Antya 6.292 The stone from Govardhana was always moist with tears from His eyes. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would say, “This stone is directly the body of Lord Krsna.”
Antya 6.293 For three years He kept the stone and garland. Then, greatly satisfied by the behavior of Raghunatha dasa, the Lord delivered both of them to him.
Antya 6.294 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunatha dasa, “This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Krsna. Worship the stone with great eagerness.”
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya that in the opinion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the govardhana-sila, the stone from Govardhana Hill, was directly the form of Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda. The Lord used the stone for three years, and then in the heart of Raghunatha dasa the Lord awakened devotional service to the stone. The Lord then gave the stone to Raghunatha dasa, accepting him as one of His most confidential servants. However, some envious people conclude that because Raghunatha dasa had not taken birth in the family of a brahmana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not give him the right to worship the Deity directly, but instead gave him a stone from Govardhana. This kind of thought is naraki, or hellish. As stated in the Padma Purana, arcye visnau siladhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih. ..yasya va naraki sah: “One who considers the arca-murti (the worshipable Deity of Lord Visnu) to be stone, the
spiritual master to be an ordinary human being, or a Vaisnava to belong to a particular creed is possessed of hellish intelligence.” If one thinks that the worshipable salagrama-sila is a mere stone, that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being or that a pure Vaisnava preaching the bhakti cult all over the world is a member of a particular caste or material division of society, he is considered a naraki, a candidate for hellish life. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed that the govardhana-sila, the stone taken from Govardhana, is nondifferent from the body of Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He indirectly advised such foolish persons that one should not be envious of a Vaisnava who belongs to a different caste or sect. One should accept a Vaisnava as transcendental. in this way one can be saved; otherwise, one is surely awaiting a hellish life.
Antya 6.295 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, “Worship this stone in the mode of goodness like a perfect brahmana, for by such worship you will surely attain ecstatic love of Krsna without delay.
Antya 6.296 “For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasi tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity.
Antya 6.297 “With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasi flowers, each with two tulasi leaves, one on each side of each flower.”
Antya 6.298 After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered Raghunatha dasa the govardhana-sila with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunatha dasa worshiped the sila in great transcendental jubilation.
Antya 6.298 After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered Raghunatha dasa the govardhana-sila with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunatha dasa worshiped the sila in great transcendental jubilation.
Antya 6.299 Svarupa Damodara gave Raghunatha dasa two cloths, each about six inches long, a wooden platform and a jug in which to keep water.
Antya 6.300 Thus Raghunatha dasa began worshiping the stone from Govardhana, and as he worshiped he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, directly in the stone.
Antya 6.301 Thinking of how he had received the govardhana-sila directly from the hands of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Raghunatha dasa was always overflooded with ecstatic love.
Antya 6.302 The amount of transcendental bliss that Raghunatha dasa enjoyed simply by offering water and tulasi is impossible to achieve even if one worships the Deity with sixteen kinds of paraphernalia.
Antya 6.303 After Raghunatha dasa had thus worshiped the govardhana-sila for some time, Svarupa Damodara one day spoke to him as follows.
Antya 6.304 “Offer the Govardhana stone eight kaudis worth of the first-class sweetmeats known as khaja and sandesa. If you offer them with faith and love, they will be just like nectar.”
Antya 6.305 Raghunatha dasa then began offering the costly sweetmeats known as khaja, which Govinda, following the order of Svarupa Damodara, would supply.
Antya 6.306 When Raghunatha dasa received from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the stone and the garland of conchshells, he could understand the Lord’s intention. Thus he thought as follows.
Antya 6.307 “By offering me the govardhana-sila, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has offered me a place near Govardhana Hill, and by offering me the garland of conch shells, He has offered me shelter at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.”
Antya 6.308 Raghunatha dasa’s transcendental bliss was boundless. Forgetting everything external, he served the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his body and mind.