Introduction to chapter 16

This chapter describes the glories of Ṭhākura Śrī Haridāsa, the godless condition of Navadvīpa at that time, the meeting of Haridāsa with Advaita Ācārya, the Kazi’s complaint against Haridāsa, the various tortures such as beating with sticks in twenty-two marketplaces, the astonishment of the Mohammedan king on seeing the opulence of Haridāsa, the king’s instruction to freely perform kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, the execution of Haridāsa’s chanting 300,000 names of Kṛṣṇa within a cave at Phuliyā, the description of a great snake who lived in that cave, the imitation of a pseudo brāhmaṇa, and the miserable fate of the so-called brāhmaṇa resident of Harinadī, who was an offender at the feet of the Vaiṣṇavas and who was opposed to the loud chanting of the holy names. When Śrīman Mahāprabhu enacted His pastimes as a householder and a teacher, the entire country was devoid of spiritual practices. Everyone was simply inclined for insignificant ordinary enjoyment. Even those who studied or taught literatures like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam had no respect for kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, which is the purport of all scriptures and the life and soul of all education. Since only a few pure devotees chanted the holy names of Kṛṣṇa together in a solitary place, they became the target of everyone’s harassment, teasing, and mischief. The devotees could not find a single sympathetic person to whom they could reveal their mental distress. At such a time Ṭhākura Haridāsa arrived at Navadvīpa.

Haridāsa appeared in the village of Buḍhana. By his mercy, the holy names of Kṛṣṇa were preached in that area. On the pretext of living on the bank of the Ganges, Haridāsa first came to Phuliyā and then went to the house of Advaita Ācārya in Śāntipura, where he became intoxicated by chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa in the association of Advaita Ācārya. Being maddened with love of Kṛṣṇa in the form of chanting His holy names, Haridāsa was, more than anyone, free from the least inclination for things other than Kṛṣṇa. Seeing His pure transformations of ecstasy, the brāhmaṇa community of Phuliyā began to show him special respect. At that time the most sinful Kazi complained against Haridāsa to the Mohammedan king that although Haridāsa was born in a Mohammedan family he followed and preached the names of the Hindu’s God.

When men came to take Haridāsa to the king, he fearlessly accompanied them to his court. Considering, “If we get darśana of Haridāsa in the prison house then our pains of miserable prison life will be vanquished,” the prisoners humbly and submissively informed the prison guards about their desire to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Śrī Haridāsa also informed the prisoners that their present condition of freedom from material enjoyment was favorable for worshiping Lord Śrī Hari and instructed them to always engage in all conditions in Kṛṣṇa’s service, which is the soul’s real independence.

When the Mohammedan king asked Haridāsa why he took to Hindu religion, he replied that the Supreme Lord is one nondual substance and He belongs to everyone. He is situated in everyone’s heart as the director, and the living entity acts in whatever way the Lord inspires him. By the request of the most sinful Kazi, the Mohammedan king advised Haridāsa to accept his own religion, failing which he would be severely punished.

But Haridāsa replied that even if his body was cut into pieces and his life air left the body he would never give up his svadharma, in the form of chanting the holy names of Hari. In other words, he would never in any condition give up the living entity’s constitutional duties. Although by the order of the Kazi, the miscreants mercilessly beat Haridāsa in twenty- two marketplaces, no sign of death or any misery was found in the body of Haridāsa. Seeing this, the sinful followers of the king became very astonished. Haridāsa was constantly engaged in the ecstasy of chanting the holy names of the Lord; therefore, like Prahlāda, he did not feel any misery in spite of such beating. On the contrary, he felt sorry for the unfortunate miscreants who were committing grave offences by torturing a Vaiṣṇava. Haridāsa thus prayed to the Lord to forgive their offences.

Hearing that the sinful followers of the king would be severely punished due to being unable to kill him, Haridāsa entered into ecstatic meditation and appeared to be dead. The Kazi considered that if Haridāsa was buried he would attain a higher destination, therefore he ordered his followers to throw Haridāsa into the Ganges for his degradation. Since Viśvambhara was present in the body of Haridāsa at that time, in spite of everyone’s endeavor they could not move him even an inch. After being thrown in the Ganges, Haridāsa floated to the bank. He regained his consciousness and came to the village of Phuliyā while loudly chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. Seeing this opulence of Haridāsa, the Mohammedans considered him a great prophet and began to offer him obeisances. Even the Mohammedan king glorified Haridāsa and begged him for forgiveness with folded hands and then gave Haridāsa permission to chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and freely wander anywhere within his kingdom.

When the brāhmaṇas of Phuliyā again saw Haridāsa, they became extremely joyful. Out of humility, Haridāsa said that only by good fortunate had he received a token punishment for his great offence of hearing blasphemy of Lord Viṣṇu. Haridāsa then began to chant the holy names 300,000 times a day within a cave on the bank of the Ganges. A fierce poisonous snake lived within that cave, therefore no one could remain there for a long time due to feeling a burning sensation from the intense poison. When the snakebite doctors came to know of the snake’s presence within the cave, they requested Haridāsa to leave the place.

When on everyone’s request Haridāsa consented to leave the cave the following day, the snake came out of his hole and left the cave that very evening.

One day in a rich man’s house a snake charmer was glorifying Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes at Kāliyā-daha. As soon as Haridāsa heard the glories of Kṛṣṇa, he fell unconscious on the ground. Pure ecstatic transformations manifested in his transcendental body. Everyone began to take dust from Haridāsa’s feet and smear it all over their bodies. Seeing this, a cheating, low-class brāhmaṇa began to display artificial emotions by imitating Haridāsa in order to attain more prestige. When the snake charmer understood the duplicity of the pseudo brāhmaṇa, he severely beat him with a stick. Then the brāhmaṇa helplessly left that place. The snake charmer then explained to everyone the authenticity of Haridāsa and the duplicity of the pseudo brāhmaṇa.

The atheists at that time were opposed to the loud chanting of the holy names. They even considered that as a result of the loud chanting of the holy names they would face famine and their peaceful lives would be disturbed. When a so-called brāhmaṇa from the village of Harinadī related his concocted views opposed to loud chanting, Haridāsa established the supremacy and anartha destroying potency of loud chanting through scriptural reasoning. This atheistic so-called brāhmaṇa did not believe the statements of Haridāsa that were based on scriptures and accepted Haridāsa as belonging to a particular caste. A few days after swearing that he would cut off the nose and ears of Haridāsa if his words were proven false, the very nose and ears of that fallen brāhmaṇa fell off due to smallpox. Haridāsa then left for Navadvīpa with a desire to associate with the devotees headed by Śrī Advaita Ācārya.