Stavavali

anāvedyāṁ pūrvair api muni-gaņair bhakti-nipuņaih śruter gūdhāṁ premojjvala-rasa-phalām bhakti-latikām |

krpālus tām gaude prabhu atikrpābhiḥ prakatayan

śaci-sūnuḥ kim me nayana-saranīm yāsyati punaḥ ||

Will the merciful son of Śacī, the Lord, revealing by his great mercy in Gauda the creeper of bhakti with fruits of mādhurya-rasa, which is hidden in the Vedas and previously unknown even to all the sages skillful at bhakti, be visible to my eyes again?

-Stavāvali, Śrī saci-sūnv-aştakam, Verse 4

yathā duştatvam me davayati śathasyāpi krpayā yathā mahyaṁ premāmstam api dadāty ujjvalam asau yathā śrī-gāndharvā-bhajana-vidhaye prerayati mām tathā goșthe kākvă giridharam iha tvam bhaja manaḥ ||

O mind! In a humble voice, worship Giridhara in Vraja so that he mercifully removes my wicked nature, though I am crafty, so that he gives the sweetness of mādhurya-prema to me and so that he inspires me on matters concerning worship of Rādhā.

-Stavāvali, Manah-śikṣā, Verse 8

atyutkatena nitarām virahānalena dandahyamāna-hrdayā kila kāpi dās

hā svāmini kṣaṇam iha pranayena gādham ākrandanena vidhurā vilapāmi padyaiḥ ||

O mistress! I, a servant, whose heart is burning in the scorching fire of constant separation, deeply afflicted with weeping, with a request, lament with these verses at this opportunity, at this place (Rādhā-kunda).

-Stavāvali, Śrī-Vilāpa-kusumāñjalih, Verse 7

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvami was most probably born in the year 1416 Sakābda (A.D. 1494) in a kāyastha family as the son of Govardhana Majumadāra, who was the younger brother of the then zamindar, Hiranya Majumadāra. The village where he took birth is known as Śrī-krsnapura. On the railway line between Calcutta and Burdwan is a station nained Trišābaghā (now known as Adi-saptagrāma), and about one and a hall miles away is the village of Śrī-krsnapura, where the parental home of Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was situated.

Srīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvami was one of the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He left all his material possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at his lotus feet.

The forefathers of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī were all Vaisnavas and were very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Ācārya. Although Raghunātha dāsa 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 Jagannātha Purī to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This incident took place in the year 1439 Śakābda (A.D. 1517).

He lived a long time, residing for most of his lise at Rādhā-kunda. The place where Raghunātha dāsa Gosvami performed his devotional service still exists by Rādhā-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. In the Gaura-ganoddeśa-dipikā (186) it is stated that Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was formerly the gopī named Rasamañjarī. Sometimes it is said that he was Rati-mañjarī.

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