trick to deliver Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī from the blind well of contemptible family life. He made Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī one of His personal associates, placing him under the charge of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. I offer my obeisances unto Him.
Text
jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Śrī Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!
Text
nīlācale nānā līlā kare nānā-raṅge
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Lord Gauracandra performed various pastimes with His associates at Jagannātha Purī in varieties of transcendental pleasure.
Text
bāhire nā prakāśaya bhakta-duḥkha-bhaye
Synonyms
Translation
Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa, He did not manifest His feelings externally, for He feared the unhappiness of His devotees.
Text
tabe ye vaikalya prabhura varṇana nā yāya
Synonyms
Translation
The transformations undergone by the Lord when He manifested severe unhappiness due to separation from Kṛṣṇa cannot be described.
Text
viraha-vedanāya prabhura rākhaye parāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When the Lord acutely felt pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa, only Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya’s talks about Kṛṣṇa and the sweet songs of Svarūpa Dāmodara kept Him alive.
Text
rātri-kāle bāḍe prabhura viraha-vedana
Synonyms
Translation
Because the Lord associated with various devotees during the day, His mind was somewhat diverted, but at night the pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa increased very rapidly.
Text
kṛṣṇa-rasa-śloka-gīte karena sāntvanā
Synonyms
Translation
Two people — Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī — stayed with the Lord to pacify Him by reciting various verses about Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and by singing appropriate songs for His satisfaction.
Text
gaura-sukha-dāna-hetu taiche rāma-rāya
Synonyms
Translation
Previously, when Lord Kṛṣṇa was personally present, Subala, one of His cowherd boyfriends, gave Him happiness when He felt separation from Rādhārāṇī. Similarly, Rāmānanda Rāya helped give happiness to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
taiche svarūpa-gosāñi rākhe mahāprabhura prāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Previously, when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī felt the pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa, Her constant companion Lalitā kept Her alive by helping Her in many ways. Similarly, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt Rādhārāṇī’s emotions, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī helped Him maintain His life.
Text
prabhura ‘antaraṅga’ bali’ yāṅre loke gāya
Synonyms
Translation
To describe the fortunate position of Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is extremely difficult. They were renowned as intimately confidential friends of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
raghunātha-milana ebe śuna, bhakta-gaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord thus enjoyed His life with His devotees. O devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, now hear how Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī met the Lord.
Text
mahāprabhu kṛpā kari’ tāṅre śikhāilā
Synonyms
pūrve — previously; śāntipure — to Śāntipura; raghunātha — Raghunātha dāsa; yabe āilā — when he came; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpā kari’ — showing causeless mercy; tāṅre śikhāilā — gave him lessons.
Translation
When Raghunātha dāsa, during his family life, went to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Śāntipura, the Lord gave him worthy instructions by His causeless mercy.
Text
markaṭa-vairāgya chāḍi’ hailā ‘viṣayi-prāya’
Synonyms
Translation
Instead of becoming a so-called renunciant, Raghunātha dāsa, following the instructions of the Lord, returned home and played exactly like a pounds-and-shillings man.
Text
dekhiyā ta’ mātā-pitāra ānandita mana
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa 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.
Text
prabhu-pāśa calibāre udyoga karilā
Synonyms
Translation
When he received a message that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had returned from Mathurā City, Raghunātha dāsa endeavored to go to the lotus feet of the Lord.
Text
saptagrāma-mulukera se haya ‘caudhurī’
Synonyms
Translation
At that time there was a Muslim official collecting the taxes of Saptagrāma.
Purport
Formerly, when the Muslim government was in power, the person appointed tax collector would collect the taxes of the local zamindars, or landholders. He would keep one fourth of the collection for himself as a profit, and the balance he would deliver to the treasury of the government.
Text
tāra adhikāra gela, mare se dekhiyā
Synonyms
Translation
When Hiraṇya dāsa, Raghunātha dāsa’s uncle, made an agreement with the government to collect taxes, the Muslim caudhurī, or tax collector, having lost his position, became extremely envious of him.
Text
se ‘turuk’ kichu nā pāñā haila pratipakṣa
Synonyms
Translation
Hiraṇya dāsa 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 caudhurī, who was a Turk, became his rival.
Text
hiraṇya-dāsa palāila, raghunāthere bāndhila
Synonyms
Translation
After sending a confidential account to the government treasury, the caudhurī brought the minister in charge. The caudhurī came, wanting to arrest Hiraṇya dāsa, but Hiraṇya dāsa had left home. Therefore the caudhurī arrested Raghunātha dāsa.
Text
‘bāpa-jyeṭhāre āna’, nahe pāibā yātanā
Synonyms
Translation
Every day, the Muslim would chastise Raghunātha dāsa and tell him, “Bring your father and his elder brother. Otherwise you will be punished.”
Text
mana phiri’ yāya, tabe nā pāre mārite
Synonyms
Translation
The caudhurī wanted to beat him, but as soon as he saw Raghunātha’s face, his mind changed, and he could not beat him.
Text
mukhe tarje garje, mārite sabhaya antara
Synonyms
Translation
Indeed, the caudhurī was afraid of Raghunātha dāsa because Raghunātha dāsa belonged to the kāyastha community. Although the caudhurī would chastise him with oral vibrations, he was afraid to beat him.
Purport
Raghunātha dāsa belonged to a very aristocratic family of the kāyastha community. He had substantial influence with the local people, and therefore the caudhurī, or minister, was afraid to beat him. Superficially he would chastise Raghunātha dāsa with threatening vibrations, but he did not beat him. The members of the kāyastha community in India are generally very intelligent and expert in business management. Formerly they were mostly government officers. They were mentioned even by Yājñavalkya, as quoted by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya:
pīḍyamānā prajā rakṣet kāyasthaiś ca viśeṣataḥ
From this verse it appears that the governmental officials of the kāyastha 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 kāyasthas. In Bengal the kāyastha community is honored almost as much as the brāhmaṇa community, but in the up-country of India the kāyasthas are considered śūdras because they generally eat meat and drink wine. In any case, from history the kāyasthas appear very intelligent. Thus the Muslim caudhurī was afraid of Raghunātha dāsa because he belonged to the kāyastha community.
Text
vinati kariyā kahe sei mleccha-pāya
Synonyms
Translation
While this was going on, Raghunātha dāsa thought of a tricky method of escape. Thus he humbly submitted this plea at the feet of the Muslim caudhurī.
Text
bhāi-bhāiye tomarā kalaha kara sarvadāi
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear sir, my father and his elder brother are your brothers. All brothers always fight about something.
Text
kāli punaḥ tina bhāi ha-ibā eka-ṭhāñi
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
āmi tomāra pālya, tumi āmāra pālaka
Synonyms
Translation
“Just as I am my father’s son, so I am also yours. I am your dependent, and you are my maintainer.
Text
tumi sarva-śāstra jāna ‘jindā-pīra’-prāya”
Synonyms
Translation
“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.”
Text
dāḍi vāhi’ aśru paḍe, kāṅdite lāgila
Synonyms
Translation
When the Muslim heard Raghunātha dāsa’s appealing voice, his heart softened. He began to cry, and tears glided down his beard.
Text
āji chāḍāimu tomā’ kari’ eka sūtra”
Synonyms
Translation
The Muslim caudhurī told Raghunātha dāsa, “You are my son from this day on. Today, by some means, I shall have you released.”
Text
prīti kari’ raghunāthe kahite lāgila
Synonyms
ujire — unto the minister; kahiyā — speaking; raghunāthe chāḍāila — released Raghunātha dāsa; prīti kari’ — with great affection; raghunāthe — unto Raghunātha dāsa; kahite lāgila — began to say.
Translation
After informing the minister, the caudhurī released Raghunātha dāsa and then began to speak to him with great affection.
Text
āmi — bhāgī, āmāre kichu dibāre yuyāya
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
ye-mate bhāla haya karuna, bhāra diluṅ tāṅre
Synonyms
Translation
“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.”
Text
mleccha-sahita vaśa kaila — saba śānta haila
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa arranged a meeting between his uncle and the caudhurī. The matter was settled, and everything was peaceful.
Text
dvitīya vatsare palāite mana kaila
Synonyms
Translation
In this way Raghunātha dāsa passed one year exactly like a first-class business manager, but the next year he again decided to leave home.
Text
dūra haite pitā tāṅre ānila dhariyā
Synonyms
Translation
He got up alone one night and left, but his father caught him in a distant place and brought him back.
Text
tabe tāṅra mātā kahe tāṅra pitā sane
Synonyms
Translation
This became almost a daily affair. Raghunātha would run away from home, and his father would again bring him back. Then Raghunātha dāsa’s mother spoke to his father as follows.
Text
tāṅra pitā kahe tāre nirviṇṇa hañā
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
e saba bāndhite nārileka yāṅra mana
Synonyms
Translation
“Raghunātha dāsa, 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.
Text
janma-dātā pitā nāre ‘prārabdha’ khaṇḍāite
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
caitanya-candrera ‘bātula’ ke rākhite pāre?”
Synonyms
Translation
“Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has fully bestowed His mercy on him. Who can keep home such a madman of Caitanyacandra?”
Text
nityānanda-gosāñira pāśa calilā āra dine
Synonyms
Translation
Then Raghunātha dāsa considered something in his mind, and the next day he went to Nityānanda Gosāñi.
Text
kīrtanīyā sevaka saṅge āra bahu-jana
Synonyms
Translation
In the village of Pānihāṭi, Raghunātha dāsa obtained an interview with Nityānanda Prabhu, who was accompanied by many kīrtana performers, servants and others.
Text
vasiyāchena — yena koṭī sūryodaya kare
Synonyms
Translation
Sitting on a rock under a tree on the bank of the Ganges, Lord Nityānanda seemed as effulgent as hundreds of thousands of rising suns.
Text
dekhi’ prabhura prabhāva raghunātha — vismita
Synonyms
Translation
Many devotees sat on the ground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityānanda Prabhu, Raghunātha dāsa was astonished.
Text
sevaka kahe, — ‘raghunātha daṇḍavat kare’
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa offered his obeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place, and the servant of Nityānanda Prabhu pointed out, “There is Raghunātha dāsa, offering You obeisances.”
Text
āya, āya, āji tora karimu daṇḍana”
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing this, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you!”
Text
ākarṣiyā tāṅra māthe prabhu dharilā caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord called him, but Raghunātha dāsa did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon Raghunātha dāsa’s head.
Text
raghunāthe kahe kichu hañā sadaya
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda was by nature very merciful and funny. Being merciful, He spoke to Raghunātha dāsa as follows.
Text
āji lāg pāñāchi, daṇḍimu tomāre
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
śuni’ ānandita haila raghunātha mane
Synonyms
Translation
“Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice.” Hearing this, Raghunātha dāsa was greatly pleased.
Text
bhakṣya-dravya loka saba grāma haite āne
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa immediately sent his own men to the village to purchase all kinds of eatables and bring them back.
Text
saba dravya ānāñā caudike dharilā
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sweetmeats, sugar, bananas and other eatables and placed them all around.
Text
āsite lāgila loka asaṅkhya-gaṇana
Synonyms
Translation
As soon as they heard that a festival was going to be held, all kinds of brāhmaṇas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thus there were innumerable people.
Text
śata dui-cāri holnā tāṅhā ānāila
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing the crowd increasing, Raghunātha dāsa arranged to get more eatables from other villages. He also brought two to four hundred large, round earthen pots.
Text
eka vipra prabhu lāgi’ ciḍā bhijāya tāte
Synonyms
Translation
He also obtained five or seven especially large earthen pots, and in these pots a brāhmaṇa began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityānanda.
Text
ardheka chānila dadhi, cini, kalā diyā
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
cāṅpā-kalā, cini, ghṛta, karpūra tāte dila
Synonyms
Translation
The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a special type of banana known as cāṅpā-kalā. Then sugar, clarified butter and camphor were added.
Text
sāta-kuṇḍī vipra tāṅra āgete dharilā
Synonyms
Translation
After Nityānanda Prabhu had changed His cloth for a new one and sat on a raised platform, the brāhmaṇa brought before Him the seven huge pots.
Text
baḍa baḍa loka vasilā maṇḍalī-racane
Synonyms
Translation
On that platform, all the most important associates of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, as well as other important men, sat down in a circle around the Lord.
Text
murāri, kamalākara, sadāśiva, purandara
Synonyms
rāmadāsa — Rāmadāsa; sundarānanda — Sundarānanda; dāsa-gadādhara — Gadādhara dāsa; murāri — Murāri; kamalākara — Kamalākara; sadāśiva — Sadāśiva; purandara — Purandara.
Translation
Among them were Rāmadāsa, Sundarānanda, Gadādhara dāsa, Murāri, Kamalākara, Sadāśiva and Purandara.
Text
maheśa, gaurīdāsa, hoḍa-kṛṣṇadāsa
Synonyms
dhanañjaya — Dhanañjaya; jagadīśa — Jagadīśa; parameśvara-dāsa — Parameśvara dāsa; maheśa — Maheśa; gaurīdāsa — Gaurīdāsa; hoḍa-kṛṣṇadāsa — Hoḍa Kṛṣṇadāsa.
Translation
Dhanañjaya, Jagadīśa, Parameśvara dāsa, Maheśa, Gaurīdāsa and Hoḍa Kṛṣṇadāsa were also there.
Text
upare vasilā saba, ke kare gaṇana?
Synonyms
Translation
Similarly, Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura and many other personal associates of the Lord sat on the raised platform with Nityānanda Prabhu. No one could count them all.
Purport
The devotees mentioned herein are described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in his Anubhāṣya. For further information one may consult the following references in the Ādi-līlā: Rāmadāsa — chapter ten, texts 116-118, and chapter eleven, texts 13-16. Sundarānanda — 11.23. Gadādhara dāsa — 10.53, 11.13-15 and 11.17. Murāri — The Murāri mentioned herein is different from Murāri Gupta. His full name is Murāri Caitanya dāsa, and he is a personal associate of Nityānanda Prabhu. Thus one should consult chapter eleven, text 20. Kamalākara — 11.24. Sadāśiva — 11.38. Purandara — 11.28. Dhanañjaya — 11.31. Jagadīśa — 11.30. Parameśvara — 11.29. Maheśa — 11.32. Gaurīdāsa — 11.26. Hoḍa Kṛṣṇadāsa — 11.47. Uddhāraṇa Datta Ṭhākura — 11.41.
Text
mānya kari’ prabhu sabāre upare vasāilā
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing about the festival, all kinds of learned scholars, brāhmaṇas and priests went there. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu honored them and made them sit on the raised platform with Him.
Text
eke dugdha-ciḍā, āre dadhi-ciḍā kaila
Synonyms
Translation
Everyone was offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice with condensed milk, and in the other chipped rice with yogurt.
Text
maṇḍalī-bandhe vasilā, tāra nā haya gaṇane
Synonyms
Translation
All the other people sat in groups around the platform. No one could count how many people there were.
Text
dadhi-ciḍā dugdha-ciḍā, duite bhijāila
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
dui holnāya ciḍā bhijāya gaṅgā-tīre giyā
Synonyms
Translation
Some of the brāhmaṇas, 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.
Text
jale nāmi’ dadhi-ciḍā karaye bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
biśa-jana tina-ṭhāñi pariveśana kare
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
hāsite lāgilā dekhi’ hañā vismita
Synonyms
Translation
At that time, Rāghava Paṇḍita arrived there. Seeing the situation, he began to laugh in great surprise.
Text
prabhure āge diyā bhakta-gaṇe bāṅti dila
Synonyms
Translation
He brought many kinds of food cooked in ghee and offered to the Lord. This prasādam he first placed before Lord Nityānanda and then distributed among the devotees.
Text
tumi ihāṅ utsava kara, ghare prasāda rahila”
Synonyms
Translation
Rāghava Paṇḍita said to Lord Nityānanda, “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.”
Text
rātrye tomāra ghare prasāda karimu bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda replied, “Let Me eat all this food here during the day, and I shall eat at your home at night.
Text
āmi sukha pāi ei pulina-bhojana-raṅge”
Synonyms
Translation
“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.”
Text
rāghava dvividha ciḍā tāte bhijāilā
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda made Rāghava Paṇḍita sit down and had two pots delivered to him also. There were two kinds of chipped rice soaked in them.
Text
dhyāne tabe prabhu mahāprabhure ānila
Synonyms
Translation
When chipped rice had been served to everyone, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, in meditation, brought Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
tāṅre lañā sabāra ciḍā dekhite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu stood up. They then saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurt and condensed milk.
Text
mahāprabhura mukhe dena kari’ parihāsa
Synonyms
Translation
From each and every pot, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a joke.
Text
tāṅra mukhe diyā khāoyāya hāsiyā hāsiyā
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, also smiling, took a morsel of food, pushed it into the mouth of Nityānanda and laughed as He made Lord Nityānanda eat it.
Text
dāṇḍāñā raṅga dekhe vaiṣṇava sakale
Synonyms
Translation
In this way Lord Nityānanda was walking through all the groups of eaters, and all the Vaiṣṇavas standing there were seeing the fun.
Text
mahāprabhura darśana pāya kona bhāgyavāne
Synonyms
Translation
No one could understand what Nityānanda Prabhu was doing as He walked about. Some, however, who were very fortunate, could see that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also present.
Text
cāri kuṇḍī āroyā ciḍā rākhilā ḍāhine
Synonyms
Translation
Then Nityānanda Prabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots of chipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy.
Text
dui bhāi tabe ciḍā khāite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu a place and had Him sit down. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice.
Text
kata kata bhāvāveśa prakāśa karilā
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu eating with Him, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love.
Text
‘hari’ ‘hari’-dhvani uṭhi’ bharila bhuvana
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ordered, “All of you eat, chanting the holy name of Hari.” Immediately the holy names “Hari, Hari” resounded, filling the entire universe.
Text
pulina-bhojana sabāra ha-ila smaraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When all the Vaiṣṇavas were chanting the holy names “Hari, Hari” and eating, they remembered how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma ate with Their companions the cowherd boys on the bank of the Yamunā.
Text
raghunāthera bhāgye eta kailā aṅgīkāra
Synonyms
nityānanda mahāprabhu — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpālu — merciful; udāra — liberal; raghunāthera bhāgye — by the great fortune of Raghunātha dāsa; eta — all this; kailā aṅgīkāra — They accepted.
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu are extremely merciful and liberal. It was Raghunātha dāsa’s good fortune that They accepted all these dealings.
Text
mahāprabhu āni’ karāya pulina-bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
Who can understand the influence and mercy of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu? He is so powerful that He induced Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to come eat chipped rice on the bank of the Ganges.
Text
gaṅgā-tīre ‘yamunā-pulina’ jñāna kailā
Synonyms
Translation
All the confidential devotees who were cowherd boys, headed by Śrī Rāmadāsa, were absorbed in ecstatic love. They thought the bank of the Ganges to be the bank of the Yamunā.
Text
ciḍā, dadhi, sandeśa, kalā ānila vecite
Synonyms
Translation
When the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about the festival, they arrived there to sell chipped rice, yogurt, sweetmeats and bananas.
Text
tāra dravya mūlya diyā tāhāre khāoyāya
Synonyms
Translation
As they came, bringing all kinds of food, Raghunātha dāsa purchased it all. He gave them the price for their goods and later fed them the very same food.
Text
sei ciḍā, dadhi, kalā karila bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Anyone who came to see how these funny things were going on was also fed chipped rice, yogurt and bananas.
Text
cāri kuṇḍīra avaśeṣa raghunāthe dilā
Synonyms
bhojana kari’ — after finishing eating; nityānanda — Nityānanda Prabhu; ācamana kailā — washing His hands and mouth; cāri kuṇḍīra — of the four pots; avaśeṣa — what was remaining; raghunāthe dilā — delivered to Raghunātha dāsa.
Translation
After Lord Nityānanda Prabhu finished eating, He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunātha dāsa the food remaining in the four pots.
Text
grāse-grāse kari’ vipra saba bhakte dila
Synonyms
Translation
There was food remaining in the three other big pots of Lord Nityānanda, and a brāhmaṇa distributed it to all the devotees, giving a morsel to each.
Text
candana āniyā prabhura sarvāṅge lepila
Synonyms
Translation
Then a brāhmaṇa brought a flower garland, placed the garland on Nityānanda Prabhu’s neck and smeared sandalwood pulp all over His body.
Text
hāsiyā hāsiyā prabhu karaye carvaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When a servant brought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityānanda, the Lord smiled and chewed them.
Text
śrī-haste prabhu tāhā sabākāre bāṅṭi’ dila
Synonyms
Translation
With His own hands Lord Nityānanda Prabhu distributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained.
Text
āpanāra gaṇa-saha khāilā bāṅtiyā
Synonyms
Translation
After receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, Raghunātha dāsa, who was greatly happy, ate some and distributed the rest among his own associates.
Text
‘ciḍā-dadhi-mahotsava’-nāme khyāti yāra
Synonyms
Translation
Thus I have described the pastimes of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu in relation to the celebrated festival of chipped rice and yogurt.
Text
rāghava-mandire tabe kīrtana ārambhila
Synonyms
Translation
Nityānanda Prabhu rested for the day, and when the day ended He went to the temple of Rāghava Paṇḍita and began congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Text
śeṣe nṛtya kare preme jagat bhāsāya
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda Prabhu first influenced all the devotees to dance, and finally He Himself began dancing, thus inundating the entire world in ecstatic love.
Text
sabe nityānanda dekhe, nā dekhe anya-jana
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was observing the dancing of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu could see this, but the others could not.
Text
upamā dibāra nāhi e-tina bhuvane
Synonyms
Translation
The dancing of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, like the dancing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, cannot be compared to anything within these three worlds.
Text
mahāprabhu āise yei nṛtya dekhibāre
Synonyms
Translation
No one can properly describe the sweetness of Lord Nityānanda’s dancing. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally comes to see it.
Text
bhojanera lāgi’ paṇḍita nivedana kailā
Synonyms
Translation
After the dancing and after Lord Nityānanda had rested, Rāghava Paṇḍita submitted his request that the Lord take supper.
Text
mahāprabhura āsana ḍāhine pātiyā
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda Prabhu sat down for supper with His personal associates and made a sitting place on His right side for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
dekhi’ rāghavera mane ānanda bāḍila
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came there and sat down at His place. Seeing this, Rāghava Paṇḍita felt increasing happiness.
Text
sakala vaiṣṇave piche pariveśana kailā
Synonyms
Translation
Rāghava Paṇḍita brought the prasādam before the two brothers and thereafter distributed prasādam to all the other Vaiṣṇavas.
Text
amṛta nindaye aiche vividha vyañjana
Synonyms
Translation
There were varieties of cakes, sweet rice and fine cooked rice that surpassed the taste of nectar. There were also varieties of vegetables.
Text
mahāprabhu yāhā khāite āise bāra bāra
Synonyms
Translation
The food prepared and offered to the Deity by Rāghava Paṇḍita was like the essence of nectar. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came there again and again to eat such prasādam.
Text
mahāprabhura lāgi’ bhoga pṛthak bāḍaya
Synonyms
Translation
When Rāghava Paṇḍita offered the food to the Deity after cooking, he would make a separate offering for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
madhye madhye prabhu tāṅre dena daraśana
Synonyms
Translation
Every day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would eat at the house of Rāghava Paṇḍita. Sometimes He would give Rāghava Paṇḍita the opportunity to see Him.
Text
yatna kari’ khāoyāya, nā rahe avaśeṣe
Synonyms
Translation
Rāghava Paṇḍita would bring and distribute prasādam to the two brothers, feeding Them with great attention. They ate everything, and therefore there were no remnants left.
Text
rāghavera ghare rāndhe rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī
Synonyms
Translation
He brought so many presentations that no one could know them perfectly. Indeed, it was a fact that the supreme mother, Rādhārāṇī, personally cooked in the house of Rāghava Paṇḍita.
Text
amṛta ha-ite pāka tāṅra adhika madhura
Synonyms
Translation
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī received from Durvāsā Muni the benediction that whatever She cooked would be sweeter than nectar. That is the special feature of Her cooking.
Text
dui bhāi tāhā khāñā santoṣa apāra
Synonyms
Translation
Aromatic and pleasing to see, the food was the essence of all sweetness. Thus the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, ate it with great satisfaction.
Text
paṇḍita kahe, — iṅha pāche karibe bhojana’
Synonyms
Translation
All the devotees present requested Raghunātha dāsa to sit down and take prasādam, but Rāghava Paṇḍita told them, “He will take prasādam later.”
Text
‘hari’ dhvani kari’ uṭhi’ kailā ācamana
Synonyms
Translation
All the devotees took prasādam, filling themselves to the brim. Thereafter, chanting the holy name of Hari, they stood up and washed their hands and mouths.
Text
rāghava āni’ parāilā mālya-candana
Synonyms
Translation
After eating, the two brothers washed Their hands and mouths. Then Rāghava Paṇḍita brought flower garlands and sandalwood pulp and decorated Them.
Text
bhakta-gaṇe dilā biḍā, mālya-candana
Synonyms
Translation
Rāghava Paṇḍita offered Them betel nuts and worshiped Their lotus feet. He also distributed betel nuts, flower garlands and sandalwood pulp to the devotees.
Text
dui bhāiera avaśiṣṭa pātra dilā tāṅre
Synonyms
Translation
Rāghava Paṇḍita, being very merciful toward Raghunātha dāsa, offered him the dishes with the remnants of food left by the two brothers.
Text
tāṅra śeṣa pāile, tomāra khaṇḍila bandhana”
Synonyms
Translation
He said, “Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has eaten this food. If you take His remnants, you will be released from the bondage of your family.”
Text
kabhu gupta, kabhu vyakta, svatantra bhagavān
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
ihāte saṁśaya yāra, sei yāya nāśa
Synonyms
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervasive, and therefore He resides everywhere. Anyone who doubts this will be annihilated.
Text
sei vṛkṣa-mūle vasilā nija-gaṇa lañā
Synonyms
Translation
In the morning, after taking His bath in the Ganges, Nityānanda Prabhu sat down with His associates beneath the same tree under which He had previously sat.
Text
rāghava-paṇḍita-dvārā kailā nivedana
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa went there and worshiped Lord Nityānanda’s lotus feet. Through Rāghava Paṇḍita, he submitted his desire.
Text
mora icchā haya — pāṅa caitanya-caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“I am the lowest of men, the most sinful, fallen and condemned. Nevertheless, I desire to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
aneka yatna kainu, tāte kabhu siddha naya
Synonyms
Translation
“Like a dwarf who wants to catch the moon, I have tried my best many times, but I have never been successful.
Text
pitā, mātā — dui more rākhaye bāndhiyā
Synonyms
Translation
“Every time I tried to go away and give up my home relationships, my father and mother unfortunately kept me bound.
Text
tumi kṛpā kaile tāṅre adhameha pāya
Synonyms
Translation
“No one can attain the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without Your mercy, but if You are merciful, even the lowest of men can attain shelter at His lotus feet.
Text
more ‘caitanya’ deha’ gosāñi hañā sadaya
Synonyms
Translation
“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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
nirvighne caitanya pāṅa — kara āśīrvāda”
Synonyms
Translation
“Placing Your feet on my head, give me the benediction that I may achieve the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without difficulty. I pray for this benediction.”
Text
“ihāra viṣaya-sukha — indra-sukha-sama
Synonyms
Translation
After hearing this appeal by Raghunātha dāsa, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu smiled and told all the devotees, “Raghunātha dāsa’s standard of material happiness is equal to that of Indra, the King of heaven.
Text
sabe āśīrvāda kara — pāuka caitanya-caraṇe
Synonyms
caitanya-kṛpāte — by the mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; seha — such a standard of material happiness; nāhi bhāya — he does not take as valuable; mane — in the mind; sabe — all of you; āśīrvāda kara — give the benediction; pāuka — let him get; caitanya-caraṇe — the shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Translation
“Because of the mercy bestowed upon him by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Raghunātha dāsa, 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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
brahmaloka-ādi-sukha tāṅre nāhi bhāya”
Synonyms
Translation
“One who experiences the fragrance of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa does not value even the standard of happiness available in Brahmaloka, the topmost planet. And what to speak of heavenly happiness?
Text
suhṛd-rājyaṁ hṛdi-spṛśaḥ
jahau yuvaiva mala-vad
uttama-śloka-lālasaḥ
Synonyms
yaḥ — who (Bharata Mahārāja); dustyajān — difficult to give up; dāra-sutān — wife and children; suhṛt — friends; rājyam — kingdom; hṛdi-spṛśaḥ — dear to the core of the heart; jahau — gave up; yuvā — youth; eva — at that time; mala-vat — like stool; uttama-śloka-lālasaḥ — being captivated by the transcendental qualities, pastimes and association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Translation
“ ‘Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is offered sublime, poetic prayers by those trying to attain His favor. Thus He is known as Uttamaśloka. Being very eager to gain the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Bharata, although in the prime of youth, gave up his very attractive wife, affectionate children, most beloved friends and opulent kingdom, exactly as one gives up stool after excreting it.’ ”
Purport
This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.14.43).
Text
tāṅra māthe pada dhari’ kahite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
Then Lord Nityānanda Prabhu called Raghunātha dāsa near Him, placed His lotus feet upon Raghunātha dāsa’s head and began to speak.
Text
tomāya kṛpā kari’ gaura kailā āgamana
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear Raghunātha dāsa,” He said, “since you arranged the feast on the bank of the Ganges, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came here just to show you His mercy.
Text
nṛtya dekhi’ rātrye kailā prasāda bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
chuṭila tomāra yata vighnādi-bandhane
Synonyms
Translation
“Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Gaurahari, came here personally to deliver you. Now rest assured that all the impediments meant for your bondage are gone.
Text
‘antaraṅga’ bhṛtya bali’ rākhibe caraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will accept you and place you under the charge of His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara. You will thus become one of the most confidential internal servants and will attain shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
acire nirvighne pābe caitanya-caraṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
“Being assured of all this, return to your own home. Very soon, without impediments, you will attain shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
Text
tāṅ-sabāra caraṇa raghunātha vandilā
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Nityānanda had Raghunātha dāsa blessed by all the devotees, and Raghunātha dāsa offered his respects to their lotus feet.
Text
rāghava-sahite nibhṛte yukti karilā
Synonyms
Translation
After taking leave of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and then all the other Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa consulted secretly with Rāghava Paṇḍita.
Text
nibhṛte dilā prabhura bhāṇḍārīra hāte
Synonyms
Translation
After consulting with Rāghava Paṇḍita, he secretly delivered one hundred gold coins and about seven tolās of gold into the hand of Nityānanda Prabhu’s treasurer.
Text
nija-ghare yābena yabe tabe nivedibā”
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa admonished the treasurer, “Do not speak about this to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu now, but when He returns home, kindly inform Him about this presentation.”
Text
ṭhākura darśana karāñā mālā-candana dilā
Synonyms
Translation
Thereupon, Rāghava Paṇḍita took Raghunātha dāsa to his home. After inducing him to see the Deity, he gave Raghunātha dāsa a garland and sandalwood pulp.
Text
tabe punaḥ raghunātha kahe paṇḍitere
Synonyms
Translation
He gave Raghunātha dāsa a large quantity of prasādam to eat on his way home. Then Raghunātha dāsa again spoke to Rāghava Paṇḍita.
Text
pūjite cāhiye āmi sabāra caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“I want to give money,” he said, “just to worship the lotus feet of all the great devotees, servants and subservants of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu.
Text
mudrā deha’ vicāri’ yāra yata yogya haya
Synonyms
Translation
“As you think fit, give twenty, fifteen, twelve, ten or five coins to each of them.”
Text
yāṅra nāme yata rāghava ciṭhi lekhāilā
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa drew up an account of the amount to be given and submitted it to Rāghava Paṇḍita, who then made up a list showing how much money was to be paid to each and every devotee.
Text
paṇḍitera āge dila kariyā vinaya
Synonyms
Translation
With great humility, Raghunātha dāsa placed one hundred gold coins and about two tolās of gold before Rāghava Paṇḍita for all the other devotees.
Text
nityānanda-kṛpā pāñā kṛtārtha mānilā
Synonyms
Translation
After taking dust from the feet of Rāghava Paṇḍita, Raghunātha dāsa returned to his home, feeling greatly obligated to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu because of having received His merciful benediction.
Text
bāhire durgā-maṇḍape yāñā karena śayana
Synonyms
Translation
From that day on, he did not go into the interior section of the house. Instead, he would sleep on the Durgā-maṇḍapa [the place where mother Durgā was worshiped].
Text
palāite karena nānā upāya cintana
Synonyms
Translation
There, however, the watchmen alertly kept guard. Raghunātha dāsa was thinking of various means by which to escape their vigilance.
Text
prabhure dekhite nīlācale karilā gamana
Synonyms
Translation
At that time, all the devotees of Bengal were going to Jagannātha Purī to see Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
prasiddha prakaṭa saṅga, tabahiṅ dharā paḍe
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa could not accompany them, for they were so famous that he would have been caught immediately.
Text
bāhire devī-maṇḍape kariyāchena śayane
yadunandana-ācārya tabe karilā praveśa
Synonyms
ei-mata — in this way; cintite — while he was thinking; daive — by chance; eka dine — one day; bāhire — outside the house; devī-maṇḍape — on the Durgā platform; kariyāchena śayane — was sleeping; daṇḍa-cāri — four daṇḍas (ninety-six minutes); rātri — night; yabe — when; āche avaśeṣa — there remained; yadunandana-ācārya — the priest of the name Yadunandana Ācārya; tabe — then; karilā praveśa — entered.
Translation
Thus Raghunātha dāsa thought deeply about how to escape, and one night while he was sleeping on the Durgā-maṇḍapa, the priest Yadunandana Ācārya entered the house when only four daṇḍas remained until the end of the night.
Text
raghunāthera ‘guru’ teṅho haya ‘purohita’
Synonyms
Translation
Yadunandana Ācārya was the priest and spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa. Although born in a brāhmaṇa family, he had accepted the mercy of Vāsudeva Datta.
Text
ācārya-ājñāte māne — caitanya ‘prāṇa-dhana’
Synonyms
Translation
Yadunandana Ācārya had been officially initiated by Advaita Ācārya. Thus he considered Lord Caitanya his life and soul.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that although the atheists who have deviated from the order of Śrī Advaita Ācārya introduce themselves as followers of Advaita Ācārya, they do not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yadunandana Ācārya, one of the most confidential followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was the initiated disciple of Advaita Ācārya. He was not polluted by sentimental distinctions classifying Vaiṣṇavas according to birth. Therefore, although Vāsudeva Datta had not been born in a brāhmaṇa family, Yadunandana Ācārya also accepted him as his spiritual master.
Text
raghunātha āsi’ tabe daṇḍavat kailā
Synonyms
Translation
When Yadunandana Ācārya entered the house of Raghunātha dāsa and stood in the courtyard, Raghunātha dāsa went there and fell down to offer his obeisances.
Text
sevā chāḍiyāche, tāre sādhibāra tare
Synonyms
Translation
One of Yadunandana Ācārya’s disciples had been worshiping the Deity but had left that service. Yadunandana Ācārya wanted Raghunātha dāsa to induce the disciple to take up that service again.
Text
sevā yena kare, āra nāhika brāhmaṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
Yadunandana Ācārya requested Raghunātha dāsa, “Please induce the brāhmaṇa to resume the service, for there is no other brāhmaṇa to do it.”
Text
rakṣaka saba śeṣa-rātre nidrāya paḍilā
Synonyms
Translation
After saying this, Yadunandana Ācārya took Raghunātha dāsa with him and went out. By that time all the watchmen were deeply asleep because it was the end of the night.
Text
kahite śunite duṅhe cale sei pathe
Synonyms
Translation
East of the house of Raghunātha dāsa was the house of Yadunandana Ācārya. Yadunandana Ācārya and Raghunātha dāsa talked together as they went toward that house.
Text
“āmi sei vipre sādhi’ pāṭhāimu tomā sthāne
Synonyms
Translation
Halfway along the path, Raghunātha dāsa submitted at the lotus feet of his spiritual master, “I shall go to the home of that brāhmaṇa, induce him to return, and send him to your home.
Text
ei chale ājñā māgi’ karilā niścaya
Synonyms
Translation
“You may go home without anxiety. Following your order, I shall persuade the brāhmaṇa.” On this plea, after asking permission, Raghunātha dāsa decided to go away.
Text
palāite āmāra bhāla eita prasaṅge”
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa thought, “This is the greatest opportunity to go away because this time there are no servants or watchmen with me.”
Text
ulaṭiyā cāhe pāche, — nāhi kona jana
Synonyms
Translation
Thinking in this way, he quickly proceeded toward the east. Sometimes he turned around and looked back, but no one was following him.
Text
patha chāḍi’ upapathe yāyena dhāñā
Synonyms
Translation
Thinking of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, he left the general path and proceeded with great haste on the one not generally used.
Text
kāya-mano-vākye cinte caitanya-caraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
Giving up the general path from village to village, he passed through the jungles, thinking with heart and soul about the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
sandhyā-kāle rahilā eka gopera bāthāne
Synonyms
Translation
He walked about thirty miles in one day, and in the evening he took rest in the cowshed of a milkman.
Text
sei dugdha pāna kari’ paḍiyā rahilā
Synonyms
Translation
When the milkman saw that Raghunātha dāsa was fasting, he gave him some milk. Raghunātha dāsa drank the milk and lay down to rest there for the night.
Text
tāṅra guru-pāśe vārtā puchilena giyā
Synonyms
Translation
At the house of Raghunātha dāsa, the servant and watchman, not seeing him there, immediately went to inquire about him from his spiritual master, Yadunandana Ācārya.
Text
‘palāila raghunātha’ — uṭhila kolāhala
Synonyms
Translation
Yadunandana Ācārya said, “He has already asked my permission and returned home.” Thus there arose a tumultuous sound, as everyone cried, “Now Raghunātha has gone away!”
Text
prabhu-sthāne nīlācale karilā gamana
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa’s father said, “Now all the devotees from Bengal have gone to Jagannātha Purī to see Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
daśa jana yāha, tāre ānaha dhariyā”
Synonyms
Translation
“Raghunātha dāsa has fled with them. Ten men should immediately go catch him and bring him back.”
Text
‘āmāra putrere tumi dibā bāhuḍiyā’
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa’s father wrote a letter to Śivānanda Sena, asking him with great humility, “Please return my son.”
Text
jhāṅkarāte pāila giyā vaiṣṇavera gaṇe
Synonyms
Translation
In Jhāṅkarā, the ten men caught up with the group of Vaiṣṇavas going to Nīlācala.
Text
śivānanda kahe, — ‘teṅha ethā nā āila’
Synonyms
Translation
After delivering the letter, the men inquired from Śivānanda Sena about Raghunātha dāsa, but Śivānanda Sena replied, “He did not come here.”
Text
tāṅra mātā-pitā ha-ila cintita antara
Synonyms
Translation
The ten men returned home, and Raghunātha dāsa’s father and mother were filled with anxiety.
Text
pūrva-mukha chāḍi’ cale dakṣiṇa-mukha hañā
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa, 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.
Text
kugrāma diyā diyā karila prayāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
He crossed Chatrabhoga, but instead of going on the general path, he proceeded on the path that went from village to village.
Purport
Chatrabhoga, known now as Chāḍa-khāḍi, is in the district of Twenty-four Parganas in West Bengal. It is situated near the celebrated village Jayanagara-majilapura. Formerly the Ganges or some of its branches flowed through this region. Sometimes Chatrabhoga is misunderstood to have been a village on the river Kāṅsāi-nadī in Benāpola.
Text
kṣudhā nāhi bādhe, caitanya-caraṇa-prāptye mana
Synonyms
Translation
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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
yabe yei mile, tāhe rākhe nija prāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
pathe tina-dina mātra karilā bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
He reached Jagannātha Purī in twelve days but could eat only for three days on the way.
Text
hena-kāle raghunātha milila āsiyā
Synonyms
Translation
When Raghunātha dāsa met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord was sitting with His companions, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Text
mukunda-datta kahe, — ‘ei āila raghunātha’
Synonyms
Translation
Staying at a distant place in the courtyard, he fell down to offer obeisances. Then Mukunda Datta said, “Here is Raghunātha.”
Text
uṭhi’ prabhu kṛpāya tāṅre kailā āliṅgana
Synonyms
Translation
As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these words, He immediately welcomed Raghunātha dāsa. “Come here,” He said. Raghunātha dāsa then clasped the lotus feet of the Lord, but the Lord stood up and embraced him out of His causeless mercy.
Text
prabhu-kṛpā dekhi’ sabe āliṅgana kailā
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa offered prayers at the lotus feet of all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. Seeing the special mercy Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had bestowed upon Raghunātha dāsa, they embraced him also.
Text
tomāre kāḍila viṣaya-viṣṭhā-garta haite”
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “The mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that the Lord can change all the reactions of one’s past karma, or fruitive activities. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu specifically drew attention to the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That mercy is more powerful than anything else, for it had saved Raghunātha dāsa from the strong bondage of materialistic life, which the Lord compared to a hole where people pass stool. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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 gṛha-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 Kṛṣṇa can save one from such misery. Without Kṛṣṇa’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 Kṛṣṇa can he give it up. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew very well that Raghunātha dāsa was already liberated. Nevertheless He emphasized that Raghunātha dāsa’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.
Text
tava kṛpā kāḍila āmā, — ei āmi māni’
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa answered within his mind, “I do not know who Kṛṣṇa is. I simply know that Your mercy, O my Lord, has saved me from my family life.”
Text
cakravartī-sambandhe hāma ‘ājā’ kari’ māne
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord continued, “Your father and his elder brother are both related as brothers to My grandfather, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī. Therefore I consider them My grandfathers.
Purport
Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was very intimately related to Raghunātha dāsa’s father and uncle. Nīlāmbara Cakravartī used to call them his younger brothers because both of them were very much devoted to the brāhmaṇas and were very respectable gentlemen. Similarly, they used to call him Dādā Cakravartī, addressing him as an elder brother brāhmaṇa. Raghunātha dāsa, however, was almost the same age as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Generally a grandchild may joke about his grandfather. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took advantage of the relationship between His grandfather and Raghunātha dāsa’s father and uncle to speak in a joking way.
Text
ataeva tāre āmi kari parihāsa
Synonyms
Translation
“Since your father and his elder brother are younger brothers of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, I may joke about them in this way.
Text
sukha kari’ māne viṣaya-viṣera mahā-pīḍā
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear Raghunātha dāsa, 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.
Purport
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.
Text
yadyapi brahmaṇya kare brāhmaṇera sahāya
‘śuddha-vaiṣṇava’ nahe, haye ‘vaiṣṇavera prāya’
Synonyms
Translation
“Although your father and uncle are charitable to brāhmaṇas and greatly help them, they are nevertheless not pure Vaiṣṇavas. However, they are almost like Vaiṣṇavas.
Purport
As stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, some people, usually very rich men, dress like Vaiṣṇavas and give charity to brāhmaṇas. They are also attached to Deity worship, but because of their attachment to material enjoyment, they cannot be pure Vaiṣṇavas. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. The pure Vaiṣṇava has no desire for material enjoyment. That is the basic qualification of a pure Vaiṣṇava. There are men, especially rich men, who regularly worship the Deity, give charity to brāhmaṇas and are pious in every respect, but they cannot be pure Vaiṣṇavas. Despite their outward show of Vaiṣṇavism and charity, their inner desire is to enjoy a higher standard of material life. Raghunātha dāsa’s father, Govardhana, and uncle, Hiraṇya dāsa, were both very charitable to brāhmaṇas. Indeed, the brāhmaṇas from the Gauḍīya district were practically dependent upon them. Thus they were accepted as very pious gentlemen. However, they presented themselves as Vaiṣṇavas to the eyes of people in general, although from a purely spiritual point of view they were ordinary human beings, not pure Vaiṣṇavas. Actual Vaiṣṇavas considered them almost Vaiṣṇavas, not pure Vaiṣṇavas. In other words, they were kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, for they were ignorant of higher Vaiṣṇava regulative principles. Nevertheless, they could not be called viṣayīs, or blind materialistic enjoyers.
Text
sei karma karāya, yāte haya bhava-bandha
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Purport
As clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if one does not act as a pure devotee, whatever acts he performs will produce reactions of fruitive bondage (karma-bandhanaḥ). Similarly, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.4) it is said:
yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
na sādhu manye yata ātmano ’yam
asann api kleśa-da āsa dehaḥ
“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 viṣayī, 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 karmī, jñānī, yogī or something else, according to his desire, but he does not know that the activities of karma, jñāna and yoga simply bind one to the cycle of birth and death.
Text
kahana nā yāya kṛṣṇa-kṛpāra mahimā”
Synonyms
Translation
“By His own free will, Lord Kṛṣṇa has delivered you from such a condemned materialistic life. Therefore the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s causeless mercy cannot be expressed.”
Purport
In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.54) it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām. Lord Kṛṣṇa 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.
bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam ātanoti
karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājāṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
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, jñāna and yoga, one is freed from material actions and reactions by the causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa. One cannot express sufficient gratitude to Kṛṣṇa for being freed from the materialistic way of life.
Text
svarūpere kahena prabhu kṛpārdra-citta hañā
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing Raghunātha dāsa skinny and dirty because of having traveled for twelve days and fasted, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His heart melting due to causeless mercy, spoke to Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Text
putra-bhṛtya-rūpe tumi kara aṅgīkāre
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear Svarūpa,” He said, “I entrust this Raghunātha dāsa to you. Please accept him as your son or servant.
Text
‘svarūpera raghu’ — āji haite ihāra nāme”
Synonyms
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.
Text
svarūpera haste tāṅre samarpaṇa kailā
Synonyms
Translation
Saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu grasped the hand of Raghunātha dāsa and entrusted him to the hands of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
Text
eta kahi’ raghunāthe punaḥ āliṅgila
Synonyms
Translation
Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī accepted Raghunātha dāsa, saying, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whatever You order is accepted.” He then embraced Raghunātha dāsa again.
Text
govindere kahe raghunāthe dayā kari’
Synonyms
Translation
I cannot properly express the affection of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for His devotees. Being merciful toward Raghunātha dāsa, the Lord spoke as follows to Govinda.
Text
kata-dina kara ihāra bhāla santarpaṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
“On the way, Raghunātha dāsa 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.”
Text
jagannātha dekhi’ āsi’ karaha bhojana”
Synonyms
Translation
Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Raghunātha dāsa, “Go bathe in the sea. Then see Lord Jagannātha in the temple and return here to take your meal.”
Text
raghunātha-dāsa saba bhaktere mililā
Synonyms
Translation
After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up and went to perform His midday duties, and Raghunātha met all the devotees present.
Text
vismita hañā kare tāṅra bhāgya-praśaṁsana
Synonyms
Translation
Having seen the causeless mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu upon Raghunātha dāsa, all the devotees, struck with wonder, praised his good fortune.
Text
jagannātha dekhi’ punaḥ govinda-pāśa āilā
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa took his bath in the sea and saw Lord Jagannātha. Then he returned to Govinda, the personal servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
ānandita hañā raghunātha prasāda pāilā
Synonyms
Translation
Govinda offered him a plate with the remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Raghunātha dāsa accepted the prasādam with great happiness.
Text
govinda prasāda tāṅre dila pañca dine
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa stayed under the care of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, and Govinda supplied him remnants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s food for five days.
Text
siṁha-dvāre khāḍā rahe bhikṣāra lāgiyā
Synonyms
Translation
Beginning from the sixth day, Raghunātha dāsa would stand at the gate known as Siṁha-dvāra to beg alms after the puṣpa-añjali ceremony, in which flowers were offered to the Lord.
Text
sevā sāri’ rātrye kare gṛhete gamana
Synonyms
Translation
After finishing their prescribed duties, the many servants of Lord Jagannātha, who are known as viṣayīs, return home at night.
Text
pasārira ṭhāñi anna dena kṛpā ta’ kariyā
Synonyms
Translation
If they see a Vaiṣṇava standing at the Siṁha-dvāra begging alms, out of mercy they arrange with the shopkeepers to give him something to eat.
Text
niṣkiñcana bhakta khāḍā haya siṁha-dvāra
Synonyms
Translation
Thus it is a custom for all time that a devotee who has no other means of support stands at the Siṁha-dvāra gate to receive alms from the servants.
Text
svacchande karena jagannātha daraśana
Synonyms
sarva-dina — the whole day; karena — performs; vaiṣṇava — a Vaiṣṇava; nāma-saṅkīrtana — chanting of the holy name of the Lord; svacchande — with full freedom; karena — does; jagannātha daraśana — seeing Lord Jagannātha.
Translation
A completely dependent Vaiṣṇava thus chants the holy name of the Lord all day and sees Lord Jagannātha with full freedom.
Text
keha rātre bhikṣā lāgi’ siṁha-dvāre raya
Synonyms
Translation
It is a custom for some Vaiṣṇavas to beg from the charity booths and eat whatever they obtain, whereas others stand at night at the Siṁha-dvāra gate, begging alms from the servants.
Text
yāhā dekhi’ prīta hana gaura-bhagavān
Synonyms
Translation
Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.
Purport
Anyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behavior of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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 Śrī Kṛṣṇa and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Kṛṣṇa 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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
rātrye siṁha-dvāre khāḍā hañā māgi’ khāya”
Synonyms
Translation
Govinda said to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Raghunātha dāsa no longer takes prasādam here. Now he stands at the Siṁha-dvāra, where he begs some alms to eat.”
Text
“bhāla kaila, vairāgīra dharma ācarila
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this, He was greatly satisfied. “Raghunātha dāsa has done well,” He said. “He has acted suitably for a person in the renounced order.
Text
māgiyā khāñā kare jīvana rakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Purport
As stated in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa at the end of the twentieth vilāsa (366, 379, 382):
likhitāni na tu tyakta- parigraha-mahātmanām
kīrtayanti hariṁ ye vai te taranti bhavārṇavam
kurvatāṁ parama-prītyā kṛtyam anyan na rocate
A well-to-do householder Vaiṣṇava 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa, should chant the holy name of the Lord with great love and faith, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. They should have no occupation other than chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says:
yady api śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañca-rātrādi-vad-arcana-mārgasyāvaśyakatvaṁ nāsti, tad vināpi śaraṇāpatty-ādīnām ekatareṇāpi puruṣārtha-siddher abhihitatvāt.
“It is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam’s opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pañcarātra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhāgavatam 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.”
Text
kārya-siddhi nahe, kṛṣṇa karena upekṣā
Synonyms
Translation
“A vairāgī [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 Kṛṣṇa.
Text
paramārtha yāya, āra haya rasera vaśa
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
śāka-patra-phala-mūle udara-bharaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“The duty of a person in the renounced order is to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra always. He should satisfy his belly with whatever vegetables, leaves, fruits and roots are available.
Text
śiśnodara-parāyaṇa kṛṣṇa nāhi pāya”
Synonyms
Translation
“One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain Kṛṣṇa.”
Text
āpanāra kṛtya lāgi’ kailā nivedane
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, Raghunātha dāsa inquired at the lotus feet of Svarūpa Dāmodara about his duty.
Text
ki mora kartavya, prabhu kara upadeśa”
Synonyms
Translation
“I do not know why I have given up household life,” he said. “What is my duty? Kindly give me instructions.”
Text
svarūpa-govinda-dvārā kahāya nija-bāt
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa never even spoke a word before the Lord. Instead, he informed the Lord of his desires through Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Govinda.
Text
raghunātha nivedaya prabhura caraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī submitted to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Raghunātha dāsa has this to say at Your lotus feet.
Text
āpani śrī-mukhe more kara upadeśa”
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘I do not know my duty or the goal of my life. Therefore, please personally give me instructions from Your transcendental mouth.’ ”
Text
“tomāra upadeṣṭā kari’ svarūpere dila
Synonyms
hāsi’ — smiling; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; raghunāthere — to Raghunātha dāsa; kahila — said; tomāra — your; upadeṣṭā — instructor; kari’ — as; svarūpere dila — I have appointed Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
Translation
Smiling, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Raghunātha dāsa, “I have already appointed Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī as your instructor.
Text
āmi tata nāhi jāni, iṅho yata jāne
Synonyms
Translation
“You may learn from him what your duty is and how to discharge it. I do not know as much as he.
Text
āmāra ei vākye tabe kariha niścaya
Synonyms
Translation
“Nevertheless, if you want to take instructions from Me with faith and love, you may ascertain your duties from the following words.
Text
bhāla nā khāibe āra bhāla nā paribe
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-sevā mānase karibe
Synonyms
Translation
“Do not expect honor, but offer all respect to others. Always chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and within your mind render service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya 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 grāmya-kathā. 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 Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.
Text
svarūpera ṭhāñi ihāra pāibe viśeṣa
Synonyms
Translation
“I have briefly given you My instructions. Now you will get all details about them from Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Text
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ”
Synonyms
Translation
“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.”
Text
mahāprabhu kailā tāṅre kṛpā-āliṅgana
Synonyms
eta śuni’ — hearing this; raghunātha — Raghunātha dāsa; vandilā caraṇa — offered prayers to the lotus feet; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kailā — did; tāṅre — him; kṛpā-āliṅgana — embracing out of mercy.
Translation
Having heard this, Raghunātha dāsa offered prayers at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord, out of great mercy, embraced him.
Text
‘antaraṅga-sevā’ kare svarūpera sane
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again entrusted him to Svarūpa Dāmodara. Thus Raghunātha dāsa rendered very confidential service with Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
Purport
Antaraṅga-sevā refers to service performed in one’s spiritual body. Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was formerly Lalitādevī. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who was among his assistants, now also began to serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa within his mind.
Text
pūrvavat prabhu sabāya karilā milana
Synonyms
Translation
At this time, all the devotees from Bengal arrived, and, as previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met them with great feeling.
Text
sabā lañā kailā prabhu vanya-bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
As He had previously done, He cleansed the Guṇḍicā temple and held a picnic feast in the garden with the devotees.
Text
dekhi’ raghunāthera camatkāra haila mana
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord again danced with the devotees during the Ratha-yātrā festival. Seeing this, Raghunātha dāsa was struck with wonder.
Text
advaita-ācārya tāṅre bahu kṛpā kailā
Synonyms
Translation
When Raghunātha dāsa met all the devotees, Advaita Ācārya showed him great mercy.
Text
tomā laite tomāra pitā pāṭhāila daśa jana
Synonyms
Translation
He also met Śivānanda Sena, who informed him, “Your father sent ten men to take you away.
Text
jhāṅkarā ha-ite tomā nā pāñā gela ghare
Synonyms
Translation
“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 Jhāṅkarā.”
Text
śuni’ raghunāthera pitā manuṣya pāṭhāilā
Synonyms
Translation
When all the devotees from Bengal returned home after staying at Jagannātha Purī for four months, Raghunātha dāsa’s father heard about their arrival and therefore sent a man to Śivānanda Sena.
Text
“mahāprabhura sthāne eka ‘vairāgī’ dekhila
Synonyms
Translation
That man inquired from Śivānanda Sena, “Did you see anyone in the renounced order at the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
Text
nīlācale paricaya āche tomāra sātha?”
Synonyms
govardhanera — of Govardhana; putra — the son; teṅho — he; nāma — named; raghunātha — Raghunātha dāsa; nīlācale — in Nīlācala; paricaya āche — is there acquaintance; tomāra sātha — with you.
Translation
“That person is Raghunātha dāsa, the son of Govardhana Majumadāra. Did you meet him in Nīlācala?”
Text
parama vikhyāta teṅho, kebā nāhi jāne
Synonyms
Translation
Śivānanda Sena replied, “Yes, sir. Raghunātha dāsa is with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and is a very famous man. Who does not know him?
Text
prabhura bhakta-gaṇera teṅho haya prāṇa-sama
Synonyms
Translation
“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has placed him under the charge of Svarūpa Dāmodara. Raghunātha dāsa has become just like the life of all the Lord’s devotees.
Text
kṣaṇa-mātra nāhi chāḍe prabhura caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“He chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra all day and night. He never gives up the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not even for a moment.
Text
yaiche taiche āhāra kari’ rākhaye parāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
siṁha-dvāre khāḍā haya āhāra lāgiyā
Synonyms
Translation
“After ten daṇḍas [four hours] of the night have passed and Raghunātha dāsa has seen the performance of puṣpāñjali, he stands at the Siṁha-dvāra gate to beg some alms to eat.
Text
kabhu upavāsa, kabhu karaye carvaṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
“He eats if someone gives him something to eat. Sometimes he fasts, and sometimes he chews fried grains.”
Text
kahila giyā saba raghunātha-vivaraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
After hearing this, the messenger returned to Govardhana Majumadāra and informed him all about Raghunātha dāsa.
Text
putra-ṭhāñi dravya-manuṣya pāṭhāite mana kaila
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing the description of Raghunātha dāsa’s behavior in the renounced order, his father and mother were very unhappy. Therefore they decided to send Raghunātha some men with goods for his comfort.
Text
śivānandera ṭhāñi pāṭhāila tata-kṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa’s father immediately sent four hundred coins, two servants and one brāhmaṇa to Śivānanda Sena.
Text
āmi yāi yabe, āmāra saṅge yāibā
Synonyms
Translation
Śivānanda Sena informed them, “You cannot go to Jagannātha Purī directly. When I go there, you may accompany me.
Text
tabe tomā sabākāre saṅge lañā yāmu
Synonyms
Translation
“Now go home. When all of us go, I shall take all of you with me.”
Text
raghunātha-mahimā granthe likhilā pracura
Synonyms
Translation
Describing this incident, the great poet Śrī Kavi-karṇapūra has written extensively about the glorious activities of Raghunātha dāsa in his Śrī Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka.
Text
tac-chiṣyo raghunātha ity adhiguṇaḥ prāṇādhiko mādṛśām
śrī-caitanya-kṛpātireka-satata-snigdhaḥ svarūpānugo
vairāgyaika-nidhir na kasya vidito nīlācale tiṣṭhatām
Synonyms
ācāryaḥ yadunandanaḥ — Yadunandana Ācārya; su-madhuraḥ — very well behaved; śrī-vāsudeva-priyaḥ — very dear to Śrī Vāsudeva Datta Ṭhākura; tat-śiṣyaḥ — his disciple; raghunāthaḥ — Raghunātha dāsa; iti — thus; adhiguṇaḥ — so qualified; prāṇa-adhikaḥ — more dear than life; mādṛśām — of all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu like me; śrī-caitanya-kṛpā — by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; atireka — excess; satata-snigdhaḥ — always pleasing; svarūpa-anugaḥ — following in the footsteps of Svarūpa Dāmodara; vairāgya — of renunciation; eka-nidhiḥ — the ocean; na — not; kasya — by whom; viditaḥ — known; nīlācale — at Jagannātha Purī; tiṣṭhatām — of those who were staying.
Translation
“Raghunātha dāsa is a disciple of Yadunandana Ācārya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vāsudeva Datta, a resident of Kāñcanapallī. Because of Raghunātha dāsa’s transcendental qualities, he is always more dear than life for all of us devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Since he has been favored by the abundant mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he is always pleasing. Vividly providing a superior example for the renounced order, this very dear follower of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is the ocean of renunciation. Who among the residents of Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī] does not know him very well?
Purport
This verse is from Śrī Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (10.3) of Kavi-karṇapūra.
Text
saubhāgya-bhūḥ kācid akṛṣṭa-pacyā
yatrāyam āropaṇa-tulya-kālaṁ
tat-prema-śākhī phalavān atulyaḥ
Synonyms
yaḥ — who; sarva-loka — of all the devotees in Purī; eka — foremost; manaḥ — of the minds; abhirucyā — by the affection; saubhāgya-bhūḥ — the ground of good fortune; kācit — indescribable; akṛṣṭa-pacyā — perfect without tilling or perfect without practice; yatra — in which; ayam — this; āropaṇa-tulya-kālam — at the same time as the sowing of the seed; tat-prema-śākhī — a tree of the love of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; phala-vān — fruitful; atulyaḥ — the matchless.
Translation
“Because he is very pleasing to all the devotees, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī easily became like the fertile earth of good fortune in which it was suitable for the seed of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be sown. At the same time that the seed was sown, it grew into a matchless tree of the love of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and produced fruit.”
Purport
This is the next verse from Śrī Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (10.4).
Text
karṇapūra sei-rūpe śloka varṇilā
Synonyms
Translation
In these verses, the great poet Kavi-karṇapūra gives the same information that Śivānanda Sena conveyed to the messenger from Raghunātha dāsa’s father.
Text
raghunāthera sevaka, vipra tāṅra saṅge cale
Synonyms
Translation
The next year, when Śivānanda Sena was going to Jagannātha Purī as usual, the servants and the brāhmaṇa, who was a cook, went with him.
Text
nīlācale raghunāthe mililā āsiyā
Synonyms
Translation
The servants and brāhmaṇa brought four hundred coins to Jagannātha Purī, and there they met Raghunātha dāsa.
Text
dravya lañā dui-jana tāhāṅi rahila
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa did not accept the money and men sent by his father. Therefore the brāhmaṇa and one of the servants stayed there with the money.
Text
māse dui-dina kailā prabhura nimantraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
At that time, Raghunātha dāsa began inviting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his house with great attention for two days every month.
Text
brāhmaṇa-bhṛtya-ṭhāñi karena eteka grahaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The cost for these two occasions was 640 kauḍis. Therefore he would take that much from the servant and the brāhmaṇa.
Text
pāche raghunātha nimantraṇa chāḍi’ dilā
Synonyms
ei-mata — in this way; nimantraṇa — invitation; varṣa dui — for two years; kailā — continued; pāche — at the end; raghunātha — Raghunātha dāsa; nimantraṇa — invitation; chāḍi’ dilā — gave up.
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa continued to invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this way for two years, but at the end of the second year he stopped.
Text
svarūpe puchilā tabe śacīra nandana
Synonyms
Translation
When Raghunātha dāsa neglected to invite Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for two consecutive months, the Lord, the son of Śacī, questioned Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Text
svarūpa kahe, — “mane kichu vicāra karila
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord asked, “Why has Raghunātha dāsa stopped inviting Me?”
Purport
Svarūpa Dāmodara replied, “He must have reconsidered something in his mind.
Text
prasanna nā haya ihāya jāni prabhura mana
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘I invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by accepting goods from materialistic people. I know that the Lord’s mind is not satisfied by this.
Text
ei nimantraṇe dekhi, — ‘pratiṣṭhā’-mātra phala
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘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.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura 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 Vaiṣṇavas to partake of the prasādam, that attempt will gain us only a material reputation, not the actual benefit of service to a pure Vaiṣṇava. 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 Vaiṣṇavas.
Text
nā mānile duḥkhī ha-ibeka mūrkha jana
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘At my request Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts the invitations because He knows that a foolish person like me would be unhappy if He did not accept them.’
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura 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 prasādam to Vaiṣṇavas. Because of their ignorance, however, they cannot understand that since their minds are materially polluted, neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor the Vaiṣṇavas accept their offerings. If one accepts money from such materialistic persons to offer food to the Deity and Vaiṣṇavas, a pure Vaiṣṇava 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 Vaiṣṇavas.
Text
śuni’ mahāprabhu hāsi’ balite lāgila
Synonyms
eta vicāriyā — considering this; nimantraṇa — invitation; chāḍi’ dila — he has stopped; śuni’ — hearing; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; hāsi’ — smiling; balite lāgila — began to say.
Translation
“Considering all these points,” Svarūpa Dāmodara concluded, “he has stopped inviting You.” Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and spoke as follows.
Text
malina mana haile nahe kṛṣṇera smaraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“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 Kṛṣṇa properly.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyās, or so-called Vaiṣṇavas who take everything very casually, are both viṣayīs, 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 sahajiyās, who are sometimes known as Vaiṣṇavas, and the non-Vaiṣṇavas, or avaiṣṇavas. Their association changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa.
Text
dātā, bhoktā — duṅhāra malina haya mana
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura 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.
Text
bhāla haila — jāniyā āpani chāḍi dila”
Synonyms
Translation
“Because of Raghunātha dāsa’s eagerness, I accepted his invitation for many days. It is very good that Raghunātha dāsa, knowing this, has now automatically given up this practice.”
Text
chatre yāi’ māgiyā khāite ārambha karilā
Synonyms
Translation
After some days, Raghunātha dāsa gave up standing near the Siṁha-dvāra gate and instead began eating by begging alms from a booth for free distribution of food.
Text
‘raghu bhikṣā lāgi’ ṭhāḍa kene nahe siṁha-dvāre’?
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this news from Govinda, He inquired from Svarūpa Dāmodara, “Why does Raghunātha dāsa no longer stand at the Siṁha-dvāra gate to beg alms?”
Text
chatre māgi’ khāya madhyāhna-kāle giyā”
Synonyms
Translation
Svarūpa Dāmodara replied, “Raghunātha dāsa felt unhappy standing at the Siṁha-dvāra. Therefore he is now going at midday to beg alms from the charity booth.”
Text
siṁha-dvāre bhikṣā-vṛtti — veśyāra ācāra
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing this news, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “He has done very well by no longer standing at the Siṁha-dvāra gate. Such begging of alms resembles the behavior of a prostitute.
Text
dattam ayam aparaḥ. samety ayaṁ dāsyati, anenāpi na
dattam anyaḥ sameṣyati, sa dāsyati ity-ādi.
Synonyms
tathā hi — thus; kim artham — why; ayam — this person; āgacchati — is coming; ayam — this person; dāsyati — will give; anena — by this person; dattam — given; ayam — this; aparaḥ — other; sameti — comes near; ayam — this person; dāsyati — will give; anena — by this person; api — also; na — not; dattam — given; anyaḥ — another; sameṣyati — will come near; saḥ — he; dāsyati — will give; iti — thus; ādi — and so on.
Translation
“ ‘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.
Text
anya kathā nāhi, sukhe kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana”
Synonyms
Translation
“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 Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.”
Text
‘govardhanera śilā’, ‘guñjā-mālā’ tāṅre dilā
Synonyms
Translation
After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again bestowed His mercy upon Raghunātha dāsa by giving him a stone from Govardhana Hill and a garland of small conchshells.
Text
teṅha sei śilā-guñjā-mālā lañā gelā
Synonyms
Translation
Previously, when Śaṅkarānanda Sarasvatī had returned from Vṛndāvana, he had brought the stone from Govardhana Hill and also the garland of conchshells.
Text
dui vastu mahāprabhura āge āni’ dilā
Synonyms
Translation
He presented Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with these two items — the garland of conchshells and the stone from Govardhana Hill.
Text
smaraṇera kāle gale pare guñjā-mālā
Synonyms
Translation
Upon receiving these two uncommon items, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was extremely happy. While chanting, He would put the garland around His neck.
Text
kabhu nāsāya ghrāṇa laya, kabhu śire kare
Synonyms
Translation
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.
Text
śilāre kahena prabhu — ‘kṛṣṇa-kalevara’
Synonyms
Translation
The stone from Govardhana was always moist with tears from His eyes. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would say, “This stone is directly the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa.”
Text
tuṣṭa hañā śilā-mālā raghunāthe dilā
Synonyms
Translation
For three years He kept the stone and garland. Then, greatly satisfied by the behavior of Raghunātha dāsa, the Lord delivered both of them to him.
Text
iṅhāra sevā kara tumi kariyā āgraha
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Raghunātha dāsa, “This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Worship the stone with great eagerness.”
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya that in the opinion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the govardhana-śilā, the stone from Govardhana Hill, was directly the form of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. The Lord used the stone for three years, and then in the heart of Raghunātha dāsa the Lord awakened devotional service to the stone. The Lord then gave the stone to Raghunātha dāsa, accepting him as one of His most confidential servants. However, some envious people conclude that because Raghunātha dāsa had not taken birth in the family of a brāhmaṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not give him the right to worship the Deity directly but instead gave him a stone from Govardhana. This kind of thought is nārakī, or hellish. As stated in the Padma Purāṇa, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ . . . yasya vā nārakī saḥ. If one thinks that the worshipable śālagrāma-śilā is a mere stone, that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being or that a pure Vaiṣṇava preaching the bhakti cult all over the world is a member of a particular caste or material division of society, he is considered a nārakī, a candidate for hellish life. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed that the govardhana-śilā, the stone taken from Govardhana, is nondifferent from the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He indirectly advised such foolish persons that one should not be envious of a Vaiṣṇava who belongs to a different caste or sect. One should accept a Vaiṣṇava as transcendental. In this way one can be saved; otherwise, one is surely awaiting a hellish life.
Text
acirāt pābe tumi kṛṣṇa-prema-dhana
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Worship this stone in the mode of goodness like a perfect brāhmaṇa, for by such worship you will surely attain ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa without delay.
Text
sāttvika-sevā ei — śuddha-bhāve kari
Synonyms
Translation
“For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasī tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity.
Text
ei-mata aṣṭa-mañjarī dibe śraddhā kari’ ”
Synonyms
Translation
“With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasī flowers, each with two tulasī leaves, one on each side of each flower.”
Text
ānande raghunātha sevā karite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally offered Raghunātha dāsa the govardhana-śilā with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunātha dāsa worshiped the śilā in great transcendental jubilation.
Text
svarūpa dilena kuṅjā ānibāre pāni
Synonyms
Translation
Svarūpa Dāmodara gave Raghunātha dāsa two cloths, each about six inches long, a wooden platform and a jug in which to keep water.
Text
pūjā-kāle dekhe śilāya ‘vrajendra-nandana’
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Raghunātha dāsa began worshiping the stone from Govardhana, and as he worshiped he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, directly in the stone.
Text
ei cinti’ raghunātha preme bhāsi’ gelā
Synonyms
Translation
Thinking of how he had received the govardhana-śilā directly from the hands of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Raghunātha dāsa was always overflooded with ecstatic love.
Text
ṣoḍaśopacāra-pūjāya tata sukha naya
Synonyms
Translation
The amount of transcendental bliss that Raghunātha dāsa enjoyed simply by offering water and tulasī is impossible to achieve even if one worships the Deity with sixteen kinds of paraphernalia.
Text
tabe svarūpa-gosāñi tāṅre kahilā vacana
Synonyms
Translation
After Raghunātha dāsa had thus worshiped the govardhana-śilā for some time, Svarūpa Dāmodara one day spoke to him as follows.
Text
śraddhā kari’ dile, sei amṛtera sama”
Synonyms
Translation
“Offer the Govardhana stone eight kauḍis worth of the first-class sweetmeats known as khājā and sandeśa. If you offer them with faith and love, they will be just like nectar.”
Text
svarūpa-ājñāya govinda tāhā kare samādhāna
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa then began offering the costly sweetmeats known as khājā, which Govinda, following the order of Svarūpa Dāmodara, would supply.
Text
gosāñira abhiprāya ei bhāvanā karilā
Synonyms
Translation
When Raghunātha dāsa received from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu the stone and the garland of conchshells, he could understand the Lord’s intention. Thus he thought as follows.
Text
guñjā-mālā diyā dilā ‘rādhikā-caraṇe’ ”
Synonyms
Translation
“By offering me the govardhana-śilā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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 Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.”
Text
kāya-mane sevilena gaurāṅga-caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa’s transcendental bliss was boundless. Forgetting everything external, he served the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with his body and mind.
Text
raghunāthera niyama, — yena pāṣāṇera rekhā
Synonyms
Translation
Who could list the unlimited transcendental attributes of Raghunātha dāsa? His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines on a stone.
Purport
The words pāṣāṇera rekhā are very significant. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī followed the regulative principles so strictly and rigidly that they were compared to the lines on a stone. As such lines cannot be erased at any time, so the regulative principles observed by Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī could not be changed under any circumstances.
Text
āhāra-nidrā cāri daṇḍa seha nahe kona dine
Synonyms
sāḍe sāta prahara — 7.5 praharas (one prahara equals three hours); yāya — is spent; kīrtana-smaraṇe — in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and remembering the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; āhāra-nidrā — eating and sleeping; cāri daṇḍa — four daṇḍas (one daṇḍa equals twenty-four minutes); seha — that; nahe — is not; kona dine — some days.
Translation
Raghunātha dāsa spent more than twenty-two hours out of every twenty-four chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-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.
Text
ājanma nā dila jihvāya rasera sparśana
Synonyms
Translation
Topics concerning his renunciation are wonderful. Throughout his life he never allowed his tongue sense gratification.
Text
sāvadhāne prabhura kailā ājñāra pālana
Synonyms
Translation
He never touched anything to wear except a small torn cloth and a patchwork wrapper. Thus he very rigidly executed the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
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, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Jīva Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī to preach, and He ordered Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī to strictly follow the rules and regulations of the renounced order. All six Gosvāmīs strictly followed the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 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.
Text
tāhā khāñā āpanāke kahe nirveda-vacana
Synonyms
Translation
Whatever he ate was only to keep his body and soul together, and when he ate he would reproach himself thus.
Text
paraṁ jñāna-dhutāśayaḥ
kim icchan kasya vā hetor
dehaṁ puṣṇāti lampaṭaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘If one’s heart has been cleansed by perfect knowledge and one has understood Kṛṣṇa, 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?’ ”
Purport
This verse (Bhāg. 7.15.40) was spoken by Nārada to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja regarding a householder’s liberation from material bondage. On the spiritual platform, one does not unnecessarily care for the body. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. One who is spiritually situated does not think that he is the body. Therefore he can transcendentally execute severe penances in the renounced order of life. The best example of such renunciation is Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
Text
dui-tina dina haile bhāta saḍi’ yāya
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Jagannātha’s prasādam is sold by shopkeepers, and that which is not sold decomposes after two or three days.
Text
saḍā-gandhe tailaṅgī-gāi khāite nā pāre
Synonyms
Translation
All the decomposed food is thrown before the cows from Tailaṅga at the Siṁha-dvāra gate. Because of its rotten odor, even the cows cannot eat it.
Text
bhāta pākhāliyā phele ghare diyā bahu pāni
Synonyms
Translation
At night Raghunātha dāsa would collect that decomposed rice, bring it home and wash it with ample water.
Text
lavaṇa diyā raghunātha sei anna khāya
Synonyms
Translation
Then he ate the hard inner portion of the rice with salt.
Text
hāsiyā tāhāra kichu māgiyā khāilā
Synonyms
Translation
One day Svarūpa Dāmodara saw the activities of Raghunātha dāsa. Thus he smiled and asked for a small portion of that food and ate it.
Text
āmā-sabāya nāhi deha’, — ki tomāra prakṛti?”
Synonyms
Translation
Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “You eat such nectar every day, but you never offer it to us. What is your character?”
Text
āra dina āsi’ prabhu kahite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard news of this from the mouth of Govinda, He went there the next day and spoke as follows.
Text
eta bali’ eka grāsa karilā bhakṣaṇe
Synonyms
Translation
“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.
Text
‘tava yogya nahe’ bali’ bale kāḍi’ nilā
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking another morsel of food, Svarūpa Dāmodara caught Him by the hand and said, “It is not fit for You.” Thus he forcibly took the food away.
Text
aiche svāda āra kona prasāde nā pāi”
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Of course, every day I eat varieties of prasādam, but I have never tasted such nice prasādam as that which Raghunātha is eating.”
Text
raghunāthera vairāgya dekhi’ santoṣa antare
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed many pastimes at Jagannātha Purī. Seeing the severe penances performed by Raghunātha dāsa in the renounced order, the Lord was greatly satisfied.
Text
‘gaurāṅga-stava-kalpa-vṛkṣe’ kariyāchena prakāśa
Synonyms
Translation
In his poem known as the Gaurāṅga-stava-kalpavṛkṣa, Raghunātha dāsa has described his personal deliverance.
Text
svarūpe yaḥ svīye kujanam api māṁ nyasya muditaḥ
uro-guñjā-hāraṁ priyam api ca govardhana-śilāṁ
dadau me gaurāṅgo hṛdaya udayan māṁ madayati
Synonyms
mahā-sampat — of profuse material opulence; dāvāt — from a forest fire; api — although; patitam — fallen; uddhṛtya — delivering; kṛpayā — by mercy; svarūpe — unto Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; yaḥ — He who (Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu); svīye — His personal associate; ku-janam — low person; api — although; mām — me; nyasya — having delivered; muditaḥ — pleased; uraḥ — of the chest; guñjā-hāram — the garland of conchshells; priyam — dear; api — although; ca — and; govardhana-śilām — a stone from Govardhana Hill; dadau — delivered; me — to me; gaurāṅgaḥ — Lord Gaurāṅga; hṛdaye — in my heart; udayan — by manifesting; mām — me; madayati — maddens.
Translation
“Although I am a fallen soul, the lowest of men, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered me from the blazing forest fire of great material opulence by His mercy. He handed me over in great pleasure to Svarūpa Dāmodara, 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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu awakens within my heart and makes me mad after Him.”
Purport
This verse is from Śrī Gaurāṅga-stava-kalpavṛkṣa (11), written by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
Text
ihā yei śune pāya caitanya-caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Thus I have described the meeting of Raghunātha dāsa with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone who hears about this incident attains the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
Synonyms
śrī-rūpa — Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; raghunātha — Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; pade — at the lotus feet; yāra — whose; āśa — expectation; caitanya-caritāmṛta — the book named Caitanya-caritāmṛta; kahe — describes; kṛṣṇadāsa — Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
Translation
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
Purport
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, sixth chapter, describing Lord Caitanya’s meeting with Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.