SRI HARIDASA THAKURA

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SRI HARIDASA THAKURA

 

Sri Haridas Thakur appeared in this world in the village of Buron, in the

present district of Sat-kira, which was previously a sub-division of Khulna,

Bangladesh. By this great fortune that land has been blessed, in that the

chanting of the Holy Names of Hari-Nam Sankirtan, became revealed there.

After remaining there for some time, he came to the banks of Ganga at Fulia,

near Santipur. Advaita Acarya was overjoyed to get his association and

roared very loudly. The two of them thus began to float in the waves of the

mellows of pastimes of Sri Krsna - Govinda. [C. B. Adi 16.18]

 

Sri Haridas Thakur is an eternally liberated associate of the Lord. The

associates of the Lord are worshipable wherever they make their appearance.

Just as Garuda appeared as a bird, and Hanuman as a monkey, Haridas Thakur

appeared in a family of Yavanas (Mohammedans). From his very birth he was

very deeply devoted to the Holy Names of Sri Krsna.

 

When he came to live by the banks of the Ganges, Advaita Acarya was very

happy to get his association. The brahmana residents of Fulia were very

pleased to see how he worshipped the Holy Name, and they used to come

everyday to have his darshan. Gradually word began to spread of his glories.

When the Mohammedan administrator came to know of all this he began to burn

with malice and went to the local Mohammedan king to inform him, "Though he

is Mohammedan, he behaves as a Hindu, are therefore he should be brought

here for trial." Hearing the words of that sinful man, the local king who

was also very sinful, had Hari das Thakur brought there immediately. [C. B.

Adi 16.37].

 

The Mohammedan King told Haridas, "Just give up this chanting and say the

Kalma (prayer of the Mohammedans)."

 

Haridasa Thakura replied, "The Supreme Lord is one, though His names might

be different. The Hindu shastras are the Puranas and the Muslim sastra is

the Koran. Everyone acts as he is inspired by the Lord, as also do I. Some

yavanas become Hindus and some Hindus become yavanas, to worship the Lord. O

Maharaja, you can now judge me."

 

Hearing these words the Kazi replied that it would be necessary to punish

him. Hearing the decree of the Kazi, the Muluk pati addressed Haridasa, "My

brother, just follow your own religion. Then you will have nothing to worry

about. Otherwise you will have to be punished."

 

In reply to this Haridasa Thakura exclaimed, "Even if you cut my body into

pieces, I will never give up the chanting of Hari nama." [C. B. Adi 6.94]

 

After hearing these words of Haridasa spoken with great determination, the

Kazi declared, "He should be beaten in twenty two market places. If he

doesn't die after this, then I will know that the learned gentleman speaks

the truth."

 

Thus having heard the words of the Kazi, the sinful Muluk pati then ordered

that Haridasa Thakura be beaten in twenty two market places. Haridasa

remembered the Lord by chanting "Krsna Krsna",

and in the happiness of that remembrance, he didn't feel any bodily

inconvenience. [C. B. Adi 16.102].

 

As the demoniac associates of Hiranyakasipu tried in so many ways to kill

Sri Prahlada Maharaja, but were unsuccessful, similarly the demoniac

Mohammedans, though they tried to harm Haridasa

Thakura, were unable to do so. Haridasa Thakur was immersed in the nectar of

the Name and thus gradually the Mohammedans could understand that he wasn't

an ordinary person.

 

Thus they humbly submitted to the Thakura, "Haridasa! We can understand that

you are a genuine saintly person. No one can do anything to you. But the

Mulukpati won't understand any of this. Rather he will have our heads."

Hearing their frightened please Haridasa's external consciousness ceased and

he entered into deep meditation on the Lord's Holy Name.

 

Then the Mohammedans carried his body on their shoulders to the Mulukpati,

who surmised that he was dead. Thinking as such he ordered that his body be

thrown in the Ganga. Haridasa's body floated down the Ganga until he reached

Fulia ghat, where he got out of the water and began to loudly chant Hari

Nama. Seeing the greatness of Haridasa Thakura, the Mulukpati became

fearful. Along with the other Mohammedans he came there and begged Haridas

Thakur to forgive him for his offence.

 

Considering him to be a holy man, they all offered their salutations and

thus were delivered from their offences. Having witnessed the pastimes of

the Thakura the devotees were in ecstasy.

 

Haridasa Thakur used to chant Hari Nama in a hollowed out cave like hole at

the base of a tree. This "cave" still exists near Fulia, on the banks of the

Ganga. One can get there by train from Santipura. Within the roots of this

tree also lived a poisonous snake. Being fearful of this snake the devotees

couldn't remain there for very long and one day they mentioned to the

Thakura about this snake which was worrying them. Seeing the distress of the

devotees Haridasa Thakur called to that snake and spoke to him, "My dear

sir, if in fact you are residing here, then I am requesting that you please

leave by tomorrow, otherwise I myself will definitely leave here."

 

Hearing these words of the Thakura, that snake immediately came out of its

hole and after offering namaskar to the Thakura, it went elsewhere. Seeing

this pastime, the devotees were struck with wonder and they developed

profound and deep devotion for Haridasa Thakura.

 

One time Haridasa Thakura came to a village within Jessore district named

Harinodegram, which was predominantly inhabited by brahmanas. One day during

a religious discussion one puffed brahmana approached Haridasa Thakura and

remarked, "O Haridasa! Why do you chant the holy name loudly? In the

scriptures it is recommended to chant within the mind." In reply Haridasa

Thakura told him, "The birds, beasts and insects cannot chant themselves,

but if they get to hear Hari Nama then they also become delivered. If one

chants only to himself then he delivers only himself, but if one chants

loudly, the benefit is a hundred times greater. This is the conclusion of

the scriptures." [C. B. Adi 16.180]

 

Hearing this objective statement of Haridasa Thakura that sinful brahmana

couldn't tolerate it and exclaimed, "In Kali yuga sudras will recite the

shastras, now I am seeing this with my own eyes." In answer to this personal

insult delivered by that miscreant brahmana, Haridasa Thakura simply

silently walked out of that assembly. Within a few days that brahmana

contracted ulcerous leprosy. The result of Vaishnava aparadha became

immediately manifest. In Kali yuga, Raksasas take birth in brahmana families

in order to give trouble to the honest, virtuous people. [C.B. Adi 16.300]

 

Another time, Haridasa desired to have darshan of the Vaishnavas of

Navadwipa. Everyone there became overwhelmed with ecstasy, to see Haridasa.

Adwaita Acarya loved Haridasa as much as His own life and he would offer the

first prasadam to Haridasa Thakura (which is to be offered only to high

class brahmanas) after performing Pitr-sraddha (worship of his forefathers).

 

Haridasa Thakura lived for some time at Benapol, which was within Jessore

district. Every day and night he would chant three hundred thousand Holy

Names. At the time, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed His divine

opulences by manifesting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in

the courtyard at Srivasa Pandita's house, He was calling his dear devotees:

"Haridasa! when those Mohammedans were beating you I was ready to destroy

them with My Sudarsana Cakra, but as you were praying for their welfare I

was unable to do anything." [C. B. Madhya 10.42]

 

Therefore I accepted their blows on My own body. Just see, the scars are

still here on My body." Seeing those marks Haridasa fainted in ecstatic

love. Regaining his consciousness he began to praise the Lord of his life,

"O Lord Viswambhara, master of the universe, please have mercy on this

sinner, who has fallen at Your feet. I have no good qualities and am a vile

wretch, rejected by all classes of men. How can I describe Your divine

character?" [C. B. Mad 20.58]

 

Thakura Haridasa was present during most of the Lord's pastimes in Nadia,

and when the Lord went to Jagannatha Puri, Haridasa also went and took up

residence there. Everyday, after attending Lord Jagannath's mangal arati,

Lord Caitanya would come to see Haridasa Thakura and would bring him some of

Lord Jagannath's prasadam. When Sri Sanatana Goswami and Sri Rupa Goswami

would come from Vrindavana to Puri they used to stay with Haridasa Thakura.

Haridasa, in order to maintain the etiquette, would not go near Lord

Jagannatha's temple but would offer his obeisances to the Cakra on top of

the temple, from a distance.

As he was considered to be a Mohammedan by birth, his presence in the temple

would be objectionable to those who were caste conscious.

 

Mahamaya devi took initiation in the maha-mantra from Haridasa Thakura and

Caitanya Mahaprabhu appointed him as the acarya of the Holy Name. His

departure from this world, in the presence of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is fully

described by Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami in the Antya-lila of Sri

Caitanya Caritamrta.

 

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