Thakur Haridas (part 7)

Thakur Haridas (part 7)

Journal ‘The Harmonist’ Edited by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (No. 8, Vol. XXV, January 1928)

Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa at times visited the town of Navadvīpa. There he put up at the ṭola-house of Śrī Advaita Prabhu and chanted the saṁkīrtana of the Name of Hari in company of Śrīvāsa and the other devotees. At this period Nimāi Paṇḍita, overflowing with Divine Love, was exhibiting the sportiveness of a most restless child, and, later on, manifested equal zeal in the display of learning.

Having repaired to Gayā Dhāma and there offered piṇḍa to his deceased father at the lotus feet of Śrī Gadādhara, Śrī Gaurasundara manifested, while He was still at Gayā, the līlā of accepting the favour of initiation from Śrīpāda Īśvara Purī, a great sannyāsī belonging to the sampradāya of Śrīmad Madhvācārya; and, on His return to Navadvīpa, was transformed into an exclusive seeker after Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Advaita, Śrīvāsa, Haridāsa, Mukunda and other devotees, resident in Navadvīpa, who delighted in the performance of the kīrtana of Hari, were all highly encouraged beholding this unthinkable change of Nimāi Paṇḍita, the possessor of unbounded genius.

Within a short time Nimāi Paṇḍita accepted the leadership of this community of the chanters of kīrtana and thenceforward the joy of kīrtana waxed stronger every day in the homes of the devotees of Navadvīpa and specially in the residence of Śrīvāsa. The principal helpers in these joyous performances of kīrtana were Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa and Śrīvāsa. Hari-saṁkīrtana attained such high intensity at Navadvīpa that a few persons who were puffed up with the pride of worldliness, skilled in the wranglings of the śāstras and full of malice and arrogance, became the opponents of kīrtana.

Actuated by this sentiment of hostility they set themselves to devise various methods for counteracting the efforts of Śrī Gaurasundara in His quest after Kṛṣṇa. On a certain day by open abuse, another day by secret plotting, on a third day by throwing filthy substances into the house of Śrīvāsa, they tried to obstruct the progress of kīrtana.

The resources of wickedness — slander, envy, malice, anger etc. — being employed in harassing the devotees, the tide of kīrtana with daily increasing vigour began all the more violently to agitate, to their deepest depths, the different communities of the town of Navadvīpa. The obstacles that were devised by sinful persons plotting in secret, instead of preventing kīrtana, only served to expose to the public gaze the wicked ingenuity of the plotters. And now moved by the miseries of the fallen jīvas, Śrī Gaurasundara thus spoke to Śrī Prabhu Nityānanda and Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa —

“Hear attentively, Nityānanda, listen Haridāsa, Carry everywhere this command of Mine — Appearing before every dwelling beg this alms — ‘Say Krishna, serve Krishna, know only Krishna’ Speak or allow to be spoken nothing except this; And, returning at close of each day, report to Me the result.”

Reverently, with the head bent in submission, receiving this command of the Lord, Prabhu Nityānanda and the revered Ṭhākura Haridāsa, appearing at the door-steps of every dwelling, began to chant loudly these words — “Say Kṛṣṇa, chant Kṛṣṇa, serve Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa is life, Kṛṣṇa is wealth, for Kṛṣṇa alone we exist. Such is Kṛṣṇa, brother, chant Kṛṣṇa with thy whole heart. Say Kṛṣṇa, serve Kṛṣṇa, know only Kṛṣṇa.”

Both of these chanters of kīrtana wore the garb of sannyāsīs. Some of the people were delighted by listening to the kīrtana song regarding it as the method of practicing devotion to God; but there were others who imputed various evil motives. Every evening Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa duly submitted at the feet of Śrīman Mahāprabhu the result of the preaching of the day. On one of these days a great danger befell the two preachers through the animosity of two sinful brāhmaṇas who bore the names of Jagāi and Mādhāi.

Those robbers wanted to lay violent hands on the two Prabhus as they were preaching the word of God and they could only save themselves from the clutches of the murderers, who hotly chased them, by precipitate flight. On learning particulars of the attack by the two robbers from Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa and hearing of the child-like behavior of Prabhu Nityānanda, Prabhu Advaita predicted to Haridāsa the impending deliverance of the two ruffians, Jagāi and Mādhāi.

Lying in wait close to the house of Mahāprabhu, they listened through the nights to the kīrtana of Kṛṣṇa sung by the devotees without, however, relaxing the vigour of their wicked attempts. At last as Prabhu Nityānanda was one night coming to the house of Mahāprabhu the two robber brothers made an attack on Him. Mādhavānanda Bandopādhyāya under the influence of intoxicants having with all his strength struck Śrī Prabhu Nityānanda a blow with his fist and a stream of blood spurted out from the forehead of Prabhu Nityānanda.

At this Jagadānanda interposed and made Mādhāi desist from his wickedness; and when Śrī Mahāprabhu escorted by the brotherhood of His devotees reached the spot, Prabhu Nityānanda without anger informed the Lord of the magnanimity of Jagadānanda. Forthwith the two robbers obtaining the mercy of the two Prabhus renounced their abominable trade and promised never again to sin in future!

Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa proved the mainstay of Śrī Gaurasundara in all His activities. We notice the presence of Ṭhākura Haridāsa on the day of the great manifestation, on other days of kīrtana, at the dance of Mahāprabhu in the mood of Devī at the house of Candraśekhara, and in fact in every performance of Śrī Gaurāṅga. On the night when Gaura-Hari, the Savior of the world, in order to effect the deliverance of the Kāzī, led the procession of all the citizens chanting the kīrtana of Hari, escorted by seven bands of His followers, to the residence of the Kāzī, Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa was the foremost leader of the dancing chanters of kīrtana performed by the original community of Vaiṣṇavas.

On the day of the great manifestation by expatiating on all the past incidents in the career of the holy Ṭhākura; Śrīman Mahāprabhu openly proclaimed the glory of the matchless devotee with His own holy mouth. Having listened to the stories of former sādhus from the lips of Haridāsa, Śrī Gaura-Hari expressed His wish to confer a suitable boon on the Ṭhākura. In praying for the boon Haridāsa said —

“May I ever subsist on the leavings of those servants Who adore Thy feet; May this be my devotion at every birth; May those leavings be my duty, family, religion. Darling of Śacī, Father, vouchsafe this favours — Making me a dog, put me in the abode of Thy devotee.”

Having heard this prayer of the Ṭhākura the Lord thus spoke its fulfillment — “With whom you hold speech even for the space of half a second will assuredly attain unto Me. Who so ever regards you regards Me; I ever dwell in thy body; For all time you have bound Me fast to your heart.”

In this connection Śrīla Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa writes — “Caste, family, high deeds, wealth are of no avail; Without longing for the treasure of love Kṛṣṇa is not gained. Whatever may be the family in which the Vaiṣṇava is born, Yet is he the best, as all the śāstras say. The base sinner who considers the caste of the Vaiṣṇava sinks into the lowest depths of being birth after birth. All glory to Haridāsa, the great devotee! All sins vanish by the touch of Haridāsa! The gods themselves covet the touch of Haridāsa! Even the sacred Ganges longs for the immersion of Haridāsa!”

Śrī Ṭhākura Haridāsa preached the Name of Śrī Hari by frequent journeys to different parts of Bengal stopping for sometime at each place. On one occasion the Ṭhākura stayed in this manner at the house of Satyarāja Khāna, the pride of the kāyastha community, and of his son Śrī Rāmānanda Vasu, all through the period of Cāturmāsya, in order to preach and teach by example the mystery of the Holy Name. Even to this day, at the village of Kulīnagrāma, in the District of Burdwan, on the site of the devotional practices of Ṭhākura Haridāsa, is to be found the ancient establishment of the eternal worship of Śrī Gaurāṅga.