{"id":38499,"date":"2022-06-26T00:33:01","date_gmt":"2022-06-26T04:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/?p=38499"},"modified":"2022-11-03T01:45:30","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T05:45:30","slug":"narottama-dasa-thakura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/narottama-dasa-thakura\/","title":{"rendered":"Narottama Dasa Thakura"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nToday is a very auspicious day. It is the birthday of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, who is one of the solid and strong pillars of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu\u2019s preaching. After the generation of the Six Gosvamis and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Narottama Thakura, Syamananda Prabhu and Srinivasa Acarya became the leaders of the Vaisnavas in Bengal. They took all the books of the Six Gosvamis and other authentic Vaisnava literatures and preached all over Bengal. Especially, Narottama Thakura preached in Eastern India, in such places as Assam and Manipura.<\/p>\n

Srila Narottama Thakura was a prince. He was the son of very famous king in that area. From childhood he had impressions of pure devotion and wanted to cultivate them. He therefore went to Vrndavana, where he heard about the glory of Sri Jiva Gosvami and became attracted to him. Together with Syamananda and Srinivasa, he studied all the sastras from Jiva Gosvami \u2013 Vedanta-sutra, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and especially the Six Sandarbhas. In this way, the three of them became learned in Caitanya Mahaprabhu\u2019s Gaudiya siddhantas.<\/p>\n

Syamananda Prabhu was a disciple of Hrdayananda of Kalna, yet he joined in to hear the lectures of Sri Jiva Gosvami, and he treated him more like his guru than his Gurudeva, Sri Hrdayananda. Sri Narottama Thakura also studied in the school of Sri Jiva Gosvami. Jiva Gosvami personally told him to take initiation from Lokanatha dasa Gosvami, and he told Srinivasa Acarya to take initiation from Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. In those days there were no restrictions as there are today. Everyone was free to associate with topmost Vaisnavas.<\/p>\n

In fact, gurus would advise their disciples: \u201cTake the association of these most exalted Vaisnavas, and in this way you will develop your Krsna consciousness.\u201d There was no caste consciousness as there is today: \u201cDon\u2019t go to other Vaisnavas, even though they may be very high-class. This is our party, and that is their party, and that is the other group\u2019s party.\u201d At that time there was no party spirit at all; everyone belonged to the family of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All used to hear from all.<\/p>\n

Jiva Gosvami had such a pure heart, free from any envy, that he told Narottama Thakura and Srinivasa Acarya to take initiation from these two high-class Vaisnavas. They had made up their minds to take initiation from Jiva Gosvami, but he told them: \u201cOh, they are my seniors. You will be more benefited by taking their shelter.\u201d We are not pure enough to speak in this way to our subordinates. Our hearts are not so improved.<\/p>\n

Thus, Jiva Gosvami sent them to those two great Vaisnavas \u2013 but the two had vowed to not make any disciples.<\/p>\n

The pastimes of Lokanatha dasa Gosvami have not been told in Caitanya-caritamrta or in any other book. Lokanatha dasa Gosvami was such a topmost elevated Vaisnava that he warned Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, and other writers: \u201cIf you want my mercy, then do not glorify me or write my name in your books.\u201d When they assured him of this, only then did he give his blessings and tell them: \u201cYour books will be successfully completed. Krsna\u2019s mercy will be on you.\u201d It is for this reason that these great Vaisnava authors have not mentioned his name. They obeyed him; they followed his order.<\/p>\n

One day, by the order of Jiva Gosvami, a very beautiful prince, that boy Narottama, came to Lokanatha dasa Gosvami and took his foot-dust. Lokanatha dasa Gosvami asked him: \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Narottama replied, \u201cI am a very wretched person, a fallen boy. I want to take shelter of your lotus feet. Please initiate me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lokanatha dasa Gosvami flatly refused. He told Narottama, \u201cYou can go to any famous Vaisnava and take his shelter. I am a worthless person. I don’t know how to do bhajana. I only eat, drink, and sleep. I do not engage in bhakti. It is better that you go to any learned and qualified person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Narottama dasa Thakura requested again and again, but Lokanatha das Gosvami remained grave and refused to initiate him. Although Narottama dasa Thakura left at that time, he began to think how he could possibly get initiation from this maha-bhagavata.<\/p>\n

Narottama dasa was very worried, and began to think how to please him. He began to clean the place where Lokanatha dasa Gosvami was passing stool in the forest. He thus cleaned regularly, every night, and he also cleaned the path to that place. Once, in a very dark night, at about midnight, Lokanatha dasa Gosvami caught hold of the hand of this boy and asked him, \u201cWho are you, and why are you doing this?\u201d Narottama dasa Thakura began to weep bitterly and replied, \u201cBecause I want to please you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you are very pure devotee. What do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI only want to be initiated by you.\u201d Narottama dasa again began to weep.<\/p>\n

On seeing the boy\u2019s devotion Lokanatha dasa Gosvami was at once moved and accepted him. He told him, \u201cPlease come to me after taking bath in the Yamuna.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next morning Narottama took bath and came to Lokanatha dasa Gosvami, who initiated him into the krsna-mantra (gopala-mantra), klim krsnaya svaha, and the kama-gayatri, klim kamadevaya. He gave him these two mantras and advised him: \u201cDon\u00b4t go anywhere. Be seated here with me in my bhajana kutira.\u201d He built a hut for him, right next to his own, and said, \u201cAlways remain here with me, chant harinama, and hear from me.\u201d Narottama dasa did as he was told.<\/p>\n

One day at midday, when the sun was very hot, a thirsty farmer came and asked Lokanatha dasa Gosvami, \u201cPlease give me some water, or give me some rope and a bucket so that I can pull water from the well.\u201d Lokanatha dasa Gosvami did not replay; perhaps he did not even see that person, as he was quite absorbed in his bhajana. Because Lokanatha dasa Gosvami could not hear him, the farmer went to the next hut and asked Narottama: \u201cOh, young babaji, can you give me some water?\u201d Narottama came out and gave him some water. Thus, the farmer was satisfied and went away.
\nLater, Lokanath dasa Gosvami called Narottama and said \u201cYou don\u00b4t know what is bhajana? Krsna is personally His name; there is no difference at all between them.\u201d<\/p>\n

nama cintamanih krsnas
\ncaitanya-rasa-vigrahah
\npurnah suddho nitya-mukto
\n\u2019bhinnatvan nama-naminoh<\/p>\n[\u201cThe holy name of Krsna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krsna\u2019s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna\u2019s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krsna\u2019s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are identical.\u201d (Padma Purana)]\n

\u201cIn some ways the name is even superior to Krsna. You don\u00b4t know this truth? You are serving Krsna (chanting or remembering Krsna means serving Him), but you were thinking that the service of chanting harinama is inferior to giving water to a thirsty person; that is why you served him. You have no belief that Krsna can quench his thirst. Krsna can give anything, but you have no faith in Him. So, return at once to your home. Become qualified there, and then you can come back. At present you are not qualified.\u201d<\/p>\n

One should have strong faith in Krsna\u2019s name. You know the strong faith of Haridasa Thakura? He was whipped in twenty-two market places and his skin and muscles became shredded, but he never left his chanting of harinama.<\/p>\n

Lokanatha dasa Gosvami thus ordered Narottama dasa Thakura, \u201cLeave this place.\u201d Hearing this Narottama began to weep bitterly. Although Lokanatha das Gosvami had a very soft heart, like a flower, he desired auspiciousness for Narottama dasa, and so he became hard like a stone. It was for Narottama\u2019s welfare that he said, \u201cGo from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Narottama das Thakura was not an ordinary devotee. He was an associate of Srimati Radhika Herself, and in his manjari form he is Vilasa-manjari. He was playing a role only, to give inspiration to devotees.<\/p>\n

He was weeping and returned to his home, but he realized everything. In fact, he began to chant and sing in such a way that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with all His associates would come to listen to his classes and his singing. He sang pathetically, with tears in his eyes and a choked voice, \u201cKrsna Krsna Hare Hare,\u201d and [Lalasmayi Prarthana (Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas)]:<\/p>\n

\u2018gauranga\u2019 bolite ha\u2019be pulaka-sarira
\n\u2018hari hari\u2019 bolite nayane ba\u2019be nira<\/p>\n[\u201cWhen will that time come that my hairs will stand on end upon singing the name Gauranga? When will my eyes overflow with tears as I chant the holy names of \u201cHari Hari?\u201d]\n

ara kabe nitai-cander karuna hoibe
\nsamsara-vasana mora kabe tuccha ha\u2019be<\/p>\n[\u201cAnd when will the moon of Nityananda Prabhu bestow His mercy on me? When will material desires become small and insignificant?\u201d]\n

visaya chadiya kabe suddha ha\u2019be mana
\nkabe hama herabo sri-vrndavana<\/p>\n[\u201cWhen will I renounce material enjoyment and my mind will become purified? When will I see the cinmaya svarupa of Sri Vrndavana?\u201d]\n

rupa-ragunatha-pade hoibe akuti
\nkabe hama bujhabo se jugala-piriti<\/p>\n[\u201cWhen will I eagerly follow the path of Sri Rupa Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami? By their instructions I will be able to understand the divine love of Sri Radha and Krsna.\u201d<\/p>\n

rupa-raghunatha-pade rahu mora asa
\nprarthana koroye sada narottama dasa<\/p>\n[\u201cMy only aspiration is to attain the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. This is Narottama dasa\u2019s constant prayer.\u201d]\n

He sang kirtana along with mrdanga, and each word of his kirtana was uttered by his mrdanga. The mrdanga sounded like the singing of Narottama himself, although it was actually the sweet sound was coming from his mrdanga. Narottama\u2019s mood was such that Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Svarupa Damodara, Raya Ramananda, Vakresvara Pandita, Srivasa Pandita, and all of Mahaprabhu\u2019s associates appeared and began to dance with Narottama Thakura, and when he stopped his kirtana, they at once disappeared. The thousands of devotees present there were astonished. When he was singing about Sri Radha and Krsna, Radha-Krsna personally came to hear, with all of Their associates, and Krsna was playing beautiful songs on His flute.<\/p>\n

Thus, in a few years Narottama dasa Thakura preached all over East Bengal, Assam, and Manipura.<\/p>\n

He hailed from the village Kheturi; he was born and brought up there, and his father and uncle were living there. His father was a big king. Narottama dasa Thakura manifested six Thakuras (Deities) there, namely Radha-Govinda, Radha-Gopinatha, Radha-Madana-mohana, Radha-Vamsidhari, Radha-Giridhari, and Radha-Vallabhi-kanta.<\/p>\n

He also organized a great festival that became famous in the Gaudiya-Vaisnava history. Srimati Jahnava-devi (who is Ananga-manjari in krsna-lila), the wife of Nityananda Prabhu, was elected as president. All accepted her like their preceptor, including Srila Jiva Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.<\/p>\n

When Virabhadra, the son of Nityananda Prabhus wife Vasudha, became sixteen years old, he wanted to take initiation, but he could not find any person whom he considered qualified. Someone told him, \u201cWhy are you not taking the shelter of Srimati Jahnava-devi and being initiated by her?\u201d He said, \u201cShe is a lady; I don\u2019t want to be initiated by a lady.\u201d Then, one early morning, Srimati Jahnava-devi was pulling water from a well to take a shower, when Viracandra came to take some advice from her for some necessary work. He saw her pulling out water from the well half naked, with just a towel covering the lower half her body. Both of them were ashamed to see each other in this circumstance, even though she was an elderly and like a mother to him. Srimati Jahnava-devi at once manifested four-arms, with two pulling water from the well and the other two covering her breasts. Astonished, Virabhadra immediately he fell flat at her lotus feet and begged her to forgive his offences. He told her, \u201cI have nothing more to do. I want to take initiation from you right now. You are my guru.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Srimati Jahnava-devi is a very exalted personality, the power (sakti) of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and she serves Radha-Krsna in Their conjugal love in the form of Ananga-manjari. Therefore, she was elected as the supreme leader of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. At this festival, all prominent Vaisnavas of that time came together, like Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Sri Srinivasa Acarya and hundreds of thousands of other devotees. It was one the biggest festivals in the history of Vaisnavism.<\/p>\n

All present were charmed on hearing the sweet songs of Sri Narottama dasa Thakura, and all of them were blessed with the darsana of Sri Radha Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who came to hear these sweet melodies.<\/p>\n

Narottama dasa Thakura was the best devotee of his time. He is an associate of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and in fact he is a manifestation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.<\/p>\n

Sri Lokanatha dasa Gosvami is also an associate of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, by the name of Manjulali-manjari. By sending Narottama Thakura back to his village, he played a trick, and by this trick he sent Narottama dasa Thakura to preach all over the world. Had he not done so, no such preaching would have been done; all preaching would have been destroyed. If he had continued to request Narottama to sit and chant harinama in his kutira, there would not have been such great preaching.<\/p>\n

You can also look at the example of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura and Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was a follower of Lokanatha dasa Gosvami. He never wanted name, fame, or anything like this. He always chanted harinama and used to sing in the deepest of moods, with tears in his eyes: \u201cOh Radhe, Prema-mayi Radhe Radhe, Govinda, where are You?\u201d<\/p>\n

gosai eka-bara dake radha-kunde<\/p>\n

abara dake syama-kunde, radhe radhe<\/p>\n[…sometimes at Radha-kunda, sometimes at Syama-kunda.]\n

gosai eka-bara dake vrndavane<\/p>\n

eka-bara dake bandhirvane<\/p>\n[Adapted from Kothaya Go Premamayi Radhe Radhe]\n

Gosai in this connection refers to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.<\/p>\n

Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja could not live without remembering Srimati Radhika, always calling out: \u201cOh Radhe, where are You, where are You?\u201d Rolling down on the earth, he cried:<\/p>\n

he radhe! vraja-devike! ca lalite! he nanda-suno! kutah
\nsri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vanye kutah
\ngosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau
\nvande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau<\/p>\n[\u201cI am doing vandana to the Six Gosvamis, who were always calling out, \u201cO Radhe! O Queen of Vrndavan! Where are You? O Lalite! O son of Nanda Maharaja! Where are you? Are you seated beneath the kalpa-vrksa trees of Sri Govardhana Hill? Or are You roaming in the forests along the soft banks of the Kalindi?\u201d They were always lamenting, overwhelmed and burning in feelings of great separation as they wandered throughout all Vraja-mandala.\u201d (Sri Sad-Gosvamyastakam, verse 8)]\n

Sometimes in Vrndavana and sometimes in Radha-kunda, he was weeping and rolling on the ground, crying bitterly: \u201cRadhe! Radhe! Radhe! If You do not give me Your mercy, I shall die at once.\u201d He used to do this kind of bhajana, nirjana-bhajana, in solitary places.<\/p>\n

He also made a vow not to initiate anyone, but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had vowed, \u201cI will not take initiation from anyone but Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, otherwise I will die.\u201d Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had to become a mediator between them. He asked Babaji Maharaja, \u201cWhat is your duty towards the conditioned souls?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo give them mercy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why you are not giving your mercy to this boy? He is going to die!\u201d<\/p>\n

By the persuasion of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he agreed and gave initiation to this one person only, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. He ordered him, \u201cNever go to Kali.\u201d Kali means Kolkata. But when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was initiated and took sannyasa, even before he took sannyasa, he first went to Kolkata. There he started his preaching, and gradually he preached all over India and the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today is a very auspicious day. It is the birthday of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, who is one of the solid and strong pillars of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu\u2019s preaching. After the generation of the Six Gosvamis … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":38501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,140,156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-area2","category-db"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-01 09:26:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}