10.113
ramadasa, kavicandra, sri-gopaladasa
bhagavatacarya, thakura sarangadasa
SYNONYMS
ramadasa—of the name Ramadasa; kavicandra—of the name Kavicandra; sri gopala-dasa—of the name Sri Gopala dasa; bhagavatacarya—of the name Bhagavatacarya; thakura saranga-dasa—of the name Thakura Saranga dasa.
The seventy-third branch of the original tree was Ramadasa, the seventy-fourth was Kavicandra, the seventy-fifth was Sri Gopala dasa, the seventy-sixth was Bhagavatacarya, and the seventy-seventh was Thakura Saranga dasa.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (203) it is said, “Bhagavatacarya compiled a book entitled Krsna-prema-tarangini, and he was the most beloved devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Varahanagara, a suburb of Calcutta, He stayed in the house of a most fortunate brahmana who was a very learned scholar in Bhagavata literature.
As soon as this brahmana saw Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he began to read Srimad-Bhagavatam.
When Mahaprabhu heard his explanation, which expounded bhakti-yoga, He immediately became unconscious in ecstasy.
Lord Caitanya later said, “I have never heard such a nice explanation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
I therefore designate you Bhagavatacarya.
Your only duty is to recite Srimad-Bhagavatam.
That is My injunction.” His real name was Raghunatha.
His monastery, which is situated in Varahanagara, about three and a half miles north of Calcutta on the bank of the Ganges, still exists, and it is managed by the initiated disciples of the late Sri Ramadasa Babaji.
Presently, however, it is not as well managed as in the presence of Babaji Maharaja.
Another name of Thakura Saranga dasa was Sarnga Thakura.
Sometimes he was also called Sarngapani or Sarngadhara.
He was a resident of Navadvipa in the neighborhood known as Modadruma-dvipa, and he used to worship the Supreme Lord in a secluded place on the bank of the Ganges.
He did not accept disciples, but he was repeatedly inspired from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to do so.
Thus one morning he decided, “Whomever I see I shall make my disciple.” When he went to the bank of the Ganges to take his bath, by chance he saw a dead body floating in the water, and he touched it with his feet.
This immediately brought the body to life, and Thakura Saranga dasa accepted him as his disciple.
This disciple later became famous as Thakura Murari, and his name is always associated with that of Sri Saranga.
His disciplic succession still inhabits the village of Sar.
There is a temple at Mamagacchi that is said to have been started by Sarnga Thakura.
Not long ago, a new temple building was erected in front of a bakula tree there, and it is now being managed by the members of the Gaudiya Matha.
It is said that the management of the temple is now far better than before.
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (172) it is stated that Saranga Thakura was formerly a gopi named Nandimukhi.
Some devotees say that he was formerly Prahlada Maharaja, but Sri Kavi-karnapura says that his father, Sivananda Sena, does not accept this proposition.