Srila Prabhupada explains the rasa dance of Lord Balarama

Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana

By Yasoda nandan dasa

2021 Vyasa Puja offering

By Yasoda nandan dasa

Srila Prabhupada’s warning regarding the tendency to become a sahajiya‏July 10, 2016
https://harekrsna.org/srila-prabhupadas-waning-regarding-the-tendency-to-become-a-sahajiya%e2%80%8f/
The tendency to become a Sahajiya- July 8, 2016Which means one who takes things cheaply or changes or concocts items of devotional service and thereby does not obey the instructions laid down by the authorized acaryas in disciplic sucession.Hare Krsna–Below, for those interested, we have compiled several quotes of warnings by Srila Prabhupada, for those who still consider him their spiritual mater. And as he has stated, if we do not accept verbatim whatever he says, then we should not have accepted him as our guru and thereby become a hypocrite by disobedience. These warnings are not complicated, but they still are warnings that need to be followed, now and into the future as the tendency for taking things cheaply seems to be a common trait of this kali yuga.(see quotes at the end also)Damagosa dasaAdi 7.48 : PURPORT :In the paramparā system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. One who is in the line of disciplic succession cannot manufacture his own way of behavior. There are many so-called followers of the Vaiṣṇava cult in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of the śāstras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradāya, which means “outside of the sampradāya.” Some of these groups are known as āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāṅi sahajiyā, sakhībhekī, smārta, jata-gosāñi, ativāḍī, cūḍādhārī and gaurāṅga-nāgarī. In order to follow strictly the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one should not associate with these apasampradāya communities. Madhya 1.271 : PURPORT :Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu warned all His followers not to become independent or impudent. Unfortunately, after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, many apa-sampradāyas (so-called followers) invented many ways not approved by the ācāryas. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has described them as the āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāni sahajiyā, sakhībhekī, smārta, jāta-gosāñi, ativāḍī, cūḍādhārī and gaurāṅga-nāgarī. Madhya 8.83 : PURPORT : sruti-smrti-puranadi- pancaratra-vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate :He clearly mentions in this verse that one must refer to the Vedic literature and other, supplementary literatures and follow the conclusion of the Vedas. An invented devotional attitude simply creates disturbances in the transcendental realm. If a person overly addicted to family life takes to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Kṛṣṇa consciousness to earn a livelihood, his activity is certainly offensive. One should not become a caste guru and sell mantras for the benefit of mundane customers, nor should one make disciples for a livelihood. All these activities are offensive. One should not make a livelihood by forming a professional band to carry out congregational chanting, nor should one perform devotional service when one is attached to mundane society, friendship and love. Nor should one be dependent on so-called social etiquette. All of this is mental speculation. None of these things can be compared to unalloyed devotional service. No one can compare unalloyed devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to mundane activities. There are many unauthorized parties pretending to belong to the Śrī Caitanya cult, and some are known as āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāṅi, sakhībhekī, smārta, jāta-gosāñi, ativāḍi, cūḍādhārī and gaurāṅga-nāgari.Adi-lila 1.3 — Mayapur, March 27, 1975 : 750327CC.MAY :Utpātā, simply disturbance. Yata mat tata patha: “I can manufacture my own way.” This rascaldom has been condemned by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that harer bhaktiḥ… You will find many so-called bhaktas crying, falling down on the ground. But immediately after, he is smoking bidi. So why this is going on? Because they do not follow the injunction of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Chanting, dancing very loudly, and after the performance is finished—I have seen it—”Can you give me a bidi?” You see? “My throat is now dried up.” So this is utpātā. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this kind of so-called devotional attitude is simply disturbance. They imitate. Imitate. Therefore Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has condemned. There are so many apa-sampradāya going on in the name of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotee. Who are they? Āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāṅi, sahajiyā, sakhībhekī, smārta, jata-gosāñi. Then ativāḍī, cūḍādhārī, gaurāṅga-nāgarī, tota kahe ei tāra saṅga nāhi kori: Tota Bābājī, he says, “I do not associate with these classes of men.” So after disappearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so many apa-sampradāya sprang up. So we should be very much careful that… Sampradāya means who are carefully following the Vedic principle. Therefore Kavirāja Gosvāmī, although asserting the truth, he is prepared to give Vedic evidences. Now he has begun. (More…) Los Angeles, February 7, 1969 : 690207BA.LA :In this way there was, Caitanya’s Mahāprabhu’s time, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was going nicely, very. And after Him, there was six Gosvāmīs. They also managed. Then, as it is the rule of this material world that you start something very good but in due course of time the things deteriorate, so this Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, also deteriorated in due course of time. Say, after the disappearance of the Gosvāmīns, about 250 years after, the things became most ridiculous. The so-called devotees… Their representatives still are continuing. They are called prākṛta-sahajiyā. Prākṛta-sahajiyā means taking things very easily. They thought that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is just like a boy and girl’s lusty affairs. And in this way they took it that sex life as religion. Even Vivekananda, he also criticized, “Vaiṣṇavism is sex religion.” So the things deteriorated in such a way that… And similarly, as Advaita Prabhu was afflicted, similarly, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura… He was at that time a householder, government officer and magistrate. He felt very much: “Oh, Lord Caitanya’s movement is so… People… As soon as one will see that he belongs to the Caitanya sampradāya, he’ll deride, ‘Oh, these are all rascals, simply taking sex pleasures. That’s all.’ ” There were thirteen pseudo Vaiṣṇavas, thirteen sects: Āula, Bāula, Karttābhajā, Neḍā, Daraveṣa, Sāṅi, Sahajiyā, Sakhībhekī. Sāṅi community… You have heard that in London there is a Sāṅi community. Sāṅi Hindu center you have heard from Mukunda? The Sāṅi is there still. So there are thirteen pseudo pretenders belonging to the Caitanya-sampradāya. They are called first Āula, Bāula, Karttābhajā, Neḍā, Daraveṣa, Sāṅi, Sakhībhekī, Gaurāṅga-nagarī, Cūḍādhārī, Ativāḍī, and Smārta, Jāta-gosāñi. Like that, thirteen. (More…) January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara : 770124r2.bhu :Prabhupāda: Sakhībekhī. There are so many apasampradāyas, thirteen at least in the counting by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: āula, bāula kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa, sāṅi sahajiyā, sakhībekhī. This sakhībekhī. Smārta, jāta-gosāñi, ativāḍī, cūḍādhārī, gaurāṅga-nāgarī. These thirteen, fourteen apasampradāyas. They are passing as Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s sampradāya. But they’re the worst, rejected. The sakhībekhī, dressing like…. To cheat Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is after the gopīs, so they have dressed like gopī, and Kṛṣṇa does not know that he’s a rascal man. (laughter) Just see. This is their intelligence, to…. “I have become a sakhī. Kṛṣṇa will embrace me and kiss me.” So Kṛṣṇa is so fool. (laughs) These rascals are doing that. Sakhībhekhī. There was a Lalitā-sakhi in Navadvīpa. All women surrounding him. Somebody is dressing him with red, what is called?Gorakhpur Feb 16 1971So as soon as you approach the Deity or the name, you should know fully well that Krsna is present. Krsna is… Therefore we should worship the Deity with great attention, as much as Krsna is present. And similarly, we should worship the holy name with great attention. We should not be inattentive.Suppose Krsna personally comes, personally He is here. Suppose personally, as you think of personally, personally comes. If you do not become respectful, is that all right? No. You should be very much respectful. Even a respectable person, ordinary person, a big man or a rich man or a king comes, we become so much respectful. And what about Krsna when He’s present as arcā-mūrti or as the holy name? These are the realization point of view: Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. When you hear about Kṛṣṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Actually, when you are reading Krsna book, Krsna is fighting with demons, that is also His pastime. So Kṛṣṇa is present. So you should be very attentive and worship this hearing. Unless we come to this point, there is lack of realization what is Krsna.  Vrndavana, India August 1967 Letter to: Devotee & Hamsaduta“One who understands and appreciates the disciplic succession is certainly advanced, and we should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it. That is why I have always been so careful to give you only those things which I have heard from my Guru Maharaja.Jan 24 1977 BhuvanesvaraPrabhupāda: My Guru Mahārāja used to say, “When our men will be sahajiyā, he will be more dangerous.”Satsvarūpa: Our own men.Prabhupāda: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he said that “When our men will be sahajiyā,oh, they’ll be more dangerous.” So our men are becoming, some of them, sahajiyās. This very word he said, that “When our men will be sahajiyās he’ll be more dangerous.”Jan 4 1973 BombayThe greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don’t ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that’s all.Some concluding notes- Most of us today have seen many deviations since the physical departure of Srila Prabhupada. Some of these deviations are quite severe and are causing havoc in the spiritual lives of thousands, maybe even millions of bhaktas. Like Deity worship for example-where somemis leaders have taken it upon themselves, without the permission of their guru Srila Prabhupada, but in complete disobedience of him, to turn around the entire process of how to worship the Supreme Lord. And when you point this out to some, they become angry with you ! That is why Srila Prabhupada also warns us….Feb 25 1977 MayapurRāmeśvara: Just like this Alice Coltrane. She has done her small part. She made this record album with Govinda Jaya Jaya and Hare Kṛṣṇa.Prabhupāda: That is… That will be a good thing. But when he (she) does it properly it will be more effective, because there is… If one does not chant in the process, then gradually it degrades. The offense will increase. There is chance.

The Life of Sri Raghavendra Tirtha

(1595-1671)

Srila Prabhupada mentions Sri Raghavendra Tirtha in his Sri Caitanya-caritamrta purport:  : After the sixteenth ācārya (Vidyādhirāja Tīrtha), there was another disciplic succession, including Rājendra Tīrtha, 1254; Vijayadhvaja; Puruṣottama; Subrahmaṇya; and Vyāsa Rāya, 1470-1520. The nineteenth ācārya, Rāmacandra Tīrtha, had another disciplic succession, including Vibudhendra, 1218; Jitāmitra, 1348; Raghunandana; Surendra; Vijendra; Sudhīndra; and Rāghavendra Tīrtha, 1545 . Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 9: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Travels to the Holy Places : Madhya 9.245

Sri Raghavendra Swami was one of the great proponents of the Madhva philosophy. For nearly 50 years, he was the head of one of the great pItha-s. His predecessors include such scholars like VijayIndhra Tirtha & SudhIndhra Tirtha. He excelled in many fields such as logic, mImAmsA, music, yoga, dharmashAstra, & all 64 arts. As an avatara of Prahlada, he chose as his Brindavan Manchaale (Mantralaya) on the bank of the Tungabadhra, where Prahlada had performed his yajna in kRita yuga. It is said that the stone used for the Brindavan was sanctified by the touch of Sri Rama and Sita in the treta yuga. His nephew, Narayanacharya, wrote Raghavendra Vijaya, which gives a full account of the life of this great saint.

Purvashram

Sri Raghavendra Swami was born in 1595 in Kaveripattana, Tamil Nadu to Thimmanna Bhatta and Gopikamba. His ancestors were of the Gautama Gotra. He was named Venkatanatha as he was born by the grace of Lord Venkateshwara. When his father was performing akSharAbhyAsa, Venkatanatha asked how a small letter like Om can explain the great God. The father was overjoyed that his son understood that the God cannot be fully explained by one small letter. Venkatanatha’s Upanayanam was performed in chaitra mAsa, when he was 8 years old. Although his father passed away by then, Venkatanatha did not consider himself an orphan, as he considered Sri Narayana as his father and Gayathri, who reveals Him, as every twice-born’s real mother.

Education of Venkata natha

Venkatanatha studied yajur veda, maNimanjari, and anumadhvavijaya at Madurai.His powers of meditation were shown when his water from doing sandyAvandan happened to fall on a dry seed, which sprouted. He also developed an expertise in playing the Veena, so he became known as Veena Venkata Bhatta. This is not surprising, since Venkatanatha came from a family skilled in music. His great-grandfather, Krishnabhatta, tutored the King of the Vijayanagar kingdom, Krishnadevaraya, in vina, and his father was skilled in music as well.

Marriage of Venkata natha   

Upon returning from Madurai, he was married to Saraswati, who was from a noble family. His marriage, just like his Upanayanam and schooling, was arranged by his brother Gururajacharya.

The Shastras say that for one who has control of his senses, wedded life does not hamper learning. For Venkatanatha, most of his learning occurred after marrying Saraswati, through the blessings of Goddess Saraswati.

Studies under his guru, Sudindra Tirtha

So Venkatanatha went to Kumbhakonam, the seat of learning at the time. There, he studied under Sri Sudindrateerta.He used to stay awake past midnight to write his own comments and notes on the lessons that had been done. Once, he engaged in a debate and defeated a mAyAvAdi at Rajamannar temple. Though his victory was not unexpected Sri Sudhindra tirtha was surprised at his scholarship in grammar, profound knowledge and rare debating skill, and called him “Mahabhashya Venkatanathacharya” Similarly he explained the significance of taptamudra dhAraNa quoting several smRiti-s that the opponents had to accept his arguments were irrefutable. He had a son, Lakshminarayana. Although he and his family were in stark poverty, he was unaffected by it, being immersed in the sweet nectar of the Madhva philosophy. Not even once did he give up his teachings and learning; he was steadfast in his determination to live by whatever came to him unsought and unasked.

Venkata natha takes sannyasa in 1621

Still, when his master asked him to take sannyAsA, he found himself in a grave dilemma. For one thing, he knew that if he took sanyAsA, he would eventually have to take control of the maTha. While trying to find a solution to this problem, Vidya Lakshmi herself appeared before him. She told him that if such great people like himself did not spread the right philosophy, that of Sri Madhvacharya, the maThas would fall into ruin. The light of Tattvavada would be extinguished by the darkness of Mayavada. Understanding where his true duty lay, Venkatanatha obeyed Vidya Lakshmi and took sanyAsA. Sri Sudhindra initiated Venkatanatha on the second day of the bright half of PhAlguNa mAsa in the year durmati corresponding to the year 1621. He was given the holy name “Raghavandra Tirtha.

Pilgrimages

Sri Raghavendra Tiirta started his services by teaching all the works of Srimadacharya to his disciples. He propagated right knowledge and vanquished several opponents. Apart from imparting knowledge and guiding his disciples,he composed works for the benefit of future generations

Sri Raghavendra Tirtha writes commentaries on Madhvacarya’s works

Soon after becoming the pIThAdipati, he began a series of piligrimages that took him to several places. After visiting Dyupuri and Paripurnadevanagara( Paripurnadevanagara in Sanskrit means “place where God, who is complete in every way, resides”). At Manishrunga, he taught works such as pramaaNa paddhati and realized that it would benefit the public, if sub-commentaries were written on these major works, to make it easier to understand them. So it was here, that Raghavendra Swami wrote glosses on pramANa paddhati, vaadaavaLi, pramaaNa lakshaNa and many other works, many of which are known as bhAva dIpas.

Debate with Nilakanta Diksita

He visited Rameshvaram and Madurai. Madurai was the seat of learning in those days, and one of the experts there was Neelakanta Dikshit. After seeing the lucid yet powerful style with which Raghavendra Swami debated, he was convinced that Raghavendra Swami’s master was really pUrNaprajna. When Neelakanta tried testing Raghavendra Swami on various sutras, Raghavendra Swami showed him the work he had just finished-Bhatta Sangraha. Neelakanta was so thrilled by the depth of this work and how well it propounded Sri Madhvacharya’s philosophy, that he had it placed on an elephant and taken on a ceremonial procession.

At Srirangam, he gave extensive discourses on upanishads especially the Ishaavaasya upanishad. His disciples requested him to write a book, explaining the meanings of all the mantras, as well as their commentaries and glosses, of all the Upanishads. He wrote glosses on the Ishaavaasya, thalavakaara, kaataka, ShaTpraShNa, mundaka, maanDukya, taittarIya, bR^ihadAruNyaka, and chanDogya Upanishads. He was about to write one for the aitareya, as well, but he wanted to give the honor to his disciple, Smrtimuktavali Krishnacharya, who had already completed the work. Raghavendra Swami wanted to keep his oath of writing a gloss on all the Upanishads, so he wrote a gloss on only the mantra part of the Upanishad-aitareya mantraartha sangraha

Sri Raghavendra Tirtha visits Visnu-mangala, Subrahmnaya and Udupi

He visited Vishnumangala, where Trivikrama Panditacharya had debated Madhvacharya for fifteen days, and finally had become an ardent worshipper and follower of Madhvacharya. Sri Raghavendra, then visited Subramanya and then Udupi,where he started giving discourse on Sarvamula Granta. He wrote a gloss for the Vyasaraya Tattparya Chandrika, called Chandrika Prakasha. Seeing his students struggle to understand this tough text, he wrote the meanings of the Sutras, called Tantradipika and the meanings of adhikAranas, known as Nyayamukthavali. At Udupi, he sang his famous “Indu Enage Govinda” song upon seeing Udupi Sri Krishna.

At Bidarahalli he met Srinivasacharya who was a unique householder. The glosses that he had written were already well known. Sri Raghavendra examined his works and was filled with admiration for Srinivasacharya, who, though being a householder,dedicated himself completely to the spreading of knowledge and learning. Raghavendra Swami bestowed upon him the name Srinivasa Tirtha, as a mark of his high learning.

After leaving Bidarahalli, he went to Pandarapur, Kohlapur, & Bijapur defeating Mayavadins, spreading Tattvavada philosophy, and giving Taptamudhradaran, thus initiating them into Vaishnavism. While residing on the banks of river Krishna, he wrote a tippani for Tattva Prakashika called Bhavadipa. He wrote a direct commentary on Anubhashya, called Tattva Manjari

Sri Raghavendra Swami visits the samadhi [Brindabana] of Jayatirtha at Malkhed

At Malkhed he celebrated the Suddha Mangala of his teachings and discourses. Malkhed is situated on the Kagini River and is the place of Sri Jayatirtha’s Brindavan. Raghavendra Swami explained that, just the way Kagini River joins Bhima river, then Krishna River, and finally the ocean, Sri Jayathirtha’s work explains Bhashya of Sri Madhvacharya, who in turn tells us of Lord Krishna, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.

Sri Raghavendra Swami writes a commentary on Rig-veda

Raghavendra Swami undertook extensive tours, under so many odds, visiting Tirupati, Srisailam, Kumbakonam, and Kanchi. He neither stopped teaching his devotees nor did he stop writing books. He took a vow to write Tippanis for all the Tikas of Sri Jayathirtha. When he had completed tippanis for 17 of the 18 Tikas of Sri Jayatirtha, Lakshminarayanacharya, his son, shows him his work on Rig Bhashya, written along Raghavendra Swami’s line of teaching. This great saint felt that his disciple’s teaching should be shown to the rest of the world, so instead of writing a Tippani, he wrote a Rigartha Manjari, a vivritti, which gives the meaning of the first 40 suktas. He wrote Mantroddhara, which gives details of all mantras according to Tantrasara.. By understanding the mantras according to Tantrasara, it is possible to perform many impossible tasks, through the grace of Sri Hari, by leading an austere life.

During his pilgrimages, Raghavendra Swami not only covered a vast area geographically in the days when road conditions were poor and travel was arduous, but also wrote several works covering a vast area of the Tattvavada philosophy. He convincingly defeated many Advaitin pandits, through the grace of bhArati ramaNa mukhyaprANAntargata srIlaxmInArAyaNa.

Miracles

Although Raghavendra Swami performed various miracles, the most significant miracle lies in the vast literature he left behind & his contribution to the philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya. He wrote extensive commentaries on the upanishads, bhagavad gIta, vedAs, as well as several granthas that Madhvacharya wrote.

Sri Raghavendra Tirtha retrieves the necklace from the fire

The Tanjavore district was under a great drought at that time. Raghavendra Swami made the ruler perform appropriate rituals and ceremonies. Soon afterwards, rain once again fell upon the lands. The king, to show his gratitude offered Raghavendra Swami a priceless necklace, which Raghavendra Swami in turn put into the Yajna as an offering to Lord Vishnu, who had really brought the region out of the drought. The king grew angry at what he thought was an insult. Raghavendra Swami immediately brought back the necklace from the fire. The king, realizing that for one who renounced the world a necklace meant nothing, asked for Raghavendra Swami’s forgiveness.

Raghavendra Swami visited Bijapur, where the scorching heat was unbearable. One brahmin was overcome by the heat and fell down, unable to get up. Raghavendra Swami recited a mantra, and water sprung up from the scorching sands, which saved the Brahmin’s life. In another instance, a child was traveling with an entourage, through a desert. The heat was so unbearable that the child started to cry. Raghavendra Swami threw his upper cloth towards the child. Flying through the air, it gave shade to the child for the rest of the journey.

Sri Raghavendra Swami shows the power of Vedic mantras

At that time there was a Desai who had no faith in God or the Vedas. He would challenge scholars to make a twig sprout, using Vedic mantras. No one was able to do this. So then the people called Raghavendra Swami to prove to the Desai the power of the Vedas. He sprinkled some water on the twig while reciting a Vedic mantra. Right before the Desai’s eyes, the twig began to sprout. This incident instilled deep faith in the hearts of many scholars who were present. They had heard that Raghavendra Swami, in his earlier days, had made the cool sandalwood paste burn, by reciting the Agni Sukta, then made it cool again by reciting Varuna Sukta. After witnessing the twig sprout with their own eyes, they believed that such miracles were possible through the grace of the Lord. The Desai, himself, who used to scoff the Vedas, became a true believer in God and upheld the Vedas, with Raghavendra Swami as his guiding light.

Raghavendra Swami, while performing miracles clearly stated that what he did was not magic or sorcery or witchcraft. It was not Patanjali’s yoga, but the yoga of the Bhagavad Gita. The aim of his miracles was to remove the suffering of those who seek refuge in him and thus draw them towards God and religion

Sri Raghavendra Swami Moola Brindavan [Samadhi]

The time of Sri Raghavendra’s entering the samadhi at the Brindavan, approached. The devotees became aware of it. Hundreds of people came to see the swami and were blessed by him. The swami sent for Dewan Venkanna and asked him to build a beautiful Brindavan. He laid out the beautiful Brindavan. The devotees were filled with grief because the swami’s end was nearing. Venkanna informed the swami of the completion of the Brindavan. At once the swami said to him, ” Venkanna! This Brindavan will be useful to another great saint. There is a big rock in the village of Madhavaram . Make a Brindavan with its help.” Venkanna could not understand the reason for such an order. So he said to the swami, ” O swami! You have asked me to make a Brindavan by using the rock in the village of Madhavaram . Kindly tell me if there is any special reason for it ” The swami replied, ” Venkanna ! Sri Ramachandra, while traversing the forest, sat on that stone for seven ‘ghadias’ the stone is sanctified by the contact of his holy feet and has to be worshipped for seven hundred years. That is why I asked you to use it for making the Brindavan.” So saying, he cleared the doubts that had troubled Venkanna’s mind. Venkanna made the Brindavan as ordered by the swami. Various scholars, poets and musicians came to see the sight of the swami entering the Brindavan alive. On Thursday, the second day of the bright fortnight, in the month of sravan, in the year of Virodhikritha, the great saint, Sri Raghavendra Thirtha, entered the samadhi in the Brindavan, alive. The event was marked by great festivity. As ordered by the swami, they kept 700 saligrams ( natural manifestations of god) in the Brindavanam and covered it with large stone and consecrated a place in front of the Brindavan. Even to this day, worship is offered, with vedic rites, to the Brindavan as well as to the image of Sri Anjaneya.

Among the disciples of Sri Raghavendra Swami, Appalacharya was the most notable. The swami had sent him to another village on some business. He was, therefore, not present at the event of the swami’s entry into the Brindavan. On his return journey, he heard the news of Sri Raghavendra’s entry into the Brindavan. Regrating that he could not have the last glimpse of his guru, he ran to the place, praising Sri Raghavendra swami. As he neared the Brindavan, the sloka in praise of the swami was incomplete with the words.” Vibhutiratula” instantly, Sri Raghavendra Swami, who is well known for his affection for his disciples, completed the verse with the words “.sakshihayasyotrahi.” Even this day, this panegry of Sri Raghavendra Swami, written by Appalacharya, is recited by scholars and lay men. This verse, beginning with the words “Sripurnabodha guruthirtha payobdhipara ” if recited 108 times, will help a person to get his desire fulfilled. All baneful conditions will disappear. All sins will be recompensed. This need not be mentioned separately, these effects of worshipping at the Brindavan, are known to the devotees by their own experience. It is mentioned that Sri Raghavendra had himself announced to the devotees, from the Brindavan, that Lord Hayagriva will himself be witness to the efficiency of this sloka in his praise. Sri Appalacharya has written the Sri Raghavendra Mangalastakam in addition to the Sri Raghavendra Stothram” for which people are much indebted to him.

The original Raghavendra Swami Brindavan is located in Mantralaya, which is in Western Andhra Pradesh, in the district of Kurnool. Routes from Hyderabad, Bangalore, Raichur, and Bellary, are shown on the map. It is possible to get there by rental van, bus, or train. The colloquial name for the place, Maanchale, has been sanskritized into Mantralaya. Under the grace of Sri Raghavendra, Mantralaya has become a pilgrimage center, where devotees flock to view a glimpse of the Brindavan of this great saint.

An incident concerning Raghavendra Swami and Sir Thomas Munro has been recorded in the Madras Districts Gazetteer.^[3][4] In 1801, while serving as the Collector of Bellary, Sir Thomas Munro, who later served as the Governor of Madras is believed to have come across an apparition of Raghavendra Swami who had died almost two centuries back. Sir Thomas Munro is recorded as having spoke with Raghavendra Swami in English over an endowment proposal which he ultimately quashed as per the Swami’s advice.

Incident in Mantralaya (Andhra Pradesh).

Mantralaya village in Andhra Pradesh is a place where `Samadhi‘ of famous `Dvaita‘ saint `Raghavendra Swami‘ is located.

When Sir Thomas Munroe was the Collector of Bellary in 1800, the Madras Government ordered him to procure the entire income from the Math and Manthralaya village. When the Revenue officials were unable to comply with this order, Sir Thomas Munroe visited the Math for investigation. It appeared as if he spoke with someone near the Samadhi and later Munroe cancelled the order and Mantralaya remained exempt from any collections.

This notification was published in the Madras Government Gazette in Chapter XI and page 213, with the caption “Manchali Adoni Taluka. This order is still preserved in Fort St. George and Manthralayam

The following information was believed correct at the time of writing, but is not guaranteed to be accurate.   Verify, and use at your own risk.   We regret that we do not have more information, and cannot provide any assistance in planning your trip.

Buses
Many South Indian cities are connected to Mantralaya by bus–Bangalore, Tirupati, Mangalore, Madras, Hyderabad, Bellary and Mysore. The most convenient bus from Bangalore leaves at 9:15 pm & reaches Mantralaya at 6 am, the next day. The conducted tours from Hyderabad are typically 7 hours long (one way), leaving every Saturday at 9.30 am and returning on Sunday at 9.00pm. They usually cover the Brindavan as well as the Raghavendra Swamy Temple.

Train
The nearest Railway station is MANTRALAYAM ROAD, which is about 12KM from Mantralaya. Most of the trains stop here except for the super fast trains. From Bombay convenient trains are Dadar Madras Mail, which leaves Dadar at about 2PM & reaching Mantralaya Road at about 4AM next day, and Bombay Mail. After reaching Mantralayam Road, a bus or rental van can be taken to Mantralaya (about a 1 hr ride).

Address of the Mantralaya Temple

Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha
Mantralayam 518 345
Kurnool Dist
Andhra Pradesh, India.

The Administrative Officer to contact is Mr. Rama Rao.
Telephone number: 59429 and 59459.       STD code: 8512

If calling from the US, dial 011-91-8512-59429 or 59459

dasha prakaraNa-s (6): Commentaries on six of the ten PrakaraNa-granthas of Madhva

Suutra-Prasthaana — works on the brahma-sUtra

NyaAyamuktAvaLii (Brief exposition of the adhikaraNashariiras of the Brahma-Sutra)
Tantradiipikaa (A vrtti on the Sutras)
Bhaavadiipa (Exposition upon the commentary of Sri Jayatiirtha upon the viShNu-tattva-vinirNaya)
PrakaaSha (Commentary on the taatparya chandrikaa of Vyaasa Tiirtha)
Tattvamanjari (Exposition of the aNubhaashya) (*)
Nyaayasudhaa-parimaLa (Commentary on nyaayasudhaa of Jayatiirtha) (*)

(*) — These may have been written before he was given sanyaasa-diiksha.

Rg and upanishad prasthaana-s

Mantraarthamanjari (Commentary on the first three adhyaayas of the Rg Veda (the same portion as touched upon by Madhva)
Khandaartha-s (lucid expositions) on nine out of the ten upanishad-s commented upon by Madhva — all except aitareya Up.)

GItA prasthaana

Commentary on the prameyadiipikA (itself a commentary on Madhva’s gItA-bhAshhya) Commentary on the nyaayadiipikA (itself a commentary on Madhva’s gItA-taatparya nirNaya) gItaarthasangraha or gItA-VivR^itti (Original work on the Gita)
GItaarthamanjari (Not widely extant, but attrib.)

Other works

Commentary on pramaaNa paddhati of Jayatiirtha
Bhaavadiipa (Commentary on vaadaavaLii of Jayatiirtha)
Nyaayadiipa (Commentary on tarkataanDava of Vyasa Tiirtha)
BhaaTTasangraha (Commentary on the entire miimAmsa suutra-s of Jaimini) shrI RAmacaritramaNjari shrI kR^iShNacaritramaNjari
PrAtah sankalpa gadya
SarvasamarpaNagadyam
NandiitAratamyastotra
TarkatAnDava tippaNI
DhyAnapadhdhhati gUDdhaBhAvaprakAshikA (vyaKhyana to ‘aNumaDhvavijaya’)

Miscellaneous works

Detailed commentary on the Rg Veda (not widely extant, but attrib.)
Commentary on the yajur veda
Commentary on the saama Veda
Short gloss on the purusha-suukta
Short gloss on the ambhraNii-Suukta
Short gloss on gharma
Short gloss on the baLitthA -suukta
Short gloss on hiraNyagarbha-suukta

Poojyaaya Raaghavendraaya Satya Dharma Rathaayacha

Bhajataam Kalpa Vrukshaaya Namathaam Kaamadhenave

References:

   History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature, Dr. B. N. K. Sharma, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2000.

   Raghavendra Vijaya, Narayanacharya, Nirnayasagar Press, Bombay, 1898; Ed. S. Subbarao; Raja S. Gururajacharya, Nanjangud, 1958.

   Raghavendra Darshanaa: Glimpse of Sri Raghavendra Tirtha : Saint of Mantralaya, Prof. Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya, S.M.S.O. Sabha, Tiruchanoor

Editing Srila Prabhupada’s Books

By Narasimha das

Before Srila Prabhupada’s first revised editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam were complete, we used to study and have classes from Srila Prabhupada’s India editions of the first three cantos. The devotees loved these editions, even though it seemed they were “irregularly composed” and contained some obvious typos. We thought Srila Prabhupada’s English was exotic and beautifully poetic, but perhaps dated or influenced by British prose from the 1800s.

We later learned that these editions were edited by an old man in India connected with Srila Prabhupada’s first book publisher in New Delhi. This man must have been a great soul to be blessed by Srila Prabhupada with this service. Srila Prabhupada had obviously wanted to engage him, by His causeless mercy. Yet, as we later learned, Srila Prabhupada’s English was perfect, even from a contemporary American point of view. This became clearly obvious when devotees discovered His early writings in Back to Godhead Magazine, His poems, and His first editions of Sri Isopanisad and Easy Journey to Other Planets. Thus, it would seem, there may have been another reason why Srila Prabhupada allowed an unqualified man in India to edit or proof His first editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam: to glorify the prediction of Srila Vyasadeva Himself.

Srila Prabhupada very humbly writes in His Preface to Srimad-Bhagavatam: “I must admit my frailties in presenting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but still I am hopeful of its good reception by the thinkers and leaders of society on the strength of the following statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.11:

tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo
yasmin prati–ślokam abaddhavaty api
nāmāny anantasya yaśo ‘ṅkitāni yac
chṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ

‘On the other hand, that literature which is full with descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, form and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a transcendental creation meant to bring about a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though irregularly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.’ ” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, Preface, 12/15/1962)

Srila Prabhupada later engaged some of His educated disciples for the sake of making some of His books technically more presentable for the wider academic community (“the thinkers and leaders of society”), and under His direct supervision, they engaged in this service. Srila Prabhupada accepted their service and finalized those authorized editions.

On the other hand, when Lord Chaitanya was playing His pastimes of being a scholar, before He manifested His pastimes of pure devotional service, He used to try to debate devotees on topics of philosophy, grammar, and logic. These pure devotees, although competent to debate these topics, would run away because they did not like discussions not directly about Krishna. Then one day Nimai Pandit (Lord Chaitanya) happened to meet Srila Isvara Puri in Navadvipa and offered him obeisance. Isvara Puri stayed in Navadvipa Dhama at the house of Gopinatha Acharya for a few months, and Nimai Pandit would go regularly to see him. Srila Isvara Puri then began to teach Nimai Pandit his book, Sri Krishna-lilamrita. After a while, Srila Isvara Puri requested Nimai Pandit to point out the technical mistakes in his book (Sri Krishna-lilamrita) and indicated his desire to correct any mistakes.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravasti Thakura comments as follows: “Hearing his words, The Lord condemned mundane scholarship and spoke the following invaluable nectarean words: ‘First of all, this book is composed by such a pure devotee as Puripada, and, moreover, it is full of topics about Krishna. Therefore, whoever finds faults in this book is certainly an offender. The poetry of a pure devotee, in whatever form it may be, is always pleasing to Krishna. There is no doubt about it. The Supreme Lord never sees any grammatical faults in the statements of His devotees. A person who finds faults in the statements of a devotee is himself full of faults. No one is so audacious as to find faults in the descriptions of the Supreme Lord by a pure devotee like Puripada.’” (Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Summary of Chapter 11)

Srila Prabhupada himself condemned the unauthorized changes in his own books, which he saw while he was personally present, and he clearly and forcefully condemned such unwanted editing. He forbade it several times, as has been well documented. With this understanding in mind, it is astonishing to hear arguments from self-appointed iskcon editors defending their continuous unauthorized, unasked for, and bogus revisions, which they stubbornly promote against the wishes of all sincere followers and senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Their agenda, apparently, is to minimize Srila Prahupada’s importance, suggesting he was a fallible conditioned soul like they are and/or a mere worker or servant in ISKCON, like they are supposed to be. Until such miscreants, practicing homosexuals, pedophiles, skirt chasers, opportunists, and speculators are purged from the leadership of iskcon, the institutions Srila Prabhupada created may remain in great peril. 

Srila Prabhupada explains the rasa dance of Lord Balarama

compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana

Lord Balarāma became very anxious to see His father and mother, Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā. Therefore, He started for Vṛndāvana on a chariot with great enthusiasm. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had been anxious to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for a very long time. When Lord Balarāma returned to Vṛndāvana, all the cowherd boys and the gopīs had grown up; but still, on His arrival, they all embraced Him, and Balarāma embraced them in reciprocation. After this He came before Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā and offered His respectful obeisances unto them. In response, mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja offered their blessings unto Him. They addressed Him as Jagadīśvara, or the Lord of the universe who maintains everyone. The reason for this was that both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma maintain all living entities, and yet Nanda and Yaśodā were put into such difficulties on account of Their absence. Feeling like this, they embraced Balarāma and, seating Him on their laps, began their perpetual crying, wetting Balarāma with their tears. Lord Balarāma then offered His respectful obeisances to the elderly cowherd men and accepted the obeisances of the younger cowherd men. Thus, according to their different ages and relationships, Lord Balarāma exchanged feelings of friendship with them. He shook hands with those who were His equals in age and friendship, and with loud laughing embraced each one of them.

After being received by the cowherd men and boys, the gopīs, and King Nanda and Yaśodā, Lord Balarāma sat down, feeling satisfied, and they all surrounded Him. First Lord Balarāma inquired from them about their welfare, and then, not having seen Him for such a long time, they began to ask Him different questions. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana had sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa, simply being captivated by the lotus eyes of the Lord. Because of their great desire to love Kṛṣṇa, they never desired anything like elevation to the heavenly planets or merging into the effulgence of Brahman to become one with the Absolute Truth. They were not even interested in enjoying a life of opulence, but were satisfied in living a simple life in the village as cowherd men. They were always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and did not desire any personal benefits, and they were all so much in love with Him that in His absence their voices faltered when they began to inquire from Balarāmajī.

First Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodāmayī inquired, “My dear Balarāma, are our friends like Vasudeva and others in the family doing well? Now You and Kṛṣṇa are grown-up married men with children. In the happiness of family life, do You sometimes remember Your poor father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodādevī? It is very good news that the most sinful King Kaṁsa has been killed by You and that our friends like Vasudeva and the others who had been harassed by him, have now been relieved. It is also very good news that both You and Kṛṣṇa defeated Jarāsandha and Kālayavana, who now is dead, and that You are now living in a fortified residence in Dvārakā.”

When the gopīs arrived, Lord Balarāma glanced over them with loving eyes. Being overjoyed, the gopīs, who had so long been mortified on account of Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s absence, began to ask about the welfare of the two brothers. They specifically asked Balarāma whether Kṛṣṇa was enjoying His life surrounded by the enlightened women of Dvārakā Purī. “Does He sometimes remember His father Nanda and His mother Yaśodā and the other friends with whom He so intimately behaved while he was in Vṛndāvana? Does Kṛṣṇa have any plans to come here to see His mother Yaśodā and does He remember us gopīs who are now pitiably bereft of His company? Kṛṣṇa might have forgotten us in the midst of the cultured women of Dvārakā, but as far as we are concerned, we are still remembering Him by collecting flowers and sewing them into garlands. When He does not come, however, we simply pass our time by crying. If only He would come here and accept these garlands that we have made. Dear Lord Balarāma, descendant of Daśārha, You know that we would give up everything for Kṛṣṇa’s friendship. Even in great distress one cannot give up the connection of family members, but although it might be impossible for others, we gave up our fathers, mothers, sisters and relatives without caring at all about our renunciation. Then, all of a sudden, Kṛṣṇa renounced us and went away. He broke off our intimate relationship without any serious consideration and left for a foreign country. But He was so clever and cunning that He manufactured very nice words. He said, ‘My dear gopīs, please do not worry. The service you have rendered Me is impossible for Me to repay.’ After all, we are women, so how could we disbelieve Him? Now we can understand that His sweet words were simply for cheating us.”

Another gopī, protesting Kṛṣṇa’s absence from Vṛndāvana, began to say: “My dear Balarāmajī, we are of course village girls, so Kṛṣṇa could cheat us in that way, but what about the women of Dvārakā? Don’t think they are as foolish as we are! We village women might be misled by Kṛṣṇa, but the women in the city of Dvārakā are very clever and intelligent. Therefore I would be surprised if such city women could be misled by Kṛṣṇa and could believe His words.”

Then another gopī began to speak. “My dear friend,” she said, “Kṛṣṇa is very clever in using words. No one can compete with Him in that art. He can manufacture such colorful words and talk so sweetly that the heart of any woman would be misled. Besides that, He has perfected the art of smiling very attractively, and by seeing His smile women become mad after Him and would give themselves to Him without any hesitation.”

Another gopī, after hearing this, said, “My dear friends, what is the use in talking about Kṛṣṇa? If you are at all interested in passing away time by talking, let us talk on some subject other than Him. If cruel Kṛṣṇa can pass His time without us, why can’t we pass our time without Kṛṣṇa? Of course, Kṛṣṇa is passing His days very happily without us, but the difference is that we cannot pass our days very happily without Him.”

When the gopīs were talking in this way, their feelings for Kṛṣṇa became more and more intensified, and they were experiencing Kṛṣṇa’s smiling, Kṛṣṇa’s words of love, Kṛṣṇa’s attractive features, Kṛṣṇa’s characteristics and Kṛṣṇa’s embraces. By the force of their ecstatic feelings, it appeared to them that Kṛṣṇa was personally present and dancing before them. Because of their sweet remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, they could not check their tears, and they began to cry without consideration.

Lord Balarāma could, of course, understand the ecstatic feelings of the gopīs, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopīs very respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Kṛṣṇa so tactfully that the gopīs became satisfied. In order to keep the gopīs in Vṛndāvana satisfied, Lord Balarāma stayed there continually for two months, namely the months of Caitra (March-April) and Vaiśākha (April-May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopīs, and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vṛndāvana in order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarāma also enjoyed the rāsa dance with the gopīs during those two months. Since the season was springtime, the breeze on the bank of the Yamunā was blowing very mildly, carrying the aroma of different flowers, especially of the flower known as kaumudī. Moonlight filled the sky and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamunā appeared to be very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarāma enjoyed the company of the gopīs there.

The demigod known as Varuṇa sent his daughter Vāruṇī in the form of liquid honey oozing from the hollows of the trees. Because of this honey the whole forest became aromatic, and the sweet aroma of the liquid honey, Vāruṇī, captivated Balarāmajī. Balarāmajī and all the gopīs became very much attracted by the taste of Vāruṇī, and all of them drank it together. While drinking this natural beverage, Vāruṇī, all the gopīs chanted the glories of Lord Balarāma, and Lord Balarāma felt very happy, as if He had become intoxicated by drinking that Vāruṇī beverage. His eyes rolled in a pleasing attitude. He was decorated with long garlands of forest flowers, and the whole situation appeared to be a great function of happiness because of this transcendental bliss. Lord Balarāma smiled beautifully, and the drops of perspiration decorating His face appeared to be soothing morning dew.

While Balarāma was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the company of the gopīs in the water of the Yamunā. Therefore, He called Yamunā to come nearby. But Yamunā neglected the order of Balarāmajī, considering Him to be intoxicated. Lord Balarāma became very much displeased at Yamunā’s neglecting His order. He immediately wanted to scratch the land near the river with His plowshare. Lord Balarāma has two weapons, a plow and a club, and He takes service from them when they are required. This time He wanted to bring the Yamunā by force, and He took the help of His plow. He wanted to punish Yamunā because she did not come in obedience to His order. He addressed Yamunā: “You wretched river! You did not care for My order. Now I shall teach you a lesson! You did not come to Me voluntarily. Now with the help of My plow I shall force you to come. I shall divide you into hundreds of scattered streams!”

When Yamunā was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of the power of Balarāma and immediately came in person, falling at His lotus feet and praying thus: “My dear Balarāma, You are the most powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone. Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion of Śeṣa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are full of six opulences. Because I forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and thus I have become a great offender. But, my dear Lord, please know that I am a surrendered soul unto You. You are very much affectionate to Your devotees. Therefore, please excuse my impudence and mistakes and, by Your causeless mercy, may You now release me.”

Upon displaying this submissive attitude, Yamunā was forgiven, and when she came nearby, Lord Balarāma wanted to enjoy the pleasure of swimming within her water along with the gopīs in the same way an elephant enjoys himself along with his many she-elephants. After a long time, when Lord Balarāma had enjoyed to His full satisfaction, He came out of the water, and immediately a goddess of fortune offered Him a nice blue garment and a valuable necklace made of gold. After taking bath in the Yamunā, Lord Balarāma, dressed in blue garments and decorated with golden ornaments, looked very attractive to everyone. Lord Balarāma’s complexion is white, and when He was properly dressed He looked exactly like the white elephant of King Indra in the heavenly planet. The Rver Yamunā still has many small branches due to being scratched by the plowshare of Lord Balarāma. And all these branches of the River Yamunā still glorify the omnipotency of Lord Balarāma.

Lord Balarāma and the gopīs enjoyed transcendental pastimes together every night for two months, and time passed away so quickly that all those nights appeared to be only one night. In the presence of Lord Balarāma, all the gopīs and inhabitants of Vṛndāvana became as cheerful as they had been before in the presence of both brothers, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.

Srila Rupa Goswami tirobhava tithi [disappearance day] -Sri Gauri dasa Pandita Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance day]Thursday, August 19, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal,  Bharata bhumi time]

Srila Prabhupada reveals the glories of Srila Rupa Goswamicompiled by Yasoda nandana fasa

Srila Prabhupada – “I am not speaking of the loafer class,
but those who are recognized ācāryas”

Room Conversation with Indian Guests — March 13, 1975, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: So do that. Don’t approach the cheater guru, bluffer guru, and be cheated. Stop this business. This has spoiled the whole spiritual atmosphere of the world. Take guru, the supreme guru, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when in Mahābhārata when Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira performed rājasūya yajña, in the rājasūya yajña one person is elected the chief guest. So in that yajña many big, big demigods were present, and Bhīṣmadeva was present, Vyāsadeva was present, and many, many other saintly person, brāhmaṇa, from the whole universe were present. And Kṛṣṇa was decided to be accepted as the… Everyone agreed to accept Him as the chief guest. And the Śiśupāla, he protested. Then everyone was angry to kill him. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted the guru by everyone. By our ācāryas, recent ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya… I am not speaking of the loafer class, but those who are recognized ācāryas, Śaṅkarācārya… They accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme guru and follow His instruction and try to convince others. “Others” means even your family members. That is success of life. Saṁsiddhiḥ hari-toṣaṇam. Why should you lead your life blindly? This human life is meant for enlightenment, supreme enlightenment, and this is supreme enlightenment, to understand the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and preach it as far as you can. If not, you can preach amongst your family members. This is perfection of life. What is that verse? Ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. That is the desire of Kṛṣṇa.

Subject: re: Sri Raghunandana Thakura Tirobhava tithi (disappearance)                   Sri Vamsivadana Bbabaji Tirobhava tithi [disappearance]

Thursday, August 12, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

seag

Raghunandan Thakur bequeathed the service of his Gaura-Gopal Deity to his son Kanai Thakur and then left this world on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Shravan. (In the image: Gaura Gopala and Gopinath of Raghunandana Thakur, Shrikhand).

Subject: Sri Raghunandana Thakura Tirobhava (disappearance)

Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja describe the exalted position and glories
of Sri Raghunandana Thakura. Tuesday, August 14, 2018  (Mayapura,  West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi India time )
compiled by Narasimha dasa and Yasoda nandana dasa

kāśīte lekhaka śūdra-śrīcandraśekharatāṅra ghare rahilā prabhu svatantra īśvaraSYNONYMS
kāśīte—in Vārāṇasī; lekhaka—writer; śūdra—born of a śūdra family; śrī-candraśekhara—of the name Candraśekhara; tāṅra ghare—in his house; rahilā—remained; prabhu—the Lord; svatantra—independent; īśvara—the supreme controller.
TRANSLATION
This time Lord Caitanya stayed at the house of Candraśekhara, although he was regarded as a śūdra or kāyastha, for the Lord, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is completely independent.
PURPORTLord Caitanya stayed at the house of Candraśekhara, a clerk, although a sannyāsī is not supposed to reside in a śūdra’s house. Five hundred years ago, especially in Bengal, it was the system that persons who were born in the families of brāhmaṇas were accepted as brāhmaṇas, and all those who took birth in other families-even the higher castes, namely, the kṣatriyas and vaiśyas-were considered śūdra non-brāhmaṇas. Therefore although Śrī Candraśekhara was a clerk from a kāyastha family in upper India, he was considered a śūdra. Similarly, vaiśyas, especially those of the suvarṇa-vaṇik community, were accepted as śūdras in Bengal, and even the vaidyas, who were generally physicians, were also considered śūdras. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, did not accept this artificial principle, which was introduced in society by self-interested men, and later the kāyasthas, vaidyas and vaṇiks all began to accept the sacred thread, despite objections from the so-called brāhmaṇas.Before the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the suvarṇa-vaṇik class was condemned by Ballal Sen, who was then the King of Bengal, due to a personal grudge. In Bengal the suvarṇa-vaṇik class are always very rich, for they are bankers and dealers in gold and silver. Therefore, Ballal Sen used to borrow money from a suvarṇa-vaṇik banker. Ballal Sen’s bankruptcy later obliged the suvarṇa-vaṇik banker to stop advancing money to him, and thus he became angry and condemned the entire suvarṇa-vaṇik society as belonging to the śūdra community. Ballal Sen tried to induce the brāhmaṇas not to accept the suvarṇa-vaṇiks as followers of the instructions of the Vedas under the brahminical directions, but although some brāhmaṇas approved of Ballal Sen’s actions, others did not. Thus the brāhmaṇas also became divided amongst themselves, and those who supported the suvarṇa-vaṇik class were rejected from the brāhmaṇa community. At the present day the same biases are still being followed.There are many Vaiṣṇava families in Bengal whose members, although not actually born brāhmaṇas, act as ācāryas by initiating disciples and offering the sacred thread as enjoined in the Vaiṣṇava tantras. For example, in the families of Ṭhākura Raghunandana Ācārya, Ṭhākura Kṛṣṇadāsa, Navanī Hoḍa and Rasikānanda-deva (a disciple of Śyāmānanda Prabhu), the sacred thread ceremony is performed, as it is for the caste Gosvāmīs, and this system has continued for the past three to four hundred years. Accepting disciples born in brāhmaṇa families, they are bona fide spiritual masters who have the facility to worship the śālagrāma-śilā, which is worshiped with the Deity. As of this writing, śālagrāma-śilā worship has not yet been introduced in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but soon it will be introduced in all our temples as an essential function of arcana-mārga (Deity worship).
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.45

khaṇḍavāsī mukunda-dāsa, śrī-raghunandananarahari-dāsa, cirañjīva, sulocanaei saba mahāśākhā–caitanya-kṛpādhāmaprema-phala-phula kare yāhāṅ tāhāṅ dāna
SYNONYMS
khaṇḍa-vāsī mukunda-dāsa—of the name Mukunda dāsa; śrī-raghunandana—of the name Raghunandana; narahari-dāsa—of the name Narahari dāsa; cirañjīva—of the name Cirañjīva; sulocana—of the name Sulocana; eisaba—all of them; mahā-śākhā—great branches; caitanya-kṛpā-dhāma—of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the reservoir of mercy; prema—love of God; phala—fruit; phula—flower; kare—does; yāhāṅ—anywhere; tāhāṅ—everywhere; dāna—distribution.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Khaṇḍavāsī Mukunda and his son Raghunandana were the thirty-ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Cirañjīva the forty-first and Sulocana the forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-merciful tree of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere.
PURPORTŚrī Mukunda dāsa was the son of Nārāyaṇa dāsa and eldest brother of Narahari Sarakāra. His second brother’s name was Mādhava dāsa, and his son was named Raghunandana dāsa. Descendants of Raghunandana dāsa still live four miles west of Katwa in the village named Śrīkhaṇḍa, where Raghunandana dāsa used to live. Raghunandana had one son named Kānāi, who had two sons-Madana Rāya, who was a disciple of Narahari Ṭhākura, and Vaṁśīvadana. It is estimated that at least four hundred men descended in this dynasty. All their names are recorded in the village known as Śrīkhaṇḍa. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 175, it is stated that the gopī whose name was Vṛndādevī became Mukunda dāsa, lived in Śrīkhaṇḍa village and was very dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. His wonderful devotion and love for Kṛṣṇa are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta,Madhya-līlā, Chapter Fifteen. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Eighth Wave), that Raghunandana used to serve a Deity of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.Narahari dāsa Sarakāra was a very famous devotee. Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, the celebrated author of ŚrīCaitanya-maṅgala, was his disciple. In the Caitanya-maṅgala it is stated that Śrī Gadādhara dāsa and Narahari Sarakāra were extremely dear to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but there is no specific statement regarding the inhabitants of the village of Śrīkhaṇḍa.Cirañjīva and Sulocana were both residents of Śrīkhaṇḍa, where their descendants are still living. Of Cirañjīva’s two sons, the elder, Rāmacandra Kavirāja, was a disciple of Śrīnivāsācārya and an intimate associate of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. The younger son was Govinda dāsa Kavirāja, the famous Vaiṣṇava poet. Cirañjīva’s wife was Sunandā, and his father-in-law was Dāmodara Sena Kavirāja. Cirañjīva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumāranagara. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 207, states that he was formerly Candrikā in Vṛndāvana.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.78-79

bhāgavatācārya, cirañjīva śrī-raghunandanamādhavācārya, kamalākānta, śrī-yadunandana
SYNONYMS
bhāgavatācārya—of the name Bhāgavatācārya; cirañjīva—of the name Cirañjīva; śrī-raghunandana—of the name Śrī Raghunandana;mādhavācārya—of the name Mādhavācārya; kamalākānta—of the name Kamalākānta; śrī-yadunandana—of the name Śrī Yadunandana.
TRANSLATION
Bhāgavatācārya, Cirañjīva, Śrī Raghunandana, Mādhavācārya, Kamalākānta and Śrī Yadunandana were all among the branches of the Caitanya tree.
PURPORTŚrī Mādhavācārya was the husband of Lord Nityānanda’s daughter, Gaṅgādevī. He took initiation from Puruṣottama, a branch of Nityānanda Prabhu. It is said that when Nityānanda Prabhu’s daughter married Mādhavācārya, the Lord gave him the village named Pāṅjinagara as a dowry. Mādhavācārya’s temple is situated near the Jīrāṭ railway station on the eastern railway. According to the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (169) Śrī Mādhavācārya was formerly the gopī named Mādhavī. Kamalākānta belonged to the branch of Śrī Advaita Prabhu. His full name was Kamalākānta Viśvāsa.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.119 :

khaṇḍera sampradāya kare anyatra kīrtananarahari nāce tāhāṅ śrī-raghunandana
SYNONYMS
khaṇḍera—of the place named Khaṇḍa; sampradāya—party; kare—performs; anyatra—in a different place; kīrtana—chanting; narahari—Narahari; nāce—dances; tāhāṅ—there; śrī-raghunandana—Raghunandana.
TRANSLATION
Another party was formed by the people of Khaṇḍa. These people were singing in a different place. In that group, Narahari Prabhu and Raghunandana were dancing.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 13: The Ecstatic Dancing of the Lord at Ratha-yatra : Madhya 13.46 :

The wonderful exchange between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Mukunda das regarding the exalted position of Sri Raghunandana

khaṇḍera mukunda-dāsa, śrī-raghunandanaśrī-narahari,–ei mukhya tina jana
SYNONYMS
khaṇḍera—of the place known as Khaṇḍa; mukunda-dāsa—Mukunda dāsa; śrī-raghunandana—Śrī Raghunandana; śrī-narahari—Śrī Narahari; ei—these; mukhya—chief; tina—three; jana—persons.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then turned His attention to three persons-Mukunda dāsa, Raghunandana and Śrī Narahari-inhabitants of the place called Khaṇḍa.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.112 : T

mukunda dāsere puche śacīra nandana’tumi–pitā, putra tomāra–śrī-raghunandana?SYNONYMSmukundadāsere—unto Mukunda dāsa; puche—inquired; śacīra nandana—the son of mother Śacī; tumi—you; pitā—father; putra—son; tomāra—your; śrī-raghunandana—Śrī Raghunandana.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, next asked Mukunda dāsa, “You are the father, and your son is Raghunandana. Is that so?
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.113

:kibā raghunandana–pitā, tumi–tāra tanaya?niścaya kariyā kaha, yāuka saṁśaya’

SYNONYMS

kibā—or; raghunandana—Raghunandana; pitā—father; tumi—you; tāra—his; tanaya—son; niścaya kariyā—making certain; kaha—just speak; yāuka saṁśaya—let My doubts be dissipated.

TRANSLATION

“Or is Śrīla Raghunandana your father whereas you are his son? Please let Me know the facts so that My doubts will go away.”

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.114 :

mukunda kahe,–raghunandana mora ‘pitā’ hayaāmi tāra ‘putra’,–ei āmāra niścayaSYNONYMS
mukundakahe—Mukunda dāsa replied; raghunandana—my son Raghunandana; mora—my; pitā—father; haya—is; āmi—I; tāra—his; putra—son; ei—this; āmāra—my; niścaya—decision.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda replied,”Raghunandana is my father, and I am his son. This is my decision.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.115

āmā sabāra kṛṣṇa-bhakti raghunandana haiteataeva pitā–raghunandana āmāra niścite
SYNONYMS
āmā sabāra—of all of us; kṛṣṇa-bhakti—devotion to Kṛṣṇa; raghunandana haite—because of Raghunandana; ataeva—therefore; pitā—father; raghunandana—Raghunandana; āmāra niścite—my decision.
TRANSLATION
“All of us have attained devotion to Kṛṣṇa due to Raghunandana. Therefore in my mind he is my father.”

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.116

raghunandana sevā kare kṛṣṇera mandiredvāre puṣkariṇī, tāra ghāṭera uparekadambera eka vṛkṣe phuṭe bāra-māsenitya dui phula haya kṛṣṇa-avataṁse

SYNONYMS

raghunandana—Raghunandana; sevā kare—serves; kṛṣṇera mandire—in the temple of Lord Kṛṣṇa; dvāre—near the door; puṣkariṇī—a lake; tāra—of it; ghāṭera upare—on the bank; kadambera—of kadamba flowers; eka vṛkṣe—on one tree; phuṭe—blossom; bāra-māse—all year around; nitya—daily; dui phala—two flowers; haya—become; kṛṣṇa-avataṁse—decoration for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

“Raghunandana is constantly engaged in serving the temple of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Beside the entrance of the temple is a lake, and on its banks is a kadamba tree, which daily delivers two flowers to be used for Kṛṣṇa’s service.”

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 15: The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya : Madhya 15.128-12-___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Some people said, �Anyone who is dear to Raghunandan will win Mahaprabhu�s mercy for life after life.� Others said, �Raghunandan is so merciful that he gives life to the most humble and fallen.� Some said, �What humility! There is no one who is his equal.� And others, �He is as beautiful as Kandarpa himself!�, etc.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 9.660 ff.)

vyuhas tritiyah pradyumnah priya-narma-sakho�bhavat
cakre lila-sahayam yo radha-madhavayor vraje
shri-caitanyadvaita-tanuh sa eva raghunandanah

The third member of the catur-vyuha, Pradyumna, took part in Radha Madhava�s lila in Vraja as Krishna�s intimate friend or priya-narma-sakha. He has now appeared as Raghunandan, whose body is not different from that of Chaitanya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 70)9

_______________________________

Sri Vamsi dasa Babaji

VAMSIDAS BABAJI
Excerpts from OBL Kapoor’s “The Saints of Bengal” (Srila Prabhupada’s Godbros’)

Vamsidasa Babaji was a siddha-mahatma in the disciplic succession of Sri Narottama Thakura. The name of his diksa-guru was Harilal Vrajavasi and the name of his vesa-guru was Ramananda Vrajavasi. But it was difficult to know that he was siddha, because he lived far away from the world in a solitary place on the bank of Ganga near Baral Ghata in Navadvipa, as if he was renounced by the world, as an idiotic and worthless destitute. But the fact is that it is not the world that had renounced him, but he, who had renounced the world as worthless. He hardly had any worldly possessions. His only possessions were an old kaupina, karanga and kantha. Once Sripada Haridasa Gosvami asked him why he did not wear bahirvasa. He replied, “I live only with ka, which means kaupina, karanga and kantha. I have nothing to do with ba”, which means bahirvasa or outer garment. Bahirvasa brings relationship with the outer world and the people, who are bahiranga, that is those, who are attached to the outer world. My Gaura has asked me not to wear bahirvasa and mix with people who are bahiranga.”

Vamsidasa Babaji lived in a world of his own. His world centered round his deities-Gaura-Gadadhara, Nitai, Radha-Krishna and Gopala. For the service of these deities he had two brass pots, some earthen pots, one plate, one glass, some small cups, panca patra, bell and conch-shell and nothing else. Baba passed day and night in the service of the deities and in sweet talks with Them. Early in the morning he went out from his kuti to collect flowers. Then he went for bhiksa. He returned to the kuti about noon and made garlands from the flowers for each of the six deities. After that he started cutting vegetables. He washed each vegetable a number of times. Then he cleaned rice. He examined each grain of rice. If he found any grain from which the husk was not removed, he removed it with his own hand. He did everything slowly, contemplating all the time the lila of Radha-Krishna or Gaura-Nitai, and singing or talking to Them. It was only late in the evening that he could cook and offer bhoga to the deities. He had no consciousness of time. Morning and evening, day and night had no meaning for him. Almost the whole night he kept awake, talking and singing.

Once Sripada Haridasa Gosvami was surprised to see him cooking for the deities at about 9 a.m. He said to him, “Baba! It would be fine, if you prepare bhoga for the deities like this in the morning everyday.” He replied, “I do not know morning or evening. Am I their father’s servant so to feed them at appointed hours? If They want to eat like that, let Them make Their own arrangements for cooking. Let Gadadhara cook for Gaura. Nitai is avadhuta. He has no caste. He can go and eat anywhere. I do not worry about my Gopala. A milch-cow comes here everyday and gives Him milk. He can live on that. I have to worry about Radha-Krishna. For Them I will have to cook a little rice and vegetables. If I don’t, They will go to Vmdavana and do madhukari. “

Vamsidas Baba never locked the door of his kuti when he went out for bhiksa or to bathe in the Gariga. If someone asked him why he did not lock the kuti, he said, “If the owner of the house Himself does not keep a watch and has a soft corner for the thief, what is the use of locking the house? I do not even keep the keys of the lock with me. The lock has three keys. All the three are with the three boys. One is with Gaura, one with Nitai and one with Gadadhara.” After entrusting the lock and the keys to the three boys, Baba used to be free from anxiety. If while he was out a cow entered the kuti and turned everything topsy turvy, he would be angry with the boys. If some one stole something from the kuti he would say, “Gaura has a soft corner for Nadiyavasis, the residents of His own Dhama. Therefore He gives things away to them. I am after all an outsider.” Once a gold necklace, given by someone to Gaura, was stolen, when he had gone out for bhiksa. On returning to the kuti he kept on scolding Gaura and asking Him whom He had given away the necklace, for about two hours. Towards the evening he got a hint. He then went to the house of the theif and asked him for the necklace. The thief pushed him down the verandah of his house. He was hurt. But he did not say anything. But how could Gaura tolerate this? The thief soon died as well as all the other members of his family.

Once Baba had to punish Gaura-Nitai for Their connivance in a theft. The two brass-pots, in which Baba’ used to cook for Gaura-Nitai were stolen. How could this happen without the connivance of Gaura-Nitai? So They were punished. Baba scolded Them and did not give Them anything to eat that day. The punishment had its effect The next day someone came quietly and delivered one of those pots. Baba said, “This small pot is Nitai’s. He will be fed today. If Gaura wants to eat, He must also bring His pot.” Baba always did what he said. He cooked and offered bhoga to Nitai. Gaura drew a long face as He kept looking at Nitai eating. In the meantime another man came and delivered the other pot. Baba then cooked in that pot and offered bhoga to Gaura. When Gaura also had eaten, he said with tears in his eyes, “Do I ever want to punish You? But both of You are so naughty that You must always tease me. You do not know that I have now become old and cannot bear it all. What can I do?”

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also received the blessings of Srila Vamsidas Babaji Maharaja in Navadwip. Seeing Srila Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Varmsidasa Babaji Mahasaya would say, “Someone very close to my Gaura has come to me.”

Vamsivat Babaji was a Gaudiya sadhu who lived at Swarupa Gunj during the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati’s mission. He was respected by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and he used to see to it that Vamsivat Babaji was provided with grains and so on by Gaudiya Matha brahmacaris, whom he’d send to Swarupa Gunj from the Yoga Pitha Mandir.

One day, a lady selling fish approached Vamsidasa Babaji, offering him some choice from the type of catch. Somehow or other, Babaji’s mind got attracted to taste the fish. But he immediately checked himself, and became very angry. He first of all shouted at the woman to get away. Then he was shouting, “How could this happen? How could this happen? I’ve surrendered my life to Radha Krishna, I’m under They’re protection, and still this happens! Why You are not protecting me?”

He went storming into his bhajan kutir. People gathered while he fussed and fumed at his Deities inside. Then he came out, bringing the Deities tied by rope, and threw Them into the Ganga. He kept the end of the rope under his foot. When one man inquired why he was doing this, the Baba threw a rock at him.

When this news reached the Gaudiya Matha Mandir, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta called his brahmacaris together and forbade them from visiting this baba again, save for one who would just deliver supplies. After a few days, he again called them together and said, “Some of you think I’ve stopped you from visiting babaji maharaja because he is in maya. That is not so. But you are not able to understand this bhava. So stay away.”

Later, when that one brahmacari visited, Vamsidas babaji maharaj threw a stone at him and told, “If you want to please me, then never return here again!”

Previously his reception had always been unpredictable. Sometimes the Baba would welcome him. Sometimes he would accept the gifts without saying a word. Sometimes he would just sit and stare. Sometimes he would take the gifts and angrily throw them in the river.

It is difficult to understand what bhava Vamsidasa Baba had towards Gaura. It sometimes appeared to be sakhya (friendly), sometimes vatsalya (parental) and sometimes madhura, like that of a Nadiya-nagari (lady of Nadiya) towards Gaurariga as Nadiya-nagara (an attractive citizen of Nadiya). If it was basically madhura, it is easy to understand that he sometimes exhibited vatsalya-bhava towards Him and sometimes sakhya, because madhura-bhava includes all other bhavas. According to Haridasa Gosvami his bhava was of Nadiyanagari type, because he used to compose songs of this bhava and sing. He has quoted some of these songs. Two of them are reproduced below:

kena giya chilama ganga-tire o nagari |
nyana kataksa bane gaura kaila mana churi ||
ami ekhana ki kari o nagari ki kari ||

“O Nagari! How I repent having gone to the bank of Ganga.
Gaura cast a side long glance at me and stole my heart
What shall I do now, O Nagari! What shall I do?”

bala go nagari gaura kallena ki ||
grha gela kula gela mana kela curi |
sajani! ekhana ami ki kari ||
nayana kone, kane kane gaura kallena ki |
ami je prana mari gaura kallena ki ||“Tell me O Nagari what Gaura has done to me, He winked and whispered and did, I do not know what to me. O Sakhi! Now I know not what to do, Life is running out of me. O! What has Gaura done to me?”

Towards the end of his life Baba once went to his birth place Majitpur in district Maymansinha. He carried the deities with him. On the way he neither ate, nor slept, nor passed stool or urine. On reaching Majitpur he stayed in a dilapidated temple. After that he went to Vrndavana and Puri. In Vrndavana he stayed on the bank of Yamuna, in Puri on the bank of Narendra Sarovara. He never went inside a temple for darsana. During these travels the sadhus of the Gaudiya Matha rendered great service to him.

Nothing is known about Baba’s life as a householder, except that he was married at an early age and his son Haracandra was nine or ten years old when he renounced the world. He went to Navadvipa about the year 1906. The author once tried to see him in 1932, but could not, because the door of his kuti was closed, though he could hear him talking to the deities in Maymansinha dialect. He left the world in 1944.

(Excerpts from OBL Kapoor’s “The Saints of Bengal”)

Disappearance Day on Caturthi

Vamsi das Babaji:
“You must weep for Krishna!”

The following is an excerpt from the chapter “What is Bhakti?” in the book “A Taste of Transcendence” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj. For more information about this book, click here.https://www.gokul.org/weep/weep.html

The great Vaisnava saint, Vamsi dasa Babaji Maharaja, was no ordinary sadhu. Outwardly, he had his advent in what is now known as Bangladesh, in Majidpur Village, Maimansingh district, near Jamalpur. But later, he came to Navadvipa-dhama, accepted the babaji order and performed his bhajana under a tree. The order of sannyasa is given for preaching, but a babaji will perform bhajana in a holy, secluded place. A babaji will not go outside for pracara (preaching). Many people would come to Babaji Maharaja and offer to build him a cottage, but he chose to remain always beneath a banyan tree. He would not move from there. He was surcharged with krsna-prema. He was a very tall figure. He never shaved, but remained like a madman. Many people would offer him various things, but he would pay them no attention. Whatever he might receive, he would distribute to others. He was an anchorite. Nobody could understand his behavior. He had only two big cloth bags—he had no temple. In one cloth bag was Gaura-Nitai and, in the other, Radha-Krsna. Sometimes, he would take the Deities out and perform puja. So, is his bhakti less because he had just small Deities, and ours greater because we have a big temple? Gaura-Nityananda were most satisfied by his service. Our Parampujyapada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to bow down to him from a distance. He prohibited his disciples from visiting Babaji Maharaja. His disciples asked, “Shall we not have darsana of the sadhus?” But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura replied, “You will not be able to understand his behavior and you will commit offenses. He is not within this world, but is moving in the transcendental realm. If I commit an offense, it will be anti-devotional. For this reason, I am bowing down to him from a distance. Only a suddha bhakta can understand his wonderful behavior. An ordinary novice of bhajana will be unable to understand, so he should not go there. Babaji Maharaja is always surcharged with krsna-prema!”

There was a person from Navadvipa-dhama who used to come to Babaji Maharaja. One day, he thought, “I have the desire to obtain the Supreme Lord. How can I get Bhagavan?” He was only murmuring, speaking to himself, so Babaji Maharaja did not reply. This person came back repeatedly to see Babaji Maharaja. Finally, one day, he approached Maharaja directly.

“What do you want?” Babaji Maharaja asked him.

“I want to see Bhagavan,” the man said.

Babaji Maharaja replied with only one word: “Weep!”

We might supply so much scriptural evidence to try to explain, in so many ways, how to obtain the Supreme Lord, but what did Vamsi dasa Babaji Maharaja say? “Weep for Him!” If you can weep for Him, then you can get Him. If there is want for Him, then He will come. We are uttering His Names, but we do not want Him. So, we are uttering the Names of Krsna—“hare krsna, hare krsna, krsna krsna, hare hare, krsna rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare”—and Krsna appears before us. He says to us, “Come along!”

We say to Him, “No, I cannot go now. Right now I require a million dollars to save my business. I have my children. I have just bought a building. I cannot go now.”

“So, why have you called Me?” Krsna asks.

“I have called you to give me a million dollars,” we reply. “Remove my difficulties. I do not have time to go now.”

From where are we uttering the Name? Not from the heart! We are chanting, “hare krsna” but, if Krsna were to come, we would be unable to go.

A certain Svamiji gave an illustration. It is an illustration involving the ordinary day-to-day life of a householder but, nonetheless, there is something very impressive about this illustration. In a town in Bengal, there was a man who worked in an office. He lived with his wife and two children. One of the children was only three or four months old and the other was seven years old. One day, the man told his wife, “You will have to prepare breakfast early today because I have to go into the office early. After I eat, I shall leave right away.” When the wife went to cook, she first put the baby on the bed and then went into the kitchen. But, whenever she would enter the kitchen, the child would cry. She thought, “With the child in my lap, how will I be able to cook? It is very difficult.” She was thinking what she should do. Then she thought of a way she could manage. She called the seven-year-old child.

“Darling, come here!” she called. “Do you know that red toy in the shop?”

“Yes, I know it,” the child answered.

“Go and buy that toy, but be sure that it makes a nice jingling sound.”

The child took some money and went off to buy the toy. He brought it home and gave it to the mother. The mother laid the baby down on the bed and hung the red-colored toy with the jingling sound above him, at the end of a rope. The baby saw the toy and immediately started to play with it, hitting it from side to side. The child was most delighted as he continued to slap the toy and hear the jingling sound. For one hour he played like that, and the mother went to do her cooking. After that, the child started to feel hungry. For the entire time that the child was playing, he did not remember his mother. But, now that he felt hungry, he thought, “Oh, where is my mother?” But his mother did not come. Then, he started crying, signifying, “I am hungry! Come!” He could not speak, so he beckoned his mother by crying. “Come to me and suckle me! I am hungry!” His mother, however, was busy cooking. “No,” she thought, “let the child cry.”

After some time, the child stopped crying and went back to playing with the toy—jingle, jingle, jingle. After playing like that for a while, the pangs of hunger returned. His hunger increased and increased and he became more and more unhappy. He began to cry for his mother even more loudly than before.

His mother heard the crying of the baby, but thought that she should first finish her cooking.

Finally, the hunger became unbearable for the child. The child thought, “I don’t want toys!” All he could think about was his mother.
His crying became louder and louder until he was screaming. He started to throw his arms about and kick his legs, in a tantrum.

Then the mother thought, “Oh, I cannot stay away any longer!” The mother ran toward the child, embraced him and suckled him.

Like this, the Supreme Lord has given us toys—the toy of a wife or husband, toys of children, toys of buildings, toys of radios, toys of videos, toys of computers. Seeing this, Krsna thinks, “They are absorbed in their toys! I have no worries. I am engaged in My pastimes in the transcendental realm. They do not want this. They want those things instead. Here, take this computer! Take that video! Take this! Take that!”

Upon the awakening of his real self (atma), a man feels the want of the sweetest affection of the Supreme Lord. He cries, “Oh Supreme Lord! In this world, nothing gives me happiness. Everything is temporary. Everyone is selfish. You are my most beloved! Where are You? I have forgotten You! Come! Come! I am in a furnace! Come! Come!” Weeping, he calls, but Krsna does not come. “I am engaged in My pastimes,” Krsna says. For some time, the man then becomes absorbed in the affairs of his family and relatives, and forgets Krsna. Time passes and he cries again, “Where is My beloved Supreme Lord? Where is He?” Crying, crying. But, the Supreme Lord still does not come. Ultimately, he shouts, “I do not want a house! I do not want anything! Nobody is mine—You are mine! Oh beloved Supreme Lord! Come! Come! Come!” He cries and weeps, tossing his arms and legs about. Then Krsna cries, “Oh!” and comes to him. This sort of perturbation of the heart, extreme eagerness for getting Bhagavan, must be there.

Vamsi dasa Babaji Maharaja said only one word: “Weep!” But that single word has great significance. When we associate with the suddha bhakta who is crying for Krsna, then the eternal nature of atma will be awakened. You have love for God. Love is there in your soul. It exists, but it is presently enveloped by the external potency of the Supreme Lord and you have become averse to Sri Krsna. Passing through different species, our minds have become enveloped by so many evil desires… 

Srila Prabhupada: “become master, then you go to hell”

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/750328ccmay/compiled by Balarama dasa

Excerpt:

“…This is paramparā system. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says,ei chay gosāi jār-tār mui dās
tā-sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañca-grās

This is paramparā system. You cannot jump over. You must go through the paramparā system. You have to approach through your spiritual master to the Gosvāmīs, and through the Gosvāmīs you will have to approach Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu you have to approach Kṛṣṇa. This is the way. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, ei chay gosāi jār-tār mui dās.

We are servant of servant. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instruction = gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. The more you become servant of the servant, the more you are perfect. And if you all of a sudden want to become master, then you go to hell. That’s all. Don’t do that. This is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If you go through the servant, servant, servant, then you are advanced. And if you think that you have now become master, then you are going to hell. This is the process. Dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. So servant, servant, servant, a hundred times servant now, that means he is advanced. He is advanced. And one who is becoming directly master, then he is in the hell..”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.4

Māyāpur, March 28, 1975