Srila Narottama Das Thakur Mahasaya

A brief biography of Srila Narottama Das Thakur Mahasaya


India today celebrates the disappearance of Srila Narottam Das Thakur, the great Mahasaya. He was an explemplary Gaudiya Vaisnava preacher, who took on the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu after He and His associates completed Their manifest pastimes on this earth.

Srila Prabhupada has said that we celebrate both the appearance and disappearance of our Vaisnava saints with equally.

"As Lord Krsna's appearance and disappearance are all spiritual, transcendental, they are not ordinary things, similarly, Lord Krsna's devotee, His representative, who is sent to this material world for preaching the glories of Lord Krsna, their appearance and disappearance is also like Krsna's. Therefore, according to Vaisnava principles, the appearance and disappearance of Vaisnava is considered all-auspicious. Therefore we hold festivals."
- Srila Prabhupada
Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture (S.B. 6.1.37-34)
Surat, Gujarat, India
December 17th, 1970



So today, on this most auspicious day, I pray to the great Mahasaya for his blessings, so that we may complete each our Kartik Vratas successfully, and dedicate the rest of our lives to the great Sankirtan movement, pleasing Sri Panca Tattva, and reaching the shelter of Sri Sri Radha Krsna at the end of our lives.

Srila Narottama Das Thakur sings in his book, Prarthana, to the Vaisnava Saints. Today, we can sing this song, praying to him, for his mercy.


Vaisnave Vijnapati (Song 2)

এই-বার করুণা কর বৈষ্ণব গোসাঞি

পতিত-পাবন তোমা বিনে কেহ নাই

ei-bāro karuṇā koro vaiṣṇava gosāi
patita-pāvana tomā bine keho nāi

যাহার নিকটে গেলে পাপ দূরে যায়

এমন দয়াল প্রভু কেবা কথা পায়

jāhāra nikaṭe gele pāpa dūre jāy
emona doyāla prabhu kebā kothā pāy

গঙ্গার পরশ হৈলে পশ্চতে পাবন

দর্শনে পবিত্র কর-এই তোমার গুণ

gańgāra paraśa hoile paścate pāvan
darśane pavitra koro-ei tomāra guṇ

হরি-স্থানে অপরাধে তারে হরি-নাম

তোমা স্থানে অপরাধে নাহি পরিত্রাণ

hari-sthāne aparādhe tāre hari-nām
tomā sthāne aparādhe nāhi paritrāṇ

তোমার হৃদয়ে সদা গোবিন্দ-বিশ্রাম

গোবিন্দ কহেন-মোর বৈষ্ণব পরাণ

tomāra hṛdoye sadā govinda-viśrām
govinda kohena-mora vaiṣṇava parāṇ

প্রতি-জন্মে করি আশা চরণের ধূলি

নরোত্তমে কর দয়া আপনার বলি’

prati-janme kori āśā caraṇera dhūli
narottame koro doyā āpanāra boli'

TRANSLATION

1) O Vaisnava Gosvami, please be merciful to me now. There is no one except you who can purify the fallen souls.

2) Where does anyone find such a merciful personality by whose mere audience all sins go far away?

3) After bathing in the waters of the sacred Ganges many times, one becomes purified, but just by the sight of you, the fallen souls are purified. This is your great power.

4) The holy name delivers one who has committed an offense to Lord Hari, but if one commits an offense to you, there is no means of deliverance.

5) Your heart is always the resting place of Lord Govinda, and Lord Govinda says, "The Vaisavas are in My heart."

6) I desire the dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take. Please consider Narottama yours, and be kind upon him.

Song courtesy of KKSongs.org