SIX GOSWAMIS OF VRINDAVAN: (6) RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSWAMI
Out of Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, we have already seen the following five:
(i) Rupa Goswami
(ii) Sanatana Goswami (Rupa and sanathana are brothers)
(iii) Jiva Goswami (Nephew of Rupa and sanathana)
(iv) Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
In this Post, let us read about (vi) Raghunatha Dasa Goswami in the form of diary. Wit this, we finish this set of posts.
(6) RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSWAMI
(1) Raghunatha Dasa Goswami – son of a wealthy land owner.
(2) He received Haridasa Thakura’s association and blessings IN HIS BOYHOOD ITSELF.
(3) At fifteen he met Lord Chaitanya.
(4) By the mercy of Lord Nityananda he renounced a beautiful wife and an opulent family.
(5) He ran to Jagannatha Puri to intimately serve Shri Gaura Raya and his siksha guru Svarupa Damodara Goswami for sixteen years.
(6) Lord Gauranga gave His personal Govardhana Shila and gunja mala to Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.
(7) Raghunatha Dasa couldn’t live after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left this world. So, he came to Vrindavana to end his life by jumping off Govardhana Hill. Shri Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis affectionately convinced him to live on and enlighten all the Vrajavasi Vaishnavas with Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Puri pastimes.
(8) Raghunatha Dasa did Radha-Krishna bhajana at Radha-kunda for forty years. He lived an austere life of pure devotion. Raghunatha Dasa Goswami showed the standard of renunciation required to attain the eternal loving service of Radha-Giridhari in the nitya nikunja lilas at Radha-kunda, His perfect example enthuses all Gaudiya Vaishnavas to develop unalloyed pure love for Radha-Krishna.
(9) Raghunatha Dasa Goswami’s daily duties were:
(i) Chanting 64 rounds japa (1,00,000 Holy Names);
(ii) Doing manasi-seva in his spiritual body;
(iii) Worshiping Govardhana Shila;
(iv) Bathing thrice in Radha-kunda;
(v) Offering one-thousand obeisances to Krishna;
(vi) offering two-thousand to Vaishnavas and embracing them;
(viii) Resting ninety minutes, and some days not at all;
(ix) He ate only one leaf cup (100 grams) of buttermilk daily.
(x) Throughout his life he never ate anything for sense gratification. He took the bare minimum to keep body and soul together.
(BAHULASTAMI – THE APPEARANCE DAY OF RADHA-KUNDA AND SYAMA-KUNDA AND SRI RADHA-KUNDASHTAKAM! READ HERE!)
(xi) It’s said that after the disappearance of Lord Chaitanya Raghunatha Dasa ate only fruit and milk.
(xii) After Sanatana Goswami left, he took only a leaf cup of buttermilk every day or two.
(xiv) And when Rupa Goswami left, Raghunatha gave up all eating and drinking!
(xv) He was slowly burning in the fire of separation from the Lord and His loving servants. The Vrajavasis would cry upon seeing his weakened condition.
(xvi) Raghunatha dasa Goswami entered into the Divine Couple’s eternal pastimes on Shukla Dvadashi in the month of Padmanabha in 1586, ie, on 23.10.1586.
(xvii) In Vraja leela, Shrila Raghunath das is identified as Shri Rasa Manjari or Bhanumati, one of the principal manjaris engaged in the intimate service of Shri Radha.
(xviii) His samadhi is at Radha-kunda and the 64 Samadhis Area.
(xix) Raghunatha Dasa Goswami wrote three books; Stavavalli, Mukta-charita, Dana Keli Chintamani.
(xx) Raghunatha Dasa wrote and taught that the divine service of Shrimati Radharani in Vrindavana is the topmost spiritual perfection. In Vilapa-kusumanjali, a collection of intimate prayers, he states that Shri Radha’s service is the highest attainment.
(SIX GOSWAMIS OF VRINDAVAN – INTRODUCTION! READ HERE!)