Singing in separation from Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.

In the second edition of Sri Gaudiya-gitanjali, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj added a series of kirtans meant to be sung on the disappearance days of the six goswamis. Presented here on the occasion of his disappearance day are the songs sung in honour of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.

Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami Sochaka

yabe rupa-sanatana vraje gela dui jana
suna-ite raghunatha-dasa
nija-rajya-adhikara indra-sama sukha yara
chhadiya chalila prabhu-pasa [1]

When Raghunath Das heard that Rupa and Sanatan went to Vraja, he gave up the proprietorship of his estate and pleasures equal to those of Indra and came to the Lord’s side.

uthi’ ratre nisa-bhage duyare prahari jage
patha chhadi’ vipathe gamana
ksudha trsna nahi paya manodvege chali’ yaya
sada chinte chaitanya-charana [2]

He arose in the dark very early in the morning, avoided the main road, and travelled on an alternate path. He felt no hunger or thirst as he ran anxiously. He thought constantly of Sri Chaitanya’s feet.

eka-dina eka grame sandhya-kale go-vathane
“ha chaitanya” baliya basila
eka gopa dugdha dila taha kheye visramila
sei ratre tathai rahila [3]

One day in a village in the evening he sat in a cowshed chanting, “O Chaitanya!” and a cowherd boy gave him some milk. He drank it, rested, and remained there for the night.

ye anga palanka vine bhumi-sayya nahi jane
kantake hataye sei paya [4]

His body had never experienced lying on the ground without a bedstead, but his feet now walked over thorns.

yiho bela danda chari tola jale snana kari’
sad-rasa karita bhojana
ebe yadi kichhu pana sandhya-kale taha khana
na paile amani sayana [5]

He used to bath with raised water at mid-morning and eat meals comprised of the six tastes, but now he would eat in the evening if he found something and would lie down without eating anything if he did not.

bara dinera patha yana tina sandhya anna khana
pravesila nilachala-pure
dekhiya se sri-mandira du-nayane vahe nira
“ha chaitanya” bale uchchaihsvare [6]

After travelling the path for twelve days and eating solid food on only three of these day in the evening, he entered the city of Nilachal. Seeing the Temple, tears poured from his eyes, and he called out, “O Chaitanya!”

e radha-vallabha-dasa mane kari abhilasa
kotha mora raghunatha-dasa
tahara prasanga-matra pulakita haya gatra
tara pada-renu kari asa [7]

This Radha Vallabha Das longs, “Where is my Raghunath Das? Just by his association, the hair on my body stands on end. I pray for the dust of his feet.”

sri-chaitanya-krpa haite raghunatha-dasa-chitte
parama vairagya upajila
kalatra grha sampada nija-rajya-adhipada
mala-praya sakala tyajila [1]

By the mercy of Sri Chaitanya, extreme detachment arose in the mind of Raghunath Das. Wife, home, wealth, proprietorship of his estate—he left all of this as though it were stool.

purascharya krsna-name giya se purusottame
gaurangera pada-yuga seve
ei mane abhilasa punah raghunatha dasa
nayana-gochara habe kabe [2]

After completing his prepatory duties with the chanting of Krishna’s Name, he went to Sri Purusottam Ksetra and served the feet of Sri Gauranga. My heart longs, “When will I see Raghunath Das again?”

gauranga doyalu haiya radha-krsna mantra diya
govardhana-sila gunja-hare
vraja-vane govardhane sri-radhara sri-charane
samarpana karila yahare [3]

Sri Gauranga mercifully gave him the Radha-Krishna mantra, a Govardhan-sila, and a gunja-mala. He thus offered him to the divine feet of Sri Radha at Govardhan in Vrndavan.

gaurangera agochare nija-kesa chhidi kare
virahe vyakula vraje gela
deha-tyaga kari’ mane gela giri-govardhane
du-gosai tahare rakhila [4]

After the disappearance of Sri Gauranga, Raghunath Das began to pull out his hair, and overcome with separation, he went to Vraja. Intending to give up his body, he went to Govardhan Hill, but two goswamis saved him.

dhari rupa-sanatana rakhila tara jivana
deha-tyaga karite na dila
dui gosaira ajna peye radha-kundera tate giya
niyama kariya vasa kaila [5]

Rupa and Sanatan received him and saved his life. They did not allow him to give up his body. Receiving instructions from these two goswamis, Raghunath went to the bank of Radha Kunda and lived there observing various strictures.

chhida vastra paridhana vraja-phala-gavya pana
anna adi na kare ahara
tina sandhya snanachari smarana kirtana kari’
radha-pada bhajana yahara [6]

He wore torn clothes and ate only the fruits and milk products found in Vraja. He did not eat rice or other grains. He bathed at the three junctions of the day, engaged in remembrance and chanting, and served the feet of Sri Radha.

sat danda ratri dine radha-krsna-lila-gane
smaranete sadai goyaya
chari danda suye thake svapne radha-krsna dekhe
tilardheka vyartha nahi yaya [7]

Night and day—twenty-four hours a day—he would sing about the Pastimes of Radha and Krishna and constantly engage in remembrance of Them. He laid down for an hour and half each day, but in his dreams saw Radha and Krishna and never waisted a single moment.

chaitanyera padambuje rakhe manobhrnga-raje
svarupera sadai asraya
bhinna-deha rupa-sane gati yara sanatane
bhatta gosayera priya mahasaya [8]

He would fix the bumble bee of his mind on the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya. He remained always in the shelter of Svarup Damodar. He was always with Sri Rupa, and Sanatan was his shelter. He was dear to Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and Gopal Bhatta Goswami.

sri-rupera gana yata yahara pade asrita
atyanta vatsalya yara jive
sei arta-nada kari’ kadi’ bale, “hari hari
prabhura karuna habe kabe” [9]

Sheltered at the feet of all the followers of Sri Rupa, who are most affectionate to all souls, he would piteously cry out, “O Lord! O Lord! When will I receive my Lord’s mercy?

he radhikara vallabha gandharvikara bandhava
radhika-ramana radhanatha
he he vrndavanesvara ha ha krsna damodara
krpa kari’ kara atmasatha [10]

“O Beloved of Radhika! O Friend of Gandharvika! O Delight of Radhika! O Lord of Radha! O Lord of Vrndavan! O Krishna! O Damodar! Please mercifully accept me.”

prabhu rupa sanatana tina haila adarsana
andha haila e dui nayana
vrtha akhi kaha dekhi vrtha dehe prana rakhi
sevachara badaya dviguna [11]

When the Lord (Sri Chaitanya), Sri Rupa, and Sri Sanatan had disappeared, his two eyes became blind. “What can I see with these useless eyes? I just maintain my life in this useless body.” This was his feeling, yet his engagement in service doubled.

sri-krsna sri-sachi-suta tara guna yata yata
avatara sri-vigraha nama
gupta vyakta lila-sthana drsta sruta vaisnava-gana
sabhakare karaye pranama [12]

He would offer obeisance to Sri Krishna, the son of Sri Sachi, all of His qualities and avatars, His Deity, His Name, the hidden and manifest places of His Pastimes that are seen or heard about, and all the Vaisnavas.

radha-krsnera viyoge chhadila sakala bhoge
rukha sukha anna-matra sara
sri-chaitanyera vichchhedete anna chhadi’ sei haite
phala gavya karena ahara [13]

In separation from Radha and Krishna, Raghunath Das gave up all enjoyment and ate nothing but dry, stale rice. In separation from Sri Chaitanya, he gave up rice and ate only fruits and milk products.

sanatanera adarsane taha chhadi sei dine
kevala karena jala pana
rupera vichchheda yabe jala chhadi’ dila tabe
radha-krsna bali’ rakhe prana [14]

After the disappearance of Sri Sanatan, he gave this up, and from that day on drank only water. When he was separated from Sri Rupa, he then give up water and maintained his life simply by calling out to Radha and Krishna.

svarupera adarsane na dekhe rupera gane
virahe vikala haiya kande
krsna-kathalapa vine sravane nahika sune
uchchaihsvare dake arta-nade [15]

When Sri Rupa disappeared, and Raghunath could not see any of Sri Rupa’s followers, then he sorrowfully wept in separation. Without any discussion of Krishna, he did not listen to anything with his ears and piteously cried out aloud.

ha ha radha-krsna kotha kotha achha he lalita
he visakhe deha darasana
ha chaitanya mahaprabhu ha svarupa mora prabhu
ha ha prabhu rupa-sanatana [16]

“O Radha! O Krishna! Where are You? O Lalita, where are you? O Visakha! Please appear before me. O Chaitanya Mahaprabhu! O Svarup, my master! O my masters Rupa and Sanatan!”

kade gosai ratra-dine pudi’ yaya tanu-mane
virahe ha-ila jara jara
manda manda jihva nade preme asru netre pade
mane krsna karaye smarana [17]

Das Goswami cried night and day. His mind and body burned in sepration and became frail. As his tongue moved slowly and tears of love poured from his eyes, he remembered Krishna within his heart.

sei raghunatha-dasa puribe manera asa
ei mora bada achhe sadha
e radha-vallabha-dasa mane kare abhilasa
sabe more karaha prasada [18]

“Raghunath Das will fulfill the desires of my heart. This is my great hope.” This Radha Vallabha Das longs within his heart, “May you all bless me.”