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   Hari Das Thakur is a combined incarnation of Brahma Mahatapa, the son of Richika Muni and Prahlad. The respected Murari Gupta has written in his Chaitanya Charitamrita that this muni’s son picked a Tulasi leaf and offered it to Krishna without having washed it first. His father then cursed him to become a mleccha in his next life. He was thus born as Hari Das, a great Devotee.

   (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 93-95)

 

 

   In his book Navadwip-dhama-mahatmya, Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written the following account of how Brahma became Hari Das Thakur:

 

   In the Dvapara Yuga, Nandanandana Shri Krishna was herding the cows through Vraja Dham in the company of his cowherd boyfriends when Brahma decided to test the Lord out of a desire to see His majestic form and opulences. He stole both Krishna’s cows and calves, as well as His friends and hid them for a year in the caves of Sumeru Mountain. But a year later, when Brahma returned to Vraja, he was astonished to see that Krishna was still there with both His friends and cattle. Brahma immediately understood his error and began to regret his rash action. He fell down at Krishna’s feet and begged Him for forgiveness; Krishna responded by mercifully revealing His divine opulence. He who appears in the Dvapara Yuga as Nandanandana Shri Krishna, descends again in the Kali Yuga as Gauranga, taking on the mood and bodily luster of Radharani in order to display the most magnanimous pastimes. Brahma was afraid that he might commit the same offense during Gaura’s incarnation so he went to Antardwipa, the central island of Navadwip, and began to meditate. The Lord was able to understand his mind and so came to him in the form of Gauranga and said, “During my incarnation as Gaura, you will be born in a family of mlecchas and will preach the glories of the Holy Name and bring auspiciousness to all the living beings.” 

 

   From this above description, it is understood that Hari Das Thakur was an incarnation of the creator god Brahma. It is said that in order to avoid coming under the influence of ahamkara, in Gauranga lila, he prayed to Krishna to take birth in a lowly family. The same idea is found in the Advaita-vilasa.

 

   A Vaishnava may appear in any family in any class of society. Mahaprabhu wished to show that even though he may be born in a lowly family, a Vaishnava is the best of all human society. In order to do so, He had His associates be born in a variety of castes. Vrindavan Das Thakur has written the following in Chaitanya Bhagavat:

 

   Hari Das Thakur was born in a low-caste family on the Lord’s order in order to show that caste and class have no importance at all. All the scriptures say that a Devotee of Vishnu, though born in a lowly family, is still worshipable by all. What will one’s caste do for one is born in a high caste but does not worship Krishna? He will go to hell in spite of his high birth. Hari Das took a low birth just to bear witness to these scriptural statements. He is comparable to Prahlad who was born in a family of demons, or Hanuman, who was born a monkey. They belong only superficially to low castes.

   (Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.16.237-240)

 

   Namacharya Hari Das Thakur appeared in Burihana village. Burihana is currently an administrative region containing 65 blocks (groups of villages) in the Satkhira subdivision of Khulna in Bangla Desh. It is not clear exactly where Burihana village itself lies. Some people hold that Burihana is in West Bengali in the district known as 24 Paraganas, while others think that it is in Jessore district in Bangla Desh. Benapole is the station after Bongaon on the railroad line to Khulna on the Bangla Desh side of the border, so both Benapole and Burihana are currently in Bangla Desh.

 

   According to some people, Hari Das Thakur was born in a Brahmin family. His father’s name was Sumati and his mother Gauri. His parents died when he was young, so he went to live with a Muslim couple named Khan in the village of Halimpur about five miles from his birthplace on the other bank of the Salai River. He was thus brought up in an Islamic environment. According to the Advaita-vilasa, however, Hari Das Thakur was born in 1372 of the Shaka era (1451 AD) in the month of Agrahayan and his father’s name was Khanaulla Kazi. According to this version also, Hari Das was orphaned young.

 

 

   Since Mahaprabhu was born in 1407 Shaka, if we accept the Advaita-vilasa’s version, Hari Das was 35 years older than Mahaprabhu. It is known that Nityananda was 12 years older than Mahaprabhu, so there was a difference of 23 years between Hari Das and Nityananda also. Hari Das entered into Mahaprabhu’s association when the Lord returned to Navadwip after having been initiated by Ishvara Puri in Gaya. This was when the Lord started preaching the sankirtan movement.

 

   Mahaprabhu engaged in His sankirtan pastimes in Navadwip while in His kaishora age (i.e., when he was between 10 and 15 years old). From this we can estimate that Hari Das was about 50 years old when he first met Mahaprabhu. By the Lord’s wish, Hari Das appeared long before He did. Even before meeting the Lord, Hari Das had already started to reveal the glories of the Holy Names in many wondrous ways. One of the Lord’s most important associates in His role as the initiator of the yuga dharma, which is Harinama sankirtan. Vrindavan Das Thakur has described Hari Das’s spotless and glorious pastimes extensively in his Chaitanya Bhagavat. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has added some extra information about his life and character.

 

   Hari Das Thakur is a major branch of the desire tree of devotion. His character is extraordinary. He would unfailingly chant 300,000 names of the Lord each day. His virtues are unlimited and I can only give a brief summary here. Advaita Acharya gave him the place of honor at his father’s shraddha ceremony. Hari Das Thakur possessed the same qualities as Prahlad, being undisturbed even when being beaten by the Muslims. When he entered the Lord’s eternal pastimes, Mahaprabhu took his mortal remains in His arms and danced ecstatically. Vrindavan Das Thakur has described his pastimes extensively, I will simply take up what he has left undescribed. 

   (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.43-47)

 

   It is not known exactly when Hari Das Thakur performed the various lilas which have been described, nevertheless we will try to follow a chronological order as far as possible. In the Adikhanda of the Chaitanya Bhagavat, Vrindavan Das Thakur writes about Mahaprabhu’s life from His birth until His return from Gaya. The Madhya-khanda describes the Lord after His return from Gaya, His ecstatic transformations in separation from Krishna, His Krishna conscious instructions to His students, His beginning the sankirtan movement with His students, His kirtan pastimes in the houses of Chandrashekhara and Shrivasa Pandit, etc., up until He took sannyas. Hari Das Thakur is mentioned in the Madhya-khanda in connection with the Lord’s sankirtan pastimes:

 

   In the Madhya-khanda, the Lord falls in to the Ganges in great distress; Nityananda and Hari Das pull Him out of the water.

   (Chaitanya Bhagavat 1.1.149)

 

   Hari Das Thakur was also a participant in the sankirtan festivities in the houses of Chandrashekhara and Shrivasa Pandit.

 

   When the Vaishnavas heard that the Lord had begun His sankirtan pastimes, they all were overjoyed. Every night He would hold kirtan in the house of Shrivasa Pandit, sometimes at the house of Chandrashekhara Acharya. Nityananda, Gadadhara, Advaita, Shrivasa, Vidyanidhi, Murari, Hiranya and Hari Das were all there.

   (Chaitanya Bhagavat 2.8.110-112)

 

   Hari Das was an eternal associate of the Lord and he incarnated in a Muslim household in order to serve Him; from a very early age he showed a proclivity for the chanting of the Holy Names. His life gives a brilliant example of how a Devotee who chants constantly without ulterior motivation and without offenses, cannot be swayed from his goal of attaining pure devotional service by any kind of worldly temptation, not even if Maya Devi herself comes to lure him. We summarize what Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has written in the third chapter of the Antya-lila of Chaitanya Charitamrita.

 

 

   After Hari Das Thakur had left his home in Burihana, he came to the Benapole jungle, which after the pastime about to be described was given the name Hira Veshya’s Jungle. Hari Das would have been in his early youth at this time, as it does not seem that Mahaprabhu had yet appeared when these events took place. He was chanting the Holy Name in a secluded part of the jungle, worshiping Tulasi Devi and chanting his three lakhs of Names. He would beg for food at a Brahmin’s house. All the people in the area observed his spotless character and his staunch devotion to the Holy Name and gave him their respect.

 

   At that time, an atheistic Vaishnava hater name Ramachandra Khan was a large landowner in the area. He became jealous of Hari Das Thakur’s increasing reputation and decided to ruin it by showing a flaw in his character. To this end he devised numerous tactics, none of which were successful. Finally, he called some prostitutes together and asked them to seduce Hari Das. One of these prostitutes, a very beautiful young girl named Lakshahira, promised that she would be able to accomplish the task within three days. Hence, Ramachandra engaged her for this mission.

 

   Ramachandra proposed sending an armed guard with Lakshahira to take Hari Das Thakur prisoner as soon as he had been brought down, but she refused, saying that it would be better to wait until she was sure that Hari Das was ready to fall. That night, she dressed and decorated herself in a most beautiful fashion and went to Hari Das’s hut. The first thing she did when she got there was to pay obeisances to the Tulasi plant, showing that she was still influenced by her pious Hindu upbringing.

 

   She then went and stood beside Hari Das. She began to use all the wiles at her command, flirting with him by saying, “You are a very handsome man, Thakur. You are in the full bloom of youth; what woman would be able to resist you? I have come here because I am filled with desire for you. If I don’t get your touch, I will kill myself.”

 

   In answer to this, Hari Das Thakur said, “I have just begun chanting my regular number of Holy Names. As soon as I am finished I will do as you wish. While waiting, please sit down and listen to the sound of the Holy Name.” He kept chanting and chanting until morning, when the prostitute became impatient and left. She returned to Ramachandra Khan and told him the whole story.

 

   She returned again that night to Hari Das’s hut, and he expressed his regret at having been unable to fulfill her desires due to his inability to complete his quota of Holy Names. Once again, however, he assured her that as soon as he was finished, he would do whatever she wished. Once again, Lakshahira paid her obeisances to Tulasi Devi and sat down and spent the night waiting for Hari Das to finish his chanting. When morning came, she again grew restless. Hari Das said to her, “I have taken a vow that I will chant 10,000,000 Holy Names before the end of the month. I am now almost finished. As a matter of fact, it should be completed this very night. As soon as it is over, I can sleep with you. Do not worry.”

 

   On the third night, Lakshahira returned, again paying obeisances to the Tulasi bush and sitting down beside Hari Das Thakur to listen to him chant. As she continued to listen to him chanting, the contaminations in her mind began to melt away and she began to regret her mission. She finally fell down at his feet and begged him forgiveness. She told him all about Ramachandra Khan’s evil intentions. Hari Das answered her, “I know all about Ramachandra Khan’s wicked plans. I would have left on the very first day, but I wanted to show you my mercy so I stayed for three days.”

 

   Lakshahira then asked him to instruct her so that she might be saved. He told her that whatever money she had earned by sinful means should be given in charity to the Brahmins and that then she should come and take up residence in his hut where she should chant the Holy Names constantly and worship Tulasi Devi.

 

   Lakshahira did exactly as her guru instructed her, giving all her riches to the Brahmins and shaving her head before returning to the hut dressed in a single cloth. She then started to chant three lakhs of names as Hari Das did. By virtue of her service to Tulasi and her chanting of the Holy Name, she became very renounced, all her senses were conquered and she attained pure love for Krishna. Through Hari Das Thakur’s mercy, the prostitute had become a great Vaishnavi.

 

   The prostitute became a celebrated Devotee and very advanced in spiritual life. Many stalwart Vaishnavas would come to see her.

   (C 3.3.141)

   Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has commented on Hari Das Thakur’s instructions to Lakshahira in the following way: “Even though the guru has a legitimate claim on all of his disciple’s worldly possessions, he does not ask for them for his own use. Those who take dakshina, or alms, are opening the door to the house of Yamaraja. A Vaishnava guru is not such a person bound for the house of Yama; he is a traveler on a higher road. For this reason, there is an arrangement for giving donations of material wealth, etc., to Brahmins on the karma-marga. By not accepting his disciple’s possessions, which are after all intended for sense gratification, the Vaishnava guru remains independent of his disciple and does not compromise his integrity. He renounces them because he knows that they will awaken in him a disinterest in the service of the Lord. Hari Das Thakur’s teaching here is that the guru’s duty is to rid his disciple of his mundane pride and not to himself accept the material possessions which the disciple has renounced.”

   (Anubhashya to Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.3.139)

 

 

   A Vaishnava does not take offense from anyone for he does not even consider himself to be a Vaishnava. He accepts all suffering that he undergoes to be the result of his own sinful past and thus does not blame anyone for such suffering. Nevertheless, he is so dear to Krishna that the Lord never tolerates offenses to his feet. The Lord never forgives offenses to the feet of a Devotee who is constantly engaged in acts for the benefit of all living beings. As a result, there is no other source of self-destruction and misfortune more powerful than offense to a Vaishnava. The results of such offenses may come immediately or they may be delayed, but they are inevitable.

 

   In the case of Ramachandra Khan, the seeds he had sown in committing these offenses to Hari Das Thakur grew into a great tree, which bore fruit when Nityananda Prabhu came to his house with his associates in his pastimes of saving the fallen souls. As the indwelling soul of all beings, Nityananda was perfectly aware of Ramachandra’s record and had in fact come to his house because he was angry and intended to punish him. Though Nityananda Prabhu is known to be the most compassionate, merciful to even the lowliest people, saving sinners like Jagai and Madhai and giving them love of God, he too becomes angry at the offender to the feet of a Vaishnava.

 

   As a result of his offenses to Hari Das Thakur, Ramachandra Khan had become a complete demon and thus was unable to give Nityananda and his companions the proper respect, arranging for living quarters for them in a milkman’s cowshed. Nityananda became even more displeased with Ramachandra Khan and left the place. He said, this place is not fit for me, but for a cow-killing meat-eater. Not long after Nityananda Prabhu had left the place, the Muslim tax collector came with his police to collect Khan’s overdue taxes. He and his men stayed in the Durga Mandapa at Ramachandra Khan’s house and killed a cow there. They took him and his family prisoner and looted the house and village, destroying his caste, his wealth and his family in one fell swoop.

 

   Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted, even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed on account of that offense.

   (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.3.163)

 

 

   Hari Das Thakur left the district of Jessore and came to Hooghly district. He stayed in the village of Chandpur, near Saptagrama-Triveni, at the house of Hiranya and Govardhana Majumdar’s family priest, Balaram Acharya. There he stayed in a straw hut and chanted the Holy Names all day long, taking food at Balaram Acharya’s house. Raghunatha Das Goswami was a young boy then and he would come to visit Hari Das whose merciful glance made it possible for Raghunatha to later come into Mahaprabhu’s direct company.

 

   Hiranya and Govardhana Majumdar would regularly arrange for discussions of the Bhagavat and other scriptures at their house. One day Balaram Acharya brought Hari Das Thakur to this assembly. When he heard about Hari Das Thakur’s various qualities and that he chanted three lakhs of names every day, Raghunatha’s father Govardhana was very impressed.

 

   While discussing the scriptures, the scholars present brought up the subject of the glories of the Holy Names. One pandit said that the Holy Name destroyed sins, another said that it gave liberation. Hari Das said that the primary fruit of chanting the Holy Name was that it gave love for the lotus feet of Shri Krishna, and the destruction of accumulated sinful karmas and liberation from the material condition were secondary results. He gave the following example: with the first dawn’s light, darkness is dissipated and along with it the fear of thieves, ghosts and demons. With the full rising of the sun, one can set about doing one’s daily duties. Similarly, even before one has experienced the full manifestation of the Holy Name, one’s sins are destroyed and one becomes liberated. With its full manifestation, one attains Krishna prema. The reflection of the Holy Name (namabhasa) brings liberation, but even if the Lord wants to give liberation to His Devotee, the Devotee does not accept it.

 

   One of the people who heard Hari Das speak was a Brahmin named Gopal Chakravarti, a handsome and learned young scholar who worked as a tax collector for the Muslim government. When he heard that simply the shadow of the Holy Name could bring liberation, he got angry and said, “Fellow scholars! These are the statements of a sentimentalist. After millions of births of practicing knowledge one may still not attain liberation, but this fellows says that just a glimpse of the Holy Name will bring that result.”

 

   Hari Das Thakur answered, “The pleasure of liberation is insignificant when compared to the ecstasy of devotion. Just a shadow of devotion, just a shadow of the Holy Name, will easily give one liberation.”

 

   The Brahmin became even angrier and said, “Hari Das must swear that if one is not liberated by namabhasa, then he shall cut off his nose.”

 

   Hari Das Thakur had no trouble agreeing to this, but the rest of the people in the assembly were shocked by Gopal’s breach of the proper etiquette toward a great spiritual personality. Hiranya and Govardhana rebuked the tax collector. Balaram Acharya also chastised him, saying, “You are a foolish logician. What do you know of devotion? You have insulted Hari Das Thakur. Nothing positive will come of that, you will be ruined on account of it.” All the other members of the assembly fell at Hari Das’s feet and asked for forgiveness for Gopal’s behavior, but he only said, “Neither he nor you are at fault. The Brahmin is ignorant and addicted to arguing. One cannot understand the glories of the Holy Name through logic. May the Lord bless you all. Don’t worry about me.” The Majumdars ostracized Gopal Chakravarti, refusing him entry to their house.

 

   Though Hari Das Thakur personally took no offense at Gopal Chakravarti’s words, and even forgave him, Krishna does not take the blasphemy of a Devotee lightly and so he punished the Brahmin. Three days later he contracted leprosy and his very prominent nose melted and fell off. Everyone was terrified by the Brahmin’s misfortune and glorified Hari Das Thakur’s spiritual power, but it was a source of distress to Hari Das himself.

 

 

   Hari Das thus quit the region and moved to Phuliya, near Shantipur, where he came into contact with Advaita Acharya. Advaita was born in 1434, 52 years before the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, so he was 17 years senior to Hari Das.

 

   Advaita Prabhu gave Hari Das the shraddha plate that was normally given only to Brahmins. When Hari Das objected to the honor, “If you eat, it is the equivalent of thousands of Brahmins.” Hari Das daily took his midday meal at Advaita Acharya’s house at his invitation. From Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami’s account, it is apparent that these events took place before Mahaprabhu’s appearance. The primary reason for Mahaprabhu’s incarnation was the devotion and the emotional prayers of both Advaita Acharya and Hari Das Thakur.

 

   Advaita began to wonder how the world could be saved. How can this world without devotion for the Supreme Lord ever achieve liberation. He became determined to make Krishna descend and so he began to worship Krishna with Ganges water and Tulasi leaves. Meanwhile, Hari Das Thakur was in his grotto chanting the Holy Names and praying for Krishna’s incarnation. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s avatar was the result of both these persons’ devotion, by which he saved the world through preaching the chanting of the Holy Names and love of Krishna.

   (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.3.221-4)

 

   A Devotee who chants the Holy Name without artifice cannot be swayed from the path of pure devotion, not even by the personification of Maya herself. Once again, Hari Das Thakur is an outstanding example. There was no object of enjoyment in this entire world that could tempt him. If one sees someone who is apparently taking shelter of the Holy Name, but at the same time succumbs to the temptations of women, wealth and power, it can be understood that he is not truly surrendered to the Name. Phalena phalakaranam anumiyate: one can guess the cause by examining the results. Although one sees the Holy Names being chanted in many places, but one does not often see the desired results. The reason is that those who are doing the chanting are not doing it in a fashion that is sincere, single-minded and offenseless.

 

 

   While Hari Das Thakur was sitting in his grotto near Shantipur and chanting the Holy Names with single-minded devotion, Maya Devi herself came to test him. She took on the form of a beautiful woman and called out to him in a sweet voice that wnbsp; nbsp;Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted, even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed on account of that offense. nbsp;Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted, even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed on account of thnbsp; nbsp; at offnbsp; ense. nbsp;Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted, even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed on account of that offense . nbsp;Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted, even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed orsquo;s Birth as a Muslim n account of that offense. ould hnbsp;Any town or country in which a great soul is insulted,/divrsquo;s account, it is apparent that these events took placenbnbsp; /divnbs div p; sp; nbsp; /div before Mahapra bhu even if by only one of its inhabitants, is destroyed on account /divdiv/divnbsp; of that ostro ng ffense . ave toppled even great sages, imploring him to embrace her. Once again, Hari Das told her that he would complete hinbsp; nbsp; nbsp; /divs vow of chanting a fixed number of Harinama, and only then he would satisfy her desires. Although she came three nights in a row in this way, Maya Devi was astonished to see that there was not the slightest wavering in his resolve to chant the Holy Name. She admitted defeat and prayed to him for his mercy. Hari Das Thakur gave her initiation in the Maha Mantra and thus Maya Devi disappeared, feeling that she had been fulfilled.

 

   Previously I received the name of Rama from Shiva; but I had the desire to hear the name of Krishna from you. Rama’s name is the taraka-nama that gives liberation, whereas Krishna’s name is called the paraka-nama because it gives prema. You have made me fortunate by giving me the name of Krishna and I feel a flood of love for him washing over me.

   (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.3.254-6)

 

 

   From Shrila Vrindavan Das Thakur’s Chaitanya Bhagavat, it is known that prior to Hari Das’s coming to meet Advaita Prabhu in Shantipur, he lived in Phuliya. Phuliya is on the Eastern Railway line in Nadia district between Ranaghat and Shantipur, about five miles north of Ranaghat. When the Brahmins of the village saw his dedication to the chanting of the Holy Names as well as his ecstatic symptoms of love, they concluded that he was a Vaishnava of the highest order.

 

   The local magistrate (Kazi), however, knowing that Hari Das had been born in a Muslim household, and now was showing such a taste for chanting the Holy Names of Krishna, began to fear that he might convert others to Vaishnavism. He took his complaint to the governor (Nawab), suggesting that Hari Das be punished as soon as possible. The governor ordered his officers to place Hari Das under arrest. The other prisoners already knew Hari Das’s glories and thought that the sight and blessings of such a great spiritual personality would surely bring them merit to insure their early release from jail. But Hari Das told them that they were better off in jail and he blessed them that they stay. The prisoners were naturally unhappy to hear such a statement, but then Hari Das explained his strange blessing:

 

   I don’t mean to say that you should remain prisoners, but that you forget sense gratification and that you chant Hare Krishna. This was the meaning of my blessing; please don’t be sad for a moment on that account.

   (Chaitanya Bhagavat 1.16.63-64)

 

   While in jail, the prisoners could forget the entanglements of material life and simply concentrate on chanting the Holy Name.

 

   One day, the Nawab asked Hari Das why he had abandoned the pure religion of Islam to embrace Hinduism. Hari Das Thakur answered, “God is one. The same God is present in every religion; He is the non-dual absolute truth. In the different religions, it is simply the name that differs, but on the absolute plane, there is no distinction to be made. The same God sits in the heart of every single living being and he engages each one of them in His service in different ways. One worships in the way one is made to worship by Him. There are Hindu Brahmins who convert to Islam. In the same way, though I was born in a Muslim family, I have been engaged by the Lord in chanting the Holy Names of Krishna. The living being has no independence in such matters. If this is a fault, then please punish me.”