Today is a most important day. It is the appearance day of Srila Narottam das Thakur, a great acarya in our disciplic succession.
sri krsna namamrta varsi vaktra
candra prabha dhvasta tamo bharaya
gaurangadeva nucaraya tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura, a sincere follower of Lord Gaurangadeva. Emitting a shower of the nectar of the holy name, with its splendor, the moon of His mouth destroys the darkness of ignorance.”
sankirtanan andaja manda hasya
danta dyuti dyotita dinmukhaya
svedasru dhara snapitaya tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer my respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. Blissful by singing Krsna’s glories, he would become bathed in streams of perspiration and the splendor of his teeth and gentle smile would illuminate all directions.”
mrdanga nama sruti matra cancat
padambuja dvandva manoharaya
sadyah samudyat pulakaya tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer my respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. Hearing the mrdangas and the sound of the holy name, he would dance, moving his enchanting lotus feet and the hairs of his body erect in ecstasy.”
gandharva garva ksapana svalasya
vismapitasesa krti vrajaya
sva srsta gana prathitaya tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. His dancing dispelled the Gandharvas’ pride. His devotional activities filled everyone with wonder. His songs made him famous.”
ananda murcchavani pata bhata
dhuli bharalankrta igrahaya
yaddarsanam bhagya bharena tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. He would sometimes faint in ecstasy and fall to the ground, his body decorated with dust. The very fortunate would see him in that way.”
sthale sthale yasya krpa prabhabhih
krsnanya trsna jana samhatinam
nirmulita eva bhavanti tasmai
namo namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. In place after place the splendor of his mercy uprooted the people’s thirst for anything other than Krsna.”
yad bhakti nisthopala rekhikeva
sparsah punah sparsamaniva yasya
pramanyam evam srutivad yadiyam
tasmai namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. His firm faith in devotional service to Krsna is like a necklace of precious stones. His touch is like a sparsamani jewel. His words are like the four Vedas.”
murtaiva bhaktih kim ayam kim esa
vairagya-saras tanuman nr-loke
sambhavyate yah krtibhih sadaiva
tasmai namah srila narottamaya
“I offer respectful obeisances to Srila Narottama das Thakura. The devotees always wonder: Is he devotional service personified? Is he the essence of renunciation who has descended to the world of human beings in this form?”
rajan mrdanga karatala kalabhiramam
gauranga gana madhu pana bharabhiramam
sriman narottama padambuja manju nrtyam
bhrtyam krtarthayatu mam phalitesta krtyam
“May the dancing of Sri Narottama’s lotus feet, which is graceful with the melodious sounds of karatalas and mrdangas, and which is sweet with the honey of Lord Gauranga, fulfill the spiritual desires of me, his servant.”
[ Srila Visvanath Cakravati Thakura, Srila Narottama-astaka ]