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HOME > Braja Mandala > Braja Sadhus & Gurus > Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami | |||||||||||||
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Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami He was also called Raghunatha Bhattacarya. He was the son of Tapana Misra. Tapana Misra was from the village of Rampur, which is on the bank of the Padma River in Bengal. When Lord Caitanya came to Rampur, Lord Caitanya instructed Tapana Misra to go to Varanasi and told him they would meet again. Raghunatha Bhatta was born in 1505 in Varanasi. When he was 8 or 9 years old, Lord Caitanya came to Varanasi. Sri Caitanya took him on his lap and caressed him. At this time Raghunatha massaged Lord Caitanya’s feet and took the remnants of His food. Lord Caitanya stayed in Varanasi for 10 days. During this time Raghunatha Bhatta was able to hear His teachings, massage His feet and take the remnants of His prasada. Later Rupa Gosvami came to Varanasi, and Raghunatha Bhatta also rendered service to him. One day, some devotees were going to Puri for Ratha Yatra and Raghunatha Bhatta joined them. When he arrived in Puri he went to see Lord Caitanya, who then embraced him. He stayed in Puri for eight months and would often cook for Lord Caitanya. After eight months Sri Caitanya sent Raghunatha back to Varanasi. At this time He gave Raghunatha Bhatta His kantha-mala (tulasi beads that he wore around His neck). Four years later his parents left their bodies. Raghunatha then returned to Puri. He stayed there for eight months. Lord Caitanya then told him to go to Vrindavana and to live in the company of Rupa and Sanatana, read Srimad Bhagavatam, always chant the names of Krishna, and to remain a brahmacari and not to get married. Mahaprabhu gave him a fourteen foot long tulasi garland and a roll of betel leaf containing betel nut, which was prasada of Lord Jagannatha. He was expert in reciting the Srimad Bhagavatam and cooking. It is said that whatever he would cook would be nectarean. Lord Caitanya would be greatly pleased to accept whatever food he would cook, and then Raghunatha Bhatta would then take His remnants. Lord Caitanya ordered him to constantly read Srimad Bhagavatam. He was so expert in reciting Srimad Bhagavatam that he would recite each verse in three melodious tunes. He never talked nonsense or of worldly matters, but always engaged 24 hours a day in hearing about Krishna. 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. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami had one of his disciples construct the Govindaji Temple. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami later lived by Radha Kunda in a small cottage. His samadhi, along with Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, are all located together on the bank of Radha Kunda. All three devotees left this world on the twelfth day of the waxing moon (Dvadasi) during the month of Kartika, although in different years. Jiva Gosvami had the body of Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami burned, fearing that the Muslims might desecrate his body. The ashes were placed in two samadhis, one at Radha Kunda and the other at the 64 Samadhis Area. In the Gaura Ganoddesa Dipika, verse 185, it is said that Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Raga-manjari, who was one of Radharani’s asta-manjaris. If you know of information that is not listed here, or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at: |
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