Haridas Thakura: The Foremost Devotee and the Glories of the Holy Name | Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 3.94

In Krishna Lila, Brahma was bewildered when Krishna killed Aghasura, a snake demon.

Everyone glorified Krishna for this act. Brahma wanted to see who this little child was. When he came, he saw Krishna eating remnants of his cowherd friends. Brahma thought, how can the Supreme Lord do this?

He thought Krishna was an ordinary child. But he wanted to test him, so he stole the cowherd boys and the calves. But when Brahma came after one year, he saw all the calves and cowherd boys there. Krishna had expanded himself as the cowherd boys and calves.

Brahma was bewildered and sought forgiveness from Krishna.

He said to the Lord, “I offended you because of my big position. I have become proud and arrogant. Please forgive me.” Krishna forgave him.

Brahma knew that in Kaliyuga the Lord would come as a hidden incarnation. He thought that when the Supreme Lord would come as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, I won’t be able to recognize him. He began performing Tapasya. Krishna was pleased with his Tapasya and asked him for a benediction.

Brahma said, “I am fearful that in Kaliyuga I may offend you again. So, I pray to you to give me the benediction that I take birth in a low-class family. People will then not respect me, and I will also not expect respect from others. I will remain humble and then can chant your holy name. In this way, I will not offend you again.”

Krishna granted Brahma’s wish, and the same Brahma appeared as Haridas Thakura. He took birth in a meat-eater’s family. Despite being born in a low family, he was spontaneously chanting the holy name of Krishna.

Haridas Thakura and His Absorption in the Holy Name

Because of his purity and absorption in chanting the holy name, people got attracted to him. In 24 hours, he would chant for 22 hours, 192 rounds daily. In the remaining 2 hours, he would take bath, get some rest, and take prasadam.

Seeing his popularity, Ramchandra Khan became envious of him. He was living in Benapola (or Benapura). He was thinking, “Why are people glorifying him, even though he is not a Hindu? I am a big zamindar, highly learned, have so much wealth and power, but still people are respecting Haridas Thakura more than me.” Ramchandra Khan devised a plan to disgrace Haridas Thakura.

He came up with an idea. He approached a prostitute named Lakshahira. She was beautiful, young, and would seduce anyone. Ramchandra Khan said, “I will give you lots of money if you can defame Haridas Thakura.” He said, “You engage him in illicit activity. Police will then catch him, and everyone will reject him.”

Lakshahira thought it was an easy job. She said, “Do not send the police the very first night. First night, let me enjoy, and 2nd night you send the police.”

The prostitute went to the kutir of Haridas Thakura. Haridas Thakura was chanting. She began exposing her private parts and began speaking to distract him. She said, “You and I are young, so let us enjoy.” Haridas Thakura said that he had taken a vow to complete his chanting. Once his vow of chanting was completed, he would enjoy with her. The prostitute said it was fine; he could complete his chanting. She was thinking that in half an hour his chanting would be over. But Haridas Thakura kept chanting, and the whole night passed. Morning came; the sun rose.

Haridas Thakura said, “Please forgive me, as I was not able to please you. You come today night.” The prostitute again came in the evening. Haridas Thakura said, “Today I will surely complete my rounds. You just sit.” She was hopeful that today Haridas Thakura would enjoy with her. Again, the whole night passed, and it was morning. Haridas Thakura again sought forgiveness and said that tonight he would surely complete his chanting, so she should come that night.

Again, she came, and Haridas Thakura said, “Let me complete my chanting, and I will then satisfy you.” Haridas Thakura again began chanting. Again, it was morning. But by this time, since she had been hearing the Hare Krishna Mahamantra for the last 3 nights, she too began chanting.

Lakshahira Takes Shelter of the Holy Name

She began realizing what a great sinful activity she was going to perform. The prostitute fell at the feet of Haridas Thakura, seeking forgiveness. She revealed that Ramchandra Khan had given her money to defame him. But now she realized how sinful a person she was. She now understood that she had no other shelter than the holy name. She begged for his mercy and asked him to save her. Haridas Thakura said that he was aware of why she had come. He said that he could have left the place, but to deliver her, he stayed there.

Haridas Thakura told her that whatever money she had earned in a sinful way, she should distribute it to the Vaisnavas and Brahmanas. After that, she should come there, worship Tulasi, and chant the holy name of Krishna, the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. She should not worry about her livelihood; Krishna would provide everything. Haridas Thakura then left the place.

The prostitute distributed all the wealth. Wearing one sari, she came to the kutir of Haridas Thakura. She began worshipping the Tulasi plant and began chanting the holy name. The news spread everywhere that a prostitute had become a devotee of Krishna. People came to see her. When they came, they brought many items with them, including food and clothing. In this way, Haridas Thakura’s glories spread.

Ramchandra Khan had committed a great offense, and later he was destroyed along with the whole village.

Haridas Thakura came to Chandapura (Chandpur) from Benapura. Balaram Acharya invited him for prasadam and arranged for him to stay at a kutir. Balarama Acharya was a priest of Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara. Govardhana Majumadara’s son was Raghunath Das Goswami.

One day, Balarama Acharya requested Haridas Thakura to come to the house of Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara. Many people had gathered there. Seeing Haridas Thakura, everyone started glorifying him. Also, different people began saying the glories of the holy name.

Gopal Chakravarthy said that the holy name can give liberation. Haridas Thakura said that liberation is a by-product of the holy name. Haridas Thakura said that chanting is at 3 levels – nam-apradha, nama-bhasa, and suddha-nama. Chanting at the nama-apradha state gives one material wealth, chanting at the nama-bhasa stage gives one freedom from sins and liberation. And when one chants at the stage of suddha-nama, one attains love for Krishna.

Haridas Thakura and the Power of Nama-Bhasa

Gopal Chakravarthy was infuriated. He said, “Do you think liberation is so cheap?”

He said to Haridas Thakura, “I will cut off your nose if you are wrong.”

“Gopāla Cakravartī said, ‘If one is not liberated by nāmābhāsa, then you may be certain that I shall cut off your nose.” Chaitanya CharitamritaAntya 3.198

Haridas Thakura said that he did not have to cut it; he would cut off his own nose. The assembled devotees were angry at Gopal Chakravarthy; they threw him away from the assembly. But Haridas Thakura was not angry.

After 3 days, Gopal Chakravarthy, who was young and beautiful, got leprosy, and his nose fell off. When Haridas Thakura heard this, he felt sorry for him.

Haridas Thakura left the place and came to Shantipura. There he was chanting in a cave. Many people would come to see him. There they saw a big snake in the cave. One day, all the villagers came and requested Haridas Thakura to leave the cave. They said that the snake might bite him. Haridas Thakura said, “I will shift tomorrow.” When this discussion was going on, the snake came out of the cave and left the place. People never saw that snake in the cave again.

When he was staying there, there was a shradh ceremony of Advaita Acharya’s parents. During the shradh ceremony, it was the tradition to give first prasad to the topmost brahmana. Advaita Acharya was the leader of all the brahmanas. He gave first prasad to Haridas Thakura. The brahmanas were disturbed; they wondered how a meat-eater could be honoured in such a way. Advaita Acharya explained to them that although Haridas Thakura may be born in a meat-eater’s family, he is the topmost devotee of Krishna. He said that anyone who chants the name of Krishna can deliver the whole world. And Haridas Thakura is always absorbed in chanting.

Later, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Mayapur, Advaita Acharya and Haridas Thakura were chanting and jumping in ecstasy.

Haridas Thakura’s Unwavering Faith in Chanting

Both Muslims and Hindus were disturbed by Haridas Thakura’s devotion and popularity. They complained to Kazi. Kazi called Haridas Thakura and told him, “You are so fortunate that you are born in a Muslim family. Why are you chanting a Hindu god’s name?”

Haridas Thakura started laughing. He said that just like there is no Hindu sun or Muslim sun, similarly there is not Hindu God and Muslim God.

Kazi was not happy. He said, “You stop chanting, and I will spare you. But if you continue chanting Hare Krishna, I will punish you.”

Haridas Thakura said, “No problem. You can punish me.”

Kazi said, “I will cut your body to pieces.”

Haridas Thakura said, “Each piece of my body will chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.”

Kazi called the soldiers and asked them to beat him at a public place because when people saw him being punished, then no one would dare to chant the name of Krishna. The soldiers began beating him severely, but Haridas Thakura was chanting the holy name of the Lord. They beat him in 22 marketplaces, but nothing happened to Haridas Thakura.

The soldiers became fearful. They fell at the feet of Haridas Thakura and said that if he did not die, then Kazi would kill them. Haridas Thakura said, “Do not worry, I will die.”

When the soldiers were beating Haridas Thakura, he was praying to the Lord to forgive the perpetrators. In fact, Sudarshan Chakra came to kill the perpetrators, but since Haridas Thakura was praying to save the soldiers, the chakra left.

After saying this, Haridas Thakura fell flat on the ground and went into samadhi. It appeared that he had died. The soldiers took the body to the court. Kazi said to burn the body. But Hindus said not to burn it because he would be delivered. Muslims said not to bury it because he was a kafir. They said that if they buried him, then he would go to Jannat.

Kazi was thinking what to do with the body. So, finally, it was decided to throw his body into the Ganges. Haridas Thakura floated in the Ganges for some time, then he swam across the Ganges and again started chanting.

When Kazi and others came to know, they were repentant. Kazi said, “Wherever you want to go, you can go and chant.”

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Reveals Haridas Thakura’s Glory

In Maha Prakash Lila, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was calling all the devotees one by one and was revealing how he blessed each one of them.

He called Haridas Thakura and said, “Do you remember that when you were beaten in 22 marketplaces, I had sent Sudarshan Chakra to kill them, but you were praying to save the perpetrators. So, I covered your body with mine.”

Mahaprabhu then removed his uttari, upper garment, and Haridas Thakura could see the signs of beating on Mahaprabhu’s body.

The Lord loved Haridas Thakura. He instructed him and Nityananda Prabhu to make everyone chant the holy name of the Lord. Both Haridas Thakura and Nityananda Prabhu would knock at every door and request people to chant the name of Krishna.

Later, when the Lord took sannyas and went to Puri, Haridas Thakura too went to Puri with Sivananda Sen. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was looking for Haridas Thakura, and he was offering dandavats to him from far. He always thought himself to be a lowly person. He never came close to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and he never entered Jagannath Puri temple, thinking he was fallen.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him a place a little away from the temple. But every day Mahaprabhu would bring prasadam for Haridas Thakura. One day, the Lord saw that Haridas Thakura was chanting under the sun. He brought a tooth stick of Lord Jagannath and pushed it into the ground, and immediately a tree grew. It became a bakul tree. That tree is called Siddha Bakul.

bhaktera guṇa kahite prabhura bāḍaye ullāsa
bhakta-gaṇa-śreṣṭha tāte śrī-haridāsa

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is the foremost.” Chaitanya CharitamritaAntya 3.94

Haridas Thakura’s Humility and Faith in the Holy Name

Haridas Thakura was so exalted, but he considered himself as insignificant as an ant.

We should pray to Haridas Thakura for faith in the holy name. We should also pray to him so that we remain humble, tolerant, and respectful towards others without expecting any respect for ourselves.

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Based on an enlightening class by HG Acharya Ratna Prabhu at Iskcon Newtown Kolkata on September 25, 2026, with additional points and editing.