Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His principles through four chief followers. Among them, Rāmānanda Rāya is exceptional, for through him the Lord taught how a devotee can completely vanquish the power of Cupid. By Cupid’s power, as soon as one sees a beautiful woman he is conquered by her beauty. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, however, vanquished Cupid’s pride. Indeed, while rehearsing the Jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka he personally directed extremely beautiful young girls in dancing, but he was never affected by their youthful beauty. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya personally bathed these girls, touching them and washing them with his own hands, yet he remained calm and passionless, as a great devotee should be. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu certified that this was possible only for Rāmānanda Rāya. Similarly, Dāmodara Paṇḍita was notable for his objectivity as a critic. He did not even spare Caitanya Mahāprabhu from his criticism. This also cannot be imitated by anyone else. Haridāsa Ṭhākura is exceptional for his forbearance because although he was beaten with canes in twenty-two marketplaces, nevertheless he was tolerant. Similarly, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he belonged to a most respectable brāhmaṇa family, was exceptional for his humility and meekness.
In Jagannātha Purī Lord Caitanya lived at the house of Kāśī Miśra, who was the priest of the king. Later this house was inherited by Vakreśvara Paṇḍita and then by his disciple Gopālaguru Gosvāmī, who established there a Deity of Rādhākānta. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (193) states that Kāśī Miśra was formerly Kubjā in Mathurā.. Pradyumna Miśra, an inhabitant of Orissa, was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Pradyumna Miśra was born of a brāhmaṇa family and Rāmānanda Rāya of a non-brāhmaṇa family, yet Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Pradyumna Miśra to take instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya. This incident is described in the Antya-līlā, Chapter Five.
Bhavānanda Rāya was the father of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. His residence was in Ālālanātha (Brahmagiri), which is about twelve miles west of Jagannātha Purī. By caste he belonged to the karaṇa community of Orissa, whose members were sometimes known as kāyasthas and sometimes as śūdras, but he was the governor of Madras under the control of King Pratāparudra of Jagannātha Purī.
rāmānanda rāya—of the name Rāmānanda Rāya; paṭṭanāyaka gopīnātha—of the name Paṭṭanāyaka Gopīnātha; kalānidhi—of the name Kalānidhi; sudhānidhi—of the name Sudhānidhi; nāyaka vāṇīnātha—of the name Nāyaka Vāṇīnātha.
The five sons of Bhavānanda Rāya were Rāmānanda Rāya, Paṭṭanāyaka Gopīnātha, Kalānidhi, Sudhānidhi and Nāyaka Vāṇīnātha. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.133
ei—these; pañca—five; putra—sons; tomāra—your; mora—Mine; priya-pātra—very dear; rāmānanda saha—with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; mora—Mine; deha-bheda—bodily difference; mātra—only.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Bhavānanda Rāya, “Your five sons are all My dear devotees. Rāmānanda Rāya and I are one, although our bodies are different.”
Pratāparudra Mahārāja, who belonged to the dynasty of the Gaṅgā kings and whose capital was in Cuttak, was the Emperor of Orissa and a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It was by the arrangement of Rāmānanda Rāya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that he was able to serve Lord Caitanya. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (118) it is said that King Indradyumna, who established the temple of Jagannātha thousands of years ago, later took birth again in his own family as Mahārāja Pratāparudra during the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mahārāja Pratāparudra was as powerful as King Indra. The drama named Caitanya-candrodaya was written under his directio.
In the Antya-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chapter Two, verses 104-106, there is a description of Mādhavīdevī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered her one of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Within this world, Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees. The three were Svarūpa Gosāñi, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Śikhi Māhiti, and Śikhi Māhiti’s sister, Mādhavīdevī, being a woman, was considered the half. Thus it is known that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half confidential devotees.
āsvādena rāmānanda-svarūpa-sahita
vidyāpati—the author of the name Vidyāpati; jayadeva—of the name Jayadeva; caṇḍīdāsera—of the name Caṇḍīdāsa; gīta—their songs; āsvādena—tastes; rāmānanda—of the name Rāmānanda; svarūpa—of the name Svarūpa; sahita—along with.
The Lord used to read the books of Vidyāpati, Jayadeva and Caṇḍīdāsa, relishing their songs with His confidential associates like Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this connection that such feelings of separation as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed from the books of Vidyāpati, Caṇḍīdāsa and Jayadeva are especially reserved for persons like Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara, who were paramahaṁsas, men of the topmost perfection, because of their advanced spiritual consciousness. Such topics are not to be discussed by ordinary persons imitating the activities of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. For critical students of mundane poetry and literary men without God consciousness who are after bodily sense gratification, there is no need to read such a high standard of transcendental literature. Persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate rāgānuga devotional service. In their songs, Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati and Jayadeva have described the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mundane reviewers of the songs of Vidyāpati, Jayadeva and Caṇḍīdāsa simply help people in general become debauchees, and this leads only to social scandals and atheism in the world. One should not misunderstand the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa to be the activities of a mundane young boy and girl. The mundane sexual activities of young boys and girls are most abominable. Therefore, those who are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 13: The Advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Adi 13.42
paṇḍita-gosāñi—Gadādhara Paṇḍita; ādi—headed by; yāṅra—whose; yei—whatever; rasa—transcendental mellow; sei sei—that respective; rase—by the mellow; prabhu—the Lord; hana—is; tāṅra—his; vaśa—under control.
Personal associates like Gadādhara, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāmānanda Rāya, and the six Gosvāmīs (headed by Rūpa Gosvāmī) are all situated in their respective transcendental humors. Thus the Lord submits to various positions in various transcendental mellows.
rāja-ājñā—the permission of the King, Pratāparudra; lañā—getting; teṅho—Rāmānanda Rāya; āilā—returned; kata dine—in some days; rātri-dine—day and night; kṛṣṇa-kathā—talks of Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes; rāmānanda-sane—in the company of Rāmānanda Rāya.
Upon the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya took leave of the King and returned to Jagannātha Purī. After he arrived, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much enjoyed talking with him both day and night about Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 1: The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 1.128
pamho agtACBSP
SRI RAMANANDA RAYA DISAPPEARANCE DAY KI JAI
Thank you for posting this article,this is pure selfless unmotivated devotional service and unless we get this transcendental position we will fell victim again by maya sukaya through her unlimited different forms from the highest to the lowest planet.
Everyone is struggling since time immemorial to get free from the fake reflection of the reality called illusion, it’s not easy at all to control the mind while bathing young teens girls naked for the spiritual pleasure of the supreme lord i mean SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU used HIS external energy to bless SRI RAMANADA RAYA through complete yukta vairagya, HE could use it also to destroy SRI RAMANANDA RAYA but because of HIS pure bhakti yoga toward SRI GAURANGA MAHAPRABHU SRI RAMANADA RAYA got more blessed by using maya sukaya for serving his all attractive lord.
This is another proof that one must fly high in the paravyoma otherwise one get catched in the net of maya sukaya flickring pleasure through temporary and false sarvopadhi designations, like SRI SUDAMA VIPRA he also got blessed by the lord for using everything in the service of SRI KRSNA actually this is the only way to not get trapped more then we are by following the perfect example of the eternal associate of SRI KRSNA.
Of course we are still very far away from this transcendental platform in the devotional service because it take many lives before one get situated beyond yesam tv anta gatam papam jananam punya karmanan and it’s very difficulty to make spiritual progress until the attraction for maya sukaya will remain there but the order of SRI SRI GURU GAURANGA is so powerful that immediately a genuine devotee get blessed just by hearing this wonderful pastime of SRI GAURANGA MAHAPRABHU and SRI RAMANANDA RAYA that blessing is that we lose attraction for the flickring pleasure because the material enjoyment it’s a very insignificant pleasure that the lord use to punish those unfortunate living entities who refuse to serve HIM by getting unlimited troubles and obstacles to overcome until one understand that the only way is saranagati complete surrender to the lotus feet of SRI SRI GURU GAURANGA like all the mahajana and nitya siddha show us through their divine eternal relationship with the absolute lord.
This is real sadhu sanga through the real guru tattva.
agtSP
ys haribol
Antya 5.80.
Although Rāmānanda Rāya was a householder, he was not under the control of the six kinds of bodily change. Although apparently a pounds-and-shillings man, he advised even persons in the renounced order.
Purport
“Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya externally appeared to be a gṛhastha who was under the influence of the external, material energy, not a self-controlled brahmacārī, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Gṛhasthas (householders) who are under the influence of the external energy accept householder life for the purpose of sense enjoyment, but a transcendentally situated Vaiṣṇava is not subjected to the influence of the senses by the Lord’s material rule of the six kinds of bodily change (kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and mātsarya), even when he plays the part of a gṛhastha. Thus although Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya acted as a gṛhastha and was accepted as an ordinary pounds-and-shillings man, he was always absorbed in the transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore his mind was spiritually situated, and he was interested only in the subject of Kṛṣṇa. … ”
Antya 5.84.
To vanquish the false pride of so-called renunciants and learned scholars, He spreads real religious principles, even through a śūdra, or lowborn fourth-class man.
Purport
“…Generally brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs are very proud of their spiritual positions. Therefore, to cut down their false pride, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness through Rāmānanda Rāya, who was neither a member of the renounced order nor a born brāhmaṇa. indeed, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha belonging to the śūdra class, yet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arranged for him to be the master who taught Pradyumna Miśra, a highly qualified brāhmaṇa born in a brāhmaṇa family. Even Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, although belonging to the renounced order, took instruction from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His opulence through Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. That is the special significance of this incident. …”
pamho agtACBSP,SRI RAMANANDA RAYA DISAPPERANCE DAY KI JAI, thank you to all the gaura bhakti vrinda to make more easy to remember this special day of a such exalted vaisnava as SRI RAMANANDA RAYA even if HE born in a sudra family HE was a maha bhagavata devotee by the causeless mercy of SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU the most merciful avatara we are lucky to be citizens of this small golden age of SRI HARINAM CINTAMANI as the first kali yuga and appearance age of SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU therefore there is more mercy to get SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU as the best friend because HE don’t look the external position of the fallen souls but the heart therefore SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU said naha vipro na ca nara pati na vaisyo na sudra nahan varni na ca griha pati vanasto gatir va kintu …. gopi bartur pada kamalayor dasa dasa anudasa I’M the servant of the servant of the servant of the GOPIS because in kali yuga the varnasrama dharma is degraded actually they destroyed the culture of the veda because everywhere in india nowadays even in SRI RADHA KUNDA GOVARDAN they sell alcolhol prostitutes and guns drugs dealers etc.. the smarta brahmana did mental speculation on the relationship between SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU and SRI RAMANANDA RAYA therefore SCM hide HIS transcendental sentiments when met SRI RAMANANDA RAYA,HE was transcendentally advanced therefore the proof for MAHA MAYA was also strong I mean not everyone can touch naked young girls without be disturbed that’s was the proof that SRI RAMANANDA RAYA is a real devotee, once SRI KRSNA told to BHISMADEVA in the KURUKSETRA battlefield so you been brahmacari all life long and BHISMADEVA told to SRI KRSNA YOU are the real brahmacari because although YOU are always enjoy the company of young girls YOU are never disturbed by remaning always brahmacari because SRI KRSNA is in HIS original position as the SUPREME ENJOYER ETERNALLY because HE is the supreme male agtSP ys haribol