Glories of Narottam Das Thakura

Glories of Narottam das Thaku

Today is the Appearance Day of Srila Narottam das Thakur. Narottam das Thakur is the prema incarnation of Lord Mahaprabhu. Now present time, there is Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, …., this, that, India. Before, they were all together. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world 554 years ago. His pastimes are divided into two – one is before renounced order and another is after renounced order. Before renounced order, Mahaprabhu spent 24 years in Nabadwip/Mayapur. After he took sannyas, he went to South India, Jagannath Puri, Vrndavan, – total combined 44 years. While Mahaprabhu was in Nabadwip/Mayapur, He went for preaching in present Bangladesh. Mahaprabhu had two consorts – one was Lakshmi devi and the second one was Vishnupriya devi. Sriman Mahaprabhu (Nimai Pandit), with some of His followers, went to Bangladesh for preaching. At that time, Bangladesh was not separate from India. Before coming Nabadwip/Mayapur, Lakshmipriya devi, due to separation from Mahaprabhu, she left her body. It is mentioned that she left this world due to snake bite – it is because of snake separation of Mahaprabhu. So on the way back to Nabadwip/Mayapur, had to cross Ganga . Mayapur was Ganges land in India, Ganga in Bangladesh was called Padma. Why not Ganges? Padma means Lakshmi. If you take out Padma from Bangladesh, then Bangladesh would be barren land. If you include Padma, there is so much business. So Padma is Goddess of Fortune. So Bangladesh is called Divine Padma. What may be, when Mahaprabhu was telling Divine Padma, “Oh Padme, I am keeping My prema with you. When My Narottama will come, you will give this prema to him.” Immediately Padmavati devi asked, “Oh Prabhu, I will follow your order no doubt but who is Your Narottama, how will I know? Who is your Narottama?” Mahaprabhu replied, [quoting Sansksrit verse] “By his touch, all of a sudden, you will be overflooded without any cause.” Then you will know that he is Narottam .Now question may arise, how do you have so much water, how water can speak? This question may arise sooner or later, some can discuss among themselves. Is it possible the river can speak? Why not? Presiding deity of river speaking. Like you know about Lord Shiva, his consort’s name is Parvati. Parvati is the daughter of Himalayas. If Himalaya Mountain has a daughter, and they can marry his daughter to Shiv Thakur, why the river cannot speak? So presiding deity of river speaking to Mahaprabhu. “Ok, I will do that.” So Narottam das Thakur took bath in present Bangladesh. His main place is Puri when he grew enough he understood this material body is temporary and perishable. This body is not permanent Like we are travelling one country to another country, for a certain time you can be there. When your visa expires, you can no longer stay there. In the same way, you come to this world for a certain period. When you go from one country to another country, some will get visa – some 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 10 years. But within 6 months, you have to depart from that country. In the same way, someone’s visa may be for 30 years, 100 years, some of you 2 days, some 1 day – like this in the material world. Then you come to know due to some association that our ultimate goal of Krsna prema. To get that, you have to be initiated by a bona fide Guru.

What is the symptom of Guru? It has been mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam,

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

 

“tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta”. “Tasmād” means for this reason, have to approach and ask a bona fide Guru. “prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ”. Whether you want or not, you are slapped by the threefold miseries – adhyatmik, adhidaivik, adhibhautik. “Adhidaivik” means like the calamities due to the rivers, just like how it happened in Australia, Melbourne and Sydney, the forest fires. Sometimes so much drought, sometimes overflooded, sometimes earthquakes, sometimes tsnunamis – all these are adhidaivik. “Adhibhautik” refers to the calamities due to other living entities. Just like when you are walking and a street dog bites you or somebody else slaps you – this is adhibhautik. “Adhyatmik” – we are suffering due to our uncontrolled mind. “How can I get peace and tranquility of the mind?” When this question comes into the mind, they are searching for an expert. The expert can tell the spiritual daughter. Spiritual expert, in Sanskrit language is Guru or Acharya. What are the symptoms?

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

 

There are 2 symptoms – one primary and the other is secondary. Secondary is divided into two. Primary is only one. What is that? “pare ca niṣṇātaṁ” – must be a realised soul, have to have an extremely high understanding of the soul. Due to his careless mercy , then you can understand, otherwise not possible, even in millions and millions of births, you cannot understand. “śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ” – must be expert in all vedic literatures. If the disciple or devotee has any doubts, quoting from scriptures rule it out. Otherwise, “Oh, I can answer you, give me your email ID.” So then one month later, he can answer them – this is not the symptom of a bona fide guru. What is he doing? Because he has no faith in his guru and guru parampara. Nowadays due to modern technology, not for all , it is our own fault our nishtha for Gurudev is reducing day by day and nishtha to Googledev is increasing day by day, day and night. When we wake up, when Lord Ram, Lord Krsna, Lord Mahaprabhu they go to darshan of Gurudev’s lotus feet, always and nowadays, when we wake up, we are not doing pranams to Guru or parampara. What are we doing? We are massaging the feet of Googledev. [Madhava Maharaj shows this by using his fingers to type on the computer]. Googledev will not do. He is not expert in religious scriptures. That you go and ask Googledev. If Googledev will do everything, then there is no need for big big medical school, Googledev will do everything? Googledev can give you some information, he will not do bhajan for you. So what Googledev would tell, you make a copy of that and send to you. Oh, he is a big learned scholar, he is a big devotee. You are cheated. When you have any doubts, immediately have to quoting from scripture and rule it out. This is one symptom.

Second one, upaśamāśrayam – must be detached from the material world. Male will be Guru female will be Guru no problem. Just like I was in America, one of my daughters, a disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, and my Godbrother sannyasi-sen, junior to me in sannyas, he was telling, instituition has passed rule that ladies can be Guru. Very good, why not? Our parampara, Gangamata Goswamini, from Bangladesh, her name was Sachi devi, named after Thakurani, JanhavaThakurani was the Guru, “Yes. In Bhagvsttam I have told” The institution passed the rule but that lady would not go to india, out of India maybe. But in India, they are now allowed to initiate anyone. prabhu, so she was talking to me.” ……. “No, I have no time. I am very busy with sadhan bhajan and my guru seva.”

 

So if lady will be Guru, they must be detached from 3 Ms. If men, they must be detached from 3 Ws. You may ask, “What are the 3 Ws and 3 Ms?” 3 Ws means, if any male guru, he must be detached from 3 Ws. What are the 3 Ws? In this world, always hankering for opposite sex. So if male guru, must be detached from 3 Ws. First W is woman. To satisfy his senses, he needs woman – first W. Then to please her, he needs wealth – second W. Then he got woman, then wealth. Now become too much intoxicated, cannot do bhajan or anything, then drinking wine and whiskey. If male guru, must be detached from 3 Ws. If female guru, must be detached from 3 Ms. What are the 3 Ms? To satisfy her senses, she needs man – first M. Second M, to satisfy him, she needs money – second M. Then to satisfy her senses, getting man and money, then becoming intoxicated, smoking marijuana. If guru, must be detached from 3 Ms or 3 Ws then you can go to him or go too her. So Narottam das Thakur, “Ok, I have to go to bona fide guru.” Then he knew from neighbourhood and talking with others, because he was the son of a big landlord, so of a king and queen. He went to different places, and went to Vrndavan. When Narottam das Thakur came to Vrndavan, when he stepped into Ganges Padma, all of a sudden flood came. Then Ganges Padma gave prema to Narottama das Thakur. He came for initiation. he heard that in India, nowadays Lokanath Goswami was a very expert guru and asking he went to Lokanath Goswami and did full postration and begged him, “I want to be initiated by you.” Lokanath Goswami shook his head and said, “I never give initiation.” It has been mentioned in scripture that Guru and disciple will examine each other for one year. Less than a second……guru could examinr but descipe could not examine in million and million of years. So what happened? He is expert in scripture, he is free from 3 Ms and 3 Ws, I realised for that he take time to examine. Lokanath Goswami said, “I have no desire to make disciples.” Narottam das Thakur promised, “I must fulfil So what to do?” Then he thought, “If you want to catch someone, to control someone only you control by love and affection and by service.” There are so many gopis. Why is Krsna so much controlled by Srimati Radhika? By Her loving service. How She served Him, none can serve like Her. In the same way, Narottam das Thalkur was determined, “I must render some service.” Like the goswamis, they do madhukari, for cooking.” So ok, have to do some menial service. Everyday going for passing. He thought, “Ok, I will clean that area at that time.” Everywhere in the world, about 500 years before, everywhere in the world – India, Australia, Canada, everywhere – all was international bathroom. Do you know what is international bathroom? [asking a devotee] What? Devotee says, “Far away from the house.” Anywhere passing. So Narottam das Thakur noticed Lokanath Goswami going for passing. Ok. After what did he do? Where he came back from passing, he cleaned the area. After passing, have to clean your hands with some soil. Narottam das Thakur made the soil very fine like powder – any pebbles or stones, he took and threw them away. Where Lokanath Goswami went for passing, he cleaned that area, that any foul smell should not come. Who is very highly qualified devotee, they have 3 stages – Antardasha, Ardha bahya dasha and Bahya dasha . Antadarsha means internal stage Ardha bahya dasha means half external stage and bahya dasha means external stage. External stage – harinam sankirtan. Internal stage – take darshan of Radha Krsna, serving. Half external stage – talking like a mad man. External stage is doing harinam sankirtan, just like our guruvargas. Highly qualified, when giving initiation, then they are external stage. Half external stage – like a mad person talking to each other. Mahaprabhu sometimes telling, “Am I Caitanya?” I am giving one example of our beloved Gurudev, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaj. When Gurudev was doing sickness pastimes, being in Delhi one morning, myself and other devotees, my Godbrothers so many others were there. Srila Gurudev was telling, “Ubar masala, urva masala.” I asked him, “What are you telling?” Again Gurudev told 3 times. “I came here, I could not find.” Masala means spice, like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, cumin, coriander, etc. But in aprakat Braj, some spice is there named “ubar”. Radhika was cooking and telling, “Do this, do that.” “Hey Raman Manjari, bring ubar masala.” So Gurudev was serving Srimati Radhika with his constitutional form but seeing all this, his samadhi broke. “I came here to find ubar masala but I could not find.” How can I understand? By Gurudev’s causeless mercy, I told to others later on. This is talking like not knowing and internal stage, they are taking darshan of Krsna by constitutional form, serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Divine Couple. When they are preaching or giving initiation, this is external stage. So Lokanath Goswami was always in internal stage. One day, he was in external stage. He thought, “It seems that someone wants to catch me and passing through this area, there is no foul smell. I am cleaning may hands, this sand is just like powder, no stone, no pebbles. It seems like someone wants to catch me. I have to catch him first. Who is that?” So the next time, when he came, after passing, he came out and hid behind the bushes. When he came out, he saw close by, it was early morning, still dark, there was a shadow coming from behind the bushes. He threw a stone and shouted, “Ay, who are you?” Lokanath Goswami caught hold of his arm and asked, “Why are you doing so?” Narottam das Thakur was trembling and said, “I am Narottam.” Lokanath Goswami asked again, “Why are you doing so?” Narottam das Thakur said, “I want to be initiated by you but you denied, so I want to render some menial service.” Lokanath Goswami said, “Ok, today you take bath in Yamuna and come and I will give you initiation.” Narottam das Thakur did so and Lokanath Goswami gave him initiation. Being with Gurudev doing bhajan, time passed very fast. Time always passed very fast but remembrance is always fresh never passed very fast. What happened? One day, on a hot summer day, one farmer after farming and ploughing the land, he became very thirsty. Then he saw 2 Babas doing bhajan, fasting and doing Ekadasi. He called out, “What are you doing Baba? I am very thirsty, give me some water.” Lokanath Goswami was not giving him any attention because he was in meditation, in samadhi, in trance. After a few minutes, the farmer called out, “Choti Baba, choti Baba. Baba is very busy, can you give me some water please?” Narottam das Thakur kept his beads down, got some water and gave him.” Lokanath Goswami noticed this. When the farmer was gone, he told, “Narottam, come here. You can go in East direction and even bring water for so many persons. You are not qualified to be here. You have to go from here. What does it mean? To chant Harinam and to serve Krsna is the same thing. Krsna is Supreme. You are giving service to Krsna, you went to take water for him? You are not qualified to do bhajan in Braj.” Another meaning is, “Go to East direction, you can bring water for so many persons means go and preach now, and you can help others.” Narottam das Thakur came and preached there so much.

Under guidance of Jahanva devi, internal consort of Lord Nityananda, he established six temples there, six deities. So whenever Narottam das Thakur was doing Mahotsav – means big festival, every year it’s going on – pilgrims from India going that side, from there it’s close by the border. So daughter of Srinivas Acharya, Hemalata Thakurani, people were always coming, they were cooking and serving Vaishnavas – this is their profession to serve Vaishnavas, this is their service to serve Vaishnavas, husband and wife. And their deities were Radha Madhava. Because when festival came, they were cooking – all day long, they were cooking and serving. At night, both of them became very tired, then they fell asleep, in deep sleep. When you’re very tired, then your sleep will be very deep and when you put the alarm on, you cannot listen that the alarm is ringing. So what happened? Both were sleeping.“Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!” They need some prasad. Neither of them could hear anything. Radha was telling Krsna, “Hey, Shyamsunder, hey Madhav, look so many devotees have come. Look, my Hemalata and her husband are in deep sleep. This is their service to serve Vaishnavas, they are always serving, all the time. I have to do something, what shall I do? Close by in the garden, there are some eggplants. Pick up some eggplants and in that pond, pick up some spinach.” The spinach was there and Radhika picked up some spinach from there and Radha and Krsna, Radha and Madhav – both of Them – They cooked in the disguise of Hemalata and her husband. They did not know. The devotees took prasad and they were gone. When Hemalata and her husband woke up for Mangala Arati, they saw that in front, some people had taken prasad – there were still some things dropped here and there. They thought, “Oh fie on me, fie on me, fie on me! We were cooking and we did not clean the place? We were so tired. No matter, let us first Mangala Arati and then we will clean the place.” They were so tired they could not understand what had happened. Human beings we are full of faults and seva aparadh Then they went to the kitchen and brought the Arati paraphernalia. When they went there, they saw and thought, “It seems that the utensils there have been used for cooking also. Oh fie on us, fie on us!” Ok, then they did Mangala Arati and opened the door. They saw Krsna’s cloth was full of dried leaves of eggplant and dried flowers. They thought, “What happened?” and Radhika’s bottom corner of her sari had turmeric stains on it, it looked like She had wiped Her hands full of turmeric powder. [speaking in Bengali describing how Bengali ladies would wipe their hands on the bottom corner of their sari] Radhika had cooked and what did She do? She cleaned Her hands on the corner of Her sari and they saw Radhika’s sari was full of turmeric. Why was Shyamasunder cloth full of dried eggplant leaves and flowers? They took it off and did Arati. They were thinking, “This is strange. What happened?” After Mangala Arati, they cleaned the place. Some prasad was left over. They took some prasad. Hemalata told her husband, “I did not cook this. Where did this come from? Take this.” Both of them took the prasad and ecstatic symptoms manifested on their bodies. They were weeping, their hairs were standing on end and they could not speak. It must be that Radha and Madhav had cooked for the devotees. It must be that the devotees had come, Radha and Madhav cooked,They showed us that They had cooked. Why? That means Radhika sent Madhav to bring eggplants, so His whole body was full of dried eggplant flowers and dried eggplant leaves and the delicious special spinach must be Radhika brought from there. Still tis there in India. So by this way, Narottam das Thakur spending. I have heard one pastime of Narottam das Thakur from Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj, my dadu. So what I heard from Srila Pramode Puri Maharaj, Srila Gurudev Narayan Goswami Maharaj, first sevak of Srila Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj. After renounced order, Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj came to Param Gurudev and my Param Gurudev….Srila Narayan Goswami Maharaj – at that time he was not sannyasi yet. “Oh, serve Srila Puri Maharaj.” Srila Gurudev every day took him to take bath in the Ganges in Chuchura, in Nabadwip and Kolkata, one old city. After taking bath, he would rinse his cloth, bringing and giving him the dry cloth and hang it, washing, every day giving him prasad, cleaning his pot. The first sevak of Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj was Srila Gurudev Srila Narayan Goswami Maharaj. Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj and Srila (Not clear )- they taught Srila Gurudev how to install deities etc. So during deity installation, I cooked about 1 week for Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj in Vrndavan, 1 week because it’s near Khircora Gopinath. I cooked two times, …one..…everything was there. So Narottam das Thakur, Syamananda Prabhu and Srinivas Acharya – they went for….for spiritual knowledge, their Guru sent them to Jiva Goswamipad. Narottam das Thakur’s Guru, Lokanath Goswami, “Oh go to Jiva Goswami, ask more.” Syamananda’s Guru, Hrdaya Caitanya – same. Srinivas Acharya’s Guru, Gopal Bhatta Goswami – same. The three of them learned so much Vaishnava philosophy. After that, they came with books, something happened – the books were stolen by dacoits. I’m not going into details.

What happened? Jiva Goswamipad always emphasised the importance of Vaishnava seva. One day, the disciple of Syamananda Prabhu – they heard from Syamananda Prabhu in Orissa, that Jiva Goswami taught them to serve Vaishnavas. So they came to Vrndavan asking, “Jiva Goswamipad, we have heard from our Gurudev that always emphasis on rendering service to Vaishnavas. We are serving Vaishnavas, will it be sufficient for the other limbs of Bhakti?” Jiva Goswami said, “I will not answer this question directly. You will have to go to Kheturi. Go there. Narottam das Thakur is there, one of my students. You can go there. He has six deities, one is Mahaprabhu. When the pujari goes to offer bhoga to Mahaprabhu then you have to check pujari, ‘Oh Pujari, give some prasad, give some prasad. We are so hungry, we are dying, give.’” The pujari told, “Wait a little, let me offer to Mahaprabhu and then after I will give prasad.” They would not listen. Just like you are dying, have to make drama immediate. What happened then you will understand. “Ok.” They came and staying ther and one day when pujari was going to offer bhog, he said, “Oh Pujari.” When they were going to offer to Mahaprabhu, because all temples all different different pujari. When he was going to offer to Mahaprabhu, ….. Vaishnavas ….. Jiva Goswami they begged, “Oh Pujari, Pujari I am very hungry. Please give some prasad, we are dying.” The pujari said, “Wait a little, only 15 minutes.” They begged, “Oh give us prasad, we are dying!” They made so much drama.Then what happened? Narottam hearing this, came out from his bhajan kutir and said, “My dear son, what happened?” “Oh Gurudev, they are telling that they are dying for prasad, they are so hungry. I am asking them to wait a little, let me first offer to Mahaprabhu but they are not listening, they say they are about to die.” Narottam Thakur said, “Don’t worry. What you are going to offer, give them.” “Ok Gurudev.” They took and he cooked again and then offered to Mahaprabhu. At night, Narottam Thakur was resting and Mahaprabhu came, “Oh Narottam, what you are doing kirtan

 

vaishnava hridoye sada govinda-visram

govinda kohena—mora vaishnava paran

 

Mahaprabhu asked, “Is that true or not?” Narottam said, “Yes it is true.” Mahaprabhu said,“Then the Vaishnavas came, nobody served. When they are telling, ‘I am dying, give prasad.’ I am not living in their hearts?” Narottam said, “Yes.” Mahaprabhu said, “Then why did you ask the pujari to cook again for Me? Why……pujari? I am living in their hearts, I have already taken. Why asking them to cook?” Narottam woke up and Mahaprabhu disappeared. Then in the morning, he asked his disciples, “To whom you fed yesterday, are the Vaishnavas still there or gone?” They said, “I have to find out.” “Narottam said, “Ok.” They said, “Prabhu is there.” Narottam said, “Call them.” The Vaishnavas came. Gurudev calling both of them. They did pranams. Narottam asked them, “I am asking something, will you speak the truth?” The Vaishnavas said, “Yes, why not?” Narottam said “Yesterday you were telling you were dying. Give prasad, give prasad. I ordered my disciples and pujari to give you then cook again. Really you were dying? Or somebody else told you to make drama?” They said, “It was drama.” Narottam asked, “Then you were not dying?” They said, “No.” Narottam asked, “Who sent you here to make this drama?” They told, “Gurudev, yourself and Srinivas Acharya went to Jiva Goswamipad for higher philosophy. My Gurudev coming back in Orissa…..personal sevak.” Narottam asked, “Jiva Goswamipad taught this?” They said, “Yes. So then we travelled to Vrindavan then to Jiva Goswamipad we asked this question, ‘If serving Vaishnavas not possible to get perfection? So many limbs of devotion?’ Jiva Goswamipad said, ‘No I am not giving answer here. You have to go to Kheturi to do this drama.’ So I gave.” Narottam said, “Ok, go.” I heard from Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj.

Whoever comes into this world, have to give up this world one day. So now time has come for Narottam Thakur to depart from this world. His body became completely paralysed, he could not move. Prior to that, I am telling something then I will come to this last point.

So one day, some prominent disciples of Narottam Thakur came to know a very learned scholar was coming to debate with Narottam Thakur. That scholar was very puffed up and he had so many disciples with him. “Very good. We will not allow him to come to our Gurudev to face.” When the pandit scholar will come, they will not take anything cooked by others, must be cooked by them, cooked by smrta brahmin. They will not take prasad at other places, they will cook. So they had to purchase vegetables, they must chew betel nuts and betel leaves. [speaking in Bengali describing the type of dishes like rice, dal, etc] They made a few subjis, like vegetable subji. At that time, they used to cook in claypot, so claypot subji, some spiced subji. And the pandits always chewed betel nuts and betel leaves and they brought some. When they came, they were talking with the scholars in Sanskrit language. “Who are you?” “We are the disciples of Srila Narottam Thakur. He is our Guru” and they were discussing and they defeated them in scriptural debate and philosophy, little little they asked ohh you are desciole of Narottam das thakur .Yes.” “No, we are householders. We are listening every day Harikatha from Gruudev.” And they went back and they thought, “Oh my goodness, those householders are so expert. We are learned scholars and they can defeat us.” They did pranams there and ran away from there.

At last, Narottam Thakur became paralysed. Narottam Thakur was not born in brahmin family. Being Vaisya, and being ksatriya, being sudra – if they are initiated by him, what will be the result? He’s not a brahmin. And what? Making drama and disciples, everyone touching his feet, taking feet dust, putting feet water on the head, they are bound to go to hell.They were discussing about Narottam Thakur. Gradually this news came to his disciples. Some of his disciples told, “Gurudev, don’t do this pastime. Otherwise people will go to hell. They are telling like this, they will go to hell. You know who they are.” Every day Narottam Thakur from his ashram used to go to take bath in the Ganges alone and now Narottam Thakur could not move, completely paralysed, this and that. Narottam Thakur said, “Yes. Ok, don’t worry.” From the next day, he was going alone to take bath in the Ganges. Seeing this, the smrta brahmins said, “Oh my goodness, he was paralysed and could not move an inch. Now he is going to take bath in the Ganges? He is not an ordinary person.” They came and asked for forgiveness and took initiation. After some time, Narottam Thakur took bath in the Ganges and his body melting melting and the whole Ganges water became white like milk and he departed from this world. Today is his Appearance Day.

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca kripa-sindhubhya eva ca patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namah