Gadadhar Dasa – Be fearless in sharing the Lord’s mercy

Does that answer your question? Hare Krishna. On the sacred occasion associated with Sri Gadadhar Das Goswami, let's contemplate on his contribution to the Gaudiya heritage.

So, Gadadhar Das Goswami is different from Gadadhar Pandit, who is another Pancha Tattva. Gadadhar Das Goswami is an associate of Sri Nithyananda Prabhu. And most of Nithyananda Prabhu's associates are Gopas in the spiritual world.

Gadadhar Das Goswami, however, was a Gopi. And sometimes when he would go into ecstasy, he would assume the mood of a Gopi and he would put a pot on his head and start dancing and ask, does anyone want my butter? So actually, Rupa Goswami describes that the devotees who are Swaroopa Siddha, who are realized in their spiritual identity, can exist simultaneously at two levels. They can exist here in the material world where they are performing their pastimes and they can exist also in the spiritual world where according to their Swaroopa they are serving Krishna.

And sometimes the way they are serving Krishna in the spiritual world manifests even in this world. So this is the exalted level of the ecstasy of Gadadhar Das Goswami. Now Gadadhar Das Goswami was a constant associate of Nithyananda Prabhu.

So he performed the pastimes with Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nithyananda in Bengal. Then when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to Puri, Nithyananda Prabhu went there and Gadadhar Das Goswami also eventually went there and stayed there. But then when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu requested Nithyananda Prabhu to go back to Bengal for preaching and he also requested Gadadhar Das Goswami to go with him.

And Gadadhar Das Goswami fearlessly assisted Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in taking the holy name to all kinds of people, even people who were not just apathetic but hostile, antipathetic to devotion. His fearlessness is legendary and extraordinary. One time in the ecstasy of Kirtan, he decided that why should anyone be bereaved of the mercy of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Nithyananda Prabhu.

So at that time we know that Bengal was ruled by the Mlechas, the Muslims and the ruling Qazi over there was quite hostile to Vaishnavas. And the devotees were afraid to go near the Qazi, not so much that they were afraid of their life. The devotees were fearless in life and death, they want to glorify Krishna.

But they were afraid of losing their caste. In that time there was this notion based on the stratified and rigid caste system that if even the water drunk by Mlecha is sprinkled on a Hindu, then Hindu will lose his caste. So because of that the devotees were afraid of going near the Qazi also.

So Bhad Gadadadas Goswami fearlessly while doing Kirtan marched to the palace of the Qazi and there loudly started roaring out, Qazi! Now actually just as Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would perform Kirtans at night at the house of Shiva's Thakur, similarly devotees were performing Kirtan at night over here. And it was at night time that he went to the Qazi's place and the Qazi was outraged. Who dared disturb him at night like this? And he came out and he was going to chastise and punish the person who had disturbed his sleep.

But when he came out and saw the dazzlingly effulgent form of Bhad Gadadadas Goswami, it is said that It describes a pure devotee. Because the devotee is the greatest well-wisher of all, because the devotee loves Krishna and Krishna is present in the heart of all, so the devotees can in mysterious ways act and inspire and transform others. So no one is disturbed by a devotee and a devotee is not disturbed by anyone.

So Bhad Gadadadas Goswami was not disturbed by the Qazi although he had such a reputation of ruthlessness. And at the same time because of Bhad Gadadadas Goswami's pure devotion and genuine compassion, the Qazi became frozen in amazement to see the beauty and the sublimity of Bhad Gadadadas Goswami. And he calmed down.

All his anger disappeared. He asked, what do you want, Goswami? Bhad Gadadadas Goswami replied, Gaur and Itai have descended to give the mercy of the holy name to one and all. I have come to tell you to accept that mercy and chant the name of Hari.

Now for this Qazi, normally this would have been an outrageous statement. But the Qazi saw that Bhad Gadadadas Goswami was speaking with such sweetness, such humbleness, genuine care that he said, Now come tomorrow. Tomorrow I will chant the name of Hari.

And Bhad Gadadadas Goswami kept ecstatic in her chanting and dancing. And he said, why tomorrow? You already chanted the name of Lord Hari. You are already delivered because this name of Hari will free you from all sinful reactions and will deliver you to life's greatest perfection.

And seeing the intense devotion and compassion of Bhad Gadadadas Goswami, the Qazi was purified and transformed thereafter. So here from Bhad Gadadadas Goswami, we can learn the principle of being fearless. And of course, we can be intelligent about how to present Krishna Consciousness to people, but still fearlessly we can take inspiration that we should not hesitate in trying to reach out with compassion to other people.

And it is this compassionate spirit by which Jnanand Prabhu went to Jagai Madhya, Srila Prabhupada went to America and devotees all over the world, even in places where the governments are atheistic and hostile and intolerant and violent and torturous are still sharing Krishna Consciousness. So most of us are not in such situations and whatever little austerities we have to face and whatever little troubles we have to do to share Krishna Consciousness, by remembering the fearlessness of great Acharyas like Bhad Gadadadas Goswami, we can get inspiration and persevere in our practice and outreach. Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.