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19830921 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā.11.1-101

21 Sep 1983|English|Caitanya-caritāmṛta|Atlanta, USA

The glorious passing away of Haridāsa Tḥākura

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on September 21st, 1983 in Atlanta, Georgia. The class begins with a reading from the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, Chapter 11, Verse 1 through 101.

Text 1

namāmi haridāsaṁ taṁ
caitanyaṁ taṁ ca tat-prabhum
saṁsthitām api yan-mūrtiṁ
svāṅke kṛtvā nanarta yaḥ

Translation: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Haridāsa Ṭhākura and his master, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who danced with the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura on His lap.

Text 2

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya dayāmaya 
jayādvaita-priya nityānanda-priya jaya 

Translation: All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is very merciful and who is very dear to Advaita Ācārya and Lord Nityānanda!

Text 3

jaya śrīnivāseśvara haridāsa-nātha
jaya gadādhara-priya svarūpa-prāṇa-nātha

Translation: All glories to the master of Śrīnivāsa Ṭhākura! All glories to the master of Haridāsa Ṭhākura! All glories to the dear master of Gadādhara Paṇḍita! All glories to the master of the life of Svarūpa Dāmodara!

Text 4

jaya kāśī-priya jagadānanda-prāṇeśvara
jaya rūpa-sanātana-raghunātheśvara

Translation: All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya, who is very dear to Kāśī Miśra! He is the Lord of the life of Jagadānanda and the Lord of Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.

Text 5

jaya gaura-deha kṛṣṇa svayaṁ bhagavān
kṛpā kari’ deha’ prabhu, nija-pada-dāna

Translation: All glories to the transcendental form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead! My dear Lord, kindly give me shelter at Your lotus feet by Your causeless mercy.

Text 6

jaya nityānanda-candra jaya caitanyera prāṇa
tomāra caraṇāravinde bhakti deha’ dāna

Translation: All glories to Lord Nityānanda, who is the life and soul of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! My dear Lord, kindly give me engagement in devotional service at Your lotus feet.

Text 7

jaya jayādvaita-candra caitanyera ārya
sva-caraṇe bhakti deha’ jayādvaitācārya

Translation: All glories to Advaita Ācārya, who is treated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as superior due to His age and respectability! Please give me engagement in devotional service at Your lotus feet.

Text 8

jaya gaura-bhakta-gaṇa, — gaura yāṅra prāṇa
saba bhakta mili’ more bhakti deha’ dāna

Translation: All glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for the Lord is their life and soul! All of you, kindly bestow devotional service upon me.

Text 9

jaya rūpa, sanātana, jīva, raghunātha
raghunātha, gopāla, — chaya mora nātha

Translation: All glories to Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana! They are all my masters.

Text 10

e-saba prasāde likhi caitanya-līlā-guṇa
yaiche taiche likhi, kari āpana pāvana

Translation: I am writing this narration of the pastimes and attributes of the Lord by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates. I do not know how to write properly, but I am purifying myself by writing this description.

Text 11

ei-mata mahāprabhura nīlācale vāsa
saṅge bhakta-gaṇa lañā kīrtana-vilāsa 

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus resided at Jagannātha Purī with His personal devotees and enjoyed the congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 12

dine nṛtya-kīrtana, īśvara-daraśana
rātrye rāya-svarūpa-sane rasa-āsvādana

Translation: In the daytime Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in dancing and chanting and in seeing the temple of Lord Jagannātha. At night, in the company of His most confidential devotees, such as Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, He tasted the nectar of the transcendental mellows of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

Text 13

ei-mata mahāprabhura sukhe kāla yāya
kṛṣṇera viraha-vikāra aṅge nānā haya

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very happily passed His days in this way at Nīlācala, Jagannātha Purī. Feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, He exhibited many transcendental symptoms all over His body.

Text 14

dine dine bāḍe vikāra, rātrye atiśaya
cintā, udvega, pralāpādi yata śāstre kaya

Translation: Day after day the symptoms increased, and at night they increased even more. All these symptoms, such as transcendental anxiety, agitation and talking like a madman, were present, just as they are described in the śāstras.

Text 15

svarūpa gosāñi, āra rāmānanda-rāya
rātri-dine kare doṅhe prabhura sahāya

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Rāmānanda Rāya, the chief assistants in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes, remained with Him both day and night.

Text 16

eka-dina govinda mahā-prasāda lañā
haridāse dite gelā ānandita hañā

Translation: One day Govinda, the personal servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, went in great jubilation to deliver the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food to Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 17

dekhe, — haridāsa ṭhākura kariyāche śayana
manda manda kariteche saṅkhyā-saṅkīrtana

Translation: When Govinda came to Haridāsa, he saw that Haridāsa Ṭhākura was lying on his back and chanting his rounds very slowly.

Text 18

govinda kahe, — ‘uṭha āsi’ karaha bhojana’
haridāsa kahe, — āji karimu laṅghana

Translation: “Please rise and take your mahā-prasādam,” Govinda said.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Today I shall observe fasting.

Text 19

saṅkhyā-kīrtana pūre nāhi, ke-mate khāiba?
mahā-prasāda āniyācha, ke-mate upekṣiba?

Translation: “I have not finished chanting my regular number of rounds. How, then, can I eat? But you have brought mahā-prasādam, and how can I neglect it?”

Text 20

eta bali’ mahā-prasāda karilā vandana
eka rañca lañā tāra karilā bhakṣaṇa

Translation: Saying this, he offered prayers to the mahā-prasādam, took a little portion, and ate it.

Purport: Mahā-prasādam is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, instead of eating mahā-prasādam, one should honor it. It is said here, karilā vandana, “he offered prayers.” When taking mahā-prasādam, one should not consider the food ordinary preparations. Prasāda means favor. One should consider mahā-prasādam a favor of Kṛṣṇa. As stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, kṛṣṇa baḍa dayāmaya karibāre jihvā jaya svaprasāda-anna dilā bhāi. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. In this material world we are all very much attached to tasting various types of food. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa eats many nice varieties of food and offers the food back to the devotees, so that not only are one’s demands for various tastes satisfied, but by eating prasādam one makes advancement in spiritual life. Therefore, we should never consider ordinary food on an equal level with mahā-prasādam.

Text 21

āra dina mahāprabhu tāṅra ṭhāñi āilā
sustha hao, haridāsa — bali’ tāṅre puchilā

Translation: The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Haridāsa’s place and inquired from him, “Haridāsa, are you well?”

Text 22

namaskāra kari’ teṅho kailā nivedana
śarīra sustha haya mora, asustha buddhi-mana

Translation: Haridāsa offered his obeisances to the Lord and replied, “My body is all right, but my mind and intelligence are not well.”

Text 23

prabhu kahe, — ‘kon vyādhi, kaha ta’ nirṇaya?’
teṅho kahe, — ‘saṅkhyā-kīrtana nā pūraya’

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further inquired from Haridāsa, “Can you ascertain what your disease is?”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds.”

Purport: If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura is called nāmācārya. Of course, we cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but everyone must chant a prescribed number of rounds. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have fixed sixteen rounds as the minimum so that the Westerners will not feel burdened. These sixteen rounds must be chanted, and chanted loudly, so that one can hear himself and others.

Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Text 24

prabhu kahe, — “vṛddha ha-ilā ‘saṅkhyā’ alpa kara
siddha-deha tumi, sādhane āgraha kene kara?

Translation: “Now that you have become old,” the Lord said, “you may reduce the number of rounds you chant daily. You are already liberated, and therefore you need not follow the regulative principles very strictly.

Purport: Unless one has come to the platform of spontaneous love of God, he must follow the regulative principles. Ṭhākura Haridāsa was the living example of how to follow the regulative principles. Similarly, Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī was also such a living example. In the Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka it is stated, saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. The Gosvāmīs, especially Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds. Not only was Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī chanting a fixed number of rounds, but he had also taken a vow to bow down many times and offer obeisances to the Lord.

Text 25

loka nistārite ei tomāra ‘avatāra’
nāmera mahimā loke karilā pracāra

Translation: “Your role in this incarnation is to deliver the people in general. You have sufficiently preached the glories of the holy name in this world.”

Purport: Haridāsa Ṭhākura is known as nāmācārya because it is he who preached the glories of chanting hari-nāma, the holy name of God. By using the words tomāra avatāra (“your incarnation”), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms that Haridāsa Ṭhākura is the incarnation of Lord Brahmā. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that advanced devotees help the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His mission and that such devotees or personal associates incarnate by the will of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord incarnates by His own will, and, by His will, competent devotees also incarnate to help Him in His mission. Haridāsa Ṭhākura is thus the incarnation of Lord Brahmā, and other devotees are likewise incarnations who help in the prosecution of the Lord’s mission.

Text 26

ebe alpa saṅkhyā kari’ kara saṅkīrtana”
haridāsa kahe, — “śuna mora satya nivedana 

Translation: The Lord concluded, “Now, therefore, please reduce the fixed number of times you chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Kindly hear my real plea.

Text 27

hīna-jāti janma mora nindya-kalevara
hīna-karme rata muñi adhama pāmara

Translation: “I have had one desire for a very long... I was born in an inferior family, and my body is most abominable. I always engage in low work. Therefore, I am the lowest, most condemned of men.

(Don't take them seriously.)

Text 28

adṛśya, aspṛśya more aṅgīkāra kailā
raurava ha-ite kāḍi’ more vaikuṇṭhe caḍāilā

Translation: “I am unseeable and untouchable, but You have accepted me as Your servant. This means that You have delivered me from a hellish condition and raised me to the Vaikuṇṭha platform.

Text 29

svatantra īśvara tumi hao icchāmaya
jagat nācāo, yāre yaiche icchā haya

Translation: “My dear Lord, You are the fully independent Personality of Godhead. You act by Your own free will. You cause the whole world to dance and act as You like.

Text 30

aneka nācāilā more prasāda kariyā
viprera śrāddha-pātra khāinu ‘mleccha’ hañā

Translation: “My dear Lord, by Your mercy You have made me dance in many ways. For example, I was offered the śrāddha-pātra, which should have been offered to first-class brāhmaṇas. I ate from it even though I was born in a family of meat-eaters.

(Who can read that Purport?)

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in his Anubhāṣya, quotes from the Viṣṇu-smṛti in reference to the śrāddha-pātra.

brāhmaṇāpasadā hy ete 
kathitāḥ paṅkti-dūṣakāḥ 
etān vivarjayed yatnāt
śrāddha-karmaṇi paṇḍitaḥ

According to this verse, if one is born in a brāhmaṇa family but does not behave according to brahminical standards, he should not be offered the śrāddha-pātra, which is prasādam offered to the forefathers. Advaita Ācārya offered the śrāddha-pātra to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, not to a brāhmaṇa who had been born in a brāhmaṇa family. Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in the family of meat-eaters, because he was an advanced devotee he was shown more respect than a first-class brāhmaṇa.

Text 31

eka vāñchā haya mora bahu dina haite
līlā samvaribe tumi — laya mora citte

Translation: “I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world.

Text 32

sei līlā prabhu more kabhu nā dekhāibā
āpanāra āge mora śarīra pāḍibā

Translation: “I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before that time comes, kindly let my body fall down in Your presence.

Text 33

hṛdaye dharimu tomāra kamala caraṇa
nayane dekhimu tomāra cāṅda vadana

Translation: “I wish to catch Your lotuslike feet upon my heart and see Your moonlike face.

Text 34

jihvāya uccārimu tomāra ‘kṛṣṇa-caitanya’-nāma
ei-mata mora icchā, — chāḍimu parāṇa

Translation: “With my tongue I shall chant Your holy name, ‘Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya!’ That is my desire. Kindly let me give up my body in this way.

Text 35

mora ei icchā yadi tomāra prasāde haya
ei nivedana mora kara, dayāmaya

Translation: “O most merciful Lord, if by Your mercy it is possible, kindly grant my desire.

Text 36

ei nīca deha mora paḍuka tava āge
ei vāñchā-siddhi mora tomātei lāge”

Translation: “Let this lowborn body fall down before You. You can make possible this perfection of all my desires.”

Text 37

prabhu kahe, — “haridāsa, ye tumi māgibe
kṛṣṇa kṛpāmaya tāhā avaśya karibe

Translation: Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear Haridāsa, Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that He must execute whatever you want.

Text 38

kintu āmāra ye kichu sukha, saba tomā lañā
tomāra yogya nahe, — yābe āmāre chāḍiyā” 

Translation: “But whatever happiness is Mine is all due to your association. It is not fitting for you to go away and leave Me aside.”

Text 39

caraṇe dhari’ kahe haridāsa, — “nā kariha ‘māyā’
avaśya mo-adhame, prabhu, kara ei ‘dayā’

Translation: Catching the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “My Lord, do not create an illusion! Although I am so fallen, You must certainly show me this mercy!

Text 40

mora śiromaṇi kata kata mahāśaya
tomāra līlāra sahāya koṭi-bhakta haya

Translation: “My Lord, there are many respectable personalities, millions of devotees, who are fit to sit on my head. They are all helpful in Your pastimes.

Text 41

āmā-hena yadi eka kīṭa mari’ gela
eka pipīlikā maile pṛthvīra kāhāṅ hāni haila?

Translation: “My Lord, if an insignificant insect like me dies, what is the loss? If an ant dies, where is the loss to the material world?

Text 42

‘bhakata-vatsala’ prabhu, tumi, mui ‘bhaktābhāsa’ 
avaśya pūrābe, prabhu, mora ei āśa”

Translation: “My Lord, You are always affectionate to Your devotees. I am just an imitation devotee, but nevertheless I wish that You fulfill my desire. That is my expectation.”

Text 43

madhyāhna karite prabhu calilā āpane
īśvara dekhiyā kāli dibena daraśane

Translation: Because He had to perform His noon duties, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up to leave, but it was settled that the following day, after He saw Lord Jagannātha, He would return to visit Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 44

tabe mahāprabhu tāṅre kari’ āliṅgana
madhyāhna karite samudre karilā gamana

Translation: After embracing him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left to perform His noon duties and went to the sea to take His bath.

Text 45

prātaḥ-kāle īśvara dekhi’ saba bhakta lañā
haridāse dekhite āilā śīghra kariyā

Translation: The next morning, after visiting the Jagannātha temple, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accompanied by all His other devotees, went hastily to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 46

haridāsera āge āsi’ dilā daraśana
haridāsa vandilā prabhura āra vaiṣṇava-caraṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the other devotees came before Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who offered his respects to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all the Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 47

prabhu kahe, — ‘haridāsa, kaha samācāra’
haridāsa kahe, — ‘prabhu, ye kṛpā tomāra’ 

Translation: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, “My dear Haridāsa, what is the news?”

Purport: Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “My Lord, whatever mercy You can bestow upon me.”

Text 48

aṅgane ārambhilā prabhu mahā-saṅkīrtana
vakreśvara-paṇḍita tāhāṅ karena nartana

Translation: Upon hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately began great congregational chanting in the courtyard. Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was the chief dancer.

Text 49

svarūpa-gosāñi ādi yata prabhura gaṇa
haridāse beḍi’ kare nāma-saṅkīrtana

Translation: Headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu surrounded Haridāsa Ṭhākura and began congregational chanting.

Text 50

rāmānanda, sārvabhauma, sabāra agrete
haridāsera guṇa prabhu lāgilā kahite

Translation: In front of all the great devotees like Rāmānand... Rāmānanda Rāya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to describe the holy attributes of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 51

haridāsera guṇa kahite prabhu ha-ilā pañca-mukha
kahite kahite prabhura bāḍe mahā-sukha

Translation: As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.

Text 52

haridāsera guṇe sabāra vismita haya mana
sarva-bhakta vande haridāsera caraṇa

Translation: After hearing of the transcendental qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, all the devotees present were struck with wonder. They all offered their respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 53

haridāsa nijāgrete prabhure vasāilā
nija-netra — dui bhṛṅga — mukha-padme dilā

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura made Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sit down in front of him, and then he fixed his eyes, like two bumblebees, on the lotus face of the Lord.

Text 54

sva-hṛdaye āni’ dharila prabhura caraṇa
sarva-bhakta-pada-reṇu mastaka-bhūṣaṇa

Translation: He held the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on his heart and then took the dust of the feet of all the devotees present and put it on his head.

Text 55

‘śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya’ śabda balena bāra bāra
prabhu-mukha-mādhurī piye, netre jala-dhāra

Translation: He began to chant the holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya again and again. As he drank the sweetness of the face of the Lord, tears constantly glided down from his eyes.

Text 56

‘śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya’ śabda karite uccāraṇa
nāmera sahita prāṇa kaila utkrāmaṇa

Translation: While chanting the holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body.

Text 57

mahā-yogeśvara-prāya dekhi’ svacchande maraṇa
‘bhīṣmera niryāṇa’ sabāra ha-ila smaraṇa

Translation: Seeing the wonderful death of Haridāsa Ṭhākura by his own will, which was just like a great mystic yogīs, everyone remembered the passing away of Bhīṣma.

Text 58

‘hari’ ‘kṛṣṇa’-śabde sabe kare kolāhala
premānande mahāprabhu ha-ilā vihvala

Translation: There was a tumultuous sound as they all chanted the holy names “Hari” and “Kṛṣṇa.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.

Text 59

haridāsera tanu prabhu kole laila uṭhāñā
aṅgane nācena prabhu premāviṣṭa hañā

Translation: The Lord raised the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and placed it on His lap. Then He began to dance in the courtyard in great ecstatic love.

Text 60

prabhura āveśe avaśa sarva-bhakta-gaṇa
premāveśe sabe nāce, karena kīrtana

Translation: Because of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love, all the devotees were helpless, and in ecstatic love they also began to dance and chant congregationally.

Text 61

ei-mate nṛtya prabhu kailā kata-kṣaṇa
svarūpa-gosāñi prabhure karāila sāvadhāna

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced for some time, and then Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī informed Him of other rituals for the body of Ṭhākura Haridāsa.

Text 62

haridāsa-ṭhākure tabe vimāne caḍāñā
samudre lañā gelā tabe kīrtana kariyā 

Translation: The body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura was then raised onto a carrier that resembled an airship and taken to the sea, accompanied by congregational chanting.

Text 63

āge mahāprabhu calena nṛtya karite karite
pāche nṛtya kare vakreśvara bhakta-gaṇa-sāthe 

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced in front of the procession, and Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, along with the other devotees, chanted and danced behind Him.

Text 64

haridāse samudra-jale snāna karāilā
prabhu kahe, — “samudra ei ‘mahā-tīrtha’ ha-ilā” 

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura in the sea and then declared, “From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site.”

Text 65

haridāsera pādodaka piye bhakta-gaṇa
haridāsera aṅge dilā prasāda-candana

Translation: Everyone drank the water that had touched the lotus feet of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and then they smeared remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s sandalwood pulp over Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s body.

Text 66

ḍora, kaḍāra, prasāda, vastra aṅge dilā
vālukāra garta kari’ tāhe śoyāilā

Translation: After a hole was dug in the sand, the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura was placed into it. Remnants from Lord Jagannātha, such as His silken ropes, sandalwood pulp, food and cloth, were placed on the body.

Text 67

cāri-dike bhakta-gaṇa karena kīrtana
vakreśvara-paṇḍita karena ānande nartana 

Translation: All around the body, the devotees performed congregational chanting, and Vakreśvara Paṇḍita danced in jubilation.

Text 68

‘hari-bola’ ‘hari-bola’ bale gaurarāya
āpani śrī-haste vālu dilā tāṅra gāya 

Translation: With His transcendental hands, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally covered the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura with sand, chanting “Haribol! Haribol!”

Text 69

tāṅre vālu diyā upare piṇḍā bāṅdhāilā
caudike piṇḍera mahā āvaraṇa kailā

Translation: The devotees covered the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura with sand and then constructed a platform upon the site. The platform was protected all around by fencing.

Text 70

tāhā beḍi’ prabhu kailā kīrtana, nartana
hari-dhvani-kolāhale bharila bhuvana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced and chanted all around the platform, and as the holy name of Hari roared tumultuously, the whole universe became filled with jubilation. 

Text 71

tabe mahāprabhu saba bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge
samudre karilā snāna-jala-keli raṅge

Translation: After saṅkīrtana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed in the sea with His devotees, swimming and playing in the water in great jubilation.

Text 72

haridāse pradakṣiṇa kari’ āila siṁha-dvāre
hari-kīrtana-kolāhala sakala nagare 

Translation: After circumambulating the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the Siṁha-dvāra gate of the Jagannātha temple. The whole city chanted in congregation, and the tumultuous sound vibrated all over the city.

Jayapatākā Swami: Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu had a big prasāda distribution. A big feast in memory of him... in commemoration of Haridāsa Ṭhākura's transcendental departure.

In regard to listening about this festival, Lord Caitanya gave everyone a benediction.

Text 90

premāviṣṭa hañā prabhu karena vara-dāna
śuni’ bhakta-gaṇera juḍāya manas-kāma

Translation: Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered a benediction to all the devotees, which all the devotees heard with great satisfaction.

Texts 91-93

“haridāsera vijayotsava ye kaila darśana
ye ihāṅ nṛtya kaila, ye kaila kīrtana
ye tāṅre vālukā dite karila gamana
tāra madhye mahotsave ye kaila bhojana
acire ha-ibe tā-sabāra ‘kṛṣṇa-prāpti’
haridāsa-daraśane haya aiche ‘śakti’

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave this benediction: “Anyone who has seen the festival of Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here, anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and anyone who has joined this festival to partake of the prasādam will achieve the favor of Kṛṣṇa very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Text 94

kṛpā kari’ kṛṣṇa more diyāchilā saṅga
svatantra kṛṣṇera icchā, — kailā saṅga-bhaṅga

Translation: “Being merciful upon Me, Kṛṣṇa gave Me the association of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Being independent in His desires, He has now broken that association.

Text 95

haridāsera icchā yabe ha-ila calite
āmāra śakati tāṅre nārila rākhite

Translation: “When Haridāsa Ṭhākura wanted to leave this material world, it was not within My power to detain him.

Text 96

icchā-mātre kailā nija-prāṇa niṣkrāmaṇa
pūrve yena śuniyāchi bhīṣmera maraṇa

Translation: “Simply by his will, Haridāsa Ṭhākura could give up his life and go away, exactly like Bhīṣma, who previously died simply by his own desire, as we have heard from śāstra.

Text 97

haridāsa āchila pṛthivīra ‘śiromaṇi’
tāhā vinā ratna-śūnyā ha-ila medinī

Translation: “Haridāsa Ṭhākura was the crown jewel on the head of this world; without him, this world is now bereft of its valuable jewel.”

Text 98

‘jaya jaya haridāsa’ bali’ kara hari-dhvani”
eta bali’ mahāprabhu nācena āpani

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told everyone, “Say ‘All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!’ and chant the holy name of Hari.” Saying this, He personally began to dance.

Text 99

sabe gāya, — “jaya jaya jaya haridāsa
nāmera mahimā yeṅha karilā prakāśa”

Translation: Everyone began to chant, “All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who revealed the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord!”

Text 100

tabe mahāprabhu saba bhakte vidāya dilā
harṣa-viṣāde prabhu viśrāma karilā

Translation: Thereafter, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade farewell to all the devotees, and He Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.

Text 101

ei ta’ kahiluṅ haridāsera vijaya
yāhāra śravaṇe kṛṣṇe dṛḍha-bhakti haya

Translation: Thus I have spoken about the victorious passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Anyone who hears this narration will certainly fix his mind firmly in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Purport: At Puruṣottama-kṣetra, or Jagannātha Purī, there is a temple of Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha. If one goes from there to the sea, he can discover the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura still existing. Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdaśī there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. At the same place, Deities of Nityānanda Prabhu, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago. A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrāpāḍā, in the province of Orissa, contributed funds to establish these Deities in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha gosvāmīs.

This temple was later sold to someone else, and this party is now maintaining the sevā-pūjā of the temple. Near this temple and the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura constructed a small house called the Bhakti-kuṭī. In the Bengali year 1329, the Puruṣottama-maṭha, a branch of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, was established there. In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is stated:

śrīnivāsa śīghra samudrera kūle gelā
haridāsa-ṭhākurera samādhi dekhilā 
bhūmite paḍiyā kailā praṇati vistara
bhāgavata-gaṇa śrī-samādhi-sannidhāne 
śrīnivāse sthira kailā sasneha-vacane
punaḥ śrīnivāsa śrī-samādhi praṇamiyā 
ye vilāpa kailā, tā śunile drave hiyā

“Śrīnivāsa Ṭhākura quickly ran to the seashore. When he saw the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he immediately fell down offering prayers and almost fainted. The devotees present there pacified him with very sweet and affectionate words, and Śrīnivāsa again offered his obeisances to the tomb. Hearing of the sepāration that Śrīnivāsa expressed in his lamentation at the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura makes one’s heart melt.”

Jayapatākā Swami: "Jaya Haridāsa."

"Jaya Jaya Haridāsa, Jaya Jaya Haridāsa"

"Jaya Jaya Haridāsa Haridāsa Haridāsa"

"Jaya Jaya Haridāsa Haridāsa Haridāsa"

Nitāi-Gaura Premānande Hari Haribol!

Devotees: Haribol! 

Jayapatākā Swami: After bathing the body of lord... of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, bringing him personally with His own hands to the hole in the sand and covering up with His own hands and dancing and distributing prasādam and performing all types of transcendental service for His devotee, although He was a great sannyāsī... the greatest sannyāsī, still all the transcendental reciprocation He showed with Haridāsa Ṭhākura is incomparable, and gives an insight to His devotees, how much He loves His devotees and how intimate is His relationship with them.

So, at this celebration...also how... although, of course in losing the association of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Lord Caitanya was in distress, but in seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura successfully complete his life and pass away very gloriously chanting the holy name in complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just as Bhīṣmadeva did was also a cause for rejoicing, so in this type of mixed feelings, everyone had a great festival. There wasn't a material lamentation. To pass away as Haridāsa Ṭhākura did, there's no cause of any material lamentation. That is the perfection of life. The only distress is that now the association of such devotee... such a devotee was taken away from all the other devotees.

So, this should be the focal point of our whole life. Of course, we cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but we should try to follow in his footsteps to regularly chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and to be prepared to leave our body in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, absorbed in the thoughts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Not really much to say; everything is there.

Devotee: Jaya Ācāryapāda!

The Passing of Srila Haridasa Thakura

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Transcribed by Jagannatha dasa Brahmacari
Verifyed by Aruṇākṣa (text)
Reviewed by