Praying to Kṛṣṇa for the Fulfilment of One’s Inner-heart desire
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura was the son of a king. He had enjoyed the life of a prince, but in this prayer, he says, “I will wear a kaupina, carry a waterpot and use old or broken cloth to cover my body. I will leave everything to go to Vraja-bhūmi. There, I will live under trees, where I will have no people to come and make mundane relationship or friendship with and nobody to discuss and tell about my life stories. In this way, I will be free from false pride. I will maintain my body by begging madhukarī and will only follow the footsteps of the vraja-gopīs and mañjarīs.”
Humility is the ornament of Mahāprabhu’s followers. They are all niskiñcana and akiñcana. Humility is their real garb. This is very favorable to gain entrance and be able to stay and render service in the nikuñjas of Vraja.
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura made a vow, “I will go to Vṛndāvana. I will collect dry fruits, roots, leaves and water for my maintenance. I will move everywhere, yet remain detached from all material possessions. I will remain aloof, only absorbed in hearing, chanting and remembering God’s holy names. I will go to the bank of the Yamunā and bathe in her waters. From her, my heart and mind shall collect vraja-bhakti-rasa.
“I will walk through the pathways of Vraja while praying, ‘He Kṛṣṇa, where are you?’ With deep eagerness, I will move around Vṛndāvana, calling out, ‘Where is my Praneśvarī, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī? Where is Giridhari? Kindly grant me Your darśana.’
“While praying and crying, as I sit nearby a kuñja-kuṭīra, I shall hear a male and female parrot, deeply absorbed in singing the glories of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. There and then, I will realize how great and merciful Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma is. Everyone there, even the birds, utilize all of their time in glorifying Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. The birds sing only for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure and Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s pleasure.
“When will I behold Govinda-Gopīnātha, sitting together with Śrīmatī Rādhikā on a jeweled throne?”
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is hoping that the day will come when all of Vṛndāvana-dhāma’s wonderful pastimes and pastime places will manifest in his heart, and he will never leave that Vṛndāvana-dhāma. He will wander around that Vṛndāvana like a mad man, constantly crying, “Where is my Praneśvarī, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī? Where is my Praneśvara Vrajandra-nandana? When will They mercifully give me Their darśana?”
Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Śrī Prārthanā”, Song 24
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