Raghunandan : contemporary of Sri Chaitanya, popular as Smārta Bhattācharya. His Dharmashāstra shaped devout Bengali Hindus’ beliefs. [See Bharat Dharma Mahāmandala]
... importance to maintaining our society exactly in the mould of our Shastras while in reality that mould had been altered out of recognition centuries ago. We quoted Parashara and Manu while we followed Raghunandan and custom. This religious fiction was very much like the English superstition about the British constitution which is supposed to be the same thing it was in the days of Lord Somers, but is really... hampered their cause. Even as it is, Indian society, in Bengal at least, is changing utterly while all the time loudly protesting that it has not changed and will not change. The mould in which Raghunandan cast society, is disintegrating Page 456 as utterly as the mould of Parashara or Manu has disintegrated. What will replace it, is another matter. Samaj and Shastra Every Samaj must... Scripture, there is none the less a minute and rigid code of social laws binding men in their minutest actions. The etiquette of the European is no less binding than the minute scrupulosities of Manu or Raghunandan, and it is even more minute and scrupulous. It is a mistake to think that in Europe men can eat as they will, talk as they will, act as they will with impunity. They cannot—or at least they could ...
... impotence. It is to hold that India's creative capacity in religion and in philosophy came to Page 75 an end with Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhwa and Chaitanya and in social construction with Raghunandan and Vidyaranya. It is to rest in art and poetry either in a blank and uncreative void or in a vain and lifeless repetition of beautiful but spent forms and motives. It is to cling to social forms ...
... accomplished, the effective union of all shades of Hindu opinion from the lax Anglicised Agnostic, Hindu in nothing but birth and blood, to the intense and narrow worshipper of the institutes of Raghunandan? Or is it merely an ineffectual aspiration, like the old Congress, capable of creating a general sympathy and oneness of aim, but not of practical purpose and effective organisation? There are only ...
... outer existence, in society not less than in the individual. Esha dharmah sanatanah . God is not Page 53 antiquity nor novelty: He is not the Manava Dharmashastra, nor Vidyaranya, nor Raghunandan; neither is He an European. God who is essentially Sacchidananda, is in manifestation Satyam, Prema, Shakti ,—Truth, Strength and Love. Whatever is consistent with the truth and principle of things ...
... rather it was its spirit. I am inclined to give more credit for the secular miracle of our national survival to Shankara, Ramanuja, Nanak & Kabir, Guru Govind, Chaitanya, Ramdas & Tukaram than to Raghunandan and the Pandits of Nadiya & Bhatpara. The result of this well-meaning bondage has been an increasing impoverishment of the Indian intellect, once the most gigantic and original in the world. Hence ...
... feet could not hold on to his famous khadams (he had to take to chappals). Only now did he shift to a slow sedate speed of locomotion — yet walking — no vehicle. For a long time one family (late Raghunandan’s) took care of him. He was their family friend. Later he had to be shifted to the Senior Service Home (under Dr. Dutta’s care). He tarried not too long there. He passed away peacefully on 3.9.96 ...
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