Haridasa Thakur

Haridasa Thakur was a Vaishnava convert from Islam and is now venerated as a Hindu saint. From the beginning of Chaitanya's 16th-century bhakti movement in Bengal, Haridasa and other born Muslims, as well as those of various other faiths, joined to spread love of God. This openness received a boost from Bhaktivinoda Thakur's vision in the late 19th century and was institutionalized by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in his Gaudiya Math in the 20th century. A disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, that celebrates festivals memory of Haridasa Thakura in India and worldwide. One of the early records of the period by Isana Nagara, (c. 1564), author of the Advaita-prakasa, describes the contemporary condition of the Hindus under 'Ala-ud-din Hussain Shah (1493–1519): in his hands chanting 300,000 names of God daily|220px ==Sources==

Haridasa was born in the village of Buron (Budana), in what is today the Satkhira District of Khulna Division, Bangladesh. Haridasa was 35 years older than Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his prayers along with prayers of Advaita Acharya were the reason for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descent. Ishana Nagara in his book Advaita Prakasha, explains in length that Haridasa Thakur was a follower of Advaita Acharya and also his close friend, he was raised in a Muslim family and then converted to Vaishnavism as a young man. Advaita Acharya indicates that becoming a Vaishnava, regardless of one's background, removes all past conditioning. When Haridasa Thakura was a young devotee of the Lord, he was allured by the incarnation of Maya-devi, but Haridasa passed the test because of his unalloyed devotion to Lord Krishna. He also believed to have stayed and chanted in a cave with a notorious snake, however, seemed unaffected by all of this. He did not even seem to be aware of the snake's presence. ==Teachings==

beads, made from sacred Tulasi wood, with head bead in foreground. Beads were used for chanting of Hare Krishna mantra by Haridas Thakura According to the philosophy of the holy name given by Haridasa Thakura, if you are on the platform of namabhasa (early or reflective stage of the pure chanting), it gives the chanter liberation, moksa. Whereas pure chanting gives prema, or 'Love of God'. An episode from Chaitanya Charitamrita illustrates different side of the life of Haridasa Thakura, and does not allude to the trial of the Haridasa by the Muslim ruler, but gives details of a sakta brahmana, who would hire a harlot to try (unsuccessfully) to seduce the celibate saint. In this story the avenging instruments of divine justice are none other than the agents of the Muslim king, who eventually punishes Ramachandra Khan.(CC Antya. 3.98-163) Mahamantra chanted by Haridasa and spread throughout the world by Prabhupada Haridasa Thakur was chanting mantra consisting of the names Hare, Krishna and Rama. Hare Krishna mantra appears originally in the Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa Upaniṣad|: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare It is often referred to as the "Maha Mantra" (great mantra) by practitioners. Following the footsteps of Haridasa Thakur in 1966, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada established ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), a branch of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya, and introduced the Hare Krishna mantra to the West, described as: "an easy yet sublime way of liberation in the Age of Kali." ==Preaching of Hare Krishna chanting==

He was asked to join forces with Nityananda who was older than Chaitanya by some eight years, and he believed to infuse into the movement a great passion. Haridasa and Nityananda are known for conversion of two notorious scoundrels, Jagai and Madhai, of Navadvipa into the new faith. They are considered important lieutenants in the campaign for spreading the sankirtana movement, chanting of the holy names: Brahma, in the form of Haridasa Thakura, and later, Balarama as Nityananda. ==Other associates of Chaitanya called Haridas==

Different associates of Chaitanya with this name include: :1. Haridasa Pandita (also known as Sri Raghu Gopala and as Sri Rasa-manjari), a disciple of Sri Ananta Acaryam. He is according to Tarapada Mukherjee is of a later generation. The fact that he is mentioned in the verses derived from Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 8 as a listener rather than participants in lila distinguishes them from contemporaries like that of Rupa and the others mentioned who were direct associates of Chaitanya. However according to Krishnadasa Kaviraja, the book which was read in the meetings of the first generation of Chaitanya followers in Vrindavan was the Bhagavata Purana itself and not Chaitanya's life story. :2. Chhota Haridas who accompanied Chaitanya on the journey to South India. It is believed that Chaitanya forsook the company of Chhota-Haridas because of an incident, that was against strict principles of a detached saint. ==Identity==

opposite ISKCON temple in Puri, Orissa, India|230px Haridasa Thakur in Gaudiya Vaishnavism is believed to be a combined incarnation of Brahma Mahatapa, the son of Richika Muni and Prahlada. The respected Murari Gupta has written in his Chaitanya Charitamrita that this sage's son picked a tulasi leaf and offered it to Krishna without having washed it first. His father then cursed him to become a mleccha in his next life. He was thus born as Haridasa, a great devotee. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 93–95) Nabadwip-dhama-mahatmya by Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written the following account of how Brahma became Haridasa Thakur: From the above it is understood that he was an incarnation of the secondary creator Brahma. It is said that in order to overcome his pride, he asked for a birth in a lowly family. Similar description is found in Advaita-vilasa. ==Last years==

Last years Haridasa has spent in Jagannatha Puri as a close associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. One time Caitanya Mahaprabhu took Haridasa Thakura within the flower garden, and in a very secluded place He showed him his residence. He asked Haridasa to remain there and chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and said that He would come there to meet him every day. “Remain here peacefully and look at the cakra on top of the temple and offer obeisances. As for as your prasadam is concerned, I shall arrange to have it sent here”. Although Haridasa was not allowed to visit the temple because of the custom, Chaitanya promised to come and see him daily. To the belief of Gaudiya Vaishnavas this indicates that Haridasa Thakura was so advanced in spiritual life that although he was considered unfit to enter the temple of Jagannatha, he's being visited by the lord every day. Prabhupada however on a number of occasions states that one should not imitate the behavior of Haridasa Thakura. He says the spiritual master gives different orders to different disciples: ==Death (Disappearance)==

He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die When thou art living still in Sound! The Vaishnavas die to live & living try To spread the holy name around! Verse by Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the tomb of Haridasa Thakura at Puri, India, published in Swami Prabhupada's Narada Bhakti Sutra, (3.50, purport). It is believed that Haridasa was buried on the ocean shore by Chaitanya himself. Dr. A. N. Chatterjee makes a point in his doctoral thesis entitled "Chaitanya's impact on medieval Indian society" that death of Haridasa Thakura is one of the most important incidents which deserve mention when dealing with the last few years of Chaitanya Mahaprabhus life. tumb|280pxEven when mahatmas, great souls, do appear in human society, they are often not appreciated or understood. Illustrating Gaudiya Vaishnava perspective on it Prabhupada writes: However, if one gets the association of a such mahatma and is receptive to his blessings, it is believed that one will infallibly be benefited. ==Books==

For more details of his life story see Chaitanya Bhagavata In this text Haridasa's tribulations are given in detail. ==References==