Raghunatha das Gosvami

A lecture on the topics of

• Vasanta Pancami
• The Appearance Day of Visnu-priya devi
• The Appearance Day of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Now come down. Come to the process I have previously given you. We must begin our practice of bhakti from the beginning. I have told you about the aim and object of our sadhana-bhajana and life. It is very high, and if you want to achieve it, be like Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, follow him...

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took birth in a very aristocratic and wealthy family, and he was the only son of his father and uncle. In boyhood he was very fortunate to be initiated by Srila Yadunandana Acarya in the line of Sri Advaita Acarya. Also, Krsna arranged to send Srila Haridasa Thakura to his home, and they were together often. From babyhood he had great taste in chanting the holy name, and at the age of five he received initiation and gradually developed in his bhakti...

I take shelter of my lord and master, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, who is an ocean of compassion and who always feels sorry for the suffering of others. Although I was unwilling and blinded by ignorance, he diligently made me drink the nectar of devotion laced with renunciation.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and also of Krsna, but in the pastimes of Mahaprabhu, he showed the sadhana-bhajana for attaining the elevated devotional stages of bhava and prema. If a sadhaka sincerely desires to engage in bhajana to achieve the direct association of the Supreme Lord without delay – perhaps in only one or two births – then he should engage in bhajana just as Raghunatha dasa Gosvami did...

In India, today is a very auspicious day. It is Vasanta-pancami, the first day of spring. Vasanta means spring and pancami means the fifth lunar day. It is also Srimati Visnu-priya devi's birthday, it is the appearance day of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and it is also the disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura...

First, we should know the identity of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Srila Gopala-guru Gosvami has stated in his Paddhati that in his siddha-svarupa, his spiritual form in Goloka Våndavana, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is Sri Rati-manjari, and her nickname is Sri Tulasi-manjari...

There are two kinds of bhajana. The first is in vipralambha-lila, and that is performed by chanting and remembering the pastimes of separation. The second is in sambhoga-lila, and it is performed by remembering the pastimes of meeting.