Tag Archives: Uddharana Datta Thakura

Uddharana Datta Thakura

Uddharana Datta Thakura, a dvadasa gopala, lived in Saptagrama, a cluster of seven villges (Krishnapura, Nityanandapura, Vasudevapura, Sivapura, Bansabediya, Sahanagara, Saptagrama.). Raised in luxury within a family of gold merchants, he later married and worked as a wealthy state minister. The place where he once held office is today called Uddharanapura in his honor.

Lord Nityananda would often stay in his home and accept food from his hand. Performing prema nama sankirtana in Saptagrama, Lord Nityananda delivered the entire community of bankers and gold merchants. Udhharana Datta said that Saptagrama is such a holy place that simply by seeing it one is freed from all sins. When he was twenty-six years old his wife suddenly died. He left everything to associate with Sri Nityananda Prabhu and preach the glories of Krishna's holy names.

He personally installed and' worshiped Deities of Sad-bhuja Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandit. He serves Lord Balarama as Subahu sakha in Vraja lila. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.

After glorifying Uddharana Datta Thakura as, "an exalted devotee of Lord Nityarianda who worshiped Him in all ways,"Krishna Dasa Kaviraja praises all of' Sri Nityananda Prabhu's devotees: "No one can count the unlimited followers of Nityananda Prabhu. I have mentioned some of them simply for my own purification. As branches of Lord Nityananda's tree, these eternal associates are full of the ripened fruits of Krishna prema. They gave these fruits to everyone, flooding them with pure love of God. These devotees have unlimited strength to give eternal unalloyed love of Krishna. They can offer anyone Krishna prema.

Uddharana Datta Thakura – Video

Youtube Playlist Gaudiya History

Uddharana Datta Thakura – Biography

Uddharana Datta was the best of the Bhagavatas, who served Nityananda's lotus feet in every way possible.

Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.11.41

Whenever the Supreme Divinity, Nandanandan Sri Krishna, adopts the devotional mood and bodily luster of Srimati Radharani in order to become Sri Krishna Chaitanya, He is always accompanied by His eternal associates, who join Him in order to enrich His pastimes. Thus, Krishna's primary expansion or prakasa, Baladev, accepts the attitude of a devotee as Sri Nityananda Prabhu, appearing in Ekachakra village in order to embellish Mahaprabhu's lila. He too has his entourage of personal confidantes who descend to this earth to assist him in playing his role. Nityananda is Baladeva Tattva: he is none other than Lord Sesa, the source of three purusavataras, Maha Sankarshan's causal form or mula Sankarshan. His chief companions are known as the Dvadasa-gopalas or twelve cowherds. Thus it is stated in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (129):

Subahur yo vraje gopo data uddharanakhyakah

The Cowherd Named Subahu Became Uddharan

Uddharana Datta Thakur is thus one of the Twelve Gopals. In order to assist Nityananda in his incarnation, he took birth in the town of Saptagram in the year 1481 AD. Saptagram is in Hooghly district, near the Trishbigha railway station. His parents were named Srikara nd Bhadravati and they belonged to the gold merchant class. Any caste in which a Vaishnava appears is to be considered holy – the earth itself is blessed by the appearance of a Vaishnava – and his or her mother has achieved the perfection of motherhood. Vrindavan Das has thus written:

Nityananda remained a few days in Khardaha and then went on to Saptagram with his troupe of associates. They stayed at the home of the fortunate Uddharana Datta on the banks of the Triveni. Completely surrendered to the feet of Nityananda Prabhu, Uddharana Datta worshipped him without any false pretense… The entire caste of gold merchants was purified by the presence of Uddharana Datta in its midst, of this there can be no doubt. Chaitanya Bhagavata 3.5.443,449-50, 453

Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur has particularly given extensive glorifications of Nityananda Prabhu. The sinful and offensive living beings of this world have no alternative but the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu if they want to be delivered. Even though Nityananda is Bhagavat-tattva, he behaves as a devotee. All of his associates are expansions of his mercy. Nityananda Prabhu is said to be the deliverer of the most fallen; his companions seek out even more fallen souls to deliver. In fact, Nityananda distributes his mercy to the conditioned souls through his devotees.

As one of Nityananda's closest confidantes, Uddharan Datta Thakur is called parama-parama-patita-pavana, "the deliverer of the most fallen amongst the most fallen." Thus any jiva who takes shelter of Uddharan Datta Thakur is quickly delivered from his material entanglements and attains the service of Nityananda Prabhu and Gauranga Prabhu's lotus feet. Therefore Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami describes him as the best of the maha-bhagavatas and Vrindavan Das Thakur writes in the Chaitanya Bhagavata: " Uddharan Datta is a great and magnanimous Vaishnava, who has a title to the service of Nityananda Prabhu."

From a superficial point of view, Uddharan Datta worked as the manager of a big zamindar (Nairaja) of Naihati, about one and a half miles north of Katwa. The relics of this wealthy family are still visible not far from the Dain Hat station. The village where Uddharan Datta Tahkur lived while acting as the manager of the estate was named Uddharanpur.

Though he possessed a vast fortune, Uddharan Datta renounced all sense gratifications, dedicating his sense activities to the service of Nityananda Prabhu. Being controlled by the love of his devotee, Nityananda enjoyed the foodstuffs that Uddharan had cooked.

bhaktera dravya prabhu kari kari khaya

abhaktera dravya-pane ulati na caya

The Lord grabs the offerings given him by his devotee. That which is given him by a non-devotee is of no interest to him.

Saptagram stands on the banks of the Saraswati River. At Uddharan Datta's Sripat, one can still see the six-armed figure of Mahaprabhu that he personally worshipped. On the right side of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a deity of Sri Nityananda. On another altar are the figures of Radha Govinda and a Shalagram Shila, and below the throne is a picture of Sri Uddharan Datta Thakur. After Uddharan Datta disappeared, Jahnava Devi made an auspicious visit to his home.

Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami writes in the Chaitanya Charitamrita that his brother did not have as much faith in Nityananda Prabhu as he had in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This was the cause of an argument between his brother and Nityananda's follower Minaketana Rama Das. Krishna Das took Rama Das' side in this argument and rebuked his brother. Nityananda Prabhu was pleased with Krishna Das for having supported his devotee, even though this was a fairly ordinary qualification. Nityananda gave Krishna Das a vision of himself, the right to live in Vrindavana and service to the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna. The conclusion is that if we worship Uddharan Datta Thakur, serve him and try to please him, we will quickly be able to get the mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, through which we will become eligible to attain love for Krishna and thus perfect our lives. In order to attract people to Uddharan Datta's Sripat it is necessary to make repairs to the buildings on the site. Through this, people will become aware of his glories and will seek his mercy and become blessed. If one makes an effort to serve the devotee, then he will give the commensurate power to serve.

In front of the Saptagram temple, a large hall has been constructed, in front of which is a shady, cool terrace covered by a madhavi creeper.

Srinivas Datta Thakur was Uddharan Datta's only son. Their descendants have spread into many branches and today live in Calcutta, Hooghly and many other places. Those who have taken birth in this family are doubtlessly very fortunate individuals. We pray that they abandon the superficial illusory family connection and establish their transcendental relation with him."

Uddharan Datta Thakur left this world in the Shaka year 1463 (1552), on the Krsna trayodasi of the month of Paush.

The following comments are added in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami's commentary on Chaitanya-Charitamrta 1.11.41: "When we returned from America in 1967, the executive committee members of this temple invited us to visit it, and thus we had the opportunity to visit this temple with some American students. Formerly, in our childhood, we visited this temple with our parents because all the members of the suvarna-vanik community enthusiastically take interest in this temple of Uddharan Datta Thakur. In the Bengali year 1283 (AD 1876) a babji named Nitai Das arranged for a donation of twelve bighas of land for this temple. The management of the temple later deteriorated, but then in 1306 (AD 1899), through the cooperation of the famous Balaram Mullik of Hooghly, who was an assistant magistrate, and many rich suvarna-vanik (gold merchant) community members, the management of the temple improved greatly. Not more than fifty years ago, one of the family members of Uddharan Datta Thakur named Jagamohana Datta established a wooden murti (statue) of Uddharan Datta Thakur in the temple, but that murti is no longer there; at present, a picture of Uddharan Datta Thakur is worshiped. It is understood, however, that the wooden murti of Uddharan Datta was taken away by Sri Madana-mohana Datta and is now being worshiped with a Shalagram Shila by Srinath Datta."

[Excerpted from "Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates" by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj]

Uddharana Datta Thakura – Biography

Sri krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: "Uddharana Datta Thakura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was an exalted devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda in all respects." According to Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, "The devotee who was formerly known as Subahu in Vraja, and who was one of the cowherd boys in Vrindavana later appeared in Gaura-lila as Sri Uddharana Datta.

In his translation and commentary on Caitanya Caritamrta (CC Adi 11.41) Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes: "Uddharana Datta Thakura, previously known as Sri Uddharana Dattta, was a resident of Saptagrama, which is situated on the bank of the Saraswati River near the Trisbhigha railway station in the district of Hugali. At the time of Uddharana Datta Thakura, Saptagrama was a very big town, encompasing many other placesf such as Vasudeva-pura, Bansabediya, krishnapura, Nityananda-pura, Sivapura, Sanhanagara and Saptagrama.

"Calcutta was developed under British rule by the influential mercantile community and especially by the suvarna-vanik community who came from Saptagrama to establish their businesses and homes all over Calcutta. They were known as the Saptagrami mercantile community of Calcutta, and most of them belonged to the Mullik and Sil families. More than half of Calcutta belonged to this community, as did Srila Uddharana Datta Thaura. Our paternal family also came from this district and belonged to the same community. The Mulliks of Calcutta are divided into two families, namely, the Sil family and De family whose members, intimately connected with the Mohammedan rules, received the title Mullik.

"In the Caitanya-Bhagavata, Antya Khanda chapter six, it is said that Uddharana Datta was an extremely elevated and liberal Vaisnva. He was born with the right to worship Nityananda Prabhu. It is also stated that Nityananda Prabhu, after staying for some time in Khadadaha, came to Saptagrama and stayed in the house of Uddharana Datta. The suvarna-vanik community to which Uddhaana Datta belonged was actually a Vaisnava community. Its members were bankers and gold merchants (suvarna means "gold" and vanik means "merchant"). Long ago there was a misunderstanding between Balla Sena and the suvarna-vanik community because of the great banker Gauri Sena. Balla Sena was taking loans from Gari Sena and spending money extravagantly, and therefore Gauri Sena stopped supplying money. Balla Sena took revenge by instigating a social conspiracy to make the suvarna-vanik community was again elevated. It is said in the Caitanya Bhagavata, yateka vanika-kula uddharan haite pavitra ha-ila dvidha nahika ihate: there is no doubt that all the community members of the suvarna-vanik society were again purified by Nityananda Prabhu.

In Saptagrama there is still a temple with a six-armed Deity of Sri Caitanya Maharabhu that was personally worshipped by Srila Uddharan Datta Thakura. On the right side of Sri Caitanya Maharabhu is a Deity of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and on the left side, Gadadhara Pandita. There are also a Radha-Govinda murti and salagrama-sila, and below the throne is a picture of Uddharana Datta Thakura. In front of the temple there is now a big hall, and in front of the hall is a Madhavi-lata plant. The temple is in a very shady, cool, and nicely situated location. When we returned from America in 1967, the executive committee members of this temple invited us to visit it, and thus we had the opportunity to visit this temple with some American students. Formerly, in our childhood, we visited this temple with our parents because all the members in the suvarna-vanika community enthusiastically take interest in this temple of Uddharana Datta Thakura. In the Bengali year 1283 one babaji of the name Nitai dasa arranged for a donation of twelve bighas of land for this temple. The management of the temple later deteriorated, but then in 1306, thorugh the cooperation of the famous Balarama Mullik of Hugali, who was a subjudge, and many rich suvarna-vanik community members, the management of the temple improved greatly. Not more than fifty years ago, one of the family members of Uddharan Datta Thakura named Jagamohana Datta established a wooden Deity of Uddharan Datta Thakura in the temple, but that deity is no longer there; at present, a picture of Uddharana Datta is worshiped. It is understood, however, that the wooden Deity of Uddharana Datta was taken away by Sri Madana-mohana Datta and is now being worshiped with a salagrama-sila by Srinatha Datta.

Uddharana Datta Thakura was the manager of the estate of a big Zamindar in Naihati, about one and a half miles north of Katwa. The relics of this royal family are still visble near the Dainhata station. Since Uddharana Datta Thaura was the manager of the estate, it was also known as Uddharana-pura. Uddharana Datta Thakura installed Gaura-Nitai deities that were later brought to the house of the Zamindar, which was known as Vanaoyarirbada. Srila Uddhaana Datta Thaura remained a householder throughout his life. His father's name was Srikara Datta, his mother's name was Bhadravati, and his son's name was Srinivasa Datta.

Vrindavana dasa Thakura writes as follows about Uddharana Thakura in his Caitanya Bhagavata: "After Nityananda Prabhu stayed for many days in Khadadaha, he went to Saptagrama.There is a famous ghata in Saptagrama at the confluence of the three rivers which is celebrated as being the place of the seven rsis. At that ghata on the Ganges the seven rsis had once performed penances in order to attain the lotus feet of Govinda. Three divine goddesses come together at that place: Yamuna, Saraswati, and Jahnavi. These three goddesses of rivers join at the confluence of those three rivers. It is a most holy place within this world. One may be delivered from all his sins just by seeing that place. Nityananda Prabhu was extremely happy to see that place and bathed at that holy place with all the devotees. Uddharana Datta was staying in a temple of the Lord on the banks of that river when Nityananda Prabhu came to the triveni. When he saw Nityananda, he offered his mind, body, and words to the holy feet of Nityananda and worshiped him without any duplicity in his heart. As a result of the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, Uddharana Datta was qualified by constitution to worship and serve Nityananda. Who can estimate his good fortune. Although he may appear to take birth within this material world, Nityananda is by nature the Supreme Controller, and he remains so every time he descends here. Nityananda is the master, and Uddharana Datta was his servant birth after birth. Uddharana Datta was from the vanik community, and he purified the two divisions of that community by his devotion. Nityananda Prabhu delivered the vanik community by his descent, and gave them the qualifications for prema-bhakti. Practically everyone in Saptagrama was a vanik. The moonlike Nitai-canda frolicked in kirtana within their midst. All the vaniks took shelter at the lotus feet of Nityananda and worshiped him with great ecstasy. Seeing all the vaniks absorbed in krishna-bhajana under the direction of Nityananda Prabhu the whole world was amazed. Indeed the universe itself was astonished to witness the exalted greatness of Nityananda Prabhu who delivered the lowest of men, the foolish and illiterate, and the entire vanika community. In this way, Nityananda Prabhu performed various pastimes of sankirtana in Saptagrama, delivering the inhabitants of Saptagrama as well as hundreds of their descendants within the vanik community. In the same way that the towns and villages of Nadia were filled with happiness when Caitanya and Nitai had performed sankirtana there, Saptagrama was filled with happiness at the pastimes of Nityananda."

After the disappearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu's sakti, Sri Jahnava Mata came to Saptagrama and visited the house of Uddharana Datta Thakura. At that time, Uddharana Datta Thakura had already passed away. Uddharana Datta Thakura passed away on the 13th day of the dark moon in the month of Pausa.