Haridasa Thakura’s Samadhi

The Samadhi temple of Haridasa Thakur, the Namacharya (the teacher of the chanting of the Holy Name) is located by the beach in the Svarga Dwara area.

Towards the west of the Samadhi there are three altar where the deities of Lord Gauranga, Lord Nityananda and Sri Advaita Acharya are worshipped. After the disappearance of Srila Haridasa Thakura, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would come daily after taking bath in the ocean, offer Prasada to Haridasa Thakura’s Samadhi, and do Nama Bhajana for some time. Thus all the Deities are in sitting posture and doing Nama Bhajana.

The passing away of Haridasa Thakur in Chaitanya Caritamrita is described as follows:

Haridasa Thakur made Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sit down in front of him, and then he fixes his eyes, like two bumblebees, on the lotus face of the Lord. He held the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya on his head and then took the dust of the feet of all the devotees present and put it on his head. He began to chant the holy name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya again and again. As he drank the sweetness of the face of the Lord, tears constantly glided down from his eyes. While chanting the holy name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body. There was a tumultuous noise as everyone  chanted the holy names “Hari” and “Krishna.” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed with ecstatic love. The Lord raised the body of Haridasa Thakur and placed it on his lap. Then he began to dance in the courtyard in great ecstatic love.

Chaitanya Caritamrita Antya 11

Haridasa Thakur’s body was bought in procession from Siddha Bakula (where he left his body) to the beach. Sri Chaitanya personally bathed the body of Haridasa Thakur and declared, “From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site.” Haridasa’s body was placed in a hole in the sand along with Lord Jagannath’s remnants (silken rope, sandalwood pulp, food, and cloth). Lord Chaitanya covered the body with sand, chanting Hari Bol! Hari Bol!

A platform was constructed and a fence erected to protect the site. Lord Chaitanya and the devotees filled the whole universe with tumultuous chanting and dancing all around the platform. After sankirtana, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bathed in the sea with His devotees, swimming and playing on the sea water with great jubilation. After circumambulation the tomb of Haridasa Thakur, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to the Simha-dvara gate of the Jagannath temple. Lord Chaitanya then begged prasadam for a festival honouring the passing away of Haridasa Thakur. All the devotees then sat down and had a huge feast.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave this benediction:“Anyone who has chanted and danced here at Haridasa Thakura’s samadhi will achieve the favor of Krishna very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridasa Thakura.”