SRILA LOKANATH GOSWAMI: Disappearance Day
Lokanatha Goswami was a personal associate of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya ordered him and Bhugarbha Goswami to find the lost holy places of Vrndavana. Years later, the six Goswamis came to Vrndavana and continued this work.
Bhūgarbha Gosāñi, formerly known as Prema–mañjarī, was a great friend of Lokanātha Gosvāmī, who constructed the temple of Gokulānanda, one of the seven important temples of Vṛndāvana.
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura selected Lokanāthadāsa Gosvāmī to be his spiritual master, and he was his only disciple. Because Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī did not want his name mentioned in Caitanya–caritāmṛta, we do not often see it in this celebrated book.
Srila Lokanath Goswami constantly traveled throughout Vraja, ecstatically discovering the many holy places where Krishna had engaged in His pastimes. Once, he went to Khadiravan. Then he visited Kishor Kund near the village of Umarao by Chatravan. He was so impressed by the beauty of the site that he stayed there for some time to do his bhajan in isolation. After being absorbed in Nam bhajan for some time, Lokanath Goswami developed a deep desire to worship Radha and Krishna in their deity form. The Lord always knows the desires of his devotees and feels obliged to fulfill them. He thus came personally to give Lokanath a deity, telling him before disappearing that its name was Radhavinoda.
Lokanath Goswami left this world somewhere around 1588-9 AD, on the eighth day of the dark moon in the month of Asharh (June –July period). His samadhi tomb is found in the Radha Gokulananda temple in Vrindavan. His beloved Radhavinoda deity continues to be served in that same temple.
Lokanatha Goswami was known as Lila Manjari in Krishna lila.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 187)
All glories to Srila Lokanatha Goswami!!
Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura prays as follows at the lotus feet of his gurudeva: “O Lokanatha, O gurudeva! If you are pleased with me, please keep me in the shelter of your lotus feet, and cast your merciful glance upon me.
By your mercy I can find the perfection of inner fulfillment. And by your mercy I can someday meet Sri Caitanya and Radha-Krishna. If you are not merciful to me, then what shall I do? Please, just once, fulfill my heart’s desire. In the three worlds of birth and death no one is more in need of your mercy. Please give me your mercy and give me a place at your lotus feet.
Day and night I sing the qualities and pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Still, the inner aspirations of Narottama for the service of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Caitanya Mahaprabhu can only be realized through your grace, o Lokanatha Goswami Prabhu.”
