Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami

danda pranama kari bhatta padila carane
prabhu raghunatha bali kaila alingane


"Raghunatha Bhatta fell straight as a rod at the lotus feet of Sri 
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then the Lord embraced him, knowing full well who 
he was." (Caitanya Caritamrita Antya 13.101)

From Kasidhama, Raghunatha Bhatta traveled on foot to Puri-dhama. When 
he arrived in Puri, he went straight to the place of Sriman Mahaprabhu 
and offered his respects at the Lord's lotus feet. At that time, the 
Lord embraced him, saying "Raghunatha!" Having been embraced by the 
Lord, Raghunatha Bhatta found that all his troubles went far away. 
Raghunatha Bhatta thought to himself, "I am coming to see the Lord after 
such a long time; He didn't know that I was coming. How is it that he is 
showing me so much affection? He has many devotees who are very dear to 
Him. Why should he show such affection for one such as myself, the 
lowest of devotees?" And yet, although he considered himself very low 
and mean, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu with a laughing, smiling, face said 
"Raghunatha!" and embraced him, Raghunatha began crying tears of 
ecstasy. With tears in his eyes, he fell at the Lord's feet and, holding 
them, said, "O most merciful Lord. In truth, tell me, why are you giving 
such great consideration to this humble one?" The Lord said, "Raghunaha! 
I cannot forget your parent's affectionate consideration for me around 
the time of your birth. Every day, with great affection, they used to 
feed me."

After this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced Raghunatha Bhatta to all the 
devotees. All the devotees were very happy to meet him. On behalf of his 
parents, Raghunatha gave regards and affectionate obeisances to all the 
devotees. He also gave them news of Candrasekhara and all the other 
devotees of East Bengal. Finally the affectionate mother of Raghunatha 
Bhatta had sent some nice things for the Lord to eat, Bengali delicacies 
neatly packed in special bags. When the Lord saw them, he was very happy 
and ordered his servant Govinda to carefully put them away. 

Sri Raghunaha Bhatta's father's name was Sri Tapana Misra. In his 
grihastha-lila, the Lord once went to East Bengal, to the Padma river, 
where he was a visiting professor of grammar. There he met with Tapana 
Misra and made his acquaintance. Tapana Misra was an Eastern Bengali and 
was a pandit in the sastra. Still, although He had given great 
consideration to both the practice of perfection and the perfection of 
life, he was unable to ascertain their inner meaning. One night he had a 
dream, and in his dream a god came before him and said, "Misra! Don't 
worry. Sri Nimai Pandita has just arrived near hear. He will teach you 
both the practice of perfection and the goal of life. He is not a man 
(nara) - he is the Supreme Lord, Nara-Narayana. Although He is the 
creator of the universe, he has accepted the form of a man in order to 
deliver the world." Saying this, the god disappeared. 
The following morning, after finishing his morning duties, Tapana Misra 
set out to find Sriman Mahaprabhu. Just then he saw Sri Nimai Pandita 
sitting on the bench before his home, His brilliant effulgence 
illuminating his courtyard as if the sun had descended before him. His 
eyes were just like fresh lotuses, and his fine black hair was 
beautifully curled and flowing. His strong chest was decorated with a 
fine sacred thread and he wore a garment of brilliant yellow. Just as a 
shining moon in the midst of many stars illuminating all four 
directions, his effulgent form was surrounded by his disciples. 

Tapana Misra offered his obeisances to the Lord, falling at his holy 
feet, and said, "O most merciful one! I am most fallen. Please be 
merciful to me." The Lord smiled affectionately, and offering him a 
seat, asked Tapana Misra to introduce himself. Having introduced 
himself, Tapana Misra inquired from the Lord about all the truths 
regarding the practice of perfection and the goal of life.

Mahaprabhu said, "In every millenium the Lord advents himself in order 
to deliver the fallen souls and instruct them in the appropriate form of 
worship for each age. 
In Satya-yuga, meditation, in Treta-yuga, sacrifice, in Dvapara-yuga, 
deity worship and in Kali-yuga, sankirtana is the process for attaining 
the ultimate salvation. In each of the four ages there is a particular 
process for deliverance. In the age of Kali, this form of dharma is 
nama-sankirtana." 

In this way, the Lord in his form as a spiritual teacher informed Tapana 
Misra about the real welfare for the soul as well as the true position 
of dharma in the age of Kali - that is, nama-sankirtana. He explained 
that apart from the holy name, nothing else will be fruitful. 
He said, "In the age of Kali the sacrifice of the holy name is the 
essential principle. Nothing else will be effective in the age of Kali, 
and therefore there is no religious principle superior to this. Without 
the holy name there is no way to attain perfection in this age. One 
should completely renounce any tendency to follow any other path and 
always take to the chanting of the holy name of Krishna as follows: 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare 
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.


By the influence of this mantra you will be able to understand 
everything about the means towards perfection and the goal of life, 
since there is no difference between the holy name of Krishna and 
Krishna Himself."

Tapana Misra, upon hearing the the instructions of the Lord offered his 
obeisances at the Lord's feet with all his limbs prostrated upon the 
ground. When the Lord was about to leave for Nabadwipa, he wanted to 
accompany the Lord on His return journey to Nabadwipa. The Lord, 
however, ordered him, "Soon you will go to Kasi. There we shall again 
meet. At that time I shall instruct you further in all these truths." 
Saying this, the Lord set out for Nabadwipa. Soon thereafter, Tapana 
Misra and his wife left for Kasidhama, which is also called Baranasi or 
Benares. 

Some years later, out of his mercy for the fallen souls, Mahaprabhu took 
sannyasa and went to reside in Jagannatha Puri on the order of his 
mother. After staying there for some months, he went through the 
Jharikhanda forest (presently known as Choda Nagapura) on his way to 
Vrindavana and passed through Kasidhama. At the bathing ghata called 
Manikarnika he began chanting the holy name of Hari and exhorted 
everyone else to do so, saying, "Haribol! Haribol!"

Just at that time, Tapana Misra was taking bath at that very ghata. 
Hearing the holy name of Hari being chanted so loudly, he was 
astonished. It was like finding an ocean in the middle of a desert to 
hear the glories of Hari being chanted in the midst of the capitol of 
the Mayavadis, Kasidhama. He looked across the ghata and saw that on the 
banks of the bathing ghata stood a sannyasi of unprecedented beauty and 
stature. His supernatural effulgence illuminated all four directions. In 
complete amazement, Tapana Misra thought to himself, "Who is this great 
personality? Could it possibly be Nimai Pandit of Nabadwipa? I have 
heard that he has taken sannyasa. Could it be him?"
He got out of the water and looked more closely. At that time, as he 
looked across the water, he was certain that it was indeed Nimai 
Pandita. He hurried to the place where the Lord stood and offered his 
obeisances at the lotus feet of the Lord as joy arose within his heart. 
As he picked himself up from the ground, he found himself being embraced 
by Caitanya Maharabhu. After so many days he had finally met the Lord 
again. 

With great affection, Tapana Misra brought the Lord to his home. There 
he washed the Lord's lotus feet and then drank that holy water along 
with his family. His ecstasy knew no bounds. He placed his little son 
Raghunatha at the lotus feet of the Lord and made him offer obeisances. 
The Lord took the boy upon his lap and cradled him there with great 
affection. Meanwhile, Tapana Misra quickly made arrangements for 
cooking, and Balabhadra Bhattacarya cooked. He made arrangements for the 
Lord's bath, and when the Lord had finished bathing and performing his 
noon duties, the Lord ate. Tapana Misra's little son Raghunatha massaged 
the Lord's feet, and the Lord took rest. 

Hearing news of the Lord's arrival, Candrasekhara and the Maharashthrian 
brahmana, as well as the other devotees came to offer their respects to 
the Lord's holy feet. The Lord embraced Candraskhara and then spoke some 
krishna-katha with all the devotees present. While he was in Benares, 
the Lord visited the temples of Visvesvara and Bindhu-madhava to take 
darshan. He also visited the Dasasvamedha-ghata. The Lord stayed at the 
house of Candrasekhara and dined at the house of Tapana Misra. 
Candrasekhara worked as a scribe, copying scriptures for the panditas of 
Kasi with his own hand, in a beautiful style of calligraphy. He was from 
a family of highly learned brahmanas. 

In Benares, the slogans of the impersonalits like "tat tvam asi," and 
"aham brahmasmi" as well as the favorite words of the impersonalists - 
words like "Brahma," "atma," and "caitanya" - were constantly heard 
everywhere. No devotional words could be heard in Benares, and so 
wherever the Lord went, he performed sankirtana. 
One day, the Maharashthrian brahmana submitted a request at the Lotus 
feet of the Lord. "O Lord," he said, "O Lord! Please deliver this city 
of Kasi. I met with the guru of the sannyasis, Prakasananda Saraswati, 
and three times I mentioned your name, "Krishna Caitanya." He also said 
the word "caitanya" three times, but he was unable to say the word 
"krishna" at all." 
The Lord replied, "Because they are offenders at the lotus feet of 
Krishna, the holy name of Krishna never issues forth from their lips. 
The holy name and form of Krishna are no different from his very Self. 
They are one transcendental truth, full in ecstasy and divine reality." 
Having thus instructed the devotees in various ways, the Lord set out 
once again to continue his long journey to Vrindavana. He would deliver 
Kasi with the mercy of Krishna later, on his return journey to 
Jagannatha Puri. And so the Lord went to Vrindavana.

After spending some time in Vrindavana wandering about in the ecstasy of 
krishna-prema, by and by the Lord returned to Kasi-dhama. One day, he 
met with Prakasananda Saraswati himself. Seeing the Lord's uncommon 
beauty, childlike humility, his generosity and magnanimity, Prakasananda 
was astonished. At length he fell at the Lord's lotus feet. After the 
conversion of Prakasananda Saraswati, all the sannyasis there also fell 
at the Lord's feet and sang his greatness, as the Lord delivered 
everyone there with the holy name of Krishna. The flood of nectar 
flowing from the holy name soon inundated Kasi, and washed away the 
false doctrine of impersonalism along with its followers.

This time the Lord spent ten days in Kasi, and the joy of his devotees 
and followers knew no bounds. Tapana Misra, Candrasekhara, and the 
Maharashthrian brahmana, as well as the other devotees there felt as if 
their life had returned, as again they had the opportunity to render 
personal service to Sriman Mahaprabhu. Tapana Misra's son, Raghunatha 
felt himself supremely fortunate to be able to serve his Lord and 
master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for ten days. 

At last, the time came for the Lord to bid farewell to the devotees so 
that he might once again set out for Jagannatha Puri. All the devotees 
were heartbroken in agony at the prospect of separation from the Lord. 
Raghunatha Bhatta, the son of Tapana Misra, fell before the Lord,
devotees were heartbroken in agony at the prospect of separation from 
the Lord. Raghunatha Bhatta, the son of Tapana Misra, fell before the 
Lord, begging him not to go and held his lotus feet, weeping again and 
again. The Lord took the boy upon his lap and gave him many 
reassurances, trying to console him. He said, "You must serve your 
father and mother here, and by and by, you may come to Puri-dhama and 
see me again." Then, after first embracing Tapana Misra and 
Candrasekhara and instructing the devotees there in certai

Within a short time, Sri Raghunatha became expert in Sanskrit grammar, 
rhetoric, and poetry. Gradually, he became highly learned in the 
revealed scriptures. He continued to serve his mother and father into 
their old age, as the years passed. When he came of age, Raghunatha was 
ordered by his father to go to Puri-dhama to see Sri Caitanya Maharabhu. 
Raghunatha's ecstasy had no boundaries. In service to the Lord, 
Raghunatha's mother had prepared various kinds of delicacies to be 
offered to Him by Raghunatha on behalf of the Misra's. All these fine 
delicacies had been carefully packed together in a big sack.

After recieving the orders and blessings of his parents, Raghunatha left 
with a servant for Puri. On the road, he met a Rama-bhakta, a devotee of 
Rama, who joined him in traveling to Puri. His name was Sri Rama dasa. 
By birth he was a Kayastha, that is he took birth in caste of those who 
work in the service of the King. He was a highly learned scholar in the 
interpretation of that great epic, the Ramayana. Rama dasa bowed down 
before Raghunatha and took the dust of his lotus feet. He then snatched 
the sack of delicacies from Raghunatha's servant and began to carry it 
on his head. 

Raghunatha said, "You are a learned scholar, and what are doing?" Rama 
dasa said, "Bhattaji! I am the lowest of sudras. It will do me some good 
to serve a brahmana." Raghunatha replied, "Panditji! Please. I beg of 
you, let my servant carry that heavy sack." At this, Rama dasa 
surrendered the work of carrying the sack to Raghunatha's servant. On 
the way to Jagannatha Puri, Raghunatha dasa discussed many scriptural 
conclusions with Rama dasa. 

Sri Raghunatha Bhatta arrived in Jagannatha Puri and offered his 
obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At that time 
the Lord, greeted him saying, "Raghunatha!" He picked him up from the 
ground and embraced him. The Lord inquired about the welfare of Tapana 
Misra and his wife, and asked about Candrasekhara as well as all the 
other devotees in Benares. Raghunatha dasa related all this to him and 
told him everything. Sri Rama dasa was brought to the place of 
Mahaprabhu. Sri Rama dasa offered his obeisances to the lotus feet of 
Sriman Mahaprabhu, but the Lord, who is the Supersoul within all living 
beings, detected that Rama dasa was maintaining desires for liberation 
within his heart. As a result, the Lord was not affectionate towards 
him.

The Lord ordered Raghunatha Bhatta to go see the deity of Lord 
Jagannatha after bathing in the ocean. Raghunatha went with the other 
devotees to the beach, where they all took bath in the ocean and then 
went to see Lord Jagannatha. Afterwards, he returned to the Lord's 
place, and Mahaprabhu ordered his servant Govinda to give prasada to 
Raghunatha Bhatta. The Lord took care to see to Raghunatha's food and 
lodgings, and there Raghunatha stayed. Raghunatha would cook for the 
Lord on a regular basis. He stayed in Jagannatha Puri for eight months 
in the service of the Lord and thus experienced great happiness. He 
witnessed for himself the ecstatic singing and dancing of the Lord in 
various moods of divine ecstasy before the ratha-yatra car of Lord 
Jagannatha. After some time, Mahaprabhu ordered him to return to Kasi. 
He told Raghunatha to see to the service of his aging father and mother, 
and explained to him that, as they were Vaishnavas, they were not to be 
neglected. Raghunatha Bhatta took this order of the Lord very seriously, 
and the Lord began to instruct him on many other points. He ordered 
Raghunatha not to marry, and told him to study the sastra. He told him 
that after some time he should again return to Jagannatha Puri to see 
the deity of Jagannatha.

With this, Mahaprabhu gave him a tulasi garland from his own neck. The 
Lord also gave Raghunatha Bhatta some mahaprasada to be distributed 
among all the devotees associated with Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara in 
Kasi. When it came time to say goodbye, Raghunatha Bhatta's heart ached. 
He fell at the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, offering his prostated 
obeisances. The Lord helped Raghunatha to his feet and gave him a hearty 
embrace, just as before. Bidding farewell to Mahaprabhu and Jagannatha 
Puri, Raghunatha Bhatta started on his way back to Kasi. 

Upon his return to Kasi, Raghunatha Bhatta served his parents carefully, 
and began studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam in earnest. After some time his 
mother and father passed away. Raghunatha, adhering strictly to the 
orders of Sri Caitanya, had never married. Without any family 
responsibilities to burden him any longer, he went to Jagannatha Puri to 
the lotus feet of the Lord. When the Lord again saw Raghunatha after 
such a long time, he was very happy. Hearing of the passing away of 
Tapana Misra and his devoted wife, Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke of their 
great devotion at length, and glorified them. Raghunatha Bhatta was very 
happy to once again have the association of the Lord. He remained in 
Puri and served Mahaprabhu faithfully for another eight months. One day 
the Lord told him, "You must go to Vrindavana. You have much work to do 
there in Vrindavana. I must stay here in Puri, for I have been ordered 
by my mother to do so. As a result I cannot finish the work I have to do 
in Vrindavana. It is up to you to help me finish my work there."

Upon hearing these words from the Lord, Raghunatha Bhatta was sorrowful 
at the prospect of having to leave Him again. The Lord explained to him 
that in Vrindavana he would meet Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. He was to 
study the Srimad-Bhagavatam and related revealed scriptures under their 
guidance. On the Lord's order, Raghunatha Bhatta prepared to leave for 
Vrindavana. He bid adieu to the Vaishnavas and fell before the lotus 
feet of Sri?Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the last time. As Mahaprabhu was 
saying goodbye to Raghunatha Bhatta, he gave him a long prasada garland 
and some tambula mahaprasada and embraced him. 

Having bid goodbye, Raghunatha Bhatta set out on the same path to 
Vrindavana that once was traversed by the lotus feet of Caitanya 
Mahaprabhu. In this way, as he walked along the long road to Vrindavana, 
Raghunatha Bhatta would hear again and again of how the Lord passed on 
the same road. He would hear of the Lord's glories, and how he visited 
the different holy places and performed various wonderful activities. 

When he finally arrived in Vrindavana, Rupa and Sanatana Goswami were 
very happy to see him and affectionately embraced him. All the Goswamis 
who stayed in Vrindavana with them were overjoyed to see him. They all 
accepted him as their affectionate godbrother. 

Raghunatha Bhatta was exceptionally blessed with humility and meekness. 
It is recorded in Caitanya-Caritamrita that Raghunatha Bhatta would 
recite Srimad-Bhagavatam before Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, and when 
doing so, he would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Krishna. By the 
Lord's mercy he would be overcome by all the symptoms of ecstatic love 
of Godhead: tears, choking of the voice, and trembling. Overwhelmed in 
this way, he would not be able to continue the reading. It is said that 
his voice was as sweet as a cuckoo's, and when reading the Bhagavata, he 
would sing the verses in many diwould recite Srimad-Bhagavatam before 
Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, and when doing so, he would be overwhelmed 
with ecstatic love for Krishna. By the Lord's mercy he would be overcome 
by all the symptom

After some time in Vrindavana, Raghunatha Bhatta arranged for his 
disciples to construct a temple for Govinda. He prepared various 
ornaments for Govinda, including a flute and shark-shaped earrings. 
Raghunatha Bhatta would neither hear nor speak about anything material. 
He would simply discuss Krishna and worship the Lord day and night. He 
would not listen to blasphemy of a Vaishnava, nor would he listen to 
talk of a Vaishnava's misbehavior. He knew only that everyone was 
engaged in Krishna's service; he did not understand anything else. When 
Raghunatha was absorbed in remembering the Lord, he would take the 
tulasi garland and the prasada of Jagannatha given him by Mahaprabhu, 
bind them together and wear them on his neck. 

Regarding the spiritual position of Raghunatha Bhatta, the 
Gaura-ganodesa-dipika states, "In the Vrindavana lila of Krishna 
Raghunatha Bhatta was Sri Raga Manjari." Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami was 
born in 1505 A.D. He passed away from this earth and entered into the 
transcendental world in 1579 A.D.
