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The Glories of Narottama

Once when Narottama Thakura passed by the school a learned smarta brahmana insulted Narottama Thakura in front of his students. Blaspheming him again and again, he called Narottama Thakura a Shudra. After this offense, all the limbs of the brahmana began melting away from leprosy. Consumed by his incurable disease and seeing no hope for recovery the brahmana went to throw himself in the Ganges and die. That night Durga Devi came to the brahmana in a dream and said, "You fool. You have considered a great mahabhagavata, a pure devotee, to be a shudra. Even if you die and take many many millions of births you cannot be delivered. But if you simply go to him and beg forgiveness at his lotus feet, everything will be all right."

The next day, in the afternoon, the brahmana went with a piece of cloth tied around his neck to indicate great humility, and in complete submission, weeping and weeping, fell before the lotus feet of Narottama Thakur, begging his forgiveness. Gradually, as a result of his association with Narottama, his leprosy healed. Narottama Thakura advised him to engage himself in Krishna bhajan. Gradually he became greatly devoted to Narottama Thakura.

One day, Narottama Thakura and Shri Ramachandra Kaviraja went to eh river Padmavati to take bath and at that time they saw two young bramahanas herding many goats and sheep. Narottama Thakura asked the two brahmanas if they were making their young lives successful by performing hari bhajan. The two young brahmana boys listened very attentively. Seeing the beautiful divine forms of Narottama Thakura and Ramachandra Kaviraj, and hearing their sweet words, they approached the place where they stood on the banks of the river and in a very humble mood offered their respectful prayers and obeisances. Narottama Thakura asked them who they were and they introduced themselves, saying, "We come from the village of Goyasa Gram, and we are the sons of a Zamindar named Sivananda Acharya. Our names are Harinam and Ramkrishna. At our house, at present Durga Puja is being conducted, and on the order of our father we are bringing all these goats and sheep to be slaughtered. Please give us some advice as to what we should do."

Seeing the humble mood of the two sons of brahmanas, Shri Thakura Mahashaya smiled sweetly and began to speak as before on the truths of the Bhagavata, explaining what the Vedas say about how karma-kanda is often performed in the modes of passion and ignorance, and how those whose minds are contaminated by the lower modes are candidates for hell. The Vedas explain that the practitioners of karma receive some piety and as a result go to the heavenly planets for s short time, but having once gone to heaven for a short time, they fall into the hellish worlds to suffer. One who, being interested in material enjoyment, is captivated by the sweet words of the Vedas that promise material enjoyment has his intelligence covered. Spending his life in material pursuits, such a person becomes a killer of animals, or a killer of the soul, and after death falls down into hell. All souls are the energy of Krishna. One who sees the paramatma everywhere, who is free from violence to others, who has no false ego, and who always worships the Supreme Lord becomes free from repeated birth and death and attains the liberated position of divine service at the lotus feet of the Lord."

Hearing these words from the mouth of Shrila Narottama Thakura, the two brahmana boys fell before his holy feet and said, "Please bless these most fallen young brahmanas with the dust of your lotus feet." The Thakur then touched his hand to their heads, saying, "May you attain Krishna-bhakti."

At this, the young brahmana boys set the goats and sheep free, bathed in the Padma river, and went with Shri Ramachandra Kaviraja and Narottama Thakura to the temple of Shriman Mahaprabhu. That day, after taking prasada they again heard from Shri Narottama Thakura and Ramachandra Kaviraja about different aspects of the absolute truth. The next day, after shaving their heads, the two young brahmanas took initiation in the Radha-Krishna mantra. Harinam accepted the mantra from Ramchandra Kaviraja and Ram-Krishna from Narottama Thakura.

After some time, Shivananda Acharya began searching and searching for his sons until he found that they had been seen in Kheturi Gram where they were living as disciples in the ashrama of Narottam Thakura. Shivananda Acharya could not contain his anger.

A few days later, the two brothers returned home. Their foreheads were marked with the tilak of a Vaishnava, their throats decorated with tulasi mala, the twelve parts of their bodies marked with Vishnu tilak, their heads shaved, wearing the shikha of a devotee of Krishna. Seeing all this Shivananda raged with the hot fury of an uncontrolled fire. He told them: "O fools! Where does it say in the shastra that the position of a Vaishnavas is greater than the position of a brahmana or that by becoming a Vaishnava one is better than a brahmana? You have neglected Durga for so long, but your life is useless without Durga. Moreover, if the Vaishnavas make disciples out of brahmanas it will lead to chaos in society; the brahmanas will lose their position, and if the pandits are defeated, religion will be destroyed and everything will be lost."

Hearing these these words of their father, the two young brahamana boys spoke as follows: "On the other hand, that "religion" or "right work" which causes violence to others, and ends only misery, cannot properly be called religion or proper activity. Rather it must be called irreligion and wrong activity. O father! Giving up the worship of Shalagrama narayana, why have you established the worship of Durga-devi and other demigods? Giving careful thought to the conclusions surrounding the performance of Shri Narayana bhajana you should understand the worship of Shiva and Durga to be a useless waste of time.

Shivananda Acharya and smarta pandits there were thus defeated by the conclusions given by the brahmana boys. Shivananda began to deeply consider: "If a great pandit were here, he could defeat all this and belittle the position of Vaishnava dharma by counter-argument and word jugglery. Shivananda Acharaya brought a great mahapandit from Mithila named Murari. At that time, for the purpose of having a debate, he called for his sons and told them that he wanted them to explain before a public assemply their conclusions that a Vaishnava is better than a brahmana.

Shri Harinam and Shri Rama Krishna remembering the lotus feet of their guru maharaja explained the siddhanta or conclusions of the Bhagavatam, and the arguments of the smartas were so utterly cut to pieces that when it was his turn to speak the great smarta Mahapandit Murari was unable to put forward any arguments in response. When it was all over, the mahapandit fled the assembly in great embarrassment with his head held low and accepted the occupation of a beggar.

That night, as he lay defeated, Shivananda Acharya began to meditate on Durga Devi. Gradually he fell asleep and Durga Devi appeared to him in a dream. At that time she said: "O Shivananda! Shri Hari is the master of everyone. He is the way, the truth and the light. Those whom he covers with ignorance turn to my worship. And I assure the destruction of those who worship me. Those who aren't Krishna-minded are demons. On the other hand those who are dear devotees of Krishna are really dear to me. For your own sake, if you want to become free from the offenses you have commited and attain auspiciousness, youhad better go to Narottama Thakura and beg forgiveness from his lotus feet. Otherwise I will destroy you, you offender of Vaishnavas!" After speaking these words of chastisement to Shivananda Acharaya, Durga Devi disappeared.

Ganganarayana Chakravarti was a famous and highly learned brahmana living in Gambhila Gram. He heard from the lips of Narottama Thakura the siddhanta of the Goswamis with great attention and took shelter of the lotus feet of Narottama where he later studied very deeply the scriptures of the Goswamis.

There was another brahmana named Jagannatha Acharya who was a worshipper of Durga. One day in a dream Durga appeared to him and said, "O you simple brahmana. Go to Narottama Thakur. Take shelter of his lotus feet. Practice Krishna bhajan and you will achieve the highest good fortune. Krishna is my master and my guru. Not a blade of grass moves without his wish."

Jagannatha Acharya, after his afternoon bath, went to Kheturi Gram and offered his dandavats at the lotus feet of Narottama Thakura, explaining all that Durga had told him in the dream. Hearing this, the Thakura smiled slightly and said, "You are very fortunate to have attained Krishna's mercy." On an auspicious day the Thakura initiated him in the Radha-Krishna mantra. Shri Jagannatha Acharya became a very dear and confidential disciple of Narottam Thakura.

Seeing the glories of Shrila Narottama Thakura, the society of smarta brahmanas roasted with envy. A large faction of them went to the Raja Nrishinga and petitioned him for redress. They told him: "Maharaja! If you don't rescue the brahmanas, your reputation will be ruined and your death will be assured. The son of Raja Krishnananda Datta, Narottama Thakura, is a shudra—and yet he dares to make disciples of the brahmanas. If this goes on, we shall all be drowned like the members of the Yadu dynasty."

Raja Narasingha said, "I shall protect you. But please tell me, what is to be done?"

The brahmanas said we shall all go to Kheturi Gram along with the great and famous, the world-conquering scholar Mahadigvijay Pandit Shri Rupa Narayana and defeat Narottama. With that great pandit as our leader, Narottama will not be able to say anything. You please assist us in all this."

The king, Raja Nrishingha said, "I myself shall accompany you every step of the way. In this way, that group of brahmanas along with the great and learned world-conquering pandit Rupa Narayana began their journey to Kheturi Gram. As they were traveling on the road someone heard the news and went to Kheturi Gram where he informed Shrila Ramachandra Kaviraja and Narottama Thakura.

When Shri Ramachandra Kaviraja and Shri Ganganarayana Cakravarti heard all this, they became very disturbed. Thereafter, after some inquiry, the two of them came to know that the party of smarta pandits, were about to arrive in the marketplace of a town called Kumara Pura, and that after resting there for one day, they would reach Kheturi Gram the following day. Ramchandara and Ganganarayana quickly went to that marketplace in Kumarpura and the two of them set up two different shops. Shri Ramchandra Kaviraja set up a stall for selling clay pots and Ganganarayana Chakravarti set himself up in a stall selling pan and betel nut.

In this way, along with Raja Narashinga, the smarta pandits arrived in the marketplace of Kumarpura and set up their camp near the shops. The disciples of the pandits went to buy some clay pots for cooking with and went to the pottery shop. The potter (who was Ramchandra Kaviraja) began speaking to them in pure Sanskrit. The disciples of the pandits began speaking in Sanskrit also, and soon they began arguing back and forth in Sanskrit and were defeated. In the same way, when the students went to purchase pan and betel nuts from the shop of the pan-walla (Ganganarayana Chakravarti) he spoke to them in pure Sanskrit. They also began to argue. Gradually their teachers arrived at the place where the argument was going on and found themselves unable to reply to the arguments of the pan-walla and the clay pot walla. Finally the king, Raja Narasingha, arrived on the scene the great pandit Rupa Narayana. At that time a great uproar of argumentation filled the four directions. In the presence of the king, the potter and the pan-walla defeated all the smarta brahmanas, including Rupa Narayana. Raja Nrishinga made some inquries and came to know that the pan-walla and potter were disciples of Narottama Das. At that time he said to the pandits when you are unable to defeat a common, ordinary disciple of Narottama in the matter of siddhanta, how will you defeat Narottam himself?"

The smarta pandits were silent. Realizing their defeat, they made preparations to return to their own villages.

That evening, King Raja Narasingha and Shri Rupa Narayana saw Durgadevi in a dream. She told them, "If you don't accept the shelter of Narottam'a lotus feet, I will cut you all to pieces with my sharpened sword." The following morning Raja Narasimgha and Rupa Narayana arrived at the place of Narottama Thakura. Narottama Thakura received them with great affection and with all due respect and cordiality, offering them a seat. He said, "I am very fortuante to have the company of such highly learned and noble personages such as your good selves."

Raja Narashinga and Rupa Narayana, were overwhelmed at Narottama's polite and gentle Vaishnva behavior and fell prostrate at his lotus feet begging forgiveness for their offenses. At length, upon being hearing of the pronouncement that Durga Devi had given them, Narottama smiled very sweetly. Thereafter, within a few days, he initiated them in the he initiated them in the Radha Krishna mantra.

The Disappearance of Shri Narottam Das Thakura

Shrila Narottama Thakura was constantly absorbed in singing the glories of Shri Gauranga and Nityananda. Day after day many atheists, agnostics, offenders, Shiva worshippers, followers of Durga, dry logicians, mental speculators and karmis were purified by the touch of his holy lotus feet. Taking the blessings of Narottama, Shri Ramachandra Kaviraja went to Shri Vrindavana Dhama. After a few months there, he entered into the etneral lila of Shri Radha and Govinda. This extremely terrible and unbearable news came to Shrinivas Acharya, and, unable to bear the separation from his dear disciple, he too passed away from this earth and entered into the eternal pastimes of Radha and Govinda. Hearing all this terrible news, Shrila Narottama plunged into the ocean of separation where he began to drown. In the great and unbearable agony of separation he wrote the song, "ye anilo premadhana." Barely able to keep afloat inthe ocean of separation, Shrila Narottam Thakura went near banks of the Ganges in the village called Gambhilaya and entered a temple of Mahaprabhu. Narottam ordered the devotees to perform kirtan. The devotees began performing Sankirtan. After Sankirtan, Narottam Thakura went to the river's edge, and with tears in his eyes took darshan of the Ganges, offering his obeisances again and again. At that time, he entered the waters of the Ganges. After entering a short distance into the water he requested all the devotees to fill the four directions with the loud chanting of the holy name in Sankirtan. At that time, Shri Ramakrishna Acharya and Shri Ganganarayana Cakravarti began two kirtans in two different places. In the midst of all this, the Thakura told two of them, "Pour the waters of the Ganges over my body." Saying this, everyone was immersed in the waves of Sankirtan. As the kirtan went on they were just ready to take pour Ganges water over the body of Shri Narottama Thakura, when just at that moment Shrila Narottama Das Thakura, who was absorbed in chanting the holy name in Sankirtana, merged into the waters of the Ganges and vanished from worldly view. His disappearance day is celebrated on the Krishna Panchami day of the month of Karttika.

In his Prema Bhakti Chandrika, Narottama Thakura has written:

Song One

jaya sanatana rupa prema bhakti rasa kupa

jugala ujjwala rasa tanu

janhara prasade loka pararila saba soka

prakatala kalpa taru jana

prema bhakti riti jata nija granthe su-byakata

kariyachen dui mahashay

jahara srabana haite parananda haya cite

jugala madhura rasaraya

jugala kishora prem, jini laksa bana hema

hena dhana prakashila janra

jaya rupa sanatana deha more sei dhana

se ratana mora gela hara

bhagavata sastra marma nava bidha bhakti dharma

sadai kariba su sebana

anya devashraya nai tomare kahinu bhai

ei bhakta parama bhajan

sadhu shastra guru vakya cittete kariya aikya

satata bhasiba prema majhe

karmi jnani bhakti hina ihare karibe bhina

narottame ei tattwa gaje

Song Two

ana katha ana byatha nahi jena jai tatha

tomara carana smriti majhe

abirata abikala tuwa guna kala-kala

gai jena satera samaje

anya brata anya dana nahi karon bastu jnana

anya seba anya deba puja

ha ha krishna bali bali bedera ananda kari

mane ara nahe jena duja

Jibane marane gati radha krishna prana pati

donhara piriti rasa sukhe

jugala bhajaye janra premanande bhase tanra

ei katha rahu mora buke

jugala carana seba ei dana more diba

jugalete manera piriti

jugala kishora rupa kama rati guna bhupa

mane bahu o lila piriti

dasanete trina kari ha ha kishor-kishori

caranabje nibedana kari

braja-raja-suta syama brishabhanu suta nama

shri radhika nama manohari

kanaka-ketaki rai shyama marakata tay

kandarpa darapa karu cura

nata bara shiromani natinira shikarini

dunhun gune dunhun mana jhura

abharana manimaya prati ange abhinaya

tachu paye narottama kahe

diba nisi guna gaya parama ananda paya

mane ei abhilasa hay

"All glories to Sri Sanantan and Rupa Goswami who are fathomless wellsprings of prema-bhakti-rasa. They personify ujjvala-rasa. They are desire trees whose mercy frees everyone from pain and sorrow. The books of those two great souls clearly explain prema-bhakti. Hearing of them will bring one great joy for they are the ashraya-vigrahas of madhura-rasa. O Rupa and Sanatana, you are endowed with the greatest wealth of divine love—radha-krishna-prema—which in your hands is like thousands of cupid's golden arrows. O Rupa and Sanatana, bestow some of that treasure upon me by piercing my heart with those jeweled arrows. The essence of Shrimad Bhagavatam is the ninefold path of bhakti. I shall always follow that path, without taking shelter of any other god. O brothers! Krishna-bhakti is the supreme form of bhajan. Making the words of guru, shastra and the sadhus my mind's only meditation I shall dive and surface in the ocean of Krishna-prema. The karmis and jnanis have no bhakti. Bhakti is different—it is without any trace of karma, exploitation, or jnana, calculation. Thus sings Narottama of the truth."

"I have no other topic of discussion but your lotus feet. I worry my mind with nothing other than the thought of your lotus feet, O Lord. I can speak of nothing else but your holy qualities in the company of other devotees. I have no other vow but your service. I have no other object of charity. I am interested in no other kind of knowledge besides knowing how to please you. I have no other duties. I worship no other gods before you. Chanting, "O Krishna! O Krishna!" I shall wander in ecstasy, thinking of nothing other than You. Radha-Krishna are my goal in life and death and the masters of my breath. Performing my bhajan only for them I rise and fall in the ocean of prema, divine love. I pray that I may always maintain this conception within my heart as my highest ideal: Let me serve the lotus feet of Shri Shri Radha and Govinda. Let my mind be filled with dedication to their divine forms whose beauty surpasses that of Cupid and Rati. With a straw between my teeth I fall at their feet and present my humble petition: "O Kishora-Kishori! O son of King Nanda, Shyamasundara! And O daughter of King Vrishabhanu, Shri Radhika, you who enchant even Hari, you whose bodily complexion is the color of a golden lotus. O Krishna, whose bodily color is that of a blue jewel, whose beauty mocks cupid. O topmost dancer and danseuse, Shri Krishna and Shri Radha: Please dance within my mind. O you whose beauty increases the charm of your dazzling ornaments, my only wish is that day and night, in great ecstasy, I shall go on singing your glories."

Biography # 2

Appearing as the son of a king, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura (Sri Thakura Mahasaya) showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusa (an exalted divine person). He had long arms, a deep navel, golden-complexion, beautiful eyes shaped like the lotus petals. In school, he was a sruti dhara (able to memorize whatever he hears) Although he quickly mastered Sanskrit and the Vedas, he hankered to serve Krishna. He was a lifelong brahmacari.

By the mercy of the holy name Gaura-Nitai, Narottama be­came detached, left his opulent family, and ran to Vrndavana. He took diksa from Sri Lokanatha Gosvami and siksa in Gaudiya philosophy from Sri Jiva Gosvami.

When he arrived in Navadvipa-dhama all the devotees asked him about the health and activities of the Gosvamis in Vrndavana. They were eager to hear the news from Vrndavana. After visiting all of Gauranga's pastime places in Gaura Mandala, Narottama Dasa did the same in Sri Ksetra Dhama (Jagannatha Puri). Then he went to see the devotees and Sri Caitanya's pastime spots in Santipura, Sri Khanda, Kanthak Nagar, Ekacakra, and Kheturi Gram.

In Kheturi, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura arranged the famous Kheturi Mahotsava. This was the first "Gaura-Purnima" festival to honor the divine appearance day of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. During the festival six Deities were installed: Sri Gauranga Deva, Sri Vallabhi Kanta, Sri Vraja Mohana, Sri Krish­na, Sri Radha Kanta, Sri Radha Ramana.

With his sweet voice Narottama Dasa began a wonderful Idr-tana. His chanting filled the heavens, and brought down tears of prema from the eyes of the devotees, who were all sporting in the ocean of ecstasy. "In the midst of their kirtana, the munificent Sri Caitanya Himself and all His personal associates appeared and joined in the sankirtana. Like a flash of lightning in the midst of a mass of beautiful blue clouds, Sri Caitanya Himself appeared in the crowd of devotees through a divine manifestation." (Bhakti-ratnakar)

"At that time, although Mahaprabhu had left this world years before, many different devotees saw Mahaprabhu in different ways. Those of Sri Navadvipa dhama saw Him more intimately as Nimaicandra or Visvambhara, as they knew Him during His youth. Those devotees were attracted to Mahaprabhu in sakhya and vat-salya rasa. The followers of the six Gosvamis, who only knew Mahaprabhu as a sannyasi, related to Him in the mood of dasya rasa. And hundreds of devotees also worshiped Lord Caitanya in an aisvarya mood of awe and reverence.

"This festival is considered a major achievment in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Hundreds and hundreds of devotees were invited, including direct disciples of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Advaita Acarya. At this time, many differences existed in the interpretation of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Acaryarani Jahnava Devi came from Kardaha with her entourage. Presiding over all the Vaisnavas, she resolved their diverse conclusions into one consis­tent Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy.

"For the first time, the festival featured many kirtana styles which integrated the glorification of Lord Caitanya with the glorification of Lord Krishna and His pastimes. And because so many Vaisnavas were present at one place, it automatically made the Kheturi festival extraordinary. It also acted as an important step toward unifying all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas." (Sri Navadvipa-dhama parikrama)

Narottama Dasa Thakura wrote many devotional songs about the spiritual master, the devotees, devotional service, the six Gos­vamis, Gaura-Nityananda and Radha-Krishna. Although composed with sweet melodies in simple Bengali language, Narottama Dasa's songs give sastric siddhanta and devotional inspira­tion. Srila Prabhupada often sang these bhajanas. Considering them non-different from Vedic sastra. He quoted them in his Bhagavatam lectures. Prarthana and Prema-bhakti-candrika are Narottama's most famous works.

The following excerpt comes from Prema-bhakti-candrika: "Radha and Krishna are my goal in life and death, and They are the masters of my breath. Performing my bhajana only for Them, I rise and fall in the ocean of prema. I pray that I can always maintain this conception within my heart as my highest ideal.

"Let me serve the lotus feet of Radha-Govinda. Let my mind be filled with dedication to Their divine forms that defeat the beauty of Cupid and Rati. With a straw between my teeth I fall at Their divine feet and present my humble appeal: '0 Kishora-Kishori! 0 son of Nanda Maharaja—Syamasundara! And 0 daughter of King Vrsabhanu, Sri Radha. You enchant even Hari, and Your bodily complexion is the color of a golden lotus. 0 Krishna, with a bodily color like an indranila gem (blue jewel), Your beauty mocks Cupid.

“'O topmost dancers—Sri Radha and Sri Krishna—please dance within my mind. 0 You whose beauty increases the charm of Your dazzling ornaments, day and night I only wish that I shall go on singing Your glories in great ecstasy.'"

Narottama Dasa serves Srimati Radhika as Camaka-manjari. His samadhi is in Radha Gokulananda's temple courtyard.