(11/13) About Srila Lochan Das Thakur

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Singur (West Bengal), 5 February 2021, part 11
Translated from Bengali

Today is the disappearance day of Srila Lochan Das Thakur. As you know, Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur composed Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, and Srila Lochan Das Thakur composed Sri Chaitanya-mangala, which contains even more pastimes of the Lord than Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata.

Srila Lochan Das Thakur appeared in a village near Katwa in Bardhaman District. This is the area where also our Guru Maharaj appeared and most of our guru-varga (Sri Narahari Thakur, Sri Acharya Srinivas and many others) stayed. I have told you earlier today that the appearance and disappearance days of Vaishnavs are non-different from each other. Today is Krishna-ashtami, it is Srila Lochan Das Thakur’s disappearance day. As I have just said, Srila Lochan Das Thakur, the composer of Sri Chaitanya-mangala, appeared near Katwa in a village called Kogram. He was very fortunate because he got the association of Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s devotees from a very young age. His guru was a devotee called Srila Narahari Thakur. Srila Lochan Das Thakur writes in Sri Chaitanya-mangala:

thakura sri-narahari, dasa prana adhikari,
yanra pada prati ase asa
adhamahe sadha kare, gora guna gahibare,
se bharasa e lochana-dasa

‘May Sri Thakur Narahari, an exalted, competent servant of the Lord, fulfil my longing to sing the glories of Gora [Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu]. This is the aspiration of this Lochan Das.’

amara thakura sri-narahari-dasa
pranati vinati karon pura mora asa

‘I am offering obeisances to my worshippable Lord, Sri Narahari Das, appealing to him to fulfil my prayer.’

In those days, everybody chanted the glories of Laksmi, Shani and other gods, but Srila Lochan Das Thakur composed Sri Chaitanya-mangala, glorifying Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The name of Srila Lochan Das Thakur’s father is Sri Kamalakar Das, and his mother’s name is Sri Sadanandi. Because Srila Lochan Das Thakur was the only son, he was the darling of his parents, the apple of their eyes. He would very often stay at the house of his grandfather.

He was married at a very early age, but it did not affect him – he was very detached from all material things. He had no attachment to the material world, and he lived at the house of his gurudev (Sri Narahari Thakur) in Srikhanda from his youth.

Before Srila Lochan Das Thakur composed Sri Chaitanya-mangala, he offered his obeisance and prayers to Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur, the composer of Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata (this book was previously known as Sri Chaitanya-mangala),

vrndavana dasa vandiba eka-chite
jagata mohita yanra bhagavata gite

‘I am offering my whole-hearted obeisance to Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur, whose ‘Bhagavat-gita’ [lit. ‘The Song of Bhagavata’, ref. to ‘Chaitanya-bhagavata’] has captivated the whole world.’

(Sri Chaitanya-mangala, Sutra-khanda)

In Sri Chaitanya-mangala, Srila Lochan Das Thakur describes the conversation that took place between Mahaprabhu and Sri Vishnupriya Devi before Mahaprabhu left her to take sannyas. Mahaprabhu always felt restless, and, finally, He was going to leave His house and a very young (thirteen-year-old) wife. Srila Lochan Das Thakur describes:

prabhura vyagrata dekhi, visnupriya chandra-mukhi,
kahe kichhu gad-gad svare
kaha kaha prananatha, mora sire diya hata,
sannyasa karibe naki tumi

‘Seeing some perturbed eagerness in the Lord, moon-faced Vishnupriya Devi spoke in a somewhat trembling voice, “Tell me, tell me, Prananath. Put Your hand on my head and tell me – are You going to take sannyas?”’

loka-mukhe suni iha, vidarite chahe hiya,
agunite pravesiba ami
to lagi jivana dhana, rupa nava-yauvana,
vesa-vilasa bhava kala

‘“I hear people talk. You want to tear my heart apart – I will enter fire! You are the treasure of my life. This time of life is filled with beauty and fresh youth, it is the time when You dress well, live well and love.”’

tumi yabe chhadi yabe, ki kaja e chhara jive,
hiya pore yena visa-jvala

‘“When You leave me, what will this wretched soul live for? My heart is burning in agony as if I have taken poison…”’

What did Mahaprabhu say hearing this lamentation of Sri Vishnupriya Devi? It is described very beautifully in Sri Chaitanya-mangala of Srila Lochan Das Thakur:

e bola suniya panhu, muchaki hasiya lahu,
kahe suna mora pranapriya
kichhu na kariha chite, ye kahiye tora hite
sabadhane suna mana diya

‘Hearing these words, the Lord said with a slight, gentle smile on His face, “Listen to Me, dear. Do not stir your heart, what I am saying to you is for your benefit. Listen to Me carefully and attentively.”’

jagate yateka dekha, michha kari saba lekha,
satya eka sabe bhagavan
satya ara vaisnava, ta bine yateka saba,
michha kari karaha geyana

‘“Everything you see in this world is false. The Supreme Lord is within everything – this is one truth; and the devotees of the Lord is the other truth. Know that other than that everything is false.”’

michha suta pati nari, pita mata adi kari,
pariname keba na kahara
sri-krsna-charana bahi, ara ta kutumba nahi,
yata dekha—saba maya tara

‘“Sons, husbands, women, parents and everything else are false. Ultimately, nobody belongs to anyone. Except for Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, there is no kin. Everything you see here is His illusion.”’

Who will you take as your own in this world? Only Krishna. Everything else in this world that you feel akin to is maya, illusion.

ki nari purusa dekha, atma se sabara eka,
michha maya-bandhe bhave dui
sri-krsna sabara pati, ara saba prakrti,
ei katha na bujhaye koi

‘“Whether it is a man or a woman, both souls are the same. Only those who are situated in illusory bondage see them as two different entities. Sri Krishna is everyone’s husband, and all souls are female. Do you not understand this?”’

rakta retah-sammilane, janma vistha-mutra sthane,
bhume padi haya ageyana
bala yuba vrdda haiya, nana duhkha-kasta paiya,
dehe gehe kare abhimana

‘“When some blood and semen are combined, a body is born from the same place where urine and stool come out, and later that body falls unconscious on the ground. Going through childhood, youth and old age and suffering so many austerities and hardships, conditioned souls become proud of their bodies and houses.”’

This is so true! My father and mother have given me this body, but they have not given me that which I am. When this body expires, dirty things (stool, urine, blood, and so on) come out of it. Nothing else comes out of it. This body is a place of urine and stool. It is born from earth, and after death it is again mixed with earth. People suffer because they identify themselves with their bodies.

bandhu kari yare pali, tara saba dei gali,
abhimane vrddha-kala vanche
sravana nayana andhe, visada bhariya kande,
tabu nahi bhajaye govinde

‘“When all their friends desert them, everyone will swear them – they will be cheated in their old age because of their pride. Deaf and blind, filled with sorrow, they will weep, but even then they will not worship Govinda.”’

krsna bhajibara tare, deha dhari e samsare,
maya-bandhe pasari apana
ahankare matta haiya, nija-prabhu pasariya,
sese pai naraka-yantrana

‘“They have got a body in this world, and if they use it to worship Krishna, they will automatically leave all illusory bondage. However, those who lose their minds out of pride forget their own Master; in the end, they undergo hellish suffering.”’

We sing, ‘Ahankare matta haina, Nitai-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kari mani (অহঙ্কারে মত্ত হৈঞা, নিতাইপদ পাসরিয়া, অসত্যেরে সত্য করি মানি). Maddened with pride, I forgot Nitai’s feet and take untruth for truth.’ We always think, ‘My house’, ‘My son’, and so on – we become very proud and suffer in hell.

tora nama visnupriya, sarthaka karaha iha,
michha soka na karaha chite
e tore kahilun katha, dura kara ana chinta
mana deha krsnera charite

‘“Your name is Vishnupriya [who is dear to Lord Vishnu], so fulfil its meaning. There is no need for all this false grief in your heart. I have told you everything, so do away with all your worries and dedicate your mind and body to Krishna consciousness.’”

‘Do not be grief-stricken – I can die one day too, so what is there to cry about? I have come to this world, and I can do something good for this world.’ Instructing Sri Vishnupriya Devi in this way, Mahaprabhu revealed His chatur-bhuja murti (His holy four-armed form) to her. He showed her that He was not an ordinary human being.

apane isvara haiya, dura kare nija-maya,
visnupriya parasanna chita
dure gela duhkha soka, anande bharila buka,
chatur-bhuja dekhe achambita

‘He is independent Lord, so He removed His own illusion. Vishnupriya felt pleased at heart – her sadness and grief went away, and her heart became filled with joy. She was then greatly surprised to see the Lord’s four-armed form.’

Seeing the Lord’s form, Sri Vishnupriya Devi became very happy, but she still saw the Lord as her husband – that feeling did not leave her.

tabe devi visnupriya, chatur-bhuja dekhiya,
pati budhhi nahi chhade tabu
padiya charana-tale, kakuti minati kare,
eka nivedana suna prabhu

‘Yet even seeing the four-armed form of the Lord, Vishnupriya Devi could not give up her perception of the Lord as her husband. She fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly, “Prabhu, please hear my one prayer.”’

mo ati adhama chhara, janamila e samsara,
tumi mora priya pranapati
e-hena sampada mora, dasi haiyachilum tora,
ki lagiya bhela adhogati

‘“I am a very fallen, wretched soul, I was born in this material world, but You are the dearmost lord of my heart, You are my all in all. This is my wealth. I have become Your maidservant. Why am I so unfortunate?”’

iha bali visnupriya, kande uttaroli haiya,
adhika badhala paramada
priya-jane artti dekhi, chhala chhala kare ankhi,
kole kari karila prasada

‘Saying this, Vishnupriya Devi broke down and began to sob. Her plight became even worse. Seeing the grief of His beloved, His eyes filled with tears, the Lord took her on His lap and spoke mercifully:’

suna devi visnupriya, tomare kahila iha,
yakhane ye tumi mane kara
ami yatha tatha yai, achhiye tomara thani,
ei satya kahilama dadha

‘“Listen, Vishnupriya Devi. I have told you that whenever you think of Me, I am always in your room, wherever I may be at that time. I assure you that this is the truth.”’

prabhu-ajna-vani suni, visnupriya mane guni,
svatantra isvara ei prabhu
nija-sukhe kare kaja, ke dibe tahate badha,
pratyuttara na dilena tabhu

‘Hearing Prabhu’s advice and order, Vishnupriya composed herself thinking, “This Prabhu is independent Supreme Lord. He does what pleases Him, what use is it trying to stop Him?” So, she said nothing in reply.’

visnupriya heta-mukhi, chhala-chhala kare ankhi,
dekhi prabhu sarasa sambhase
prabhu-acharana-katha, sunite lagiye vyatha,
guna gaya e lochana dase

‘Vishnupriya Devi listened to the Lord’s sweet words with her face lowered, eyes filled with tears… This Lochan Das is singing the glories of the Lord’s pastimes although this behaviour of the Lord is painful to hear about.’

This is what Srila Lochan Das Thakur writes. He also wrote kirtans in glorification of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu: ‘Parama karuna’, ‘Nitai-guna-mani amara’ and others. He also wrote about the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Govinda in a book called Durlabha-sara:

are nikunja vane, syamera sane,
ki-rupa dekhilum rai
kemana vidhata, gadala murati,
lakhai nahika yai

‘O what sort of form have I seen of Rai next to Shyam in Their Nikunja grove! It is inconceivable that the Creator can produce such a form!’

sajala jalada, kanura varana,
champa varani rai
mani marakata, kanchane jadita,
aichhana rahala thai

‘There I beheld that Kanu’s body is the blue emerald colour of a water-bearing cloud, and Rai’s golden colour is like that of a champa flower!’

kiye aparupa, rasa mandala,
ramani mandala ghata
mana-matha mana, paila achetana,
dekhiya o anga chhata

‘What a superb form! He enjoys amorous pastimes with young ladies! Seeing His lustrous form, my mind swooned and I fell unconscious.’

vadane madhura, hasa adhare,
hrdaye hrdaye sanga
kona rasavati, rasera avese
kusuma sayane anga

‘Lying on a bed of kusum flowers, His face emanating sweetness, His smile most affectionate, He is filled with joy and overcome with amorous ecstasy.’

navina meghera, nivida abha,
tahe vijuri ujoi
dasa lochanera, rai saravasa
o-rasa avese so-i

‘There is a lightning striking through the dense glow of this fresh rain-cloud. Rai is all in all for Lochan Das, who is overwhelmed by these pastimes.’

At the age of eighty-five, Srila Lochan Das Thakur left his body. Today is his disappearance day. We must pray to Vaishnav Thakur, ‘Wherever you are, Prabhu, please bestow your mercy on this fallen and lowly soul so that I may live this life serving you.’

Jay Srila Lochan Das Thakur ki jay.
Tadiya tirobhav tithi-bara maha-mahotsav ki jay.

— : • : —

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Honouring Hari-Prasad
2) Exclusive Path
3) Lord's Messenger
4) 'Managing' Your Life
5) Internal Purity
6) Pray To Be One-Pointed
7) Mahaprabhu's Gift
8) At Vaishnavs' Mercy
9) Spiritual Deposit
10) Lacking Spirituality
11) About Srila Lochan Das Thakur
12) Leave Separate Interests
13) Muddled Minds