English
24 February 2024
Srila Narottam Das Thakur Appearance Day
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Hare Krsna. All glories to Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates. Srila Narottam das thakur ki Jai. It’s the appearance day of Narottam das thakur today. We are fortunate as we are becoming Gaudiya vaishnavas. We are more fortunate.
Gauranga! Some have only Jesus, some have Mohommad and some Guru nanak but we have innumerous sons and associates of the Lord to follow in the footsteps of. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descended, he descended with Vrindavan Vasis. The Lord doesn’t descend alone, he descends with his associates, the devotees of Vrindavan. In Dwaraka, the Lord is Purnata (complete) and in Mathura he is more complete but In Vrindavan he is Purnatam or Purushottam (most complete).
Narottam das thakur is Champaka manjiri who is in the group headed by Rupa Manjari in Krsna lila.
Once Mahaprabhu was in Kanai Natashala and he started calling out 'Narottam! Narottam!'. Everyone was clueless, because Narottam Das thakur had not yet appeared. Mahaprabhu was about to disappear but before that he announced that Narottam das thakur is going to appear. The place where Mahaprabhu announced this is Khechuri gram on the banks of river Padmavati.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Purushottam and Narottam means highest among men. That place Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did Kirtan. This naam sankirtan is prem dhan. Mahaprabhu wanted to give this prem dhan to river Padmavati. And he told river Padmavati, that when Narottam will appear you give her this prem dhan. But she asked how will I know that Narottam das thakur has appeared. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, you would recognize him as when he would enter you, your water will start raising with high waves.
Narottam das thakur was born to the King Krsnananda datta. All these devotees descend from Goloka Vrindavan. By hearing Gaur and Nityananda’s katha, he became Gauranga’s. He was immediately attracted to them.
dekho ore bhai, tri-bhuvane nai,
emona doyala data
pasu pakhi jhure, pasana vidare,
suni' janra guna-gatha (Sri Sri Gaura-Nityanander Daya 3)
Translation: My dear brother, just try and examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityananda. Their merciful qualities are so great that upon hearing them even birds and beasts cry and stones melt.
He was the son of the King but instead he was not having any attachment for worldly desires, he developed the mood of renunciation. These Katha's can free one who is suffering.
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam (SB 1.2.7)
Translation: By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.
He thought, how can I leave Kheturi gram and go to Vrindavan and leave all worldly desires. He was only 12 years old and left for Vrindavan. Srila Madhvacharya was only 12 years old and took Sannyasa. Do you get such thoughts ever at such young age?
So once his father had gone out with his uncle and he went to river Padmavati for a bath. He reached near Padmavati river and Padmavati understood that this is Narottam. As soon as he entered, there was so much movement in the waters and huge waves started in the river. Padmavati understood and delivered the deposits of Krsna Prema to him and he became renunciated and knowledgeable and proceeded to Vrindavan.
He was barefoot and on the way he didn’t eat anything so his body became weak. Walking he fainted due to weakness and there a Brahmana appeared who was of Gaura Varna carrying milk and he wakes up Narottam. Narottam dranked that milk.
Vrindavan is not only gantavya sthan (destination) for Narottam das thakur but its for all of us. From where we all came, we need to go there. From his life we need to learn all this. You should study the life and teachings of the devotees. We should understand that we need to become like these devotees.
He was just a young boy. He was welcomed at Vrindavan dham. Jiva Goswami was in Vrindavan and othere Goswami’s had departed back to the spiritual abode. When Narottam Das thakur got to know this, he was disheartened. Narottam das thakur thought that he would meet Srila Rupa and Sanatan Goswami.
krishnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamritambho-nidhi
dhiradhira-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pujitau
sri-caitanya-kripa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantarakau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau (Shad Goswami Ashtaka 1)
Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who are always engaged in chanting the holy name of Krishna and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.
He composed the song of separation 'Je anilo Prema dhana, karuna prachur'. He says I am so pained by the sorrow of separation that I feel like banging my head on rocks.
Swa Parsada Bhagavad Viraha 1
je ānilo prema-dhana koruṇā pracur
heno prabhu kothā gelā ācārya-ṭhākur
Translation: He who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy—where has such a personality as Srinivasa Acarya gone?
He has a series of songs name Prarthana. His songs are the essence of all scriptures. He wrote Prem bhakti chandrika. Srila Gaur kishor das babaji Maharaj told, is there anyone who wishes for Krsna Bhakti. If you have some money then buy series of songs of Narottam das thakur. Sing it and get Krsna prema.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128)
Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.
Srila Prabhupada started Iskcon and he introduced the songs of Srila Bhaktivinoda thakur and Narottam das thakur. The whole world sings these songs - Gauranga bolite habe.
Gauranga Bolite Habe 1
gaurāńga' bolite habe pulaka-śarīra
'hari hari' bolite nayane ba' be nīra
Translation: When will that opportune moment come to me when there will be shivering of the body as soon as I chant Lord Gauranga's name? And after the shivering, while chanting Hare Krishna, when will there be tears pouring down from my eyes?
When will I leave lust and sleep and when will I have the darshans of Vrindavan.
viṣaya chāriyā kabe śuddha ha 'be mana
kabe hāma herabo śrī-bṛndābana (Gauranga Bolite Habe 3)
Translation: When my mind is completely purified, being freed from material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand Vrindavana and the conjugal love of Radha and Krishna, and then my spiritual life will be successful.
mora ei abhilasha, vilasa kunje dio vasa
nayana heribo sada yugala-rupa-rashi (Sri Tulasi Kirtan 3)
My desire is that you will also give me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrindavana-dhama. Thus within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krishna.
He showed his Bhakti in his songs.
śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,
bando muñi sāvadhāna mate
jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi,
kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te (Guru Vandana 1)
Translation: The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna.
śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu,
lokanāth lokera jīvana
hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā,
ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana (Guru Vandana 4)
Translation: Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.
radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora
jivane marane gati aro nahi mora (Sakhi-vrinde Vijnapti 1)
Translation: The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them.
kalindira kule keli-kadambera vana
ratana-bedira upara bosabo du’jana (Sakhi-vrinde Vijnapti 2)
Translation: In a forest of small kadamba trees on the bank of the Yamuna, I will seat the divine couple on a throne made of brilliant jewels.
He has a male form but he is Champaka manjiri. According to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction we need to do bhakti in this way.
Caitanya-matta-manjusa
ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita
Translation: The ways of His worship maybe various but the one which was conceived by the circle of the damsels of Vrajadhāma is unsurpassable by any other devotee.
This is gopi bhava. Mahaprabhu has descended to give that to us. Unnat Ujjwal rasam. Narottam das thakur left this wealth whom we should accept and we should be wealthy and thankful. In Vrindavan, he took shiksha from Srila Jiva Goswami and he wanted to get initiated from Lokanath Goswami. But by his service, hiding he served Lokanath Goswami. So by observing his sincere service, Lokanath Goswami accepted Narottam das as his disciple.
He was the only disciple of Lokanath Goswami. Narottam das thakur ki Jai. If there is a moon then what’s the use of starts. The moon is enough. So Narottam Das thakur is that one disciple like a moon. Mahaprabhu instructed Lokanath Goswami, don’t leave Vrindavan but Lokanath Goswami instructed Narottam das to leave Vrindavan and go to Bengal for Preaching along with Shyamanand and Srinivas Acarya.
Srila Prabhupada sent me to Bengal for Preaching taking padayatra. He also named me Lokanath, so there is some connection. Haribol!
So well these 3 Acaryas left for Bengal after loading a cart full with books. On the way this cart was stolen and then retrieved.The King Bhir Hambir thought there is some wealth in the cart but there were spiritual books in that cart that were sent to Bengal for preaching. They reached Kheturi village, even I had been to that place.
Today is Maghi Purnima. After one month, there is Gaur Purnima. Narottam das thakur left his house on the day of Kartik Purnima. He arranged Gaur Purnima festival on a grand scale in Kheturi Gram. That time the leaving of Mahaprabhu was very recent, may be 40 to 50 years ago. All Gaudiya vaishnavas were present there including Jahnava Mata. Narottam das thakur started doing kirtan and after hearing that ecstatic kirtan, Pancha tattva appeared. They were dancing when Narottam das thakur was singing kirtan.
mad-bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tisthami narada (Padma Puran)
Translation: O Narada, I am present wherever My devotees are chanting.
Everyone witnessed this. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityanand prabhu, Sri Gadadhar Pandit, Advaita Acarya and Srivas everyone appeared. I shall stop here now.
Hare Krsna.
