So this is the position of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that completely being confident, completely being freed from all ignorance, then he sat on the throne. Just imagine what is the position of this monarch and these rascal so-called presidents. Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself... Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, he presented, both of them presented themself by Caitanya Mahāprabhu as nīca-jāti. Nīca. Nīca means lowest, lowest grade; jāti, born. But actually they were born of very high-grade brāhmaṇa family of Karnatak. But why they presented themselves as nīca-jāti? Because that is explained in Bhakti-ratnākara, that because their behavior on account of mixing with the Muhammadan kings degraded, therefore they considered themself as nīca. That is confirmed by the śāstras. You may take birth in high brāhmaṇa family, but by association and culture, if you become degraded, then you have to be designated as such degraded person. Not that you become degraded, at the same time, you keep yourself as brāhmaṇa. That is not possible. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ syāt varṇābhivyañjakam. In the śāstra it is said that there are symptoms of varṇa. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the symptoms, who is a brāhmaṇa. So these are the symptoms. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So if you don't find these symptoms, then how one can become brāhmaṇa? That is not possible.
Bhakti-ratnakara
Expressions researched:
"bhakti-ratnakara"
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
About eight or ten miles from Calcutta, on the banks of the Ganges, is a village known as Eṅḍiyādaha-grāma. Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa was known as an inhabitant of this village (eṅḍiyādaha-vāsī gadādhara dāsa). The Bhakti-ratnākara (Seventh Wave), informs us that after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Gadādhara dāsa went from Navadvīpa to Katwa. Thereafter he came to Eṅḍiyādaha and resided there. He is stated to be the luster of the body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, just as Śrīla Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī is an incarnation of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is sometimes explained to be rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalita, or characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Gadādhara dāsa is this dyuti, or luster.
In the year 1436 Śakābda (A.D. 1514), the youngest brother, Anupama, died and went back home, back to Godhead. He went to the abode in the spiritual sky where Śrī Rāmacandra is situated. At Jagannātha Purī, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu of this incident. Vallabha was a great devotee of Śrī Rāmacandra; therefore he could not seriously consider the worship of Rādhā-Govinda according to the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Yet he directly accepted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Rāmacandra. In the Bhakti-ratnākara there is the following statement: "Vallabha was given the name Anupama by Śrī Gaurasundara, but he was always absorbed in the devotional service of Lord Rāmacandra. He did not know anyone but Śrī Rāmacandra, but he knew that Caitanya Gosāñi was the same Lord Rāmacandra."
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (180) Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is described to be the gopī named Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī. In the Bhakti-ratnākara there is a list of the books Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled. Of all his books, the following sixteen are very popular among Vaiṣṇavas: (1) Haṁsadūta, (2) Uddhava-sandeśa, (3) Kṛṣṇa-janma-tithi-vidhi, (4 and 5) Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, Bṛhat (major) and Laghu (minor), (6) Stavamālā, (7) Vidagdha-mādhava, (8) Lalita-mādhava, (9) Dāna-keli-kaumudi, (10) Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (this is the most celebrated book by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī), (11) Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, (12) Ākhyāta-candrikā, (13) Mathurā-mahimā, (14) Padyāvalī, (15) Nāṭaka-candrikā and (16) Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī gave up all family connections, joined the renounced order of life and divided his money, giving fifty percent to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and twenty-five percent to his kuṭumba (family members), and keeping twenty-five percent for personal emergencies. He met Haridāsa Ṭhākura in Jagannātha Purī, where he also met Lord Caitanya and His other associates. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to praise the handwriting of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could compose verses according to the desires of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and by His direction he wrote two books named Lalita-mādhava and Vidagdha-mādhava. Lord Caitanya desired the two brothers, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, to publish many books in support of the Vaiṣṇava religion. When Sanātana Gosvāmī met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord advised him also to go to Vṛndāvana.
Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī is described in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (181). He was formerly known as Rati-mañjarī or sometimes Lavaṅga-mañjarī. In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is stated that his spiritual master, Vidyā-vācaspati, sometimes stayed in the village of Rāmakeli, and Sanātana Gosvāmī studied all the Vedic literatures from him. He was so devoted to his spiritual master that this cannot be described. According to the Vedic system, if someone sees a Muslim he must perform rituals to atone for the meeting. Sanātana Gosvāmī always associated with Muslim kings. Not giving much attention to the Vedic injunctions, he used to visit the houses of Muslim kings, and thus he considered himself to have been converted into a Muslim. He was therefore always very humble and meek. When Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself before Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he said, "I am always in association with lower-class people, and my behavior is therefore very abominable." He actually belonged to a respectable brāhmaṇa family, but because he considered his behavior to be abominable, he did not try to place himself among the brāhmaṇas but always remained among people of the lower castes. He wrote the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa and Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī, which is a commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the year 1476 Śakābda (A.D. 1554) he completed the Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the year 1504 Śakābda (A.D. 1582) Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī published an edited version of the Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī named Laghu-toṣaṇī.
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (195) it is said that Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī was formerly Vilāsa-mañjarī gopī. From his very childhood Jīva Gosvāmī was greatly fond of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He later came to Navadvīpa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvīpa-dhāma. After visiting Navadvīpa-dhāma he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusūdana Vācaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vṛndāvana and took shelter of his uncles, Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. This is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara. As far as our information goes, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very much celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa, (2) Sūtra-mālikā, (3) Dhātu-saṅgraha, (4) Kṛṣṇārcā-dīpikā, (5) Gopāla-virudāvalī, (6) Rasāmṛta-śeṣa, (7) Śrī Mādhava-mahotsava, (8) Śrī Saṅkalpa-kalpavṛkṣa, (9) Bhāvārtha-sūcaka-campū, (10) Gopāla-tāpanī-ṭīkā, (11) a commentary on the Brahma-saṁhitā, (12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, (14) a commentary on the Yogasāra-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gāyatrī-mantra, as described in the Agni Purāṇa, (16) a description of the Lord's lotus feet derived from the Padma Purāṇa, (17) a description of the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, (18) Gopāla-campū (in two parts) and (19–25) seven sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramātma-, Kṛṣṇa-, Bhakti- and Prīti-sandarbha. After the disappearance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī became the ācārya of all the Vaiṣṇavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Vīrabhadra Gosāñi was the direct son of Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu and a disciple of Jāhnavā-devī. His real mother was Vasudhā. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (67) He is mentioned as an incarnation of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore Vīrabhadra Gosāñi is nondifferent from Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In a village of the name Jhāmaṭapura, in the district of Hugli, Vīrabhadra Gosāñi had a disciple named Yadunāthācārya, who had two daughters—a real daughter named Śrīmatī and a foster daughter named Nārāyaṇī. Both these daughters married, and they are mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Thirteenth Wave). Vīrabhadra Gosāñi had three disciples who are celebrated as his sons—Gopījana-vallabha, Rāmakṛṣṇa and Rāmacandra. The youngest, Rāmacandra, belonged to the Śāṇḍilya dynasty and had the surname Vaṭavyāla. He established his family at Khaḍadaha, and its members are known as the gosvāmīs of Khaḍadaha. The eldest disciple, Gopījana-vallabha, was a resident of a village known as Latā, near the Mānakara railway station in the district of Burdwan.
Śrī Rāmadāsa, later known as Abhirāma Ṭhākura, was one of the twelve gopālas, or cowherd boyfriends, of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (126) states that Śrī Rāmadāsa was formerly Śrīdāmā. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fourth Wave), there is a description of Śrīla Abhirāma Ṭhākura. By the order of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Abhirāma Ṭhākura became a great ācārya and preacher of the Caitanya cult of devotional service. He was a very influential personality, and nondevotees were very much afraid of him. Empowered by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was extremely kind to all fallen souls. It is said that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than a śālagrāma-śilā, it would immediately fracture.
In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Twelfth Wave), it is stated that a few miles from Navadvīpa is a place called Śāligrāma that was the residence of Sūryadāsa Sarakhela. He was employed as a secretary in the Muslim government of that time, and thus he amassed a good fortune. Sūryadāsa had four brothers, all of whom were pure Vaiṣṇavas. Vasudhā and Jāhnavā were two daughters of Sūryadāsa Sarakhela.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “The Caitanya-bhāgavata states that Parameśvara dāsa, known sometimes as Parameśvarī dāsa, was the life and soul of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The body of Parameśvara dāsa was the place of Lord Nityānanda's pastimes. Parameśvara dāsa, who lived for some time at Khaḍadaha village, was always filled with the ecstasy of a cowherd boy. Formerly he was Arjuna, a friend of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. He was the fifth among the twelve gopālas. He accompanied Śrīmatī Jāhnavā-devī when she performed the festival at Khetari. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara that by the order of Śrīmatī Jāhnavā-mātā, he installed Rādhā-Gopīnātha in the temple at Āṭapura, in the district of Hugli. The Āṭapura station is on the narrow-gauge railway line between Howrah and Āmatā. Another temple in Āṭapura, established by the Mitra family, is known as the Rādhā-Govinda temple. In front of the temple, in a very attractive place among two bakula trees and a kadamba tree, is the tomb of Parameśvarī Ṭhākura, and above it is an altar with a tulasī bush. It is said that only one flower a year comes out of the kadamba tree. It is offered to the Deity.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Navanī Hoḍa appears to have been the same person as Hoḍa Kṛṣṇadāsa, the son of the King of Baḍagāchi. His father's name was Hari Hoḍa. One can visit Baḍagāchi by taking the Lālagolā-ghāṭa railway line. Formerly the Ganges flowed by Baḍagāchi, but now it has become a canal known as the Kālśira Khāla. Near the Muḍāgāchā station is a village known as Śāligrāma in which King Kṛṣṇadāsa arranged for the marriage of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, as described in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Twelfth Wave). It is sometimes said that Navanī Hoḍa was the son of Rāja Kṛṣṇadāsa. His descendants still live in Rukuṇapura, a village near Bahiragāchi. They belong to the dakṣiṇa-rāḍhīya-kāyastha community, but, having been reformed as brāhmaṇas, they still initiate all classes of men.”
Śrī Rāmacandra Kavirāja, the son of Khaṇḍavāsī Cirañjīva and Sunanda, was a disciple of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and the most intimate friend of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who prayed several times for his association. His youngest brother was Govinda Kavirāja. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī very much appreciated Śrī Rāmacandra Kavirāja's great devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa and therefore gave him the title Kavirāja. Śrī Rāmacandra Kavirāja, who was perpetually disinterested in family life, greatly assisted in the preaching work of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He resided at first in Śrīkhaṇḍa but later in the village of Kumāra-nagara, on the bank of the Ganges.
Govinda Kavirāja was the brother of Rāmacandra Kavirāja and youngest son of Cirañjīva of Śrīkhaṇḍa. Although at first a śākta, or worshiper of goddess Durgā, he was later initiated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya Prabhu. Govinda Kavirāja also resided first in Śrīkhaṇḍa and then in Kumāra-nagara, but later he moved to the village known as Teliyā Budhari, on the southern bank of the river Padmā. Since Govinda Kavirāja, the author of two books, Saṅgīta-mādhava and Gītāmṛta, was a great Vaiṣṇava kavi, or poet, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī gave him the title Kavirāja. He is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Ninth Wave).
Kaṁsāri Sena was formerly Ratnāvalī in Vraja, as described in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (194 and 200).
In his Anubhāṣya Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda says that Bhāgavata Ācārya was formerly among the followers of Advaita Ācārya but was later counted among the followers of Gadādhara Paṇḍita. The sixth verse of Śākhā-nirṇayāmṛta, a book written by Yadunandana dāsa, states that Bhāgavata Ācārya compiled a famous book of the name Prema-taraṅgiṇī. According to the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (195), Bhāgavata Ācārya formerly lived in Vṛndāvana as Śveta-mañjarī. Viṣṇudāsa Ācārya was present during the Khetari-mahotsava. He went there with Acyutānanda, as stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara, Tenth Taraṅga. Ananta Ācārya was one of the eight principal gopīs. His former name was Sudevī. Although he was among Advaita Ācārya's followers, he later became an important devotee of Gadādhara Gosvāmī.
The Bhakti-ratnākara mentions Keśava Kāśmīrī and lists his predecessors in the disciplic succession of the Nimbārka-sampradāya: (1) Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, (2) Viśva Ācārya, (3) Puruṣottama, (4) Vilāsa, (5) Svarūpa, (6) Mādhava, (7) Balabhadra, (8) Padma, (9) Śyāma, (10) Gopāla, (11) Kṛpā, (12) Deva Ācārya, (13) Sundara Bhaṭṭa, (14) Padmanābha, (15) Upendra, (16) Rāmacandra, (17) Vāmana, (18) Kṛṣṇa, (19) Padmākara, (20) Śravaṇa, (21) Bhūri, (22) Mādhava, (23) Śyāma, (24) Gopāla, (25) Balabhadra, (26) Gopīnātha, (27) Keśava, (28) Gokula and (29) Keśava Kāśmīrī. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara that Keśava Kāśmīrī was a favorite devotee of mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning. By her grace he was an extremely influential scholar, and he was the greatest champion among all the scholars in the four corners of the country. Therefore he got the title dig-vijayī, which means "one who has conquered everyone in all directions." He belonged to a very respectable brāhmaṇa family of Kashmir. Later, by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he gave up the profession of winning championships and became a great devotee. He joined the Nimbārka-sampradāya, one of the Vaiṣṇava communities of the Vedic culture.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in his Anubhāṣya, has given the following note in connection with the village Kuliyā. The village originally known as Kuliyā has developed into what is now the city of Navadvīpa. In various authorized books like the Bhakti-ratnākara, Caitanya-carita-mahākāvya, Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka and Caitanya-bhāgavata it is mentioned that the village of Kuliyā is on the western side of the Ganges. Even now, within the area known as Koladvīpa, there is a place known as kuliāra gañja and a place called kuliāra daha, both within the jurisdiction of the present municipality of Navadvīpa. In the time of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the two villages on the western side of the Ganges named Kuliyā and Pāhāḍapura both belonged to the jurisdiction of Bāhiradvīpa. At that time the place on the eastern side of the Ganges now known as Antardvīpa was known as Navadvīpa. At that time the place on the eastern side of the Ganges now known as Antardvīpa was known as Navadvīpa. At Śrī Māyāpur that place is still known as Dvīpera Māṭha. There is another place of the name Kuliyā near Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā, but it is not the same Kuliyā mentioned here. It cannot be accepted as aparādha-bhañjanera pāḍa, or the place where the offense was excused, for that occurred in the above-mentioned Kuliyā on the western side of the Ganges. For business reasons many envious persons oppose excavation of the real place, and sometimes they advertise unauthorized places as the authorized one.
CC Madhya-lila
In the First Wave of the book known as the Bhakti-ratnākara, it is said that Sanātana Gosvāmī understood Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by thorough study and explained it in his commentary known as Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī. All the knowledge that Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī directly acquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was broadcast all over the world by their expert service. Sanātana Gosvāmī gave his Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī commentary to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī for editing, and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī edited this under the name of Laghu-toṣaṇī. Whatever he immediately put down in writing was finished in the year 1476 Śaka (A.D. 1554). Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī completed the Laghu-toṣaṇī in the year Śakābda 1504 (A.D. 1582).
Regarding the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, there are two parts, both of which deal with the discharge of devotional service. The first part is an analytical study of devotional service, in which there is also a description of different planets, including the earth, the heavenly planets, Brahma-loka and Vaikuṇṭha-loka. There are also descriptions of the devotees, including intimate devotees, most intimate devotees and complete devotees. The second part describes the glories of the spiritual world, known as Goloka-māhātmya-nirūpaṇa, as well as the process of renunciation of the material world. It also describes real knowledge, devotional service, the spiritual world, love of Godhead, attainment of life's destination, and the bliss of the world. In this way there are seven chapters in each part, fourteen chapters in all.
The Daśama-ṭippanī is a commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Another name for this commentary is Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā. In the Bhakti-ratnākara, it is said that the Daśama-ṭippanī was finished in 1476 Śakābda (A.D. 1554).
According to śāstra, there are three kinds of birth. The first birth is from the womb of the mother, the second birth is the acceptance of the reformatory method, and the third birth is acceptance by the spiritual master (initiation). One becomes abominable by adopting an abominable profession or by associating with people who are naturally abominable. Rūpa and Sanātana, as Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika, associated with Muslims, who were naturally opposed to brahminical culture and cow protection. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Seventh Canto) it is stated that every person belongs to a certain classification. A person is identifiable by the special symptoms mentioned in the śāstras. By one's symptoms, one is known to belong to a certain caste. Both Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika belonged to the brāhmaṇa caste, but because they were employed by Muslims, their original habits degenerated into those of the Muslim community. Since the symptoms of brahminical culture were almost nil, they identified themselves with the lowest caste. In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is clearly stated that because Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa associated with lower-class men, they introduced themselves as belonging to the lower classes. Actually, however, they had been born in respectable brāhmaṇa families.
Śrī Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa and an inhabitant of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra. He belonged to the disciplic succession of Śrī Rāmānujācārya. Śrī Raṅga is one of the places of pilgrimage in the province of Tamil Nadu. The inhabitants of that province do not retain the name Veṅkaṭa. It is therefore supposed that Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa did not belong to that province, although he may have been residing there for a very long time. Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was in a branch of the Rāmānuja-sampradāya known as Vaḍagalai. He had a brother in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya known as Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. The son of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was later known in the Gauḍīya-sampradāya as Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, and he established the Rādhāramaṇa temple in Vṛndāvana. More information about him may be found in a book known as the Bhakti-ratnākara, by Narahari Cakravartī.
In the commentary of Premadāsa it is said:
- nadīyāra mājhakhāne, sakala lokete
- jāne, "kuliyā-pāhāḍapura" nāme sthāna
"Everyone knows that in the middle of Nadia is a village named Kuliyā-pāhāḍapura."
Śrī Narahari Cakravartī, or Ghanaśyāma dāsa, has written in his Bhakti-ratnākara:
- kuliyā pāhāḍapura dekha śrīnivāsa
- pūrve "koladvīpa"-parvatākhya—e pracāra
"He said, "O Śrīnivāsa, just see the town of Kuliyā-pāhāḍapura, which was previously known as Koladvīpa.""
In a book named Navadvīpa-dhāma-parikramā, also written by Ghanaśyāma dāsa, it is stated: kuliyā-pāhāḍapura grāma pūrve koladvīpa-parvatākhyānanda nāma. "The town of Kuliyā-pāhāḍapura was previously named Koladvīpa-parvatākhyānanda."
Therefore one can conclude that the present-day city of Navadvīpa and the places known as Bāhiradvīpa, Kolera Gañja, Kola-āmāda, Kolera Daha, Gadakhāli, etc., were known as Kuliyā, but the so-called Kuliyāra Pāḍa is not the original Kuliyā.
The village named Annakūṭa-grāma is referred to in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
- gopa-gopī bhuñjāyena kautuka apāra
- ei hetu "āniyora" nāma se ihāra
- annakūṭa-sthāna ei dekha śrīnivāsa
- e-sthāna darśane haya pūrṇa abhilāṣa
"Here all the gopīs and the gopas enjoyed wonderful pastimes with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this place is also called Āniyora. The Annakūṭa ceremony was celebrated here. O Śrīnivāsa, whoever sees this place has all his desires fulfilled." It is also stated:
- kuṇḍera nikaṭa dekha niviḍa-kānana
- ethāi "gopāla" chilā hañā saṅgopana
"Look at the dense forest near the kuṇḍa. It was there that Gopāla was concealed."
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following information about Govinda-kuṇḍa. There is a village named Āniyora on Govardhana Hill, a little distance from the village of Paiṭhā. Govinda-kuṇḍa is situated near here, and there are two temples to Govinda and Baladeva there. According to some, Queen Padmāvatī excavated this lake. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), the following statement is found:
- ei śrī-govinda-kuṇḍa-mahimā aneka
- ethā indra kaila govindera abhiṣeka
"Govinda-kuṇḍa is exalted for its many spiritual activities. It was here that Indra, defeated by Lord Govinda, offered prayers to Him and bathed Him."
"Simply by bathing in Govinda-kuṇḍa, one is awarded liberation. This lake was produced when Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa was bathed by Lord Indra."
Gāṅṭhuli-grāma is situated near the two villages Bilachu and Gopāla-pura. According to hearsay, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa first met here. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), it is stated, sakhī duṅha vastre gāṅṭhi dila saṅgopane: "The two concealed Themselves by tying Their outer garments together." It is also stated, phāguyā laiyā keha gāṅṭhi khuli' dilā: "With a phāguyā They undid the knot." For this reason the village is known as Gāṅṭhuli.
When the two brothers Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, they decided to live there. Following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's example, they did not climb the hill because they considered it nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On some pretext, the Gopāla Deity granted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu an audience beneath the hill, and Gopāla similarly favored Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. During his ripe old age, when Rūpa Gosvāmī could not go to Govardhana Hill because of invalidity, Gopāla kindly went to Mathurā and remained at the house of Viṭhṭhaleśvara for one month. It was then that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could see Gopāla's beauty to his heart's content.
The following description concerning Viṭhṭhaleśvara is given in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave).
Laghu Haridāsa should not be confused with Junior Haridāsa, who committed suicide at Prayāga. Generally a devotee is called Haridāsa, and consequently there are many Haridāsas. The chief was Ṭhākura Haridāsa. There was also a Madhyama Haridāsa.
In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Sixth Wave), there is a list of many of the chief devotees who accompanied Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
Kāmyavana is mentioned in the Ādi-varāha Purāṇa:
- caturthaṁ kāmyaka-vanaṁ vanānāṁ vanam uttamam
- tatra gatvā naro devi mama loke mahīyate
Lord Śiva said, "The best of all forests is the fourth of these, named Kāmyaka. O goddess Devī, any person who goes there is eligible to enjoy the glories of my abode."
In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave) it is also said:
- ei kāmyavane kṛṣṇa-līlā manohara
- karibe darśana sthāna kuṇḍa bahutara
- kāmyavane yata tīrtha lekhā nāhi tāra
"In this Kāmyavana, Kṛṣṇa performed enchanting pastimes. Here you will be able to take darśana of many ponds and other transcendental spots. I cannot even describe in writing all the sacred tīrthas found at Kāmyavana."
Every day the Lord chanted and danced in ecstatic love. Finally He went to Khadiravana.
Khadiravana is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
- dekhaha khadira-vana vidita jagate
- viṣṇu-loka-prāpti ethā gamana-mātrete
"Behold the forest named Khadiravana, renowned throughout the universe. If one comes to Khadiravana, he can immediately be elevated to Viṣṇuloka."
In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is said that Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma used to play at Khelā-tīrtha with the cowherd boys during the entire day. Mother Yaśodā had to call Them to take Their baths and eat Their lunch.
Of Śrīvana (also called Bilvavana), the Bhakti-ratnākara states, devatā-pūjita bilvavana śobhāmaya: "The beautiful forest of Bilvavana is worshiped by all the demigods."
About Lohavana, the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave) states:
- lohavane kṛṣṇera adbhuta go-cāraṇa
- ethā loha-jaṅghāsure vadhe bhagavān
"At Lohavana, Lord Kṛṣṇa used to tend cows. The demon named Lohajaṅgha was killed at this place."
Mahāvana is described as follows in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
- dekha nanda-yaśodā-ālaya mahāvane
- ei dekha śrī-kṛṣṇa-candrera janma sthala
- śrī-gokula, mahāvana—dui "eka" haya
"Behold the house of Nanda and Yaśodā in Mahāvana. See the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mahāvana and the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Gokula, are one and the same."
Seeing a great crowd assemble at Mathurā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left and went to Akrūra-tīrtha. He remained there in a solitary place.
Akrūra-tīrtha is also mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
- dekha, śrīnivāsa, ei akrūra grāmete
- śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu chilena nibhṛte
"Śrīnivāsa, look at this village of Akrūra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed there in a solitary place."
The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Vṛndāvana and took His bath at Kālīya Lake and Praskandana.
Kālīya-hrada is mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
- e kālīya-tīrtha pāpa vināśaya
- kālīya-tīrtha-sthāne bahu-kārya-siddhi haya
"When one takes a bath in Kālīya-hrada, he is freed from all sinful reactions. One can also be successful in business by bathing in Kālīya-hrada."
CC Antya-lila
The Bhakti-ratnākara refers to the following books by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī: (1) the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, (2) the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa and his commentary known as Dig-darśinī, (3) the Līlā-stava and (4) the commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam known as Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī. Sanātana Gosvāmī compiled many, many books, all with the aim of describing how to serve the principal Deities of Vṛndāvana—Govinda and Madana-gopāla. Later, other Deities were gradually established, and the importance of Vṛndāvana increased.
Referring to the words lakṣa-grantha ("100,000 verses"), Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that the total number of verses written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is 100,000 (eka-lakṣa or lakṣa-grantha). The copyists count both the verses and the prose sections of the Sanskrit works. One should not mistakenly think that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled 100,000 books. He actually wrote sixteen books, as mentioned in the First Wave of the Bhakti-ratnākara (śrī-rūpa-gosvāmī grantha ṣoḍaśa karila).
At Puruṣottama-kṣetra, or Jagannātha Purī, there is a temple of Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha. If one goes from there to the sea, he can discover the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura still existing. Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdaśī there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. At the same place, Deities of Nityānanda Prabhu, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago. A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrāpāḍā, in the province of Orissa, contributed funds to establish these Deities in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha gosvāmīs.
This temple was later sold to someone else, and this party is now maintaining the sevā-pūjā of the temple. Near this temple and the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura constructed a small house called the Bhakti-kuṭī. In the Bengali year 1329 (A.D. 1922), the Puruṣottama-maṭha, a branch of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, was established there. In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is stated:
- śrīnivāsa śīghra samudrera kūle gelā
- haridāsa-ṭhākurera samādhi dekhilā
- bhūmite paḍiyā kailā praṇati vistara
- bhāgavata-gaṇa śrī-samādhi-sannidhāne
- śrīnivāse sthira kailā sasneha-vacane
- punaḥ śrīnivāsa śrī-samādhi praṇamiyā
- ye vilāpa kailā, tā śunile drave hiyā
“Śrīnivāsa Ṭhākura quickly ran to the seashore. When he saw the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he immediately fell down offering prayers and almost fainted. The devotees present there pacified him with very sweet and affectionate words, and Śrīnivāsa again offered his obeisances to the tomb. Hearing of the separation that Śrīnivāsa expressed in his lamentation at the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura makes one's heart melt.”
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Correspondence
1972 Correspondence
I am pleased to hear that the song books and tapes of Lalita Prasad Thakura are in New York for being edited and distributed. To answer your questions, the Deities in London, New York, etc. are not mentioned in TLC, the Deities mentioned there were before these Deities were installed. In Caitanya Caritamrta there is mentioned that all over the world there are to be found many Deities. They may be covered by flood, devastation, and so on. Svayam Prakasa refers to Baladeva. So far the songs of Jayadeva are concerned, there is one, Srita Kamala. Yes, if you want to translate the Bhakti-Ratnakara. When I go to New York in a few days, namely on June 2nd, I shall be very glad to peruse the tapes and writings you have sent there.
| Page Title: | Bhakti-ratnakara |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 25 of Aug, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=33, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 35 |