Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura disappearance day

Identity in the spiritual world

anaṅga-mañjarī yāsīt sādya gopāla-bhaṭṭakaḥ

bhaṭṭa-gosvāminaṁ kecid āhuḥ śrī-guṇa-mañjarī

She who was formerly Anaṅga-mañjarī has appeared to enrich Mahāprabhu’s pastimes as Śrila Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Some say that Gopāla Bhaṭṭa is actually Guṇa-mañjarī.

[Śrī Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 184].

Song written by Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura

Parama karuṇa

Click here Purport to the song by Śrīla Prabhupāda

Parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana, nitāi gauracandra. This is a song by Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and ācārya of the Gauḍīya-sampradāya. He is declaring that pahū dui jana. Pahū means lords. Dui jana means two. Who are the two lords? Nitai Gauracandra. One is Lord Nitāi, Nityānanda; another is Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he says that "These two Lords are very merciful." Parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana. Parama koruṇa means very merciful. Nitai Gauracandra. Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi. Avatāra means incarnation, and saba means all. "They are the essence of all incarnations." Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi, kevala ānanda-kanda: "And the specific significance of these incarnations is that to prosecute their ways of self-realization is simply joyful," ānanda-kanda. They introduced chanting and dancing. No other incarnation There are many incarnations, just like Lord Rāma. Even Kṛṣṇa, He taught Bhagavad-gītā. That requires knowledge, understanding. But here Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda, introduced some process which is simply joyful: simply chant and dance. Kevala ānanda-kanda. Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi, kevala ānanda-kanda.

Therefore, he requests everyone, bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi: "My dear brothers, I request you. Just you worship Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda." Sudṛḍha biśwāsa kori': "With firm conviction and faith." Don't think that this chanting and dancing will not lead you to the desired goal. It will because there is assurance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that you will get all perfection by this process. Therefore, Locana dāsa Ṭhākura says that "You must have firm faith and conviction." It will act.

Pastime in Śrī Caitanya līlā

Excerpt from Śrī Caitanya: His Life and Associates, Swami B.B. Tirtha, Mandala Publishing, and Śrī Caitanya-maṇgala, Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura, by Mahanidhi Swami, Radha Book Trust

Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura was born in 1523 in Kogram, the Katwa block of Burdwan district. This village is about 10 miles north of Guskara train station. Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s father's name was Shri Kamalākara Dāsa. His mother's name was Sadānandi. Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura was his father's only son, and so was the darling of his parents. He spent the better part of his years staying at the house of his grandparents. At a very young age, Śrī Locana Dāsa was married. From early childhood, Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura had great attachment for Mahāprabhu and at the same time great detachment from material enjoyment. In the prime of his youth, he went to Shri Khanda where he found his guru, Śrī Narāhari Sarakāra Ṭhākura, and took shelter at his lotus feet. His guru taught him the art of kirtan and later ordered him to write Mahāprabhu’s biography. One day in 1537 A.D., following his guru's order, Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura sat on a stone slab under a badari tree and started writing the Caitanya-maṇgala (in eastern Bengal’s pāñcālī style) on a piece of bark. Maṇgala means auspicious and this title reflects that hearing Mahāprabhu’s divine pastimes is the most auspicious activity for all living beings.

Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura’s biography was first named Caitanya-maṇgala and later renamed to Caitanya-bhāgavata. In the ‘History and Literature of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas’, Dr. S. Das [a disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura] says, " Śrī Locana Dāsa does not claim to be a doctor of theology. He was a musician like his preceptor [Śrī Narāhari Sarakāra Ṭhākura]. He made music and dedicated his pre-eminent musical abilities toward serving one mission. Śrī Locana Dāsa did not compose this beautiful narrative poem, Caitanya-maṇgala, to thrust abstract philosophy and a labyrinth doctrine down the people's throat. Rather, he wanted to impress the divine character of Śrī Caitanya on the popular mind, and thereby arouse its religious sensibilities." In Vaisnava Abhidana, Haridāsa Dāsa [a famous Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava historian] describes Caitanya-maṇgala, "Śrī Locana Dāsa based his Caitanya-maṇgala on Murari Gupta's authorized Sanskrit biography of Lord Caitanya entitled Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Carita. Caitanya-maṇgala is written in simple, beautiful language, and it can be sung in various beautiful ragas. Caitanya-maṇgala is a rasātmakaḥ - śāstra [book full of rasā], and Caitanya-bhāgavata is a Varṇātmaka - śāstra [a book full of descriptions]. In some cases, Śrī Locana Dāsa's poetic expression surpasses that of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-maṇgala predicts the appearance of Śrīla Prabhupāda

Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura in his Caitanya-maṇgala (Sutra- khaṇḍa, song 12, text 565) refers to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Lord Caitanya speaking of the reasons for His descent):

yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya

mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a devotee. Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.)

Lessons from the pastime

1. In his song, parama karuṇa, Śrī Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura exhibits immense humility. He says, “I am entrapped by sense gratification. Since I have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, then Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement.”

There is no point when an advanced devotee thinks that he is qualifies to accept Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Bhakti is so magnificent and beyond comprehension that one feels intense gratitude. Humble devotees are not dependent on body, but on Kṛṣṇa. They feel protected, they are steady in their performance of spiritual life, and they don’t depend on their prowess.

2. There is a way in which Kṛṣṇa works through devotees. So, devotees who become aware of this think ‘why me? I am so insignificant’. Devotee doesn’t think he is doing anything except following orders of Guru. That is why Kṛṣṇa’s energy is coming through.