Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami Sochaka
In the second edition of Sri Chaitanya Saraswata Maṭh’s Sri Gaudiya-gitanjali, Srila Bhakti Sundara Govinda Deva Goswami added a series of kirtanas meant to be sung on the disappearance days of the six goswamis. Published here are the songs sung in honor of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.
yabe rupa-sanatana vraje gela dui jana, suna-ite raghunatha-dasa
nija-rajya-adhikara indra-sama sukha yara, chhadiya chalila prabhu-pasa
When Raghunatha Dasa heard that Rupa and Sanatana went to Vraja, he gave up the proprietorship of his estate and pleasures equal to those of Indra and came to the Lord’s side.
uthi’ ratre nisa-bhage duyare prahari jage, patha chhadi’ vipathe gamana
ksudha trsna nahi paya manodvege chali’ yaya, sada chinte chaitanya-charana
He arose in the dark very early in the morning, avoided the main road, and traveled on an alternate path. He felt no hunger or thirst as he ran anxiously. He thought constantly of Sri Caitanya’s feet.
eka-dina eka grame sandhya-kale go-vathane, “ha chaitanya” baliya basila
eka gopa dugdha dila taha kheye visramila, sei ratre tathai rahila
One day in a village in the evening he sat in a cowshed chanting, “O Caitanya!” and a cowherd boy gave him some milk. He drank it, rested, and remained there for the night.
ye anga palanka vine bhumi-sayya nahi jane, kantake hataye sei paya
His body had never experienced lying on the ground without a bedstead, but his feet now walked over thorns.
yiho bela danda chari tola jale snana kari’, sad-rasa karita bhojana
ebe yadi kichhu pana sandhya-kale taha khana, na paile amani sayana
He used to bathe with raised water at mid-morning and eat meals comprised of the six tastes, but now he would eat in the evening if he found something and would lie down without eating anything if he did not.
bara dinera patha yana tina sandhya anna khana, pravesila nilachala-pure
dekhiya se sri-mandira du-nayane vahe nira, “ha chaitanya” bale uchchaihsvare
After travelling the path for twelve days and eating solid food on only three of these days in the evening, he entered the city of Nilacala. Seeing the temple, tears poured from his eyes, and he called out, “O Caitanya!”
e radha-vallabha-dasa mane kari abhilasa, kotha mora raghunatha-dasa
tahara prasanga-matra pulakita haya gatra, tara pada-renu kari asa
This Radha Vallabha Dasa longs, “Where is my Raghunatha Dasa? Just by his association, the hair on my body stands on end. I pray for the dust of his feet.”
sri-chaitanya-krpa haite raghunatha-dasa-chitte, parama vairagya upajila
kalatra grha sampada nija-rajya-adhipada, mala-praya sakala tyajila
By the mercy of Sri Caitanya, extreme detachment arose in the mind of Raghunatha Dasa. Wife, home, wealth, proprietorship of his estate—he left all of this as though it were stool.
purascharya ksna-name giya se purusottame, gaurangera pada-yuga seve
ei mane abhilasa punah raghunatha dasa, nayana-gochara habe kabe
After completing his preparatory duties with the chanting of Krishna’s name, he went to Sri Purusottama Ksetra and served the feet of Sri Gauranga. My heart longs, “When will I see Raghunatha Dasa again?”
gauranga doyalu haiya radha-krsna mantra diya, govardhana-sila gunja-hare
vraja-vane govardhane sri-radhara sri-charane, samarpana karila yahare
Sri Gauranga mercifully gave him the Radha-Krishna mantra, a Govardhana-sila, and a gunja-mala. He thus offered him to the divine feet of Sri Radha at Govardhana in Vrindavan.
gaurangera agochare nija-kesa chhidhi kare, virahe vyakula vraje gela
deha-tyaga kari’ mane gela giri-govardhane, du-gosai tahare rakhila
After the disappearance of Sri Gauranga, Raghunatha Dasa began to pull out his hair, and overcome with separation, he went to Vraja. Intending to give up his body, he went to Govardhana Hill, but two goswamis saved him.
dhari rupa-sanatana rakhila tara jivana, deha-tyaga karite na dila
dui gosaira ajna peye radha-kundera tate giya, niyama kariya vasa kaila
Rupa and Sanatana received him and saved his life. They did not allow him to give up his body. Receiving instructions from these two goswamis, Raghunatha went to the bank of Radha Kunda and lived there observing various strictures.
chhida vastra paridhana vraja-phala-gavya pana, anna adi na kare ahara
tina sandhya snanachari smarana kirtana kari’, radha-pada bhajana yahara
He wore torn clothes and ate only the fruits and milk products found in Vraja. He did not eat rice or other grains. He bathed at the three junctions of the day, engaged in remembrance and chanting, and served the feet of Sri Radha.
sat danda ratri dine radha-krsna-lila-gane, smaranete sadai goyaya
chari danda suye thake svapne radha-krsna dekhe, tilardheka vyartha nahi yaya
Night and day—twenty-four hours a day—he would sing about the pastimes of Radha and Krishna and constantly engage in remembrance of them. He laid down for an hour and half each day, but in his dreams saw Radha and Krishna and never wasted a single moment.
chaitanyera padambuje rakhe manobhrnga-raje, svarupera sadai asraya
bhinna-deha rupa-sane gati yara sanatane, bhatta gosayera priya mahasaya
He would fix the bumble bee of his mind on the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya. He remained always in the shelter of Svarupa Damodara. He was always with Sri Rupa, and Sanatana was his shelter. He was dear to Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Gopala Bhatta Goswami
sri-rupera gana yata yahara pade asrita, atyanta vatsalya yara jive
sei arta-nada kari’ kadi’ bale, “hari hari, prabhura karuna habe kabe”
Sheltered at the feet of all the followers of Sri Rupa, who are most affectionate to all souls, he would piteously cry out, “O Lord! O Lord! When will I receive my Lord’s mercy?
he radhikara vallabha gandharvikara bandhava, radhika-ramana radhanatha
he he vrndavanesvara ha ha krsna damodara, krpa kari’ kara atmasatha
“O Beloved of Radhika! O Friend of Gandharvika! O Delight of Radhika! O Lord of Radha! O Lord of Vrindavan! O Krishna! O Damodara! Please mercifully accept me.”
prabhu rupa sanatana tina haila adarsana, andha haila e dui nayana
vrtha akhi kaha dekhi vrtha dehe prana rakhi, sevachara badaya dviguna
When the Lord (Sri Caitanya), Sri Rupa, and Sri Sanatana had disappeared, his two eyes became blind. “What can I see with these useless eyes? I just maintain my life in this useless body.” This was his feeling, yet his engagement in service doubled.
sri-krsna sri-sachi-suta tara guna yata yata, avatara srī-vigraha nama
gupta vyakta lila-sthana drsta sruta vaisnava-gana, sabhakare karaye pranama
He would offer obeisance to Sri Krishna, the son of Sri Saci, all of his qualities and avatars, his deity, his name, the hidden and manifest places of his pastimes that are seen or heard about, and all the Vaisnavas.
radha-krsnera viyoge chhadila sakala bhoge, rukha sukha anna-matra sara
sri-caitanyera vichchhedete anna chhadi’ sei haite, phala gavya karena ahara
In separation from Radha and Krishna, Raghunatha Dasa gave up all enjoyment and ate nothing but dry, stale rice. In separation from Sri Caitanya, he gave up rice and ate only fruits and milk products.
sanatanera adarsane taha chhadi sei dine, kevala karena jala pana
rupera vichchheda yabe jala chhadi’ dila tabe, radha-krsna bali’ rakhe prana
After the disappearance of Sri Sanatana, he gave this up, and from that day on drank only water. When he was separated from Sri Rupa, he then gave up water and maintained his life simply by calling out to Radha and Krishna.
svarupera adarsane na dekhe rupera gane, virahe vikala haiya kande
krsna-kathalapa vine sravane nahika sune, uchchaihsvare dake arta-nade
When Sri Rupa disappeared, and Raghunatha could not see any of Sri Rupa’s followers, then he sorrowfully wept in separation. Without any discussion of Krishna, he did not listen to anything with his ears and piteously cried out aloud.
ha ha radha-krsna kotha kotha achha he lalita, he visakhe deha darasana
ha chaitanya mahaprabhu ha svarapa mora prabhu, ha ha prabhu rupa-sanatana
“O Radha! O Krisha! Where are You? O Lalita, where are you? O Visakha! Please appear before me. O Caitanya Mahaprabhu! O Svarupa, my master! O my masters Rupa and Sanatana!”
kade gosai ratra-dine pudi’ yaya tanu-mane, virahe ha-ila jara jarai
manda manda jihva nade preme asru netre pade, mane krsna karaye smarana
Dasa Goswami cried night and day. His mind and body burned in separation and became frail. As his tongue moved slowly and tears of love poured from his eyes, he remembered Krishna within his heart.
sei raghunatha-dasa puribe manera asa, ei mora bada achhe sadha
e radha-vallabha-dasa mane kare abhilasa, sabe more karaha prasada
“Raghunatha Dasa will fulfill the desires of my heart. This is my great hope.” This Radha Vallabha Dasa longs within his heart, “May you all bless me.”
from the Harmonist
