20260201 Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura Appearance Day Festival Address

mukham karoti vacalam pangum langayate girim
yat kripa tam aham vande śrī gurum dina tarinam
paramananda Madhavam Śrī Caitanya Isvaram

Jayapatākā Swami: How are you translating? Today is Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s appearance day tithi. I am very grateful that you are conducting a Kīrtana-melā in honor of this Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s appearance day. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has made many contributions and he is a very special person in our guru-paramparā. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda used to say that Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s bhajanas were so good and full of teachings that they were fit to be called scriptures. We, Vaiṣṇavas can easily see that their bhajanas are so appropriate. And we should learn them by heart. And Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had left prema in the Padmā River for Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and had ordered that when Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura would come to take bath in that river, he should be given that prema. This way, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura after taking bath in that river changed. After that, his disposition was of a different nature. All of us want kṛṣṇa-prema but to get that we need the blessings of a devotee like Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. I hope that all the devotees who have assembled in Kheturi-grāma, they will get the mercy of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. We also want that for some days! You are very fortunate that you are all at the place of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura was in Bangladesh is a very valuable thing. But many people do not know the significance of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. And we should propagate that everyone should hear the bhajanas by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He used to speak Bengali, he wrote songs in Bengali, and we can preach them so people can understand that what is sanātana-dharma actually, what is bhakti-yoga. Now every day we sing the song written by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura in Māyāpur. This way, all over the world Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s songs are sung everywhere every day in all the countries, all over the world. This way, again, you are in the place of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, so you can all see the contributions of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Now there is a book required which would compile all the songs by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. And preaching this way that this is the culture of Bangladesh. Haribol! People should understand that now fanatics are saying that the Hindus should leave Bangladesh and go away. But they say that the culture of Bangladesh is Islam. But Bangladesh has many cultures. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings are there in Bangladesh as well.

Anyway, Lord Caitanya appeared in Navadvīpa, Māyāpur dhāma. But Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura appeared in Kheturi-grāma. Everyone should understand that this is also a part of the culture of Bangladesh. Haribol! Gaurāṅga! Nityanada! Jaya Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Here in West Bengal, we have seen the Dūdh-ghāṭa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura had taken bath in that ghāṭa. There his body melted into the river and turned into milk! That is why it is called Dūdh-ghāṭa. So Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s went into unmanifest stage. He was a prince, but he did not want to become king. That is why he told his nephew to take care of the kingdom, and that he would follow the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This way, his life is amazing! He had one disciple in Manipur. And Manipur state is fully the followers of Lord Caitanya. Even till date many Manipuri people wear the tilaka. Anyway, the history of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is very, very rare and his disciples some were brāhmaṇas and he used to preach in different ways.

To follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Nityānanda, Pañca-tattva we ask for blessings from Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. And Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s teachings should be distributed all over Bangladesh and all over the world is our desire. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Now, my throat is not very good and is a bit hoarse. With this voice how can I do kīrtana? Here are devotees are there, they can do the kīrtana. Their voices are not hoarse like mine!

Now I will go and all of you do kīrtana on this special occasion of Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s appearance day and that you are doing kīrtana on this special day is very nice!

Kṛṣṇe matir astu!

Now GBC meeting is coming up from 4^th to the 10^th February. I am making many videos, I want to make many videos made. I don’t if anyone here is capable of making videos, I will make the outlines and give . . . Haribol! You can tell Śrīvatsa Śyāmasundar Prabhu or Jānakī Rāmacandra Prabhu.