Pilgrimage of the Heart 2026- Day 2

Day 2, Hari Das Thakura Samadhi 

Day starts with book distribution 

Guru Maharaj's Lecture Highlights

You have to follow the scriptures —pramāṇais tat-sad-ācārais (BS 5.59), and you have to behave properly, tad-abhyāsais. 

You have to have abhyāsa; you have to practice again and again. And about that, I’m going to read you a couple of quotes. 

Do you want to hear a couple of quotes about practice?

 Success is built before it is seen. 

Growth requires commitment. 

Leaders grow strongest in quiet consistency. 

I was really inspired by 'Success is built before it is seen,' because in the early practices of devotional service, there are oftentimes complaints: 'How come I’m the only one who can’t get anything?' 'I’ve been left behind,' and 'I don’t have a taste,' and so forth. 

But if we apply ourselves—pramāṇais tat-sad-ācārais tad-abhyāsair—practice. How much? A lot. How much should you practice? A lot. It’s two words. How much? A lot. 

Some people make it one word, 'a lot.' Okay, so how much abhyāsa? Nirantaram, he says. How much did you practice? Pretty much all the time. Nirantaram means without stopping.

 'Bodhayan ātmanātmānaṁ' means then there will be awakening. Bodhayan means an awakening of the soul to the relationship with the Lord. 'Bodhayan ātmanātmānaṁ bhaktim apy uttamāṁ labhet'—one will attain this bhakti. 

Bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyā (SB 11.3.31), like this verse says: if you practice the first kind of bhakti properly, then naturally there will be an awakening. So this idea of rāgānuga—it’s our practice, and we’re fully equipped. Everything is there. 

The Holy Name is the consolidated practice given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has taken everything in all of the cultures of the Vedic system and all the śāstras, and He has put it in one place. We need that. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa without offense, then one can achieve the perfection of life which we’re just describing.

Haridas thakur

Haridas thakur was known as best devotees because he was fully invested in chanting Hare Krishna mantra, one of his great quality was hi humility, Previous life he was Brahma because he have ishavar bhaav and he challenged Krishna and stolen his claves  and forget that 5 year cowherd boy is all Powerful, and at that time he surrendered completely and didn’t have the ishavar bhaav and Krishna fulfills all desires and  he was born as haridas thakur amd didn’t have any stature of devotee society, he will not even take prasadam with the devotees and constantly chant Hare Krishna mantra

Srila Prabhupada consistently glorified Srila Haridasa Thakura as Namacharya, the teacher of the holy name. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, especially Antya-lila, Prabhupada describes how Haridasa Thakura chanted 300,000 holy names daily without fail. Prabhupada often referred to this in his lectures to demonstrate the ideal standard of steadiness in devotional practice. He would explain that while devotees in ISKCON are asked to chant sixteen rounds, Haridasa Thakura showed the highest example of absorption in the holy name, illustrating what complete dedication looks like. For Prabhupada, Haridasa Thakura embodied firm faith (niṣṭhā) in chanting as the foundation of spiritual life.

One of the most significant aspects of Haridasa Thakura’s life that Prabhupada emphasized was that he appeared in a Muslim family. Despite this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu honored him as the most exalted devotee. In his purports, particularly in Caitanya-caritamrita Antya-lila, Prabhupada explains that devotional service is not determined by birth, caste, or social designation but by sincere chanting of the holy name. He repeatedly cited Haridasa Thakura as living proof that bhakti transcends material qualifications. Prabhupada would stress that even someone born in a so-called low family becomes spiritually exalted by chanting Hare Krishna purely.

Prabhupada also spoke frequently about the severe persecution Haridasa Thakura endured when he was beaten in twenty-two marketplaces for refusing to stop chanting Krishna’s name. Drawing from Caitanya-bhagavata and traditional accounts, Prabhupada highlighted Haridasa Thakura’s extraordinary tolerance. Even while being beaten nearly to death, he prayed for the welfare of his tormentors. He declared that even if his body were cut into pieces, he would never give up chanting. Prabhupada used this incident to teach that genuine devotion means unshakeable conviction and that the holy name is non-different from Krishna Himself.

Another profound theological contribution of Haridasa Thakura, as explained by Prabhupada in Caitanya-caritamrita Antya-lila, is his discussion of namābhāsa, or the clearing stage of chanting. Haridasa Thakura explained that even imperfect chanting of the holy name can grant liberation, while pure chanting bestows love of Godhead. Prabhupada frequently referred to this teaching to show the immense potency of the holy name in Kali-yuga. He emphasized that chanting is not dependent on elaborate ritual; rather, the name itself is fully spiritual and powerful under all circumstances.

Prabhupada also glorified Haridasa Thakura’s deep humility. Although spiritually exalted, Haridasa Thakura did not enter the Jagannatha Temple in Puri due to social customs regarding birth. Instead, he stayed at Siddha Bakula, humbly chanting. Yet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally visited him daily and honored him publicly. In Antya-lila Chapter 11, Prabhupada describes how, at the time of Haridasa Thakura’s disappearance, Lord Caitanya held him in His arms and personally performed his funeral rites. Prabhupada explained that through this act, the Lord demonstrated how a pure devotee should be honored.

Regarding his departure from this world, Prabhupada described Haridasa Thakura’s passing as the perfect example of how a devotee leaves the body. While chanting the holy name and gazing upon Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Haridasa Thakura placed the Lord’s lotus feet upon his chest and peacefully departed. Prabhupada would often say that this is the perfection of life — to leave this world absorbed in the holy name.

Throughout his books and lectures, Srila Prabhupada drew consistent lessons from the life of Haridasa Thakura. He taught that chanting the holy name is the essence of spiritual advancement, that devotion is beyond bodily designations, that tolerance and humility are the ornaments of a devotee, and that the holy name alone is sufficient to deliver the conditioned soul. Haridasa Thakura stands, in Prabhupada’s presentation, as the living embodiment of faith in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and as the eternal teacher of how to chant with sincerity and perseverance.

The Day Ends with a Beautiful Sunset