20230427 Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa Accompanies Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to Meet Lord Caitanya in Nīlācala

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 27th,2023 in Dallas, Texas, USA.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Continuation of the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book, Today's chapter is entitled as:

Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa Accompanies Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to Meet Lord Caitanya in Nīlācala
Under the Section: Pastimes with Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.89

raghunātha bhaṭṭa gosvāmīra vṛttānta; tāṅhāra ākumāra naiṣṭhika brahmacārī vā bṛhadvratī-līlā :—

ethā tapana-miśra-putra raghunātha-bhaṭṭācārya
prabhure dekhite calilā chāḍi’ sarva kārya

Translation: During this time, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, the son of Tapana Miśra, gave up all his duties and left home, intending to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.90

sevakasaha raghunāthera gauḍa-pathe purī-yātrā :—

kāśī haite calilā teṅho gauḍa-patha diyā
saṅge sevaka cale tāṅra jhāli vahiyā

Translation: Accompanied by a servant carrying his baggage, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa started from Vārāṇasī and traveled along the path leading through Bengal.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya was the son of Tapana Miśra. Again and again we are stressing how our gṛhasthas followers should have ācāryas as children. Here we see how Tapana Miśra, his son was Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, who was a very dear ācārya, was a very dear devotee of Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.91

pathe purīyātrī rāmadāsa-viśvāsera milana :—

pathe tāre mililā viśvāsa-rāmadāsa
viśvāsa-khānāra kāyastha teṅho rājāra viśvāsa

Translation: In Bengal he met Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa, who belonged to the kāyastha caste. He was one of the king’s secretaries.

Purport: The words viśvāsa-khānāra kāyastha indicate a secretary or clerk belonging to the kāyastha caste. Kāyasthas were usually secretaries to kings, governors or other important persons. It is said that anyone working in the government secretariat at this time was a kāyastha.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the kāyasthas were very influential and they were very good managers.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.92

rāmadāsa — rāmānandī-sampradāyabhukta (rāmāyet) :—

sarva-śāstre pravīṇa, kāvya-prakāśa-adhyāpaka
parama-vaiṣṇava, raghunātha-upāsaka

Translation: Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was very learned in all the revealed scriptures. He was a teacher of the famous book Kāvya-prakāśa and was known as an advanced devotee and worshiper of Raghunātha [Lord Rāmacandra].

Purport: Commenting on the word parama-vaiṣṇava, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that anyone who desires to merge into the existence of the Lord cannot be a pure Vaiṣṇava, but because Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was a great devotee of Lord Rāmacandra, he was almost a Vaiṣṇava. In those days, no one could distinguish between a pure Vaiṣṇava and a pseudo Vaiṣṇava. Therefore Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was known as a Vaiṣṇava because he worshiped Lord Rāmacandra.

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone who wants to worship, wants to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is considered a Vaiṣṇava. Although most people want to enjoy their senses, and they do good works, to advance their sense gratification. So therefore, they are known as karmīs or performers of good works. When someone understands that they are not the body and they want to realize their self, they are known as jñānīs. If somebody actually realizes the impersonal Brahman, they are known as muktas. Out of millions of muktas, one is a pure devotee of Viṣṇu, he is known as a Vaiṣṇava.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.93

aṣṭa-prahara rāma-nāma japena rātri-dine
sarva tyaji’ calilā jagannātha-daraśane

Translation: Rāmadāsa had renounced everything and was going to see Lord Jagannātha. While traveling, he chanted the holy name of Lord Rāma twenty-four hours a day.

Jayapatākā Swami: Some people chant the name of Viṣṇu, some people chant the name of Rāma. It is especially recommended in the Kali-yuga to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa and Hare Rāma mahā-mantra. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.94

rāmadāsakarttṛka raghunāthabhaṭṭaprabhura sevā :—

raghunātha-bhaṭṭera sane pathete mililā
bhaṭṭera jhāli māthe kari’ vahiyā calilā

Translation: When he met Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa on the way, he took Raghunātha’s baggage on his head and carried it.

Jayapatākā Swami: So he, Rāmadāsa, was immediately inclined to render service to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa. This is a good sign.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.95

nānā sevā kari’ kare pāda-samvāhana
tāte raghunāthera haya saṅkucita mana

Translation: Rāmadāsa served Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa in various ways, even massaging his legs. Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa felt some hesitation in accepting all this service.

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually, a devotee wants to serve the Lord and doesn’t know how he should accept service from others. If one is a spiritual master, then naturally, he accepts service from others. Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa was not the guru of Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa, and he was feeling some hesitation to accept other’s service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.96

raghunāthera paṇḍita-pradatta-sevā grahaṇe āpatti :—

“tumi baḍa loka, paṇḍita, mahā-bhāgavate
sevā nā kariha, sukhe cala mora sāthe”

Translation: “You are a respectable gentleman, a learned scholar and a great devotee,” Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa said. “Please do not try to serve me. Just come with me in a happy mood.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.97

rāmadāsera dainyokti o vaiṣṇava-vipradāsye ānanda

rāmadāsa kahe,—“āmi śūdra adhama!
‘brāhmaṇera sevā’,—ei mora nija-dharma

Translation: Rāmadāsa replied, “I am a śūdra, a fallen soul. To serve a brāhmaṇa is my duty and religious principle.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was declaring how in the varṇāśrama it was his duty to serve a brāhmaṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.98

saṅkoca nā kara tumi, āmi—tomāra ‘dāsa’
tomāra sevā karile haya hṛdaye ullāsa”

Translation: “Therefore please do not be hesitant. I am your servant, and when I serve you my heart becomes jubilant.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Service to a Vaiṣṇava naturally makes the heart jubilant, because Kṛṣṇa is pleased. And when Kṛṣṇa is pleased, then soul becomes pleased.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.99

rāmadāsera anukṣaṇa rāmanāma-japa :—

eta bali’ jhāli vahena, karena sevane
raghunāthera tāraka-mantra japena rātri-dine

Translation: Thus Rāmadāsa carried the baggage of Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa and served him sincerely. He constantly chanted the holy name of Lord Rāmacandra day and night.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.100

raghunāthera purī-gamana o prabhuke praṇāma, prabhura āliṅgana :—

ei-mate raghunātha āilā nīlācale
prabhura caraṇe yāñā mililā kutūhale

Translation: Traveling in this way, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa soon arrived at Jagannātha Purī. There he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great delight and fell at His lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: It is mentioned that Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa soon arrived at Jagannātha Purī. He was walking from Benaras, following the Ganges through Bengal, through Odisha, to Jagannātha Purī. By foot, it would naturally take many days, but as he was going with his mind fixed on Lord Caitanya, it passed very quickly. Now-a-days you go by car, by plane, by train and it takes a few hours to reach! Three hours or a day. But here walking from Benaras it may have taken him a month, or some weeks. So but he is saying, he soon reached Jagannātha Purī, so it is all relative.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.101

daṇḍa-paraṇāma kari’ bhaṭṭa paḍilā caraṇe
prabhu ‘raghunātha’ jāni kailā āliṅgane

Translation: Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa fell straight as a rod at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the Lord embraced him, knowing well who he was.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here it is said that he offered him obeisances like a stick, that is also known as daṇḍavats. It means prostrate obeisances. After offering his obeisances like this, Lord Caitanya picked him up and embraced him affectionately.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.102

prabhupade tapanamiśra o candraśekharera praṇati-jñāpana, bhagavānera svabhaktakuśala-jijñāsā :—

miśra āra śekharera daṇḍavat jānāilā
mahāprabhu tāṅ-sabāra vārtā puchilā

Translation: Raghunātha offered respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on behalf of Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, and the Lord also inquired about them.

Jayapatākā Swami: We see this custom that people ask you how are you? People say, “Oh, I am alright, very good, thank you!” Here Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara’s obeisances were offered to Lord Caitanya, and He asked about them. “How are they? Are they kuśala? Are they happy? Are they well?” So this is part of our culture.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.103

raghunāthake prabhura jagannātha-darśanārtha ājñā o nijagṛhe nimantraṇa :—

“bhāla ha-ila āilā, dekha ‘kamala-locana’
āji āmāra ethā karibā prasāda bhojana”

Translation: “It is very good that you have come here,” the Lord said. “Now go see the lotus-eyed Lord Jagannātha. Today you will accept prasādam here at My place.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! So this is how one of the ways that devotees exchange love. Lord Caitanya was giving prasāda for Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, and he was accepting.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.104

vāsasthāna-dāna o svarūpādi bhaktasaha milana :—

govindere kahi’ eka vāsā deoyāilā
svarūpādi bhakta-gaṇa-sane milāilā

Translation: The Lord asked Govinda to arrange for Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa’s accommodations and then introduced him to all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was seeing that Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would have a good, appropriate place to stay. Then He introduced Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to all the devotees. So, it is important to see how devotees are very personal in their dealings, and this was started by Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.105

āṭamāsa prabhusaṅge avasthāna o prabhura snehakṛpā-lābha

ei-mata prabhu-saṅge rahilā aṣṭa-māsa
dine dine prabhura kṛpāya bāḍaye ullāsa

Translation: Thus Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa lived with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continuously for eight months, and by the Lord’s mercy he felt increasing transcendental happiness every day.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Vaiṣṇavas naturally feel increased happiness in the Lord’s association. And Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa became one of the Six Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.106

svagṛhe raghunāthera prabhuke nimantraṇa :—

madhye madhye mahāprabhura karena nimantraṇa
ghara-bhāta karena, āra vividha vyañjana

Translation: He would periodically cook rice with various vegetables and invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we see how Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa was also exchanging his affection, his love for Lord Caitanya, by inviting the Lord to take prasāda at his house.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.107

amṛtanindi naivedya-randhana-vidyāya pāradarśī raghunātha

raghunātha-bhaṭṭa—pāke ati sunipuṇa
yei rāndhe, sei haya amṛtera sama

Translation: Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa was an expert cook. Whatever he prepared tasted just like nectar.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, his BQ was very high! Bhakti Quotient! You know IQ, we have BQ!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.108

bhaṭṭa-gosvāmīra prabhūcchiṣṭa-lābha :—

parama santoṣe prabhu karena bhojana
prabhura avaśiṣṭa-pātra bhaṭṭera bhakṣaṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would accept with great satisfaction all the food he prepared. After the Lord was satisfied, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would eat His remnants.

Jayapatākā Swami: To get the personal remnants of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or the spiritual master, or some great Vaiṣṇava, is called as mahā-prasāda. Actually, in Jagannātha Purī, because Jagannātha prasāda is offered to Vimalā Devī, that is also called as mahā-prasāda. But here Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa is offering prasāda to Lord Caitanya, what was left, His ucchiṣṭa, His remnants, was taken by Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa as mahā-mahā-prasāda.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.109

rāmadāsasaha sākṣātkāra haileo antaryāmī prabhura tatprati audāsīnya :—

rāmadāsa yadi prathama prabhure mililā
mahāprabhu adhika tāṅre kṛpā nā karilā

Translation: When Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord did not show him any special mercy, although this was their first meeting.

Jayapatākā Swami: There is some secret meaning here, why Lord Caitanya did not show special mercy for Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.110

audāsīnyera kāraṇa :—

antare mumukṣu teṅho, vidyā-garvavān
sarva-citta-jñātā prabhu — sarvajña bhagavān

Translation: Within his heart, Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was an impersonalist who desired to merge into the existence of the Lord, and he was very proud of his learning. Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can understand the heart of everyone, and thus He knew all these things.

Jayapatākā Swami: A real Vaiṣṇava never wants to merge into the brahma-jyoti, into the existence of the Lord. They rather want to serve the Lord. So, although he was chanting rāma-nāma, he was doing service, Lord Caitanya as the Supersoul could understand his real intention. As is explained that out millions of karmīs, one person is a jñānī. And out of millions of jñānīs, one is actually liberated, mukta. Out of millions of liberated souls, muktas, one is a pure Vaiṣṇava! So this Rāma Viśvāsa was a jñānī, but he disguised himself as a Vaiṣṇava.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.111

rāmadāsa kailā tabe nīlācale vāsa
paṭṭanāyaka-goṣṭhīke paḍāya ‘kāvya-prakāśa’

Translation: Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa then took up residence in Jagannātha Purī and taught the Kāvya-prakāśa to the Paṭṭanāyaka family [the descendants of Bhavānanda Rāya].

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa Accompanies Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa to Meet Lord Caitanya in Nīlācala
Under the Section: Pastimes with Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

Jayapatākā Swami: So now we are hearing some of the pastimes of Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Actually, this Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa should not be teaching the descendants of Bhavānanda Rāya because Bhavānanda Rāya’s descendants are all Vaiṣṇavas.