Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī

[October 14, 2024 is the disappearance day of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, in Vṛndāvana, India. The following is an excerpt of a bhāva anuvāda of the kathā given by Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja on the October 5, 2014 and October 24, 2015. Editors’ input: Additional text has been included in square brackets to facilitate the flow of content.]

THE SPECIALTY OF ŚRĪLA KṚṢṆADĀSA KAVIRĀJA GOSVĀMĪ

Jhāmaṭapura [In Katwā District] is the place [of birth and parental home] of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī did not mention the name of his parents nor of his [dīkṣā] guru anywhere [in his writings]. Yet, he repeatedly cited the names of his śikṣā gurus, at the beginning and/or conclusion of each chapter. That is his specialty:

ei chaya guru — śikṣā-guru ye āmāra tāṅ’-sabāra pāda-padme koṭi namaskāra

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 1.37)

[These six are my instructing spiritual masters, therefore I offer millions of respectful obeisances unto their lotus feet.]

Some say Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is his śikṣā/ dīkṣā guru and others say it is someone else. [Endnote 1]

VAIṢṆAVA IS GURU

In the temple of Sri Govindajī there used to be daily recital of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata. However, there is no narration of Caitanya-deva’s pastimes after the acceptance of sannyāsa in that scripture. So Śrīla Haridāsa Gosvāmī, the chief servitor of the Govindajī temple requested Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī to describe Caitanya-deva's pastimes after His acceptance of sannyāsa. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was highly esteemed in the society of Vaiṣṇavas for his composition named ‘Govinda-līlāmṛta’ [An important and unique piece of literature for the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community composed with the sole purpose of inspiring the devotees to contemplate the daily eightfold pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and Their associates in Vṛndāvana].

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī considered, “Vaiṣṇava is guru, thus it is my duty to follow his order without hesitation. Moreover, due to my advanced age, my eyesight has become weak, my hands tremble while writing and my ears cannot hear properly, nevertheless it is the order of a Vaiṣṇava, so what to do? I cannot ignore the order of guru and Vaiṣṇavas, at the same time I am unqualified to abide by it. This is my predicament.”

THE REAL AUTHOR OF ŚRĪ CAITANYA-CARITĀMṚTA

So he surrendered to the sambandha-ādi deva Śrī Madan-mohana [the predominating Deity of sambandha (understanding of our relationship with Kṛṣṇa)] and prayed, “What shall I do in this time of predicament? I cannot transgress the order of a Vaiṣṇava, ājñā gurūṇāṁ hy avicāraṇīyā [The order of the spiritual master must be obeyed without consideration (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 10.145)]. This is my situation now, so what is my duty in such a situation? ” [Just then] the flower garland from the neck of Madana-mohana fell and Gosāi dāsa pūjārī offered that prasadī garland to him. Then (accepting this as an indication of Śrī Madan-mohana’s permission) Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī began writing the scripture. He said:

ei grantha lekhāya more ‘madana-mohana’ āmāra likhana yena śukera paṭhana

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 8.78

[Actually, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is not my writing but the dictation of Śrī Madana-mohana. My writing is like the repetition of a parrot.]

He repeatedly states, “Śuka is a bird (a parrot) who will repeat what you speak to him. Whatever Madana-mohana dictates me, I write only that”.

ATHEISTS CAN BE LIBERATED BUT NOT HYPOCRITES

In the house of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī there was a [regular] night kīrtana. Gurṇārṇava Miśra [a brāhmaṇa] was engaged in the service of the Deities. Śrī Mīnaketana Rāmadāsa, a great devotee of Nityānanda Prabhu [was invited by the brother of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, hence he paid a visit]. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s brother possessed strong faith in Śrī Caitanya-deva, but very little faith in Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

caitanya-prabhute tāṅra sudṛḍha viśvāsa nityānanda-prati tāṅra viśvāsa-ābhāsa

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 5.173

[My brother had firm faith in Lord Caitanya but only a dim glimmer of faith in Lord Nityānanda.]

Observing this, Śrī Mīnaketana Rāmadāsa broke his flute and went away contemplating ‘Where there is no respect for my Prabhu [Nityānanda], I cannot remain there’. So Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī rebuked his brother saying:

kiṁvā, doṅhā nā māniñā hao ta’ pāṣaṇḍa eke māni’ āre nā māni, — ei-mata bhaṇḍa

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 5.177)

[“It would be better to be an atheist by slighting both brothers than a hypocrite by believing in one and slighting the other.”]

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī addressed his brother as bhaṇḍa [hypocrite] for not regarding Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and respecting only Śrī Caitanya-deva. There is hope of liberation for a pāṣaṇḍa [atheist], but not for a bhaṇḍa [hypocrite]. Saying this he rebuked his brother.

Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura has also mentioned:

je deśe mora nitāi nāi, se deśe nā jāba; nitāi vimukha janera, mukha nā heriba

[I have taken a determined lifelong vow that I will never ever visit that place even in my dreams where the holy name of Nityānanda is not known. I will never even desire to see the face of a person who is even minutely or indirectly averse to the holy name and glories of Lord Nityānanda.]

I refuse to see the face of persons who are averse to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

VṚNDĀVANA – THE MERCY OF ŚRĪ NITYĀNANDA PRABHU

On that very night Nityānanda Prabhu ordered Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī in a dream, “You should leave for Vṛndāvana and there you will attain all perfection.” [When he narrates this incidence in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta] he mentions: “By saying this I may attract some fame, but I am helpless because if I do not speak I will incur the fault of being ungrateful. Am I not to sing the glories of the one who has been so very merciful and kind to me?” And further he prayed, “Prabhu, please forgive me for my offence.”

So Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana and there, by the grace of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu he had darśana of the six gosvāmīs and other Vaiṣṇavas [like Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara], and the darśana of the Deities of Śrī Govinda, Śrī Gopīnātha and Śrī Madana-mohana which he described.

HIS HUMILITY

How did Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī introduce himself?

jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha

mora nāma śune yei tāra puṇya kṣaya mora nāma laya yei tāra pāpa haya

emana nirghṛṇa more kebā kṛpā kare eka nityānanda vinu jagat bhitare

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 5.205-207

[I am more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi and even lower than the worms in the stool. Anyone who hears my name loses the results of his pious activities. Anyone who utters my name becomes sinful. Who in this world but Nityānanda could show His mercy to such an abominable person as me?]

ŚRĪ CAITANYA-CARITĀMṚTA IS THE MOST GLORIOUS SCRIPTURE

Śrīla Prabhupāda, my parama-gurudeva, once posed a question to Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya who was from a royal family. He looked very handsome and regal, and also spoke very sweetly. [Although this interaction was only briefly referred in this lecture by Śrīla Mahārāja, we thought that the readers would be delighted at the prospect of reading the detailed account of this conversation already published in Śrīla Mahārāja’s book Viśuddha Caitanya–vāṇī, as it brings out the unprecedented glories of the timeless masterpiece, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and its equally unparalleled composer Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.]

[Excerpt from the book Viśuddha Caitanya-vāṇī]

My parama-gurudeva, Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, once abruptly asked Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya, the head of Philosophy at the University of Lahore in Agastya Villa, Darjeeling, “If you were forced to live without the association of devotees, but could keep just one spiritual text with you, which text would you choose?”

Rājarṣi Śaradendu Rāya immediately replied, “Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, because it has been stated:”

ekaṁ śāstraṁ devakī-putra-gītam

Gītā-māhātmya (7)

The divine song sung by Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the topmost scripture among all holy scriptures.

sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopāla-nandanaḥ pārtho vatsaḥ su-dhīr bhoktā dugdhaṁ gītāmṛtaṁ mahat

Gītā-māhātmya (6)

The Upaniṣads are like a cow, and the cowherd boy Śrī Kṛṣṇa milks this cow. The wonderful necterean milk is Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, which is first taken by the calf-like Arjuna, and the remaining milk is drank by the learned scholars and devotees.

gītā su-gītā kartavyā kim anyaiḥ śāstra-vistarāyaḥ yā svayaṁ padmanābhasya mukha-padmād-viniḥsṛtā

Gītā-māhātmya (4)

One should attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gītā. What is the need to read any other Vedic literature? This one book will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and has emanated from the lotus mouth of Padmanābha (Śrī Kṛṣṇa).

mala-nirmocanaṁ puṁsāṁ jala-snānaṁ dine dine sakṛd gītāmṛta-snānaṁ saṁsāra-mala-nāśanam

Gītā-māhātmya (3)

By daily bathing in water, one cleanses oneself of physical dirt only. But bathing even once in the sacred Gaṅgā-like waters of Bhagavad-gītā altogether vanquishes the dirt of this gross material existence (saṁsāra-mala).

After hearing Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Rāya’s answer, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “Āge kaha āra—speak further,” just as Śrīman Mahāprabhu said to Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya on the banks of Godāvarī River. After thinking deeply for a while, Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Rāya replied, “Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,” and cited the following verses:

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2)

In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—which has been manifested by Śrī Vyāsadeva, the greatest saint of the primeval times—the true and topmost duty of the living entities (bhāgavata-dharma) has been explained. If a person devotedly hears this most sublime scripture and follows the bhāgavata-dharma explained within, his threefold miseries will be destroyed, he will meet with all auspiciousness, and he will then realize true knowledge about the Supreme Truth. Thus, he will be able to bind the Supreme Lord within his heart as per his own sweet will. For a person desirous of attaining the above-mentioned symptoms, there is no need to hear or follow any scripture other than Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But an applicant of the university of bhāgavata-dharma must have two qualifications. Firstly, he should not engage in kaitava (pretentious, cheating activities), and secondly, he should be a nirmatsāra sādhu, a person whose heart is full of compassion for all living beings, including himself.

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.7.7)

Mere aural reception of this Vedic literature causes bhakti to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to sprout up at once and extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fear.

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.3)

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the mature, succulent fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī and, through the disciplic succession of bona fide gurus, it has willingly descended upon this earth in its entirety. It is saturated with the supremely pleasing ambrosial nectar of transcendental emotion (rasa). Having no skin, hard seed, fibers or other discardable parts, it is fit for drinking because it is completely liquid. O great devotees—you who are bhāvuka (well acquainted with the transcendental nectarean emotions of divine love) and rasika (expert in relishing all the specific forms of the liquefied, ambrosia of transcendental emotion)—you should repeatedly drink the sweet nectar of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, even in the liberated stage. Indeed, the supremely liberated souls perpetually relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.*

artho ’yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ bhāratārtha-vinirṇayaḥ gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ’sau vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ

Garuda Purāṇa

The meanings of the Vedānta-sūtra are present in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and are the highest philosophical ascertainments of Mahābhārata. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the embodiment of the commentary on brahma-gāyatrī, and it gives an elaborate explanation of the meanings of the Vedas.*

sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi śrīmad-bhāgavatam iṣyate tad-rasāmṛta-tṛptasyā nānyatra syād ratiḥ kvacit

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.13.15)

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is accepted as the essence of all Vedānta. Whoever has been satisfied by the transcendental mellow (bhakti-rasa) of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is never attracted to any other literature.*

cāri-veda—‘dadhi’, bhāgavata—‘navanīta’ mathilena śuke, khāilena parīkṣita

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata (Madhya-khaṇḍa 21.16)

The four Vedas are like yogurt, and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is like butter. Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī churned that yogurt into butter, and Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja relished the result.

Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya then said, “There are many other verses in various scriptures that similarly glorify Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One can therefore conclude that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the topmost among all the Vedic scriptures. In my opinion, there is no scripture superior to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda again said, “Āge kaha āra—speak further.”

Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya replied, “I am unqualified to say anything beyond this.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda then said, “Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is the most glorious scripture. If I were alive to witness the entire world being submerged in water at the time of its destruction (mahā-pralaya), I would preserve no other scripture than Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta; I would protect it by keeping it on my chest while swimming. The void left by the annihilation of all the Vedic literatures would be filled simply by the existence of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.”

In order to gloriously reveal the extraordinary and divine character of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, has described nityānanda-tattva, śrī-guru-tattva, kṛṣṇa-tattva, rādhā-tattva and advaita-tattva, as well as Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s special manifestation as pañca-tattva. In narrating the pastimes of Ratha-yātrā and the cleaning the Guṇḍicā temple (guṇḍicā-mandira-mārjana), Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī has established the glories of Vraja, the Vrajavāsīs, their surrender and service mood to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the superiority of the vraja-gopīs among all the devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Through the narration of Rāya Rāmānanda Saṁvāda, he has presented the essence of all the Vedic literatures by way of a comparative and progressive analysis of the significant instructions of all the various scriptures and has established the most astonishing glories of parakīya-rasa.

In Rūpa-śikṣā and Sanātana-śikṣā, he has provided analyses of the subtlest aspects of sambandha-, abhidheya- and prayojana-tattvas. Through his narration of the pastimes of Nāmācārya Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura and others, he has established the splendid glories of harināma.

In describing Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s discussions with Śrī Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Śrī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he has recorded the Lord’s thorough rejection of the principles of advaitavāda (non-dualism) and His establishment of the doctrine of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva (inconceivable, simultaneous oneness and difference) by citing references from śāstra.

Moreover, the way Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī has described the multifarious pastimes of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, in which the Lord has imparted teachings through His exemplary behavior and conduct, is extremely beneficial for the living entities in this Kali-yuga.

Abiding by the sutra “mitaṁ ca sāraṁ ca vaco hi vāgmitā—essential truth spoken concisely is true eloquence,” Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has very concisely explained the essence of all the scriptures in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

It is possibly due to the above-mentioned reasons that Śrīla Prabhupāda made such a strong assertion about the supremacy of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

I used to visit Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya’s home to collect alms (bhikṣā) along with Śrī Mādhavānanda Prabhu, who had taken harināma from Śrīla Prabhupāda and dīkṣā from our gurudeva. There, I twice had the opportunity to hear directly from Śrī Rājarṣi Śaradendu Nārāyaṇa Rāya about Śrīla Prabhupāda’s glorification of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Although I developed firm faith in the glories of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta after hearing his account, realization was still missing within me. Even when I later read Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta myself, I did not attain realization of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s statements.

After hearing discourses on Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta from the many disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda over the years, and especially as I began translating Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta from Bengali to Hindi and had to pay attention to the meaning of every single word, I became enlightened with ever-new explanations of the many spiritual subject matters contained within this great scripture. Through this translation work, I came to understand, in a very simple and intuitive way, the detailed meanings of many highly subtle verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I am only now directly experiencing and realizing the import of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is certainly more merciful and beneficial than even Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the topmost of all Vedic literatures.

In his introduction to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Prabhupāda has described his complete astonishment that Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, in relating the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, has exhibited an unmatched proficiency in understanding the deep meanings of all the various scriptures, an extraordinary insight into otherwise unfathomable philosophical subject matters, an unprecedented and thoughtful expertise in using accessible terminology to describe to the common masses even the subtlest of spiritual principles, and a crystal clear understanding of the Kavya, Purāṇas, Itihāsa, Smṛti and Gaṇita (a branch of astrology).

Learned experts predicted that in order to read and follow such an extraordinary transcendental literature, the scholars of the world’s many countries would feel inspired to learn Bengali. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s perfection in rendering sweetly toned poetic compositions (bhāva-mādhurya-parākāṣṭha) is cherished by all renowned poets of the world. His solemnity in describing the pastimes of madhura-rasa can be assessed only by highly qualified persons, the likes of whom are extremely difficult to find.

The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in this composition, has presented an extraordinary compilation of the subtlest pastimes of Śrīman Mahāprabhu in tandem with citations from various scriptures and has thereby removed from the weak hearts of his readers the materially inspired tendency to speculate.

The life, activities, conduct and character of Śrīman Mahāprabhu (śrī caitanya-carita) are all eternal, and the ideals represented in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta therefore destroy the living entities’ inclination for sense enjoyment (bhoga-pravṛtti) while establishing them in their true constitutional activity: service to the Supreme Lord (sevā-vṛtti).

[End of excerpt]

VAIṢṆAVA GLORIFICATION – A MUST

During the niyama-sevā of daily performance of aṣṭa–kāliyā–līlā-kīrtana, we chant one verse from Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka of Śrī Caitanya-deva and one verse from Govinda-līlāmṛta of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.

Today is Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s tirobhāva tithi. We will pray for his grace. Only by the grace of Vaiṣṇavas will we attain our real auspiciousness. 'Vaiṣṇavera krpa paye tahe sarva siddhi – by the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas, we will attain all perfection’.

From today onwards we will begin the recitation of Brahma-stava from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14). There are around forty verses and we will cover whatever is possible in one month because there are also many āvirbhāva and tirobhāva tithis of Vaiṣṇavas approaching and on those days if their glories are not sung, it amounts to an offence. So our parama-gurudeva being expert in the science of astrology, following the orders of Vaiṣṇava Sārvabhauma Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, published Śrī Navadvīpa Pañjikā, wherein Vaiṣṇavas’ appearance and disappearance days are marked. This facilitates their remembrance. By remembering them we can avoid falling (from the spiritual path).

THREE MAJOR IMPEDIMENTS TO HARI-BHAJANA

There are three major impediments to hari-bhajana – kanaka, kāminī and pratiṣṭhā – the greed to accumulate lots of money and wealth; attraction for the opposite sex; and the desire for name and fame. Among the three, the desire for fame and good reputation is the most strong and problematic. It is very difficult to give this up. This desire is in the form of a very subtle covering and hence neither externally visible nor easy to eradicate. How can it be banished?

The scriptures mention:

bhakta-pada-dhūli āra bhakta-pada-jala bhakta-bhukta-avaśeṣa, — tina mahā-bala

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya 16.60

[The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful substances.]

These three give strength in the practice of devotional service.

Out of great humility, Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī gave us this teaching in his Śrī Manaḥ-śikṣā, “pratiṣṭhāśā dhṛṣṭā svapaca-ramaṇī me hṛdi naṭet – the impudent outcaste woman of the desire for fame is dancing in my heart, how can pure love for Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa touch it?” Is there no way out? Yes, there is, ‘sadā tvam- sevasva prabhu-dayita-sāmantam atulaḿ – always, [serve and] call out the names of Mahāprabhu’s dearmost servants’. What will they do? They are the chief commanders of Mahāprabhu’s army and their work is to banish the enemies. They will banish this unchaste woman from the heart and make place for pure love to enter. To whom did Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī give this teaching? To his own mind. Hence, this hymn is called, 'manaḥ-śīkṣā – instructions for the mind'.

Endnote 1:

Other verses were composed by him in the glorification of his śikṣā gurus such as:

śrī-svarūpa-śrī-rūpa-śrī-sanātana śrī-raghunātha-dāsa, āra śrī-jīva-caraṇa

śire dhari vandoṅ, nitya karoṅ tāṅra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 17.335-336

I wish to place the lotus feet of the Gosvāmīs on my head. Their names are Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Placing their lotus feet on my head, always hoping to serve them, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.

śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya 17.73

Praying at the lotus feet of all the 6 gosvāmīs including Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.