20210808 Instructions to Raghunātha Dāsa Who Wishes to Go to Nīlācala Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 8th August 2021 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

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

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Hare Krishna! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Sri Krsna Caitanya book todays chapter entitled as:

Instructions to Raghunātha Dāsa Goswami Who Wishes to Go to Nīlācala Part 2 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.216

śāntipure śrī-raghunāthera prabhusaha sākṣātkāra:— 
punarapi prabhu yadi ‘śāntipura’ āilā
raghunātha-dāsa āsi’ prabhure mililā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Śāntipura, Raghunātha dāsa came to meet Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this pastime happened in Śāntipura, when Lord Caitanya returned from Kānāi Nāṭaśālā from Rāmakeli, He stayed a week or so in Śāntipura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.217

Śrī-raghunāthera pitṛ-paricaya:— 
‘hiraṇya’, ‘govardhana’,—dui sahodara
saptagrāme bāra-lakṣa mudrāra īśvara

Translation: Two brothers named Hiraṇya and Govardhana, who were residents of Saptagrāma, had an annual income of 1,200,000 rupees.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Hiraṇya and Govardhana were inhabitants of Saptagrāma in the district of Hugli. Actually they were inhabitants not of Saptagrāma but of a nearby village named Kṛṣṇapura. They took their birth in a big kāyastha family, and although their family title has not been ascertained, it is known that they came from an aristocratic family. The elder brother’s name was Hiraṇya Majumadāra, and the younger brother’s name was Govardhana Majumadāra. Śrī Raghunātha dāsa was the son of Govardhana Majumadāra. Their family priest was Balarāma Ācārya, who was a favorite of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s, and the family’s spiritual master was Yadunandana Ācārya, a favorite of Vāsudeva Datta’s.

The village of Saptagrāma is located on the Eastern Railway from Calcutta to Burdwan, and presently the railway station is called Triśabighā. In those days there was a large river there known as the Sarasvatī, and present-day Triśabighā is a great port. In 1592, the Pāṭhānas invaded, and due to a flooding of the Sarasvatī River in the year 1632, this great port was partially destroyed. It is said that in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Portuguese businessmen used to come aboard their ships. In those days, Saptagrāma, situated on the southern side of Bengal, was very rich and popular. The merchants, who were the principal residents, were called Saptagrāma suvarṇa-vaṇiks. There were very many rich people there, and Hiraṇya Majumadāra and Govardhana Majumadāra belonged to the kāyastha community. They also were very rich, so much so that it is mentioned in this verse that their annual income as landlords amounted to 1,200,000 rupees. In this connection, one may refer to Ādi-līlā (Chapter Eleven, verse 41), which describes Uddhāraṇa Datta, who also belonged to the Saptagrāmī suvarṇa-vaṇik community.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, many associates of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda stayed in this Ādī-Saptagrāma. Uddhāraṇa Datta was also suvarṇa-vaṇik and He is a forefather of Śrīla Prabhupāda. In a near by village by the side of the Sarasvatī river, is the house of Raghunātha dāsa and his parents. There are many pastimes that happened there.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.218

mahaiśvarya-yukta duṅhe—vadānya, brahmaṇya
sadācārī, satkulīna, dhārmikāgra-gaṇya

Translation: Both Hiraṇya Majumadāra and Govardhana Majumadāra were very opulent and magnanimous. They were well behaved and devoted to brāhmṇical culture. They belonged to an aristocratic family, and among religionists they were predominant.

Jayapatākā Swami: As landlords, they were also very charitable to the brāhmaṇas and also as landlords, they also had their own personal army and all kinds of facilities.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.219

nadīyā-vāsī, brāhmaṇera upajīvya-prāya
artha, bhūmi, grāma diyā karena sahāya

Translation: Practically all the brāhmaṇas residing in Nadia were dependent on the charity of Hiraṇya and Govardhana, who gave them money, land and villages.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Although Navadvīpa was very opulent and populous during Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s time, practically all the brāhmaṇas depended on the charity of Hiraṇya and Govardhana. Because the brothers highly respected the brāhmaṇas, they very liberally gave them money.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, five hundred years the varṇāśrama was still being practiced. So the business men would give donation to the brāhmaṇas and they would pay taxes to the rulers.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.220

prabhusaha paricayera ādi kāraṇa:— 
nīlāmbara cakravartī—ārādhya duṅhāra
cakravartī kare duṅhāya ‘bhrātṛ’-vyavahāra

Translation: Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was much worshiped by the two brothers, but Nīlāmbara Cakravartī used to treat them as his own brothers.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this relationship was being revealed by Raghunātha dāsa to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu so that he would understand that, in the sense he was like connected to Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.221

miśra-purandarera pūrve karyāchena sevane
ataeva prabhu bhāla jāne dui-jane

Translation: Formerly, these two brothers had rendered much service to Miśra Purandara, the father of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because of this, the Lord knew them very well.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, they had also had served Lord Caitanya’s father, so this was explained to Lord Caitanya so that He could remember their relationship.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.222

śrī-raghunāthera paricaya:— 
sei govardhanera putra—raghunātha dāsa
bālya-kāla haite teṅho viṣaye udāsa

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa was the son of Govardhana Majumadāra. From childhood, he was uninterested in material enjoyment.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Raghunātha dāsa was the son of one of the richest families in Bengal, he was uninterested in material enjoyment.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.223

śāntipure raghura prabhupada-darśana:— 
sannyāsa kari’ prabhu yabe śāntipura āilā
tabe āsi’ raghunātha prabhure mililā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Śāntipura after accepting the renounced order, Raghunātha dāsa met Him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.224

prabhupade raghunāthera śaraṇa-grahaṇa:— 
prabhura caraṇe paḍe premāviṣṭa hañā
prabhu pāda-sparśa kaila karuṇā kariyā

Translation: When Raghunātha dāsa went to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he fell at the Lord’s lotus feet in ecstatic love. Showing him mercy, the Lord touched him with His feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was a very special mercy, to be touched by the Lord’s lotus feet.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.225

pitṛ-sambandhe snehamaya advaitera kṛpāya raghura prabhupada-saṅga:— 
tāṅra pitā sadā kare ācārya-sevana
ataeva ācārya tāṅre hailā parasanna

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa’s father, Govardhana, always rendered much service to Advaita Ācārya. Consequently, Advaita Ācārya was very pleased with the family.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Govardhana Majumdāra, father of Raghunātha dāsa, and he Govardhana Majumadāra, used to be in service to brāhmaṇa, he would serve Advaita Ācārya. So in this way Advaita Ācārya was very satisfied with their family.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.226

ācārya-prasāde pāila prabhura ucchiṣṭa-pāta
prabhura caraṇa dekhe dina pāṅca-sāta

Translation: When Raghunātha dāsa was there, Advaita Ācārya favored him by giving him the food remnants left by the Lord. Raghunātha dāsa was thus engaged for five or seven days in rendering service to the Lord’s lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the mercy was being showered on Raghunātha dāsa, the Lord touched his head with Lotus foot and accepted his surrender, while Advaita Ācārya gave him the Lord’s remanants

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.227

prabhuke chāḍiyā prabhu-virahonmatta raghu:— 
prabhu tāṅre vidāya diyā gelā nīlācala
teṅho ghare āsi’ hailā premete pāgala

Translation: After bidding farewell to Raghunātha dāsa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Jagannātha Purī. After returning home, Raghunātha dāsa became mad with ecstatic love.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, having received the intimate association and service of Lord Caitanya, Raghunātha dāsa became mad in ecstatic love after Lord Caitanya left, the word used here is pāgala, that means completely mad, mad in ecstatic love.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.228

pūrve bārambāra palāyana-ceṣṭā o pitṛkarttṛka vandhana:— 
bāra bāra palāya teṅho nīlādri yāite
pitā tāṅre bāndhi’ rākhe āni’ patha haite

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa used to run away from home again and again to go to Jagannātha Purī, but his father kept binding him and bringing him back.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Raghunātha dāsa he tried to leave to go to Jagannātha Purī to be with Lord Caitanya, but his father and uncle had an army, so the army comes with him and brings him back.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.229

11 jana praharīra vyavasthā, tajjanya prabhu-darśanābhāve duḥkha:— 
pañca pāika tāṅre rākhe rātri-dine
cāri sevaka, dui brāhmaṇa rahe tāṅra sane

Translation: His father even had five watchmen guard him day and night. Four personal servants were employed to look after his comfort, and two brāhmaṇas were employed to cook for him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these were all the arrangements made by his father to make sure that he didn’t run away again.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.230

ekādaśa jana tāṅre rākhe nirantara
nīlācale yāite nā pāya, duḥkhita antara

Translation: In this way, eleven people were incessantly keeping Raghunātha dāsa under control. Thus he could not go to Jagannātha Purī, and because of this he was very unhappy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although he had all material facilities but he was disinterested, he wanted to go to Jagannātha Purī and be with Lord Caitanya . But these eleven people were watching him day and night to see that he could not escape.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.231

ekṣaṇe prabhura śāntipure āsitei pitṛsamīpe taddarśana-yācñā:— 
ebe yadi mahāprabhu ‘śāntipura’ āilā
śuniyā pitāre raghunātha nivedilā

Translation: When Raghunātha dāsa learned that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had arrived at Śāntipura, he submitted a request to his father.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this gives the history of how Raghunātha dāsa met with Lord Caitanya when for the second time He went to Śāntipura after Rāmakeli.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.232

“ājñā deha’, yāñā dekhi prabhura caraṇa
anyathā, nā rahe mora śarīre jīvana”

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa asked his father, “Please give me permission to go see the lotus feet of the Lord. If you do not, my life will not remain within this body.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he told his father, if he deos not allow him to go to Śāntipura to see the Lord, his life will not remain in his body, in other words he would die.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.233

pitāra putrake prabhusamīpe preraṇa:— 
śuni’ tāṅra pitā bahu loka-dravya diyā
pāṭhāila bali’ ‘śīghra āsiha phiriyā’

Translation: Hearing this request, Raghunātha dāsa’s father agreed. Giving him many servants and materials, the father sent him to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, requesting him to return soon.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he sent guards and other servants with him, to make sure that he returns, he also some gifts to Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.234

śāntipure āsiyā praharībandhana-mocanārtha cintā:— 
sāta dina śāntipure prabhu-saṅge rahe
rātri-divase ei manaḥ-kathā kahe

Translation: For seven days Raghunātha dāsa associated with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Śāntipura. During those days and nights, he had the following thoughts.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.235

‘rakṣakera hāte muñi kemane chuṭiba!
kemane prabhura saṅge nīlācale yāba?’

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa thought, “How shall I be able to get free from the hands of the watchmen? How shall I be able to go with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Nīlācala?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Although he got permission to go to Śāntipura from his father, he was thinking incessantly how to escape and go with Lord Caitanya to Nīlācala.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.236

prabhura baddhajīva-līlābhinayakārī raghunāthake śikṣā-dāna:— 
sarvajña gaurāṅga-prabhu jāni’ tāṅra mana
śikṣā-rūpe kahe tāṅre āśvāsa-vacana

Translation: Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was omniscient, He could understand Raghunātha dāsa’s mind. The Lord therefore instructed him with the following reassuring words.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 16.237

yukta-vairāgya grahaṇa o phalgu-vairāgya tyāga karite upadeśa:— 
“sthira hañā ghare yāo, nā hao vātula
krame krame pāya loka bhava-sindhu-kūla

Translation: “Be patient and return home. Don’t be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be able to cross the ocean of material existence.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58):

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with Brahmaloka and extends to Pātālaloka, and there are many planets, or islands, in this ocean. Not knowing about devotional service, the living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to reach the shore. Our struggle for existence is similar to this. Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence. One cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavors, he can cross the ocean by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. One may be very eager to cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently under the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return home, back to Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was telling him how to get back to home back to Godhead, not being a false renunciant. So gradually everything would be revealed to him.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Instructions to Raghunātha Dāsa Who Wishes to Go to Nīlācala Part 2 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana