Attributes of Haridasa Thakura

EXCERPTS FROM SRI CHAITANYA CHARITAMRITA 
ABOUT THE PASTIMES OF 
SRI CHAITANYA  MAHAPRABHU AND HARIDAS THAKURA
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haridasa-thakura sakhara adbhuta carita

tina laksa nama tenho layena apatita

The twentieth branch of the Chaitanya tree was Haridasa Thakura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name of Krsna 300,000 times a day without fail.

(Adi 10.43)

prabhu kahe,—'kon vyadhi, kaha ta' nirnaya?'

tenho kahe,—'sankhya-kirtana na puraya'

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired from Haridasa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?" Haridasa Thakura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."

(Antya 11.23)

ebe alpa sankhya kari' kara sankirtana"

haridasa kahe,—"suna mora satya nivedana

The Lord concluded, "Now, therefore, please reduce the fixed number of times you chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra." Haridasa Thakura replied, "Kindly hear my real plea.

(Antya 11.26)

eka vancha haya mora bahu dina haite

lila samvaribe tumi—laya mora citte

"I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your Pastimes within this material world.

sei lila prabhu more kabhu na dekhaiba

apanara age mora sarira padiba

"I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your Pastimes. Before that time comes, kindly let my body fall down in Your presence.

hrdaye dharimu tomara kamala carana

nayane dekhimu tomara canda vadana

"I wish to catch Your lotuslike feet upon my heart and see Your moonlike face.

jihvaya uccarimu tomara 'krsna-caitanya'-nama

ei-mata mora iccha,—chadimu parana

"With my tongue I shall chant Your holy name, 'Sri Krsna Chaitanya!' That is my desire. Kindly let me give up my body in this way.

mora ei iccha yadi tomara prasade haya

ei nivedana mora kara, dayamaya

"O most merciful Lord, if by Your mercy it is possible, kindly grant my desire.

ei nica deha mora paduka tava age

ei vancha-siddhi mora tomatei lage"

"Let this lowborn body fall down before You. You can make possible this perfection of all my desires."

prabhu kahe,—"haridasa, ye tumi magibe

krsna krpamaya taha avasya karibe

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Haridasa, Krsna is so merciful that He must execute whatever you want.

(Antya 11.31-37)

ramananda, sarvabhauma, sabara agrete

haridasera guna prabhu lagila kahite

In front of all the great devotees like Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to describe the holy attributes of Haridasa Thakura.

haridasera guna kahite prabhu ha-ila panca-mukha

kahite kahite prabhura bade maha-sukha

As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.

haridasera gune sabara vismita haya mana

sarva-bhakta vande haridasera carana

After hearing of the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura, all the devotees present were struck with wonder. They all offered their respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura.

haridasa nijagrete prabhure vasaila

nija-netra—dui bhrnga—mukha-padme dila

Haridasa Thakura made Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sit down in front of him, and then he fixed his eyes, like two bumblebees, on the lotus face of the Lord.

sva-hrdaye ani' dharila prabhura carana

sarva-bhakta-pada-renu mastaka-bhusana

He held the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on his heart and then took the dust of the feet of all the devotees present and put it on his head.

'sri-krsna-caitanya' sabda balena bara bara

prabhu-mukha-madhuri piye, netre jala-dhara

He began to chant the holy name of Sri Krsna Chaitanya again and again. As he drank the sweetness of the face of the Lord, tears constantly glided down from his eyes.

'sri-krsna-caitanya' sabda karite uccarana

namera sahita prana kaila utkramana

While chanting the holy name of Sri Krsna Chaitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body.

maha-yogesvara-praya dekhi' svacchande marana

'bhismera niryana' sabara ha-ila smarana

Seeing the wonderful death of Haridasa Thakura by his own will, which was just like a great mystic yogi's, everyone remembered the passing away of Bhisma.

'hari' 'krsna'-sabde sabe kare kolahala

premanande mahaprabhu ha-ila vihvala

There was a tumultuous noise as they all chanted the holy names "Hari" and "Krsna." Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.

haridasera tanu prabhu kole laila uthana

angane nacena prabhu premavista hana

The Lord raised the body of Haridasa Thakura and placed it on His lap. Then He began to dance in the courtyard in great ecstatic love.

prabhura avese avasa sarva-bhakta-gana

premavese sabe nace, karena kirtana

Because of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's ecstatic love, all the devotees were helpless, and in ecstatic love they also began to dance and chant congregationally.

(Antya 11.50-60)

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