Vasudeva Datta initiated Sri Yadunandana Acarya, the spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa

Expressions researched:
"His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Acarya" |"Raghunatha dasa is a disciple of Yadunandana Acarya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vasudeva Datta" |"Vasudeva Datta initiated Sri Yadunandana Acarya, the spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa" |"Yadunandana Acarya was a student of Vasudeva Datta" |"Yadunandana Acarya was the official initiator spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami" |"Yadunandana Acarya was the priest and spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa. Although born in a brahmana family, he had accepted the mercy of Vasudeva Datta" |"although Vasudeva Datta had not been born in a brahmana family, Yadunandana Acarya also accepted him as his spiritual master"

CC Adi-lila

Vāsudeva Datta initiated Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya, the spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa, who later became Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.

CC Adi 10.41, Translation and Purport:

Vāsudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the Śrī Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.

Vāsudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of Caṭṭagrāma. In the Caitanya-bhāgavata it is said, yāṅra sthāne kṛṣṇa haya āpane vikraya: Vāsudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that Kṛṣṇa was purchased by him. Vāsudeva Datta stayed at Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita's house, and in the Caitanya-bhāgavata it is described that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so pleased with Vāsudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, “I am only Vāsudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please Vāsudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere.” Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. "All My dear devotees," He said, "I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for Vāsudeva Datta." Vāsudeva Datta initiated Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya, the spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa, who later became Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, Sixth Chapter, verse 161 (CC Antya 6.161). Vāsudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Śivānanda Sena to become his sarakhela, or secretary, in order to control his extravagant expenses. Vāsudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta's Madhya-līlā, verses 159 through 180 (CC Madhya 15.159).

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, "There is a railway station named Pūrvasthalī near the Navadvīpa railway station, and about one mile away, in a village known as Māmagāchi, which is the birthplace of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, there is presently a temple of Madana-gopāla that was established by Vāsudeva Datta." The Gauḍīya Maṭha devotees have now taken charge of this temple, and the sevā-pūjā is going on very nicely. Every year all the pilgrims on the navadvīpa-parikramā visit Māmagāchi. Since Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura inaugurated the navadvīpa-parikramā function, the temple has been very well managed.

The forefathers of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī were all Vaiṣṇavas and were very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Ācārya.

CC Adi 10.91, Purport:

The forefathers of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī were all Vaiṣṇavas and were very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Ācārya. Although Raghunātha dāsa was a family man, he had no attachment for his estate and wife. Seeing his tendency to leave home, his father and uncle engaged special bodyguards to watch over him, but nevertheless he managed to escape their vigilance and went away to Jagannātha Purī to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This incident took place in the year 1439 Śakābda (A.D. 1517). Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī compiled three books, named Stava-mālā (or Stavāvalī), Dāna-carita and Muktā-carita. He lived a long time, residing for most of his life at Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

Yadunandana Ācārya initiated him at home. Later Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī took shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī.

CC Adi 12.56, Translation and Purport:

The fifth branch of Advaita Ācārya was Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya, who had so many branches and subbranches that it is impossible to write of them.

Yadunandana Ācārya was the official initiator spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. In other words, when Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was a householder, Yadunandana Ācārya initiated him at home. Later Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī took shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī.

Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya was a student of Vāsudeva Datta, and he received all his mercy.

CC Adi 12.57, Translation and Purport:

Śrī Yadunandana Ācārya was a student of Vāsudeva Datta, and he received all his mercy. Therefore he could accept Lord Caitanya's lotus feet, from all angles of vision, as the supreme shelter.

The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (140) describes that Vāsudeva Datta was formerly Madhuvrata, a singer in Vṛndāvana.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 6.161, Translation:

Yadunandana Ācārya was the priest and spiritual master of Raghunātha dāsa. Although born in a brāhmaṇa family, he had accepted the mercy of Vāsudeva Datta.

Although Vāsudeva Datta had not been born in a brāhmaṇa family, Yadunandana Ācārya also accepted him as his spiritual master.

CC Antya 6.162, Translation and Purport:

Yadunandana Ācārya had been officially initiated by Advaita Ācārya. Thus he considered Lord Caitanya his life and soul.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that although the atheists who have deviated from the order of Śrī Advaita Ācārya introduce themselves as followers of Advaita Ācārya, they do not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yadunandana Ācārya, one of the most confidential followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was the initiated disciple of Advaita Ācārya. He was not polluted by sentimental distinctions classifying Vaiṣṇavas according to birth. Therefore, although Vāsudeva Datta had not been born in a brāhmaṇa family, Yadunandana Ācārya also accepted him as his spiritual master.

Raghunātha dāsa is a disciple of Yadunandana Ācārya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vāsudeva Datta, a resident of Kāñcanapallī.

CC Antya 6.263, Translation and Purport:

“Raghunātha dāsa is a disciple of Yadunandana Ācārya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vāsudeva Datta, a resident of Kāñcanapallī. Because of Raghunātha dāsa's transcendental qualities, he is always more dear than life for all of us devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Since he has been favored by the abundant mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he is always pleasing. Vividly providing a superior example for the renounced order, this very dear follower of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is the ocean of renunciation. Who among the residents of Nīlācala (Jagannātha Purī) does not know him very well?

This verse is from Śrī Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (10.3) of Kavi-karṇapūra.