Devotees Vaishnavas: Ärî Lokanâtha Gosvâmî

jueves, 17 de junio de 2010

Ärî Lokanâtha Gosvâmî

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Ärî Lokanâtha Gosvâmî

I worship Ärî Lokanâtha Prabhu, the son of Ärî Padmanabha, who possessed great wealth of devotion to Ärî Ärî Râdhâ-vinoda, and always engaged in Their service.

Ärîla Lokanâtha Gosvâmî was born in the village of Talkhari, within the district of Jessore, Bangladesh, as the son of Ärî Padmanabha Bhattacarya and his wife, Ärî Sita devi. Thalkhari can be reached from Sonakhali and Khejura.

Ärî Padmanabha Bhattacarya was a devoted follower of Ärî Adwaita Âcârya, who was very fond of Ärî Padmanabha. The younger brother of Lokanâtha was Pragalbha Bhattacarya. His descendants are still residing at Talkhari.

From his childhood Lokanâth was disinterested in worldly affairs. He decided to leave his home and came to Navadwip to have darsana of Mahâprabhu. Ärî Gaurasundara very lovingly embraced Lokanâtha and instructed him to go to Vrindavana as soon as possible. Lokanâth could understand that Mahâprabhu would renounce His family life within a few days and he was aggrieved at this. Mahâprabhu consoled him and told him that they would meet again in Vrindavana.

"With tears flowing from his eyes Lokanâth offered his obeisances to Mahâprabhu. The all-omniscient Lord lovingly embraced him and after explaining some hidden truths to him, He instructed him to go to Vrindavana. Thus Lokanâtha, after surrendering his self at the lotus feet of Mahâprabhu, set out for Vrindavana. (B. R. 1st Taranga)

Lokanâtha never returned home. Being afflicted greatly by separation from the Lord, he set out to tour the holy places, and then finally came to Vrindavana.

Meanwhile Ärî Caitanya Mahâprabhu accepted sannyasa and then came to Nilacala. After some time, when Mahâprabhu set out on His tour of South India, Lokanâtha, having received this news also journeyed to the south. Then Mahâprabhu came to Vrindavana; Lokanâtha followed Him there. But by the time he reached Vraja-bhumi, Mahâprabhu had already left for Prayaga. Lokanâtha was extremely sad. Again having missed darsan of his Prabhu, He decided to leave the next morning for Prayaga.

In a dream however, Prabhu came to console Lokanâtha and requested him to stay at Vrindavana. Thus Lokanâtha remained at Vrajadhama, not wanting to neglect the order of Mahâprabhu. He stayed alone, his presence unknown to anyone. But after some days he met the dear disciples of Mahâprabhu - Ärî Rupa, Ärî Sanatana, Ärî Gopâla Bhaùùa, Ärî Bhugarbha, and others. They were all very affectionate to one another and it was as though they were of one mind.

Amongst the Goswâmîs, Lokanâtha was the eldest. He was always intensely absorbed in loving ecstatic mellows. In Hari-bhakti-vilasa we find this verse: "I worship Ärîmad Kasisvara, Ärîmad Lokanâth and Ärîmad Kèëòa das Kaviraj, who have taken shelter at the lotus feet of Ärî Govinda and who are very dear to Ärî Vrindavana."

Lokanâtha Goswâmî used to visit the many places of Kèëòa's pastimes within Vrajadhama and in this way he was always absorbed in intense ecstasy. Lokanâtha came to the banks of Kisori-kunda within the village of Umrao, by the side of Chatrabon, and remained there for a few days. Lokanâtha wanted very much to be able to worship the Deity form of the Lord, and Ärî Kèëòa, who is within the heart of everyone, thus presented a Deity form of Himself to Lokanâtha to worship. This Deity's name is Râdhâ-vinoda. Having received this Deity, Lokanâtha looked up to see who had brought Him, but seeing no one present he began to reflect on the mystery of His appearance. Seeing Lokanâtha deep in thought, Râdhâ-vinoda laughed, "Who would have brought Me here! I have come Myself! I live here on the banks of Kisori-kunda and this is My village - Umrao. Now please give me some thing to eat".

Lokanâtha was beside himself with bliss and being immersed in that ecstasy, he prepared some foodstuffs and offered them to Râdhâ-Vinoda. Then he made a bed of flowers and made the Deity lie down to take rest. He fanned the Deity with some leaves and meditated on massaging the lotus feet of his Lord. Having surrendered his body, mind and very life itself, he was totally absorbed as though drinking a flow of honey-like nectar.

Lokanâtha Goswâmî had no permanent abode. Some Vrajavasi villagers wanted to build a little hut for him but he wouldn't agree. He made a bag for Râdhâ-Vinoda which he kept around his neck. Râdhâ-Vinoda was as though a rare gem suspended on a necklace round the neck of Lokanâtha. His activities represented the crest jewel of asceticism and the other Goswâmîs managed to keep him in their company only by great endeavor.

It is very difficult to describe the character of Lokanâtha Goswâmî, who was so dear to Mahâprabhu. When Mahâprabhu and some of the other Goswâmîs began their pastimes of disappearance, Lokanâtha maintained his life only due to the desire of Mahâprabhu. Ärî Lokanâtha Goswâmî initiated Narottama dâsa Thakur Mahasaya in the divine mantra. There is no mention anywhere of any other disciple of his. It is not possible to describe the care with which Narottama Ùhâkura served his guru. In the early morning he would clean the place where his guru passed stool and urine.

Lokanâtha Goswâmî, having become quite advanced in years, entered into his eternal pastimes, while residing at Khadir bon (Khoyra gram). There is a large lake there called Ärî Yugal-kunda on the banks of which his samadhi has been established. His worshipable Deities Ärî Ärî Râdhâ-Vinoda are at present being worshiped in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His puspa-samadhi is within the courtyard of Ärî Gokulananda Mandira.

It is said that Ärîla Kèëòa das Kaviraja Goswâmî approached Lokanâtha Goswâmî for his blessings and any information that he might be able to supply in order that he might satisfactorily compose Ärî Caitanya-caritamrta. At that time, Lokanâtha forbade Kaviraj Goswâmî to mention his name or describe anything about him. In order to honor the request of this great Vaisnava, he therefore didn't write anything about him. His disappearance is on the eighth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Sravon (Sravana).

Ärî Narottama dâsa Thakur Mahasaya has prayed at the lotus feet of his guru as follows: "Oh My Lord, Lokanâtha! Please keep me at your feet, and if it pleases you, please let your glance of mercy fall upon me. I have a great longing that my mind's desires might be fulfilled. Wherever one gets the association of Lord Caitanya, there also he gets the association of Ärî Ärî Râdhâ-Kèëòa. If you are not merciful to me, then who will be? This time, please fulfill my mind's desires. In the three worlds I have no one other than you. Please keep me near your lotus feet, where I might hear, day and night, your songs describing the lila of Ärî Ärî Râdhâ and Kèëòa. Without you, the desire of Narottama cannot be fulfilled."

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