SRI NARAHARI SARKAR THAKURA

Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was born at Sri Khanda. Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami describes that the residents of Sri Khanda formed a branch of the
desire tree of love of God. "Sri Khandavasi (the residents of Sri Khanda)
Mukunda and his son Raghunandan were the thirty-ninth branch of the tree,
Narahari was the fortieth, Ciranjiva the forty-first and Sulocana the
forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-merciful tree of Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere
and everywhere. [C.C. Adi 10.78,79] Srila Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaj once
stated "Navadwip is the abode of . Vrindavana is the abode of . And Sri Khanda
is the abode of ." (?)

Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura participated in all of Sri Gaurasundara pastimes.
Bhakti Ratnakara states: "Sri Sarkar Thakura's glories are most uncommon.
One day, Nityananda Prabhu arrived at Sri Khanda and said to Narahari, "All
right, we know who you are. So where's the honey?" In Krsna-lila, Narahari is
the sakhi Madhumati, whose good qualities are unlimited and whose service is to
supply honey for Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Their associates. So he immediately
went to a nearby pond and filled a pot which immediately turned into honey.
Nityananda Prabhu and His associates drank from this pot to their full
satisfaction.

Sri Locana dasa Thakura was the dear disciple of Sri Narahari Sarkar. In his
book Caitanya-mangala he introduces his guru in this way: "My Thakur (spiritual
master) is Sri Narahari das Thakura, who is very influential amongst the
medical caste. He is continuously absorbed in Krsna-prema, and in fact his body
knows nothing but Krsna. To his followers he speaks about nothing other than
love of Krsna. He was previously known in Vrindavana as Madhumati and was a
storehouse of sweetness (honey), and very dear to Radharani. Now he is present
in Kali-yuga with Sri Gaurasundara as Sri Narahari. He is the keeper of the
store-house of love of Radha and Krsna." [Sri Caitanya Mangal, Sutrakhanda]

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in his Gaura-arati kirtana, sings: "Narahari is
fanning Gaurasundara with a yak-tail fan."

Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was a very expert singer as well as poet. He has
composed many songs about the pastimes of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. He
composed a Sanskrit work entitled Sri Bhajanamrta.
Gaurviraha-gita-padakalpataru is also attributed to him, although some scholar
devotees doubt whether it is really his own composition.

Most of Narahari Sarkar Thakura's songs have gotten mixed up with Narahari
Cakravarti Thakura's compositions (Narahari Cakravarti Thakura is the author of
Bhakti-ratnakara). Therefore it is difficult to ascertain which are actually
his. Before the appearance of Sri Gaurasundara he also composed many songs
about the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.

Narahari was the only devotee who had the adhikara (right) to do Gaura-kirtana
in Gaurasundara's presence. Ordinarily, if anyone would praise Mahaprabhu in
His presence, or chant His Holy Name, He would block His ears and call out
"Visnu! Visnu!" Narahari, however, enjoyed the special privilege of being able
to sing about Mahaprabhu in a very unique mood and with sweet descriptions of
His transcendental beauty.

His disappearance is on the day, of the dark fortnight, in the month of
Agrahayon.

