SRI PURI DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

(13) Reunion With Ramananda Ray and His Character

When Mahaprabhu said that He would go to South India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya told Him, ‘There is another devotee like You living on the bank of the Godavari. His name is Ramananda Ray. When You go there, You should meet with him.’

Then, Mahaprabhu went to South India and there He met Ramananda Ray. They spoke a lot. In the end, Mahaprabhu told him, ‘When I go to Puri, you must come there, too. I do not want to stay without you.’

sri-krsna-chaitanya prabhu jive daya kari’
svaparsada sviya dhama saha avatari

‘Bestowing His mercy on jiva souls, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descends with His associates and abode.’

(Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

Absorbed in the divine mood of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna became Gaura. Who are Radharani’s closest assistants in Dvapar-yuga? Lalita and Visakha. In Kali-yuga, Lalita became Svarup Damodar, and Visakha appeared as Ramananda Ray. Both stayed together with Mahaprabhu.

Ramananda Ray was the king’s minister. When Mahaprabhu told him to come to Puri, he came to King Prataparudra and informed him that he wanted to leave his post and come to stay with Mahaprabhu in Puri. The king encouraged him, ‘Yes, go! Of course, you must go! Serve Him well, and for as long as you are alive, I will pay you your full salary. Serve Mahaprabhu, you do not have to do any work here.’ In this way, taking the king’s permission, Ramananda Ray came to Puri and settled near the temple of Lord Jagannath.

Next to his house there was a garden. The garlands, flowers and Tulasi for Lord Jagannath all come from that garden, that is why the garden became known as ‘Jagannath-udyan’ (Lord Jagannath’s garden).

One time, a brahman called Pradyumna Misra came to Mahaprabhu and asked Him,

‘Prabhu, can You tell me something about Krishna?’

‘I do not know about Krishna,’ Mahaprabhu replied. ‘But if you want to hear about Krishna, you should go to Ramananda Ray. He knows everything.’

So, Pradyumna Misra went to Ramananda Ray’s house. When he came, he asked somebody, ‘Where is Ramananda Ray Prabhu?’

‘He is a little busy now,’ the servant replied. Then, Pradyumna Misra saw that Ramananda Ray was in the garden, teaching thirteen–fourteen-year-old girls who serve Lord Jagannath – he dressed them with his own hand, he put garlands on them with his own hand, and he taught them how to dance and sing for Lord Jagannath. Pradyumna Misra did not like what he saw. He became disturbed, thinking, ‘This sadhu is touching young girls, dressing them, and so on – what is this?’ He decided not to wait and went back to Mahaprabhu.

‘What has happened?’ Mahaprabhu asked him, seeing the disturbed look on his face. ‘Have you heard Krishna-katha?’

‘I did not like what I saw there,’ Pradyumna Misra replied.

Mahaprabhu understood his mind.

‘Listen,’ He said to him, ‘although I am a sannyasi, when I see some girls’ pictures, even My mind can change, but Ramananda Ray can touch their bodies with his hands and it does not produce any change in his mind! Do you think that he is an ordinary man? When he does all that, he becomes a gopi – he has no male ego. In this world, there is only one Ramananda Ray; there is no second man like him. Go to him again.’

The next day, Pradyumna Misra came to Ramananda Ray’s house again. Ramananda Ray came out to him and said, ‘Prabhu, please forgive my offence. You came to see me yesterday, but I was busy, I could not give you my time, so you left. Did you want to ask me something? Do you have any questions to me?’

Then, Pradyumna Misra requested him to speak about Krishna, and Mahaprabhu spoke through Ramananda Ray’s mouth – he started speaking in the afternoon and continued the whole day and night. Even when evening came and both were served prasad, they forgot all about it. They continued talking the whole night. When the morning came and the sun rose, Pradyumna Misra said, ‘Prabhu, a lot of time has passed. I should go now.’

Pradyumna Misra came to Mahaprabhu and said, ‘Prabhu, You sent me to the right person! Truly, he knows about Krishna!’

This is how Ramananda Ray spoke about Krishna. Both he and Svarup Damodar were always next to Mahaprabhu. The whole day, incessantly, they spoke about Krishna, all the time. Who can you speak about Krishna except to a very close and dear person? Unless you are next to a person who is very dear to you, it is impossible to speak about Krishna to just anybody.

Guru Maharaj also said, ‘When Mahaprabhu left, the devotees in the whole world, especially Puri Dham, became extremely distressed. At that time, many of them left their bodies, and Svarup Damodar also left after Mahaprabhu, but Ramananda Ray stayed. He managed the whole situation and gave full nourishment to the devotees. Owing to him, everything again became peaceful in Puri Dham. We do not know if Mahaprabhu had ordered it to him or not, but we see that if Ramananda Ray had not been there, the whole situation would have been very painful and pitiful.’

Jay Sri Ray Ramananda Prabhu ki jay.

At the house of Sri Ramananda Ray.

His Divine Grace talking about the glories of Sri Ramananda Ray in the garden behind the house.

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