SRI RAMACANDRA GOSWAMI (RAMAI GOSAI)

Sri Vansivadanananda Thakura had two sons, Sri Caitanya dasa and Sri Nityananda
dasa. Sri Caitanya dasa's sons were named Sri Ramacandra and Sri Sacinandana.
Ramacandra was a very influential acarya and is also known as the second
Vansivadana-nanda.

Ramacandra was the adopted son of Sri Jahnava Mata. He came to Vrindavana with
her and lived there for some years. Then by the order of Jahnava Mata he
brought Deities of Sri Sri Balarama-Krsna to Gaudadesa. He was very learned in
the devotional scriptures and his devotion was firmly rooted in exceptional
adherence to sadhana-bhakti. His glories spread far and wide and many learned
and aristocratic gentlemen accepted initiation from him.

"One morning as the sky turned a rosy hue, Ramcandra was bathing at the sacred
tirta of Praskandan. At this time two Deities of Balarama and Krsna floated
into his arms." (Vansi-sikha)

Four miles from Ambika Kalna on the banks of a small river named Baluka there
was a dense jungle, the abode of many ferocious tigers. Ramacandra delivered a
tiger here, and thus this place has come to be known as 'Baghnapara'. He
installed his Deities of Sri Balarama-Krsna (Kanai-Balai) at this place.

He resided sometimes at Budhari and sometimes at Radhanagar (near Baghnapara).
His younger brother Sacinandana was initiated by him and the worship of Sri
Kanai-Balai was entrusted to him by Ramacandra.

He composed the following literatures: Kanca-manjari, Samputika and
Pasanda-dalan.

There is a story that once Viracandra Prabhu wanted to test the spiritual merit
of his adopted brother Ramai. He sent over a thousand disciples known the
neda-nedis ('shaven-headed ones', who were formerly Buddhist monks, or nedas,
and nuns, nedis) to see Ramacandra at Baghna Para. They arrived in the middle
of the night and immediately informed Ramai Gosai that they were very hungry.
When he inquired from them what they would like to eat, they replied, "Ilish
(hilsa?) fish and mangoes." Though it was not mango season at the time, Ramai
came back from the forest with mangoes while someone else brought the ilish
fish from the Ganges. He prepared and offered everything and then served the
prasadam, which now smelled as sweet as nectar and contained not a trace of
fish, to those neda-nedis.

His appearance was in the year 1459 (Sakabdha). His disappearance was in 1505
(Sakabdha) on the third day of the dark fortnight in the month of Magha.

