Caitanya and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī - The Standard of Renunciation
Among the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is celebrated as the prayojana-ācārya, the teacher of the ultimate goal of life. His life is a dramatic journey from extreme material opulence to extreme spiritual austerity. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites Raghunātha dāsa as the ideal example of how one can renounce the world to attain the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. While his father and uncle were as wealthy as Indra, the King of heaven, Raghunātha dāsa saw their wealth as nothing more than a "ditch of stool" compared to the service of the Lord.
The Trap of Wealth
Raghunātha dāsa was the only heir to a massive fortune, yet he had no interest in it. From a young age, he tried repeatedly to run away from home to join Lord Caitanya. His father, attempting to bind him to family life, arranged his marriage to a beautiful girl and surrounded him with bodyguards. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Caitanya's mercy is stronger than any material shackle. The Lord compared the blind well of family life to a hole where people pass stool, congratulating Raghunātha dāsa for finally escaping it.
- Lord Sri Caitanya specifically drew attention to the mercy of Krsna. That mercy is more powerful than anything else, for it had saved Raghunatha dasa from the strong bondage of materialistic life, which the Lord compared to a hole where people pass stool.
- Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's father's income was twelve lakhs of rupees. He left his happy home and joined Caitanya Mahaprabhu and exemplified tapasya.
- Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, a great associate of Lord Caitanya's, was a very rich man's son who had a beautiful wife and all other opulences.
Monkey Renunciation
In his early attempts to leave home, Raghunātha dāsa acted impulsively. Lord Caitanya advised him against "monkey renunciation" (markaṭa-vairāgya)—external shows of detachment while the heart remains attached. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that the Lord instructed him to return home, act like an ordinary worldly man externally, but keep his heart fully devoted to Kṛṣṇa internally. This instruction teaches that true renunciation is a matter of consciousness, not just dress.
- Lord Caitanya instructed him (Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami) that, - Don't be in a hurry, gradually Krsna will give you a chance to be aloof from these worldly affairs.
- Srila Gaurasundara advised him (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami), "From within, keep yourself and your mind completely aloof, but externally execute the material duties just as they need to be done."
- Raghunatha dasa asked permission from the Lord to leave his material connections and accompany Him. The Lord refused to accept this proposal and instructed Raghunatha dasa that it is useless to leave worldly connections out of sentimentality.
Under the Care of Svarūpa Dāmodara
When Raghunātha dāsa finally managed to escape and reach Jagannātha Purī, he fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, seeing his wasted form and intense devotion, entrusted him to the care of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Raghunātha became known as "Svarūpera Raghu" (the Raghu of Svarūpa) because he served Svarūpa Dāmodara as a confidential assistant, learning the deepest science of devotional service from him.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Therefore another name for Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is Svarupera Raghu, or the Raghunatha of Svarupa Damodara.
- Smiling, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa, I have already appointed Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as your instructor.
The Standard of Austerity
Raghunātha dāsa's austerities in Purī were legendary. He eventually stopped begging alms at the Siṁha-dvāra gate, considering it akin to the behavior of a prostitute. Instead, he began collecting the rejected, rotting rice that was washed from the Jagannātha temple and thrown into the drain. He would wash this rice and eat it with a little salt. Śrīla Prabhupāda narrates how Lord Caitanya, hearing of this, came and forcibly took a morsel of this rice, exclaiming that He had never tasted such nectar. This validates that food accepted in the mood of pure renunciation is dear to the Lord.
- Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to eat rejected food that he had collected and washed. This renounced life greatly pleased both Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- What nice things are you eating? Why don’t you give anything to Me? Saying this, He forcibly took a morsel and began to eat.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Of course, every day I eat varieties of prasadam, but I have never tasted such nice prasadam as that which Raghunatha is eating."
The Lord's Personal Gifts
As a sign of His great affection, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gifted Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī two items that were dear to Him: a guñjā-mālā (necklace of small conchshells/seeds) and a Govardhana-śilā (a stone from Govardhana Hill). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Raghunātha dāsa understood these gifts to be the direct presence of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He worshiped the śilā as the body of Kṛṣṇa and the garland as the form of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, engaging in their service with great transcendental jubilation.
- After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered Raghunatha dasa the govardhana-sila with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunatha dasa worshiped the sila in great transcendental jubilation.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunatha dasa, "This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Krsna. Worship the stone with great eagerness."
Conclusion
The life of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is a testament to the transformative power of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. He showed that one can leave behind the greatest material wealth to find the true treasure of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Through his notes, memorized from Svarūpa Dāmodara, he also served as the primary source for the later composition of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, preserving the Lord's confidential pastimes for all future generations.
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