(2/6) Haridas Thakur's Glory

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Puri Dham Parikrama
10 July 2018, translated from Bengali, part 2

Srila Haridas Thakur chanted 300,000 Names every day – he would sit here beneath this siddha-bakul tree and chant. Mahaprabhu would come every day to see him after the mangal-arati at the Jagannath Temple.

Just like you have come now at the Ratha Yatra time, many devotees would come to Puri from Nabadwip to see Mahaprabhu. Jealous people said, 'Oh, these Bengalis eat so much. They come just to eat! They do not know anything – without bathing in the ocean, without shaving their heads, they go straight to Mahaprabhu and sit down to eat! They do not even go to see Lord Jagannath – they just go straight to Mahaprabhu!' When Mahaprabhu heard about it, He said, 'Yes, what they are saying is true. Why do you all come to Me without first going to see Lord Jagannath?' But devotees replied, 'Prabhu, when we see You, we have already got the darshan of Lord Jagannath!'

What did Haridas Thakur say? He would say, 'I have no right, no qualification to go to see Lord Jagannath. I am a very sinful fallen soul, I come from the lowest family. I have no good qualities, I am a yavan. How can I go to the temple of Lord Jagannath?' Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami also told the same thing. Although Haridas Thakur never went to the Jagannath Temple, Mahaprabhu would personally come to him. Can you see how the glories of devotees are revealed? Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Lord Himself, would come to see and speak to Haridas Thakur, who is an incarnation of Lord Brahma. After visiting Haridas Thakur, Mahaprabhu would then go to the ocean, bathe and return to His room. That was His routine every day.

You all know the life story of Srila Haridas Thakur, how he rescued Laksmihira, what he talked with Mahaprabhu about. I can tell you from Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita about how much Sriman Mahaprabhu loved Haridas Thakur with all His heart.

Srila Haridas Thakur always chanted the Holy Name loudly. Why? You do not even chant outloud – you only take your mala and go, 'Ksh-ksh, Ksh-ksh.' Param Guru Maharaj (Srila Sridhar Maharaj) called this finger exercise. You should read books carefully, putting your head to it. You should know what is chanting and what is finger exercise. Chanting is not just repeating something that you have learnt by heart. I told you the other day that you chant the Holy Name by moving your tongue and lips, but I often see devotees holding their mala, counting the beads. Some chant without moving their lips (they mouth is shut), and count beads while talking to others, 'Hello, how are you?', 'Where do you come from?', 'What do your children do?' and so on. Is this chanting? Answer me.

Srila Haridas Thakur chanted 300,000 Holy Names – genuine Holy Names, not Nama-aparadh or Namabhasa.

One time, Mahaprabhu asked Haridas Thakur, 'Haridas, tell Me something. How will all these yavans be rescued?' Haridas Thakur replied, 'Namabhase mukti paibe. They will get liberation through the shadow of the Holy Name (Namabhasa).' Even if you chant something close to the Holy Name (it is not the Holy Name proper, but close to it), yavans can attain liberation through that. So, even if you chant Namabhas, it is more or less good, but the most important thing is that you must not chant Nama-aparadh. People like to proudly say, 'I chant 100,000 Holy Names every day!' but when they are not chanting, they gossip and criticise others. This is Nama-aparadh. You must read the ten offences of the Holy Name. If any of you do not have the book about the glories of the Holy Name, buy it at the book table. I also write about the offences at the end of calendars.

I mentioned it yesterday that Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya would arrange for Lord Jagannath's prasad to be taken to Mahaprabhu. After Mahaprabhu took that prasad, He would send His servitor, Govinda, to take the remnants to Haridas Thakur. So, Haridas Thakur did not cook – he would take whatever Govinda brought for him.

One time, when Govinda came with prasad, he saw that Haridas Thakur was lying down and chanting the Holy Name softly. Seeing Govinda, Haridas Thakur said, 'I will break it today...' What does it mean? He meant, 'Every day, I first finish chanting the Holy Name and then take prasad, but today I have not finished chanting – I will have to break my rule. Mahaprabhu has sent this prasad, I cannot send it back or reject it. I have to take it first.' He took a pinch of prasad and sent Govinda back.

Coming back, Govinda told the news to Mahaprabhu. When Mahaprabhu came to Haridas Thakur the next day, Haridas Thakur prayed to Him, 'Prabhu, please let me leave before You. I have seen all Your pastimes – Your childhood, adolescent, householder, sannyas and vipralambha (separation) pastimes.

শ্রীস্বরূপ-রায়-সঙ্গ-গাম্ভিরান্ত্য-লীলনং
দ্বাদশাব্দ-বহ্নিগর্ভ-বিপ্রলম্ভ-শীলনম্ ।
রাধিকাধিরূঢ়-ভাব-কান্তি-কৃষ্ণ-কুঞ্জরং
প্রেম-ধাম-দেবমেব নৌমি গৌর-সুন্দরম্ ॥

sri-svarupa-raya-sanga-gambhirantya-lilanam
dvadasabda-vahni-garbha-vipralambha-silanam
radhikadhirudha-bhava-kanti-krsna-kunjaram
prema-dhama-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram

Diving deep into the reality of His own beauty and sweetness, Lord Govinda stole the mood of Radharani and, garbing Himself in Her brilliant luster, appeared as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. For the last twelve years of His manifest Pastimes He was deeply absorbed in union and separation, and He shared His heart's inner feelings with His most confidential devotees such as Swarupa Damodara and Ramananda Ray. Volcanic eruptions of ecstasy flowed from the heart of Sri Gauranga in the agony of separation from Krishna. This Golden Lord, who appeared like an intoxicated elephant, is none other than Lord Govinda. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gaurangasundar, the divine form of Krishna prema.

(Sri Sri Prema-dhama-deva Stotram, 54)

Mahaprabhu showed His separation pastimes during twelve years. We will go to His room at the house of Kashi Misra, where those pastimes mostly took place, next.

So, Haridas Thakur said, 'I have seen all Your pastimes, but I am thinking that You are going to leave soon, the time has come, but please do not show me this pastime. I want to leave before You.'

Mahaprabhu replied, 'Lord can never leave Vaishnavs' desire unfulfilled. The Lord will fulfil your desire.'

'I do not know the Lord, I only know You. If You give me Your blessing...'

Mahaprabhu tried to talk Haridas Thakur out of it, but Haridas Thakur said, 'I am a mere ant – will the world lose anything if one ant leaves it? I can die, what is the problem? Millions and millions of people will come to Krishna consciousness.' (You can see now also how many millions of people are following Krishna consciousness.)

In the end, Mahaprabhu accepted Haridas Thakur's desire. Haridas Thakur asked Mahaprabhu for three things. 'I want to see Your holy face with my eyes; I want to place Your holy feet on my chest; and I want to chant "Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Sri Krishna Chaitanya" with my mouth. I want to leave in this way.' It was here at this place that Haridas Thakur spoke these words.

Jay Srila Haridas Thakur ki jay.

It is my prayer to you all. Please offer your obeisance to Srila Haridas Thakur and give some pranami. When we do parikrama and come to some places, give some donation if you can.

Srila Haridas Thakur's murti next to the siddha-bakul tree.

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Haridas Thakur's Bhajan Kutir
2) Haridas Thakur's Glory