Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

Srila Raghunatha dasa GosvamiSrila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was born in 1494 in Krsnapura India, which is near the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. He was born into a wealthy and pious family, known for their saintly behavior. Because of this, exalted personalities like Haridas Thakura, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Balarama Acarya and others visited their home. They also had close relationships with Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grandfather and father, Jagannatha Misra. Therefore

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was born in 1494 in Krsnapura India, which is near the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. He was born into a wealthy and pious family, known for their saintly behavior. Because of this, exalted personalities like Haridas Thakura, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Balarama Acarya and others visited their home. They also had close relationships with Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grandfather and father, Jagannatha Misra. Therefore Raghunatha dasa from a very young age, knew Mahaprabhu well.

At a young age he continually tried to run away to Jagannatha Puri to be with Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but his father would catch him and bring him back. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami is his one-pointed follower, and a special recipient of his affection. In the spiritual world he is Rati Manjari, the embodiment of Srimati Radharan's 'rati', or divine loving attraction.

After receiving Nityananda Prabhu's blessings at the 'Cida-dahi-danda-Mahotsva', Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami renounced his home and took shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri. The Lord then offered him unto the care of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Raghunatha rendered intimate service to the Lord for sixteen years, and after the disappearance of Svarupa Damodara, he left Jagannatha Puri and went to Vrndavana. In Vrndavana Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami wrote prayers like Vraja-vilasa-stava, Vilapa Kusumanjali, and Mukta-carita on the bank of Radha-kunda.

In order to bring the loving moods of Vraja into this world, Dasa Gosvami requested Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami to write Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. He told him everything he had collected from Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami's notes, and helped him realize everything. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami manifested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's heart's desire in this world.

Those who aspire for the qualification to attain vraja-bhakti should take shelter of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Then it is possible to receive the mercy of the eternal Vrajavasis. Let our heart always be fixed at his lotus feet.