312 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta

PURPORT

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was most probably born in the year 1416 sakabda
in a kdyastha family as the son of Govardhana Majumdara, who was the younger
brother of the then Zamindar Hiranya Majumdara. The village where he took birth
is known as Sri Krsnapura. On the railway line between Calcutta and Burdwan is a
station named Trisabagha, and about one and a half miles away is the village of Sri
Krsnapura, where the parental home of Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was situated.
A temple of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda is still there. In front of the temple is a large
open area but no large hall for meetings. However, a rich Calcutta gentleman named
Haricarana Ghosh who resided in the Simla quarter recently repaired the temple.
The entire temple compound is surrounded by walls, and in a small room just to the
side of thé temple is a small platform on which Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to
worship the Deity. By the side of the temple is the dying River Sarasvatt.

The forefathers of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami were all Vaisnavas and were
very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Acarya. Although
Raghunatha dasa was a family man, he had no attachment for his estate and wife.
Seeing his tendency to leave home, his father and uncle engaged special bodyguards
to watch over him, but nevertheless he managed to escape their vigilance and went
away to Jagannatha Puri to meet SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu. This incident took place
in the year 1439 sakdbda. Raghunatha: dasa Gosvami compiled three books
named Stava-mdld or Stavavali, Dana-carita and Muktdcarita. He lived for a long
duration of life. For most of his life he resided at Radhakunda. The place where
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami performed his devotional service still exists by Radha-
kunda. He almost completely gave up eating, and therefore he was very skinny and
of weak health. His only concern was to chant the holy name of the Lord. He
gradually reduced his sleeping until he was almost not sleeping at all. It is said that
his eyes were always full of tears. When Srinivasa Acarya went to see Raghunatha
dasa Gosvami, the Gosvami blessed him by embracing him. Srinivasa Acarya re-
quested his blessings for preaching in Bengal, and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami
granted them. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipikd (186) it is stated that Srila Raghunatha
dasa Gosvami was formerly the gop7 named Rasa-manijari. Sometimes it is said that
he was Rati-mafijari.

TEXT 92

any nafoiy Sica THAT RTS |

BSA VATA CH TACT ATS dd A
prabhu samarpila tahre svaripera hate
prabhura gupta-sevé kaila svarupera sGthe

SYNONYMS

prabhu—Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; samarpila—handed over; tanmre—him;
svarupera—Svaripa Damodara; hdte—to the hand; prabhura—of the Lord; gupta-
seva—confidential service; kaila—did; svarupera—Svaripa Damodara; sdathe— with.
