Uddharana Datta Thakura

[Paramananda das]

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.