Śrī Rādhāramaṇacaraṇa Dāsa Deva, the renowned saint and preacher of Bengal, was known throughout the land for his deep spiritual realization and his ecstatic love for Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He spent his entire life teaching the message of nāma-saṅkīrtana—the congregational chanting of the holy names—and inspiring others to live in constant remembrance of the Divine Couple.
Every day, he led long kīrtanas, singing the glories of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with an intensity that melted the hearts of all who heard him. His voice, filled with devotion, would rise and fall like waves upon the ocean of divine love. Sometimes, as he sang, his body would tremble, his hairs would stand on end, and tears would stream from his eyes in torrents.
During these moments, he was completely unaware of his surroundings. The Lord was everything to him—the breath in his lungs, the beat of his heart, the sound of every syllable of the holy name.
Once, while performing a great saṅkīrtana festival in his āśrama, he entered such deep ecstasy that he lost all external consciousness. As the devotees sang around him, they saw a brilliant light begin to radiate from his body. The entire hall was filled with a celestial fragrance—like blooming jasmine and sandalwood carried on a gentle breeze.
In the midst of that divine light, two forms suddenly appeared—Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, shining in their original splendor. They smiled at their devotee and said,
“You have called Us again and again through your kīrtana, and We could not resist your love. We have come to bless you and dance with you.”
At that moment, Śrī Rādhāramaṇacaraṇa Dāsa Deva fell to the ground, overwhelmed with joy. His voice trembled as he cried out their names: “Rādhe! Śyāma!”
The devotees around him could not see Them with their eyes, but they felt Their presence so strongly that many began to weep and dance uncontrollably. The fragrance remained in the āśrama for many hours after the vision faded, and those who were present testified that they had never experienced such divine sweetness before.
Even after that event, whenever saṅkīrtana began in his āśrama, a mysterious radiance would descend upon the place, and the air would again be filled with the same transcendental fragrance. It was as if Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa continued to visit their devotee whenever Their glories were sung with love.
Śrī Rādhāramaṇacaraṇa Dāsa Deva continued his mission until his last breath, always encouraging others to chant, to serve, and to love without motive. His disciples recorded that in his final moments, he was still singing the holy name, smiling as though gazing into the eternal realm of Vṛndāvana.
Reflection
Śrī Rādhāramaṇacaraṇa Dāsa Deva’s life reveals that the holy name is a living, conscious reality. When chanted with full heart and surrender, the name does not merely represent God—it is God Himself, dancing upon the tongue of the devotee.
In true kīrtana, separation and union merge into one. The devotee calls out in longing, and the Lord responds, drawn by the irresistible magnet of love. Sound becomes vision, and the name becomes form.
This story reminds us that God is not silent—He sings back to those who sing to Him.
Source: “Experiences in Bhakti: The Science Celestial,” by O. B. L. Kapoor — Chapter Five: Verification of the Law of Gravitation (place: Bengal, in the āśrama of Śrī Rādhāramaṇacaraṇa Dāsa Deva).
