Haridasa thakura delivers the prostitute sent by Ramacandra Khan by his chanting of the holy name: After leaving his home, Haridasa thakura stayed for some time in the forest of Benapola. Haridasa thakura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasi plant, and in front of the tulasi he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night. For his bodily maintenance he would go to a brahmana's house and beg some food. He was spiritually so influential that all the neighboring people worshiped him. A landholder named Ramacandra Khan was the zamindar of that district. He was envious of Vaisnavas and was therefore a great atheist. Unable to tolerate that such respect was being offered to Haridasa thakura, Ramacandra Khan planned in various ways to dishonor him. By no means could he find any fault in the character of Haridasa thakura. Therefore he called for local prostitutes and began a plan to discredit His Holiness. Ramacandra Khan said to the prostitutes, "There is a mendicant named Haridasa thakura. All of you devise a way to deviate him from his vows of austerity." Among the prostitutes, one attractive young girl was selected. "I shall attract the mind of Haridasa thakura," she promised, "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 thakura, 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." At night the prostitute, after dressing herself most attractively, went to the cottage of Haridasa thakura with great jubilation.

After offering obeisances to the tulasi plant, she went to the door of Haridasa thakura, offered him obeisances and stood there. Exposing part of her body to his view, she sat down on the threshold of the door and spoke to him in very sweet words. "My dear thakura, O great preacher, great devotee, you are so beautifully built, and your youth is just beginning. Who is the woman who could control her mind after seeing you? I am eager to be united with you. My mind is greedy for this. If I don't obtain you, I shall not be able to keep my body and soul together." Haridasa thakura 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 thakura chanted on his beads until the light of morning appeared. When she saw that it was morning, the prostitute stood up and left. Coming before Ramacandra Khan, she informed him of all the news. "Today Haridasa thakura has promised to enjoy with me. Tomorrow certainly I shall have union with him." The next night, when the prostitute came again, Haridasa thakura gave her many assurances. "Last night you were disappointed. Please excuse my offense. I shall certainly accept you. Please sit down and hear the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha−mantra until my regular chanting is finished. Then your desire will surely be fulfilled." After offering her obeisances to the tulasi plant and Haridasa thakura, she sat down at the door. Hearing Haridasa thakura chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, she also chanted, "O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari." When the night came to an end, the prostitute was restless. Seeing this, Haridasa thakura spoke to her as follows. "I have vowed to chant ten million names in a month. I have taken this vow, but now it is nearing its end. I thought that today I would be able to finish my performance of yajna, my chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. I tried my best to chant the holy name all night, but I still did not finish.

Tomorrow I will surely finish, and my vow will be fulfilled. Then it will be possible for me to enjoy with you in full freedom." 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 thakura. After offering obeisances to the tulasi plant and Haridasa thakura, she sat down on the threshold of the room. Thus she began to hear Haridasa thakura's chanting, and she also personally chanted "Hari, Hari," the holy name of the Lord. "Today it will be possible for me to finish my chanting," Haridasa thakura informed her. "Then I shall satisfy all your desires." The night ended while Haridasa thakura was chanting, but by his association the mind of the prostitute had changed. The prostitute, now purified, fell at the lotus feet of Haridasa thakura and confessed that Ramacandra Khan had appointed her to pollute him. "Because I have taken the profession of a prostitute," she said, "I have performed unlimited sinful acts. My lord, be merciful to Deliver my fallen soul." Haridasa thakura 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. On the very day Ramacandra Khan was planning his intrigue

against me, I would have left this place immediately, but because you came to me I stayed here for three days to deliver you." The prostitute said, "Kindly act as my spiritual master. Instruct me in my duty by which to get relief from material existence." Haridasa thakura replied, "Immediately go home and distribute to the brahmanas whatever property you have. Then come back to this room and stay here forever in Krsna consciousness. Chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously and render service to the tulasi plant by watering her and offering prayers to her. In this way you will very soon get the opportunity to be sheltered at the lotus feet of Krsna." After thus instructing the prostitute about the process of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, Haridasa thakura stood up and left, continuously chanting "Hari, Hari." Thereafter, the prostitute distributed to the brahmanas whatever household possessions she had, following the order of her spiritual master. The prostitute shaved her head clean in accordance with Vaisnava principles and stayed in that room wearing only one cloth. Following in the footsteps of her spiritual master, she began chanting the Hare Krsna maha−mantra 300,000 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 stalwart Vaisnavas would come to see her. Seeing the sublime character of the prostitute, everyone was astonished. Everyone glorified the influence of Haridasa thakura and offered him obeisances.

Sri Caitanya−caritamrta Antya−lila 3.99−143

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Last newsletters

Friday, April 19, 2024
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.11 — Montreal, August 17, 1968 Now here it is said, yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhīta mānam. Whatever you are offering to Kṛṣṇa... Practically, we see that we are offering so many nice foodstuffs to Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa, apparently...
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.10-11 — Montreal, July 14, 1968 Therefore Bhāgavata says they do not know their self-interest. Bahir arthaḥ maninaḥ: "Being captivated by the external energy." Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye...
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.10-11 — Montreal, July 14, 1968 No. Utopian, yes. That is the exact word. You are thinking something, building castle in the air. So Bhāgavata says durāśayā, utopian theory. He's thinking that "I shall be very great by doing...
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.10-11 — Montreal, July 14, 1968 So this is the creation. Sarvam idam. Therefore the Vedic injunction, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. There is nothing except Brahman. But the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept the varieties....