Sri Locana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Sri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.

 

"My hope of hopes is to be near the lotus feet of Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura and serve him with my very life. The cherished desire of the fallen Locana Dasa is to be allowed, by Narahari's grace, to sing the glories of Lord Gauranga. My Lord is Sri Narahari Thakura, I am his servant. Bowing before him I beg for his service. This is my only aspiration." (Locana Dasa, Caitanya Mangala)

 

Locana Dasa Thakura wrote Caitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Caitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna Dasa Kaviraja. He mentions an especially touching conversation Sri Gaurasundara had with Vishnupriya Devi the night before He took sannyasa. (See Vishnupriya's biography entry for the talk) Being a talented musician, Locana Dasa told Mahaprabhu's pastimes in beautiful poetry filled with fire and rhythm. Common people could easily understand the divine character of Sri Caitanya and awaken their religious feelings. As devotees regularly chant the Vedic epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gaudiya Vaisnava's still wander through Bengal reciting the Caitanya Mangala.

 

Locana Dasa Thakura also wrote many songs praising Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and Gauridasa Pandit. Locana Dasa stresses that raganuga bhaktas must take shelter of Gadadhara Vrindavanisvari to attain Radha-Govinda prema bhakti. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to print and distribute Locana Dasa Thakura's Sri Caitanya Mangala. Srila Prabhupada was very fond of his bhajans. While singing Parama Karuna Srila Prabhupada would plunge into the ocean of Gauranga prema. Prabhupada wrote an extensive commentary on this bhajana: Bhajo bhajo bhai, Caitanya Nitai, sudrdha visvasa kori … "Locana Dasa asks everyone, 'My dear brother, just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityananda with firm faith and conviction.' Don't think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal; it will. It is the assurance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore, one must chant with firm faith and conviction." His samadhi is in 64 Samadhis Area.