Chapter Six: The Rasika Lineage of Rama Worship

The Śrī Rāma-navaratna-sāra-saṅgraha list continues: 29. Sri Lakshmiram; 30. Sri Nandalal; 31. Sri Charanadas; 32. Sri Haridas; 33. Sri Ramprasad Dinabandhu; 34. Sri Raghunath Prasad; 35. Sri Ramcharan “Karunasindhu”; 36. Sri Sitaram Sevak; 37. Sri Janakivarasharan; and 38. Sri Lakshmanasharan.

Mathuradas Maharaj gives the guru-lineage in verse in his celebrated Kalyāṇa-kalpadruma:

1. Rama, lotus-eyed and dwelling in the supreme abode, pleased by Janaki’s perfect service, gave her the liberating mantra.
2. Janaki, the Sri of every world, gave the mantra to Hanuman—ever devoted to Rama’s feet—for the removal of the world’s suffering. 3–4. Through Hanuman the mantra reached Brahma; in another kalpa, Rama himself also gave it to Brahma.
3. Repeating the mantra-king, the Creator attained his creative office; Vasishtha received from Brahma this supreme essence of the three Vedas.
4. Vasishtha gave Parashara the mantra-king together with its ritual seals and consecrations, and Parashara became fulfilled.
5. Vyasa, the virtuous son of Parashara and Satyavati, received the six syllables from his father and expanded the Veda.
6. Among his many disciples, Vyasa recognized the highest fitness in Paramahamsa Shukadeva and gave it to him.
7. Narottama—another name here for Purushottamacharya—received Shukadeva’s grace, remained firm in celibacy, and reached liberation.¹
8. That supreme teacher bestowed the highest principle among mantras, the Rama mantra, upon the sage Gangadhara.
9. From Gangadhara it passed to Sadacharya, then to the ascetic Rameshvara, and then to Dvarananda, who became absorbed in the Supreme Brahman.
10. Dvarananda’s disciple was Devananda; Shyamananda received it from him; through service came Shrutananda and then Chidananda—