Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj summarises the departure of Śrīla Haridās Ṭhākur.
Śrīla Haridās Ṭhākur took a leading part in many Pastimes of Mahāprabhu. Then, when Mahāprabhu took sannyās, He came to the house of Advaita Āchārya. There, He said that He would settle in Jagannāth Purī, and Haridās Ṭhākur said to Him, “Prabhu, You will stay in Jagannāth Purī, but mlechchhas cannot go there. So, what will I do?”
Mahāprabhu said, “I will take you there. You will pray to Jagannāth and you will have a place there.”
Haridās knew that Mahāprabhu is the Lord Himself, and he went Jagannāth Purī on His order. Mahāprabhu took a place in the garden of Kāśī Miśra’s house. The Siddha Bakul tree is there now. He saw a thatched hut and said to Kāśī Miśra, “I want that house for My use.” Then Mahāprabhu gave the house to Haridās Ṭhākur. Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātan later came and stayed there with Haridās Ṭhākur. In this way, the Pastimes of Haridās Ṭhākur continued.
Finally, Haridās Ṭhākur wanted to leave his body. One day, he told Mahāprabhu, “It is coming to me that You will soon leave this world. I do not want to see the Pastime of Your divine departure. I pray that I may leave my body before that.”
prabhu kahe, “haridāsa, ye tumi māgibe
kṛṣṇa kṛpāmaya tāhā avaśya karibe”
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.37)
Mahāprabhu said, “O Haridās, Kṛṣṇa must accept what you ask of Him.”
When Mahāprabhu came to Haridās Ṭhākur the next day, Haridās said,
hṛdaye dharimu tomāra kamala charaṇa
nayane dekhimu tomāra chā̐da vadana
jihvāya uchchārimu tomāra ‘kṛṣṇa-chaitanya’-nāma
ei-mata mora ichchhā, chhāḍimu parāṇa
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.33–4)
“I will hold Your lotus feet on my chest, I will see Your lotus face with my eyes, and I will chant Your Name—Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya—as I leave my body. This is my desire.”
Here we find the speciality of Haridās Ṭhākur. His whole life he chanted the Name of Kṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day, but when he wanted to leave his body, he prayed to Mahāprabhu, “I will chant Your Holy Name: Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya.”
Mahāprabhu accepted Haridās’ prayer. Mahāprabhu did not give His foot-dust to anyone, but He agreed to give it to Haridās Ṭhākur. Mahāprabhu accepted everything from Haridās.
The next day, Mahāprabhu came to Haridās Ṭhākur with His associates, Vakreśvara Paṇḍit and others.
prabhu kahe, “haridāsa, kaha samāchāra”
haridāsa kahe, “prabhu, ye kṛpā tomāra”
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.47)
[“The Lord said, ‘Haridās, tell me the news.’ Haridās replied, ‘O Lord, whatever may be Your grace.’’]
aṅgane ārambhilā prabhu mahāsaṅkīrtana
vakreśvara-paṇḍita tā̐hā karena nartana
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.48)
Mahāprabhu started a great saṅkīrtan in Haridās Ṭhākur’s ashram, and finally, after two hours of dancing, Mahāprabhu told Haridās, “You may do as you like.” Haridās lied down and told Mahāprabhu to come and put His lotus feet on his chest. Mahāprabhu looked into the face of Haridās Ṭhākur, and Haridās Ṭhākur looked into the face of Mahāprabhu. It was inconceivable.
nāmera sahita prāṇa kaila utkrāmaṇa
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.56)
While chanting the Holy Name of Mahāprabhu, “Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya”, Haridās himself left his body with the Holy Name.
Mahāprabhu went to beg from everyone at the Jagannāth Temple.
haridāsa-ṭhākurera mahotsavera tare
prasāda māgiye bhikṣā deha’ ta’ āmāre
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.74)
Mahāprabhu Himself made the festival for Haridās Ṭhākur’s disappearance. All sellers of mahāprasād inside the Jagannāth Temple gave so much. Kāśī Miśra and Sārvabhauma also sent so much mahāprasād. Mahāprabhu Himself made a grand festival.
harṣa-viṣāde prabhu viśrāma karilā
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 11.100)
Then, both happy and very sad that Haridās left Mahāprabhu took rest. He was happy that Haridās Ṭhākur did not want to see His more cruel Pastimes [of leaving this world], but also sad that He no longer had Haridās’ association.
Before I give Hari-nām to anyone, I always pray to Haridās Ṭhākur, “I have no capacity, but you have full power. You must save the spiritual life of this soul. I am only an instrument, and I am giving Hari-nām only by your order and the order of Mahāprabhu.”
Reference
Spoken 9 September 2003 in Śrī Govardhan Dhām.