aghunathakhyako bhattah pura ya raga-maïjari krita-shri-radhika-kunda-kutira-vasatih sa tu
In Krishna-lila, Raghunath Bhatta, who made his home in a cottage by Radha Kund, was Raga Manjari. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 185)
Serving the Lord in Benares
In around 1503 AD, Raghunath Bhattacharya appeared as the son of Tapana Mishra, a dear devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who hailed from the village of Ramapura on the banks of the Padma River in East Bengal. Mahaprabhu first met Tapana Mishra when he went to East Bengal during his career as a teacher of Sanskrit. Tapana Mishra had studied many scriptures but was still bewildered about the purpose of life and what to do to attain it. He had a dream in which he was instructed by a Brahmin to go to Nimai Pandit who would clarify these matters for him.
In around 1503 AD, Raghunath Bhattacharya appeared as the son of Tapana Mishra, a dear devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who hailed from the village of Ramapura on the banks of the Padma River in East Bengal. Mahaprabhu first met Tapana Mishra when he went to East Bengal during his career as a teacher of Sanskrit. Tapana Mishra had studied many scriptures but was still bewildered about the purpose of life and what to do to attain it. He had a dream in which he was instructed by a Brahmin to go to Nimai Pandit who would clarify these matters for him. When Tapana Mishra when to the Lord and told him of his dream, Nimai answered that Harinama-sankirtana was both the purpose of life and the means for attaining it. Tapana Mishra expressed his desire to come and live in Nabadwip near the Lord, but Mahaprabhu told him to go to Benares instead, assuring him that he would see him there one day. Thus, several years later, when passing through Benares on his way back from Vrindavan, Mahaprabhu stayed at Chandrasekhara Vaidyas house and took his meals with Tapana Mishra.
The Lord had three devotees in Benares. One was Chandrasekhara Vaidya, another Tapana Mishra. The third was Tapana Mishra´s son Raghunath Bhattacharya. The Lord met with them when he stopped in Kashi after visiting Vrindavan. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.11.152-3)
Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami lived at home for about 28 years. During the two months that the Lord spent in Benares, Raghunath had many opportunities to personally serve him and to receive his mercy.
Mahaprabhu stayed in the house of Chandrasekhara for two months time, daily taking his meals at Tapana Mishra´s residence. Raghunath was just a boy at the time, but he served the Lord by cleaning his place after he ate and by massaging his feet. When he grew up, he went to Puri to see the Lord. He stayed there for eight months, occasionally cooking for the Lord. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.11.154-6)
Raghunath Comes to Puri
Out of eagerness to see the Lord, Raghunath Bhatta hurried to Puri after visiting Bengal. He was accompanied by a servant who carried his baggage for him. While travelling, he met a certain Rama Das Vishvasa, a Rama devotee initiated in the Ramanandi disciplic succession and very learned in Sanskrit poetics and other scriptures. He was a well-to-do member of the kayastha caste who had an important position in the government treasury as he was trusted by the Shah. Rama Das was travelling to Puri as he wanted to renounce his material entanglements and visit Jagannath Deva. He was constantly chanting the Rama mantra. Knowing Raghunath to be a Brahmin, he took many pains to render service to him, sometimes massaging his feet, sometimes carrying his baggage on his head. Raghunath was somewhat embarrassed that such a rich and important man should be rendering him such menial service, but Rama Das tried to allay his doubts by saying, I am a lowly shudra and you are a Brahmin. It is my duty to serve you. I feel the greatest joy in having this opportunity to serve you.
When Raghunath arrived in Puri, he prostrated himself on the ground before the feet of the Lord. The Lord recognized Raghunath and with great emotion lifted him up and embraced him. He inquired after Tapana Mishra and Chandrasekhara Vaidya, then sent him to see Jagannath, telling him to come and eat with him afterward. Mahaprabhu had Govinda make housing arrangements for Raghunath and introduced him to Svarupa Damodar and his other associates.
During the eight months that Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami remained in Nilachala, he sometimes had the chance to invite Mahaprabhu for meals. He would take the opportunity to cook delicious vegetable platters for the Lord´s pleasure. He was an expert cook and the Lord was especially satisfied by the devotional mood in which he prepared these meals. Raghunath was then fortunate enough to be able to take the Lord´s remnants. Rama Das Vishvasa also came to meet Mahaprabhu during this time, but the Lord could see through him. He saw that Rama Das harbored desires for liberation and that he was proud of his learning, and so he did not show him as much mercy as he did to Raghunath.
After Raghunath had been in Puri for eight months, the Lord told him to go back to Kashi to serve his Vaishnava parents, who were now aged and infirm. He also told him not to get married. The Lord then made him a gift of his own neckbeads, which he placed around Raghunath´s neck, telling him to come to Puri again.
Raghunath Goes to Vrindavan
Raghunath took care of his parents for the remainder of their lives, which was another four years. During this time, he also studied the Bhagavat from a Vaishnava. When his parents died, he returned to Puri and stayed with Mahaprabhu. After staying with the Lord for eight months, Mahaprabhu told him to go to Vrindavan and to stay with Rupa and Sanatan. He told him to continue studying and giving discourses on the Bhagavat as well as to chant the Holy Names. The Lord then gave him a ten-foot long tulasi garland which had been worn by Lord Jagannath as well as some pan which had none of the intoxicating spices in it. Raghunath was intoxicated with love upon receiving all these kindnesses from the Lord.
Raghunath had a beautiful singing voice. When he recited the Bhagavat, he would read the same verse aloud over and over again, chanting it in different tunes. As soon as they heard it, the devotees were attracted.
Study Srimad Bhagavatam and chant the names of Krishna continuously. The Supreme Lord Krishna will very soon bestow his mercy upon you. After saying this, the Lord embraced Raghunath who was enlivened with ecstatic love for Krishna by his mercy. At a feast, the Lord had been given some unspiced betel and a ten-foot garland of tulasi leaves long which had been worn by Lord Jagannath. He gave the garland and betel to Raghunath Bhatta, who accepted them as his worshipable deity, taking care to preserve them. Then Raghunath took the Lord´s permission and departed for Vrindavan.
When he arrived there, he put himself under the care of Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis. Whenever he recited the Bhagavat before Rupa and Sanatan, Raghunath Bhatta would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Krishna. By Mahaprabhu´s mercy, he experienced the symptoms of ecstatic love–tears, trembling, and faltering of the voice. His eyes filled with tears, his throat became choked, and thus he would have to stop his recital. His voice was as sweet as a cuckoo’s, and he would recite each verse of the Bhagavat in three or four tunes. Whenever he recited or heard about Krishna´s beauty and sweetness, he would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love and become oblivious to the world around him.
Raghunath Bhatta surrendered himself to Govindas lotus feet and those lotus feet were the only thing which gave his life meaning. In time, Raghunath Bhatta ordered his disciples to construct a temple for Govinda. He himself made various ornaments for the deity, including a flute and dolphin-shaped earrings.
Raghunath Bhatta would never speak or listen to gossip. He would simply discuss Krishna and worship the Lord day and night. He would not listen to criticism of a Vaishnava´s misbehavior. He knew only that everyone was engaged in Krishna’s service. When Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was absorbed in remembrance of Lord Krishna, he would take the prasadi tulasi garland and the neckbeads given to him by the Lord, wearing them around his neck. Thus I have described the power of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus mercy, by which Raghunath Bhatta Goswami experienced unlimited ecstatic love for Krishna. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.13.121-135)
The following description is also given of Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami is given in the Bhakti-ratnakara:
As I look upon the samadhi tomb of Raghunath Bhatta, my heart breaks and my eyes are awash with tears. But who is not overjoyed as soon as he hears Raghunath Bhatta Goswami´s glories? He was such an expert teacher of all the scriptures that even Brihaspati would joyfully cheer upon hearing Raghunath´s explanations of Vaishnava doctrine. There is nothing to which his discourses on the Bhagavat can be compared. Even Vyasa himself wishes to sit and listen to him speak, knowing that this will bring him happiness. Even the gods were astonished when they observed his devotional practices. When the devotees heard Srinivas Acharya glorify Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami in this way, they fell to the ground and offered their respects. Then they continued on to the Govindaji temple.
Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami disappeared in about 1579 or 1580 AD.
[Excerpted from “Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj]