Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was born at Sri Khanda. Sri
Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami describes that the residents of Sri
Khanda formed a branch of the desire tree of love of God. "Sri Khan
davasi (the residents of Sri Khanda) Mukunda and his son Raghu
nandan were the thirty ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the
fortieth, Chiran Jiva the forty first and Sulocana the forty
second. They were all big branches of the all merciful tree of
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of
love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere. [Chaitanya Charitamrita
Adi-lila 10:78-79] Srila Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaj once stated
- "Navadwip is the abode of Goloka. Vrindavana is the abode of
Gokula. And Sri Khanda is the abode of Vaikuntha."
Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura participated in all of Sri
Gaurasundora's pastimes. Bhakti Ratnakara states: "Sri Sarkar
Thakura's glories are most uncommon. In Braja he is known as
Madhumati, whose good qualities are unlimited." (thus proving he
was not the author of it)
One day, Nityananda Prabhu arrived at Sri Khanda and said
to Narahari, "All right, we know who you are. So where's the honey,
Madhu' ?" In Krsna-lila, Narahari is the sakhi Madhumati, whose
service is to supply honey for Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Their
associates. So he immediately went to a nearby pond and filled a
pot which immediately turned into honey of the most nectarean kind.
Nityananda Prabhu and His associates drank from this pot to their
full and unlimited satisfaction.
Narahari dasa Sarakara was a very famous devotee. Locana
dasa Thakura, the celebrated author of Sri Caitanya-mangala, was
his disciple. In the Caitanya-mangala it is stated that Sri
Gadadhara dasa and Narahari Sarakara were extremely dear to Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but there is no specific statement regarding
the inhabitants of the village of Srikhanta. (A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada. Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi-lila
10:78-79.purport)
Sri Locana dasa Thakura was the dear disciple of Sri
Narahari Sarkar. In his book Caitanya mangala he introduces his
guru in this way: "My Thakur (spiritual master) is Sri Narahari das
Thakura, who is very influential amongst the medical caste. He is
continuously absorbed in Krsna-prema, and in fact his body knows
nothing but Krsna. To his followers he speaks about nothing other
than love of Krsna. He was previously known in Vrindavana-lila as
Madhumati and was a storehouse of sweetness (honey), and very dear
to Radharani. Now he is now present in Kali-yuga with Sri
Gaurasundara as Sri Narahari. He is the keeper of the storehouse of
love of Radha and Krsna." [Sri Caitanya Mangal,
Sutrakhanda]
This is supported in Gaura Ganod-desh dipika of
Kavi-karnapura 177., wherein it is said:
pura madhumati prana-
shakhi vrindavane sthitaa
adhuna naraharya-akhyah
saarakarah prabhoh priyah
"Srimati Radharani's dear friend, the Vraja-gopi named
Madhumati-devi, appeared as Narahari Saarakaara, who was very dear
to Lord Chaitanya".
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in his Gaura-arati kirtana,
sings of some of that intimate service to that he performed for
Lord Chaitanya: 'kiba narahari adikari chamara dhulaya' "Narahari
is fanning Gaurasundara with a yak-tail (chaumara) fan."
Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was a very expert singer as
well as poet. He has composed many songs about the pastimes of Lord
Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. He composed a Sanskrit work entitled
Sri Bhajanamrta. Gaurviraha-gita pada kalpataru is also attributed
to him, although some scholar devotees doubt whether it is really
his own composition.
Most of Narahari Sarkar Thakura's songs have gotten mixed
up with Narahari Chakravarti Thakura's compositions (Narahari
Chakravarti Thakura is the author of Bhakti-ratnakara). Therefore
is difficult to ascertain which are actually his. Before the
appearance of Sri Gaurasundara he also composed many songs about
the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.
Narahari was the only devotee who had the adhikara (right)
to do Gaura-kirtana in Gaurasundara's presence. Ordinarily, if
anyone would praise Mahaprabhu in His presence, or chant His Holy
Name, He would block His ears and call out "Visnu! Visnu!"
Narahari, however, enjoyed the special privilege of being able to
sing about Mahaprabhu in a very unique mood and with sweet
descriptions of His transcendental beauty without objection from
Mahaprabhu.
But alas there is little else known of him.
His disappearance is on the ekadasi tithi day, of the dark
fortnight, in the month of Agrahayon (Mrigasir –
Nov-Dec).
Gaudiya Vaishnava Viraha Bhajan (Song Sung in Separation Of Vaishnava)
