SRI BHAGAVATA ACARYA

Sri Raghunatha Bhattacarya resided at Barahanagar. When Mahaprabhu was
journeying to Nilacala after taking sannyasa, He came to Barahanagar after
passing through Kumar Hatta and Panihati.

"Then Mahaprabhu came to Barahanagar, to the house of one brahmana who had
attained the limits of good fortune. This brahmana was very learned in
Srimad-Bhagavatam and upon seeing Mahaprabhu he began to recite various slokas.
When Mahaprabhu heard these slokas, describing the excellence of the path of
devotion (Bhakti yoga) He (Gauranga-Narayana) became overwhelmed with ecstatic
love, saying again and again, 'Speak on, speak on.' Thus Sri Gauranga Raya
began to roar very loudly." [C.B. Ant. 5.110]

Prabhu told him, "I never heard anyone recite the Bhagavata like this before.
Therefore your name should be Bhagavatacarya, and this should be your only
activity - to recite the Bhagavata." Hearing this blessing bestowed by the
Lord, Raghunatha was very pleased and as he prepared to offer his obeisances to
the Lord, Mahaprabhu caught hold on him and embraced him very firmly.
Mahaprabhu spent the night there in great happiness.

In Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini, Bhagavatacarya has introduced himself as the
disciple of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. "Pandita Gosai's (Sri Gadadhara Pandita)
glories are sung throughout the three worlds. He has so mercifully descended on
this mortal soil to deliver numberless wicked souls. He is the pleasure potency
of the Hero of Vaikuntha, Sri Krsna Caitanya, and is thus non-different from
Him. He is my most worshipable Lord, my Gurudeva, and His lotus feet are the
shelter of my body, words and mind." ('Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini')

Sri Bhagavatacarya had just began to compose 'Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini', when
he first met Sri Gaurasundara, thus throughout this work, in many places,
extremely beautiful descriptions of Mahaprabhu can be found. Just north of
Calcutta on the banks of the Ganga within Mali para palli, of Barahanagar, can
be found Sri Bhagavatacarya's Sripat. Handwritten copies of his compositons are
still kept very carefully there, as well as many manuscripts of other Vaisnava
writers. In fact there is an entire museum containing many of the personal
effects of the Pancatattva and Their associates. This place, now known as Pat
Bari, is managed by the followers of Rama dasa Babaji. It can easily be reached
by bus from Shyam bazaar.

Mahaprabhu first visited Sri Bhagavatacarya on the 12th day of the dark
fortnight of Caitra. "All glories to the source of the total manifestations of
Brahman, Sri Krsna, who has variagated pastimes. All glories to Lord
Jagannatha, the incarnation of Nilacala and all glories to Sri Gauranga the
form of consiousness (Caitanya). Listen carefully about the incarnation of
Kaliyuga, who inaugurated the yuga dharma of sankirtana, with every step and
every word, saying, 'Krsna, Krsna, Krsna.' Know that this name of Krsna who is
not Krsna (blackish), but whose complexion is like molten gold, is Gauranga and
His appearance is a known fact predicted by the scriptures. With His associates
who are His various limbs and weapons, He enjoys the ecstasy of sankirtan as
Lord Gauranga. All glories to Gauracandra, whose sports are fully imbued with
consiousness. He is the life and soul of the devotees, and He Himself is an
incarnation of His devotee. In the company of Sri Advaita, Srinivasa and Hari
dasa, and with Nityananda by his side, he enjoys the pastimes of sankirtan. The
Lord of the life of Gadadhara, the Lord of His eternal associates, the
assembled devotees, the master of the world in the form of His own devotee."
[Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini]