A Separation Day

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas' cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

"I bow down unto the holy feet of the pure Vaisnavs, who are like desire trees able to fulfil all the devotees' aspirations. The Lord's devotees are comparable to a vast ocean of causeless mercy, as they deliver the fallen souls from material existence. I offer all respects unto them."

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi
dhiradhira-janapriyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau
sri-chaitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Goswamis, namely Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatan Goswami, Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunath Das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who are always engaged in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Chaitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.

Srila Srinivas Acharya Goswami composed this Sad-Goswamy-astakam, and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad liked it very much. When I heard him singing Sad-Goswamy-Astakam I was surprised that it was possible to sing this song. I had not heard it before. I know Sad-Goswamy-Astakam, I had read it before but had never sung it, neither had I heard it sung also. I heard it for the first time from Srila Swami Maharaj's recording and I was surprised what kind of devotion he has. He was also not an expert in singing (I have known him from my childhood, that is why I can say that), but he sang that song with his devotional potency. If anybody hears it, they must be enlivened and will get the devotion of Sad Goswami. What I heard that day, when I heard Srila Swami Maharaj singing it, was a transcendental sound.

Today is the disappearance day of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami and Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami. It is very hard for a disciple to tolerate the disappearance of their Guru...

SRILA RAGHUNATH DAS GOSWAMI

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was born Adisapta-gram, near Bandel, in a very big zamindar family. His father's annual income was twenty lakhs of rupees—he gave twelve lakhs to the government, and eight lakhs was wealth every year (at that time, one kilogram of rice cost one paisa; so, you can imagine how wealthy they were). From his very birth, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was very renounced-minded. He always had much wealth, but he had no attachment, no attraction to it. His father, mother, his uncle, everyone was very rich and they tried to bring him up in a very rich way, but he did not like it. He heard in his childhood the Name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that He was the Lord Himself, and he always wanted to meet with Him. He actually tried to meet with Sriman Mahaprabhu many times, and once or twice he managed to meet with Him, but Mahaprabhu said, "Go back to your home, try to maintain your family life. When time comes, Krishna will take you out of your family life and engage you in His eternal, exclusive service."

Still, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami remained very renounced. He tried to go to Mahaprabhu many times. When he heard that Mahaprabhu had taken sannyas, he could not stay in his house any more—he kept trying to come to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet. His parents and relatives tried to keep him in the family life and gave everything that there was to provide mundane luxury—they gave him all wealth, they arranged his marriage to a very nice, fair girl who was as beautiful as an apsara (celestial angel). Still, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's mind was always at Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet; he felt no attraction to the material life—he had all wealth, but had no attraction to it. He only always wanted to go to the lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but every time he tried to go, his father would bring him back from the road—he would arrest him and keep him in the house.

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami kept thinking, "Why am I not successful? Why cannot I go to the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? I want to go, but what is my fault that I cannot go? I do not understand it..." Then, one day he heard that Nityananda Prabhu came with His associates (disciples, followers, so many people) to Panihati-gram. Hearing that, he immediately went to meet with Nityananda Prabhu. When he came, he fell at the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, and Nityananda Prabhu was very glad. He said, "Yes, you, thief, have come to me today! I shall punish you! I hear your father is very wealthy and you also have much money—so, today you will try to feed all our associates and disciples who are present here!" Srila Raghunath Das Goswami very gladly accepted this mercy and arranged a grand festival. This festival became famous as 'chida-dahi-mahotsav'—he arranged for flat rice, milk, condensed milk, yoghurt, sandesh, rasagullas, bananas, and so many other things. Perhaps, five hundred or one thousand devotees took prasadam that day—many also came from the nearby villages. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami arranged everything for Nityananda Prabhu, and Nityananda Prabhu happily took prasadam at that great festival, along with His associates. Mahaprabhu also came from Nilachal through the meditation of Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu, Mahaprabhu, Advaita Prabhu, everybody came there and partook of that chida-dahi-mahotsav. Everybody shared with each other. Nityananda Prabhu offered food to Mahaprabhu's. At some point, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami saw Nityananda Prabhu putting food in Mahaprabhu's mouth and Mahaprabhu putting food in Nityananda Prabhu's mouth. He was astonished, "What kind of festival has Nityananda Prabhu made today to bestow His mercy upon me?!" Then, when the festival finished, Nityananda Prabhu was very pleased. He said to Raghunath, "Now your material bondage is finished. You must certainly get Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet."

So, by Nityananda Prabhu's mercy, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami went back to his house, but this time he did not enter the deepest quarter of the house. There are three sections in every wealthy man's house, and Raghunath Das Goswami stayed in the outer quarters. He always remembered Mahaprabhu's lotus feet and Nityananda Prabhu's mercy, he always chanted the maha-mantra and thought, "How will I go to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet? I have got Nityananda Prabhu's permission now, and I must go now, I have no doubt, but how?... I do not know..."

In the meantime, one day very early in the morning the family priest (kula-guru) came to the house. He saw Srila Raghunath Das Goswami in the outer part of the house and asked him, "Oh, can you do me a favour? My house priest does not want to do the worship properly, Please speak to him, he will listen to you." Srila Raghunath Das Goswami agreed, "Yes, sure, I will come with you." They went out. Raghunath Das Goswami's parents always kept guards outside the house to make sure Srila Raghunath Das Goswami did not come out of the house, but this time the guards saw that Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was going out with his guru, so they thought he would come back and it was not necessary to go with him. As they were going to the priest's house, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami said to that kula-guru, "Go to your house, and I will go to see that priest in his house. I will speak to him, and he will come to you. You do not have to go to him with me. I will go there, it is enough." The guru thought, "Yes, it is true. If Raghunath speaks to him, he must come and do his job." So, he went to his house, and Srila Raghunath Das Goswami went to speak to that priest—he instructed him what to do, and after that, instead of going back to his house, he ran away.

This time, however, he did not go straight to Nilachal. Mahaprabhu lived in Jagannath Puri (Nilachal) at that time, but Srila Raghunath Das Goswami at first went in the opposite direction so that the guards would not catch him. He walked in the opposite direction for one day and then only turned towards Nilachal. In the meantime, the guards went straight to Nilachal (as they always did before whenever Raghunath used to run away), but they arrived very fast, and, not finding Srila Raghunath Das Goswami anywhere, they came back to the house of Raghunath's father.

Before that, one day Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's father and mother were talking. His mother said to his father, "Put hand cuffs and foot cuffs on him and keep him in a room! He keeps on trying to leave our family! Tie him and keep him in a room!" Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's father said, "You are foolish, that is why you are saying this. What hand cuffs will be able to stop your son? I have given him more than just hand cuffs—I have given him wealth like that of India, I have given him a wife who is as beautiful as a celestial angel. He has all pratistha (fame, prestige). I have tried to bind him with so many 'ropes', but he is not attracted to any of it. Only binding his hands will not do anything! Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is very merciful to him, so I cannot keep him in his household life. All we can do is to keep trying..."

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's journey to Nilachal took twelve days on foot. On the way, he did not take anything—he only took some milk three times in some brahmans' houses, maybe he took some rice one day only. He could not walk at night, so he would spend the nights in some cowsheds. In this way, he finally reached Nilachal Dham in twelve days. There, he finally met with Sriman Mahaprabhu—he fell at His lotus feet, and Mahaprabhu immediately recognised that it was Raghunath. Then, Mahaprabhu took his hand and gave him to Svarup Damodar Goswami. He said to Svarup Damodar Goswami, "From this day, his name will be 'Raghunath of Svarup Damodar.' Teach him as much as possible, teach him all you know."

In this way, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami stayed in Nilachal with Mahaprabhu. His parents understood that he was in Nilachal Dham and that they could not do anything now, so they sent some money and men to serve Srila Raghunath Das Goswami there. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami did not accept the servants, but he kept some money thinking, "Perhaps, I can serve Mahaprabhu and His associates with this money." From time to time, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami would invite Mahaprabhu and feed Him and all His associates, but eventually he thought, "It is not good, Mahaprabhu may not be happy with this." So, he did not invite anyone again. Mahaprabhu asked Svarup Damodar, "Why is Raghunath not inviting Me anymore for prasadam?" Svarup Damodar explained, "Raghunath thinks it is not good to use materialists' wealth (visayi's anna). Now he stands at Simha-dvara [Lion Gate at Jagannath Temple] and begs for alms." Eventually, he left begging too and adopted very heavy renunciation. When Jagannathdev's priests thought that some prasadam had gone off, they would put it into a pot for cows; and Srila Raghunath Das Goswami would collect some grains of rice that were so bad that even the cows could not take them—he would wash those grains with some water and eat them with some salt. When Mahaprabhu heard about this, He cried. He immediately went to him and saw Raghunath taking that kind of prasadam (and that too very little). Seeing it, Mahaprabhu forcefully took a handful of that prasadam and ate it. He said to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, "Oh, what a nice prasadam you are taking every day, and you are not giving any to Me!"

Mahaprabhu was very merciful to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. One day, when Mahaprabhu got a gunja-mala and a Govardhan sila from Vrindavan, He gave them to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami saying, "This gunja-mala represents Srimati Radharani, and this Govardhan sila is Sri Krishna Himself. Worship Them every day." Srila Raghunath Das Goswami took Them and worshipped these Deities with Tulasi leaves and some water from the Ganges every day since then, up to his last day.

When Mahaprabhu and Svarup Damodar disappeared, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami became like a madman. He actually wanted to leave his body. Finally, he decided, "I know that Sri Rupa and Sanatan are very dear to Mahaprabhu and they live in Vrindavan—I shall go there and meet with them first, then I will leave my body by jumping from Govardhan Hill." Intent on committing suicide, he went to Vrindavan like a madman. However, when he came there and saw Sri Rupa and Sanatan, he got a new life. Seeing their devotional practising life, he saw that Mahaprabhu's preaching programme was in full swing in Vrindavan. He decided not to leave his body and stayed under the guidance of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami. He lived there for a very long time. When Mahaprabhu disappeared, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami became like a madman, but when Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami left this world, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami received a deep shock... You know that he lived on the bank of Radha Kunda and worshipped Radha Kunda and Giraraj Govardhan every day. However, when Srila Rupa Goswami left this world, he got so much pain and felt such an extreme separation. He expressed pain in this sloka,

vyaghra-tundayate kundam girindro 'jagarayate
sunyayate maha-gostham sri-rupa-virahena me

"Without my life—Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu—Vraja seems empty, Giriraj seems like a python, and Radha Kunda seems like the jaws of a tiger."

"I no longer can see Radha Kunda—rather, I see it is a tiger coming to devour me! And when I see Giriraj Govardhan, I am thinking it is a python coming to swallow me!" This kind of deep feeling of very intense separation mood he got.

In the end, he stopped taking all prasadam—he would only take a bowl of buttermilk every day. Yet, by the grace of Mahaprabhu and will of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami, he got a long life. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami lived in this mundane world for eighty or perhaps eighty-two years. During his life, he composed many stavakas of Radha-Krishna, wrote many poems about Their pastimes (Vraja-vilasa Stvakah and many others). Sometimes, we see that he actually gives us even more life with his slokas than even Srila Rupa Goswami. There are many slokas composed by Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, and there are a few slokas that we are especially enlightened with. One of such slokas is this.

asa-bharair amrta-sindhu-mayaih kathanchit
kalo mayati-gamitah kila sampratam hi
tvan chet krpam mayi vidhasyasi naiva kim me
pranair vraje na cha varoru bakarinapi

This sloka is a direct prayer to Radharani. It expresses a particular type of hope which is so sweet and reassuring that it is compared with an unlimited ocean of nectar. He says, "With that hope I am somehow passing my days, flagging my days, dragging my life through these tedious times only for that hope. That hope is sustaining me, the nectarean ocean of hope is attracting me and sustaining me. Somehow I am dragging my days to my only safety. Otherwise, I have lost the direct association of Mahaprabhu, Svarup Damodar, and so many other great souls, and still I am living. Why? I have a particular ray of hope. And the prospect and quality of my hope is very great and high. But my patience has reached its end. I can't endure it any longer. I can't wait. I am finished; I can't wait anymore. At this moment if You do not show Your grace to me, I am finished. I shall lose the chance forever. I shall have no desire to continue my life. It will all be useless. Without Your grace, I can't stand to live another moment. And Vrndavan, which is even dearer to me than my life itself—I am disgusted with it. It is painful; it is always pinching me. What to speak of anything else, I am even disgusted with Krishna. It is shameful to utter such words, but I can have no love even for Krishna, until and unless You take me up within Your confidential camp of service. Such charm I have come for. I have seen the clue of such charm within the service of Your camp. Without that, everything is tasteless to me. And I can't maintain my existence even in Vrndavan. And even Krishna, what to speak of others, has no charm for me." This is the prayer of Raghunath Das Goswami.

(Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, Sri Guru and His Grace)

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami says, "I am living here in this Radha Kunda by the grace of my Gurudev, Sri Rupa-Sanatan, but why am I alive? I need service (exclusive service!) to Radharani! I do not want Krishna alone! I want that type of Krishna who is always served by Srimati Radharani. 'Radhara dasira krsna sarva-vede bole (রাধার দাসীর কৃষ্ণ সর্ব্ব বেদে বলে)—Krishna is the property of the maid servants of Srimati Radharani. All Vedas say this.' I need Radharani's lotus feet! I do not need service to even Krishna! This is my only hope, and I am maintaining this hope that I must one day get this service to the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani. I have hankered for it for so long, but now I am not sure whether I will get it in this life or not. If I do not get it, O Radharani, then I do not want to serve Krishna! What shall I do with Krishna? Without Your association, Krishna is a demon-killer!"

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami expressed his mood in this way. It is very difficult for me to express this in English, what I am saying is not sufficient, but you can understand something from that. This duty has come to me, so I have to try to express something in English.

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami's line is our proper line. We have heard about it from Srila Guru Maharaj. If we want the grace of Srila Rupa Goswami, the mercy of Srila Rupa Goswami, we must follow the line of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. This is how we can get the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami. Once we have got the mercy of Srila Rupa Goswami, it will be very easy to get the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. The bhav (mood) of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was very high—he holds exclusive service to Srimati Radharani. This was his life's goal, but solely under the guidance of Srila Rupa Goswami. Srila Das Goswami showed us what is the relation between the guru and the sisya (disciple) also. It is also our fortune that we have got this conception from our Srila Guru Maharaj. I can remember one sloka that describes the relationship between the guru and the sisya (disciples),

tvam rupa-manjari sakhi prathita pure 'smin
pumsah parasya vadanam na hi pasyasiti
bimbadhare ksatam anagata-bhartrkaya
yat te vyadhayi kim u tach chhuka-pungavena

"O friend! O Rupa Manjari! You are renowned in Vraja, as you do not even look at the face of another man. So, in the absence of your husband, which great parrot has made that bite on your red lips?"

(Vilap-kusumanjali, 1, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami)

The expression inside this sloka is very high—when we get the mercy of Srila Guru Maharaj, it will appear in our heart and show us the form of our service line.

SRILA RAGHUNATH BHATTA GOSWAMI

Today is also the disappearance day of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami and Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami.

Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was born in Benares. His father's name is Tapan Mishra (he met with Mahaprabhu in East Bengal, the territory of the present day Bangladesh). He had a house there, and he was a very good searcher and devotee of Krishna. He always searched for the supreme goal of our life, and when Mahaprabhu (Nimai Vishvambhar) came to East Bengal to teach students, Tapan Misra got a dream, "Go to Nimai Pandit! He is an incarnation of Vishnu. You will get the instruction on the supreme goal of your life from Him."

When Tapan Mishra got this dream, he woke up and immediately went to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet. He saw Mahaprabhu sitting on a wooden chair, surrounded by all the students like stars—they all sat at his feet on the ground and Mahaprabhu, sitting on a chair, was like a bright sun. Tapan Mishra came and fell at His lotus feet. He told Mahaprabhu what he had seen in his dream, and Mahaprabhu said, "The supreme goal of your life in this age of Kali is Harinam-sankirtan." That was the first preaching and teaching Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu knows everything, He is Bhagavan, Krishna Himself. Then, He instructed Tapan Mishra at that time, "Go to Banares, Kashi. I shall meet with you there."

We can understand from this that it was Mahaprabhu's plan to take sannyas. Mahaprabhu knows everything, what will happen in the future, so He told Tapan Mishra, "Come to Benares, stay there and chant Hare Krishna. This is the goal of our life. Through proper chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, you will get everything, you will get the supreme attainment of exclusive service to Radha, Krishna."

After that, Tapan Mishra and his family left their house and went to Benares, Kashi. They settled there. At that time, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was a child. When Mahaprabhu took sannyas, He went first to Puri, and then from Puri He went to Benares on the way to Vrindavan. There, at Manikarnika-ghat (a bathing ghat on the Ganges), when Tapan Mishra was bathing in the Ganges one day, he suddenly heard some loud sound coming, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare! Jay Gour Hari! Jay Haribol!" He was very surprised to hear it. He thought, "What is this? This is the place of mayavadi sannyasis, they always say, 'Aham brahmasmi, brahma, tattvamasi, etc.' I have never heard Harinam-sankirtan here! What is this? I hear the sounds of Harinam-sankirtan, and it is very loudly and broadly coming here!" He finished bathing and rushed towards the sounds of sankirtan, and then he immediately saw Mahaprabhu coming with many of His followers. He was astonished to hear the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and see Mahaprabhu. At first, he saw Mahaprabhu's figure and was a little hesitant, but when Mahaprabhu came closer to him and smiled to him, he immediately recognised Him, "Oh, Nimai Pandit has taken sannyas! It is Him!"

Then, Tapan Mishra took Mahaprabhu to his house. There, they had some sankirtan and Tapan Mishra arranged for prasadam for all the devotees. Mahaprabhu stayed at his house for ten days. At that time, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami (the son of Tapan Mishra) got an opportunity to serve Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu was very affectionate to Raghunath—He would take him on His lap and treat him like a child. Raghunath would massage Mahaprabhu's lotus feet every day, he would cook and serve prasadam to Mahaprabhu. He served Mahaprabhu heart and soul at the house of Tapan Mishra, and Mahaprabhu was very pleased with him. When Mahaprabhu wanted to leave, Raghunath Bhatta came and said, "I shall go with You!" but Mahaprabhu said, "No, your father and mother are good devotees of Krishna. Serve them for now. After they disappear, you can come to Puri."

So, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami very sadly stayed at his house, but he happily served his Vaishnav father and mother (Tapan Mishra, his wife, and their family also). Four years later he went to Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri. His father and mother said, "We are going to leave these bodies soon, so when you finish all the necessary work here (burning, etc.), go to Mahaprabhu and serve Him directly." In this way, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami happily went to Puri Dham and met there with Mahaprabhu. He stayed there for eight months and served Mahaprabhu in many ways. Then, Mahaprabhu ordered him. "Now you must go to Vrindavan. You will practise your Krishna consciousness life there under the guidance of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami. You will get there everything, and you will always be able to see Me there." Then, Jagannath prasadam, along with a big (twenty-one-feet) garland came at that time, and Mahaprabhu gave that prasadam and garland to Raghunath Bhatta Goswami. Taking the prasadam and galrand, Raghunath Batta Goswami left for Vrindavan Dham...

When he came to Vrindavan, he met with Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami there. During that time he composed many slokas. He actually studied in Kashi, so he read all the sastras. When he came to Vrindavan, he would read Bhagavatam at the assembly of Srila Rupa Goswami. Later, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami's disciples actually made the Govindaji temple of Srila Rupa Goswami. (This temple of Govindaji was later broken by Aurangzeb, but Prabhupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, "He could break only the mundane form. This temple of Govindaji is transcendental. Govindaji shows us the temple is broken, but it is not so—what we see with our vision is all wrong, so when we see that this temple is broken, it is also one kind of wrong vision.)

So, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami lived at the temple of Srila Rupa Goswami, he would read Srimad Bhagavatam every day. He had a very sweet voice and could chant Srimad Bhagavatam with different tunes.

pika-svara-kathha, tate ragera vibhaga
eka-sloka patite phiraya tina-chari raga

"His voice was as sweet as a cuckoo's, and he would recite each verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam in three or four tunes. Thus his recitations were very sweet to hear."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.13.128)

Such was his quality. He lived in this world for about eighty or eighty-five years...

SRILA KRISHNA DAS KAVIRAJ GOSWAMI

Today is also the disappearance day of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami. By his grace we have got everything—Rupa, Sanatan, Bhatta Raghunath, Sri Jiva Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Das Raghunath Goswami—we are getting every Goswami's blessing through Srila Kaviraj Goswami. This is what we actually see now.

Srila Kaviraj Goswami was a great pandit and a great devotee of Krishna, especially of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu and Sriman Mahaprabhu. Srila Kaviraj Goswami was very merciful. His birth place is not far from Katwa, in Jhamatpur. He was born in a family of doctors, therefore he had the title 'Kaviraj'. He was very devoted to the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, and he learned everything by the grace of Nityananda Prabhu—he knew all pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, all pastimes of Radha, Krishna by Sriman Nityananda Prabhu's grace.

One day, Minaketan Ram Das, a very dear devotee of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu, came to his house in Jhamatpur. There was some festival, a very big sankirtan arranged that day there. Everybody was excited to see Minaketan Ram Das, they felt, "Nityananda Prabhu Himself has come here!" Everybody respected Minaketan Ram Das, but Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami's brother made some offence at the lotus feet of that Minaketan Ram Das that day, and Srila Kaviraj Goswami became very unhappy. He chastised his brother so much, "You respect Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as Bhagavan, but you do not respect Nityananda Prabhu as much! This is your very bad quality and fault! You are offensive to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet! I do not want to have your association. Either you leave this house or I shall leave!" At that night, he got a very auspicious dream from Nityananda Prabhu. When Nityananda Prabhu come to him, he saw His form was very bright. Later, he explained Nityananda Prabhu's form in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita very beautifully—this is the only place where we see a full description of Nityananda Prabhu's form. In that dream, Nityananda Prabhu very mercifully ordered to him,

are are krsnadasa, na karaha bhaya
vrndavane yaha, — tanha sarva siddhi haya

"My dear Krishna Das, do not be afraid. Go to Vrndavan, there you will attain everything."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.5.195)

"I order you to go to Vrindavan. Live there with Rupa, Sanatan, and you will get everything there. I shall also be present there with you from time to time, and Mahaprabhu is always with you, you know it. Go, go to Vrindavan." Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami immediately left his house, went to Vrindavan and accepted a renounced life. He lived in Vrindavan under the guidance of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami, as a guardian of other devotees. This Srila Kaviraj Goswami gave us all conception of Mahaprabhu through his Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita.

You all know Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, you have no doubt read it also, but I want to say that the conception that Srila Kaviraj Goswami has given us there, is exceptional! We have not heard that type of translation of scriptural matters. We have read some slokas from books and we know their meaning, but when we read Srila Kaviraj Goswami's interpretation, we get new light and very exceptional expression from those slokas. I can give you a short example. Srila Rupa Goswami composed this sloka,

kva nanda-kula-chandramah kva sikhi-chandrakalankrtih
kva mandra-murali-ravah kva nu surendra-nila-dyutih
kva rasa-rasa-tandavi kva sakhi jiva-raksausadhir
nidhir mama suhrt-tamah kva bata hanta ha dhig vidhim

"My dear friend, where is Krishna, who is like the moon rising from the ocean of Nanda Maharaj's dynasty? Where is Krishna, His head decorated with a peacock feather? Where is He? Where is Krishna, whose flute produces such a deep sound? Oh, where is Krishna, whose bodily luster is like the luster of the blue indranila jewel? Where is Krishna, who is so expert in rasa dancing? Oh, where is He, who can save My life? Kindly tell Me where to find Krishna, the treasure of My life and best of My friends. Feeling separation from Him, I hereby condemn Providence, the shaper of My destiny."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.19.35, originally from Lalita-madhava)

But Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami's expression and interpretation has come out very bright and glorious, it is a super-devotional expression. I cannot express it fully in English, but I can say that I had never seen, had never heard such a feeling before. Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami writes,

"vrajendra-kula — dugdha-sindhu, krsna tahe purna indu,
janmi' kaila jagat ujora
kanty-amrta yeba piye, nirantara piya jiye,
vraja-janera nayana-chakora"

"The family of Nanda Maharaj is just like an ocean of milk, wherein Lord Krishna has arisen like the full moon to illuminate the entire universe. The eyes of the residents of Vraja are like chakor birds that continuously drink the nectar of His bodily lustre and thus live peacefully.

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.19.36)

We had never heard, had never seen this kind of explanation, or interpretation, of this sloka. Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami wrote in Bengali, but we do not see any Bengali, any Sanskrit, or anything else—there is only devotional light, and we are all enlightened with this devotion. When Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami quoted some slokas from Srimad Bhagavatam or from some other scriptures in his Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, somebody can think, "Oh, this is Sanskrit, why is he writing Sanskrit here?" Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami explained this saying, "I am not writing Sanskrit or Bengali here, I am writing by the grace of Madan-Mohan! He is writing this Chaitanya-lila through me, through my hand, this is how it is manifesting itself gradually. I am very old, I cannot write anything."

ami vrddha jaratura, likhite kanpaye kara,
mane kichhu smarana na haya
na dekhiye nayane, na suniye sravane,
tabu likhi' — e bada vismaya

"I have now become too old and disturbed by invalidity. While I write, my hands tremble. I cannot remember anything, nor can I see or hear properly. Still I write, and this is a great wonder."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.2.90)

"It is only possible by the grace of Madan-Mohan." Madan-Mohan is the Deity of Srila Sanatana Goswami. Before Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami started writing Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, he went to take permission from Madan-Mohan. Vaishnavs requested to Srila Kaviraj Goswami, "You know everything, and you can properly compose Chaitanya-lila." Srila Kaviraj Goswami tried to object, "I am very old now, how will I make it?" Vaishnavs still insisted, "Only you can do it! You know everything!" Then, Srila Kaviraj Goswami, ordered by the Vaisnavs of Vrindavan, went to take permission from Madan-Mohan. When he came to Madan-Mohan's temple, Madan-Mohan's garland fell down from His neck, and the devotee gave that garland to Srila Kaviraj Goswami.

pana yanra ajna-dhana, vrajera vaisnava-gana,
vandon tanra mukhya haridasa
chaitanya-vilasa-sindhu-kallolera eka bindu,
tara kana kahe krsnadasa

"Receiving orders from the above authorities and the Vaishnavs of Vrindavan, especially from Haridas (the priest of Govindaji), I, Krishadas, have tried to describe one small particle of one drop of one wave of the ocean of the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.2.95)

This is how Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami presented to devotees a full explanation of Chaitanya-lila and also all other Vaishnavs' character in a grand way.

I have heard from Srila Guru Maharaj that those who know Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, know everything! Even if only this one book (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita) remains in this world, there would be no loss. This one book, Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, can give us everything. This is how Srila Guru Maharaj expressed the glories of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita that was composed by Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami.

If we read Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, we can understand the character of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatan Goswami, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and all other Vaishnavs, as well as the nature of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu's mercy. We have got everything through Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami. Today is his disappearance day...

Therefore, we are very fortunate that we have come here from so far and that we can chant the glories of Nitai, Chaitanyadev, and Vaishnavas. I cannot properly speak English, but you are all qualified, you can take the gist from my lecture.

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, and Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami must bless us today, they must bestow their mercy on us. We are trying as much as it is possible by us to serve our Guru Maharaj and to glorify them. Yet,

suno he rasika-jana krsna-guna aganana
ananta kahite nahi pare
krsna jagatera guru krsna vanchha-kalpa-taru
nabika se bhaba-parabare

"O tasters of nectar, please hear of Lord Krishna's numberless transcendental qualities, qualities that no one has the power to describe in full. Lord Krishna is the guru of all the worlds. Lord Krishna is a kalpa-vriksa tree. He is the boatman that crosses the ocean of birth and death."

(Kalyan-kalpataru)

Nobody can properly glorify the Vaishnav-mahima, then what can I say to you? I am always waiting for mercy—for causeless mercy. I have no qualification, so causeless mercy is the only hope for me, and for others also. You have come from so far searching Krishna consciousness, and we get this consciousness through our Guru and Vaishnavs. We try to glorify their holy disappearance day. All is pure (pavitra), it is written in the scriptures that both appearance and disappearance days are pavitra (purifying). You have seen here the temple "Union in Separation," I have give his name to Srila Guru Maharaj's samadhi mandir temple. Separation is the acme of devotional life. When too much separation comes to us, we can see that holy form of our Srila Guru Maharaj, of Krishna, Mahaprabhu, et al. So, separation days (viraha-tithi) also give us very important feelings to our heart. We can always remember Vaishnavs' character, our Srila Guru Maharaj, Sriman Mahaprabhu, Sriman Nityananda Prabhu, Radha-Krishna, Pancha Tattva. We can remember everything in one day.

I am trying to express my heart today at the lotus feet of Vaishnavs. I pray they bestow their mercy, and that mercy cannot but be causeless. We are all unqualified, we cannot properly respect Vaishnavas, but by their mercy we can get that qualification, I have no doubt about it.

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas' cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

"I bow down unto the holy feet of the pure Vaisnavs, who are like desire trees able to fulfil all the devotees' aspirations. The Lord's devotees are comparable to a vast ocean of causeless mercy, as they deliver the fallen souls from material existence. I offer all respects unto them."

 — : • : — 

<<< Back to the main page