Sakhicharan | Living in Sri Radhakund

Journey to Sri Khanda, Sri Pat of Narahari Sarkar–Baradanga Pt. 1

19 06 2009

Gora! Gora! Gora! Gora!

For a long time I had desired to go to the Sri Pat of Narahari Sarkar Thakur, Sri Khanda. By the grace of my Sri Gurudeva I was finally able to go this last March. I was accompanied by my dear gurubhai, Raghunath Da, the Head Mahant of all our ashrams, and some Vaisnavas from Samaj Bari. The place we first stopped is known as Baradanga which is just outside of town.

Narahari Sarkar was a very special and intimate companion of Mahaprabhu. He took birth in 1480 in Sri Khanda, and was well educated, and in his youth he composed lovely Sanskrit verses on the lila of Radhey Shyam. When he finally met Mahaprabhu he was instantly sold out to him completely. Narahari and Gadadhar always lived with Mahaprabhu and served him with their heart and soul. Narahari is famous for his seva of waving a camara. It is said that Narahari was the only one with the adhikara to perform Gaura-kirtana in the presense of Gaura himself. Ordinarily, if someone praised Gaura in his presence, or chanted his name, he would cover his ears and cry out “Visnu! Visnu!” Narahari, however, enjoyed the special privilege of being able to do the kirtan of Gaurahari in a very special bhava and with ultra-sweet descriptions of his charming beauty without Gaura objecting. In Braja-lila Narahari was one of Radhika’s dearest sakhis named Madhumati Sakhi. His bhava towards Mahaprabhu is nagari bhava. Narahari is considered as the originator of Gaura nagari bhava. This Gaura-nagari-vada of Narahari spread far and wide through Bengal. In more recent times Siddha Caitanya Das Babaji and Siddha Vamsi Das Babaji were some of the famous upasakas of Gaura-nagari-bhava. Narahari left this world in 1540. All the prominent Vaisnavas of the time attended the disappearance festival of Narahari, including Virabhadra Prabhu, the son of Nitaichand. Srinivas Acharya was the chief organizer of the event.