HARIDASA THAKUR AND THE PROSTITUTE!

haridāsera guṇa-gaṇa–asaṅkhya, apāra

keha kona aṁśe varṇe, nāhi pāya pāra

The transcendental qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.

Srila Haridasa Thakur is the combined incarnation of Lord Brahma, Prahalada Maharaj and Mahatapa, he is an intimate associate of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and is the Namacharya of the Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Sampradaya.

Srila Haridasa Thakur was born in the village of Buron, a place currently situated in Bangladesh, he was born in a muslim family and his father’s name was Khan Ullah Kazi. After distributing the nectar of the HolyName in that land Srila Haridasa Thakur shifted to Phulia, a place situated by the Ganges.

Srila Haridasa Thakur used to chant 3,00,000 holy names of Lord Krishna daily without fail infront of Tulasi Devi. He was always absorbed in the chanting of the holy name and for his bodily maintenance he would go to a brāhmaṇa’s house and beg some food. He was spiritually so influential that all the neighboring people worshiped him. Such was the absorbtion and love of Srila Haridasa Thakur towards the holy name of the Lord. Soon his glories went sky-high and everybody started talking about this great saint. A landholder named Ramacandra Khan was the zamindar of that district. He was envious of Vaishnavas and was therefore a great atheist. Unable to tolerate that such respect was being offered to Haridasa Thakur, Ramacandra Khan planned in various ways to dishonor him. Being unable to find any fault with him, he made a wicked plan with the local prostitutes and asked them to tempt Haridasa and deviate him from his vows of austerity. Among those prostitues one girl was chosen and her name was “Hira Bai”, she was very beautiful and confident and she assured Ramacandra Khan that she will attract the mind of Haridasa Thakur and will finish her job within three days! Ramacandra Khan said to the prostitute, my constable will go with you so that as soon as he sees you with Haridasa Thakur, immediately he will arrest him and bring both of you to me. The prostitute replied, “First let me have union with him once; then the second time I shall take your constable with me to arrest him.”

As planned the chosen prostitute Hira Bai went all dressed up to the cottage of Srila Haridasa Thakur Exposing parts of her body to his view, she sat down on the threshold of the door and spoke to him in very sweet words. She commented on the beauty of the youthful luster of Srila Haridasa Thakur and said that she is very eager to be united with him and if he will not fulfil his desire then she will not be able to keep her body and soul together.

On hearing the words of Hira Bai Srila Haridasa Thakur replied, “I shall accept you without fail, but you will have to wait until I have finished chanting my regular rounds on my beads. Until that time, please sit and listen to the chanting of the holy name. As soon as I am finished, I shall fulfill your desire.” Hearing this, the prostitute remained sitting there while Haridasa Thakur chanted on his beads until the light of morning appeared. Hira Bai left disappointed and updated Ramacandra Khan about what had happened the previous night. Hira Bai approached Haridasa Thakur again on the following night and Haridasa Thakur assured her that he will fulfil her desires this time and requested her to patiently sit and hear the chanting of the holy name. When the night came to an end, the prostitute was restless. Seeing this Haridasa Thakur spoke to her as follows “I thought that today I would be able to finish my performance of yagya, my chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. I tried my best to chant the holy name all night, but I still did not finish. He assured her that he will finish the remaining rounds tomorrow and will definitely enjoy with her. The prostitute returned to Ramacandra Khan and informed him of what had happened. The next day she came earlier, at the beginning of the evening, and stayed with Haridasa Thakur. The night ended while Haridasa Thakur was chanting, but by his association the mind of the prostitute had changed, she felt a change of heart and consciousness and soon she surrendered at the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakur. She begged for forgiveness from Haridasa Thakur and also revealved about the plan of Ramacandra Khan. She accepted Srila Haridasa Thakur as her spiritual master. Haridasa Thakur replied, “I know everything about the conspiracy of Ramacandra Khan. He is nothing but an ignorant fool. Therefore his activities do not make me feel unhappy.” Srila Haridasa Thakur instructed Hira Bai to immediately go home and distribute to the brahmanas whatever property she had. Then come back to this room and stay there forever in Krishna consciousness.

The prostitute shaved her head clean in accordance with Viasnava principles and stayed in that room wearing only one cloth. Following in the footsteps of her spiritual master, she began chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra 3,00,000 times a day. She chanted throughout the entire day and night. She worshiped the tulasi plant, following in the footsteps of her spiritual master. Instead of eating regularly, she chewed whatever food she received as alms, and if nothing was supplied she would fast.Thus by eating frugally and fasting she conquered her senses, and as soon as her senses were controlled, symptoms of love of Godhead appeared in her person.Thus the prostitute became a celebrated devotee. She became very advanced in spiritual life, and many Vaiṣṇavas would come to see her.

This is the power of a pure devotee of the Lord, Srila Haridasa Thakur is an epitome of mercy, for he has preached the holy name of the lord to everyone to the moving and non-moving entities and have freed them from the bondage of material existence.

bhaktera guṇa kahite prabhura bāḍaye ullāsa

bhakta-gaṇa-śreṣṭha tāte śrī-haridāsa

 Śrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridasa Ṭhākura is the foremost.