Sri Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika

Narottam Das Thakur

Once a high ranking government official (Judge) stayed in Ambika Kalna in West Bengal for a few days to perform some duties. At that time Siddha Sri Bhagavan das Babaji Maharaja was still manifest in this world. Having heard about Siddha Baba’s glories from the local residents, the judge went at once to see him. When Siddha Baba saw him coming he asked why he had come, and the judge said,  “Baba! Tell me how to prema bhakti can be achieved!”

Siddha Baba immediately said, “Prema bhakti can be purchased for only two anas (a very small amount of money in colonial India at that time)!”

When the judge heard these words of Siddha Baba he was a little shaken and said, “Baba! Why are you joking with me?”

Siddha Baba replied with determination, “It’s not a joke– for two anas you can buy Srila Narottama Thakura Mahasaya’s Prema Bhakti Candrika in Calcutta’s Bata-tala. Always read this and you will attain prema bhakti.”

This is actually a true story.  And the judge completely took the words of Siddha Baba seriously and purchased a copy of Prema Bhakti Candrika. By the strength of Siddha Baba’s order and because of his service to Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika which he constantly recited, he had a complete change of heart. The judge lost all interest in his job and began to stay at home reading Prema Bhakti Candrika with love and attachment. Because he gave up his job his so-called family members lost interest in him and he also became disinterested in them and his home. He began to wander and beg alms to feed himself all the while lovingly reading Prema Bhakti Candrika and offering everything to Sri Krishna. Everyone thought he was insane because of his sudden and drastic change of behavior, but he actually became siddha himself and achieved Krishna-prema through the recitation of Prema Bhakti Candrika on the order of Siddha Bhagavan Das Babaji.

Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev questioned his guru, Nityananda Vamsh Prabhupad Yogendranath Goswami about the sastras. His guru told him that of all the sastras four are sufficient for acheiving the goal of Krishna-prema and Prema Bhakti Candrika was one of the four books on the list. The very first shloka I ever heard from the lips of my gurudeva was from Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika. He had just given me diksha and was explaining to me the immense power of chanting  (Bhaja) Nitai Gaura Radhey Shyam (Japa) Hare Krishna Hare Ram and told me that I would experience many wonders while chanting it and I should keep those wonders to myself. It’s easy to guess which verse he quoted:

Apana bhajana kathA, nA kohibo yathA tathA
ihAte hoibo sAvadhAna (119)

“I will be cautious and not reveal my bhajana realisations here and there. ”

Among the many teachings and recommendations of Sri Jagadbandhu Sundar Prabhu he advised the one should put the entire Prema Bhakti Candrika to memory. That is how precious he found the teachings of Thakur Mahasaya to be.

So the importance of Sri Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika cannot be overestimated. In fact, some very good arguments can be made that this is the single most valuable grantha for the sadhakas of the Caitanya Vaisnava tradition.

The painting of Sri Thakur Mahasay came from Sripat Gambhila. This is the birthplace of his dear disciple Sri Ganganarayan Chakravarty. Gambhila is also the place where Thakur Mahasay ended his manifest lila while entering the Ganges.

narottama boDo duHkI, nAtha! more koro sukhI,
tomAra bhajana saGkIrtane
antarAya nAhi yAy, ei to parama bhaya,
nivedana kori anukSaNa (39)

“Narottama is greatly unhappy. O Natha! Make me happy by allowing me to perform bhajan and do sankirtan of your Names! The greatest fear I have is that my bad habits and material attachments will not leave me, so I pray to You at every moment for your mercy.”

The image of Sri Narottam Das Thakur was the courtesy of Nityananda Janmasthan from Dhimahi 2007

The Initiation of Sri Rajani Das

Sripad Radhacharan Das Babaji Maharaj (Rajani Das)

A desire grew within the heart of Rajani Das to find a Mahapurush and get diksha from him. He felt that he was simply wasting time and his sadhana will not bear fruit unless he can receive the shelter of a sadguru. Rajani Das met Sripad Ramdas Babaji Maharaj in Nabadwip and believed that he was the Mahapurush that he was looking for. Rajani Das stayed for two days in Samaj Bari with Babaji Maharaj and fell under his spell, so to speak as he felt completely enchanted by him. He felt like a doll that would dance to whatever tune Babaji Maharaj played.

He wanted the association of Babaji Maharaj birth after birth, and so he pulled him aside and asked if he could speak to him privately. He humbly asked Babaji Maharaj, “Please don’t keep me at a distance—don’t keep so far from you, bring me close to you.”

Kripamoy Babaji Maharaj mildly smiled understanding the mind of Rajani Das, and what he was trying to say in this simple way. Babaji Maharaj replied, “In that place where you will be spending  your entire life there is a birthday coming soon. I will give you diksha on that day.”  Rajani Das said, “Prabhu, you are still keeping some distance between us. I don’t understand what you are telling me, please don’t speak so ambiguously.”

Babaji Maharaj then said, “You are the Nitya-Dasi of Sri Brindavanesvari Vrishabhanu Raja-nandini  Srimati Radharani.  I was speaking of Her birthday. I will give you diksha on Radhashtami which is tomorrow. In the morning take your bath in the Suradhuni Ganga, put on fresh cloth and meet me in Sri Sri Radharaman’s Samadhi Griha.”

Rajani Das was overjoyed! He spent the entire night tossing and turning, unable to sleep thinking about his good fortune and the special day just ahead of him. In the morning he went to the Suradhuni at Sribas Angan ghat for his bath. He was thinking how Mahaprabhu placed His lotus-feet in these very same waters and how fortunate he was to be taking bath there now. After bathing he quickly returned to Samaj Bari where he changed his cloth and went to the Samadhi of Sri Radharaman Charan Dev.

When he arrived at the Samadhi Griha he saw that others were there waiting to be initiated.  Babaji Maharaj saw him and motioned that he come inside. Babaji Maharaj had him sit face to face with him and asked him to hold out his hands. Babaji Maharaj then held the hands of Rajani Das  for some moments and then breathed the diksha mantras in his ears including “Nitai Gaura Radhey Shyam Hare Krishna Hare Rama.”

Rajani Das describes his experience: “When he held my hands I could feel a tremendous spiritual energy flowing from him to me. So much shakti! My hairs were standing on end. I felt like my body was a ship previously being tossed about by violent waves, but that now has been taken to safe waters and anchored securely. I thought of these verses.

brahmANDa bhramite kona bhAgyavAn jIva |
guru-kRSNa-prasAde pAya bhakti-latA-bIja ||

Wandering througout the universe a greatly fortunate jiva, by the mercy of guru and Krishna receives the seed of the creeper of divine love.

saMsAra bhramite kona bhAgye keha tare |
nadIra pravAhe yena kASTha lAge tIre ||

The jivas are wandering throughout the universe. By good fortune a soul may get deliverance from samsara, just like a big log floating down a river may get stuck on one of its banks.

During the process of receiving the mantras I felt a super-consciousness. I could barely function and even needed help leaving the room. In my heart there was such incredible spiritual enjoyment…like the sound of a hundred vinas playing the most beautiful melodies and the enjoyment in my heart came to my eyes as a steady stream of tears. I was in such disbelief! Gurudeva! What did you give to me? I knew I was coming to receive diksha and you know what it it like when you go to get something—it is never quite what you had hoped for. In this case I couldn’t believe what I got! Gurudeva! What did you give to me? I can’t believe what I just received! I am in an ocean of nectar, nectar, nectar and nothing else! I could realize at that time what a mad man I previously was. Mad with my dry knowledge and proud too! But today by your kripa Gurudeva you have fully captured me heart and soul. And where did you take me? You took me to huge lake filled with love. You took me to the sarovar of prema for Sri Sri Radhey Shyam.