Both Narottama Das Thakura and Ramchandra Kaviraj were most intimate friends. In the famous Vaishnava song ‘sri krishna caitanya prabhu daya koro more…’, Srila Narottama Das Thakura sings ‘daya koro sri Acharya prabhu Shrinivasa, ramchandra sanga mage narottama das’. Here Srila Narottama Das Thakura submits his humble plea to Shrinivasa Acharya that he wants the association of his friend Ramchandra Kaviraj. Srila Jiva Gosvami very much appreciated Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja’s great devotion to Lord Krishna and therefore gave him the title ‘Kaviraja’.
Ramachandra Kaviraj’s First Meeting with Shrinivasa Acharya at Yajigrama
One day, Shrinivasa Acharya was sitting on the bank of a pond to the west of his house at Yajigrama when he saw a marriage party passing nearby. The bridegroom, who was being carried on a palanquin, was extremely attractive. His skin was the color of a golden ketaki flower, face was effulgent like the full moon, eyes were like lotus petals, and neck like a conch shell. He had a slender waist, and well-shaped thighs. He wore silken cloth, had a garland of flowers, and his body was adorned with sandalwood paste.
Shrinivasa thought to himself, ‘‘Is he the son of a Gandharva? Or Kamadev himself? Such a beautiful person should certainly utilize his life in the service of Lord Krishna. Otherwise what is the use of such extraordinary beauty?’’
Shrinivasa inquired about the bridegroom from some members of the marriage party, and was informed that the young man was Sri Ramachandra Kaviraj, a great scholar with qualities equal to those of Brihaspati or Sarasvati. He belonged to a high-class family, was a famous physician, and was formerly a resident of Kumaranagar. After obtaining this information, Shrinivasa returned to his house, and Ramachandra, who had overheard Shrinivasa enquiries, returned to his place.
The whole night Ramachandra Kaviraj was thinking deeply about Shrinivasa Acharya and was extremely eager to meet him. However, her newly-wed wife requested him to wait till the morning and then go to meet Acharya. Early in the morning Ramachandra ran towards Yajigrama to meet Acharya. He was still wearing the overnight bridegroom clothes. As soon as he reached Shrinivasa Acharya’s house he saw Narottama sweeping the courtyard. Ramachandra requested Narottama for a meeting with Shrinivasa Acharya, but seeing Ramachandra in unchanged overnight bridegroom clothes, Narottama chastised him, “Is this proper etiquette to meet an Acharya that you haven’t even changed bridegroom clothes.”
Meanwhile, Shrinivasa Acharya heard the conversation between Ramachandra and Narottama, and came to meet them. Seeing Shrinivasa Acharya, Ramachandra fell at his feet. Overwhelmed with emotion, he begged the blessings of Acharya. Shrinivasa lovingly lifted him from the ground and embraced him warmly.
Shrinivasa Acharya declared that they had a long, deep-rooted relationship, and were meeting again after a long separation. He then chanted krsna-nāma in his ear and sang rādhā-krsna-līlā to him. He also assisted Ramachandra in the study of Vaishnava literatures, and blessed him to become a dearest lover and devotee of Krishna. Shrinivasa told Ramachandra about the glories of Narottama. In due course of time, Narottama and Ramachandra became such good friends that people considered them to be like one soul.
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