Sri Vilapa-Kusumanjali: A Lament in the Form of a Handful of Flowers

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In a purport of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada wrote: "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, ‘Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was most probably born in the year 1416 Sakabda (A.D. 1494) in a kayastha family as the son of Govardhana Majumadara, who was the younger brother of the then Zamindar, Hiranya Majumadara. The village where he took birth is known as Sri-krsnapura. On the railway line between Calcutta and Burdwan is a station named Trisabagha (now known as Adi-saptagrama), and about one and a half miles away is the village of Sri-krsnapura,where the parental home of Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was situated. A temple of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda is still there. The entire temple compound is surrounded by walls, and in a small room just to the side of the temple is a small platform on which Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to worship the deity. By the side of the temple is the dying river Sarasvati.

Elsewhere Srila prabhupada has written: The forefathers of srila raghunatha dasa gosvami were all Vaisnavas and were very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Acarya. Although Raghunatha dasa was a family man, he had no attachment for his estate and wife. Seeing his tendency to leave home, his father and uncle engaged special bodyguards to watch over him, but nevertheless he managed to escape their vigilance and went away to Jagannatha puri to meet Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu. This incident took place in the year 1439 Sakabda (A.D. 1517).

"Raghunatha dasa Gosvami compiled three books, named stava-mala (or stavavali), dana-carita and mukta-carita. He lived a long time, residing for most of his life at Radha-kunda. The place where Raghunatha dasa Gosvami performed his devotional service still exists by Radha-kunda. He almost completely gave up eating, and therefore he was very skinny and of weak health. His only concern was to chant the holy name of the Lord. He gradually reduced his sleeping until he was almost not sleeping at all. It is said that his eyes were always full of tears.

"When Srinivasa Acarya went to see Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, the gosvami blessed him by embracing him. Srinivasa Acarya requested his blessing for preaching in Bengal, and Srila Raghunatha dasa gosvami granted them. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (186) it is stated that srila raghunatha dasa gosvami was formerly the gopi named Rasa-manjari. Sometimes it is said that he was Rati-manjari.

When srila raghunatha dasa gosvami was a boy he got the association and blessing of srila Haridasa thakura. He was mad with the desire to join Lord Caitanya in jagannatha puri, but every time he ran away from home his parents would have him captured and brought back. Finally, he was successful. He received the mercy of Lord Caitanya and served for many years as the assistant of Svarupa damodara. He was thus known as the raghu of svarupa.

Later, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami went to Vrndavana, where he lived at Radha-kunda, performing severe austerities. Indeed, in his later years he subsisted on just a few drops of buttermilk each day. Once, while lecturing at Gorakhpur in 1971m Srila prabhupada said this: "Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was offering obeisances while circumambulating Radha-kunda, thinking, "So many times I shall fall down," Still there are many devotees, they do that. You fall down, dandavat. Then, from the point where your head is touching, you make a lone. Again stand there and fall down. Again stand there and fall down.

Devotee: "He would circumambulate? Prabhupada: "Yes. Just see how much good exercise it is. Just like I fall down in this way, flat. Then I make a line. And I stand again in that line; again fall down. In this way, all the way around. This is called tapasya, austerity." Srila raghunatha dasa gosvami departed from this world in 1571 at the age of 76.

From back of the book

ayi pranaya-salini pranaya-pusta-dasyaptaye prakamam api rodanaih pracura-duhkha-dagdhatmana vilapa-kusumanjalir hrdi nidhaya padambuje maya bata samarpitas tava tanotu tustim manak

O affectionate one, I pray that this Vilapa-kusumanjali (Handful of flowers in the form of a lament), which with much weeping to attain your loving service, and with a hert burning with pain, I take from my chest and place at your lotus feet, may give you a little pleasure.