Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Samadhi

This is the samadhi of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, one of the most intimate followers
of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who was affectionately known to all the Gaudiya Vaishnavas as Dasa Goswami. He was born in Bengal in 1494, as the son of a very wealthy landowner, but after hearing about the glories of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, his only desire was to surrender before Lord Chaitanya and serve His lotus feet. In order to keep him at home, his father got him married at an early age and also arranged for guards to watch over him. Nevertheless, Raghunatha had absolutely no interest in worldly affairs and made a number of abortive attempts to run away from home, hoping to join Lord Chaitanya and his followers injagannatha Puri. While still living at his father’s house, he had the great fortune to meet Lord Nityananda, who ordered him to utilize his father’s wealth and organize a great public feast at Panihati, where he was asked by the Lord to distribute many different varieties of chira-dahi , a preparation of yogurt, sugar, and flat-rice, mixed with various fruits, which was one of lord Nityananda’s favorite dishes. Thousands attended the feast and Lord Nityananda was so happy that he placed His lotus feet on Raghnatha’s head and blessed him that he would soon achieve the association of Lord Chaitanya. The famous ‘Chira-dahi Festival’ of Raghunatha Dasa is still being celebrated every year at Panihati in West Bengal. At the tender age of nineteen, Raghunatha finally managed to escape after eluding his guards and was able to reachjagannatha Puri where he surrendered before Lord Chaitanya. The Lord placed him under the care of His personal secretary Swarupa Damodara Goswami, who expertly trained Raghunatha in all aspects of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and tradition. Raghunatha Dasa remained at Jagannatha Puri serving Lord Chaitanya until the Lord’s
disappearance in 1534. After the Lord’s departure from the world, Raghunatha Dasa went to Vrindavana to take shelter of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, who immediately accepted him as their younger brother. Raghunatha was in such a distraught condition due to the loss of Lord Chaitanya’s association, he was even contemplating suicide, by throwing himself from the top of Govardhana Hill. Rupa and Sanatana tried to console him, and because he had received a small Govardhana-shila and a set of Radha’s favorite gunja beads, as a gift from Lord Chaitanya, Rupa and Sanatana suggested that he should take shelter of Govardhana Hill by performing parikrama every day and live at Radha-kunda, where he could render service to the sacred kunda so dear to Radha’s heart.
Raghunatha Dasa remained at Radha-kunda for the rest of his life and became renowned
amongst Lord Chaitanya’s followers as the embodiment of renunciation. Raghunatha would chant at least one-hundred thousand holy names of Krishna on his japa beads every day and would not sleep more than one or two hours. Raghunatha ate only enough to keep body and mind together and it is said that his observance of the regulative principles was so strict and unwavering, that it appeared that his regulative principles were etched in stone; as such lines can never be erased. It is said that after the disappearance of Lord Chaitanya, Raghunatha, experienced such acute separation that he stopped eating solid food, taking only fruit and milk. After the disappearance of Sanatana Goswami, his mood of separation increased and he took only a leafcup of buttermilk daily. But after the disappearance ofRupa Goswami, he gave up eating altogether.
Practically speaking Raghnatha Dasa, towards the end of his life, was so absorbed in
pure Krishna consciousness, that he lost awareness of the material world and his external
physical covering. He remained completely absorbed in the consciousness of being a manjariserving at the lotus feet of Radharani. To illustrate his total absorption in gopi-bhava, there is a very well-known story about his rejecting a gift believing the giver of the gift was a servant (sakhi) ofRadha’s fierce rival Chandravali. One day, a devotee arrived with a leaf-cup ofbuttermilk for Raghunath Dasa. As Raghunatha held the leaf-cup in his hand, he suddenly noticed it was much larger than any of the regular leaf-cups he had seen. Feeling somewhat suspicious about the gift-bearing devotee, he asked from where this very large leaf-cup had come. When the devotee replied that the leaf-cup was brought from a village named Sakhisthali, which was the village of Chandravali, in a sudden fit of jealous anger, Raghunath threw the leaf-cup far away, saying that he would have nothing to do with Chandravali, her village, or any of her sakhis. The devotee immediately went away in great ore of Raghunatha, feeling extremely blessed to have
witnessed Raghunatha’s intense mood of love and devotion for Radharani.
After having spent more than forty years performing bhajana at Radha-kunda, in the
year 1583, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami finally disappeared from the vision of the world. His Samadhi Mandira was erected at the place on the banks of Radha-kunda where he would sit every day to chant the holy names of the Lord on his japa beads. According to the Gaura-gonaddeshadipika,Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was Rati Manjari in Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes. (Some say he was Rasa Manjari).

After the disappearance of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé came from Jagannätha Puré and performed bhajana at Rädhä-kuëòa. Once, the Mughal emperor Akbar was making his way along this path with his vast army. The emperor’s divisions of men, elephants, horses and camels were very thirsty. Seeing Däsa Gosvämé, Akbar asked, “Is there any big pond nearby?” Däsa Gosvämé motioned to him to take water from Kälé-kheta and Gauré-kheta. The emperor thought, “This water is not sufficient even for a single elephant. How will it quench the thirst of my entire army?” However, on the repeated requests of Däsa Gosvämé, Emperor Akbar encouraged his men to drink. To his amazement, the whole army and its horses, elephants and camels drank to their full satisfaction, yet the water in the ponds did not reduce even slightly. After performing bhajana here for some time, the thought of restoring the two kuëòas entered the mind of Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé. But when he remembered the transcendental glories of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa, he began to reproach himself for thinking this, because he knew that the kuëòa is eternally manifest. At that moment, a wealthy person arrived from Badrikäçrama, looking for a topmost renunciant named Çré Däsa Gosvämé. He offered his prostrated obeisances at the feet of Gosväméjé and said, “I am returning from a pilgrimage to Badarikäçrama. Bhagavän Çré Badré-näräyaëa has sent me to you. On His order I am offering to cover all the expenses required to restore these two ponds to their original, charming forms. Kindly accept my offer.” Çré Däsa Gosvämé became speechless. Earlier he had rejected this idea, but now, knowing it to be the desire of Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa, he began the work of reconstructing the two kuëòas. While Çré Rädhä-kuëòa was being restored, the banks easily formed a rectanglar shape of perfect symmetry. Çyäma-kuëòa was also to be rectangular, but, to do this some trees had to be cut down. That night, while Çré Däsa Gosvämé was performing bhajana, he dozed off, and as if in a dream, he saw five men standing before him. “We are the five Päëòavas,” they said. “As trees, we are worshipping the Youthful Couple here, so please do not cut us down. Rather, let the shape of the pond be crooked.” For this reason, Çré Däsa Gosvämé did not have the trees cut down, and allowed the outline of the kuëòa to remain crooked, just as Çré Kåñëa is crooked. He simply had the pond deepened, and its ghäöas properly restored. Both kuëòas are still the same shape today, and over the years a few repairs have been carried out.
The kuëòas as described in Kåñëa-bhävanämåta and Govinda-lilämåta In Kåñëa-bhävanämåta and Govinda-lilämåta, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura and Çréla Kåñëa däsa Kaviräja respectively describe Çré Rädhä-kuëòa and Çré Çyäma-kuëòa in delightful, nectarean ways: Vrajendra-nandana Çré Kåñëa is the source of all incarnations; He is the origin of everything, yet He is without origin; He is the personification of all nectarean mellows (akhila rasämåta-mürti) and the source of all power (sarva-çaktimän). Even so, He is subservient to the prema of Çrématé Rädhikä, the embodiment of mahäbhäva and the topmost of all of His beloveds. Çré Kåñëa always establishes the glories of His beloved Kiçoréjé, and considers Her superior to Himself. Rädhä-kuëòa and Çyämakuëòa are non-different from Çré Rädhä and Çré Çyämasundara Themselves, and thus Kåñëa also attributes more importance to Rädhä-kuëòa than to Çyäma-kuëòa. North of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa is the kuïja of Çré Lalitä-devé, Lalitänandada, which is shaped like a golden, eight-petalled lotus. In the north-east is Viçäkhänandada, the bejewelled kuïja of Viçäkhä Sakhé, which is shaped like a sixteen-petalled lotus. In the east is Citränandada, the kuïja of Citrä Sakhé, which displays an amazing variety of forms and colours. In the south-east is the kuïja of Indulekhä Sakhé, Indulekhänandada. It is shaped like an eight-petalled lotus and is made of diamonds. In the south is the kuïja of Campakalatä Sakhé, Campakalatänandada-kuïja, shaped like a golden lotus. And in the south-west is the lotus-like kuïja of Raìgadevé, Raìgadevé-sukhada, which is inlaid with blue sapphires. Tuìgavidyänandada is the kuïja of Tuìgavidyä Sakhé. This kuïja, in the west, resembles a lotus made of red rubies. In the northwest lies Änandada, or Sudevé-sukhada-kuïja, the lotus-shaped kuïja of Sudevé, which is inlaid with emeralds. In the centre of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa is Anaìgamaïjaré-änandada-kuïja, shaped like a sixteen-petalled lotus inlaid with moonstones. This kuïja, also known as Svänanda-sukhada-kuïja, belongs to Anaìga Maïjaré. It is connected with the bank of the kuëòa by a bridge made of moonstones. In the north-western area of Çré Çyäma-kuëòais a delightful place made of diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones where Çrématé
Rädhikä daily takes bath. North of this place is Subalänandadakuïja, which Subala Sakhä has given to Çrématé Rädhikä. Rädhä and Kåñëa take rest here. In the northern part of Çyäma-kuëòa is the kuïja of Madhumaìgala, Madhumaìgalänandada, which
is inlaid with white jewels. He has given this kuïja to Lalitäjé. The Youthful Couple enjoy merriment and laughter here. Ujjvala Sakhä’s Ujjvalänandada-kuïja in the north-east, made of red jewels, has been given to Viçäkhä Sakhé. In the east is Arjuna Sakhä’s Arjunänandada-kuïja, made of blue sapphires, which has been given to Citrä Sakhé. Gandharvänandada-kuïja in the south-east displays a variety of colours and forms, and belongs to Gandharva Sakhä, who has given it to Indulekhä Sakhé. In the south is the green emerald Vidagdhänandada-kuïja, belonging to Vidagdha Sakhä, who has given this kuïja to Campakalatä. Here the Youthful Couple play the game of chaupaòa6. Bhåìga Sakhä’s Bhåìgänandada-kuïja lies in the south-west, and he has given this kuïja to Raìgadevé. In the west is Dakñasanandänanda-kuïja made of a variety of jewels. Kokila Sakhä’s Kokilänandada-kuïja, also in the west, has been presented to Sudevé. At the juncture of the two kuëòas is a platform made of many kinds of jewels. It is also called the Yogapéöha of Kåñëa’s pastimes. To the south of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa are jewelled swings hanging from the branches of campaka trees. Swings inlaid with precious stones hang from the branches of kadamba trees to the east. To the west, swings made of jewels hang from the branches of mango trees, and to the north jewelled swings hang from the branches of the bakula trees. Rasika Çré Kåñëa plays on these swings with Çrématé Rädhikä and the other sakhés. Surrounding both Çré Rädhä-kuëòa and Çré Çyäma-kuëòa are wish-fulfilling trees of mango, jackfruit, kadamba, bakula and so on, which are abundantly laden with flowers and fruits. Around the bases of these trees are platforms made of various precious stones. All seasons are eternally serving the Divine Couple under the guidance of the spring season. Våndä-devé makes all kinds of arrangements for the service of the Divine Couple. Cuckoos coo and the peacocks dance and make a sweet ke-kä sound. Blue and red lotuses and various kinds of ketaké flowers frolic on the waves of the divine ponds, while intoxicated, buzzing bees hover above. Royal swans, cakraväkas and cranes play in the water with their consorts, making sweet sounds. Different kinds of birds recite love poetry on the branches of the trees, giving pleasure to Rädhä and Kåñëa. Deer and does roam about in attractive bowers nearby. Except for Çrématé Rädhikä’s most intimate girlfriends, no one can enter this forest.

Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé’s bhajana-kuöé

After coming from Jagannätha Puré, Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé used to live near Çré Rädhä-kuëòa at Lagmohana-kuëòa. Once, during Çré Kåñëa’s manifest pastimes, on the day of the Holé festival, Çrématé Rädhikä was sitting here with Her girlfriends when Çaìkhacüòa unexpectedly seized Her and ran away. Kåñëa pursued and killed him and, removing the jewel from the demon’s forehead, gave it to Çré Baladeva. He in turn gave the jewel into the hands of Dhaniñöhä to give to Çrématé Rädhikä. Although Çré Däsa Gosvämé first used to live at this Lagmohana-kuëòa, he later began performing bhajana on the banks of Çré Rädhä-kuëòa. One day, Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé was performing his bhajana under the open sky at Rädhä-kuëòa. He was so absorbed that he was not conscious of his body and mind, and streams of tears flowed from his eyes. Occasionally, the words “O Rädhä, O Rädhä” came from his mouth. At this time, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé regularly came to see him. Once, from a distance, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé saw a ferocious tiger and tigress walk past Raghunätha däsa, drink water from the nearby kuëòa and then return by the same path, as if they had not seen him. Çré Sanätana Gosvämé approached Çré Däsa Gosvämé and very affectionately, like an elder brother, advised him to perform his bhajana in a hut. Çré Sanätana had a leaf-hut built for Çré Däsa Gosvämé, and instructed him to perform his bhajana there. That hut no longer exists, but a solid one made of cement has been constructed in its place. Near this bhajana-kuöé, the five Päëòavas – Yudhiñöhira, Bhéma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva – performed bhajana as trees. Some time ago, these trees became unmanifest and disappeared from our vision. Between this bhajana-kuöé and the bhajana-kuöé of Çré Gopäl Bhaööa Gosvämé are the samädhis of Çréla Raghunätha Bhaööa Gosvämé, Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé and Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé. North of Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé’s and Çré Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura’s bhajana-kuöés is the bhajana-kuöé of Çré Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé. It is said that he wrote some portions of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta here, but most of it was actually written in his bhajana-kuöé at the RädhäDämodara Temple in Våndävana. Nearby, in the north-eastern area, is a temple of Çré GadädharaCaitanya, and north-west of it is the Çré Rädhä-Govinda Temple. One may take darçana of the Jihvä-çilä of Çré Govardhana near the entrance of this temple.