Disappearance of Sri Narottama Das Thakur – 14th Oct

Darshan From Sri Vrindavan Dham on the Disappearance of Narottam Das Thakur.

Class By HH Lokanath Swami

(1)
je ānilo prema-dhana koruṇā pracur
heno prabhu kothā gelā ācārya-ṭhākur

(2)

kāhā mora swarūp rūpa kāhā sanātan

kāhā dāsa raghunātha patita-pāvan

 (3)

kāhā mora bhaṭṭa-juga kāhā kavirāj
eka-kāle kothā gelā gorā naṭa-rāj

 (4)

pāṣāṇe kuṭibo māthā anale paśibo
gaurāńga guṇera nidhi kothā gele pābo

 (5)

se-saba sańgīra sańge je koilo bilās
se-sańga nā pāiyā kānde narottama dās

TRANSLATION

1) He, who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy–where has such a personality as Advaita Acarya gone?

 2) Where are my Svarupa Damodara and Rupa Gosvami? Where is Sanatana? Where is Raghunatha Dasa, the savior of the fallen?

 3) Where are my Raghunatha Bhatta and Gopala Bhatta, and where is Krsnadasa Kaviraja? Where did Lord Gauranga, the great dancer, suddenly go?

 4) I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

 5) Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama Dasa simply weeps.

Life of Narottama Das Thakur

According to the Premavilasa, when Mahaprabhu passed through Kanair Natashala, as He was dancing ecstatically in kirtan, He began to call out the name Narottama. When Nityananda asked Him why He was calling out this name, Mahaprabhu answered, “My Lord. You do not know your own glories. When we went to Jagannath Puri, you shed tears out of divine love, day after day. I managed to capture your divine love and save it. Now I wish to keep it here by the Padmavati River for Narottama Das.”

Narottama Thakur was Champaka Manjari in Krishna-lila. Eternally assisting Rupa Manjari in her service to Radha and Krishna, Champaka Manjari had mercy on the conditioned souls of this earth and appeared as Narottama in the village of Kheturi, about twelve miles from Rampur Bowaliya in the Gopalpur subdivision of Rajshahi district. This took place on the full moon day of the month of Magh sometime around the middle of the 15th century of the Shaka era.

Narottama was born on the Maghi Purnima. From that day on he thrived and grew like the waxing moon. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.281)

Narottama’s father was Raja Krishnananda Datta, the zamindar of the Gopalpur area. His mother’s name was Narayani Devi. Raja Krishnananda had a younger brother named Purushottam Datta, who had a son named Santosha. In order to show that His associates can take birth in any caste, Krishna had Narottama take birth in a kayastha family.

From his early childhood, Narottama began to display symptoms of his future greatness. Everyone was amazed to see his great intelligence and his devotional demeanor. He was constantly absorbed in meditation on the wonderful qualities of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. The Lord and His associates appeared to him in his dreams.

As tears poured from his eyes, Narottama would offer prayers of surrender to Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Nityananda, Advaita and the other associates of the Lord. Finally, the Lord and His associates appeared to him in a dream and consoled him with kind words. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.285-6)

Narottama Das Thakur was said to be a Brahmachari throughout his entire life. Narottama Das visited all the places of pilgrimage. He was on the highest platform of devotional achievement. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.256)

Jai Narottama Das Thakur Ki Jai!!!