Narottama Padavali (Matchless Collection of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's Prarthana and Sri Prema Bhakti-Candrika)

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Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thakura wrote many songs that were full of instructions. The most popular among his works, are Prarthana and Sri Prema Bhakti-candrikā. In a lecture given on 2nd March, 1974 in Mayapura, Śrīla Prabhupāda said:

"So read Narottama dasa Thakura's Prarthana, Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Prarthana. They are very, very valuable for advancement of spiritual understanding, especially Narottama dasa Thakura's Prarthana. So, by reading them, by understanding them, we can understand Krşņa very easily. Otherwise, it is very, very difficult to understand Krsna."

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravarti Thakura accepted the songs of Śrila Narottama dása Thakura to be as good as the Vedas. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Thakura instructed all his disciples to daily read Śrī Prema Bhakti-candrikā.

Śrīla Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī was once asked how to develop love of God, to which he replied, "It costs only five annas. Go to the market place with five annas and purchase two books-Prarthana and Śrī Prema Bhakti-candrikā, by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thakura. Read them daily, and you will develop love of Krsna."

In one of his writings, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura indicated that to propagate pure Śri-Krsna-bhakti, the Six Gosvāmīs of Vendāvana wrote vast amounts of scriptures according to the order of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In the same way, following in the footsteps of the Gosvāmīs, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thakura and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda had composed innumerable songs.

While the books of the Gosvāmīs were composed in the Sanskrit language, and are often difficult for the common masses to comprehend, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Thakura and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura, out of compassion for the fallen people of this age, composed their songs in the local language namely in simple Bengali. These songs are very sweet, and are very pleasing to the ear.