Lines On Stone Date: 2007-07-01 Author: Sudarshana devi dasi Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev. Today I was reading Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila, Chapter 6 titled, The meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raghunatha dasa Goswami. By the grace of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, the nectarean narration of the above meeting just brings the whole scene of Panihati celebrations in front of us. Even in this material world we feel so happy to go out for excursion with friends and eat together. This habit is just a perverted reflection of the transcendental bliss experienced when Lord Krishna along with His community of cow-herd associates enjoy together, eating prasad by the sandy bank of River Yamuna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arranged for this whole pastime in order to meet His dear associate Raghunatha das Goswami. The life of Raghunatha das Goswami is exemplary one. Though born in an aristocratic family and possessing a beautiful wife, he was eager to serve the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu always. When he first expressed his desire to renounce worldly pleasures, Mahaprabhu advise him not to take hasty decisions, but to practise renunciation internally and later by Krishna's mercy he would be completely freed from the clutches of family life. He abided by Mahaprabhu's words and few years later by causeless mercy of Krishna, he was able to free himself from family ties. He walked all the way from his hometown to Jagannath Puri, for 12 days, to meet Caitanya Mahaprabhu. On the way he took very little food and that too only for 3 days. After hearing Mahaprabhu's instruction to take to renounced order of life, he used to spend all time chanting the names of Lord Hari and take prasad either by begging alms at night or by honouring the rotten prasad that was thrown away for the cows to eat. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami very nicely glorifies the renunciation of Raghunatha das Goswami in the following verses (6.309 and 310 of Antya Lila) 6.309 ananta guṇa raghunāthera ke karibe lekhā? raghunāthera niyama, — yena pāṣāṇera rekhā Who could list the unlimited transcendental attributes of Raghunatha dasa? His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines on a stone. 6.310 sāḍe sāta prahara yāya kīrtana-smaraṇe āhāra-nidrā cāri daṇḍa seha nahe kona dine Raghunatha dasa spent more than twenty-two hours out of every twenty-four chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord. He ate and slept for less than an hour and a half, and on some days that also was impossible. In his thought provoking purport to the last verse in this chapter, Srila Prabhupada says, "The principle of very rigidly carrying out the order of the spiritual master must be observed. The spiritual master gives different orders to different people. For example, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Jiva Goswami, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami to preach, and He ordered Raghunatha dasa Goswami to strictly follow the rules and regulations of the renounced order. All six Goswamis strictly followed the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the principle for progress in devotional service. After receiving an order from the spiritual master, one must strictly try to execute the order. That is the way of success." The words "paashanera rekha" specified in verse 6.309 means lines on stone - which will remain forever. Raghunath dasa Goswami, daily spent 22 hours chanting the holynames of the Lord, thus strictly abiding by the instructions of his spiritual master. Our spiritual master has instructed us to attentively chant at least for 2 hours a day and to regularly study Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Introspecting my inattentive way of chanting, and irregular reading habits, I realise how my promise to spiritual master and Krishna are like lines on water. I pray at the lotus feet of Gurudev and all devotees of Lord, that I strictly abide by the instructions of my spiritual master. Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev, Sudarshana devi dasi..