Shri Lokanatha Goswami was the eldest of the Goswamis living in Vraja-bhumi. He shunned name and fame so much that he asked Krishna Dasa Kaviraja to keep his name out of Chaitanya-charitamrta.
From his early childhood, Shrila Lokanatha was indifferent to family life. One day, giving up his mother and father, and leaving his home behind forever, he went to Mayapura in Navadwipa to take darshan of the holy feet of Shri Gauranga.
Shri Gauranga deva embraced Lokanatha Goswami with great affection, and soon He ordered Lokanatha Goswami to quickly go to Vrindavana. But Lokanatha Goswami could understand by certain evidence that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would leave home and take sannyasa within two or three days. Therefore, he was in great anxiety.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could understand the mind and heart of Lokanatha Goswami and consoled him, saying, “We shall be reunited in Vrindavana.”
After this, Lokanatha never returned to home life. Rather, afflicted with deep separation from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he began wandering from one holy place of pilgrimage to the next. Gradually, after visiting many holy places, he came to Vrindavana Dham.
Shri Lokanatha Goswami wandered throughout all twelve forests of Vrindavana in great ecstasy. In one of the forests there is a village named Umarao. There he stayed for some time on the banks of Kishori-kunda.
He had a great desire to establish the worship of the Deity and render service to Krishna in that way. Understanding Lokanatha’s aspiration to serve, Krishna Himself appeared before him and offered Lokanatha a vigraha, saying, “Worship this Deity here. This Deity’s name is Radha-Vinoda.” After giving him this beautiful Deity, the Lord suddenly disappeared.
He wondered where he would keep the Deity, and decided to make a large bag which became Radha Vinoda’s Temple. He kept his worshipful Lord constantly close to his heart like a necklace.
This attracted the people of Braja to Lokanatha and they wanted to built a house for him and his Deity, but he refused. He was so renounced that he accepted nothing other than what he absolutely needed for the Deity’s service.
Shrila Lokanatha Goswami gave mantra diksha to Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura. There is no mention in the shastras that he accepted any other disciples. Narottama Thakura served him in secret by going in the dead of night to the place where Lokanatha would pass stool and urine and cleansed the area very carefully. Seeing Narottama’s humility, Lokanatha accepted him.
Shrila Lokanatha Goswami, in his ripe old age, while performing his bhajan in Khadiravan in Khayara Gram, passed away and entered into the eternal unmanifest pastimes of the Lord. At that place is a kunda called Shri Yugala Kunda. On the banks of that kunda, Shrila Lokanatha Goswami entered into samadhi.
In eternal Krishna lila (vraja-lila), Lokanatha Goswami is identified as Lila Manjari (also referred to as Manjulali Manjari), a confidential maidservant (manjari) who assists in the divine, loving pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna
Srila Lokanatha Goswami was born in Talkhari village (Talakhori Gram) in the Jessore district, present-day Bangladesh. 1483 AD and passed away (entered samadhi) around 1588 AD.
