SRI BHAGAVATA ACARYA

Sri Raghunatha Bhattacarya resided at Barahanagar. When Mahaprabhu was journeying to Nilacala after taking sannyasa, He came to Barahanagar after passing through Kumar Hatta and Panihati.

"Then Mahaprabhu came to Barahanagar, to the house of one brahmana who had attained the limits of good fortune. This brahmana was very learned in Srimad-Bhagavatam and upon seeing Mahaprabhu he began to recite various slokas. When Mahaprabhu heard these slokas, describing the excellence of the path of devotion (Bhakti yoga) He (Gauranga-Narayana) became overwhelmed with ecstatic love, saying again and again, 'Speak on, speak on.' Thus Sri Gauranga Raya began to roar very loudly." [C.B. Ant. 5.110]

Prabhu told him, "I never heard anyone recite the Bhagavata like this before.

Therefore your name should be Bhagavatacarya, and this should be your only activity - to recite the Bhagavata." Hearing this blessing bestowed by the Lord, Raghunatha was very pleased and as he prepared to offer his obeisances to the Lord, Mahaprabhu caught hold on him and embraced him very firmly. Mahaprabhu spent the night there in great happiness.

In Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini, Bhagavatacarya has introduced himself as the disciple of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. "Pandita Gosai's (Sri Gadadhara Pandita) glories are sung throughout the three worlds. He has so mercifully descended on this mortal soil to deliver numberless wicked souls. He is the pleasure potency of the Hero of Vaikuntha, Sri Krsna Caitanya, and is thus non-different from Him. He is my most worshipable Lord, my Gurudeva, and His lotus feet are the shelter of my body, words and mind." ('Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini')

Sri Bhagavatacarya had just began to compose 'Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini', when he first met Sri Gaurasundara, thus throughout this work, in many places, extremely beautiful descriptions of Mahaprabhu can be found. Just north of Calcutta on the banks of the Ganga within Mali para palli, of Barahanagar, can be found Sri Bhagavatacarya's Sripat. Handwritten copies of his compositons are still kept very carefully there, as well as many manuscripts of other Vaisnava writers. In fact there is an entire museum containing many of the personal effects of the Pancatattva and Their associates. This place, now known as Pat Bari, is managed by the followers of Rama dasa Babaji. It can easily be reached by bus from Shyam bazaar.

Mahaprabhu first visited Sri Bhagavatacarya on the 12th day of the dark fortnight of Caitra. "All glories to the source of the total manifestations of Brahman, Sri Krsna, who has variagated pastimes. All glories to Lord Jagannatha, the incarnation of Nilacala and all glories to Sri Gauranga the form of consiousness (Caitanya). Listen carefully about the incarnation of Kaliyuga, who inaugurated the yuga dharma of sankirtana, with every step and every word, saying, 'Krsna, Krsna, Krsna.' Know that this name of Krsna who is not Krsna (blackish), but whose complexion is like molten gold, is Gauranga and His appearance is a known fact predicted by the scriptures. With His associates who are His various limbs and weapons, He enjoys the ecstasy of sankirtan as Lord Gauranga. All glories to Gauracandra, whose sports are fully imbued with consiousness. He is the life and soul of the devotees, and He Himself is an incarnation of His devotee. In the company of Sri Advaita, Srinivasa and Hari dasa, and with Nityananda by his side, he enjoys the pastimes of sankirtan. The Lord of the life of Gadadhara, the Lord of His eternal associates, the assembled devotees, the master of the world in the form of His own devotee." [Sri Krsna-prema-tarangini]