Disappearance of Srila Lokanatha Goswami -28th july 05

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SRI LOKANATHA GOSWAMI

I worship Sri Lokanatha Prabhu, the son of Sri

Padmanabha, who possessed great wealth of devotion to

Sri Sri Radha-vinoda, and always engaged in Their

service.

 

Srila Loknatha Gosvami was born in the village of

Talkhari, within the district of Jessore, Bangladesh,

as the son of Sri Padmanabha Bhattacarya and his wife,

Sri Sita devi. Talkhari can be reached from Sonakhali

and Khejura.

 

 

Sri Padmanabha Bhattacarya was a devoted follower of

Sri Adwaita Acarya, who was very fond of Sri

Padmanabha. The younger brother of Lokanatha was

Pragalbha Bhattacarya. His descendants are still

residing at Talkhari.

 

 

 

>From his childhood Lokanath was disinterested in

worldly affairs. He decided to leave his home and came

to Navadwip to have darshan of Mahaprabhu. Sri

Gaursundara very lovingly embraced Lokanath and

instructed him to go to Vrindavana as soon as

possible. Lokanath could understand that Mahaprabhu

would renounce His family life within a few days and

he was aggrieved at this. Mahaprabhu consoled him and

told him that they would meet again in Vrindavana.

 

"With tears flowing from his eyes Lokanath offered his

obeisances to Mahaprabhu. The all-omniscient Lord

lovingly embraced him and after explaining some hidden

truths to him, He instructed him to go to Vrindavana.

Thus Lokanatha, after surrendering his self at the

lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, set out for Vrindavana. [b.

R. 1st Taranga]

 

Lokanatha never returned home. Being afflicted greatly

by separation from the Lord, he set out to tour the

holy places, and then finally came to Vrindavana.

 

Meanwhile Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa

and then came to Nilacala. After some time, when

Mahaprabhu set out on His tour of South India,

Lokanatha, having received this news also journeyed to

the south. Then Mahaprabhu came to Vrindavana;

Lokanatha followed Him there. But by the time he

reached Vraja-bhumi, Mahaprabhu had already left for

Prayaga. Lokanatha was extremely sad. Again having

missed darshan of his Prabhu, He decided to leave the

next morning for Prayaga.

 

In a dream however, Prabhu came to console Lokanatha

and requested him to stay at Vrindavana. Thus

Lokanatha remained at Vrajadhama, not wanting to

neglect the order of Mahaprabhu. He stayed alone, his

presence unknown to anyone. But after some days he met

the dear disciples of Mahaprabhu - Sri Rupa, Sri

Sanatana, Sri Gopal Bhatta, Sri Bhugarbha, and others.

They were all very affectionate to one another and it

was as though they were of one mind.

 

Amongst the Goswamis, Lokanatha was the eldest. He was

always intensely absorbed in loving ecstatic mellows.

In Hari bhakti vilasa we find this verse: "I worship

Srimate Kasisvara, Srimate Lokanath and Srimad Krsna

das Kaviraj, who have taken shelter at the lotus feet

of Sri Govinda and who are very dear to Sri

Vrindavana."

 

Lokanatha Goswami used to visit the many places of

Krsna's pastimes within Vrajadhama and in this way he

was always absorbed in intense ecstasy. Lokanath came

to the banks of Kisori-kunda within the village of

Umrao, by the side of Chatrabon, and remained there

for a few days. Lokanatha wanted very much to be able

to worship the Deity form of the Lord, and Sri Krsna,

who is within the heart of everyone, thus presented a

Deity form of Himself to Lokanatha to worship. This

Deity's name is Radha-Vinoda. Having received this

Deity, Lokanath looked up to see who had brought Him,

but seeing no one present he began to reflect on the

mystery of His appearance.

 

Seeing Lokanatha deep in thought, Radha-Vinoda

laughed, "Who would have brought Me here! I have come

Myself! I live here on the banks of Kisori kunda and

this is My village - Umrao. Now please give me some

thing to eat."

 

Lokanatha was beside himself with bliss and being

immersed in that ecstasy, he prepared some foodstuffs

and offered them to Radha-Vinoda. Then he made a bed

of flowers and made the Deity lie down to take rest.

He fanned the Deity with some leaves and meditated on

massaging the lotus feet of his Lord. Having

surrendered his body, mind and very life itself, he

was totally absorbed as though drinking a flow of

honey-like nectar.

 

Lokanatha Goswami had no permanent abode. Some

Vrajavasi villagers wanted to build a little hut for

him but he wouldn't agree. He made a bag for

Radha-Vinoda which he kept around his neck.

Radha-Vinoda was as though a rare gem suspended on a

necklace round the neck of Lokanatha. His activities

represented the crest jewel of asceticism and the

other Goswamis managed to keep him in their company

only by great endeavour.

 

It is very difficult to describe the character of

Lokanatha Goswami, who was so dear to Mahaprabhu. When

Mahaprabhu and some of the other Goswamis began their

pastimes of disappearance, Lokanatha maintained his

life only due to the desire of Mahaprabhu. Sri

Lokanatha Goswami initiated Narottama dasa Thakur

Mahasaya in the divine mantra. There is no mention

anywhere of any other disciple of his. It is not

possible to describe the care with which Narottama

Thakura served his guru. In the early morning he would

clean the place where his guru passed stool and urine.

 

 

Lokanatha Goswami, having become quite advanced in

years, entered into his eternal pastimes, while

residing at Khadir bon (Khoyra gram). There is a large

lake there called Sri Yugal kunda on the banks of

which his samadhi has been established. His

worshipable Deities Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda are at

present being worshiped in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His

puspa samadhi is within the courtyard of Sri

Gokulananda Mandira.

 

It is said that Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Goswami

approached Lokanatha Goswami for his blessings and any

information that he might be able to supply in order

that he might satisfactorily compose Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta. At that time, Lokanatha forbade

Kaviraj Goswami to mention his name or describe

anything about him. In order to honor the request of

this great Vaisnava, he therefore didn't write

anything about him. His disappearance is on the eighth

day of the bright fortnight in the month of Sravan.

 

Sri Narottama dasa Thakur Mahasaya has prayed at the

lotus feet of his guru as follows: "Oh My Lord,

Lokanatha! Please keep me at your feet, and if it

pleases you, please let your glance of mercy fall upon

me. I have a great longing that my mind's desires

might be fulfilled. Wherever one gets the association

of Lord Caitanya, there also he gets the association

of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. If you are not merciful to me,

then who will be? This time, please fulfill my mind's

desires. In the three worlds I have no one other than

you. Please keep me near your lotus feet, where I

might hear, day and night, your songs describing the

lila of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Without you, the

desire of Narottama cannot be fulfilled."

 

 

 

 

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