Devotees Vaishnavas: Ärî RAGHUnândana Ùhâkura

viernes, 18 de junio de 2010

Ärî RAGHUnândana Ùhâkura

1) "Ärî Khandavasi Mukunda and his son Raghunândana were the thirty-ninth branch of the all-merciful tree of Lord Caitanya. Ärî Mukunda dâsa, Madhava dâsa and Ärî Narahari Sarakara Ùhâkura were three brothers who lived in the village of Khanda. Raghunândana was the son of Ärî Mukunda dâsa." (C.C. Madhya 15.112-113)

"In the house of Ärî Mukunda Das, who lives at Ärî Khanda, Lord Ärî Gopinath is served with great devotion. One day Mukunda was called out to do some work, and then he instructed his son Raghunandan to worship the deity and asked him to serve the Lord Gopinath that day. He explained to him that this deity is in our family for many generations and thus He has been worshipped by my father and his father and his father on and on, in this way for many years. Just as your mother feeds you and I everyday, so also He has to be fed everyday. Having explained to Raghunandan that this is a very big responsibility and he should be very careful to give his full attention to this service, Mukunda went out. Raghunandan meanwhile having been instructed by his father, collected the items for offering to Ärî Gopinathji and entered into the deity room. Raghunandan was at that time barely 5 years old and therefore, when he saw that Gopinath hadn't eaten the offering after he had imitated how his father offered the bhoga, he became very worried. Ultimately he simply requested Gopinath with tears in his eyes: "Please eat! Eat!" Gopinath became completely subjected by Raghunandan's simple request, which was made entirely in love, and thus he stealthily ate up everything without leaving any remnants.

After some time Raghunandan's father, Mukunda, returned and asked his son if he had done as he was told. When his son replied "Yes", then Mukunda asked him to bring some of the prasadam. Raghunandan replied, "Prasadam? I offered everything just like you told me, and Gopinath ate everything; so what should I bring you now?" Mukunda was completely taken aback. "This boy is not naughty and is always accustomed to speak the truth. I doubt if he could have eaten everything. I wonder what actually happened?"

"Musing on this matter in this way for some time, on another day his curiosity was so stirred that he again requested Raghunandan to offer the bhoga to Gopinath on that day. On this day however, having gone out of the house, he again came in by another way and remained hiding in one place. Raghunandan was very happy to be able to serve Ärî Gopinathji again and brought everything into the deity room. As before, he again very insistently persuaded Gopinath to take his meal. As Gopinath had eaten half of a laddu, he espied Mukunda peering out from his hiding spot. He didn't try to cover up the fact that he had eaten what he had, but neither did he eat anymore. Seeing all this Mukunda was completely immersed in ecstatic love and picked up his son and put him on his lap. He extolled his virtues in a voice trembling with ecstasy, all the while torrents of tears of joy falling from his eyes. Even today, those who are greatly fortunate can still see that half-eaten laddu in Gopinatha's lotus hand. Thus Ärî Uddhava das sings the glories of Raghunandan, who is nondifferent from Madan (Cupid)."

raghunândana seva kare krsnera mandire

dvare puskarini, tara ghatera upare

kadambera eka vrkse phute bara-mase

nitya dui phula haya Kèëòa-avatamse

"Raghunândana is constantly engaged in serving the temple of Lord Kèëòa. Beside the entrance of the temple is a lake, and on its banks is a kadamba tree, which daily delivers two flowers to be used for Kèëòa's service." (C.c. Madhya 15.128-129)

Raghunandan was present at the Khetori Utsava. In Kèëòa lila he was Kandarpa Manjari & in Dwaraka lila he was Ärî Kèëòa's son Kandarpa. Raghunandan's son is Kanai Thakur. His descendents are still residing four miles west of Katwa at Ärî Khanda. Ärî Khanda can be easily reached from Katwa by bus or train.

He was born in the year 1432 Sakabda.

2) In Ärîkhanda lived three brothers, Ärî Mukunda dâsa, Ärî Madhava dâsa and Ärî Narahari Sarkara Ùhâkura. The son of Ärî Mukunda dâsa Ùhâkura was Ärî Raghunândana Ùhâkura. Although Ärî Mukunda was the royal physician, he was always absorbed in ecstatic love for Lord Kèëòa.

One day in the midst of the royal court Mukunda dâsa saw the King's peacock-feather fan and fainted due to remembrance of Ärî Kèëòa. When the Badshah questioned him about his behavior, Mukunda tried to conceal his actual condition by stating that he had fallen due to epilepsy. The emperor, however, understood his exalted devotional state and respectfully had him escorted home.

Every year these three brothers came to take darsana of Ärî Caitanya Mahâprabhu's lotus feet and to perform kirtana during the Ratha-yatra festival in Purî. Once Mahâprabhu affectionately addressed Mukunda, "Mukunda, between you and Raghunândana, who is the father and who is the son?" Ärî Mukunda replied, "Raghunândana is my father! The actual father is he from whom we receive Kèëòa bhakti." The Lord said, "You are right." Then Caitanya Mahâprabhu ordered Ärî Raghunândana to worship the Deity daily.

In his childhood Raghunândana once fed the Deity sweets. This pastime has been beautifully described by Uddhava dâsa in his padas. The theme of the song is that by Raghunândana's earnest prayer, Ärî Kèëòa personally appeared and ate half of the sweet offered. The other half of that sweet is still in Ärîkhanda temple.

The festival held by Narottama Ùhâkura and Ärînivâsa Âcârya in Kheturi was attended by Ärî Raghunândana, who performed kirtana there. Once Ärî Abhirama Gopala Ùhâkura and Ärî Raghunândana Ùhâkura were performing kirtana and dancing at Badadangi. While dancing, Ärî Raghunândana Ùhâkura's anklet came off and fell into a pond at Akai-hati, which is located approximately 2/3 miles from Badadangi. Since then the pond has been known as "Nupura kunda". At present the anklet is in the custody of the Mahantas of Badui village, south of Akai-hati.

Ärî Raghunândana was Kandarpa manjari in Kèëòa lila and in Dvaraka lila was Kandarpa, the son of Ärî Kèëòa.

The descendants of Ärî Kanai Ùhâkura, the son of Ärî Raghunândana are still in Ärîkhanda. Ärî Pancanan Kaviraja of Ärîkhanda was born in this family. Ärî Raghunândana was born in the Saka era of 1432. (GGD. 70; CC. 1.10.78; BRK. 13.177-179, 184)