Thursday, October 13, 2011

Social India Conference in Bangalore


Krishna Consciousness Movement is Not a Sectarian Movement


In the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, you will find, it is described: the body and the knower of the body. Just like you think over your body, you think over your finger. You will understand that it is your finger. When I think of this finger, I know this is my finger. When I think of this leg, I think that "This is my leg." But I don't think your finger as my finger. This knower is individual, and he knows not everything but something of his body. I do not know everything of my body. Suppose I am eating, I am eating something. How this eatable substance transforms into vitamin secretion and how it is being distributed all over the body and is supplying the energy? Or take, for example, I have got my hairs, but I do not know how many hairs I have got. Is not that a fact? Can you count your hairs, how many hairs you have got? So, so many things we do not know even of our body, although I am claiming that "This is my body."

But there is another living being. He is supreme living being, Krishna. He says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. This is the verse. Ksetra-jna means the knower of the body. You are individual knower of your body; I am knower individually of my body. So everyone is knower of his own body. But there is another person, who says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. He is known as Paramatma. The individual knower is known as atma, or soul, spirit soul.

The individual soul is called atma. But there is another soul, Supersoul. He is called Paramatma. Paramatma is God, but atma and Paramatma, both of them are cognizant. Both of them know things. Just like I know something about my body or I know something about this world. Similarly, there is another atma, supreme atma, who knows everything of this universe. He is sometimes called God or the Paramatma or Krishna, whatever He..., according to different language. So that God is also knower; you are also knower. So far knowing capacity is concerned, you are one with God. Because Krishna or God is cognizant, you are also cognizant. But you are cognizant with very limited sphere, and He is cognizant unlimitedly everywhere. That is the difference. So try to understand Paramatma and jivatma. Jivatma is small, and Paramatma, or God, is great. That you know, every one of you. You say, "God is great," but how He is great, that we do not know. That we have to know. That is called God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Everyone says, "God is great. God is omnipotent. God is all-powerful," but we do not know how God is great, how God is all-powerful, how God is omnipotent. That we should know. And that is the prerogative, a special power for the human being. The animals, they cannot know what is God, how God is great, how God is all-powerful. But a human being, if he tries, if he consults books of knowledge just like Bible or Bhagavad-gita or similar other scriptures, he can know what is God, how great He is, how omnipotent He is, and what is our relationship with God.
We should know also our relationship with God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Our relationship with God is that we are all part and parcel of God. Just like your father has got many children -- you are part of the father's body -- similarly, God, the supreme father, He has also many children, and you are one of them; therefore you are part and parcel of God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:
mamaivamso jiva-bhutah
jiva-loke sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

[Bg. 15.7]
Krishna says that, "All these living entities, they are all My parts and parcels, but being influenced by mental concoction, he is very much struggling hard within this material world." Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. This struggle for existence of the human being is due to his lack of knowledge of God. He does not know how God is great. There is no educational institution all over the world to discuss this subject matter, how God is great, how He is omnipotent, how I am servant of God. These things are not discussed. But when we forget our relationship with God we become subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence. Take for example... Just like an Australian citizen. He is under the laws of the state of Australia. But if he says, "I don't care for the government," he becomes lawless, and sometimes he becomes criminal, and he is put into the prison life. In the prison also, he has to abide by the laws of the government, and outside the prison also, one has to abide by the laws of the government. But outside the prison the citizens abide by the laws of the government voluntarily, and inside the prison house, the criminals, they defy the laws of government, and therefore they are put into the prison house. So when we defy the laws of God, we are put into threefold miseries of life. That is called material existence. And when we abide by the laws of God, then we are happy. We should know this fact. And religion means to abide by the laws of God. In the Sanskrit language it is said, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma, or religion, means the codes of God. Code. Just like laws cannot be manufactured by some individual man, laws are enacted by the government, similarly, religious principles, they are made by God. Godless man does not care for religion, but those who are sober, devotee, godly, they abide by the laws of God, and they are happy. Just like in your Bible there are commandments. So one has to abide by the commandment; then he will be happy. And if one disobeys the commandments of God, he will be unhappy.
So our, this Krishna consciousness movement is not a sectarian movement. We are trying to bring back people to God consciousness. Because unless one comes to God consciousness, he cannot be happy. That's a fact. He becomes careless, and without abiding by the laws of God, he becomes criminal, subjected to so many troubles inflicted by the laws of nature. So these things should be taught from the beginning. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. In every school and college these codes of God should be taught to the children. Then in future they will be godly or God conscious and their life will be peaceful. And because this is not taught in the schools and colleges... I have got experience by traveling in the Western countries. Especially in America, they have got so many nice arrangements of big, big universities. Unfortunately, nowadays they are producing hippies. So this is not very encouraging. In every school and college the God consciousness should be taught. Never mind whether through Bible or Koran or through Bhagavad-gita. Everywhere there is knowledge of God consciousness. That teaching should be introduced in every school and college so that children, from the very beginning, may understand what is God, how great he is, how we are related with God, and how we have to live. So our, this movement, Krishna consciousness, is teaching that thing. Don't think that it is a sectarian religion. We are making people God conscious. It doesn't matter whichever religion you may belong. We want to see whether you are actually God conscious. Our Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6], that "That religious system is first class wherein God consciousness or love of God is taught." That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muhammadan religion. If by following the principles of religion one becomes advanced in God consciousness, that is first-class religion. That is our motto, and we are preaching all over the world.

 Read More - http://www.harekrishnablog.com/
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites:
http://iskconbangalore.org/
http://iskcontimes.com/

Bhagavad-gita is ever fresh

A common man with all the defects of human frailty is unable to teach that which is worth hearing. Bhagavad-gita is above such literature. No mundane book compares with the Bhagavad-gita. this Bhagavad-gita, it was spoken five thousand, years ago, still they are being read with respect and honor. So this kind of literature should be read, not a literature which is printed and you read and glance over and throw it away. The newspaper means the repeated things. Every morning you see something: "Somebody has stolen, somebody was killed, some political leaders have bluffed you," repetition of the same thing. This is also repetition, Hare Krishna, but by this repetition, you enlighten your spiritual life.

And by that repetition, you simply waste your time, chewing the chewed again and again. So after reading your newspaper, you throw it away. It has no value. Every day your media is printing so many newspapers. On Sunday, especially, the paper is so big that one can hardly carry it. But after reading it an hour, people throw it away. One's words may be simple, but they should be valuable. Here is this book, Bhagavad-gita, and people keep it and read it for a lifetime, and in this way it has been read for the past 5,000 years. The beauty of transcendental literatures like Bhagavad-gita is that they never become old. They have been read in the world by civilized man for the last five thousand years, and they have never become old.

They are ever fresh to the learned scholars and devotees, and even by daily repetition of the verses of Bhagavad-gita, there is no satiation for devotees. Give such literature that will be taken and kept forever.

Read more Articles: http://www.harekrishnablog.com/
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites:

Dwarfs Grasping for the Moon

This is the continuation of a conversation that took place between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and biochemist Thoudam Singh, Ph.D., in Bhubanesvara, India, on February 3, 1977.

Dr. Singh: Srila Prabhupada, what you say about modern scientists is quite accurate, Even though they know they have imperfect senses, make mistakes, and become illusioned, most are still eager to present themselves as big authorities and take big salaries. Dishonesty. And worse, they teach this dishonesty to their students.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. Singh: Millions of students. The students see, "Oh, even though this man has imperfect senses and makes mistakes and becomes illusioned, he still passes himself off as an exalted authority and gets away with the bluff. He makes his living by bluffing. So it appears I'll have to bluff, also. The 'scientific method.'
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Naturally the scientists spread the bluffing, the cheating. They understand that to be successful in their dishonesty, everyone else must become dishonest.
"Life evolves from matter," the scientists teach us. No need to mention the soul or the Supreme Soul, the creator. "That would be religious sentimentalism -- unprovable. We must adhere to our scientific method -- everything provable." But has anyone proved -- ever -- that life can come from matter? These scientists cannot create even a single blade of grass. And yet we have to tolerate their "life-evolves-from-matter" rubbish. This godless, irrational bluff. This dishonesty.
So save all these millions of students. If you can prove that these so-called scientists are actually dishonest -- cheaters -- that will be a very great service.
Dr. Singh: Yes, we can prove all these things in scientific journals such as Scientific American.
Srila Prabhupada: Surely. During my college days, in 1916 or 1917, Calcutta University had an issue of Scientific American with a very memorable drawing. It showed that, ironically, modern man knows how to construct huge skyscrapers -- but he does not know who he is. Modern man has no knowledge of his soul.
So here was this man expertly constructing the intricate iron framework of some skyscraper. And yet he was utterly unaware of his very self. Unaware that he himself is the spiritual resident within the framework of the material body. He was mistaking himself to be the bodily framework, just as foolishly as if he had mistaken himself to be the skyscraper.
The drawing was thoughtful. The idea was that this man did not know who he was or what would happen in his next life. Nothing. Mudho 'yam nabhijanati loko mam ajam avyayam: as Lord Krishna says, the foolish know neither the Lord's superior, spiritual nature nor their own, original place in that spiritual nature.
In this priceless human life, the soul can regain his place in the spiritual world -- his eternal inheritance. Instead, he engages in flimsy, transitory activities, materialistic activities that will force him to stay in this material world for life after life of suffering. So he is losing his priceless opportunity to become eternally liberated.
Therefore, we have to save the bewildered soul. These materialistic activities -- constantly striving after mundane profit, adoration, and distinction -- these are not important. The important thing is to know yourself. Before you are forced to leave your present material body and accept another, come to know yourself and the Lord -- so that when that death moment comes, He will deliver you from more material bodies and more suffering. Prepare yourself, so that He will take you back to His eternal, spiritual abode.
But today people are misled. They are captivated by these huge iron structures. Such foolishness. At the time of death, how will this iron structure help you? It will remain -- but you will be dragged into your next life, and your next material body, for more suffering.
According to the subtle situation you have created in this life -- according to the state of your mind, intelligence, and ego -- in your next life you will have to accept a corresponding gross situation. A new gross body -- an all-new body, with all-new varieties of suffering. You are lost.
Dr. Singh: Here in India, at least, most people have held on to this spiritual perspective. They're not so easily fooled by so-called. advanced thinking. Here, even scientists tend to be God conscious.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Anyone who receives a birth in India -- he gets this chance to live in the motherland of spiritual culture because in his prior life, he pursued spiritual culture. Virtually everyone in India is God conscious.
Dr. Singh: Yes -- including even many of the scientists. But the government here criticizes the scientists for putting so much stock in God and spiritual culture.
In fact, the government even sponsored some kind of International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life from Chemicals. The government wants to keep pushing this rubbish about all of us merely "evolving" from dead matter, with no need for a creator.

Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Dishonesty, including scientific dishonesty, originates from the government. The government leaders are trying to discourage people from becoming God conscious.
Dr. Singh: Yes, they are very discouraging.
Srila Prabhupada: Today the government leaders are generally big industrialists as well. So of course they are worrying: "If people become God conscious, they will go back to the simple life of farms and villages, with no need for heavy industry. Then whom shall we get to work in our factories? This God consciousness will ruin all our industrial enterprises.
"In place of God consciousness, we shall maintain elite of scientists to promote 'the scientific method': Forget God. Better not discuss God and the soul. Let us simply absorb ourselves in matter."

A dangerous government. It is the duty of the government to help people become God conscious and spiritually realized. Instead, they are fostering the opposite atmosphere: "Forget God. Forget your soul. Work like hell. And go to hell."
Read more : http://www.harekrishnablog.com/ 
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites:


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 8, 2011

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami was born in a Nadiya family of physicians at the village of Jhamatpur, in the district of Barddhaman, near Naihati. His father was Sri Bhagiratha, and his mother was Sri Sunanda. He had a younger brother named Syama das. The deity of Gaura-Nityananda installed by Sri Kaviraja Gosvami is still being worshiped there.

In Chaitanya charitamrita, Adi-lila chapter five, Sri Kaviraja relates the cause of his leaving family life: “Lord Nityananda Prabhu had a servant named Sri Minaketana Ramadasa, who was a reservoir of love. At my house there was sankirtana day and night, and therefore he visited there, having been invited. Absorbed in emotional love, he sat in my courtyard, and all the Vaishnavas bowed down at his feet. In a joyful mood of love of God he sometimes climbed upon the shoulder of someone offering obeisances, and sometimes he struck others with his flute or mildly slapped them.

Whenever Minaketana shouted aloud the name Nityananda, the people around him were filled with great wonder and astonishment. One respectable brahmana named Sri Gunarnava Mishra was serving the Deity. When Minaketana was seated in the yard, this brahmana did not offer him respect. Seeing this, Sri Ramadasa became angry and spoke. “‘Here I find the second Romaharshana suta, who did not stand to show honor when he saw Lord Balarama.’ “After saying this, he danced and sang to his heart’s content, but the brahmana did not become angry, for he was then serving Lord Krishna. At the end of the festival, Minaketana Ramadasa went away, offering his blessings to everyone. At that time he had some controversy with my brother. My brother had firm faith in Lord Chaitanya but only a dim glimmer of faith in Lord Nityananda.

Knowing this, Sri Ramadasa felt unhappy in his mind. I then rebuked my brother. “‘These two brothers,’ I told him, ‘are like one body; They are identical manifestations. If you do not believe in Lord Nityananda, you will fall down. If you have faith in one but disrespect the other, your logic is like the logic of accepting half a hen.

It would be better to be an atheist by slighting both brothers than a hypocrite by believing in one and slighting the other. ‘”Thus Sri Ramadasa broke his flute in anger and went away, and at that time my brother fell down. “That night, because He was pleased with the chastisement that Krishnadasa gave his brother for offending His dear devotee Mineketana Ramadasa, Lord Nityananda appeared in his dreams and declared: Are are krsnadasa, na karaha bhaya, vrndavana yaha, tanha sarva larya haya “O my dear Krishnadasa, do not be afraid. Go to Vrindavana, for there you will attain all things.” [C.C. Adi 5.195]

Thus receiving the mercy of Lord Nityananda in his dream, he started for Vrindavana with a joyful mind. The lotus feet of the spiritual master of Sri Kaviraja are none other than those of Lord Nityananda Himself. He accepted the Gosvamis Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, Sri Jiva, Sri Raghunatha, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta and Sri Gopala Bhatta as his instructing spiritual masters. From Sri Lokanatha Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami he begged permission to write Sri Chaitanya charitamrita. Lokanatha directed Sri Kaviraja that he desired to be unmentioned in his book; that is why, in Sri Chaitanya charitamrita, hardly a reference about Lokanatha Gosvami is to be found. Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled the following books: Sri Govinda lilamrita, Krishna karnamrita and Sri Chaitanya charit­amrita.

Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami maintains that the Govinda Deity shows us how to serve Radha and Krishna. The Madana-Mohana Deity simply establishes that "I am Your eternal servant." With Govinda, however, there is actual acceptance of service, and therefore He is called the functional Deity. The Gopinatha Deity is Krishna as master and proprietor of the gopis. He attracted all the gopis, or cowherd girls, by the sound of His flute, and when they came, He danced with them. These activities are all described in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. These gopis were childhood friends of Krishna, and they were all married, by the age of twelve. The boys, however, are not married before eighteen, so Krishna, who was fifteen or sixteen at the time, was not married. Nonetheless, He called these girls from their homes and invited them to dance with Him. That dance is called the rasa-lila dance, and it is the most elevated of all the Vrindavana pastimes. Krishna is therefore called Gopinatha because He is the beloved master of the gopis.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami petitions the blessings of Lord Gopinatha: "May that Gopinatha, the master of the gopis, Krishna, bless you. May you become blessed by Gopinatha." The author of the Chaitanya-charitamrita prays that just as Krishna attracted the gopis by the sweet sound of His flute, He will also attract the reader's mind by His transcendental vibration."

Born:1496 (Christian) Disappearance: 12th day bright fortnight month of Ashvin (the year is not known).
****************
“The author of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, stands as the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.
The direct disciple of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti as his servitor. Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn accepted Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Vishnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the divine master of our humble self.”

Read more - http://www.harekrishnablog.com/
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites: http://iskconbangalore.org/
http://www.iskcontimes.com/ 

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 08, 2011

Raghunatha dasa Goswami used to reside on the bank of Sri Radha-kunda. At that time Radha-kunda was just a small pond of water, and therefore sometimes Raghunatha would meditate on enlarging the kund. Then he would chastise himself for desiring something which would require a large amount of money.

Around this time, a wealthy Seth underwent great austerity by walking to Badarikasrama in the Himalayas. Arriving there he reverently worshiped Sri Badrinarayana and offered much wealth at His lotus feet. That night as he slept there, he had a dream in which Sri Badarinarayana instructed him to proceed to Vraja, where he should present all his wealth to Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, who was residing at Aritgram. "If he declines to accept it, then you can mention My name and remind him about renovating Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda."

The Seth was very happy at such a wonderful dream and after returning home he set out for Vraja and met Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and related all these events to him. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was somewhat taken aback to hear this news, but then immediately gave his consent. Thus Sethji began the work of re-digging the two kunds.

On the banks of Radha-kunda, the five Pandavas were residing in the form of trees. As the work was proceeding it was decided that on the following day these trees would have to be cut down, but that night the five Pandavas appeared in a dream of Raghunatha dasa and forbade the cutting of those trees. Even to this day they are still residing there.

Nearby, the kundas of the eight gopis were also constructed. Seeing all this, Raghunatha dasa forgot himself in ecstasy.  Raghunatha dasa Gosvami lived on the banks of Radha-kunda without any fixed residence, staying under a different tree every night. Sometimes he would stay on the banks of the Manasa Ganga. At that time these areas were jungles filled with ferocious animals. One day Sanatana Gosvami came to the banks of Manasa Ganga to meet Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Before accepting his noon meal at Gopal Bhatta's bhajan kutir, he went to take bath at the Pavan ghat of Manasa Ganga. From there he saw two tigers come to the kund and after drinking some water saunter off. Just near that spot Raghunatha das Gosvami was sitting under a tree absorbed in his bhajana. Sanatana Gosvami was startled to see this but even more so when he saw Sri Krishna standing at some distance observing everything. He then requested Raghunatha to do his bhajana within a hut.

On another occasion, Raghunatha dasa, who still hadn't bothered to have a kutir constructed, was sitting in the noon day sun absorbed in his bhajana. Srimati Radharani happened to pass that way at this time and, seeing that the sun was beating down on Raghunatha's head, she stood behind him and held the end of her sari to shield him from the sun’s rays. Then one of the Gosvamis came along and saw this heart-rending scene, while profuse perspiration continued to flow from Srimati Radharani's transcendental body. This time when he was again requested to do his bhajan in a kutir, he immediately agreed to comply.

In Vraja, Krishna is served by Radharani and Chandravalli, who each have unlimited maid servants. According to mellows of paramour love, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami counted himself as a maidservant of the friends of Srimati Radharani. As Chandravalli is the chief competitor of Radharani, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami would never go to her kunja or talk with any of the sakhis. Thus he served the servants of Radharani within his mind in this way.

One Brajabasi known as Sri Das Brajabasi used to bring Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami a leaf cup of buttermilk every day. Drinking this he would engage in bhajana throughout the day. One day Sri Das Brijabasi went to Chandravalli's kunda, known as Sakhi-sthali, to herd his cows. There he saw a palash tree with very large leaves, so he collected some leaves to make leaf cups. The next day, in one of the new leaf cups he brought some buttermilk to Raghunatha das Gosvami. Raghunatha dasa accepted the leaf cup of buttermilk and inquired, "Sri dasji, where did you get these nice palash leaves?" Sri dasji replied, "While I was pasturing the cows I came to Sakhi-sthali and found them there."

Simply hearing the word 'Sakhi-sthali' Raghunatha dasa flew into a rage and threw the leaf cup of buttermilk away saying, "The followers of Srimati Radharani never accept anything from that place." Seeing the loyal devotion of Raghunatha dasa for Srimati Radharani, Sridasji was amazed.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to always serve Sri Sri Radha-Govinda in his mind. One day in his meditation he cooked sweet rice and offered it to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. In great pleasure they accepted the offering and the other sakhis also relished this prasadam. Then Raghunatha himself honored the remnants of their prasadam and in great ecstasy, due to the pleasure of having been able to satisfy Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Their loving attendants, he ate a little more than was his custom.

In the afternoon Raghunatha dasa used to speak about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. However, this day when the devotees came in the afternoon to hear him speak, they found that the door to his kutir was closed. They waited for some time but when it appeared that there was no movement inside they became a little anxious and called out, "Gosvamiji, are you all right?" Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami answered, "My body is not well."

The devotees became concerned and immediately sent word to Sanatana Gosvami in Mathura. At that time Sri Sanatana Gosvami was staying with Sri Vallabhacharya's son Sri Vithalnathji, who immediately sent two physicians to Radha-kunda to examine Sri Raghunath dasa Gosvami. After checking his pulse, the doctors concluded that, "due to eating a combination of rice and milk his body is feeling very heavy."

Hearing this diagnosis everyone was struck with wonder. That Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who subsisted on only a little buttermilk each day, should fall ill from eating too much sweet rice was astonishing, especially because it was eaten only in meditation.

There are various opinions on Sri Raghunatha das Gosvami's identity in Krishna-lila. Some have ascertained that he was Rasa Manjari, some that he was Rati Manjari, while still others that he was Bhanumoti.  The Govardhana-sila given by Sriman Mahaprabhu to Raghunatha dasa to worship is still worshiped at Sri Gokulananda Mandira, in Vrindavana.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami compiled the following books: Stavavali, Dana charita, and Mukta charita, among others.
Birth: 1428 (Sakabda) Disappearance: 1504 on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashvin.
Read more - http://www.harekrishnablog.com/
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites: http://iskconbangalore.org/
http://www.iskcontimes.com/

Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami – Disappearance Day – Oct. 08, 2011

Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami was born in 1505 in Eastern Bengal. His father, Sri Tapan Mishra, was a great devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Tapan Mishra met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, first in Eastern Bengal, and then again in Varanasi. While in Varanasi, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to dine at Sri Tapan Mishra’s home and Raghunatha would often massage the Lord's feet. He became very attached to the Lord.
As a boy Raghunatha was adept in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric. He became well versed in the scriptures. Upon coming of age his father sent him to Puri, where he met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He spent eight months in the service of the Lord.
When Raghunatha's parents passed away, he returned to Jagannatha Puri where he spent a further eight months in the service of the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then sent Raghunatha to Vrindavana, to study the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other revealed scriptures under the guidance of Sri Sanatana and Sri Rupa Goswami. After some time Raghunatha’s disciples built a temple for Sri Gaura Govinda in Vrindavana.

In the Antya-lila, Chapter Thirteen, it is stated that he was also expert in cooking; whatever he cooked would be nectarean. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was greatly pleased to accept the food that he cooked, and Raghunatha Bhatta used to take the remnants of food left by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunatha Bhattacharya lived for eight months in Jagannatha Puri, after which Lord Chaitanya ordered him to go to Vrindavana to join Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Raghunatha Bhattacharya not to marry but to remain a brahmachari, and He also ordered him to read Srimad-Bhagavatam constantly.

Thus he went to Vrindavana, where he engaged in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam to Srila Rupa Gosvami. He was so expert in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam that he would recite each and every verse in three melodious tunes. While Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was living with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord blessed him by offering him betel nuts offered to the Jagannatha Deity and a garland of tulasi said to be as long as fourteen cubits. Under Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami's order, one of his disciples constructed the Govinda temple. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami supplied all the ornaments of the Govinda Deity. He never talked of nonsense or worldly matters but always engaged in hearing about Krishna twenty-four hours a day. He never cared to hear blasphemy of a Vaishnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used to say that since all the Vaishnavas were engaged in the service of the Lord, he did not mind their faults.

Later Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami lived by Radha-kunda in a small cottage. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 185, it is said that Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Raga-manjari.

Unlike the other Gosvamis, it is not known if Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami worshipped any particular Sri Vigraha of the Lord or not. His worshippable Deity of ‘Srimad-Bhagavatam’ however is still being worshipped at ‘Gadadhar Bhatta Pith’ within Madan Mohan temple which is near the Radha-Vallabha Mandir in Vrindavan. There is also a very beautiful painting of Sri Sri Gaur-Gadadhar here. Raghunatha Bhatta was the disciple of Sri Gadadhar Pandit.
Raghunatha was full of humility and meekness. He was permanently engaged in remembrance of the Lord. He passed away in 1579 on the 10th day of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha.

Read more - http://www.harekrishnablog.com/
Visit ISKCON Bangalore Websites: http://iskconbangalore.org/
http://www.iskcontimes.com/