
SRI SRI NAROTTAMA CARITA
A concise biography of Srila Narottama das Thakura Mahasaya
(Presented in the Prema Bhakti Candrika published by Sri Ananta Das Pandita)
HIS ADVENT
In the Garer Hat subdivision of the district of Raja sahi, about 12 miles from Rampura Voyaliya, is the village of Kheturi. In the book Prema Vilasa the following is narrated: One day Sriman Mahaprabhu performed kirtana in the village of Kanai Natasala when He turned His face towards the Kheturi village and exclaimed the name Narottama again and again. The Lord�s mind became unsteady of ecstasy. When Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Haridasa, Vakresvara and other associates saw Sriman Mahaprabhu�s ecstatic feelings, they thought with hearts shivering of ecstasy: �There a person named Narottama, whom Mahaprabhu greatly loves, will manifest, and the Lord will accomplish many things through him!� Sriman Mahaprabhu told Sri Nityananda:
ApanAra guNa tumi nA jAno ApAna ||
nIlAcala jAite yoto kAndiyAcho tumi |
sei prema dine dine bAndhiyAchi Ami ||
se prema rAkhibo ami padmAvatI tire |
narottama nAme pAtra dibo Ami tAre ||
preme janma hobe tAra AmA vidyamAne |
ekhone rAkhiyA jAbo padmAvatI sthAne ||
�The Lord said: �Sripada! Listen and consider duly: �You don�t know Your own glories! You have wept so much back in Nilacala, and every day I have saved that love of Yours. Now I am placing that love of Yours on the bank of the Padmavati in a receptacle named Narottama. He will take birth in prema in My presence. For now I will keep this prema in the Padmavati.� � (Prema Vilasa)
After that Sriman Mahaprabhu came to the village of Kutub Pura and took a bath in the Padmavati while His associates commenced a kirtana on the bank. The Lord then roared loudly and His body began to shiver vehemently out of ecstatic love. After that the Lord called the Padmavati river and said:
narottama nAme patra prema tAre diho ||
nityAnanda saha prema rAkhilo tomA sthAne |
yatna kori ihA tumi rAkhibA gopane ||
�The Lord said: �Padmavati! Take this prema and keep it for Me. Give it later to the receptacle named Narottama! I have placed this prema in you and in Nityananda. Keep it with care and discretion!� Then Padmavati replied:
kemone jAnibo kAra nAma narottama? ||
�Padmavati replied: �Master, I pray to You: How will I know who is named Narottama?� Sriman Mahaprabhu replied:
sei narottama, prema tare tumi dibA ||
��He whose touch will make higher waves on you- that is Narottama! Give this prema to him!��
Almost at the same time as Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu�s disappearance, around the years 1531-1532, on the full moon day of the month of Magha (February) in the afternoon (called godhali, which is considered an auspicious time) Srila Narottama Thakura appeared from the womb of Narayani Devi, the wife of Raja Krishnananda Datta, in the village of Kheturi.