Disappearance Day of Sri Raghunandana Thakura
Disappearance Day of Sri Vamsidasa Babaji
Disappearance Day
All day
What is the Disappearance Day of Sri Raghunandana Thakura?
Sri Raghunandana Thakura of Srikhanda, in Bengal, left this world and entered the Lord's eternal pastimes on this day. In 2027 the day falls on Thursday, 5 August at Kurukshetra, the same day as the disappearance of Sri Vamsidasa Babaji.
Significance
The Caitanya-caritamrta lists Raghunandana among the branches of the Caitanya tree who gave out the fruits of love of Godhead everywhere. Raghunandana was the son of Srila Mukunda Dasa, the royal physician of Srikhanda. Yet Mukunda Dasa told Mahaprabhu that Raghunandana was really his father, since devotion to Krishna had come to him through his son. The Lord replied:
“Yes, it is correct. One who awakens devotion to Kṛṣṇa is certainly the spiritual master.”
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 15.117
As a boy, Raghunandana offered laddus to the family Deity, Gopinatha, and Gaudiya history records that the Lord ate from his hand. Devotees still go to Srikhanda to see the half-eaten laddu in Gopinatha's hand.
How to observe it
Cook for Krishna as Raghunandana did, with the simple faith of a child who asks the Lord to eat and trusts that He will. Read the conversation between Mahaprabhu and Mukunda Dasa in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, chapter 15. The Bhakti-ratnakara records that on the fourth day of the waxing moon in Shravana, Raghunandana slowly became hidden from mortal eyes while repeating the names of Sri Krishna Caitanya. Chant those names today.
Questions
When is Raghunandana Thakura's disappearance day in 2027?
Sri Raghunandana Thakura's disappearance day falls on Thursday, 5 August 2027 at Kurukshetra. Gaudiya history places it on the fourth day of the waxing moon in Shravana.
Who was Raghunandana Thakura?
He was a devotee of Srikhanda in Bengal who served the Deity Gopinatha and is counted among the branches of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's tree. Srila Prabhupada notes that his descendants still live in Srikhanda, four miles west of Katwa.
What is the half-eaten laddu pastime of Raghunandana?
When the boy Raghunandana offered a laddu to the family Deity Gopinatha and told Him to eat, Gopinatha ate half of it, and Mukunda Dasa (Raghunandana's father), watching from the doorway, saw the other half still in the Deity's hand.
What did Mahaprabhu say about Raghunandana and Mukunda Dasa?
Mahaprabhu agreed that one who awakens devotion to Krishna is certainly the spiritual master (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 15.117). He said this when Mukunda Dasa called his own son, Raghunandana, his father in devotion.
Reviewed by ISKCON Kurukshetra · Updated
Key facts
- Date
- Thursday, 5 August 2027
- Also on this day
- Disappearance Day of Sri Vamsidasa Babaji
- Village
- Srikhanda, near Katwa
- Deity served
- Sri Gopinatha, the family Deity, and a Deity of Lord Caitanya (Cc Adi 10.78-79, purport)
- Mentioned in
- Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.78-79
Seva for this day
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