Advance Reviews of

Bābājī Mahārāja: Two Beyond Duality

“What a pleasure to read Bābājī Mahārāja, Two Beyond Duality! At last we

can deepen our understanding of Gaura-kiśora and Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājīs, two great Vaiṣṇava heroes who, before, we could only imagine
from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s brief descriptions. Rūpa Vilāsa’s earlier
biography of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, The Seventh Goswami, gave us the
perfect description of the goṣṭhyānandī Vaiṣṇavas—those who widely
preach and distribute devotional practice and knowledge—cementing
the personal link between Lord Caitanya and our own beloved
Bhaktivedanta Swami. Now, after decades of enormous, loving
scholarship, Rūpa Vilāsa has portrayed the ultimate bhajanānandī
Vaiṣṇavas—those who practice intense and secluded chanting. Though
as a practicing Kṛṣṇa devotee I can never aspire to attain the levels of
absolute surrender these great souls have achieved, reading about them
has greatly deepened my own convictions.
“Rūpa Vilāsa, thank you so much for Bābājī Mahārāja: you have
lifted the veil!”
—Śyāmasundara dāsa

“Rūpa Vilāsa Prabhu’s Bābājī Mahārāja presents the biographies of Śrīla

Gaura-kiśora dāsa and Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājīs.
“In general, each of the many chapters has a story and an explanation
of the Vaiṣṇava values we can derive from it. That format is not unique.
It has been used by great poets across many cultures and throughout the
ages. Foremost among such poets is Śrīla Vyāsadeva in his compilation
of the Purāṇas.
 “In modern society, we are bombarded with material from writers,
entertainers, scientists, scholars, and politicians. The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
(1.5.10) explains that such material is for crow-like persons to enjoy.
“In contrast, the stories of the great bābājīs are for the sādhus. They
teach renunciation of the world (vairāgya). They offer a taste of the
spiritual world (rasa-ambudhi). And they remind us to accept the
sovereignty (sārva-bhauma) of the great guru-paramparā in place of the
immense volume of mundane words that we must read and listen to
every minute.
“Crows certainly enjoy, like billions of people, modern music, news,
sports, and entertainment. However, the narratives of the bābājīs give us
true enjoyment. We have the thrill of being guided higher on our path
to the ultimate reality through the delightful medium that Rūpa Vilāsa
Prabhu presents.
His book is essential reading for us all. The bābājīs are our true forebears,
and the chronicles of their lives connect us to them and to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
—Dayānanda dāsa

“Rūpa Vilāsa’s new book, Bābājī Mahārāja: Two Beyond Duality, which
reconstitutes his older volume from 1990 but with additional material, is
indispensable for anyone studying Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, or even for
general seekers who want to know what true mysticism and devotional
yoga are really all about. Drawing on the work of his predecessors, such
as Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, and on well known Vaishnava
compendiums, such as Gaura-parṣada-caritāvalī and Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-
jīvana, as well as some heretofore unseen material, he offers us a fresh
look at two of Gauḍīya Vaishnavism’s most misunderstood masters, Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.
His writing style is clear and captivating, allowing the reader entrance
into the world of these bhakti luminaries. I urge those fortunate enough
to acquire this book to enter into its mysteries and to share it with
others.”
—Satyarāja dāsa

“As a firmly established biographical author whose work centers on the

lives of elevated spiritual representatives of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava
tradition from several hundred years ago up to the 20th century, the
author’s books are always informative, educational, and unique. They
show great respect for a spiritual tradition which Robert MacNaughton
himself (aka Rūpa Vilāsa dāsa) has also practiced for over half a century,
and exhibits deep insights and intimate glimpses into the lives of
extraordinarily saintly souls, themselves rarities in the encroaching
modern era. The author chose two extraordinarily renounced,
enigmatic saints whose lives were outside the realm of the mundane,
beyond any ordinary biographies. These two personalities, among
others, were initially introduced to the world outside of India by A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the great visionary “World
Ambassador of Bhakti-Yoga to the West” (Butler Eagle newspaper, circa
1965) and Rūpa Vilāsa’s spiritual master. Through the author’s book,
Bābājī Mahārāja, readers are offered entry into the transcendental
demeanor, behavior and incomparable lives of authentic saints.
“The interest of curious readers will be satisfied, cultural historians
will be enthralled, and spiritual practitioners (of bhakti in particular) will
find themselves experiencing greater realms of self awareness. This new
and expanded revision of the book, originally written more than 30
years ago, reaches out to readers with even further clarity and research
than the original. Whether one has read the previous edition or reads
the present one, either reader will certainly gain spiritual enrichment
and personal benefit.”
—Mālatī devī dāsī
“I am sincerely grateful to Rūpa Vilāsa Dāsa for bringing us into the
divine pastimes and teachings of two of the most elevated saints the
world has ever known, Śrīla Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and
Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. After decades of research,
sādhana, and prayer Rūpa Vilāsa Dāsa is now offering this invaluable
book Bābājī Mahārāja. Hearing these authentic pastimes will lead us
deeper into the limitless ocean of the pure devotion personified by these
great souls.”
—Rādhānatha Swami

“I have read your manuscript Bābājī Mahārāja with great pleasure. I love
this book. But I was frightened when reading about the behavior of
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. The way he exposed hypocrites
frightened me and made me reflect on my own hypocrisies. Surely, I
would be chastised if I came near Gaura-Kiśora dāsa Bābājī. This was
my impression while reading about him. He was a great renunciate and
a great devotee in separation from Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The incidents from his
life which you have described are very inspiring. You have added
another great jewel to your library of books about Vaiṣṇava saints. The
biography of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī is shorter but just as potent. You
are doing a great service by writing about these bābājīs. Historically,
there have been so many bogus bābājīs. These two are the authentic
ones. You have cleared away the misconception that the bābājī path is
inferior to the goṣṭhyānandī path. From your writing I am impressed that
you are quite a scholar and devotee. Your determination to write these
books about Vaiṣṇava saints is very praiseworthy. I hope that Kṛṣṇa and
Prabhupāda will give you the inspiration and strength to keep on
writing books in this manner.”
—Satsvarūpa Mahārāja
 Other Books by Rūpa Vilāsa dāsa

Nāmācārya: The Life of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Without Fear: Glimpses of Śrīla Prabhupāda

The Seventh Goswami

A Ray of Vishnu
Copyright © 2023 Robert D. MacNaughton (Rūpa Vilāsa dāsa)
All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in

any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without prior consent of the author.

Published by:

Bookwrights Press
Charlottesville, Virginia USA
www.bookwrightspress.com
[email protected]

ISBN: 978-1-880404-53-9 paperback

Also available as an ebook from Amazon.com and the publisher

Text and cover design by Māyāpriyā devī dāsī

Cover art by Taralaksi devī dāsī and unknown

Contact the publisher for wholesale pricing

 Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Setting the Scene

Part I. Gaura-kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

1. Family Life and Renunciation
2. In Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja
3. The Illusory Universe
4. Śrī Māyāpura-dhāma
5. The Real and Pretender Bhajanānandī
6. Deception and Actual Residence in the Holy Dhāma
7. The New Bābājī
8. Bābājī Mahārāja
9. Deception and Devotional Service
10. The Materialist’s Grains
11. The Love of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī for Śrī Māyāpura-dhāma
12. Displaying Ecstatic Symptoms
13. The Sharp Words of the Sādhu
14. The Householders’ Vow
15. Renunciation for Kṛṣṇa’s Pleasure and False Renunciation
16. The Highest Happiness
17. The Different Forms of Māyā 87
18. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī and the Supersoul
19. General Instructions
20. Aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā
21. An Unusual Bhajana-kuṭira
22. Unlawful Imitation and Wickedness
23. Desire for Scholarship
24. Devotion and Hypocrisy
25. The Enjoying Spirit of the Materialist
26. In the Hope of Acquiring Wealth
27. Gaura! Gaura! Not Rupee! Rupee!
28. One Suffers the Consequences of His Own Deeds
29. The Atonement for Adultery
30. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Mahārāja Manindra
Chandra
31. Secret Immoral Behavior
32. Result of an Offense Committed to the Ācārya
33. Sensuous People View the World with Lust
34. The Attachment of a Mahā-bhāgavata
35. Unconditional Shelter at the Lotus Feet of a Bonafide Spiritual
Master
36. The Pride of Artificial Renunciation
37. A Hypocrite’s Prayer for Mercy
38. Single-minded Chanting of the Lord’s Holy Name
39. Love and Lust
40. What is Genuine Madhukārī?
41. The Duty of Married Couples
42. The Return Ticket
43. External Purity and Material Desire
44. The Birthplace of Lord Gaura
45. A Festival for Paupers
46. How to Recognize a Vaiṣṇava
47. The Imitation of Mahā-bhāgavatas
48. Anyābhilāṣa (Desire for Other Things)
49. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī on Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
50. The Artful Pastimes of a Vaiṣṇava
51. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora’s Benediction
52. His Entrance into the Eternal Pastimes of the Lord
Appendix I. 108 Viṣṇupādā Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
Appendix II. Duṣṭa Mana (“O Wicked Mind”) Vaiṣṇava Ke? “Who Is
a Real Vaiṣṇava?”
Appendix III. Excerpts from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books and Letters
Appendix IV. Saints of Bengal, Chapter II, by O.B.L. Kapoor, an
Additional Biography
Appendix V. Gauḍīya magazine 1930, translated by Kiśora dāsa

Part II. Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

1. Appearance, Identity, Early Pastimes, and Initiation
2. Meetings with Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Bimala Prasada, and Discovery
of the Yogapīṭha
3. Transportation and the Weight of a Rupee
4. Worship of Deities
5. Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī and Residence in Kuliyā
6. Cāturmāsya and a Sweeper’s Prasāda
7. Siddha Bābā
8. Dogs of the Dhāma
9. Professional Reciter and Leaving Vraja-dhāma for Navadvipa-dhāma
10. Commander-in-Chief
Appendix I. Śrī-Śrīla-Jagannāthaṣṭakam 288
Appendix II. Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja Meets Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura
Appendix III. Bihārī Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja
Appendix IV. Saints of Bengal, Chapter I, by O.B.L. Kapoor, an
Additional Biography
About the Author
 Preface

Bābājī Mahārāja “Two Beyond Duality” is a book that I wrote in 1990

with some editorial assistance and translation work by Karṇāmṛta
Prabhu. Due to various disagreements, I left the New Jaipur community
that year, and the book was later published solely in Karṇāmṛta’s name,
and I was referred to in the Acknowledgments as a “former resident” who
contributed to the book. The actual history of the book is that I
gathered the materials and wrote, edited, and compiled the commentary
on the stories about these great Vaiṣṇavas. However, Karṇāmṛta checked
the Bengali, did some of the English editing, and worked on the layout
of the book, so it was a joint effort. In 2020, Karṇāmṛta Prabhu passed
away due to the Covid virus, so I thought I would try to bring out a
newly revised and expanded edition of this book, adding to it with new
research and commentary. I hope that he would have been pleased and
happy to see this expanded edition.
Thirty-two years have passed since this book was first published. I
have revised the manuscript, added more commentary, footnoted all of
the source material, and added some additional material which has
doubled the size of the original edition. I have always been convinced
that it is important to be aware of our sampradāya’s history, the Brahma-
Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya, and to create more personal accounts of
the wonderful personalities that comprise it. It has only been possible by
the grace of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
the Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON, and his sincere followers that this new
edition has been presented to the Vaiṣṇava community.
Most of the stories about Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
come from the recollections of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. The stories about his guru-mahārāja are,
by turns, serious, revealing, and at times humorous. Hypocrisy is
skewered repeatedly, and proper conclusions are incisively established.
Other valuable stories and remembrances have also been included from
the vast and comprehensive researches of Bhakti Vikāsa Swami in his Śrī
Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, as well as from Ferdinando Sardella in his book
Modern Hindu Personalism. Other sources will be found in the footnotes.
The stories about Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja come principally
from Gaura-parṣada-caritāvalī and Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, two
compilations of biographies about the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. There
are a number of additional sources which added to both accounts of
these two great renunciates in parts I and II of this book: Svalikhita-
jīvanī, the autobiography of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; recollections by
Bihārī dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, the personal servant of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja; citations from Sajjana-toṣaṇī; many
quotes from the writings of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; some articles which include material
compiled by his Godbrother O.B.L. Kapoor (Ādi-keśava Prabhu); as
well as commentary by His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. Again, additional sources will be referenced in the
footnotes.
Where possible, by the grace of my spiritual master, I have tried to
provide clarity regarding the meaning of what often seemed to be the
mysterious pastimes of these great souls, but such additions are bound to
be somewhat opaque, since it is difficult to fathom the minds and hearts
of liberated Vaiṣṇavas. However, where explanations and insight are
offered by the two Prabhupādas (Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda), as
well as Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, those insights are clear and
transcendentally wonderful. I hope that the readers will feel enlivened
by the lives and thoughts of these two great spiritual personalities. I pray
for the mercy of His Divine Grace Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda and his elevated followers in this attempt.

Rūpa Vilāsa dāsa

 Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I must acknowledge my eternal debt to His Divine

Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda who is my well-wisher,
spiritual master, and shelter in every respect. I also have the support and
guidance of my friends: Śrīman Dayānanda Prabhu, my senior
Godbrother and long-time friend and confidante; Śrīmatī Śarad-bīharī
Devī, my wife, caretaker, and loving friend; Śrīman Sākṣi-gopāla
Prabhu, my publications mentor, friend, and philosophical sparring
partner; my Rickmansworth friends; and finally my sons and daughter
for helping to keep me more realistic.
I also owe a debt to the wonderful stories about Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja which His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura first put into writing in 1917, only two years after the
disappearance of his spiritual master, His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. I am, in fact, indebted to all of the
biographical material provided to me by many kind and helpful
devotees. A special debt of gratitude goes out to Balarāma-līlā and
Sundara-gopāla Prabhus of Calcutta’s Bhaktivedanta Research Center,
who supplied much of the material mentioned in the Preface of this
book. I also owe a debt to Kiśora Prabhu who translates of behalf of the
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust and who translated remarks made by His
Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura on November 1, 1930,
on the Disappearance Day of Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, which
were published in the Gauḍīya magazine under the title “Śrī Śrīla
Prabhupādera Vaktṛtāra Cumbaka” on November 22, 1930. Finally, I
want to offer my thanks and my obeisances to all of the readers who
have encouraged me in my writing attempts. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
 Introduction

The descriptions of the behavior and activities of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda

Paramahaṁsa Śrī Śrīmad Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja are certain
to bewilder materialistic persons, for one who is under the sway of
worldly desires cannot enter into the mysteries of the deeds and
thoughts of a person fully immersed in spiritual consciousness.
dhanyasyāyaṁ nava-premā
yasyonmīlati cetasi
antarvāṇibhir apy asya
mudrā suṣthu sudurgamā
“Even a most learned scholar cannot understand the activities
and symptoms of an exalted personality in whose heart love of
Godhead has awakened.”1
This same impossibility of penetrating the thoughts and deeds of a
fully liberated Vaiṣṇava is described in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta:
yāṅra citte kṛṣṇa-premā karaye udaya
tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya
“Even the most learned man cannot understand the words,
activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of
Godhead.”2
 There are two basic approaches to the practice of devotional service:
the bhajanānandī (who practices intense and secluded chanting) and the
goṣṭhyānandī (who widely preaches and distributes devotional practice
and knowledge). When goṣṭhyānandīs perfect their practice, they step
down from the highest transcendence and behave in a way which is
intelligible to ordinary conditioned jīvas, with the mission of inspiring
them to take up devotion to Kṛṣṇa. The bhajanānandīs who achieve
perfection, on the other hand, generally do not step down to the
platform of the madhyama-adhikārī, a preacher who endeavors mightily
to deliver as many souls conditioned by the three modes of nature as
possible. Remaining immersed in their service to Kṛṣṇa on the platform
of spontaneous devotion, they take note of the illusory material world
and those who inhabit it in a mostly perfunctory manner. This is not
due to a lack of compassion on their part, but rather their mood is
determined by the inspiration they receive from the Paramātmā (the
Supersoul) and an intensity of humility that convinces them that they
are too lacking in devotion to teach others a spiritual way of life.
Moreover, the self-realized bhajanānandīs’ thoughts are not always
uttered by them in a materially intelligible manner. Thus, their words
and activities may sometimes seem inscrutable or otherworldly.
Some devotees are instrumentally utilized by the Lord in the work of
propagating the science of devotion. Others are inspired by the Lord
and His pure devotees to lead lives of seclusion and intense
renunciation. It could be said that Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, who
was a genuine bhajanānandī, did little preaching, yet his influence was
felt by the greatest preacher of his day, and that preacher gave him full
credit as his inspiration. Therefore, although it is a fact that Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, and
Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda all emphasized widely
preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the benefit of all, we should not
commit the blunder of imagining that a devotee like Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was less spiritually advanced.
 Very few devotees in this age are qualified to perform nirjana-
bhajana (solitary worship) in the manner of Haridāsa Ṭhākura,
Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Lokanātha Gosvāmī, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja, and Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. In fact, those who
attempt it generally end up meditating on sex life and performing illicit
activities in secret. Such efforts are often motivated by a desire to
achieve name and fame as a Vaiṣṇava. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura has written about this, and Śrīla Prabhupāda has also
commented:

“One reference is made here for those who are very anxious to imitate
the behavior of Ṭhākura Haridāsa in an unnatural way. One must
receive the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative
before adopting such a way of life. The duty of a pure devotee or a
servant of the Lord is to carry out the order of the Lord. Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu asked Nityānanda Prabhu to go to Bengal and preach, and
He asked the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa and Sanātana, to go to Vṛndāvana and
excavate the lost places of pilgrimage. In this case the Lord asked
Haridāsa Ṭhākura to remain there at Jagannātha Purī and constantly
chant the holy names of the Lord. Thus, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave
different persons different orders, and consequently one should not try
to imitate the behavior of Haridāsa Ṭhākura without being ordered by
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura condemns such imitation in this way:
duṣṭa mana! tumi kisera vaiṣṇava?
pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava
“‘My dear mind, you are trying to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura
and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in a secluded place, but you
are not worth being called a Vaiṣṇava because what you want is
cheap popularity and not the actual qualification of Haridāsa
 Ṭhākura. If you try to imitate him you will fall down, for your
neophyte position will cause you to think of women and
money. Thus you will fall into the clutches of māyā, and your
so-called chanting in a secluded place will bring about your
downfall.’”3
In his preaching Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī always spoke out
against those who were cheating in the name of reclusive chanting. Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, upon the order and approval of his
gurus, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja, spent some years performing such secluded bhajana, following
a vow similar to that of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Yet he did not
recommend it for his followers. In fact, he emphasized sannyāsa,
situating himself within the parameters of varṇāśrama so as to offer
special respect to such paramahaṁsas as Rūpa Gosvāmī and the
Rūpānuga Gosvāmīs (including his father and guru), to demonstrate
how exalted and rare such perfect devotion and purity are, as well as
how lofty the qualifications must be for those who want to follow in the
footsteps of such liberated souls.
One should, at any rate, not misunderstand the position of a genuine
devotee like Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, who was actually a liberated,
paramahaṁsa bābājī. According to material vision, he made his
appearance in the world in an ordinary vaiśya (merchant class) family
and was not well-educated and practically illiterate. Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has described his spiritual master in
his song Śrī guru-paramparā: mahā-bhāgavata-bara, ārī-gaura-kiśora-bara,
hari-bhajanete jā’ra moda—“...the eminent mahā-bhāgavata Śrī Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī, whose sole joy was found in hari-bhajana.”4 Śrīla
Prabhupāda also described him in a letter to Rāyarāma dāsa, dated
December 14, 1967:
“To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bonafide
disciple. As soon as one thinks that he has become the wiser man than
the spiritual master one is surely doomed. We should remain
everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master. Not artificially, but
feelingly, and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master,
a great scholar, remained a so-called fool before his spiritual master, who
was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So in the Absolute world the
fool is also the master, and the master is also a fool in reciprocal dealings.
Lord Caitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual
master, and all of us must follow the transcendental process.”5
In his manifest pastimes Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
exhibited an almost relentless, acute detachment and indifference to the
material world. On the other hand, when he took the occasion to extol
the unlimited glories of the Holy Name and point out the varieties of
cheating and hypocrisy of so-called renunciates, as well as to reveal the
inherent uselessness of endeavors for material happiness, his preaching
was always effective and penetrating for his sincere hearers. Although
outwardly almost illiterate and seemingly blind, scholars would
approach him for the proper siddhānta (conclusion) of difficult
philosophical issues, and they always received perfect explanations.
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was delighted to sit and hear
the discourses of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura at Surabhi-kuñja,
Navadvīpa, West Bengal, and he respected Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda as a
śikṣā-guru. This was his sincere feeling, as well as a proper observance of
etiquette, for he took bābājī initiation from Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī’s
disciple, Śrīla Bhāgavata dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, which made Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura the Godbrother of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja’s veṣa-guru.6 Nevertheless, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
considered Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja his dear friend, and
he took bābājī initiation from him in 1908. It was Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura who directed Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to take
shelter of the lotus feet of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.
 In the history which follows, it may not always be perfectly clear
why Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja acted as he did, but we can
at least be certain that he acted according to the dictation of Kṛṣṇa for
the benefit of sincere seekers. By hearing about his unrelenting
intolerance of all forms of hypocrisy and deception and his tremendous
austerity and devotion, we may hope to gain determination to practice
Kṛṣṇa consciousness with purity and to give up all forms of deceit and
duplicity. Crookedness, hypocrisy, and deceit are anarthas (obstructive
contaminations of the heart), and are represented (according to Ṭhākura
Bhaktivinoda) by the demonic mystic yogī Bakāsura who was killed by
Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also states that without the destruction of
deceit and crookedness, “…pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa cannot arise.”7
Therefore, we may pray that by recounting the glorious activities of
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, the eternal associate of the Lord
who personified renunciation, that he will be pleased to bless us with a
particle of his mercy. Bābājī Mahārāja constantly exhibited powerful,
ecstatic feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, but he also utilized the
chopping technique with an axe of unstinting mercy on the pretenders
and hypocrites. Being thus blessed with his divine grace, one can easily
surmount the illusory web of crookedness and deceit and gain entrance
to the kingdom of God.
mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes
tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam
mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye

“One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by
rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These
personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to
merge into the Lord’s existence or wants to associate with the
Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahātmās. For
those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with
people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The
mahātmās are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one
living being and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged
in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the
benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such
people are known as mahātmās.”8
The following accounts are taken from articles which first appeared
in the Sajjana-toṣaṇī magazine, the magazine originally published under
the auspices of Śrīla Sac-cid-ānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and
continued by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. The articles first
appeared in 1917, shortly after the disappearance of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and bore the title Amār Prabhur Kathā which, in
English, roughly means “Tales of (or Talks about) My Spiritual Master.”
These articles were written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
and the original articles may be found in the Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha
in Navadvīpa, W. Bengal and the Gauḍīya Maṭha branch in Mathurā,
Uttar Pradesh.9 They were first published in volume 19, issues 5 and 6 of
Sajjana-toṣaṇī. These original articles were then compiled into a small
book in 1934 by the disciples of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
and were comprised of those original articles and other narrations they
had directly heard from Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, and the titles of the
stories were provided by the editorial staff. Much of this volume is based
on that book which was originally titled Parama-guru Śrī Gaura-kiśora
and was principally compiled by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava scholar,
Sundarānanda Vidyāvinoda.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura instructs us in those articles
how bewildered souls, pregnant with arrogance and intoxicated with
desires for sense gratification, approach the spiritual master
pretentiously. Neophyte devotees are always in a precarious situation.
Due to a lack of proper knowledge and sufficient faith, their tendency is
to imitate exalted Vaiṣṇavas. Such imitation, however, causes one to
become degraded. “…One should not imitate the behavior of an
advanced devotee or mahā-bhāgavata without being self-realized, for by
such imitation one will eventually become degraded.”10 One must study
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s instructions in order to escape
the jaws of false renunciation and offensive imitation.
In his introduction to these articles, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura writes:

“I have been busy within this material world trying to bring sense
gratification within the grasp of my hand. I have often thought that by
obtaining the objects of sense gratification, all my shortcomings will be
fulfilled. I often attained different facets that were very rare indeed, but
my own personal shortcomings were never mitigated. In this material
world I have had the association of very aristocratic persons. However,
seeing their various deficiencies, I could not offer them praise. The most
merciful Supreme Lord Śrī Gaurasundara, seeing me in such a
lamentable condition at a time of adversity, gave permission to His two
dearmost devotees [Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja] to grant their blessings to me.

“Because I was always intoxicated with a worldly false ego, and the
desire for name and fame, I deprived myself of my own real benefit. But
because of the influence of my previous births’ activities in devotional
service, I came into the association of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, who
is my spiritual well-wisher. My spiritual master [Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja] would go and visit Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and
many times would reside with him. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, out of
his compassion for other living entities, pointed out my spiritual master,
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī. Upon seeing my spiritual master, the
extent of my worldly false ego diminished. I knew that all the other
living entities who have taken the human form of life were also fallen
and low like myself. But by gradually observing the spiritual character
of my master, I realized that only a Vaiṣṇava could reside in this material
world and be of exemplary character.”11
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura frequently spoke of his initial behavior and
attitude toward Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja in very humble
terms, which are instructive to those of us aspiring to improve our
approach to (and service of) great souls. Sarasvatī Ṭhākura presents
himself as spiritually unqualified, proud, and even foolish. However, it is
clear that he perfectly understood the exalted nature of Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and that he sincerely accepted what he
believed to be his own shortcomings. His expressions of humility are
authentic, although he is, in fact, a liberated soul and a pure and realized
Vaiṣṇava, an eternal associate of Kṛṣṇa.

“When out of false ego I was thinking ‘I am a great scholar of

mathematics and philosophy—let any big paṇḍita come at any time, day
or night, and I will cut his propositions to pieces.’ At that time I got the
darśana of the lotus feet of Śrī Gurudeva. He ignored everything that
was previously appreciated in me—my truthfulness, my moral and pious
life, and my intellectualism—knowing them to be of little value. When I
saw that he ignored whatever was good in me, I realized how good he
himself must be, who could neglect so many ‘good qualities’ in me.
What inconceivable wealth he possessed!

“Being neglected by him, I understood that there was no one more

fallen and contemptible than myself; that was my actual identity. The
very things that I adjudged desiderata,12 such as scholarship and upright
character, this exalted soul regarded as valueless. I apprehended that
within himself this noble personality possessed priceless treasure. I then
pondered that either he is extremely puffed-up, or is exceedingly
merciful. I then haughtily said to my gurudeva, ‘You are a worshiper of
that cheater and debauch Kṛṣṇa, so why would you be compassionate to
someone like me, dedicated to ordinary morality?’”13

“Humbly and sincerely I prayed to the Supreme Lord for His mercy.
Later, by His grace, I recognized that without receiving the blessings of
this peerless saint and without serving him, nothing good could happen
to me. When I accepted that and acted accordingly, and then received
the causeless, unlimited grace of my śrī-gurudeva and refuge at his lotus
feet, I deemed my life fulfilled.14

“I had considered my gurudeva to be unequalled in vairāgya but

somewhat short of learning. But he reduced to powder my audacity
born of book learning. With the mallet of his mercy he revealed that
whatever I had adjudged to be the highest ideal was, in fact, most low
and despicable. When by his grace that instruction first entered my ears,
my diminutive brain lacked the capacity to accommodate such
transcendental knowledge. But to all fools like me, he gave the chance
to hear such lofty topics.15

“It was by providential dispensation that I was able fully to understand

the language and practical side of devotion after I had met the practising
master [Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja]….No education could have
prepared me for the good fortune of understanding my master’s
attitude….Before I met him my impression was that the writings of the
devotional school could not be fully realised in a practical life in this
world. My study of my master, and then the study of the books, along
with the explanations by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, gave me ample facility
to advance toward true spiritual life. Before I met my master, I had not
written anything about real religion. Up to that time, my idea of
religion was confined to books and to a strict ethical life, but that sort of
life was found imperfect unless I came in touch with the practical side of
things.”16

“I have understood that if the people of this world do not receive the
same jolt that I received from my gurudeva, then their consciousness will
not awaken. Therefore I am telling everyone, ‘I am more foolish than
anyone else on earth. Please, all of you, do not be foolish like me. Do
not live your life within the limitations of calculating consciousness.
Discuss Vaikuṇṭha-kathā and you will become a great person. I am
telling you what I have realized to be supremely beneficial.’”17

“On receiving a jerk of the lotus feet of Śrī Gurudeva, for the span of
one year I lost all sense of this external cosmos. I do not know whether
any transcendental agent equal to him has ever appeared in this plane.
How may those who are preoccupied with worldly lust, anger, and so
on, ever know him?”18

“My gurudeva mercifully told me, ‘Reject your knowledge, purity, and
aristocracy and come close to me. Don’t go anywhere else. Whatever
you require—as many rooms, houses, palaces, and mansions, as much
scholarship, skills, self-control, and renunciation—you will get. Simply
come close to me. Let there be a house, let there be an entrance, let
there be learning—do not be enamored by this type of thinking. Do not
consider as necessities that which ordinary people accept as such.’”

“I was a fearsome debater. But with great kindness my gurudeva kicked

out my pride in debating. Even in unlimited millions of lifetimes I will
not be able to find the limit of his compassion, nor will anyone else be
able to do so. Although I am unfit, he recognized me as his servant, thus
fulfilling my cherished desire, by which I may live forever.”19
 Śrīla Prabhupāda also comments on the humility with which Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura approached his spiritual master, as the
actual qualification of a disciple:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a great scholar. There is no doubt of it.

But in spite of His becoming a great scholar, He is presenting Himself as
a great fool. He says, “My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a great...[fool]” Even
if one is a very great scholar, he has to abide by the decision of his
spiritual master. Even if one is [a] very great scholar, and if his spiritual
master says that “You are a great fool,” he should accept it. This is called
full surrender. For example, I’ll give you a practical [example]. My Guru
Mahārāja was a very great scholar, and his Guru Mahārāja, from the
literary point of view, he could not even sign his name, Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura asked Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to accept Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja as his
spiritual master, that: “You go and take your initiation from Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.” So he thought that “I am a great scholar,
and I am son of a magistrate, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and a great
Vaiṣṇava. He’ll be very much pleased to accept me.” Of course, he was
very much pleased. But in the beginning he refused. He refused.
Because... of course, that is only show. He was not proud. Just to teach
us. Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī explained that “I was little proud. So I was
thrice refused by Guru Mahārāja,” although he was the only disciple. So
scholarship is not a qualification of becoming a devotee. That is
Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teaching. Scholarship may help, but it is not
necessary. Real necessity is that one should be humble and meek and
follow the instruction of the spiritual master. This is the real
qualification.20
Sources of information for the life sketch of Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja in Part II of this volume were principally from Gaura-
parṣada-caritāvalī and Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, two compilations of
biographies of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. Additional biographical
information has been found in the autobiography of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, Svalikhita-jīvanī, and other biographical works about Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
listed in this book.
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was the pure link in the Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇava sampradāya between the mid-18th and end of the 19th
centuries. He carried and preserved the pure message of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu intact, and he was the instructor of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda,
who inaugurated the preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout
India and the Western world as well. He also initiated Bhāgavata dāsa
Bābājī, the veśa-guru of Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, instructed Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī, the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura, and instructed Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura himself. According to
some accounts there were occasions at Surabhi-kuñja (Ṭhākura
Bhaktivinoda’s place of bhajana at Godrumadvīpa in Śrī Navadvīpa-
dhāma) when three or four generations of pure Vaiṣṇavas, including
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī, Vaṁśī dāsa Bābājī,21 and Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura met together for
saṅkīrtana and Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Some of these meetings and personalities
were fictionalized in Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s transcendental novel,
Jaiva Dharma. The saṅkīrtana performed by these spiritual giants was the
source of tremendous auspiciousness for the world. Their transcendental
gatherings were reminiscent of the meetings of the Six Gosvāmīs and
their followers at the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple in Vṛndāvana. All of the
above-mentioned personalities were pure, eternally liberated souls, who
are considered by many to have descended from Goloka for the benefit
of the world, and to inaugurate a renaissance of bhakti and the saṅkīrtana
movement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja’s special contribution to this sublime resurgence of devotion to
Kṛṣṇa was his role, in concert with Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, of
discovering and authenticating the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, as well as guiding the Ṭhākura as his śikṣā-guru.
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda referred to His Divine Grace Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja as Vaiṣṇava-sarvabhauma, the Commander-in-Chief of
the Vaiṣṇavas. From the different biographies he is said to have lived
somewhere between 130 to 150 years,22 and he is listed in the Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇava succession (paramparā) as a contemporary of Baladeva
Vidyābhūṣaṇa, although his bābājī veśa-guru was, by point of dīkṣā, the
disciple of the disciple of Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa. Nevertheless, he
was the most prominent ācārya after Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa and was
counted by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura as the spiritual equal
of Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, and lists him as co-ācārya.23 He was a
perfectly self-realized soul, and he was the beloved leader of the Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇavas during the time of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, who accepted him
as the commander-in-chief all of the Vaiṣṇavas of that era.

1. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 23.40, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003, cited from

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.17.
2. Ibid, Madhya-līlā 23.39, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003
3. Ibid, Madhya-līlā 11.195 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. See also Part I,
Appendix II of this book for the complete poem dealing with this theme by Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. The translation given by Śrīla Prabhupāda in this
purport is a combination of translation and purport, utilizing the example of
Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura as the exemplar of the bhajanānandī renunciate. A literal
translation of the verse by Daśaratha-suta Prabhu is as follows: “O wicked mind! What
kind of Vaiṣṇava do you think you are? Your pretentious show of chanting Lord Hari’s
holy name in a solitary place is only for the sake of attaining the false prestige of a
worldly reputation—it is nothing but pure hypocrisy.”
4. Songs of the Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas, Śrī Guru-paramparā, verse 8, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase
2003.
5. Śrīla Prabhupāda Letters 12-14-1967.
6. The term veṣa-guru refers to the guru who awards initiation as a bābājī. This includes
awarding both the dress and spiritual practices of a bābājī.
7. “Śrī Caitanya-śikṣamṛta,” The Gauḍīya Special Issue, Vol. XXIV, Sept. 1979, part I,
ch. 5, Occasional Līlās no. 6, p. 61.
8. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.2, translation and purport by His Divine Grace A.C.
B.haktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
9. These original articles are also in the collections of the Bhaktivedanta Research
Center in Kolkata, India.
10. Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (Nectar of Instruction), text 5, purport by His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
11. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), introduction, Sajjana-toṣaṇī,
vol. 19, issue 5, 1917, p. 177.
12. Something that is needed or wanted.
13. Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said, “You both (Gaura-kiṣora and Bhaktivinoda) are worshipers
of the Crest Jewel of Debauchees [Kṛṣṇa]; therefore, why will you take mercy upon
someone devoted to morality like me?” He then recited lines from a song from
Śaraṇāgati by his father Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: karuṇā nā hoile, kāṅdiyā kāṅdiyā, prāṇa nā
rākhibo āra: “If you are not merciful to me, then I will constantly weep and weep, no
longer being able to maintain my life.” (Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by Bhaktikusum
Sraman Mahārāja, Śrī Chaitanya Math 1983, pp. 72, 73)
14. When Sarasvatī Ṭhākura first approached Bābājī Mahārāja for initiation, he replied,
“I once accepted a disciple, but he cheated me and went away. I will not make any
further disciples.” (Śrīla Prabhupādera Goloka-vāṇī, a compilation of Bhaktisiddhānta
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s teachings, 2.10, spoken on the tirobhāva-tithi of Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja in 1930, cited on p. 28 of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. One,
by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami.
15. Śrīla Prabhupādera Goloka-vāṇī, a compilation of Bhaktisiddhānta Śrīla Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura’s teachings) 2.10—11, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. One, by
Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, pp. 29, 30.
16. “The History and Literature of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas and Their Relation to Other
Medieval Vaiṣṇava Schools,” Ph.D. diss., University of London, 1935, ch. 13, p. 41,
cited in Modern Hindu Personalism by Ferdinando Sardella, Oxford University Press
2013, p. 75.
17. Śrīla Prabhupādera Hari-kathāmṛtā 1.61, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol.
One, by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, p. 30.
18. Harmonist 30.266 (March 1933). From the speech delivered by Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī during his 1933 Vyāsa-pūjā celebration, at the samādhi of Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī, in Māyāpura, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. One, by Bhakti Vikāsa
Swami, pp. 30, 31.
19. Śrīla Prabhupādera Goloka-vāṇī 2.3, a compilation of Bhaktisiddhānta Śrīla Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura’s teachings, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. One, by Bhakti Vikāsa
Swami, pp. 31, 32.
20. 740313CC.VRN, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
21. . Bhakti Vikāsa Swami has written a biography about this extraordinary devotee
called Vaṁśī dāsa Bābājī. In the introduction he has written, “Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī,
Gaura-Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī, and Vaṁśīdāsa Bābājī worshipped Lord Caitanya. As
bhajanānandī sādhus, they were not engaged in preaching work but in intense bhajana
(worship, principally by chanting and remembering the names, qualities, and pastimes
of Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa). They practiced austerity and renunciation at a level not
imitable by ordinary persons.”
22. According to Gaura-pariṣada-caritāvalī, he lived to be 135 years old. According to
Gaudiya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, he lived to be 147. Most estimates of his lifetime put his time
of birth somewhere around the middle of the 18th century. He disappeared in the
latter part of the 19th century in the year 1895. According to Wikipedia (no cited
sources, however) he was born in 1776, which would mean that he lived for
approximately 120 years. He is considered by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
to be the co-ācārya of the paramparā along with Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa whose
lifetime is listed in Wikipedia as (1700—1793), which would indicate that the two gurus
may have been contemporaries in a physical sense, despite there being two guru links
between Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī: Uddhava dāsa Bābājī and
Madhusūdana dāsa Bābājī. Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja accepted bābājī-veṣa from
Madhusūdana dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. According to the Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, the
dīkṣā-guru of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was Jagadānanda Gosvāmī of Sringarvat,
Vṛndāvana, whose veṣa-guru was Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī of Govardhana.
23. Śrī Guru-paramparā by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prab-hupāda, Songs
of the Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas, published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1974, verse 8, pp.
90, 92.
viśwanātha-bhakta-sātha, baladeva jagannātha
tāra priya śrī-bhaktivinoda
mahā-bhāgavata-bara, śrī gaurakiśora-bara
hari-bhajanete jā’ra moda
“Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura was the śīkṣā-guru (instructing spiritual master) of
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, to whom he taught the precepts of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was a very prominent ācārya after Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
and was the beloved śīkṣā-guru of Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s
intimate friend and associate was the eminent mahā-bhāgavata Śrī Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī, whose sole joy was found in hari-bhajana.”
 Setting the Scene

In the late 19th century, Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā was the philosophical response

by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda to the many attacks against Vaiṣṇava
philosophy and practice by the Christian missionaries and the brahmo
samaj. Brahmo samaj was a popular, revisionist cult led by a reformer
called Rammohan Roy, who stressed impersonal oneness, challenged the
authority of the Vedas, and was opposed to Vaiṣṇavism. It had a strong
influence on Unitarian Universalists in the West, and influenced
religionists and intellectuals in the UK and the US, as well as in India.
Harvard University was much influenced by Unitarians in the 19th
century. Both Emerson and Thoreau were impressed with the
philosophy espoused by the brahmo samaj cult. Such attacks were a
burning issue among the Ṭhākura’s contemporaries in the bhadraloka24
who were the affluent, gentlemanly intellectuals in Calcutta who began
to seriously challenge their own religious backgrounds. The essence of
such attacks was that Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, in which He apparently exhibits
thievery and eroticism, appeared to justify the European criticisms that
the followers of Kṛṣṇa were morally deficient. There were also
challenges mounted regarding what many of them considered the
mythological nature and invented historicity of the Purāṇas. Many
members of the bhadraloka began to feel that they had to acknowledge
such views. In Calcutta especially, Vaiṣṇavism was under attack. Such
attacks came from within the bhadraloka community itself, who thought
of themselves as devoted to logic, history, and reason. Members of the
bhadraloka had been much influenced by the European empiricists like John
Locke,25 George Berkeley,26 and David Hume27 who influenced
thought in the 17th and 18th centuries, and by the French philosopher
Auguste Comte28 in the 19th century, who theorized that human
society should be governed and influenced by empirical data. Bengal,
and especially Calcutta, was where the British entered India. Calcutta
was the capital of India, and such influences set the stage for the
European erosion of Indian religion, culture, and economy that tends to
continue even today with devastating effect. Fortunately, at this critical
juncture, the Thakura and his son powerfully presented “two different
planes” of experience and understanding: the limited sensory knowledge
and experience of empiricism (pratyakṣa-jñāna), but also a system of
theoretical spiritual knowledge (parokṣa-jñāna) which, when practiced
with diligence and sincerity, led to the plane of realized transcendental
knowledge and experience (aparokṣa-jñāna), a divine reality that was
unapproachable by those who do not depend upon the revelatory
science of bhakti-yoga. It was this science and experience that the
Ṭhākura that the Thakura hoped to reveal to the thoughtful members of
his society in the late 19th century.
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, also adopted a strategy (in the
early part of the 20th century) similar to his father’s earlier attempts with
Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā by writing two accounts of the life of the associate of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Rāmānanda Rāya. One version was for those he
termed “empiricists” and another for “devotees,” characterizing the
devotional account in the following manner:

“We have surveyed in the last chapter the seeming conception of

worldly people about Rāi Rāmānanda. Now we are to enlighten those
who are interested in the esoteric aspect of the devotee. Savants of the
spiritual manifestations do not corroborate the view of the ordinary
observer of mundane phenomena. Conception is carried both in
worldly phenomena as well as in Transcendental Manifestive Aspects. A
stricter caution may not be neglected in distinguishing the two different
planes so as to rescue the true view from confusion.”29
The above summary represents the attempt to present Kṛṣṇa
consciousness that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī called (“the true view”) to
the intellectuals of the time in Calcutta who were influenced by the
empiricists of Europe. The “show-me,” “seeing is believing” thesis of the
empiric view and the experiential and scriptural evidence presented by
the Vaiṣṇavas were thus contrasted. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī made it clear that one practice acted like a
window or portal to the spiritual realm experienced by the practitioners
of bhakti-yoga, and the other was that of the empiricists who adhered to
sense perception or pratyakṣa (literally “against the eye”) as the final
arbiter of acceptable evidence. The Vaiṣṇavas assured the empiricists that
anyone could have access to the spiritual realm and love of God through
the scientific practice of bhakti-yoga. Such offers by the Vaiṣṇavas were
long-standing, but those attracted to sensuous materialism and
impersonalism tended to remain disinterested.
Meanwhile, in the latter part of the 19th century in Vṛndāvana and
Navadvīpa, there was a disciplic line of austere ascetics absorbed in
chanting the Holy Name as taught by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These
followers were guided by the teachings of the Six Gosvāmīs, the
followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These devoted ascetics firmly
believed that by adherence to the practice of a renounced life of
austerity and asceticism that true self-realization and entry into the
spiritual realm could be achieved. This had been elaborately established
by exhaustive researches in Vedic literature, and by those practitioners
who had achieved exalted states of God consciousness through such
practices. This science of self-realization meant to achieve love of God
had been factually well-established by the Six Gosvāmīs and practicing
bābājīs for hundreds of years. Hours of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-
mantra, writing books, lives of abstinence and austerity, and a reclusive
lifestyle tended to attract those who were prepared to forego what was
considered a normal life. Such determined followers were prepared to
dedicate themselves to asceticism, chanting many rounds of japa, regular
kirtana, restricted eating habits, and vows which included fasting, non-
stop chanting, and living in huts or under trees. By giving up
attachment to comforts and being absorbed in chanting, they felt that
they would, by such abnegation and commitment, attract the mercy of
Kṛṣṇa and become God-realized souls. Only the most serious followers
adopted such practices, and so there were only a few authentic
adherents. This was the methodology followed by a handful of sincere
souls, and was generally viewed as a respectable practice of yoga, too
extreme for most, but which had been followed since the time of the
followers of Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, and later, by Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī. He took up this method in the mid-18th century.
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja later had a number of disciples and
followers in the 19th century (he lived for a very long time!) and was
highly respected in the Vaiṣṇava community. One of such followers
(Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī) took asceticism to another level. He often
went naked or wore rejected cloth he found at the site of a
crematorium, ate very little, and sometimes ate mud from the Ganges if
nothing else to eat was available. He only used items rejected and which
were of no use to others, etc. Some thought his eccentric external
behavior was madness, yet others saw the evidence that he was a God-
realized soul by the symptoms of his behavior: constant chanting of the
names of Kṛṣṇa, his obvious love of Lord Caitanya and the holy place of
His appearance, his worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, his respect for previous
ācāryas, and, in particular, the songs of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. This
attracted much in the way of fame for both of these authentic
renunciates. They were utterly sincere.
Others, looking to solve their economic problems or to attract name
and fame for themselves, also took up the appearance of saintly sādhus, by
dress and speech, but quickly revealed themselves to be after money,
fame, and sex. The nature of the Indian public was to respect those who
appeared to be renounced without knowing how to distinguish the real
sādhus from the charlatans. Gaura-kiśora was considered very eccentric
even by those who followed this renounced path, but his ecstatic and
unusual behaviour was respected nonetheless, and he had no patience
with pretenders.
Thus it was that the two camps headed by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda
and his son, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī and
Gaura-kiśora came together. The result was the development of
authentic spiritual practices for sincere persons which would later be
presented to the world as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These were practices that
could be taken up by sincere seekers, but were more suited to a less
austere, less intimidating, and a more practicable way of life. Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī influenced Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda to start nāma haṭṭas,
spiritual enclaves dedicated to chanting, and Gaura-kiśora influenced
Siddhānta Sarasvatī to take up austerities and absorb himself in strict
chanting vows. These suggestions and practices were implemented by
them both. However, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, according to the ardent
desire of his father and mother and his own compassion for the welfare
of humanity, presented Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a manner that more
seekers were capable of following, as it included all of the nine-fold
limbs of bhakti detailed by Prahlāda Mahārāja in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:

Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form,

qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them,
serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship
with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord,
becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and
surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with
the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure
devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of
Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most
learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. (SB 7.5.23, 24)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, as the disciple of Siddhānta
Sarasvatī, distilled all of these nine-fold practices and strategically offered
an effective method, according to time, place, and circumstances for a
Western audience and brought Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the United States
in a form which fully engaged his disciples in unbroken, uninterrupted
devotional service. He and his followers then spread these essential
practices across the globe.
It is necessary to view the behavior of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī and
Gaura-kiśora according to the time, place, and circumstances of their
era. What might strike a contemporary audience as fanatical, illogical,
impossible, or too severe has to be judged by the context of the times
and the philosophical underpinnings of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. Their
views were based on Vedic knowledge and the teachings of Lord
Caitanya, Who is adjudged by Vedic literature to be God Himself.
What’s more, Gaura-kiśora and Jagannātha dāsa were very intolerant
when it came to hypocrisy or deceptive behavior. Their apparent
discrepancies in social behavior, when it came to ordinary or mundane
reason or logic, were motivated by scriptural hermeneutics and
realization, as well as a desire to unmask cheating, deception, and the
hypocritical behavior of false, so-called religionists.
In this book we encounter a different world, a transplanted replica of
the spiritual realm, the dhāma, the abode of Lord Caitanya, Śrī
Navadvīpa-dhāma. This was also a time when India was under British
rule in the mid and late 19th century, with all of the British Raj’s
accompanying disdain for Hinduism and its militant, pro-Christian
chauvinism. Yet, this also a time when a small group of such renounced
and reclusive souls attempted to preserve the teachings of the Vaiṣṇava
ācāryas. They had deep respect for and vowed to protect the theology of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu which taught that constant chanting of Hare
Kṛṣṇa is the most authentic and effective path of God realization in this
age, and the actual fulfillment of the human form of life. This was not a
time of over-consumption, technological controversies, political
upheavals, debates about AI, environmental squabbles, viral pandemics,
and other contemporary, worldly concerns, but it was about the most
essential matter of any time: the destination of the soul. This was a time
of the absorption of great souls who were dedicated to self-realization
and devotional austerities beyond the ken of most human beings.
This history is about our lineage, two important members of it. We
therefore honor and admire the practically superhuman efforts, sincerity,
and austerities of our paramparā forefathers, our spiritual family
members, who contributed so greatly to establishing the worldwide
Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement. These two ācāryas inspired Ṭhākura
Bhaktivinoda, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, and Śrīla Prabhupāda to offer
us the bona fide and effective practice of bhakti-yoga and thus
substantially change the world.

24. The term bhadraloka generally refers to the more educated gentlemen of the
Bengali higher castes: brāhmaṇas, kayāsthas and vaidyas. There are two divisions of the
bhadraloka: abhijāta bhadraloka and gṛhastha bhadraloka. The abhijāta members generally
made their fortunes in the latter part of the 18th century by working as junior partners
with the British. The gṛhastha members were mostly government employees, teachers,
and journalists. The Ṭhākura and many of his associates were associated with this
group. See Meredith Borthwick, The Changing Role of Women in Bengal 1849—1905
(Princeton University Press, 1984).
25. John Locke FRS (29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher
and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment
thinkers and commonly known as the “Father of Liberalism.” Considered one of the
first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Sir Francis Bacon, Locke is
equally important to social contract theory. Wikipedia
26. George Berkeley (1685—1753) was an Irish philosopher whose primary
achievement was the advancement of a theory he called “immaterialism” (later referred
to as “subjective idealism” by others). He was one of the three most famous British
empiricists. The other two are John Locke and David Hume. Wikipedia
27. David Hume (born David Home 1711—1776) was a Scottish Enlightenment
philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, who is best known today for his highly
influential system of philosophical empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism. Wikipedia
28. Auguste Comte (1798—1857) Isidore Marie Auguste François Xavier Comte was a
French philosopher and writer who formulated the doctrine of positivism. He is often
regarded as the first philosopher of science in the modern sense of the term. Wikipedia
29. Rāi Rāmānanda by Paramahansa Paribrājakācharya (108) Shree Bhaktisiddhānta
Saraswati Goswāmī, President Shree Viswa Vaisnaraj Sabha, published by Tridandi
Swāmi Bhakti Hriday Bon, Shree Gauḍiya Math, Madras, July 1, 1932, p. 30.
 Family Life and Renunciation

Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja appeared in 1838 in the district

of Faridapura, adjacent to the place called Tepakhola, in the village of
Vagyana in East Bengal, or what is now known as Bangladesh. He
appeared in that village, which is situated on the banks of the Padma
River, as the son of a vaiśya called Vamśidāsa. During his boyhood his
mother and father arranged an early marriage for him, and he remained
in household affairs until he was 29 years old. While a householder, he
worked as a broker in the grain business, but even at that time he
exhibited his spirituality. After the demise of his wife, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
left his business and went to Vṛndāvana. There he approached Śrīla
Bhagavata dāsa Bābājī, one of the foremost disciples of Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and accepted the traditional Vaiṣṇava paramahaṁsa
bābājī dress from him.30
After this, he became completely renounced and lived under trees in
various parts of the 168-mile Vraja-maṇḍala (circle of Vṛndāvana). He
lived in this way for a period of almost 30 years. During this time he
would sometimes travel to the holy places of pilgrimage in northern and
western India, as well as the Gaura-maṇḍala (circle of Navadvīpa). He
associated with Śrīla Svarūpa dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja in Jagannātha Purī,
whose ecstatic activities were recounted by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
in his autobiography called Svalikhita-jīvanī. He also associated with Śrī
Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī in Kālnā. He went to Kuliyā, the holy site of Śrīla
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī’s bhajana and associated with Śrīla Caitanya dāsa
Bābājī. All of these bābājīs were pure and exalted devotees. Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī became very famous among the great devotees of
Vṛndāvana and was awarded the appropriate title of bhajanānandī. Even
though he received such honor, he never endeavored for even a speck of
material sense gratification and totally disapproved of the secret material
desires and practices of pseudo-renunciates. He was entirely removed
from such inclinations and activities and would perform his pure,
unalloyed devotional pastimes alone, in a profound devotional mood.31
In the website ISKCON Desire Tree, in a section called Gauḍīya
History, the following description is given of Bābājī Mahārāja’s sojourn
in Vṛndāvana:
“Sitting in seclusion, he chanted [more than] 200,000 names of Kṛṣṇa
every day (128 rounds of japa). He felt painful separation from Rādhā-
Govinda and wept profusely. As he wandered through the dvādaśa-vana
(12 forests) of Vraja, he would loudly chant the Holy Names in a deep
voice full of lamentation. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja’s mood of renunciation
was unparalleled. Sometimes he ate mud from the banks of Rādhā-
Kuṇḍa or the Yamunā River. At other times, he took mādhukarī from
the Vrajavāsīs. Mādhukarī is a bābājī’s daily practice of begging a little
food from one to seven houses, just as a bee collects a drop of honey
from each flower. He saw all of the Vrajavāsīs (residents of Vṛndāvana)
as being the direct personal associates of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. As a result of
this vision, he would pay respects to every person, cow, animal, bird,
tree, creeper, insect, or ant in the holy dhāma.

“While staying in Varṣāṇā he made a flower garland everyday for Rai

and Kānu (Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa). After 30 years of rendering intimate services
to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, Bābājī Mahārāja felt inspired by the
Divine Couple to see Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. He visited all the līlā-
sthānas of Lord Gaurāṅga in Gaura-maṇḍala. In Navadvīpa, he used to
sing a bhajana with the following meaning: ‘By receiving Nitāi’s mercy
one gets Gaurāṅga’s mercy, which makes one eligible for Kṛṣṇa-prema.
With Kṛṣṇa-prema one can attain the service of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and
the gopīs.’

“The essence of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī’s instructions are as

follows: ‘The Divine Name of Kṛṣṇa offers the one and only shelter.
One should never try to remember Rādhā-Dāmodara’s transcendental
pastimes by artificial methods. Constant chanting of the Divine Names
will purify the heart. By chanting harināma the syllables of the mahā-
mantra (Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare
Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare) will gradually reveal the spiritual form,
qualities, and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Then you will realize your own
eternal spiritual form, service, and the 11 particulars of your spiritual
identity.’”32
In the year 189333, during the month of Phalguna, when he was 55
or 56 years old, and at the time when the yoga-pīṭha (birthsite of Śrī
Caitanya) was revealed by the exertions of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura,
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu proceeded to Navadvīpa-dhāma from
Vṛndāvana, following the instruction of Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja. From this time until his disappearance, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī remained in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, living in different villages and
realizing their non-difference from the holy places of Vṛndāvana. He
begged by gathering dry foodstuffs from the householders of the holy
dhāma. He would sometimes offer those foodstuffs to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead by simply offering them in his hand. In order to
cook he would collect dry wood from the paths, and he would wash
earthen pots discarded by the villagers along the roadside near the
Ganges River on the occasion of eclipses. Due to the effects of an
eclipse, such pots were considered by many to be impure and unusable.
In order to clothe himself, he would go to the shore of the Ganges and
collect and wash discarded cloth that had been used to cover corpses at
the burning ghat. Thus, he always remained independent of the support
of others, simply by utilizing items of no value to anyone else. In such a
manner he obtained the practical necessities of life.
In 1897, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura constructed his place of bhajana
on the bank of the Sarasvatī River at Godruma, the island or dvīpa, one
of the nine islands of Navadvīpa-dhāma which represents kīrtana
(recitation of the names and glories of God). That āśrama, which was
called Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja, consisted of a modest two-story house,
several small outbuildings, and a walled compound, and was a gathering
place for exalted souls. Previously it had been the site of Lord
Nityānanda’s Nāma-haṭṭa, the place where Lord Nityānanda
inaugurated His preaching exploits in Bengal following the order of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Here, the Ṭhākura recited and explained the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and other topics regarding the conclusions of
devotional service, and Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja would
come and hear those talks with great delight.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura often cited the behavior of Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora to explain the meaning of the word nirapekṣa—indifferent. Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura uses the same term to describe his
father Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda.34 Śrīla Prabhupāda also explains the term
nirapekṣa, citing a verse from the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta with
commentary by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
nirapekṣa hañā prabhu śīghra calilā
kāndite kāndite ācārya paścāt calilā
SYNONYMS

nirapekṣa—indifferent; hañā—becoming; prabhu—the Lord; śīghra—very

quickly; calilā—went; kāndite kāndite—crying and crying; ācārya—
Advaita Ācārya; paścāt—behind; calilā—went.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unaffected. He left swiftly, and
Advaita Ācārya followed Him, weeping.
PURPORT

As Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains, the word nirapekṣa

means not being affected by anything material and remaining fixed in
the service of the Lord. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not very much
care for the roaring tumult and cry at the house of Advaita Ācārya,
which He heard when starting for Jagannātha Purī. Worldly moralists
may criticize Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for being very cruel, but the
Lord did not care for such criticism. As the world teacher of this Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement, He actually showed that a person seriously
engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not be affected by worldly
affection. The best course is to engage in rendering service to the Lord
and to become callous to material objectives. Externally everyone is
attached to material things, but if one becomes entangled in such things,
he cannot make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore those who
are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not care for the so-called
morality of the material world if that morality opposes the service of the
Lord. As Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has personally shown, one cannot
properly execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness without being neutral.35
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura often discussed the unequaled renunciation,
pure devotion, and attachment to Kṛṣṇa that Bābājī Mahārāja displayed.
In the days of the Ṭhākura’s retirement, the two souls met and associated
in great happiness. For some time Bābājī Mahārāja stayed in Surabhi-
kuñja and performed hari-bhajana. His room, which adjoined the wall of
the kuñja, has been preserved. Bābājī Mahārāja displayed fervent
enthusiasm upon hearing the discourses of the Ṭhākura.
His only possessions were the Tulasī beads he wore around his neck
and the Tulasī-mālā (rosary) he kept in his hand for counting his rounds.
He also kept a few books, such as Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prārthanā
and Prema-bhakti-candrikā. Sometimes he wore a torn cloth and
sometimes he went naked. At other times he would utter harsh sounds
of disgust for no apparent reason. Even though it appeared that Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī was not a learned Sanskrit scholar, still the purport
and conclusions of all scriptures were luminous in his heart and
character. This became evident when he was questioned by sincere
persons.36
It was never possible for anyone to serve him, for he was never
willing to accept any kind of service from any person. Whosoever
witnessed his unearthly, genuine condition of renunciation was
reminded of the pastimes of Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.37 All kinds
of divine powers and opulences were always waiting at his command
ready to serve him. Sometimes such powers would be manifest in the
form of his appearing to be omniscient. He was always able to reveal the
deceitful nature lying within the hearts of pretenders. Although a person
resided outside his immediate purview, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora could
elaborately and scrutinizingly reveal the person’s cheating nature,
because he was in direct contact with Supersoul. This ability, however,
was not his principal virtue. He exhibited the highest standard of
devotion to the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and because of his exemplary
character he was recognized as the personification of the deepest degree
of separation from Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This is what distinguished him from
most other Vaiṣṇavas and what spread the luster of his lotus feet.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes:

“Many young, clever, old, learned, foolish, proud and reasonable persons
came into contact with Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu, yet they could not
realize his real identity. This is indeed the mystic opulence of the
devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Many persons came to consult with Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora Prabhu about their insignificant material desires. They
would always get suggestions, but those suggestions were usually the
cause of their disappointment. Innumerable persons accepted the bābājī
dress and acted as devotees of the Lord, but actually they were
imposters, far away from being real sādhus. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora never
accepted such a false way of life; his sincerity was apparent in itself. His
loving attitude was such that even when he obtained a very opulent
offering, his renunciation predominated.

“Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī never displayed any distaste for those
persons who were inimical to him. He also never manifested any special
affection for those very dear to him. He would often express himself
saying, ‘I am not inimical or overly affectionate to anyone. In this
material world I am all alone in my service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is
worshipable by me.’ Another noteworthy transcendental topic is that
many materialistic, foolish persons masquerading as devotees and
imitating pure devotion would come and surround him. They would
consider that they were the dear objects of his affection, while they
engaged their minds in so many worldly sense objects. Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora Prabhu would never display any intention of driving them away
and also no symptoms of a compromising attitude.”38
Śrīla Prabhupāda comments on the nature of a paramahaṁsa, a
bhajanānandī:

“Paramahaṁsa is a stage who is above all rules and regulations. That’s

all…Yes. Paramahaṁsa, they do not come into society because people
may imitate them, and they fall down. Therefore they are aloof. Just like
Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was aloof, bhajanānandī… [those
who are] dviṣat, those who are atheists, envious... as soon as they hear
that here is something going on, talking about God, they become
immediately envious. We have increased the number of this kind of
men. There is someone interested in God. They simply challenge. They
are called dviṣat. So a preacher should avoid them. But the paramahaṁsa,
he does not avoid. So there are so many things. So we haven’t got to
imitate the activities of... A paramahaṁsa is a position, exalted position.
They are very rare to be visible because they do not care to come into
society.”39

30. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, p. 182.
680112SB.LA, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master’s spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So
he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of
spiritual significance, he’ll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.
Now, how does this realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by
sincerity. If one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what is
God, what is the self, what is the Superself, what is this world, what is the spiritual
world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not inquisitive. And one
who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master.”
 660812BG.NY, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “…when he would speak, that Gaura
Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references.”
31. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, p. 182.
680112SB.LA, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master’s spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So
he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of
spiritual significance, he’ll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.
Now, how does this realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by
sincerity. If one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what is
God, what is the self, what is the Superself, what is this world, what is the spiritual
world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not inquisitive. And one
who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master.”
660812BG.NY, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “…when he would speak, that Gaura
Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references.”
32. (Cited from: https://gaudiyahistory.iskcondesiretree.com/sri-gaura-kishora-dasa-
babaji-maharaja/)
33. Svalikhita-jīvanī § 375, the autobiography of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, states that he
arrived in Navadvīpa in 1893. Others say that he arrived in 1892.
34. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, pp. 183, 184.
35. CC Madhya 3.212, verse translated and purport given by His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, BBT, 1975, p. 348.
36. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, p. 182.
680112SB.LA, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master’s spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So
he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of
spiritual significance, he’ll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.
Now, how does this realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by
sincerity. If one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what is
God, what is the self, what is the Superself, what is this world, what is the spiritual
world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not inquisitive. And one
who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master.”
660812BG.NY, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003. “…when he would speak, that Gaura
Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references.”
37. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, p. 183. “Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī gradually gave up all food and drink but a
few drops of buttermilk. As a daily duty, he regularly offered 1,000 obeisances to the
Lord, chanted at least 100,000 holy names and offered obeisances to 2,000 Vaiṣṇavas.
Day and night he rendered service within his mind to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and for three
hours a day he discoursed about the character of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” (CC Adi
10.98--100, translations and purports by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Prabhupāda, BBT 1974, pp. 315, 316)
38. Amār Prabhur Kathā (Stories of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 5,
1917, pp. 183, 184.
39. 701219SB.SUR, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 In Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja40

In 1898, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, the embodiment of

the highest boon in the succession of the Rūpānuga-sampradāya, arrived,
singing in a plaintive voice, at the newly constructed Svānanda-sukhada-
kuñja. Bābājī Mahārāja met Bimala Prasāda at Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja in
Godruma-dvīpa for the first time. Bimala Prasāda was enchanted by
hearing a heartfelt emotional bhajana sung loudly by Bābājī Mahārāja.
Bimala Prasāda (later known as Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) wrote the
kīrtana down and later taught it to his own disciples. This song describes
Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s ecstatic feelings of separation from Śrīmatī
Rādhārāṇī:
kothāy go premamayi rādhe rādhe
rādhe rādhe go, jaya rādhe rādhe
dekhā diye prāṇa rākha rādhe rādhe
tomāra kāṅgāka tomāya ḍāke rādhe rādhe
rādhe vṛndāvana-vilāsini rādhe rādhe
rādhe kānu-mano-mohini rādhe rādhe
rādhe aṣṭa-sakhīra śiromaṇi rādhe rādhe
rādhe vṛṣabhānu-nandini rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) niyama kare ṣadāi ḍāke rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) ekabāra ḍāke keśī-ghāṭe rādhe rādhe
ābāra ḍāke vaṁśī-baṭe rādhe rādhe
 (gosāñī) ekabāra ḍāke nidhuvane rādhe rādhe
ābāra ḍāke kuñja-vane rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) ekabāra ḍāke rādhākuṇḍe rādhe rādhe
ābāra ḍāke śyāma-kuṇḍe rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) ekabāra ḍāke kusuma-vane rādhe rādhe
ābāra ḍāke govardhane rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) ekabāra ḍāke tāla-vane rādhe rādhe
ābāra ḍāke tamāla-vane rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) maline vasana diye gāya
vrajera dhulāya gaṛāgaṛi jāya, rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) mukhe rādhe rādhe bale
bhese nayanera jale, rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) vṛndāvane kulākuli
keṅde beṛāya rādhā bali, rādhe rādhe
(gosāñī) chāpānna daṇḍa rātri dine, jāne nā
rādhā-govinda bine, rādhe rādhe
tāra para cāri daṇḍa śuti thāke svapne
rādhā-govinda dekhe, rādhe rādhe
“Where is the abode of all love? Rādhe Rādhe! Glories to Rādhā!
Show Yourself to me, Rādhā. Give me life once again. I have
become a beggar for You, Rādhā, and I am calling You. O
Rādhā, you frolic in Vṛndāvana, You enchant Kṛṣṇa’s mind,
You are chief among the eight sakhīs, and are the daughter of
Vṛṣabhānu.
“Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī regularly, constantly calls out to
you, Rādhā. He calls for You in Keśīghāṭa, in Vaṁśīvaṭa,
Nidhuvana, Kuñjavana, and Govardhana, in Tālavana and
Tamālvana. He calls out wearing only a worn and dirty cloth
and rolling in the Vṛndāvana dust. The names of Rādhā on his
lips, his eyes are filled with tears. He wanders through every
part of Vraja, calling Rādhā’s name. Night or day, for 23 hours.
 He thinks of nothing but Rādhā and Govinda, and when he
sleeps, he dreams of Rādhā and Govinda.”41
This transcendental crown jewel of the renounced order was
wearing a cap made of tiger skin and was carrying a basket containing
various items employed by him in his devotional service. After his
arrival, he offered Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī four or five pieces of
knotted rope upon which to chant rounds of harināma, a tilaka stamp
with the initials of “Hare Kṛṣṇa” (“ha” and “kṛ”), and the tiger skin cap
and other paraphernalia for worship of the Lord. Bābājī Mahārāja had
previously received the basket and cap from his spiritual master, Śrīla
Bhāgavata dāsa Bābājī. In January 190042, in the month of Māgha,
Bābājī Mahārāja initiated Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura as his
sole disciple.
The great Vaiṣṇava often came to Svānanda-kuñja to hear Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s explanations of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He
would usually arrive around three o’clock in the afternoon and leave
around five o’clock. On several occasions he spent the night in a corner
of Svānanda-kuñja in a small hut with a tin roof. Sometimes he would
stay in Pradyumna-kuñja, and then again he would fast and under no
circumstances accept prasāda. In this way he would either fast, accept
prasāda or cook for himself. Sometimes he would behave as if afflicted
by the disease called śīroroga (insanity) and by blindness. Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura arranged a balanced diet for him, but to his
dismay Bābājī Mahārāja continued to follow his program of extreme
renunciation, disregarding the aforementioned diet. He eventually lost
his sight, almost fully, in both eyes.
In the year 1908, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora thoroughly lost his physical
vision. When his eyesight started to deteriorate, Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī requested him to go to Calcutta for treatment. Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, too, for the same reason, repeatedly asked him to go there. But
he was disinterested. “As long as I can see Kṛṣṇa in my heart of hearts, I
do not need an eye doctor.”43
In the following year he stopped traveling and resided principally in
a bamboo hut in Navadvīpa at Pradyumna-kuñja, and sometimes stayed
in Godruma with Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Pradyumna-kuñja had
previously been owned by Saraccandra Vasu of South Calcutta, but that
gentleman died and the kuñja was inhabited by Bābājī Mahārāja. When
he stayed with the Ṭhākura, he would chant japa and perform his
internal service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes, becoming aloof from
external bodily consciousness, he would be unaware of whether he was
dressed or not, and he would swim in the Sarasvatī River with his cloth
open. Thereafter, he would enter his small bhajana-kuṭīra, and in a very
deep voice would begin chanting the names of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana.

40. svānanda-sukhada, kuñja manohara,

tāhāte kuṭīra śobhe basiyā tathāya,
gabo kṛṣṇa nāma,
kabe kṛṣṇa-dāsya hobhe
TRANSLATION
“My small cottage is shining beautifully within the most enchanting garden called
Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja (the grove that provides the happiness of my own bliss).
Living there, I will sing Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, and will greedily hanker for that time
when I will get the personal service of Him and His associates.” (Śrī Śrī Gītā-mālā, ch.
5, song 5, verse 2, translation by Daśaratha-suta dāsa, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.)
41. Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates by Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Mahārāja, Mandala
Publishing 2001, p. 241.
42. The year 1900 is given as the date of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s initiation. In his collected
letters, however, he writes: “In 1901 I was initiated by my guru…I went to Puri. From
that time on I developed a strong connection with Puri and I spent a full year there in
1904. From Puri I set out to travel in South India, from the end of 1904 till January
1905. From that point I began to live in Māyāpura, and I visited Puri from time to
time. In Māyāpura, from 1905 onward I began to present Caitanya’s teachings. In 1906
Rohini Kumara Ghosh became my first initiated disciple.” (Prabhupādera Patrāvalī
(letters) by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, vol. 3, pp. 48, 49, cited in Modern Hindu
Personalism by Ferdinando Sardella, Oxford University Press 2013, p. 80.)
43. Back to Godhead #35-06 “Divine Madness” by Satyarāja dāsa, citing Śrī Śrī
Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, by Haridāsa Dāsa.
 The Illusory Universe

When it seemed that Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī’s eyesight was

deteriorating, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura requested him to go to Calcutta
for treatment. Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda also repeatedly requested him to
go there, but Śrīla Gaura-kiśora would reply, “I will never go to the
illusory universe, Calcutta.” Once, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura informed
Bābājī Mahārāja that his servant, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, would stay
with him in Calcutta, and thus Bābājī Mahārāja would not have to suffer
any inconvenience there. Upon hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I
will never accept service from Prabhu, rather I shall die by drowning. If
I drown myself in the Ganges, I will become a ghost—so I will drown
myself in the Sarasvatī.” Repeating this statement, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
then quickly left, running towards the Sarasvatī River, which flowed
close to the entrance to Svānanda- Kuñja. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
pursued him, trying to dissuade him, humbly and repeatedly requesting
him to return. After this incident, he could not be found for 45 days.
Then, just as suddenly, he reappeared at Svānanda-kuñja and
announced, “I can’t achieve Śrī Kṛṣṇa by killing myself. Nevertheless, I
cannot tolerate anyone serving me.” Although requested hundreds of
times to take some medication, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora never consented.
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains on another occasion:
“My Śrī Gurudeva never accepted service from other people. When
someone came to serve him he would curse [them saying] that 14
generations of that person’s family would be destroyed. He would tell
them, ‘You want me to become your servant in your next life. You will
make me your servant to repay the debt. But I will only become the
servant of those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa and no one else. Birth after
birth I do not wish to be the servant of anyone apart from Śrī Rādhā
Ṭhākurāṇī, because She does the maximum service to Kṛṣṇa.’ He used to
tell us, ‘Aspire only for things that are spiritual. You do not need to do
anything else.’ He could not write anything and was not a scholar of
anusvāra [grammatical intricacies] or visarga [cosmic creation by
Brahmā]. Tears would pour from both his eyes and he would cry out
loudly, ‘By taking the Names of Gaura-Nityānanda, I pray that we
should not bring disgrace to Their Names. Let us not desire such useless
trash as dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa from Gaura-Nitāi.’ Many times
he would ask us, ‘Please tell me what is written in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. I do not understand Sanskrit. I do not even
know how to write.’ We would reply, ‘What can we say? In your very
character we are directly able to see whatever is written in Śrī Caitanya-
caritāmṛta and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam?’”44
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora always observed the Ekādaśī fast rigidly, rejecting
even water. On other days he often ate dried, cracked rice soaked in
water, with chillies, or at other times simply earth from the bank of the
Ganges. His renunciation was genuine, however, but was symptomatic
of his indifference to worldly existence and to give pleasure to the
Supreme Lord.
Clearly, Bābājī Mahārāja’s neglect of his body and his level of
indifference to worldly concerns can neither be understood nor
followed by practically anyone. He found the idea of being served by
anyone, including his own disciple, abhorrent. This mood and standard
of vairāgya (renunciation) is almost impossible to understand. However,
to attempt to explain such indifference and renunciation for the
understanding of someone of this age, such vairāgya has been explained
by Śrīla Prabhupāda as follows:

The first and foremost of such devotional engagements is hearing about

Kṛṣṇa. This is a very powerful transcendental method for purging the
mind of all misgivings. The more one hears about Kṛṣṇa, the more one
becomes enlightened and detached from everything that draws the
mind away from Kṛṣṇa. By detaching the mind from activities not
devoted to the Lord, one can very easily learn vairāgya. Vairāgya means
detachment from matter and engagement of the mind in spirit.
Impersonal spiritual detachment is more difficult than attaching the
mind to the activities of Kṛṣṇa. This is practical because by hearing
about Kṛṣṇa one becomes automatically attached to the Supreme Spirit.
This attachment is called pareśānubhava, spiritual satisfaction. It is just
like the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food
he eats. The more one eats while hungry, the more one feels satisfaction
and strength. Similarly, by discharge of devotional service one feels
transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material
objectives.45
This principle of detachment can be explained by the statement
above which finds its origin in this verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ‘nu-ghāsam
SYNONYMS
bhaktiḥ—devotion; para-īśa—of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; anubhavaḥ—direct perception; viraktiḥ—detachment;
anyatra—from everything else; ca—and; eṣaḥ—this; trikaḥ—group
of three; eka-kālaḥ—simultaneously; prapadyamānasya—for one
 in the process of taking shelter of the Supreme Lord; yathā—in
the same way as; aśnataḥ—for one engaged in eating; syuḥ—they
occur; tuṣṭiḥ—satisfaction; puṣṭiḥ—nourishment; kṣut-apāyaḥ—
eradication of hunger; anu-ghāsam—increasingly with each
morsel.
TRANSLATION
Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and
detachment from other things—these three occur
simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure,
nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and
increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.
PURPORT
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has explained this analogy as follows: Bhakti, or
devotion, may be compared to tuṣṭi (satisfaction) because they both take
the form of pleasure. Pareśānubhava (experience of the Supreme Lord)
and puṣṭi (nourishment) are analogous because both sustain one’s life.
Finally, virakti (detachment) and kṣud-apāya (cessation of hunger) may
be compared because both free one from further hankering so that one
may experience śānti, or peace.46
Śrīla Prabhupāda adds some additional commentary in a lecture on
the Nectar of Devotion:

As soon as you are engaged in the service, loving service of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, immediately you feel liberation. This is
practical. When you are fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if
you walk on the street, you’ll feel that “I am separate from these persons.
I am walking on a different path.” This is the feeling. Bhaktiḥ
pareśānubhavaḥ. This is bhakti. Pareśānubhava. You will experience
yourself. That is the test. If you experience yourself that “I am different
from these persons,” then where is the attachment for material things?
So that is the test; how much you have become advanced in devotional
service, you can experience yourself. The example is given: Just like a
hungry man, if he’s given food, if he eats, then he experiences himself
that he’s getting strength, his hunger is being satisfied. These things will
be experienced. He hasn’t got to take certificate from others, “Whether I
am advancing in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” He’ll feel
himself. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhava viraktir anyatra syāt. This is the test.47
From these statements it is possible to understand something about
the nature of renunciation. Material pleasure cannot be renounced
simply by an act of will. Rather, one can live a renounced life only
having achieved a taste superior to gratification of the senses. By
following the practices of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can experience this
taste as well as happiness and detachment sufficient to carry one back to
the spiritual kingdom.

44. Śrī Śrī Sarasvatī Saṁlāpa, Conversation with Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura in Lucknow, India, at 19 Station Road on November 7, 1929)
45. BG 6.35 purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
46. SB 11.2.42, verse translated and purport given by Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswami and
Gopīparāṇadhana dāsa Adhikārī, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
47. Nectar of Devotion Lectures by Śrīla Prabhupāda, October 21, 1972, in Vṛndāvana,
India, 721021ND.VRN, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Śrī Māyāpura-dhāma

From 1907 to 1908, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura lived in Māyāpura at the

yoga-pīṭha. It was here that the Adhokṣaja Deity of Śrīla Jagannātha
Miśra, the father of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was later unearthed.
Before construction of the yoga-pīṭha temple began, Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī went there from Kuliyā on many occasions. During this period
he gave many instructions to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, and Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura engaged in his guru’s service. Once, although apparently
externally blind, Bābājī Mahārāja arrived alone at Śrī Dhāma Māyāpura
at the yoga-pīṭha in the early hours of the morning. Later that day, Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, amazed to see him and realizing that he must
somehow have crossed the Ganges in the dead of night and walked
several miles, inquired, “When did you arrive?”
Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I arrived at about two in the morning.”
Completely astonished, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura then asked, “Who
was it that brought you here last night, and how was it possible for you
to see the path?”
Bābājī Mahārāja answered, “Someone showed me the proper way.”
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura replied, “Externally, you appear to be blind.
Who would bring you such a long distance by the hand, and then upon
arriving here suddenly leave in the middle of the night? How is it that
you were able to come? It must have been Śrī Kṛṣṇa who personally
brought you here.”
 Hearing this supposition, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja looked amused. The
fact was that in those days one could not walk from Kuliyā to Māyāpura
because there were no footpaths, and one could not take a boat because
there were no landing places. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī again
inquired, “Who could have brought you across the river in the dead of
night?”
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora answered in the same amused manner, saying,
“Someone took me across the river.” His disciple then concluded that
the mysterious person was none other than Nandanandana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
 The Real and Pretender Bhajanānandī

Once, while Śrīla Gaura-kiśora was residing in a dharmaśālā

(inexpensive dwelling place for sādhus) in Kuliyā, Śrīla Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura asked him how he had lived at Vraja and many questions about
the residents of Vṛndāvana and the various devotees who were
performing solitary worship there. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura specifically
asked about the bhajanānandīs, who were reputed to be perfectly self-
realized souls. Upon hearing the question, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Gosvāmī
laughed again and again and told Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, “They are all
imposters.”
One of the bābājīs in question, who lived at Kusama Sarovara in
Vṛndāvana, was renowned as a great bhajanānandī. He had a few
disciples who were also reputed to be perfectly self-realized. But Bābājī
Mahārāja did not even slightly agree to their authenticity. After some
time these pretenders became afflicted with leprosy of the throat and left
their bodies after suffering terribly. They had resided in the dhāma with
their intelligence bent upon sense gratification, and in the past they had
behaved offensively toward Bābājī Mahārāja.
It is very dangerous to imitate great renounced souls while secretly
acting with both mind, intelligence, and body to achieve sense
gratification. It is extremely offensive to pretend to be a renounced
sādhu and secretly engage in sex and other forms of material pleasure.
Hypocrisy and deceit lead to degradation, and as we can see from this
incident, it can also lead to disease and even death. There are karmic
consequences for such obnoxious imitation. Although we sometimes say
that “imitation is the highest form of flattery,” imitation can also
transmogrify to deceit with the aim of gaining wealth, followers, and
the attention of men or women, which are detrimental to the execution
of spiritual life. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this point as follows:

A class of so-called devotees known as sahajiyās try to imitate the Lord’s

pastimes, although they have no understanding of the amorous love in
His expansions of pleasure potency. Their superficial imitation can
create havoc on the path for the advancement of one’s spiritual
relationship with the Lord. Material sexual indulgence can never be
equated with spiritual love, which is in unadulterated goodness. The
activities of the sahajiyās simply lower one deeper into the material
contamination of the senses and mind. Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental pastimes
display eternal servitorship to Adhokṣaja, the Supreme Lord, who is
beyond all conception through material senses. Materialistic conditioned
souls do not understand the transcendental exchanges of love, but they
like to indulge in sense gratification in the name of devotional service.
The activities of the Supreme Lord can never be understood by
irresponsible persons who think the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa to be
ordinary affairs. The rāsa dance is arranged by Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency
yogamāyā, and it is beyond the grasp of the materially affected person.
Trying to throw mud into transcendence with their perversity, the
sahajiyās misinterpret the sayings tat-paratvena nirmalam [by the sole
purpose of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead
uncontaminated by the effects of speculative philosophical research or
fruitive activity] (Cc. Madhya 19.170) and tat-paro bhavet [one must
become fully intent upon Him]. By misinterpreting tādṛśīḥ krīḍāḥ [such
pastimes], they want to indulge in sex while pretending to imitate Lord
Kṛṣṇa.48
48. CC Ādi-līlā 4.34 purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Deception and Actual Residence in the
Holy Dhāma

Once, a young devotee, very anxiously desiring to perform devotional

service and reside in the holy dhāma of Navadvīpa, came and revealed
his intentions to Bābājī Mahārāja. This young devotee had made
arrangements to remain in the dhāma as a physician, to buy medicines
by begging for the money and to thus treat the sick and infirm. He
considered that in this way he would be performing his bhajana and also
simultaneously performing great welfare activity. To receive
confirmation of his plans, he had come to consult Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja.
When he arrived and presented his proposal, he quoted the following
verses which describe Murāri Gupta.49
pratigraha nāhi kare, nā laya kāra dhana
ātma-vṛtti kari’ kare kuṭumba bharaṇa
cikitsā karena yāre ha-iyā sadaya
deha-roga bhava-roga,—dui tāra kṣaya
Śrīla Murāri Gupta never accepted charity from friends, nor did he
accept money from anyone. He practiced as a physician and maintained
his family with his earnings. As Murāri treated his patients, by his mercy
both their bodily and spiritual diseases subsided.
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja could understand the young man’s inherent
insincerity and the pretension of his wanting to live in the dhāma and
revealed the defects of his plan by saying, “Murāri Gupta is an eternal
associate of Lord Caitanya and always resides in the holy dhāma. He
never expressed any intention to stay in the Lord’s dhāma by unjustly
supporting himself so as to enjoy sense gratification. He never, at the
expense of any temple, supported his family, nor was he ever interested
in earning money to fill his stomach. He neither accepted charity from
his friends nor anyone else. He was the reservoir of ecstatic love of Lord
Gaura. By his mercy one can achieve love for Gaura. Whomever he
would treat would become completely freed from all disease and obtain
love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Without following the standard of
his character, if Murāri Gupta’s behavior is imitated in a motivated way,
then one will be forced to suffer the result of his misdeeds. You are
suffering from the disease of material existence yourself, so how will you
properly treat others? You should incessantly and earnestly pray for the
mercy of Śrīla Murāri Gupta. Then you will be able to understand what
real benevolence is. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has stated that sincere
intelligence is exhibited by chanting the holy name of Hari, giving up
all pretension. Those who chant with material intentions are considered
unintelligent. You should renounce this sort of thinking and devote
yourself seriously to the process of hearing and chanting the glories of
the Supreme Lord, otherwise your ‘devotion’ will simply be lust and
everything will be ruined. The desire to administer free medicine for the
sake of personal prestige and the desire to reside in the dhāma have
nothing in common. A person interested in fruitive work can never live
in the dhāma.”
Hearing these instructions, the doctor asked, “What should I do?”
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī replied, “If you actually want the benefit
of residing in the dhāma, then you should first give up these ideas you
are entertaining. Abandon this misconceived notion of benefiting
materialistic persons by distributing free medical treatment. Those who
are resolute in performing worship unto the Supreme Lord, Hari, will
never discharge any unfavorable activities, and they will perform only
activities favorable to devotional service. Beyond this, all other activities
will be the cause of deep conditioning. If you want to support yourself
in the way you have planned, then you should leave the dhāma and
return to your former residence. Do not reside within the supreme
abode of the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and earn your livelihood
deceitfully.”
Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda commented on the two
verses cited above as follows:

It should be noted that a gṛhastha (householder) must not make his

livelihood by begging from anyone. Every householder of the higher
castes should engage himself in his own occupational duty as a brāhmaṇa,
kṣatriya, or vaiśya, but he should not engage in the service of others, for
this is the duty of a śūdra. One should simply accept whatever he earns
by his own profession…

Murāri Gupta could treat both bodily and spiritual disease because he
was a physician by profession and a great devotee of the Lord in terms
of spiritual advancement. This is an example of service to humanity.
One disease, which is called ādhyātmika, or material disease, pertains to
the body, but the main disease is spiritual. The living entity is eternal,
but somehow or other, when in contact with the material energy, he is
subjected to the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. The
physicians of the modern day should learn from Murāri Gupta.
Although modern philanthropic physicians open gigantic hospitals,
there are no hospitals to cure the material disease of the spirit soul.
As pointed out by Bābājī Mahārāja, Murāri Gupta was an eternal
resident of the dhāma and an eternal associate of the Lord. Thus, his
activities should not be imitated by one who does not have the power to
cure the disease of material existence (bhava-roga, the disease of repeated
birth and death).50
49. Ibid, 10.50, 51, by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, translation and purports by His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, BBT 1973, pp. 280, 281.
50. “When discourses on kṛṣṇa-kathā take place between a liberated spiritual master
and his disciple, others also sometimes take advantage of hearing these topics and also
benefit. These topics are the medicine to stop the repetition of birth and death. The
cycle of repeated birth and death, by which one takes on different bodies again and
again, is called bhava or bhava-roga. If anyone, willingly or unwillingly, hears kṛṣṇa-
kathā, his bhava-roga, the disease of birth and death, will certainly stop. Therefore
kṛṣṇa-kathā is called bhavauṣadha, the remedy to stop the repetition of birth and death.”
(SB 10.1.4 purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003)
 The New Bābājī

A neophyte devotee who had recently taken the dress of a bābājī often
came to converse with Bābājī Mahārāja. On one such occasion he
decided to take up residence in the holy dhāma. He approached a certain
queen who was living in Kuliyā, who owned land thereabouts, in order
to purchase three-quarters of an acre of land from her. Upon hearing
this news, Bābājī Mahārāja commented, “The supreme abode of the
Lord is transcendental. How is it possible that this queen has become a
landowner in the dhāma? How is it that she is entitled to sell that new
bābā a portion of the land of the dhāma? All the jewels found within the
universe are not valuable enough to purchase even one speck of dust in
the dhāma. Therefore, how can any landowner amass enough wealth to
become the owner of a plot of the transcendental abode of Śrī
Navadvīpa-dhāma? Has this new bābā, for the exchange of the practice
of devotional service, become entitled to a portion of land in
Navadvīpa-dhāma? Anyone with such materially tinged intelligence is
very offensive and far away from actual residence within the dhāma.
Those persons whose attitude is thus tainted by materialistic
intelligence, who think that the dhāma is part of the material universe,
are considered by the devotees of the Supreme Lord to be prākṛta
sahajiyās, or cheap imposters.”51
It is a fact that we do not possess anything in this material world,
what to speak of the spiritual world, the holy dhāma of the Lord, as
analyzed by Bābājī Mahārāja. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes:

So in order to become nirmama... Because here, material world, we are

simply fighting, “It is mine, mine.” The Arabians, they are [saying],
“This oil tank, this oil deposit is mine.” Or “our.” The same thing,
individually or collectively. You just make up a gang, and you steal
something, and then you say, “It is our.” Your possession is by stealing,
but still, you are claiming, “It is our.” So the petrol tank belongs to God,
but some way or other, they are in possession. They [are] fighting it, “It
is our.” So this is called mama. So one has to become nirmama. “It is not
mine. It is Kṛṣṇa’s.” Immediately you become nirmama. Everything is
bondage so long [as] you claim, “It is mine.” And as soon as you
understand, “It is not mine; it is Kṛṣṇa’s,” then you are free. This is the
difference of bondage and freedom. Actually, everything belongs to
Kṛṣṇa. Everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1].

So this consciousness required. So somebody is trying to be nirmama, to

become free from false idea, “It is mine,” by renouncing. And if one
knows perfectly well that “It is not mine; it is Kṛṣṇa’s,” then he hasn’t
got to do anything artificially. If you know that “Everything belongs to
Kṛṣṇa. I am not the owner. I am given the chance to use it,” tena
tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ, whatever allotment is given to you, you can use.
Prasādam. Kṛṣṇa... Actually, eatable belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So after eating,
whatever He gives you, you also eat this. That is required. So one is
trying to renounce this world by practice. Because unless you become
fully conscious that anything you are possessing, that does not belong to
you, that belongs to Kṛṣṇa, so long you will be allowed to enjoy it
under the false impression, egotism, that “It is mine.” Because you have
come here to possess something as your property, so Kṛṣṇa will give
you. Just like father gives children... They are fighting. So father gives
some toy, “Now it is yours. So that’s all right, play. Don’t fight.” So
similarly... The toy does not belong to the child. It is purchased by the
father. It belongs to the father. But the father gives you, “No, it is yours.
Don’t fight with the other child,” so they are satisfied. Similarly, we
have been given by the supreme father, “Now this is your America. This
is your India.” But nothing belongs to the American or to the Indian. It
belongs to the father, supreme father. So unless they come to the
consciousness, that “The father has given me to enjoy that this is mine,
but actually it belongs to father...” This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.52
When one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s first disciples was awarded sannyāsa,
he asked, “Should I renounce?” Prabhupāda’s reply was: “What have you
got?” indicating the truth that renunciation is not about giving up
material items (phalgu-vairāgya—false, immature, or insufficient
renunciation), rather it has to do with using Kṛṣṇa’s material energy for
the pleasure of guru and Kṛṣṇa. This is called yukta-vairāgya.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has warned us that if we do not

see everything as a manifestation of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, we shall become victims of phalgu-vairāgya, or immature
renunciation. Whatever we see as disconnected from Kṛṣṇa will have in
our mind no relationship to Kṛṣṇa’s service. But if we see everything as
connected to Kṛṣṇa, we shall use everything for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction.
This is called yukta-vairāgya. According to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, “One who has experienced his own true identity
understands that all things exist as paraphernalia for giving ecstatic
pleasure to the Supreme Lord. Thus one becomes free from the
separatist vision in which one sees the world as existing for one’s own
enjoyment. In the transcendental state, whatever a devotee sees reminds
him of Kṛṣṇa, and thus his transcendental knowledge and bliss
increase.”53
51. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p 221.
52. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.15.40 lecture, December 18, 1973, 731218SB.LA,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
53. Ibid, 11.2.41 purport, citing Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Purport of Bābājī Mahārāja’s Statement

Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s analysis of this incident is very

significant and fully exposes the mistaken attitude of the neophyte
devotee. Nothing within the material creation can be possessed by
anyone but the Supreme Proprietor:
īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat
“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is
controlled and owned by the Lord...”( Īśopaniṣad mantra one)
It is the greatest illusion to imagine that any facet of the unlimitedly
valuable and sublime spiritual realm, which is composed of cintāmaṇi, or
the philosopher’s stone, is within the jurisdiction of our controlling
power. As a matter of convention one may say that he owns something,
but the real proprietor must never be forgotten, otherwise such a
conception becomes a source of bewilderment. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura purchased land in the dhāma, but he was never censured by
Bābājī Mahārāja, for he perfectly understood who the real possessor was
and considered himself merely the custodian of such land. One cannot
achieve true residence in the dhāma by purchasing a ticket or a plot of
land. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has explained the actual process of
entering and residing in transcendental abodes like Navadvīpa and
Vṛndāvana:
viśaya chāriya kabe śuddha ha’be mana kabe hāma herābo śrī-bṛndābana
 “When the mind is completely purified, being freed from
material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand
Vṛndāvana and the conjugal love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and then
my spiritual life will be successful.”54

54. From a translation/purport by Srila Prabhupāda to Lālasāmayī Prārthanā by Śrīla

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Deception & Devotional Service

Once, a resident of Bangladesh (then East Bengal), who was a very

wealthy landlord, scholar and brāhmaṇa, and reputed to be a great
devotee of the Lord, came with a friend to see Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja.
The landowner appeared to be so deeply absorbed in devotional ecstasy
that his friend had to support him as he walked, showing that he might
fall down due to excessive trembling of his body. When the pair arrived
before Bābājī Mahārāja, two other persons in the assembly, recognizing
the famous landlord, immediately received him as an advanced devotee
of the Lord. They carefully offered their obeisances to him and
reverentially arranged a sitting place for him. At that time, Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, in his pastime of blindness, inquired, “Who
has come?” The friend of the landowner introduced his companion by
glowingly describing his erudition, devotion, and detachment from
material sense gratification despite possessing unlimited wealth.
He then described how, only a fortnight earlier, a thief had come
and stolen 45,000 rupees from the landlord’s house. Despite suffering
such a setback, the landowner, knowing devotion to be much more
significant, had come to obtain Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja’s transcendental
darśana. The friend added, “I am his only friend. He has left all material
sense gratification and keeps only my association. You will be able to
realize his greatness by conversing with him. He once asked me a
question about a confidential exchange between Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu and Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya found in the Caitanya-
caritāmṛta. I told him that only Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī could properly
answer his question and certainly no one else. We have already been to
see many learned persons in this area, and yet we cannot come to an
agreement about the meaning of this conversation. We think that only
you are able to explain it properly.”
After the introduction was complete, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied,
“I will tell you a process by which you can understand the conclusion of
this conversation. But before trying to understand these confidential
topics between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya, you should
renounce the association of this rascal imposter [the landowner] and
take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord. You should hear the
Caitanya-caritāmṛta 100 times from beginning to end in the association
of authentic devotees of the Lord. In this way, being absorbed in
devotional ecstasy, you will be able to realize the purport of these
conversations. At the present moment all the devotees here want to
perform congregational chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord. We
don’t have time to discuss any other topics.” Having thus spoken, Śrīla
Bābājī Mahārāja very loudly requested that everyone perform hari-
nāma-saṅkīrtana. Everyone then began to congregationally chant the
Lord’s Holy Name. After hearing the statement of Bābājī Mahārāja, the
proud landlord and his friend immediately left that place.
Later that evening when almost everyone had left, some members of
the assembly commented to Bābājī Mahārāja, “That very learned
landowner was so absorbed in devotional ecstasy. We could not see any
manifestation of material consciousness in him. He was devoid of
worldly consciousness.”
Another person sitting nearby, who had always heard that Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī was very straightforward with everyone,
inquired, “That person was so immersed in various loving devotional
ecstasies that he could not even walk by his own efforts. How is it that
you can say he was not on the highest platform of bhāva-bhakti?”
 Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, saying, “After speaking with him for a
few moments, I could understand that he had no good intentions in his
performance of devotional service. One cannot measure a person’s
devotion by the approval of the general mass of people. If a person is not
serious in his devotional practice, then even if he exhibits the symptoms
of renunciation, non-attachment, and various ecstasies, still he should
not be considered to have real renunciation or detachment. As soon as a
difficult test comes, his false renunciation will cease. Detachment seeks
out those who are actually fixed in their intention to perform devotional
service. When performing practical devotional service, we should never
exhibit our devotional ecstasies. One should perform devotional service
in such a way that his deep attachment to the Lord increases within his
heart. Even if one displays hundreds and hundreds of exhibitions of
external detachment, he will not be blessed by the Lord if he does not
develop an internal loving attachment to Him.
If one genuinely possesses a deep loving attitude, then Kṛṣṇa Himself
will approach and claim such an advanced devotee. Whoever is not
enticed by the fragrance of unflinching devotional service and whose
heart is filled with material desires will wear different types of external
bodily dress. Kṛṣṇa is proportionately aloof or available according to the
degree of one’s surrender. If one is deeply immersed in devotional
attachment to Lord Hari, then even while suffering distressing diseases
or other material miseries, he will still remain absorbed in transcendental
loving service to the Lord. If you can fast and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa both
day and night, and when you can always cry out with desire for the
service of Vṛṣabhānu’s Rādhārāṇī, without revealing it to others, then Śrī
Kṛṣṇa, who is the very wealth of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, will call you to take
His shelter.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda, strictly following the line of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s instructions, never made any sort of public
display of ecstasy, and when his ecstatic emotions occasionally
overpowered him, he would endeavor mightily to bring them under
control. This mood can be compared to that of Dāruka, Kṛṣṇa’s
charioteer, who was once fanning the Lord with a cāmara (yak-tail
whisk). While thus engaged, he became overwhelmed with ecstatic love
for the Lord, and the symptoms became manifest in his body.
Śrīla Prabhupāda comments:

“Dāruka was so serious about his service that he checked all of these
manifestations of ecstatic love and considered them hindrances to his
engagement. He did not care very much for these manifestations,
although they automatically developed.”55
It is not that when one experiences spiritual ecstasy that he is
required to put it on display for the edification of ordinary persons.
In India it is very common for sahajiyās (those who take spiritual life
cheaply) to make an elaborate public display of their ecstasies. Such
displays are pale reflections of spiritual sentiments and are exhibited with
material motives. This was clearly the case with the landlord who
approached Bābājī Mahārāja. In Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa it is not at all
uncommon that such a person will enter a temple with an assistant, or
even a crowd of followers, and go before the Deity. Seeing the Deity
and hearing the kīrtana, they begin to dance wildly, and finally “faint,”
and the assistant or group of followers then minister to him with great
sympathy and concern. Thereafter, a curious throng of pilgrims gathers
and witnesses the pathos-filled scene! When a sufficient crowd has
gathered, the great soul “revives” and is assisted with great difficulty
beyond the temple confines, where he hopes some of the unfortunate
spectators will agree to become his followers and patrons! As Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja has demonstrated, the best procedure
for dealing with such persons is neglect.

55. Nectar of Devotion, ch. 37, “Impetuses for Kṛṣṇa’s Service,” Bhaktivedanta Vedabase
2003.
 The Materialist’s Grains

A lawyer named Bhattacharya came to visit Bābājī Mahārāja in Kuliyā.

He was living in the vicinity and had contracted a certain caste gosvāmī
on a monthly basis to supply him food and shelter. When the lawyer
approached Bābājī Mahārāja, he was asked, “What arrangement do you
have for your foodstuffs?” The lawyer replied, “I have arranged to
receive my foodstuffs in the house of certain Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmaṇas.”
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī then answered, “Give up eating their
cooked rice. You should cook for yourself and eat that. Those persons
from whom you are accepting food grains eat fish and maintain their
service to Lord Caitanya in devious ways. Their activities are most
offensive because they know that what they are doing is wrong. Those
persons who have no fear of an offense they create to the Supreme Lord
should never even be spoken to, otherwise your devotional service will
be destroyed.”
Some time later, the lawyer brought several sweets and offered them
to Śrīla Gaura-kiśora. He prayerfully requested Bābājī Mahārāja to
accept his offering. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja then told him, “I never take
sweets.” Bhattacharya replied, “There is nothing higher than accepting
food that the Lord has directly accepted.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja sharply retorted, “Whoever eats fish is like a
prostitute. If someone has perverted desires and offers foodstuffs to Lord
Caitanya, those preparations can never be accepted as the prasāda of the
Supreme Lord, because the Lord does not partake of them. Whoever is
not a sincere devotee of the Lord cannot understand what a non-
devotee is. Even if one offers foodstuffs to the Supreme Lord, if one has
perverted intentions, then that offering is never accepted. If one offers
the covering of the banana flowers because he likes the taste himself, the
offering is not accepted by the Supreme Lord. To offer foodstuffs to the
Supreme Lord that have been contaminated by one’s lusty desires should
be considered a great offense. If preparations favored by the great
devotees of the Lord are offered, then the offering is considered proper.
Kṛṣṇa tastes foodstuffs that have been tasted by the lips of His pure
devotees.
If one accepts the grains of a sinful person, then his mind becomes
impure. One should think, ‘My worship to the Lord has not fructified
yet—how can I obtain the service of a pure devotee of the Lord?’ In this
way, with a heart full of grief, if one takes banana peels and the
discarded skin of an eggplant and boils them without salt, [and offers
them] this attitude of full surrender will cause those foodstuffs to
become mahā-prasāda. One should think, ‘My worship to the Lord has
not yet manifested—the pure devotee of the Lord accepts nice foodstuffs,
but my doing so would only impede my devotion. What will happen to
me if I continue to eat sumptuously and wear luxurious clothes?’”
Bābājī Mahārāja directs us not to accept food cooked by lusty
persons, especially by those who know the actual standard of behavior
expected of devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa but who nevertheless indulge in illicit
activities. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara
Gosvāmī as follows:

“When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one’s mind

becomes contaminated, and when the mind becomes contaminated, one
is unable to think of Kṛṣṇa properly. When one accepts an invitation
from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person
who offers the food and the person who accepts it are both mentally
contaminated.”56
In the purport to the first of these verses, Śrīla Prabhupāda cites Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s commentary, saying “...people who
are materialistically inclined and sahajiyās, or so-called Vaiṣṇavas who
take everything very casually, are both viśayī, materialists. Eating food
offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such
contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man.
There are six kinds of association—giving charity, accepting charity,
accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring
confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating with both
the sahajiyās, who are sometimes known as Vaiṣṇavas, and the non-
Vaiṣṇavas, or avaiṣṇavas. Their association changes the transcendental
devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa into sense gratification, and when
sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The
materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly
think of Kṛṣṇa.”
Aside from avoiding food prepared by sensualists, one should also
take care not to eat simply for the satisfaction of one’s tongue.
jīhvāra lālase yei iti-uti dhāya
śisnodara-parāyaṇa kṛṣṇa nāhi pāya
“One who is subservient to the tongue and who thus goes here
and there, devoted to the genitals and the belly, cannot attain
Kṛṣṇa.”57
Śrīla Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Lord Caitanya have both instructed
those who are serious about spiritual advancement to avoid dressing
very nicely or taking very palatable foodstuffs. Lord Caitanya has stated,
bhāla nā khāibe āra bhāla nā paribe: “Do not dress luxuriously and do not
eat delicious foodstuffs.”58 Śrīla Jagadānanda Paṇḍita has instructed,
echoing the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, bhāla na khāibe ara bhāla
na pāribeā hṛdayete rādhā-kṛṣṇa sarvadā sevibe: “Do not eat luxurious dishes
or dress in fine garments, but always remain humble and serve Their
Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in your heart of hearts.” (Prema-vivarta,
chapter seven)
Such severe instructions aimed at renunciates may seem
intimidating. However, it is also a fact that when one honors prasādam
which has been cooked and offered to guru and Kṛṣṇa by pure-hearted
souls, the result is entirely spiritual, inspirational, and purifying. The
mood of honoring prasādam is that one glorifies the Lord and His
mercy, and humbly appreciates the purifying effects of spiritually
transformed foodstuffs. It is fine to enjoy delicious prasādam, but not
simply in the spirit of sense gratification, but rather in the humble spirit
of appreciation of the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa.

56. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 6.278-279, translation and purport by A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, BBT 1975, p. 329.
57. Ibid, 6.227 pp. 305, 306.
58. Ibid, 6.236 p. 309
 Love for Śrī Māyāpura-Dhāma

Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja exhibited an unmatched, uncompromising spirit

toward anything opposing the real conclusions of bhakti. He was above
all mundane thought, and one cannot possibly understand why he acted
as he did unless one rigidly follows in the footsteps of the paramahaṁsa
devotees of the Lord. Thus, we should not be surprised that some
persons who had his audience hundreds of times were never blessed
with his special grace, while others received his mercy abundantly.
One day a householder devotee from Māyāpura came to Kuliyā to
get the association of Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja. The paramahaṁsa was seated
in a chair made of reeds just within the door of his kuṭira, or cottage.
When the gṛhastha approached him, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora nonchalantly
closed the door. The devotee then informed an attendant of Śrīla Bābājī
Mahārāja’s that he wished to see him. Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “If he
wants to have my darśana, then he must give two rupees.” The attendant
received the money from the gṛhastha and duly informed Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī. Bābājī Mahārāja then opened the door of the kuṭira
and said, “Please have a look.” The gṛhastha remained some distance
away from the kuṭira and respectfully offered his prostrated obeisances.
By his own sweet voice, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja drew him closer,
affectionately took his hands within his own and said, “You have come
from Māyāpura, the place where my Supreme Master Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has sent
you here, so therefore I have a few words to say to you. Śrī Caitanya
will certainly listen to this: You should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa by always
chanting His holy name. There will then be no more obstructions in
your life.”
Whenever Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja saw the residents
of Śrī Māyāpura, he would always show some special favor and with
affection say, “The residents of the holy dhāma.” It was always seen that
even if someone tried to offer great wealth he would personally remain
indifferent. But then again he would request different persons to help
him by giving him money and other paraphernalia for his service to the
Lord’s devotees who resided in the dhāma.
One who takes birth in the Lord’s dhāmas is understood to have
done so as a result of achieving a high standard of devotion to the Lord.
To take such a birth is an indication that one is practically qualified to
be a resident of the spiritual world, and thus his good fortune and good
qualities are incalculable. Although such residents may externally appear
to be conditioned souls, they are nevertheless spontaneously attracted to
the Lord. Even if they perform impious activities within the boundaries
of the dhāma, they are not to be judged to be ordinary conditioned
souls. Śrīla Prabhupāda has explained that even if someone in Vṛndāvana
lives and dies there, but performs sinful activities there, they will have to
take one more birth as an animal. After that birth they are promoted to
the spiritual world. He comments:

“... devotees like the gosvāmīs living in Vṛndāvana who purposely

commit some sinful activities are born in the bodies of dogs, monkeys,
and tortoises in that holy land. Thus they take on these lower life forms
for a short while, and after they give up those animal bodies, they are
again promoted to the spiritual world. Such punishment is only for a
short period, and it is not due to past karma...”59
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī was fully aware of the unique status of
the dhāma-vāsīs (residents of the dhāma), and thus he gave them special
consideration and respect. Bābājī Mahārāja also teaches us that it is better
not to accept charity for maintaining one’s own comforts and personal
convenience, although one can enthusiastically do so in order to serve
other Vaiṣṇavas.

59. SB 5.8.26 purport by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta

Vedabase 2003)
 Displaying Ecstatic Symptoms

On one occasion Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja was sitting within his bhajana-
kuṭira in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, loudly chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Other
persons who had assembled there were also chanting. At this time,
someone came and began to display different ecstatic symptoms, such as
crying. Some of the assembled devotees thought, “Just see, that person
has attained the highest stage of devotional ecstasy by chanting the
glories of the Lord.” Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, however,
immediately requested the man to leave. Some of the onlookers became
disturbed by this and left. Bābājī Mahārāja commented, “One who has
actually attained love of Godhead will never display such symptoms but
will keep them hidden from the general populace. A chaste wife
becomes very embarrassed when she has to show any part of her body in
public, and she thus keeps her body thoroughly covered. In the same
way, when one has real devotion for the Supreme Lord and becomes
elevated to love of Godhead, he always feels embarrassed to exhibit
symptoms of ecstasy and always keeps such symptoms hidden.”
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu demonstrated this principle on numerous
occasions. Upon meeting Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya by the banks of the
Godāvarī, for example, He embraced him and felt so much ecstasy that,
along with Rāmānanda, He was overwhelmed with spiritual emotion.
However, in consideration of the fact that Rāmānanda Rāya was the
Governor of Madras and was accompanied by many persons who could
not understand such transcendental dealings, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
restrained Himself.
ei mahārāja—mahā-paṇḍita, gambhīra
sannyāsīra sparśe matta ha-ilā asthira
They thought, “This Rāmānanda Rāya is the Governor of
Madras, a highly learned and grave person, a mahā-paṇḍita, but
upon touching this sannyāsī he has become restless like a
madman.”
ei-mata vipra-gaṇa bhāve mane mana
vijātīya loka dekhi, prabhu kaila samvaraṇa
While the brāhmaṇas were thinking in this way about the
activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya, Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw those outsiders and restrained His
transcendental emotions.60
In his purport to the second verse above, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes:

“Rāmānanda Rāya was intimately related to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu;

therefore he can be accepted as a sajātīya, a person within the intimate
circle of the Lord. The brāhmaṇas, however, were followers of the Vedic
rituals and were not able to have an intimate connection with Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Consequently they are called vijātīya-loka. In
other words, they were not pure devotees. One may be a highly learned
brāhmaṇa, but if he is not a pure devotee he is a vijātīya, an outcaste, one
outside devotional service—in other words, a non-devotee. Although Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya were embracing in ecstasy,
the Lord restrained His transcendental emotions upon seeing the
outsider brāhmaṇas.”
On another occasion, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met with
Vallabhācarya near Prayaga, He was overwhelmed with ecstatic feelings,
but He again restrained Himself, feeling bashful in the presence of a
person who, though exalted, was not His intimate associate. “Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt great ecstatic love when they began
discussing Kṛṣṇa, but the Lord checked His feelings because He felt shy
before Vallabha Bhaṭṭa. Although the Lord restrained Himself
externally, ecstatic love raged within. There was no checking that.
Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was astonished to detect this.”61

60. CC Madhya-līlā 8.27, 28, translation and purport by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
61. CC Madhya-līlā 19.64, translation by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Sharp Words of the Sādhu

Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja always gave beneficial

instructions to persons who approached him with faith and humility, no
matter what their spiritual status was. On one such occasion a seeker
went to Bābājī Mahārāja to hear topics concerning the Supreme Lord,
but he heard some harsh words from him instead. The seeker then
resolved to never go near Bābājī Mahārāja again. After some time,
however, having been stricken with a distressed and troubled mind, he
suddenly returned to see Bābājī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja,
instantly realizing the reason for his depression, told him, “Oh, you have
left the association of devotees where topics about Kṛṣṇa are discussed,
and now you are living in a secluded place and performing solitary
worship of Kṛṣṇa. When one hears the topics of the Supreme Lord in
the company of devotees, then one becomes freed from Māyā’s net of
illusion. But if one performs worship of the Lord in a secluded place, not
in association with devotees, one becomes caught by the illusory
energy. As a consequence, instead of topics about the Supreme Lord
possessing the heart, mundane subject matters will occupy it instead.”
The seeker replied, “I thought it better to reside in a secluded place
and perform my own individual worship than to become disturbed by
hearing the sharp words of a sādhu.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “Please take note that those sādhus who
speak sharp words to drive away the witch of the illusory energy are
actually the only real devotees of Kṛṣṇa and friends of the living entities.
The conditioned living being experiences the distressful quarreling of
his wife and close relatives and is rudely treated by them until death, yet
he never desires to leave their association. On the other hand, he absorbs
himself in trying to appease and serve them. But when a devotee of the
Lord, who is always desirous of the living entity’s ultimate welfare,
chides him just once with instructions meant to drive away Māyā, then
that conditioned entity immediately makes plans to leave the saintly
person for his entire life. If you actually want to perform devotional
service properly, then you must accept the harsh language of the sādhu
as the medicine by which Māyā can be given up. By this one can obtain
the necessary spiritual advancement to successfully chant the Holy
Name.”
Bound souls are prepared to accept unlimited abuse from their
family members, but not a single sharp word from the sādhu who
attempts to cut their attachment to illusory existence. A conditioned
soul and his equally conditioned wife and family members induce a man
to work like an ass and meanwhile deride him for not fulfilling all of
their demands. Yet, while the family may legitimately plunder a man
and denounce him bitterly for his shortcomings, the acquiescent victim
is not in the least able to tolerate words which might awaken him to the
reality of his situation. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura described
the power of the sādhu in an essay called “Search For Truth” as follows:

“There is no doubt that the words of the sādhu possess the power of
destroying the evil propensities of one’s mind. The sādhus in this way
benefit everyone who associates with them.’ There are many things
which we do not disclose to the sādhu. The real sādhu makes us speak
out what we keep concealed in our hearts. He then applies the knife.
The very word ‘sādhu’ has no meaning other than this. He stands in
front of the block with the uplifted sacrificial knife in his hand. The
sensuous desires of men are like goats. The sādhu stands there to kill
those desires by the merciful stroke of the keen edge of the sacrificial
knife in the form of unpleasant language. If the sādhu turns into my
flatterer then he does me harm, he becomes my enemy. If he gives us
flattery, then we are led to the road that brings enjoyment but no real
well-being.”62
Without the association of devotees, one will almost certainly be
overwhelmed by the illusory energy, and his thoughts will naturally
turn to gratifying his senses. During the discussions between Lord
Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya, Lord Caitanya inquired,
“Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the
living entity?” Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The only auspicious activity is
association with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.”63 And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
11.2.30 it is stated, “We are asking the most perfect welfare activity from
you. I think that in this material world, association with devotees—even
if it be for a moment—is the greatest treasure house for mankind.” The
importance of materially conditioned devotees associating with saintly
persons has thus been stressed by all the Vaiṣṇava authorities, even those
who seemed to shun the company of others in order to prosecute their
solitary worship. Although it is a fact that great paramahaṁsas like Śrīla
Mādhavendra Purī performed such solitary worship in complete purity,
this cannot be imitated by neophytes. Even a fraction of a moment’s
association with genuine sādhus has immeasurable benefit:
‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’—sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
SYNONYMS
sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga—association with pure devotees; sarva-
śāstre—all the revealed scriptures; kaya—say; lava-mātra—even
for a moment; sādhu-saṅge—by association with a devotee;
sarva-siddhi—all success; haya—there is.
 TRANSLATION
“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a
moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all
success.”
PURPORT
According to astronomical calculations, a lava is one eleventh of
a second.64

62. Shri Chaitanya’s Teachings, Part I, “Search for Truth,” Sree Gaudiya Math, Madras
1975, pp. 26, 27.
63. CC Madhya-līlā 8.251, translation and purport by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
64. Ibid, 22.54, translation and purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda.
 The Householder’s Vow

A newly-married devotee and his wife once went to pray for the mercy
of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī. Bābājī Mahārāja instructed the
husband, saying, “If you actually want to perform devotional service,
then you must live separately from your wife and thus, not depending
on one another, chant the glories of the Lord.” After hearing these
instructions the newly-weds did as they were advised. A few days
passed, and that devotee came again to Bābājī Mahārāja, who then
asked, “Are you and your wife taking your foodstuffs together or
separately?” The husband told him, “We are living separately and
carrying on our worship as you instructed, but we take our foodstuffs
together.”
Bābājī Mahārāja then inquired, “What did you have today?”
The newlywed man answered, “We had very nice vegetables, the
tastiest dāl and fried eggplant.”
Bābājī Mahārāja then explained, “If you only give up the external
connection with your wife, that is not sufficient, because you are
associating with her within. You have not been able to give up the
finest foodstuffs prepared by your wife, so how will you be able to
worship the Lord? Your wife is communicating with you through the
medium of what she has cooked. For shame! Even though you are
acting as if you are chanting the Lord’s Holy Name, still you are
desiring the stems of the finest vegetables. Do you think that after
someone suffers a loss of one lakh of rupees, he will be satisfied
accepting only a handful of rice? Although he may gradually become
accustomed to accepting the rice as a daily practice, still he will always
think of the money he has lost. Even if one were to give such a person
the most delicious foodstuffs, because he will always be anxious about
what he has lost, he will not be able to put the longing for it from his
heart. You have lost that which is invaluable—your devotional service to
the Supreme Lord. Thus, how can you become absorbed in eating such
nice foodstuffs? As for your wife, externally you are disassociated from
her, yet you are maintaining attachment within.”
Householders may feel intimidated by Bābājī Mahārāja’s
uncompromising judgment of the marital situation. Fortunately, he
gave other instructions that resolve the problem of the material
attachment that inevitably arises within a marriage. Some of these
instructions are dealt with in other chapters.
Renunciation for Kṛṣṇa’s Pleasure and False
Renunciation

A married man present during Bābājī Mahārāja’s conversation with the

newly wedded husband inquired from the paramahaṁsa as follows, “We
see that there are many Vaiṣṇavas living with their wives who perform
devotional service to Lord Hari. Will any benefit accrue to such
persons?”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “The living entity is the eternal servant
of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, when the conditioned soul looks upon his
wife and sons, he simply sees their material forms. If one does not have
the eye of devotion one can never perceive his real identity as the
eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned souls always have the
inclination to enjoy their wives and children. These days the living
entities do not like to hear the topics of the Supreme Lord or to get the
association of the Lord’s devotees. If one does not attain the spiritual
energy given by the chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord, then one
will become attracted by his wife and offspring.
“Then again, some persons feign detachment from their wives,
children, and sense pleasures. This kind of external renunciation is like
the renunciation of monkeys [who are not actually renounced, although
they apparently renounce clothing, proper shelter, and the other
trappings of sensory inclination]. The renunciation of the monkey-like
renunciates (markata-vairāgīs) is simply a pretence. The genuine
Vaiṣṇava will never maintain an attitude of sense gratification towards
his wife; rather, he will always regard himself as the servant of Kṛṣṇa and
the bona fide guru.
Those actually desirous of performing hari-bhajana, but in whose
hearts the weeds of material desires grow, and who are unable to give
up excessive attachment to wife and children, should also come and hear
from the pure devotees, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and perform congregational
chanting. In this way, they can quickly become detached from the
inclination to enjoy their wives and children. They will gradually realize
that if one completely surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, then one will attain all
auspiciousness. As long as one remains in bodily consciousness, one
cannot obtain the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The extension of bodily
consciousness is seen in the affection displayed for one’s wife and
offspring. And yet, one who leaves the association of his wife because of
being thoroughly distressed in mind and continues to seek happiness for
his own mind and body is not a real renunciate. The distinctive feature
of the renunciation of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa is its not being diverted
from Him in any way. A real renunciate accepts whatever is favorable
for the Lord’s satisfaction and rejects whatever is unfavorable.”65
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu described the alternative to monkey-like
renunciation to Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī as follows:
markata-vairāgya nā kara loka dekhāñā
yathā-yogya viśaya bhuñja’ anāsakta haña
“You should not make yourself a show bottle devotee and
become a false renunciate (markata-vairāgī). For the time being,
enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become
attached to it.”66
In his commentary to the above verse, Śrīla Prabhupada states,
“The word markata-vairāgya, indicating false renunciation, is very
important in this verse. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in
commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external
show of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in
the forest. In this way they consider themselves renunciates, but actually
they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female
monkeys. Such renunciation is called markata-vairāgya—the
renunciation of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one
actually becomes disgusted with material activity and sees it as a
stumbling block to spiritual advancement. Renunciation should not be
phalgu, temporary, but should exist throughout one’s life. Temporary
renunciation, or monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels
at a cremation ground.

“When a man takes a dead body to the crematorium, he sometimes

thinks, ‘This is the final end of the body. Why am I working so hard
day and night? Such sentiments naturally arise in the mind of any man
who goes to a crematorial ghāṭa. However, as soon as he returns from
the cremation grounds, he again engages in material activity for sense
enjoyment. This is called śmaśāna-vairāgya, or markata-vairāgya ... The
word markata-vairāgya is used by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to indicate
so-called Vaiṣṇavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying to imitate
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Such people carry a bead bag and chant (Hare
Kṛṣṇa), but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and
money. Unknown to others, these markata-vairāgīs maintain women but
externally present themselves as renunciates. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
was very much opposed to these markata-vairāgīs, or pseudo-Vaiṣṇavas.”

65. See the chapter, “The Duty of Married Couples,” for further clarification by Bābājī
Mahārāja and to provide hope for those engaged in gṛhastha life!
66. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 16.238, translation and purport by Śrīla A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Highest Happiness

Someone once observed a follower of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī

Mahārāja begging alms at noon in the hot summer sun, during the
month of Caitra (April-May). Approaching Bābājī Mahārāja, he asked
him, “Why is your servant begging in the hot sun? Everyone begs in
the morning, and they then return to their residences.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja told him, “Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has
instructed his followers:
tomāra sevāya, duḥkha hoya jato,
sei to’ parama sukha
seva-sukha-duḥkha, parama sampada,
nāśaye avidya-duḥkha
‘All the troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause
of great happiness, for in Your devotional service joy and
sorrow are equally great riches. Both destroy the misery of
ignorance.’”67
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī has given this instruction to those
who, desiring real benefit, always take shelter of the Supreme Master, Śrī
Kṛṣṇa, and the devotees of the Lord. One must tolerate the distress that
comes to them as one practices devotional service in this unhappy
world. In this way, the dualistic sufferings which appear in the form of
happiness and distress will diminish. As long as one renders service unto
the Lord in order to achieve a comfortable material situation, he cannot
become free from the bondage of ignorance.

67. Śaraṇāgati 8.4 by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, translation by Daśaratha-suta dāsa,

Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Different Forms of Māyā

Once, during the rainy season, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja left his kuṭira and
dwelled on the outer veranda of a dharmaśālā in Navadvīpa. Rice prasāda
was kept there for him on a hanging rope shelf. A poisonous snake
slithered down the wall by the aid of the rope shelf, took note of the
aroma of the prasāda and started to move away. Seeing the snake, an old
woman came running, crying, “A snake is about to bite you!”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja, who was apparently blind, beat the ground
with his hand and then asked, “Where is the snake? Where is the
snake?” In the meantime the serpent disappeared.
The old woman exclaimed, “Oh Bābājī Mahārāja, have you gone
mad? That snake could have bitten you. He has just disappeared by your
right side. Had you extended your right hand a fraction more to the
side, you would have been bitten for sure. We cannot allow you to stay
here on this veranda any longer.”
Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja told her, “Mother, you have
inconvenienced yourself by standing here for such a long time. You
must be tired. Please don’t stand here any longer.”
The woman replied with determination, “I shall not leave this place
until you go into your room.”
Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I am going to accept prasāda now. First, I
will take prasāda, and then I will go into my room.”
 The old woman continued to admonish him, saying, “That prasāda
may have been touched by the lips of the snake. You cannot accept it
because if it is poisonous you will die. I will bring fresh prasāda for you.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja then firmly stated, “I only accept prasāda that
has been offered to the Deity or which I have obtained through
begging, and not otherwise. I do not take food offered by materialistic
people.”
Turning to one of Bābājī Mahārāja’s attendants, the old woman
asked, “Will you please arrange for more rice for Bābājī Mahārāja.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja then spoke more firmly, saying, “My dear
Mother, if you do not leave this place, I shall not listen to anything else
you have to say.” Feeling rejected, the woman left. After some time, the
Bābājī asked the attendant if she had gone. Being answered in the
affirmative, he remarked, “Did you see that, how Māyā is acting? How,
under the pretension of sympathy, she tries to gain control, how she
tries to gradually enter in various deceptive ways. Māyā takes on various
forms. She knows many tricks to cause the living entity to give up the
worship of the Lord. Under different pretensions, she tried to make me
enter my room, not accept prasāda and so forth. She never lets the living
entity serve the Supreme Lord.” Then the paramahaṁsa began to loudly
sing the following song by Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura:
gaurā pahu nā bhajiyā goinu
prema-ratana-dhana helāya hārāinu
I did not consider worshiping Lord Gaurāṅga, but instead
brought about my spiritual ruin by neglecting that treasure
trove of pure love of God.
adhane yatana kari dhana teyāginu
āpana karama-doṣe āpani ḍubinu
I gave up the association of the saintly devotees to enjoy myself
in the company of the ungodly. Therefore I am bound up by
 the snare of karma.
sat-saṅga chāḍi’ kainu asate vilāsa
te-kāraṇe lāgilo ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa
I am always drinking the dangerous poison of sense
gratification, thus I can never absorb myself in the blissful nectar
of chanting the glories of Lord Caitanya.
viṣaya-viṣama-viṣa satata khāinu
gaura-kīrtana-rase maghana nā hainu
Why am I still living and what happiness do I have? Narottama
dāsa says, “Why have I not died long ago?”
keno vā āchaye prāṇa ki sukha pāiyā
narottam dās keno nā gelo mariyā
This is not only Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s lamentation. If I
cannot come in touch with Lord Caitanya and His associates, it
would be better for me to die.
This great song was one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s favorites, and he has
elaborately purported the song, verse by verse as follows:

“This is a song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He says, gaura pahu nā

bhajiyā goinu: ‘I have invited my spiritual death by not worshiping Lord
Caitanya.’ Gaura pahu means ‘Lord Caitanya,’ and nā bhajiyā, ‘without
worshiping.’ Goinu: ‘I have invited spiritual death.’ And why have I
invited spiritual death? Adhane yatane kari dhana teyāginu: ‘Because I am
engaged in something which is useless and have rejected the real
purpose of my life.’ Adhane means ‘valueless things,’ and dhana means
‘valuables.’ So actually every one of us is neglecting our spiritual
emanicipation: we are engaged in material sense gratification, and
therefore we are losing the opportunity of this human form of body to
elevate ourselves to the spiritual platform. This human body is especially
provided to the conditioned soul to give him a chance for spiritual
emancipation.

“So anyone who does not care for spiritual emancipation is inviting
spiritual death. Spiritual death means to forget oneself-to forget that one
is spirit. That is spiritual death, like animal life. Animal life is full
forgetfulness. The animals cannot be reminded under any circumstances
that they are not this body. It is only in this human form of life that one
can understand that he is not this body, that he is spirit soul. By
chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one can easily understand this fact. In other words,
by worshiping Lord Caitanya, following His principles and ways, and
chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one can very easily come to the platform of
spiritual understanding.

“But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says on our behalf that we are neglecting
this. Therefore we are inviting spiritual death. Then he says, prema-
ratana-dhana helāya hārāinu. Spiritual life means to develop real love.
Everyone says ‘love.’ There are so many signboards, so many books:
‘Love, love.’ But there is no love. This is illusion. It is all lust. ‘Love’ for
intoxication, ‘love’ for sex, ‘love’ for this and that. This is going on.
Actually, the word love is applicable only with Kṛṣṇa, with God: To love
means to love Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual love. And we are created for that
purpose. So, that is wanted. Narottama dāsa says, ‘I could have achieved
that transcendental treasure of love, but I was robbed of it because of
neglecting to worship Lord Caitanya.’ And why has this happened?
Āpana karama-doṣe āpani ḍubinu: ‘Due to my past misdeeds.’ Due to our
past misdeeds, we get a certain type of body. Everyone who has got a
material body has received it due to his past misdeeds, and even his past
pious deeds.
“Actually, as long as one gets a material body, there are no pious deeds.
‘Pious deeds’ means no more material body. Otherwise, it is to be taken
as a fact that even Brahmā, who is the chief living entity within this
universe and has a long, long duration of life and so much power, still,
he is considered to have performed misdeeds because he has a material
body. So, by our misdeeds we go down and down, getting one body
after another. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that people do not know
that by engaging in sense gratification they are assuring that they will
have another body. And the body is the cause of material pangs. It is
only because I have this body that I feel a headache, a stomachache, etc.
But as soon as we are out of this material body, there are no more
material pangs. It is simply joyful life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.
Prasannātmā means ‘joyful.’ But due to our past misdeeds we are missing
this opportunity.

“And why is it happening? Sat-saṅga chāḍi’ kainu asate vilāsa: ‘I have

given up the association of devotees and am associating with common
nonsense men for sense gratification.’ Sat means ‘spirit,’ and asat means
‘matter.’ Association with nondevotees produces material attachment,
and that means implication in material, conditioned life. So, one has to
associate with devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido. One can
learn about God only in the association of devotees. Therefore we are
pushing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. You’ll find that one who
comes to this society and associates with us for a few days or a few
weeks becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, and soon he comes forward for
initiation and further advancement.

“So, association with devotees is very important. But here Narottama

dāsa Ṭhākura laments, sat-saṅga chāḍi kainu asatye vilāsa te-kāraṇe lāgilo
ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa: ‘I have given up the association of devotees and
tried to enjoy among nondevotees, and immediately māyā has caught
me and mangled me in the web of fruitive activities.’ Māyā is just by our
side. As soon as we give up the company of devotees, Māyā says, ‘Yes,
come to my company.’ Nobody can remain without any company; that
is not possible. One must associate with either māyā or Kṛṣṇa. And
when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, we mean Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Kṛṣṇa is
never alone. He is always with Rādhārāṇī, with the other gopīs, with the
cowherd boys. So to be Kṛṣṇa conscious means to keep association with
the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

“Next Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, visaya-viṣama-viṣa satata khāinu: ‘I

have always drunk the most dangerous poison of sense gratification.’
Viṣaya means ‘sense gratification.’ Eating, sleeping, mating, and
defending—these four principles are called viṣaya. And viṣama means
‘dangerous.’ And viṣa means ‘poison.’ If one is simply engaged with
these four activities, just like the animals, then one is simply drinking
poison. That’s all. ‘I know this is poison, but I am so much intoxicated
that I am drinking this poison at every moment.’ Then, gaura-kīrtana-
rase maghana nā hainu: ‘Therefore I could not merge myself into the
saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya.’ That is actually the fact. Those
who are too much attached to the materialistic way of life, who are
always drinking the poison of sense gratification, are not attracted by
the saṅkīrtana movement.

“Finally Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, representing ourselves, laments, keno

vā āchaye prāṇa ki sukha pāiyā: ‘Why am I living? I have not associated
with the devotees, I have not taken part in the saṅkīrtana movement, I
do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, I do not understand what is Lord
Caitanya. Then why am I living? What is my happiness? Why did I not
die long, long ago?’ So, this is not only Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s
lamentation. Every one of us should think like that: ‘If I cannot associate
with devotees, if I cannot understand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement, if I cannot come in touch with Lord Caitanya and His
associates, it would be better for me to die.’ This is the substance of this
song.”68
The paramahaṁsa bābājī considered that the snake and the
argumentative old woman were agents of the illusory potency come to
test his determination to serve the Lord according to his own strict
standards. Of course, such a Vaiṣṇava as Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja showed no signs of materialistic tendencies of any sort. It was
out of humility that he thought himself liable to be seduced by Māyā. If
such a devotee as Bābājī Mahārāja thought this, how much should we be
careful, who simply aspire for spiritual advancement, not knowing
when we shall achieve it?

68. Songs of the Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas, translation and purport of Gaurā Pahu by HDG A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Dāsa Bābājī and the
Supersoul

One night, at about ten o’clock, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja suddenly awoke,
shouting, “Did you see that? Did you see that? That professional Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam reciter has gone to the district of Pavana, and at night he has
had illicit sex with a widow there. This is abominable! These evildoers,
by their vile activities, have scandalized the name of religion.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja uttered these statements as though he were
directly witnessing everything. He continued, saying, “Mahāprabhu has
let me know the truth about this so-called scholar, who travels from
place to place advertising himself as very learned. In the name of giving
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class he collects money to support himself. The
common people do not know his real nature. He always keeps a widow
with him. When anyone asks him about her, he passes her off as his
wife. Whatever money he earns he spends to purchase expensive items
for her. Is there anyone who is more of an offender and a hypocrite than
this person?”
The opulence of omniscience was bestowed upon the paramahaṁsa
for the purpose of unmasking rascals and hypocrites. Such incidents
provide evidence that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was directing Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja to expose the various forms of
deception and hypocrisy that exist in the name of spiritual life. We are
fortunate that he did, for if he had not identified the cheaters around
him, his own character might not have shone forth as resplendently as it
did.
Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī has written the following verse:

“My dear mind, you have embraced the path of self realization, yet you
foolishly think that you are cleansing yourself by bathing in the
pretentiously fierce qualities of deceit and fault-finding, which are
compared to impure donkey urine. Factually, you are incinerating
yourself and dragging an infinitesimal spirit soul like me into the
conflagration. Stop this suicidal course! Dive into the immortal ocean of
sublime ambrosia that awaits you in loving devotional service at the
lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Resuscitate my very being and
thus give both of us endless happiness.”
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda has commented on this verse in his Śrī
Bhajana-darpaṇa as follows:

“This verse gives advice to those who have been able to subdue lust and
anger, but have failed to vanquish the great enemy of deceit. The
sādhaka, or spiritual practitioner, is of three kinds: svaniṣṭha, devoted to
self-realization; pariniṣṭhita, dedicated to rules and regulations; and
nirapekṣa, detached. The svaniṣṭha sādhaka completely rejects all the
principles of varṇaśrāma-dharma and endeavors solely to satisfy the
Supreme Lord Hari. The pariniṣṭhita-sādhaka organizes his life and
activities to conform to the rules of devotional service and Deity
worship. These two sādhakas are usually householders. The third type of
aspiring devotee, the nirapekṣa-sādhaka, or the detached devotee, is a
renunciate and celibate. All three would do well to renounce
deceitfulness because deceit and pretense devastate spiritual
understanding.
“When the renunciate, or nirapekṣa-sādhaka, becomes deceitful he
considers himself to be a very elevated devotee, and exploits the
renunciate’s dress and status, looking down upon other devotees as if
they were inferior. He collects objects and wealth far in excess of the
basic requirements for a life of renunciation, and associates with women
in the name of spiritual practice or preaching. He leaves the shelter of
the temple to collect funds and donations only to remain in close
contact with materialists. He is always in anxiety about collecting funds,
yet covers his deceit with a show of devotion. He is overly attached to
the dress, position, and the rules and regulations of the renounced order,
and thus neglects the main purpose of spiritual life, which is to develop
attachment for Kṛṣṇa. These traits like deceit, fault-finding, speculation,
argumentation, etc., are very detrimental to true spiritual realization and
have therefore been compared in this verse to the ass. Fools may think
that they can bathe in ass urine and become cleansed, but factually it
only pollutes their spiritual lives.”69

69. Manaḥ-śikṣā, by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, verse 6. Commentary from Śrī

Bhajana-darpaṇa-bhāṣya by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, translation by Sarvabhāvana dāsa,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 General Instructions

Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī once wrapped his body and feet with a
cloth. Sitting covered like this he said, “Many persons, after being
informed by others that I am a Vaiṣṇava, come here to collect the dust
from my feet. I tell them, ‘I am not a Vaiṣṇava. If you go where there
are Vaiṣṇavas with their feet pretentiously decorated and extended to be
touched, then you can get unlimited dust.’”
At this time a person named Bhattacharya came from Vṛndāvana
with his female companion to see Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja. Approaching
him, he said, “You are my spiritual master. Please be merciful to me.”
Bābājī Mahārāja replied, saying, “I have nothing. I have no rasagullās,
sandeśa, luci, purīs, money, sweet rice, or sweet words. How can I bless
you? Those spiritual masters who can feed their disciples many sweets
are praised as the most advanced. Nowadays such a person is qualified to
become a spiritual master. Presently, the learned section defines the
word anukūla [favorable] as ‘receiving wealth, a beautiful wife, or sweet
words.’”
Bhattacharya then remarked, “We have many misconceptions.
Whatever you instruct, that we will do.”
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja then instructed him, “I can
see what is most favorable for you. You should eat rice that has been
soaked in water and sit on a grass seat. You should eat food that not
even a dog would accept. You should wear clothes that even a thief
would not steal. You must remain in the association of devotees and
always chant the Holy Name of the Lord. By imitating the activities of
one who is very renounced, one resembles a monkey. Monkeys sit in
one place and remain quiet, but when they get the opportunity they
steal something. As long as one acts like a monkey, then his devotional
service will never become fixed.”
Bābājī Mahārāja thus instructed Bhattacharya with respect to his
actual position, and responded to his insincere plea for instruction by
giving him orders that a monkey-like renunciate could never follow.
The humorous description of so-called spiritual masters given by Bābājī
Mahārāja aptly describes a category of guru that people keep as a pet for
fulfilling their material desires. Though speaking for Bhattacharya’s
benefit, it is clear that the man was not sincere enough to actually hear
the powerfully instructive words of a bona fide guru.
 Aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā

A so-called gosvāmī approached Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja to learn the

intimate pastimes of the Lord called aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā (pastimes pertaining
to eight periods of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes that take place during a day and
night). The first time he came, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja told him, “Just now
I don’t have any leisure time. When I find the opportunity, I will
explain it to you.” As many times as the so-called gosvāmī came, he
received the same answer. Finally, the gosvāmī became disappointed and
stopped coming. That night at ten o’clock, the paramahaṁsa remarked,
“A person who becomes distressed at the loss of a useless coin cannot
possibly learn the most intimate pastimes of the Lord. Just by reading a
book about the aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, real understanding will not develop.
One may theoretically understand it, but where will his spiritual body
(for assisting the Lord in such pastimes) come from?
The attempt to reveal the Lord’s pastimes in ordinary literature has
created havoc. When such things are written in ordinary books, such
literature simply adds to a rubbish pile which is already heaped high.
Everyone is building a high wooden platform, two stories high. Then,
after climbing to the top of the platform, they simply pass stool. So
many people come to see me, but none of them are genuine. Before
they can understand aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, they will have to give up bad
association and continuously chant the Holy Name in the association of
devotees. If they attempt to whimsically perform solitary worship, they
will be snared by the illusory energy. The name, form, quality, and
pastimes of the Lord are manifested within the association of the
devotees. Wretched persons who do not have full faith in the chanting
of the Holy Name are creating an inauspicious situation for themselves
by separately attempting to understand such things. Their attempt to
worship the Lord is undertaken without proper intelligence.”
Bābājī Mahārāja declares that such esoteric subjects as aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā,
siddha-deha (spiritual body), etc. are not appropriate subjects for
discussion with neophyte devotees. Those who have attained the higher
rungs of bhakti, where genuine attachment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa arises, may
indeed relish and discuss these topics, having achieved a standard of
realization which makes such discussion relevant, but those on a lower
platform of understanding are expected to restrict themselves to the
reverential glorification of the Lord in the association of devotees. By
dint of that process, the spiritual body, siddha-deha, the Lord’s pastimes,
form, etc. are all revealed at the appropriate time.
Śrīla Prabhupāda also discussed the dangers of imitating more
elevated devotees and stressed that one should work towards becoming
free of material desires and attachments (anartha-nivṛtti). He repeatedly
pointed out that unless one is free from anarthas, there is no point of
talking of svarupa, siddha-deha, aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā, etc.

Prabhupāda: Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. The

siddhas [spiritually perfected beings], they think of gopīs. That is
recommended in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, siddha-deha. Where is [that]
siddha? And siddha-deha means there is no more any material lusty
desires. That is siddha-deha. Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame
smaryamāne. So long we shall think of nārī-saṅga, association, unity with
woman, we must consider this is material body. Not siddha body. Siddha
body means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. All material desires, zero.
That is siddha body.70

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, when one returns to his svarūpa, his
natural form, how does...

Prabhupāda: First of all, anartha-nivṛtti. You are accustomed to so many

bad habits. First of all try to rectify it, then talk of svarūpa. Where is your
svarūpa? Simply wasting time. A man is diseased, he’s thinking, “When I
shall be cured I shall eat, go to this hotel, I shall eat like this.” First of all
cure, then talk of eating this and that. Svarūpa, when you are cured, that
is svarūpa. So long you are not cured, what is the use of talking svarūpa?
First business is cure yourself. Anartha-nivṛtti, that is anartha-nivṛtti. Then
svarūpa will come. That is the bābājīs. In Vṛndāvana, you have seen?
Siddha-praṇālī.

Pradyumna: Ah, siddha-praṇālī, siddha-deha?

Prabhupāda: They are smoking and having illicit sex with one dozen
women-svarūpa. Rascal. This is called sahajiyā, a rascal. Condemned.
Where is your svarūpa? Don’t talk unnecessarily. First of all come to
svarūpa, then talk of svarūpa.

Devotee: So our motivation should be to get free from birth, disease,

old age and death.

Prabhupāda: That is already explained. But you must be determined

how to execute devotional service. Without determined devotional
service, how we can attain that position? So what is the use of talking
utopian? First business is anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Ādau śraddhā tathaḥ sādhu-
saṅgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyā tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. You adopt this means
that you have got full faith that “Kṛṣṇa consciousness will save me.”
Then you live with devotees who are similarly determined. Then you
execute devotional service. Then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, you’ll be free from
all these.... These are the stages. There is.... Up to anartha-nivṛtti, you
have to struggle very hard with determination, and then automatically
everything will come. Tato niṣṭhā tato rucis tataḥ, athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. So
before svarūpa, anartha-nivṛtti…71

You want to scrutinizingly study Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instructions,

but why just the parts about the gopīs? Why don’t you scrutinizingly
study where Caitanya Mahāprabhu says guru more mūrkha dekhi’ karila
śāsana, that His guru found Him to be a fool and told Him he was not fit
for anything but chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? Why don’t you scrutinize that
part? First become a fool like Caitanya Mahāprabhu before jumping
over like monkey!”

P________ tried to reassure him that they were not attempting to

imitate the gopīs’ love of Kṛṣṇa; they were simply studying the
descriptions so that they could develop such desires.

Prabhupāda flushed, his top lip quivering. “First deserve, then desire!
There is no question of desire unless one is actually liberated. Until that
point you simply do whatever service you are given. So long as there is
any pinch of material desire there is no question of desiring on the
spiritual platform!”

He said the intimate gopī-līlās were discussed by Lord Caitanya only

among His three most confidential associates—Svarūpa Dāmodara,
Rāmānanda Rāya, and Śikhi Māhiti. Siddha-deha is for liberated souls—
no one else.
S_________ said that they had thought it was all right because it was in
Prabhupāda’s books, and they were only reading his books. Prabhupāda
told them that just because a drugstore has every type of drug it does not
mean that one can get them without prescription. The doctor prescribes
according to the disease. He said that from the beginning stages of
devotional service up to the highest rasas, everything is there in his
books, but they are not all to be immediately studied.72

70. 760611sb.LA
71. 760623gc.nv
72. Transcendental Diary 2-5, June 5, 1976, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 An Unusual Bhajana-kuṭira

On another occasion Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja remarked, “It is not possible

to properly worship the Supreme Lord in an outhouse.”
Having made this remark, he saw that the people in his vicinity
could not grasp his meaning, and so he explained, “A house where
persons always indulge in eating and sensual pleasure is not a place for
sādhus. Such places may appear to be āśramas or temples, but they are the
abodes of lust. Sensual life may be permissible for the demigods, but not
for devotees of the Lord. Materialistic persons who live in this way
imagine they are residing in heaven, but they actually live in a deep
pool of excrement in the form of the sense objects of the material world.
However, when those who seriously worship the Supreme Lord take
full shelter of Him, wherever they reside becomes non-different to Śrī
Rādhā-kuṇḍa (the supremely holy pond of Śrī Rādhā).”73
Śrīla Prabhupāda refers to this incident as follows:

“There is a practical example set for us by Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī

Mahārāja, who used to sit on the side of a latrine to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Many materialistic persons used to come and bother him and disturb his
daily routine of chanting, so to avoid their company he used to sit by
the side of a latrine, where materialistic persons would not go because of
the filth and the obnoxious smell. However, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja was so great that he was accepted as the spiritual master of
such a great personality as His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja.”74
A few days after these remarks were made, the proprietor of a
Navadvīpa dharmaśālā named Mr. Girish, accompanied by his wife,
came to see Bābājī Mahārāja. The proprietor’s wife very humbly
requested Bābājī Mahārāja to allow them to build a bhajana-kuṭira (a
small cottage for worship) for him. They remarked that during the rainy
and cold seasons he was undergoing extreme hardship in the thatched
cottage where he was then residing. Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja
replied, “No, I am not experiencing even the slightest hardship. But
there is one thing which causes me difficulty. If you will agree to help
me, then I will tell you what it is.”
The couple expressed their eagerness, and so he continued, “Many
people come to me with selfish motives. They say, ‘kṛpā kara, kṛpā kara’
(bestow your mercy upon me). But they do not desire their real welfare,
and they simply create a disturbance to my bhajana. If you can give me
your latrine, it will serve as a favorable place for my chanting the Holy
Name of the Lord. There I shall be able to worship the Holy Name
without disturbance. People will hate to go there. If you cannot do this,
then do not disturb me and make me waste this human form of life by
speaking so much nonsense.”
On hearing this, Mr. Girish’s wife exclaimed, “Oh, most revered
Bābājī, we are prepared to obey your command. But if we let a saint live
in our privy, it will be a great sin for us.”
Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I am not a saint. Those who are pūjārīs
where the temple Deities are worshipped, or others who keep matted
hair and wear tree bark are saints. I am unable to worship the Lord in a
proper way, so a privy is the right place for me. If you can oblige me in
this way, then say so, otherwise I shall not listen to you any longer.”
Having no other alternative, Girish and his wife agreed to the
proposal and said, “Even if you do not utilize the room adjoining the
privy, there will be two chambers there for those who serve you.” Girish
had the exterior of the privy renovated by masons and the interior
thoroughly cleansed. Otherwise, the inner structure was left unchanged
for fear that the Bābājī would be displeased. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja stayed in the public latrine of a dharmaśālā to teach
people in general that attachment to material affairs under the pretense
of devotion, is more foul-smelling than excrement.
Śrīla Prabhupāda has commented on this transcendental instruction
and tactic of Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja as follows:

So therefore Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, he remained niṣkiñcana. And his

disciple, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, he also remained niṣkiñcana although
he possessed so many temples, because nothing was for his personal, but
for Kṛṣṇa.

So one may question that “Your Guru Mahārāja was sitting on the
ground in a municipal lavatory...” Because he did not like that “anybody
should disturb me,” he was sitting by the side of municipal lavatory.
Because so many people will come for darśana and āśīrvāda [blessings or
benedictions], he did not like it. He did not like to be disturbed by these
āśīrvāda [seekers of blessings or benedictions]. You see? They will not
take any spiritual instruction. They are thinking that “Here is a saintly
person, and he’ll bless me.

So I have got now one thousand. I’ll take ten thousand.” That’s all.
Therefore they come. They do not come to take any spiritual
instruction. Therefore it is botheration. It is botheration. So Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not like this botheration. He was sitting
by the side of a municipal lavatory so that “these rascals will not come
out [due to] the bad smell and will not disturb me.” You see? So he was
akiñcana. So similarly... Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was a gṛhastha,
very opulent, governor. He is also akiñcana, because nothing was
possessed by him personally; everything for Jagannātha. This is the
distinction. On one side, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and another side, Rāmānanda
Rāya. And Rāmānanda Rāya is the most confidential devotee of
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he’s a gṛhastha, because he is akiñcana, as
akiñcana as Rūpa Gosvāmī. So we have to become akiñcana. Akiñcana.
Then we shall realize Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore it is said, akiñcana-gocaram: “You are understandable only by a

person who does not possess so-called material opulence.” So we should
always remember that whatever we are trying for materially..., it is all
for Kṛṣṇa, nothing for us. So that people may... Big, gorgeous temple
means people will be attracted to come here, and we’ll distribute Kṛṣṇa’s
prasādam. The aim is some way or other to turn them to convert them
into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you remain akiñcana. And if we think
that “We have now got a very big house, we shall live comfortably and
sleep comfortably,” then na gocaram, then Kṛṣṇa will not be realized.
Then that comfort will be realized only, not Kṛṣṇa. Akiñcana-gocaram.
We should always remember this.75
Bhakti Vikāsa Swami has included some additional background and
details of this pastime as follows:

A brāhmaṇa youth from Calcutta named Mitra, although from a well-to-

do background, once arrived at the Yogapīṭha dressed in only a tattered
and grubby cloth that covered only his loins and thighs. Seeking a guru
who fit his ideal of complete renunciation, he spent a few days
discussing deeply with Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī, but left in disgust upon
beholding the latter’s absorption in managing the estate of the
Yogapīṭha and arranging for extra properties. Convinced that he had
nothing to learn from Siddhānta Sarasvatī, Mitra set out for Kuliyā to see
what he could get from Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī’s guru, famed as the
greatest renunciate of that time.
Gradually that youth became the foremost of Śrīla Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī’s assistants. But as his responsibility grew, so too did his ego, and
he became so conceited and bossy that whenever Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī
came for darśana of Bābājī Mahārāja, Mitra refused him entrance and
closed the door on him, leaving Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī to simply offer
daṇḍavat to his gurudeva from outside. Mitra appointed himself as the
custodian of the plentiful milk products and other rich foods offered to
Bābājī Mahārāja, disobeying his order to not accept them. Assuring
donors that he had given their offerings to Bābājī Mahārāja, Mitra
would himself devour them. Fortified by such nutrition, he spent his
nights enjoying other’ wives.

One day while Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī was visiting, Bābājī Mahārāja
scolded another person for desiring to touch his lotus feet—after which
he called Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī to his side, and in Mitra’s presence
voluntarily took his own foot dust and smeared it on Sarasvati’s head. In
humility, Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī , believing himself out of favor,
considered this bestowal of foot dust a sarcastic masquerade to underline
his severe offensiveness. A few days later Bābājī Mahārāja decided to
shift residence to an outhouse of a Kuliyā dharmaśālā, which Mitra
arranged to be thoroughly cleaned.

About six months later, when Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī again came for
darśana of his gurudeva, Mitra came out of the latrine he was occupying
adjacent to Bābājī Mahārāja’s and told Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī that he (Śrī
Siddhānta Sarasvatī) would not be allowed into Bābājī Mahārāja ’s
presence. Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī replied that at least Bābājī Mahārāja
should be informed of his arrival. Hearing Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s
voice, Bābājī Mahārāja came out of the latrine and stated: “Go bring
Bhaktivinoda Prabhu from the world of Kali to Godruma. People are
attacking me with their annoying talk.” Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
respectfully inquired, “Are you testing me? If the good fortune that I
have received in the form of dust from your lotus feet on my head
continues to act, then I will not be deluded by your deceptive pastimes.
Isn’t it true that Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura does not reside anywhere
else (even for a moment) but Rādhā-kuṇḍa, or that you reside anywhere
other than Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa? The fact that you have entered a latrine is
simply your pastime to apprise persons of their own situation who desire
the excreta of money, women, and prestige. Despite observing you in
the outhouse, I shall never be deprived of the dust from your lotus feet.”

Bābājī Mahārāja responded, “Yes, yes, I know that Bhaktivinoda Prabhu

and yourself are directly Nityānanda Prabhu.76 All of your activities are
according to Mahāprabhu’s desire. How can insignificant people
comprehend you?” He (Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja ) then
recounted how he had discovered Mitra to be a philanderer and
epicure77, and turning to Mitra, advised him to go home, get a job, and
end his hypocrisy. Although returning to secular life was most
humiliating even for a show-bottle renunciate (which possibly was why
so many pseudo-renunciates maintain their charade), the hapless youth
actually followed Bābājī Mahārāja’s sage advice, his ideals having been
consumed by false pride and offensiveness.78
A disease that is sometimes prominent among neophyte devotees is
to adopt language which advertises their own devotion, humility, and
realization which is, in truth, not yet developed in them. This is
sometimes done to cover their embarrassment at not having achieved
the level of elevation that they feel they should have achieved after a few
years of practice. From a social point of view, this lacking does not look
well for them, so there tends to be a “fake it until you make it
approach,” which creates another form of anxiety: that someone may
discover that they are not what they claim to be. Hierarchical
advancement in societal leadership roles is also sometimes taken as an
indication of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, and some devotees take it that the more
they are honored in society, the more advanced they must have become.
Mundane measurements of “success” are misleading, and a Vaiṣṇava
should know it. It is always better to embrace honesty rather than
pretension. This can also be understood from Bābājī Mahārāja’s
instruction.

73. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p. 224.
74. SB 4.2.18 purport by HDG Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta
Vedabase 2003.
75. 741006SB.MAY, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
76. This statement should not be misunderstood. Bābājī Mahārāja is seeing the
Ṭhākura and his son as pure representatives of Nityānanda Prabhu. Therefore, in his
estimation, they transparently exhibited the will and conclusion of the original guru,
Lord Nityānanda. Thus, Bābājī Mahārāja viewed the Ṭhākura and even his son as
instructing gurus.
77. . In plainer language, Mitra (or Madhu) could have been termed a “woman-
hunter” and a “glutton!”
78. Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. 1, pp. 41, 42, by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami who writes
that: “This account is redacted from published lectures of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī. In Amāra Prabhura Kathā, a biographical sketch of Śrī Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī is given in brief with some differing details—
for instance, the name Madhu being given for Mitra…Summarizing these anecdotes,
the book Parama Guru Śrī Gaura Kiśora describes that some days after being exposed
by Bābājī Mahārāja, Mitra (Madhu) became extremely sick and was taken back to
secular life by a family member.”
 Unlawful Imitation and Wickedness

There was no space in the latrine to accommodate more than one

person. Bābājī Mahārāja used to bolt the door from the inside and chant
the Holy Name of the Lord. Adjoining the privy was a dilapidated
chamber. A man named Madhu (aka Mitra) moved into that room, had
the roof repaired with tin, and began to chant in imitation of Bābājī
Mahārāja. One day, Bābājī Mahārāja called out to him, saying, “What
are you doing and what are you contemplating in that room with the
door closed? What are you thinking about in your secluded state? He
who does not chant the Holy Name of Hari in the association of
devotees, free from offense, is not in a position to see anything but the
four walls of a room. Are you seeing the surroundings? Are you
thinking about desirable women, fame, or material gain? If you remain
in that room, then different kinds of rubbish thoughts will assail you.”
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora, although physically blind, then demonstrated his
capacity for seeing by disclosing Madhu’s hypocrisy. He informed the
hypocrite that he was cognizant of all of his “secret” acts: how he had
stolen the money and food which was left for Bābājī Mahārāja by others,
and how he had gone to various places in Navadvīpa to indulge in illicit
intercourse with women. Eventually, this imitator became the victim of
a serious disease. He became so ill that after a few days his friends had to
come and carry him away to his house. It has thus been demonstrated
how, as a result of offenses committed by the imitation of a mahā-
bhāgavata, one eventually falls down. He taught how worldly people,
under the pretense of religious activities, experience only the seeming
pleasure of sense gratification, which is compared to living in
excrement. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja displayed these pastimes with a view to
instructing his followers.79
Śrīla Prabhupāda has commented at length on the dangers of desires
for adoration, profit, and distinction:

“As far as material profits are concerned, one should know that whatever
material profit one has must be abandoned at the time of death.
Unfortunately people do not know that there is life after death;
therefore, mundane people waste their time amassing material profit
which has to be left behind at the time of death. Such profit has no
eternal benefit. Similarly, adoration by mundane people is valueless
because after death one has to accept another body. Material adoration
and titles are decorations that cannot be carried over to the next body.
In the next life, everything is forgotten.

“All these obstructions have been described in this verse as unwanted

creepers. They simply present obstacles for the real creeper, the bhakti-
latā. One should be very careful to avoid all these unwanted things.
Sometimes these unwanted creepers look exactly like the bhakti creeper.
They appear to be of the same size and the same species when they are
packed together with the bhakti creeper, but in spite of this, the creepers
are called upaśākhā. A pure devotee can distinguish between the bhakti
creeper and a mundane creeper, and he is very alert to distinguish them
and keep them separate.”80

“The unwanted creepers have been described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta

Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying
to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense
gratification. One may also desire freedom from material bondage like
the Māyāvādīs, or one may become attached to the yoga-siddhis and
desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to wonderful material
activities, one is called siddhi-lobhī, greedy for material perfection. One
may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may
associate with women for illicit sex. One may make a show of
devotional service like the prākṛta-sahajiyās, or one may try to support
his philosophy by joining some caste or identifying himself with a
certain dynasty, claiming a monopoly on spiritual advancement. Thus,
with the support of family tradition, one may become a pseudo guru, or
so-called spiritual master.

One may become attached to the four sinful activities—illicit sex,

intoxication, gambling and meat-eating—or one may consider a
Vaiṣṇava to belong to a mundane caste or creed. One may think, ‘This
is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava, and this is a European Vaiṣṇava. European
Vaiṣṇavas are not allowed to enter the temples.’ In other words, one
may consider Vaiṣṇavas in terms of birth, thinking one a brāhmaṇa
Vaiṣṇava, another a śūdra Vaiṣṇava, another a mleccha Vaiṣṇava and so
on. One may also try to carry out a professional business by means of
chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or one
may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. Also, one
may become a cheap Vaiṣṇava by trying to chant in a secluded place for
material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputation by making
compromises with nondevotees concerning one’s philosophy or spiritual
life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system. All
these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat some
innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and
becomes known as a sādhu, mahātmā or religious person. All this means
that the so-called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted
creepers and that the real creeper, the bhakti-latā, has been stunted.”81
“The jñānī, the wise man, knows that material things are flickering. He
also knows that there are three aspects that complicate all material gain—
one wants profit from his work, one wants adoration from others
because of his riches, and one wants fame because of his wealth. In any
case, he knows that all of these apply but to the body and that when the
body is finished, they also go. When the body dies, one is no longer a
rich man but a spirit soul, and according to his work, he has to enter
another body. The Gītā says that a wise man is not bewildered by this,
for he knows what is what. Why then should he bother himself
attaining material wealth? His attitude is, I have an eternal connection
with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. Now let me establish that relationship
firmly so that Kṛṣṇa will take me back to His kingdom.”82

79. See the additional details of this story in the chapter, “An Unusual Bhajana-kuṭira.”
80. CC Madhya-līlā 19.159, purport by HDG A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
81. Ibid, 19.161.
82. On the Way to Kṛṣṇa section 5, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Desire for Scholarship

A brahmacārī named Ayatra Punya approached Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa

Bābājī and requested him to allow him to perform bhajana in his
association. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja advised him, “You should desist from
committing offenses at the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas and engage yourself in
chanting the Holy Name in the association of pure devotees.” The
brahmacārī heard this instruction but was disinclined to follow it.
Without informing Bābājī Mahārāja, he went to Rāḍhādeśa and
introduced himself there as a disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura and begged money, saying that it was for getting instruction
in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Upon returning, he began to study grammar
with a learned scholar. He thought that if he could become literate, then
he would be respected. He considered that because Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja
was illiterate he could not be very advanced. One day he visited Bābājī
Mahārāja and was told, “You are studying grammar in order to get
women and material position.” Hearing this, Ayatra replied that he had
no such evil desires, but he simply wanted to learn grammar so that he
could understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja attempted to help him again and told him,
“You have been to West Bengal, and you saw how reciters of the
Purāṇas make their living by reciting the Bhāgavatam. Therefore, you
have become greedy and want to fill your begging bowl. If you desire
your actual welfare, give up your offensive greed and engage yourself
sincerely in worshipping the Lord.” The foolish brahmacārī once again
ignored the good advice of Bābājī Mahārāja.
On yet another occasion the brahmacārī came to Bābājī Mahārāja and
prayed, “Please be merciful to me.” Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja was silent for
some time, and then he said, “You are thinking of earning your
livelihood. Do not try to fulfill your desires in that way.” No one
present at the time could understand to what Bābājī Mahārāja referred.
When the would-be reciter left, Bābājī Mahārāja told those present, “He
is having illicit intercourse with a widow.” He then instructed everyone
there for their benefit, saying, “Do not persuade others to commit sinful
activities, and if desires other than devotional service arise in your
minds, please come to me before acting and allow your minds to be
changed.”
By this instruction Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja indicated that illicit sex is a
most abominable and forbidden act. He who externally behaves like a
sādhu, but secretly has illicit intercourse, commits a most heinous sin.
This story illustrates once again the dangers of hypocrisy. If one
wishes to engage in sinful activity, then at least be honest about it. But
to make the pretense of devotion while doing so is not only deceitful
but makes the sin even more obnoxious and offensive.
 Devotion and Hypocrisy

A certain Dāmodara dāsa came to live with Bābājī Mahārāja for some
time. Due to this, he gained some respect from the local people. He had
originally come from Orissa where he had formerly been married.
Once, his former father-in-law came to visit him. The father-in-law
was accustomed to go from place to place with a manuscript of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam in his hand, reciting it as a means of earning his livelihood.
Bābājī Mahārāja had permitted Dāmodara dāsa to collect substantial
donations from the pilgrims who visited him. Without informing Bābājī
Mahārāja, Dāmodara dāsa gave a certain portion of the collection to his
father-in-law. The omniscient bābājī came to know of it, and he stopped
talking to Dāmodara dāsa. Prior to this incident, Dāmodara dāsa had
occasionally been allowed to boil rice for Bābājī Mahārāja, but after the
theft, Bābājī Mahārāja stopped eating anything touched by him. He
reverted to his practice of eating rice soaked in water.
Realizing he had been discovered, the Orissan became terrified, and
other associates of Bābājī Mahārāja became disturbed. The Orissan
began to fast from all food and water. When Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī was informed of this, he said, “If this worldly person does not
leave me immediately, then I will give up my life by drowning in the
River Ganges.” Shortly thereafter, Bābājī Mahārāja plunged into the
waters of the holy river. Seeing this, the people who were on the scene
immediately went to his rescue. He shouted at them, “Leave me alone.
Don’t touch me. If I cannot perform hari-bhajana, then I will not bear
this body anymore.” However, the people insisted on rescuing him.
When he was revived and made comfortable, he asked the people,
“Why did you take me from the Ganges? This Orissan has given away
all that I have to his father.” Hearing this, the people told him they
would replace whatever he had lost. They would give him four times
what the Orissan had given his father and were prepared to bring the
money immediately.
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja told them, “I don’t need the money, but I
refuse to keep this Orissan in my association. If I live with a hypocrite,
then my bhajana will be hindered.” Many of the people had thought that
the bābājī had wanted to drown himself due to his attachment to money.
Now, however, they could understand the truth: he was not attached to
money, but he could not tolerate hypocrisy in the name of service.
Hypocrisy or deceit is the sole province of Kṛṣṇa. Only He can exhibit it
without sinful reaction. When an ordinary person practices deceit, it is
an unlawful imitation of the Lord.
This pastime also stresses the importance of good association. By
good association one’s spirituality flourishes, and by association of those
who are deceitful or hypocritical, one becomes degraded. Bābājī
Mahārāja took this principle so seriously that he was prepared to give up
his life rather than be associated with a cheater and thus hinder his
progress in spiritual life. Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke frequently about both
good association and also the kind of association which must be given
up:
‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’—sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a
moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all
success.83
 A lava-mātra is equal to only 1/11 of a second. By this calculation,
association with a pure devotee has incomparable value. On the other
hand, association with those who are deceitful and hypocritical has a
very harmful effect. Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Prabhupāda have instructed
those seeking advancement in the path of bhakti-yoga:

“While the bhakti creeper is growing, the devotee must protect it by

fencing it all around. The neophyte devotee must be protected by being
surrounded by pure devotees. In this way he will not give the maddened
elephant a chance to uproot his bhakti creeper. When one associates
with nondevotees, the maddened elephant is set loose. Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu has said, asat-saṅga-tyāga,—ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [Cc. Madhya
22.87]. The first business of a Vaiṣṇava is to give up the company of
nondevotees.”84

83. CC Madhya-līlā 22.54, translation and purport by HDG A. C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
84. Ibid 19.157 purport.
 The Enjoying Spirit of the Materialist

Once, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu gave 100 rupees to Śrīla Sarasvatī

Ṭhākura for safekeeping. In order to keep it secure, he deposited the
money in a bank. One day, in his absence, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja
suddenly came to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and asked him for the
money. The Ṭhākura informed Bābājī Mahārāja that Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
has deposited the money in the bank, and in his absence it could not be
withdrawn. Bābājī Mahārāja declared that he needed the money
urgently and insisted on having it at once. Seeing no other alternative,
the Ṭhākura took the money from his own pocket and paid him. The
Bābājī sent that money to a well-known person in Vṛndāvana, and
having sent it, he remarked, “Considering me a Vaiṣṇava, people have
given me money for my enjoyment, but I am not a Vaiṣṇava. There are
Vaiṣṇavas at Vraja. I have sent the money for their service.”
Whatever money the people had given him in consideration of the
fact that he was a great Vaiṣṇava, the Bābājī had kept, but not for his
personal enjoyment. He always utilized any funds he collected in the
service of other exalted Vaiṣṇavas. The bābājī said, “Things which are
obtained by madhukārī (begging, i.e. going from place to place for
sustenance like a bee) are transcendental. One should eat what is
necessary for sustaining his worship of Hari. If one accepts more than he
needs, his heart will become contaminated and an obstruction will arise
in his worship of Lord Hari.”
 Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in confirmation of this principle:

“When one is in the renounced order, saving money is not

recommended. However, if one saves money for the service of the Lord
or a Vaiṣṇava, that is accepted. These are the dealings of Subuddhi Rāya,
who is one of the confidential devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also followed this principle by spending fifty
percent of his money in order to serve Kṛṣṇa through brāhmaṇas and
Vaiṣṇavas. He gave twenty-five percent of his money to relatives, and
twenty-five percent he deposited in the custody of a merchant. These
are the approved methods recommended in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Whether in the renounced order or in the gṛhastha order, a Vaiṣṇava
should follow these principles set forth by the previous ācāryas.”85

As far as gṛhasthas are concerned, Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly stressed

giving 50% of one’s hard-earned wealth for the propagation of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness:

To give charity is one of the householder’s main functions, and he

should be prepared to give in charity at least fifty percent of his hard-
earned money.86

The householder should earn money by business or by profession and

spend at least fifty percent of his income to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness;
twenty-five percent he can spend for his family, and twenty-five
percent he should save to meet emergencies. This example was shown
by Rūpa Gosvāmī, so devotees should follow it.87

The prescription is for the gṛhasthas, for the householder, as exemplified

by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī that his income was divided into four parts. Fifty
percent for Kṛṣṇa, twenty-five percent for the family and twenty-five
percent for his personal reserve fund. That he showed us [as an] example
how a gṛhastha should live. Not that out of hundred dollars, ninety-nine
percent for my wife, and one percent for Kṛṣṇa. No. Not like that. One
should sacrifice at least fifty percent... Brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, they have
sacrificed their everything, cent percent. The gṛhastha, they cannot do
that, because they have got wife, children. Therefore, fifty percent.88
Sometimes it is argued that giving 50% is not possible for most
devotees due to the nature of their employment, i.e. they don’t earn
much, so they cannot afford to do so. They also argue that the tax
authorities take too much of their earnings. Another argument is that
many devotees are caring for their families who are also devotees. So by
serving their families, they are giving 50% in that way. A final argument
is that Rūpa Gosvāmī gave 50% upon retiring from ministerial life, but
he wasn’t expected to do so during the time of his employment. There is
no doubt that 50% is a great challenge. We know that Kholāvecā
Śrīdhara sold banana leaf cups, supported himself in a very humble
manner, and offered 50% of his meager income for the worship of the
Ganges. So the poverty argument is not particularly strong, especially if
we are still able to afford expensive cars, furnishings, and other kinds of
extravagances. We can admit that we are not as renounced as a great
soul like Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, but 50% is still a worthy goal. If one’s
family members are actually devotees, then spending on their behalf is
certainly legitimate, but one should still give what they can in charity to
the other Vaiṣṇavas and Kṛṣṇa and live very simply without
extravagance. It is true that Rūpa Gosvāmī distributed his wealth at the
time of his retirement, so if one wants to wait for retirement, then
perhaps a goal of distributing 50% of one’s wealth at that time would be
something to aspire for. In any case, one should give as much as they
can for the service of Vaiṣṇavas and Kṛṣṇa, that is the point. If one can
only give five percent or ten percent, then that is a great way to start the
giving process. Such giving purifies the wealth, and represents sincerity
in devotional service. If possible, the amount can be increased to 20, 30,
or 40 percent. Giving means getting Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. We must observe
how Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was eager to give to other
Vaiṣṇavas, but for himself he lived very simply. Granted, his “simply” is
not possible for most of us, but the principle is clear.

85. Ibid, 25.205 purport.

86. SB 1.9.27 purport by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta
Vedabase 2003.
87. Ibid 3.21.31 purport, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta
Vedabase 2003.
88. 681223BG.LA.
 In the Hope of Acquiring Wealth

One day, Govinda Gosvāmī of Kuliyā, Navadvīpa, accompanied by a

person in the garb of a Vaiṣṇava ascetic, came to Bābājī Mahārāja and
said, “Bābājī, I have been abroad and have thus not been able to have
your darśana for a long time.” Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja said, “For your
bhajana at Navadvīpa you have been provided with a large house there,
as well as a well-constructed latrine. Why have you gone to the trouble
of leaving this province? Why have you gone to these other places?”
At this, the man’s friend said, “He goes to other places for the
deliverance of the people there. If our prabhu did not go to other lands,
what would happen to those people?”
Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja felt extremely disgusted and
remarked, “If it is your real object to elevate people of other lands, why
do you desire the wealth of a king? I have studied your mentality. You
are planning to construct a brick house. If you will only sincerely
engage in hari-bhajana and not consider yourself a ‘prabhu’, I will
inform Lord Nityānanda, and you will have 50 brick houses. But you
desire accommodations for the material enjoyment of your sons and
daughters, and thus Nitāi will provide you with material paraphernalia
and deprive you of love of Kṛṣṇa. If, in the name of liberating humanity,
you seek material profit, adoration, and acclaim you will become fallen.
What to speak of being liberated, the people will simply be cheated.”
Having thus spoken, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja started chanting loudly and
refused to stop until that evening. He cautioned those listening that as a
result of an offense to the holy name or an offense in worshipping the
Deity, one will achieve three results: dharma (mundane piety), artha
(material opulence) and kāma (sense pleasure). These are actually
misfortunes for the living entity. Lord Nityānanda cheats pseudo-
devotees by supplying their material wants but depriving them of love
of God.
Seeking profit, adoration and distinction are described as misfortunes
by Bābājī Mahārāja. This is confirmed by all of the great Vaiṣṇavas in
the bhakti line. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has been quoted in Śrī
Caitanya-caritāmṛta as follows:
‘niṣiddhācāra’, ‘kuṭīnāṭī’, ‘jīva-hiṁsana’
‘lābha’, ‘pūjā’, ‘pratiṣṭhādi’ yata upaśākhā-gaṇa

niṣiddha-ācāra—behavior not to be exhibited by a person desiring to

become perfect; kuṭīnāṭī—diplomacy; jīva-hiṁsana—unnecessarily killing
animals or the soul; lābha—profit according to material calculations; pūjā
—adoration achieved by satisfying mundane people; pratiṣṭha-ādi—
becoming an important man in material calculations, and so on; yata—
all these; upaśākhā-gaṇa—unnecessary creepers.

“Some unnecessary creepers growing with the bhakti creeper are the
creepers of behavior unacceptable for those trying to attain perfection,
diplomatic behavior, animal-killing, mundane profiteering, mundane
adoration and mundane importance. All of these are unwanted
creepers.”89
Sometimes such creepers are mistaken for the bhakti creeper, but in
fact they are weeds which can strangle the creeper. Even within the
realm of pious behavior, only one kind of sukṛti can truly be considered
fortunate. Citing the commentary of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla
Prabhupāda has explained:
“Pious activities can be divided into three categories: pious activities that
awaken one’s dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness are called bhakty-unmukhī
sukṛti, pious activities that bestow material opulence are called
bhogonmukhī sukṛti, and pious activities that enable the living entity to
merge into the existence of the Supreme are called mokṣonmukhī sukṛti.
These last two awards of pious activity are not actually fortunate. Pious
activities are fortunate when they help one become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
The good fortune of bhakty-unmukhī is attainable only when one comes
in contact with a devotee. By associating with a devotee willingly or
unwillingly, one advances in devotional service, and thus one’s dormant
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened.”90

89. CC Madhya 19.159, translation by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,

Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
90. Ibid, 22.45 purport.
 Gaura! Gaura! Not Rupee! Rupee!

Once, some people came to Bābājī Mahārāja and praised the son of a
certain caste Gosvāmī for his skill in explaining the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
The boy always chanted, “Gaura! Gaura!” and exhibited a variety of
emotional feelings. In this way he made many disciples. In response to
the boy being praised, Bābājī Mahārāja told the people, “This so-called
gosvāmī cannot explain the Gosvāmīs’ literature. He explains sense
gratificatory śāstra. He does not chant, ‘Gaura! Gaura!’ He shouts,
‘Rupees! Rupees! My rupees!’ As long as he maintains this mentality,
there is no question of his performing hari-bhajana. Because of his
materialistic activity, the Vaiṣṇava dharma remains concealed. This sort
of activity affords no benefit to the world; on the contrary, it creates a
disturbance.”91
Śrīla Prabhupāda has often severely criticized the useless practice of
Bhāgavata-saptāhas (recitation of the confidential sections of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam by unauthorized speakers):

“Professional speakers and a materially absorbed audience cannot derive

real benefit from such discourses. Professional speakers make a show of
Bhāgavata-saptāha for the sake of family maintenance, and the materially
disposed audience hears such discourses of Bhāgavata-saptāha for some
material benefit, namely religiosity, wealth, gratification of the senses, or
liberation. Such Bhāgavatam discourses are not purified from the
contamination of the material qualities. But the discourses between the
saints of Naimiṣāraṇya and Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī are on the transcendental
level. There is no motive for material gain. In such discourses, unlimited
transcendental pleasure is relished both by the audience and by the
speaker, and therefore they can continue the topics for many thousands
of years. Now Bhāgavata-saptāhas are held for seven days only, and after
finishing the show, both the audience and the speaker become engaged
in material activities as usual. They can do so because the speaker is not
bhagavat-pradhāna and the audience is not śuśrūṣatām, as explained
above.”92

“Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī instructs the poet from Bengal to hear

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a pure Vaiṣṇava and learn from him. In India
especially, there is now a class of professional Bhāgavatam readers whose
means of livelihood is to go from village to village, town to town,
reading Bhāgavatam and collecting dakṣiṇā, or rewards, in the form of
money or goods, like umbrellas, cloth and fruit. Thus there is now a
system of Bhāgavata business, with recitations called bhāgavata-saptāha
that continue for one week, although this is not mentioned in Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam. Nowhere does Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam say that the Bhāgavatam
should be heard for one week from professionals. Rather, Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) says, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-
kīrtanaḥ: one should regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a self-
realized Vaiṣṇava. By such hearing, one becomes pious: hṛdy antaḥ-stho
hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. As one thus hears the Bhāgavatam
regularly and sincerely, his heart is purified of all material
contamination:
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
“By regularly hearing the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of
service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is
 almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the
Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental
songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” (SB 1.2.18)

“This is the proper process, but people are accustomed to being misled
by professional Bhāgavatam reciters. Therefore Svarūpa Dāmodara
Gosvāmī herein advises that one should not hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
from professional reciters. Instead, one must hear and learn the
Bhāgavatam from a self-realized Vaiṣṇava. Sometimes it is seen that when
a Māyāvādī sannyāsī reads the Bhāgavatam, flocks of men go to hear
jugglery of words that cannot awaken their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.
Sometimes people go to see professional dramas and offer food and
money to the players, who are expert at collecting these offerings very
nicely. The result is that the members of the audience remain in the
same position of gṛham andha-kūpam, family affection, and do not
awaken their love for Kṛṣṇa.”93

91. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p. 224.
92. SB 1.18.15 purport by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
93. CC Antya-līlā 5.31 purport by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
One Suffers the Consequences of His Own
Deeds

A certain young man came to Bābājī Mahārāja and expressed a desire to

learn how to worship the Lord. Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja said, “If
you can leave aside the association of pseudo-Vaiṣṇavas and avaiṣṇavas
and can stay with us always, then you will be able to learn how to chant
the name of Lord Hari. We maintain ourselves by living on remnants of
the foodstuffs eaten by the inhabitants of the dhāma, we use the rejected
earthen pots of the residents of the dhāma, and we collect and wear the
discarded cloth used to cover corpses. If you associate with other so-
called Vaiṣṇavas, or those practicing worldly religion, they will consider
you untouchable and reject you, or you will commit the offense of
touching them.” Hearing this, the young man said, “Yes, whatever you
say, that I shall do.”
After a while, however, being charmed by the melodious voice of a
bhajana performer named Rāma dāsa, who dwelt close by, he joined him
in kīrtana without Bābājī Mahārāja’s knowledge. The young man also
ate so-called prasāda with him and accepted the gift of a pair of kāratālas.
One evening shortly thereafter, he chanted within the hearing of Bābājī
Mahārāja, playing his new kāratālas. A few days later, after taking his
morning bath in the Ganges, the young man began loudly reciting
Vaiṣṇava-vandana (prayers to the Vaiṣṇavas) within the hearing of Bābājī
Mahārāja. When the young man went to collect alms, Bābājī Mahārāja
called an attendant and said, “He is secretly coming and going to the
house of Rāma dāsa, and whatever ‘devotion’ he is gathering there, he is
trying to spread here. In fact, instead of devotion for Lord Hari, he is
amassing sinful reactions.”
Hearing this, someone said to Bābājī Mahārāja, “Who has informed
you of all these things?” Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “By hearing his
chanting and his manner of reading the Vaiṣṇava-vandana, I have been
able to analyze him. He will not be permitted to stay here anymore. If a
man once takes the bad association of counterfeit Vaiṣṇavas or non-
Vaiṣṇavas, he will never follow any beneficial instruction. He will only
learn hypocrisy.” After this incident, the young man, without informing
Bābājī Mahārāja, suddenly left for Purī. Sorrowfully, Bābājī Mahārāja
said, “That boy has been misguided. He was tempted by unsanctified
food and other things. I was not able to protect him. The jīva is
independent and reaps the results of his own deeds. Inspired by Kṛṣṇa,
he came to me, but he secretly associated with others and has invited
great danger. Now he will garb himself as a Vaiṣṇava ascetic. In this
way the ill-intentioned persons of this world assist ordinary people in
assuming the garb of devotees and turn them into fools. Hypocrites,
who receive obeisances from others and are greedy for good food,
assume the guise of Vaiṣṇavas. Their pretentious chanting of the Lord’s
name is nothing but the noise made by frogs. The more they croak, the
sooner they will be swallowed by the snake of material enjoyment.”

About a month later, the young man returned to Navadvīpa. He had

assumed the dress of a religious mendicant. Accompanied by the
mahānta (head priest) of a nearby āśrama, he came to see Bābājī
Mahārāja. After offering obeisances, the mahānta said, “Your disciple has
returned from Purī. He has become an advanced Vaiṣṇava and thinks
himself fortunate. He has served Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is performing
bhajana on the platform of spontaneous devotion.”
At this, Bābājī Mahārāja said:

“I cannot determine what sort of disciple of mine he is. In this world I

do not see anyone as a disciple. I have not been able to become a
disciple; therefore, how can I be expected to be the spiritual master of
others. If one artificially assumes the garb of a Vaiṣṇava, what sort of
Vaiṣṇava will he be? The noise created by frog-like hypocrites is neither
harināma nor hari-bhajana. The show of spontaneous devotion of such
frog-like people is for achieving the happiness of sense pleasure, but
they cannot enjoy that happiness for long. The black snake of material
enjoyment will swallow them. It is not so easy to serve Haridāsa
Ṭhākura. Why are you spoiling your life in the dress of a mahānta? Why
don’t you leave all this aside and chant the Holy Name with purity?”
To this stern query, the mahānta replied, “I have no material motive
in taking up this position. It is only for the welfare of the bhajana-āśrama
and for service to the Vaiṣṇavas. This area was overgrown, and I have
cut down the tangle of vegetation and tidied the area.” Hearing this,
Bābājī Mahārāja was extremely mortified, and he refused to talk to the
mahānta. When the mahānta left, Bābājī Mahārāja told those nearby:

“This atheistic person has informed me that he has cut the wish-
fulfilling trees and creepers of Navadvīpa. Alas! Alas! Just see! Just see! It
grieves us to cut even a solitary dry tree of Navadvīpa. These trees and
plants are our eternal friends. They assist Lord Gaura in His eternal
pastimes. These cruel persons never achieve the qualification to perform
devotional service to Lord Hari. By making an outward show of being a
Vaiṣṇava, they bring misfortune to themselves and to others as well.”
Dressing in the garb of a Vaiṣṇava to achieve mundane profit,
adoration, and distinction may attract the minds of foolish materialistic
persons who hanker endlessly for temporary sense enjoyment which
ends with the body at death. As Bābājī Mahārāja comments: “The black
snake of material enjoyment will swallow them.” The black snake may
be characterized as time itself which swallows or devours everything in
this world. Śrīla Prabhupāda graphically describes this in the prayers
offered by King Mucukunda:

“Yet in spite of our being so absorbed in material thought, inevitable

time, which is only a form of Yourself, is always careful about its duty,
and as soon as the allotted time is over, Your Lordship immediately ends
all the activities of our material dreams. As the time factor, You end all
our activities, as a hungry black snake swiftly swallows up a small
rat without leniency. Due to the action of cruel time, the royal body
which was always decorated with golden ornaments during life and
which moved on a chariot drawn by beautiful horses or on the back of
an elephant nicely decorated with golden ornaments, and which was
advertised as the king of human society—that same royal body
decomposes under the influence of inevitable time and becomes fit for
being eaten by worms and insects or being turned into ashes or the stool
of an animal. This beautiful body may be recognized as a royal body
while in the living condition, but after death the body of even a king is
eaten by an animal and therefore turned into stool or is cremated in a
crematorium and turned into ashes or is put into an earthly grave, where
different kinds of worms and insects are produced of it…

“It is therefore very difficult to get out of material entanglement, but if

one is somehow or other favored by You, by Your mercy alone he is
given the opportunity to associate with a pure devotee. That is the
beginning of liberation from the entanglement of material, conditioned
life. My dear Lord, only by the association of pure devotees is one able
to approach Your Lordship, who are the controller of both the material
and spiritual existences. You are the supreme goal of all pure devotees,
and by association with pure devotees one can develop his dormant love
for You. Therefore, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the
association of pure devotees is the cause of liberation from this material
entanglement.”94
The black snake of time swallows all. It distorts and destroys those
persons like the young pretender who returned from Purī as a so-called
saint with material motives in his heart and mind, who was merely
imitating an authentic sādhu. He had the opportunity to associate with
and follow the merciful instructions of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja, but he didn’t grasp the opportunity with sincerity. Śrīla
Prabhupāda states:

“Sa kālena mahatā. Time is very powerful. It changes…Time means it

changes, kills the original position. You have got experience. You
purchase anything. It is very fresh, new. But time will kill it. It will
become shabby. It will be useless… in due course of time. So time is
fighting. This material time, it is called kāla. Kāla means death. Or kāla
means the black snake. So a black snake destroys. As soon as it touches
anything, it is destroyed. Similarly… This kāla is also another form of
Kṛṣṇa. Kālena mahatā. Therefore it is called mahatā. It is very powerful.
It is not ordinary thing. Mahatā. Its business is to destroy. Sa kālena iha
naṣṭa. So by due course of time...How can kāla destroy? As soon as kāla
sees that you are distorting, then it will be lost. So don’t try to
understand Bhagavad-gītā from persons who are under the influence of
kāla—past, present, future.”95
The hypocritical young man and the cruel-hearted, so-called
mahānta were both guilty of trying to satisfy their material desires by
posing as unmotivated saintly persons. They were frauds, and this was
clearly pointed out by Bābājī Mahārāja. Such deceit leads either to
materialism or impersonalism as analyzed by Śrīla Prabhupāda below:
Becoming a devotee of the Lord to serve material purposes is a great
mistake. Many people become devotees for material profits. Indeed,
materialistic persons sometimes take to professional devotional service
and keep Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as a means of
livelihood. None of this, however, is approved. In the book known as
Sapta-śatī, as mentioned by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, one
can discover how a person worshiping the goddess Durgā begs her for
different varieties of material profit. Such activities are very popular
among people in general, but they are the attempts of foolish, blind
people (sei jñāna-andha).

A materialist does not actually know why one should become a devotee.
A devotee’s only concern is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Pure devotional service is defined by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
[Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]

One should be completely free from all material desires and should serve
Kṛṣṇa simply to please Him. When people become interested in their
own sense gratification (bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī), some of them desire
to enjoy the material world to the fullest extent, some of them desire to
be liberated and merge into the existence of Brahman, and others want
to perform magic through mystic power and thus become incarnations
of God. These are all against the principles of devotional service. One
must be free from all material desires. The desire of the impersonalist to
merge into the existence of Brahman is also material because such an
impersonalist wants to gratify his senses by merging into the existence
of Kṛṣṇa instead of serving His lotus feet. Even if such a person merges
into the Brahman effulgence, he falls down again into material
existence. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):
 āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ‘nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding
the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining
liberation from material activities and merging into the
Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this
material world.96

94. KṚṢṆA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, chapter 51, “The Deliverance of
Mucukunda,” Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
95. 740322BG.BOM BG 4.2, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
96. CC Antya 9.68, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Atonement for Adultery

A few days after this incident a person called Hīmavān came to see Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and begged him to allow him to stay
in one of the dharmaśālā rooms. The proprietors of the dharmaśālā kept
all the rooms on the northern side under the control of Śrīla Bābājī
Mahārāja. Hīmavān was permitted to stay in one of these rooms. Bābājī
Mahārāja told him within the hearing of others, “He who wants to
perform hari-bhajana will not associate with worldly people. Those who
secretly contemplate accepting such bad association, while making a
show of good association, or who associate with religious hypocrites,
develop sinful tendencies. I have seen many thousands of people ruining
themselves by taking recourse to hypocrisy. Tolerating many troubles
patiently, if one constantly hears and chants in the association of
Vaiṣṇavas, he can maintain his worship of the Holy Name.”
Even after being so instructed, Hīmavān used to secretly converse
with hypocritical religionists. Bābājī Mahārāja, upon considering this,
became extremely angry, and shortly thereafter Hīmavān became
seriously ill. Seeing his suffering, the supremely merciful Bābājī
Mahārāja asked one of his attendants to serve him. After a few days it
was observed that a young woman came and began tending to
Hīmavān. The omniscient Bābājī Mahārāja came to know of this and
asked his servant, “Who is serving Hīmavān?” The servant replied, “I’m
serving Hīmavān. No one else is doing so.” Bābājī Mahārāja demanded
in a deep, thundering voice, “Is anyone else coming to him?” At this, the
frightened servant admitted, “Yes, a woman comes to him.” When
Bābājī Mahārāja received this confirmation, he instructed the servant,
“As that woman is coming to serve him, you should not go to him any
longer.” Bābājī Mahārāja called for Hīmavān and informed him, “If you
want to stay here, you will have to pay me 15 rupees. If you cannot
afford to pay 15 rupees, then you should go somewhere else, because if
you happen to die, the money will be required to meet the expenses of
your cremation.”
After this, Bābājī Mahārāja said quietly to himself, “If I do not let this
man stay here, the woman will inevitably take him to her house. This is
her desire, and she will then be able to nurse him at her ease.” After
suffering for a long time, Hīmavān was cured of the disease, and he then
left for Vṛndāvana. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja ignored him and offered no
resistance to his going. Having journeyed to Vṛndāvana, Hīmavān
stayed with Dāmodara dāsa of Kusuma Sarovara.
This Dāmodara dāsa was well known to Bābājī Mahārāja. After
circumambulating the 12 forests of Vṛndāvana, Hīmavān went to
Dāmodara dāsa one day and said, “In the garb of a Vaiṣṇava I have
committed adultery. Please tell me how I can save myself.” Dāmodara
dāsa said, “You must give up your life. Apart from this there is no other
atonement. This is what has been prescribed by Mahāprabhu.” Hīmavān
had a few grams of opium brought from Govardhana and took it. After
ingesting the opium, he perspired profusely, and trembling, came to
Dāmodara dāsa and informed him that he had taken opium with a view
to giving up his life. After taking repeated doses, he lost his life.
Simultaneously, Dāmodara dāsa was also attacked by a deadly disease.
At that time, a certain gosvāmī was in Vṛndāvana. He arranged for
Dāmodara’s treatment and helped to save him. As soon as Dāmodara
recovered, he returned to Navadvīpa and came to see Śrīla Bābājī
Mahārāja. Seeing him, Bābājī Mahārāja warned him, “You stay
somewhere else! If you stay here with me, you will lose your life,
because there are two dacoits nearby. One is Narendra and the other is
Larāi. Professing to be my servants, they have made propaganda with
my neighbors that they are staying with me. Where they stay at night, I
do not know. Once, in the dead of night, I called for them to bring me
a glass of water. I shouted for a long time, but there was no response
from them. The following morning, when I mentioned this to them,
they said, ‘We didn’t hear a thing.’ Thereafter, being ignored by Bābājī
Mahārāja, Dāmodara dāsa took shelter in the house of a certain young
woman. Hearing about his activities from others, Bābājī Mahārāja
became furious and said, “Don’t speak about any of this in my
presence.”
Another hypocrite in the dress of a Vaiṣṇava had also lived at
Kusuma Sarovara with Dāmodara dāsa. He was similarly rejected by
Bābājī Mahārāja. A story was related that during the night several
dacoits took out his eyes and cut his body to pieces. People said that the
duplicitous fellow had stolen goods with him which he had kept well
hidden. He was cruelly murdered by the dacoits on that account.
These incidents vividly illustrate the danger of posing as a Vaiṣṇava
but secretly associating with materialists and committing sinful activity.
The young man went to Vṛndāvana and associated with sinful persons,
fell down with a young woman, and was unjustly advised by the
hypocrite, Dāmodara dāsa, to commit suicide. Dāmodara dāsa suggested
an atonement which he himself could never have performed and for
committing an evil act he later indulged in himself.
Although suicide is sometimes prescribed as the atonement for such
misbehavior on the part of a sannyāsī, and was approved of by
Mahāprabhu in the case of Junior Haridāsa, taking recourse to the
constant chanting of the holy name is generally considered sufficient
atonement—provided that the malefactor is prepared to give up his evil
ways. At any rate, it can be easily concluded from these incidents that
sinful activities conducted by someone dressed as a liberated Vaiṣṇava
have particularly grave consequences. Of course, it should not be
imagined that it is hypocritical not to indulge in the sinful things one
may desire in one’s impure heart. If one feels unable to reject that evil by
which he is still afflicted, then he should keep silent but steadfastly refuse
to surrender to it.
One derives no benefit from the association of mahā-bhāgavatas if he
does not heed their advice and associates instead with hypocritical
religionists. No good will come to one who is insincere in his
assumption of the dress of a Vaiṣṇava and his renunciation of the world.
On the contrary, such insincerity produced great misfortune. Those
who were hypocritical in their dealings with Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja were ruined as a result of their offensive behavior and
mentality.
In the Padma Purāṇa, a list of ten offenses against the Holy Name is
given. The tenth offense is as follows:
śrute ‘pi nāma-māhātmye
yaḥ prīti-rahito naraḥ
ahaṁ-mamādi-paramo
nāmni so ‘py aparādha-kṛt
SYNONYMS
śrute—who have heard; api—even; nāma—the holy name;
māhātmye—theglories; yaḥ—are; prīti—love; rahitaḥ—devoid;
naraḥ—a person; aham—false ego; mamādi—false possessions;
paramaḥ—supreme; nāmni—the holy name of the Lord; saḥ—he;
api—even; aparādha—offense; kṛt—doing.
TRANSLATION
If one has heard the glories of the transcendental holy name of
the Lord but nevertheless continues in a materialistic concept of
life, thinking “I am this body and everything belonging to this
body is mine [ahaṁ mameti],” and does not show respect and
 love for the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, that is an
offense.97
97. Padma Purāṇa, Brahma-khaṇḍa 25.15—18, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī and
Mahārāja Manindra Chandra

Knowing that Bābājī Mahārāja was a superlative Vaiṣṇava and the

spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the famous
zamindar of Kasimbazar, Śrī Mahīndrānandī, invited Śrīla Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja to a Vaiṣṇava conference, which was to be held at
his palace. Moved by the invitation of the Vaiṣṇava king, and with a
heavy heart, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja responded:

“If you want my association, you will have to leave your property in the
hands of your officials and come and reside here. You must dwell on the
bank of the Ganges River at Navadvīpa in a thatched hut with me. You
won’t have to think of procuring food. I shall personally feed you by
begging alms. Thus, I shall be obliged to come to your chanting
compound by your daily invitation. But if I presently accept your
invitation and leave the transcendental Gaura-dhāma and go to stay at
your royal palace, then in no time I shall consider myself your
competitor. As a result of this, I shall attempt to acquire land and
property. This will create a great obstacle to my Kṛṣṇa-bhajana and the
desire to worship the objects of the senses will arise in my heart. In the
course of time, I shall become envious of a Vaiṣṇava king. Naturally, if I
want to maintain everlasting love and friendship with you, and if, as my
Vaiṣṇava friend, you sincerely wish to show kindness to me, then it will
be our obligation to stay at this transcendental place of Visvambhara’s,
maintain our lives by the activities of madhukārī, and always remain busy
in worshiping Lord Hari.”98
Śrīla Prabhupāda also comments on this pastime, seeing the humor
of Bābājī Mahārāja’s requesting the king to join him:

“So Mahārāja Mahīndrānandī, he had organized a saṅkīrtana festival. So

he came to Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja to invite him. So after
many requests, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja said, ‘Mahārāja, you
have got many tenants. You are a mahārāja. Why are you trying to
make me your tenant? Because you are a rich man, you also want [me
to become one]. As your tenant carries out your order, so you also want
me to. So why are you…?’ ‘No, sir, no. You are my lord. Whatever you
say, I shall it carry out.’ ‘Will you carry it out?’ ‘Why not?’ So he said
that ‘Don’t go home. Sit down here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.’ He fled away.
(laughter) You see. So he was very humorous also, Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī, that ‘If you are so obedient, then I ask you, Don’t go home.
Better give up your dress and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa here.’”99
Another account of this incident (and Bābājī Mahārāja’s response to
the king’s entreaty) is as follows:

“The Mahārāja of Kasimbazar, the late Manindrachandra Nandi

Bahudara, tried with great effort to take Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja to the
Kasimbazar palace, but his desire was not successful. When the
Mahārāja’s man went to Bābājī Mahārāja and said that by the order of
the Mahārāja he would take Bābājī Mahāsaya with great care by
palanquin to Kṛṣṇanagar and from there by first class train to
Kasimbazar, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied—‘If I go to the Mahārāja’s
palace I may become greedy for wealth, and due to that there would be
a possibility of strained relations with the Mahārāja. Let him give all his
worldly possessions to his relatives and officers and come to me. I shall
have a boat cover like mine made and give it to him for a dwelling
place, and together we shall blissfully perform hari-bhajana.’ Seeing no
other means to convince Bābājī Mahārāja otherwise, the Mahārāja’s man
left.”100
Bābājī Mahārāja was, of course, perfectly realized and aloof from all
material temptation. Yet he graciously warned the devotee, by this
humble example, of the danger of accepting materialistic association or
excessively opulent material facilities. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu voiced
similar warnings in His dealings with Mahārāja Pratāparudra. Initially,
He would have nothing to do with the king. He would not even meet
him, saying that it was improper for a sannyāsī to meet with a
materialistic person, despite His knowing the monarch to be an elevated
devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s adherents exerted themselves to
arrange meetings on the king’s behalf, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
would not agree. Eventually, the king came to Him, stripped of his
royal attire, dressed as a mendicant, reciting verses from the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, and thereby received the mercy of Mahāprabhu. Regarding
associating with mundane people, Śrīla Prabhupāda comments in the
Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

“Although outwardly the King was a mundane man interested in

money and women, internally he was purified by devotional activities.
He showed this by engaging as a street sweeper to please Lord
Jagannātha. A person may appear to be a pounds-and-shillings man
interested in money and women, but if he is actually very meek and
humble and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is
not mundane. Such a judgment can be made only by Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu and His very confidential devotees. As a general principle,
however, no devotee should intimately mix with mundane people
interested in money and women.”101
98. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p. 222.
99. 741006SB.MAY, SB 1.8.26 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
100. Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by Tridaṇḍi-svāmī Bhakti Kusum Sraman
Mahārāja, Sri Chaitanya Math 1983, pp. 78, 79.
101. CC Madhya-līlā 13.187, purport by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Secret Immoral Behavior

There was a certain paṇḍita bābājī of Kuliyā, who wore only a loincloth
as his dress. This paṇḍita bābājī was a much-respected person, whose
secret immorality wounded the feelings of Bābājī Mahārāja. As a result
of this, Bābājī Mahārāja left aside his loincloth and outer garment one
day and dressed himself in a fine dhotī and chaddar. Having attired
himself in the manner of a dapper materialist, he went to see Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura at Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja. The Ṭhākura,
beholding him in this unexpected dress, asked him why he was so
attired. Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “We have adopted the dress of Śrī
Caitanya, but privately we do not hesitate to commit adultery. Hence, it
is better for us to dress like the husband of a prostitute than to assume
the guise of Śrī Caitanya and commit adultery secretly. In this way we
will at least be free from hypocrisy.”102
Another version of this incident is found in Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura:

“Seeing the wretched condition of these monkey-like renunciates, Śrīla

Bābājī Mahārāja arrived one day before Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura at
the Śrī Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja wearing a beautifully bordered dhotī
and shawl. Seeing the crest-jewel of possessionless saints in that dress,
the Ṭhākura became extremely amazed. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja said: ‘It is
a thousand times better to put on the dress of a well-to-do gentleman
than to wear a loincloth and secretly perform immoral behavior. Not
only in the countryside villages, but even in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas’ very
famous holy places, what outrages—what mischiefs are being carried on
by these monkeys! They forget:
‘gorāra āmi, gorāra āmi, mukhe bolile nāhi cale,
gorāra acara, gorāra vicāra loile phala phale
loka-dekhāna gora bhaja tilaka-mātra dhari’,
gopanete atyācāra gora dhare curi.’
“It will not do if you just vibrate the sounds, ‘I am Gaura’s, I am
Gaura’s’, with your mouth. If Gaura’s behavior and
deliberations are accepted, then results will fructify. If you only
wear tilaka and worship Gaura to show off to other people
while secretly acting immorally, Gaura detects your theft.” 103

102. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p. 223.
103. Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by Tridaṇḍi-svāmī Bhaktikusum Sraman
Mahārāja, Sri Chaitanya Math 1983, p. 78.
 Result of an Offense Committed to the
Ācārya

A certain Ayatra Punya lived at Māyāpura for a few days, and then he
departed. Shortly thereafter, he brought alms from Māyāpura to
Navadvīpa and went to take darśana of Bābājī Mahārāja, who resided
there at that time. Bābājī Mahārāja inquired from him about Māyāpura.
In reply Ayatra Punya remarked, “I will not go to Māyāpura anymore,
because that Sarasvatī and others there are Vaikuṇṭha men. They are
interested in the aiśvarya mood, I prefer bhajana in the mood of Vraja. I
am not interested in their association.”
Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja felt disgusted and said, “It is ridiculous
for a sparrow to attempt to cross the ocean. If you are really serious
about living in Vraja, give up your criticism, be lowly and humble like
the grass and always chant the Holy Name of the Lord day and night.
The first and foremost principle is that you should give up offensiveness
at the feet of the Vaiṣṇavas. Do you think you will get information
about Vaikuṇṭha from hell? Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is in Vaikuṇṭha, and he is
in Vṛndāvana as well. You are presently in the lap of the witch Māyā.
How will you know the Sarasvatī of Vraja?”
At this rebuke, Ayatra Punya said, “I will live with you in
Navadvīpa.” Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja said, “You are not in a position to live
at Navadvīpa. One who commits offenses at the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas
cannot live in Navadvīpa. You are an offender at the feet of
transcendental Māyāpura. You are sure to become degraded. I live at
Māyāpura and Navadvīpa as well. Those who detest living in Māyāpura
will never be able to live at Navadvīpa. Śrī Māyāpura is the birthplace of
the son of Śaci. It is a transcendental abode. You don’t possess the eyes
to see how Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Sarasvatī Prabhu have
exemplified the performance of hari-bhajana with pure ecstatic emotion.
You are inimical to one Vaiṣṇava and pray to another for mercy.”
Thereafter, it actually came to be, as predicted by Bābājī Mahārāja,
that the offensive man became atheistic and indulged in illicit
intercourse with women. He was begging alms and purchasing
expensive gifts for various women with whom he had illicit connection.
Such is the result of committing offenses against great personalities.
Such persons cannot understand what it means to live in a dhāma like
Vṛndāvana or Māyāpura, which are not defined by geographical
considerations, but by consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes:

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa

Bābājī Mahārāja, Śrī Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and later Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura of
Calcutta, always engaged in nāma-bhajana and certainly did not live
anywhere but Vṛndāvana. Presently, the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa
movement throughout the world live in materially opulent cities, such
as London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Moscow, Zurich and
Stockholm. However, we are satisfied with following in the footsteps of
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and other ācāryas. Because we live in the
temples of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and continuously hold hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana—
the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa—we consequently live in Vṛndāvana and
nowhere else. We are also following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu by attempting to construct a temple in Vṛndāvana for our
disciples throughout the world to visit.104
104. CC Madhya 16.281 purport by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Sensuous People View the World with
Lust

The aforementioned Ayatra Punya went to Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja one

day and criticized an intimate and elevated associate of Bābājī
Mahārāja’s: “He whom you consider a soul of great devotion and address
as ‘Prabhu’ is showing signs of attachment to the objects of the senses.
There is every probability that he will become a horrid materialist.”
Hearing this, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja became so grave and silent that those
who were nearby were frightened by his mood, and they requested
Punya to leave the place immediately. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja’s attitude
that day has been aptly expressed by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura:
vaiṣṇava caritra sarvadā pavitra
yei ninde hisa kori
bhaktivinoda na sambhāṣe tāre
ṭāke sadā mauna dhori
“The actions and character of a Vaiṣṇava are always pure. One
who criticizes a Vaiṣṇava commits violence. Bhaktivinoda does
not speak to one who criticizes a Vaiṣṇava and thus maintains
his silence.”105
When Punya departed, Bābājī Mahārāja spoke in a trembling voice
in his direction, saying:
 “This wretched fool has become lustful for material things. By
assigning his own mischief to a Vaiṣṇava, he indicates his own
condition. A Vaiṣṇava never becomes materially attached except to
render service to Kṛṣṇa. A person who has the least attachment to
material objects can never develop love and devotion for Kṛṣṇa. That
one has the symptoms of natural love and devotion cannot be clearly
understood without one’s exhibiting great attachment to the objects
necessary for his service to Hari. He who is greatly devoted to Śrīmatī
Rādhārāṇī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa shows a great natural attachment for objects
favorable to Their service. Such attachment is not for the purpose of
their own enjoyment or for that of their family members. Seeing their
attachment, which is greater than that of a materialist’s, to worldly
objects necessary for serving Krsna, the so-called renunciates and the
sensualists think that the affectionate devotee is materially attached. In
fact, those who are without such sincere attachment—their show of
devotion to Krsna is nothing but hypocrisy. He who privately speaks ill
of a Vaiṣṇava should be avoided. I shall not look upon the face of that
wicked man again.”

105. Śrī Śrī Kalyāṇa-kalpataru, third branch, part 2, song 7, verse 6, by Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, translated by Daśaratha-suta dāsa, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Attachment of a Mahā-bhāgavata

A householder Vaiṣṇava once presented a valuable shawl to Śrīla Gaura-

kiśora. He accepted it, kept it with great care and highly praised the
present. On another occasion a man from a Vaiṣṇava family gave Bābājī
Mahārāja a few rupees. He accepted it, knotted it in the border of his
outer garment and kept it very carefully. He examined it with his hand
repeatedly to see whether the money was safe. A wealthy, materialistic
man from Calcutta noticed this and lost whatever little faith he had for
Bābājī Mahārāja. A few days later Bābājī Mahārāja gave away the shawl
and the money to a Vaiṣṇava. When the foolish materialist met Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī in Calcutta, he remarked, “I went to see Śrīla
Bābājī Mahārāja, but I saw that he very eagerly received a shawl and
some money. He glorified the donors repeatedly. I am unable to discern
what sort of sādhu he is.” Hearing this foolishness from the wealthy,
worldly man, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura sharply replied:

“You have merely observed his superficial behavior. In reality, he has

shown his attachment to the service of Kṛṣṇa. The rest of us show our
attachment to worldly pleasure. Those fools to whom wealth is dear
think that Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja is also greedy for wealth. He has merely
praised a person who favorably served a Vaiṣṇava, and we flatter those
who help us achieve our personal sense gratification. As lustful men see
the world full of beautiful women, materialistic and falsely renounced
devotees of Kṛṣṇa look upon the activities of a mahā-bhāgavata, which
are pleasing to Kṛṣṇa’s senses, as sense gratification.”106
Śrīla Prabhupāda has repeatedly warned against judging the behavior
of mahā-bhāgavatas. It is the height of foolishness to imagine that we can
understand the activities of one whose only motive is the pleasure of
Kṛṣṇa. Most people follow the blind dictum of ātmavan manyate jagat,
that the behavior of others must be like my own, judging their behavior
in terms of one’s own tendencies, being unable to see it from a
transcendental position. Śrīla Prabhupāda states: “ātmavan manyate jagat.
That is the conditioned soul’s qualification that if he is a fool, he thinks
others [are] fools. Everyone thinks, ‘He is like me.’ That is the nature.
Ātmavan manyate jagat. ‘Everyone thinks others [are] like himself.’ If he
is a fool, he thinks all are.”107
Śrīla Prabhupāda addresses the fruitless tendency to judge the
behavior of great souls in many ways. Here are some examples:

Even if there appears to be some discrepancy according to an imperfect

devotee’s estimation, the devotee should be fixed in the conviction that
even if his spiritual master goes to a liquor shop, he is not a drunkard;
rather, he must have some purpose in going there. It is said in a Bengali
poem:
yadyapi nityānanda surā-bāḍi yāya
tathāpio haya nityānanda-rāya
“Even if I see that Lord Nityānanda has entered a liquor shop, I
shall not be diverted from my conclusion that Nityānanda Rāya
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”108

The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees who come to

this world are executing a mission, and therefore sometimes they act in a
way that is very difficult to understand. It is said, therefore, vaiṣṇavera
kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: [Cc. Madhya 23.39] even if one is a very
learned and intelligent scholar, he cannot understand the activities of a
Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava accepts anything favorable for executing his
mission. But foolish persons, not knowing the purpose of such exalted
Vaiṣṇavas, indulge in criticizing them. That is forbidden. Since no one
can understand what a Vaiṣṇava does for the purpose of executing his
mission, to criticize such a Vaiṣṇava is the offense called sādhu-nindā.109

It is said, tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya [Cc. Madhya 23.39].
Even if a man is very advanced in learning, he cannot understand the
behavior of a Vaiṣṇava. Anyone can take shelter of a pure Vaiṣṇava,
without fear.... Nārada Muni, Haridāsa Ṭhākura and similar ācāryas
especially empowered to broadcast the glories of the Lord cannot be
brought down to the material platform. Therefore one is strictly
forbidden to think that the ācārya is an ordinary human being (guruṣu
nara-matiḥ).110

Unless Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu discloses the fact, no one can
understand who is actually a great devotee of the Lord engaged in His
service. It is therefore said in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 23.39), tāṅra
vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: even the most perfect and learned
scholar cannot understand a Vaiṣṇava’s activities. A Vaiṣṇava may be
engaged in governmental service or in a professional business so that
externally one cannot understand his position. Internally, however, he
may be a nitya-siddha Vaiṣṇava—that is, an eternally liberated Vaiṣṇava.
Externally Mukunda dāsa was a royal physician, but internally he was
the most liberated paramahaṁsa devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
knew this very well, but ordinary men could not understand it, for the
activities and plans of a Vaiṣṇava cannot be understood by ordinary
men. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His representative
understand everything about a devotee, even though the devotee may
externally pretend to be an ordinary householder and professional
businessman.111
The foolish materialist attempted to judge the behavior of Bābājī
Mahārāja according to his own mundane outlook, not only
misunderstanding the behavior of a great soul, but committing an
offense to a great soul in the process. He thereby placed himself in a
deep pit of illusion and obnoxiously ascribed a fault to a faultless soul.
By acting in ignorance, one simply generates their own misfortune.

106. Amāra Prabhur Kathā (Tales of My Spiritual Master), Sajjana-toṣaṇī, vol. 19, issue 6,
1917, p. 225.
107. Morning walk, June 25, 1975, Los Angeles, CA (750625mw.la).
108. CC Antya 3.11 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
109. Ibid. Adi 15.22 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
110. SB 7.7.14 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
111. CC Madhya 15.120 purport, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 Unconditional Shelter at the Lotus Feet of
a Bonafide Spiritual Master

Sincere devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is far above worldly ethics and

learning. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura have shown this ideal by expressing it through the following
pastime:
Under the instruction of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Śrīla Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura went to meet Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu and prayed for
bhāgavatī-dīkṣā. On the occasion of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s first attempt,
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja told him, “I shall ask Mahāprabhu about this, for
without asking Him, I am in no position to tell you anything.” On the
succeeding day, when Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura approached him again,
Bābājī Mahārāja said that he had forgotten to ask Mahāprabhu.
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura earnestly implored him, saying, “If I do not get
your mercy, I shall not maintain my life.” On the third day, Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura presented himself before Śrīla Gaura-kiśora, who said, “I
inquired from Mahāprabhu, but He said, ‘Good behavior and
scholarship are extremely insignificant in comparison to devotional
service to the Supreme Lord.’” Hearing this, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was
rather hurt and said, “Because you worship Kṛṣṇa, the crest jewel of
hypocrites, are you thus not deceiving me? If I do not receive the mercy
of your divine lotus feet, I shall give up my life. Goṣṭhi Pūrṇa favored
Śrī Rāmānujācārya after his request for initiation was turned down 18
times. Certainly, I shall wait to be favored by you some day. This is my
firm vow.” Hearing this, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja was extremely pleased
and sprinkled him with the dust of his lotus feet. That same day in 1900
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was initiated at Svānanda-sukhada-kuñja by Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.112

112. See the Introduction to Part One of this book for more details and insights about
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s pursuance of the favor of Bābājī Mahārāja
and his initiation by the great saint. In his letters, 1901 is given by Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura as the date of his initiation.
 The Pride of Artificial Renunciation

Gopāla dāsa Bābājī, who was proud of being the disciple of Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, lived in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura, the birthplace of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He began to artificially imitate the
indifference to worldly affairs of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī. He was
always absorbed in chanting in the place where he stayed—a fruit
orchard. In order to present himself as being rapt in chanting, he
ignored the cows who destroyed the fruits of the orchard. He
maintained indifference to all disturbances and thus attempted to show
that he was always absorbed in chanting and was disinterested in
external affairs.
One day he proudly informed Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that he was
more detached from worldly affairs than Śrīla Gaura-kiśora. Hearing
this and considering the man’s welfare, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura rebuked
him, and then feelingly extolled the extraordinary character and
indifference to worldly affairs of Bābājī Mahārāja. Gopāla dāsa Bābājī
complained to Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda about this. The Ṭhākura’s
rejoinder was, “It will be to your advantage to hear Sarasvatī Prabhu’s
chastisement and advice.” Even the old Muslim inhabitants of Māyāpura
would speak amongst themselves about the detachment of Śrīla Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī and the “detachment” of Gopāla dāsa Bābājī—the
former’s detachment being natural, the latter’s—artificial. One cannot
become a renunciate or bhajanānandī simply by mimicking the
detachment of mahā-bhāgavatas.
The ācāryas Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura instruct us as follows:

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī

Ṭhākura the words gṛhītvāpīndriyair arthān indicate that the pure devotee
of the Lord does not cease acting within this world; rather, he uses his
senses in the service of the Lord of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeṇa
hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī
has stated that if one gives up those material things which are favorable
for serving Kṛṣṇa, considering them material and therefore an
impediment to his spiritual advancement, his renunciation is merely
phalgu-vairāgya, or immature and imperfect renunciation. On the other
hand, one who accepts all material things for the service of Kṛṣṇa
without any personal desire for sense gratification is actually renounced
(yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate).

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has warned in his commentary

on this verse that by envying any of the three classes of devotees—
uttama-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī or kaniṣṭha-adhikārī—one falls down
to the platform of impersonalism and loses all power to benefit others or
even himself. Therefore, those who are trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness should not endanger their transcendental experience by
unnecessarily criticizing other Vaiṣṇavas. According to Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, if one engages in phalgu-vairāgya, or
renouncing material things that are favorable to the service of Lord
Kṛṣṇa, one runs the risk of being polluted by impersonal philosophy.
On the other hand, by sticking to the principle of yukta-vairāgya,
engaging everything for Kṛṣṇa without personal desire, one can remain
aloof from the danger of material sense gratification and gradually come
to the mahā-bhāgavata platform, as mentioned in this verse.113

113. SB 11.2.48, translation and puport by Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswami and

Gopīpāraṇadhana dāsa Adhikārī, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase ٢٠٠٣.
 A Hypocrite’s Prayer for Mercy

On another occasion Ayatra Punya came to see Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta

Sarasvatī Ṭhākura at Māyāpura on the pretext of wanting to perform
hari-bhajana in his association. He used to also visit Bābājī Mahārāja, but
the latter paid no real attention to him. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared
to be the favorite of Bābājī Mahārāja, so Ayatra Punya often requested
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to speak a few words on his behalf, so that he could
obtain the mercy of Bābājī Mahārāja.
Being often entreated by Ayatra, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura mentioned
his plea to Bābājī Mahārāja one day and requested him to be merciful to
him. Bābājī Mahārāja informed Sarasvatī Ṭhākura about the hypocritical
nature of Ayatra and told his disciple that it was not proper that a sincere
Vaiṣṇava of Sarasvatī’s status should intercede on behalf of a hypocrite.
As a matter of course, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī told Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura many things relating to this matter. After some time he took
the dust of his own feet and smeared it on Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s head
and said, “You are non-different from Lord Nityānanda. Thus, your
heart melts at the sorrow of others. But this person is extremely
hypocritical and inveterately sinful. He does not desire his own welfare.
His prayer for my mercy is merely an affectation.”
As if to reveal the extent of wickedness, Ayatra Punya one day drank
water from a skull and told Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, “Behold! I am more
detached from the material world than Bābājī Mahārāja. Can he drink
water from a skull?” Hearing this, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said, “You evil
wretch! Leave this place! My master will not perform the abominable
acts of a worshiper of Kālī. You are a demon, an atheist! You therefore
have a taste for all kinds of abominable activities. You are sure to be
condemned to hell.” As a result of his pride and his offenses to great
saintly persons, Punya contracted the unfortunate habit of illicit
connection with women, and he took to begging to provide the
prostitutes he visited with their daily necessities.
 Single-Minded Chanting of the Lord’s
Holy Name

Once, an elderly Vaiṣṇava, who was as venerable as a spiritual master to

Bābājī Mahārāja, became attached to Deity worship instead of showing
the ideal path of constant chanting of the Lord’s name. While staying at
Kuliyā, Bābājī Mahārāja mentioned this to Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. “The old
Vaiṣṇava has adopted the practice of arcana at the fag end of his life.”
Hearing this, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura questioned him, saying, “Are you
teasing me? There cannot be any deviation in the behavior of one who
is like your spiritual master.” To this, Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “If that is
so, I shall not say any more in this regard.” Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī narrated this incident in order to instruct us that the path of
arcana might constitute a reduction in detachment from worldly affairs
of one advanced in the performance of hari-bhajana.
According to Jīva Gosvāmī, the constant chanting of the holy name
is the most essential devotional practice in this age:

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī the words saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ, which

mean “mainly by the process of saṅkīrtana,” indicate that although other
processes such as Deity worship may be performed to some extent in
Kali-yuga, such processes, in order to be successful, must be favorably
connected with the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. One who is
performing worship of the Kṛṣṇa Deity should know that the most
essential part of such Deity worship is constant chanting of the holy
names of the Lord.114
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
“In this age of Kali, the only means of deliverance is chanting
the holy name of Lord Hari, Kṛṣṇa. There is no other way.
There is no other way. There is no other way.”115
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma
rāma rāma hare hare
iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ
kali-kalmaṣa nāśanaṁ
nātaḥ parataropayaḥ
sarva vedeṣu dṛśyate
SYNONYMS
iti—this; ṣoḍaśakam—sixteen; nāmnām—of the holy names; kali—
age of Kali; kalmaṣa—sins (dirt); nāśanam—destroying
(counteracting); na—not; ataḥ—then; paratara—better; upayaḥ—
method; sarva—all; vedeṣu—in the Vedas; dṛśyate—it is found.
TRANSLATION
The sixteen words of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra are especially
meant for counteracting the sins of the age of Kali. To save
oneself from the contamination of this age there is no
alternative but to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. After searching
through all the Vedic literatures one cannot find a method of
religion for this age so sublime as the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.116
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not elaborate on why he
was so concerned that the elderly Vaiṣṇava was spending so much time
in Deity worship. It would appear that there is no fault in such worship.
However, the most powerful form of Deity worship is chanting the
holy name which is the sound form and incarnation of the Lord
Himself, and Bābājī Mahārāja did not like to see his honorable friend
focusing so much attention on the more secondary practice of Deity
worship. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in his introduction to the Śrī Caitanya-
caritāmṛta:

“Lord Caitanya taught that the most practical way for the mass of people
to practice sānkhya-yoga meditation is simply to chant the holy name of
the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound
incarnation of the Lord and that since the Lord is the absolute whole,
there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental
form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can directly
associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration.”117
Therefore, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states conclusively and
powerfully:
etan nirvidyamānānām
icchatām akuto-bhayam
yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ
harer nāmānukīrtanam
SYNONYMS
etat—it is; nirvidyamānānām—of those who are completely free
from all material desires; icchatām—of those who are desirous of
all sorts of material enjoyment; akutaḥ-bhayam—free from all
doubts and fear; yoginām—of all who are self-satisfied; nṛpa—O
King; nirṇītam—decided truth; hareḥ—of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa;
 nāma—holy name; anu—after someone, always; kīrtanam—
chanting.
TRANSLATION
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after
the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless
way of success for all, including those who are free from all
material desires, those who are desirous of all material
enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of
transcendental knowledge.
In the purport to this verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in affirmation:

“In this verse, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommends the transcendental

chanting of the holy name of the Lord. By offenseless chanting and
hearing of the holy name of the Lord, one becomes acquainted with the
transcendental form of the Lord, and then with the attributes of the
Lord, and then with the transcendental nature of His pastimes, etc. Here
it is mentioned that one should constantly chant the holy name of the
Lord after hearing it from authorities. This means that hearing from the
authorities is the first essential. Hearing of the holy name gradually
promotes one to the stage of hearing about His form, about His
attributes, His pastimes and so on, and thus the necessity of the chanting
of His glories develops successively. This process is recommended not
only for the successful execution of devotional service, but also even for
those who are materially attached. According to Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī,
this way of attaining success is an established fact, concluded not only
by him, but also by all other previous ācāryas. Therefore, there is no
need of further evidence.118
Bābājī Mahārāja, as a bhajanānandī Vaiṣṇava, felt that his aged friend
should have given all preference to the holy name, due to his conviction
that everything is revealed by such association with the sound
incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of His holy name. Most of us,
however, require an array of practices centered around the holy name,
as constant chanting has been proven to be too challenging. Sixteen
rounds are prescribed for the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement,
and yet many devotees find it difficult to meet that standard. Śrīla
Prabhupāda writes:

“In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this same path is being

prescribed and followed. Thus the devotees have been advised to refrain
from four sinful activities—illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and
gambling—and to chant sixteen rounds a day. These are bona fide
instructions. Because in the Western countries constant chanting is not
possible, one should not artificially imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but should
follow this method. Kṛṣṇa will accept a devotee who strictly follows the
regulative principles and the method prescribed in the various books and
literatures published by the authorities. The ācārya gives the suitable
method for crossing the ocean of nescience by accepting the boat of the
Lord’s lotus feet, and if this method is strictly followed, the followers
will ultimately reach the destination, by the grace of the Lord. This
method is called ācārya-sampradāya. It is therefore said, sampradāya-vihīnā
ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ (Padma Purāṇa) [“If one is not actually
connected with a bona fide disciplic succession, whatever mantra he
chants will not bring the desired result.”] The ācārya-sampradāya is
strictly bona fide. Therefore one must accept the ācārya-sampradāya;
otherwise one’s endeavor will be futile.”119
The importance of receiving the mantra from a bona fide sampradāya
is repeatedly stated by Śrīla Prabhupāda and the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava
ācāryas:

The words vaiśāradī dhīḥ refer to intelligence concerning the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, who is extremely expert. The Lord has created
wonderful universes by His expert knowledge. Unless one is extremely
expert, he cannot understand the expert management of the supreme
expert. One can understand, however, if one is fortunate enough to
meet a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession from
Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Mother Lakṣmī or the Kumāras. These four
sampradāyas, or disciplic successions of knowledge and transcendence,
are called the Brahma-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya,
and Kumāra-sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ.
The knowledge of the Supreme received from such a sampradāya, or
disciplic succession, can give one enlightenment. If one does not take to
the path of disciplic succession, it is not possible for one to understand
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one understands the Supreme
Lord through devotional service with faith in the disciplic succession
and then advances further, he awakens his natural love for God, and
then his success in life is assured.120

114. SB 11.5.38—40, purport by Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswami and Gopīparāṇadhana

dāsa Adhikārī, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
115. Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa 18.126, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
116. Kali-santarana Upaniṣad, verses 5, 6, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
117. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Introduction, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
118. SB 2.1.11 verse translated and purport given by HDG A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
119. SB 10.2.31 purport by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
120. Ibid, 7.7.17 purport.
 Love and Lust

A learned caste gosvāmī delivered a discourse on Bhramara-Gītā (Śrī

Rādhā’s soliloquy to a bumblebee) at Kuliyā in Navadvīpa. After he had
lectured for two or three days, someone informed Bābājī Mahārāja that
his discourses were excellent, and that no one had ever heard such
discourses before. Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja told his informant:

“Don’t go to hear that discourse on Bhramara-Gītā again. Listen! When

there is rain, weeds grow very quickly. Carefully planted seeds can also
grow, but some are destroyed prematurely by a heavy downpour. By
hearing a discourse about Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, the seeds of love for
Kṛṣṇa bud forth in the heart of those persons who are pure, devoid of
material desires, and sincerely dedicated to the service of the spiritual
master and the Vaiṣṇavas. Those in whom the seed of lust is found,
however, will immediately become lustful upon hearing of the sportive
pastimes of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. By pretentiously hearing the pastimes
of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, their lust becomes inflamed. The consciousness of the
conditioned living beings is covered by lust, and thus they take the
transcendental pastimes of Rādhā-Govinda to be the libidinous exploits
of a mundane hero and heroine. Those who assume that, because they
have faith in the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa they are able to
experience the transcendental nature of those pastimes, are unaware of
their own carnal desires, being overwhelmed by the illusory energy.
You cannot understand from their utterances whether the pastimes are
transcendental or whether they have proper regard for the pastimes.”
Hearing this, another man from the assembly said, “I saw that some
members of the audience who were listening to the Bhramara-Gītā cried
out in spiritual ecstasy, and some wept saying, ‘O Kṛṣṇa! O Rādhā’.
Bābājī Mahārāja replied:

“It was not spiritual ecstasy, but rather the madness born of lust. This
kind of deviation will cause the ruin of the world. You have come to
know of their so-called ecstasy by seeing them weep. He who has no
love for himself, how can he get love of God through the display of
Māyā? If someone has truly achieved love of God, then request him to
leave his home and family. He should come to the banks of the Ganges,
renounce sense gratification, and take shelter of honest, non-duplicitous
bhajana. If we observe him performing this austerity for one year, then
we will know the true extent of his eagerness to hear Bhramara-Gītā.”
This is the test of spiritual advancement advocated by Bābājī
Mahārāja for those who exhibit the signs of spiritual emotion. Let them
disassociate themselves from their friends and family members, for at
least one year, and live the life of renunciation as is found in those truly
detached from worldliness. If they could not pass his test, he then
concluded that they are foolish pretenders, and their ecstasies are the
outward sign of licentiousness.
 What is Genuine Madhukārī?

A person named Saha used to voluntarily send bags of rice to Bābājī

Mahārāja. Other well-wishers used to send some rice for him as well.
This rice was stocked in a room at the Rani dharmaśālā at Kuliyā,
Navadvīpa. This practice came to the notice of Bābājī Mahārāja. After
two months of accepting Saha’s donation, Bābājī Mahārāja sent a man to
request him to stop sending the rice. As soon as Saha was thus informed,
he came to see Bābājī Mahārāja and inquired, “O Mahārāja, how have I
offended you? Why have you refused my alms?” In response, Bābājī
Mahārāja said:

“My spiritual master told me that it is better to be a virtuous bull than a

domesticated cow.” Overhearing this, one of the persons present asked
Bābājī Mahārāja to explain the meaning of this statement. Bābājī
Mahārāja then explained, “A cow is well looked after by the householder
who gets milk from her. Thus, a person who sustains his life by taking
food from only one man becomes dependent on that man just like a
domesticated cow. When the protector gets into debt, however, his
creditor will sell the cow and thus realize the debt.

“On the other hand, a virtuous bull is not under the control of a
particular person. The animal moves freely from field to field and thus
nourishes his body. Although the bull sometimes receives blows, it is not
under any lifelong bondage. Moreover, those who keep badly behaved
cows occasionally have to pay fines due to the cows’ destruction of the
property of others. If someone begs with a desire to get his necessities
they become like the protected cow. These days the word ‘madhukārī’ is
very commonly used. Those who take up the dress of the bābājī often
say they will take to madhukārī. Madhukārī is a transcendental practice.
Those who adopt this occupation surrender themselves to Kṛṣṇa, their
bodily consciousness being vanquished. On the other hand, the
materialists who have a taste for gratifying their tongues and genitals are
bound in the cycle of birth and death for a long time. Dependent on
materialists, those who want to chant and worship in Vraja or
Navadvīpa are like cows kept under protection. Those who collect their
alms by begging from door to door in the name of madhukārī for eating
well are pious bulls.”
This practice of madhukārī has been poetically and beautifully
extolled in a song composed by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura:
kabe gaura-vane, suradhunī-taṭe,
‘hā rādhe hā kṛṣṇa’ bole’
kāṅdiyā beḍā’bo, deho-sukha chāḍi’,
nānā latā-taru-tale
śwa-paca-gṛhete, māgiyā khāibo,
pibo saraswatī-jala
puline puline, gaḍā-gaḍi dibo,
kori’ kṛṣṇa-kolāhala
dhāma-bāsī jane, pranati koriyā,
māgibo kṛpāra leśa
vaiṣṇava-caraṇa- reṇu gāya mākhi’,
dhori’ avadhūta-veśa
gauḍa-braja-jane, bheda nā dekhibo,
 hoibo baraja-bāsī
dhāmera swarūpa, sphuribe nayane,
hoibo rādhāra dāsī
“When will I wander weeping under the shade of various trees
and creepers on the banks of the celestial Gaṅgā river in the
land of Navadvīpa, crying, ‘O Rādhā! O Kṛṣṇa!’ and forgetting
all physical comforts?
“I will take my meals by begging at the homes of candālas, and
will drink the water of the Sarasvatī River. In ecstasy I will roll
on the ground from bank to bank of the river, raising an uproar
of ‘Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!’
“Bowing down to the inhabitants of the holy land of
Navadvīpa, I will beg a particle of their mercy. I will wear the
dress of a mendicant and smear the dust of the Vaiṣṇavas’ feet
on my body.
“I will see no difference between the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi
and those of Navadvīpa, and I will be transformed into a
resident of Vraja. The true nature of the Lord’s abode will
manifest itself to my eyes, and I will become a maidservant of
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.”121

121. Śaraṇāgati by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, from Siddha Lālasā, song 1, translation
by Daśaratha-suta dāsa, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Duty of Married Couples

After his wedding, a rich man from Calcutta, who had taken shelter at
the lotus feet of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, wished to know how he
could utilize his time in hari-bhajana while situated in married life. With
that purpose in mind, he approached Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura for instruction. The wealthy gentleman became very depressed
when he was informed by Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that there might well be
various obstacles in his attempt to perform hari-bhajana as a householder.
Later on, this gentleman, accompanied by Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, went
to meet Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja on the riverbank at
Kuliyā. When it was mentioned to Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja that the
gentleman had married, Bābājī Mahārāja commented:

“Yes, it is all right that he has married. From this time on he will daily
cook and offer foodstuffs to Lord Viṣṇu. After offering it to Him, he will
serve the prasāda to his wife, and then as a Vaiṣṇava he will take her
prasāda remnants. He will consider her as Kṛṣṇa’s servitor and his
spiritual master. He will not think of her as an object for sensual
gratification. Everything in this world: wealth, jewelry, men, and
women, are all for worshipping Kṛṣṇa: That which is meant for Kṛṣṇa’s
service should be utilized as such. Do not consider your wife as one
meant for your service. Instead, respect her as a servitor of Kṛṣṇa.”
 Another rendition of this pastime is described by one of the
biographers of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Śrī Paramānanda Vidyāratna:

“Sriyukta Sambhu Babu, after being newly married asked Śrīla

Prabhupāda [Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura] for instructions on what
opportunities there are for hari-bhajana in his married life. When Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said to Sambu Babu that there will be many obstacles
to hari-bhajana present in his married life, it seemed that Sambhu babu
became particularly unhappy. After this, on the 28th of October, Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Sambhu Babu, and a few others of us got into our
own boat and arrived at Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s feet
at Kuliyā’s silted river land. After some other talks with Bābājī Mahārāja,
the subject of Sambhu Babu’s marriage was mentioned, and he
(Paramahaṁsa Bābājī Mahārāja) said: ‘Excellent, it is good that Sambhu
Babu has married. Now he will daily cook offerings for Viṣṇu with his
own hands and, after offering it to Viṣṇu, he will give the prasāda to his
greatly religious wife to take. Then, in the understanding that she is a
Vaiṣṇava, he will take the remains of her meal, and thus he will more or
less replace the attitude of enjoying her with the attitude of her being
his servable guru. If this is done, it will be beneficial for Sambhu Babu.
The whole universe—all the world’s wealth, jewels, women, and men
are all only Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyable objects, so he will please use the objects of
Kṛṣṇa for the service of Kṛṣṇa, and he will not consider his wife to be his
own maidservant, but will respect her in the understanding that she is
Kṛṣṇa’s maidservant.’”122
Here is the purport to Bābājī Mahārāja’s foregoing discussions about
householder life. The sense of proprietorship of one’s spouse is to be
given up, and the conception of one’s spouse as Kṛṣṇa’s worshipable
servitor is to be nurtured. When one regards one’s mate as the servant of
the Lord and thus suitable for His enjoyment only, one can transcend
the urge to indulge in illicit sex.
122. Sarasvatī-jayaśrī, Vaibhava Parva by Paramānanda Vidyāratna, translated by
Bhaktikusum Sraman Mahārāja in Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrī Chaitanya
Math 1983, pp. 76, 77.
 The Return Ticket

Kailasa Bandyopadhyaya, M.A.B.L.,123 once went from Calcutta to

Kuliyā to have the audience of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.
When he was introduced, the latter told him, “Very good! You should
stay here for hari-bhajana.” Mr. Bandyopadhyaya replied, “But I have a
return ticket for Calcutta.” Bābājī Mahārāja was astonished at this and
said, “You have booked a return ticket! So why have you come to me?
There was no need of your coming to me if you have booked a return
ticket! According to my understanding, only those who are genuinely
interested in hari-bhajana come to the dhāma.”
There is no return to material life for one who visits the holy dhāmas
of the Lord with a steadfast vow to become eternally situated in His
loving service. We can only assume that Bābājī Mahārāja expected
Śrīmān Kailasa-ji to return to his customary materialism when he
availed himself of his return ticket rather than return as a man altered by
his association with the residents of the dhāma. The particular benefit
afforded one by a pilgrimage to the abode of God manifest on earth is
getting the association of sādhus. Unless one surrenders himself in a
mood of eagerness at the lotus feet of a genuine sādhu, one cannot
derive the full benefit of visiting a holy tīrtha. Mr. Kailasa’s excuse for
not engaging wholeheartedly in devotional service was so trivial as to
simply invite the dismissal of Bābājī Mahārāja.
123. According to The Free Dictionary, the abbreviation M.A.B.L. stands for Master of
Arts in Biblical Languages.
 External Purity and Material Desire

A famous professional Bhāgavatam reciter from Navadvīpa named

Gosvāmī once visited Bābājī Mahārāja clad in a woolen garment. While
conversing, they began to discuss purity in devotional service. When
asked about this, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Māhārāja said:

“People with desires contrary to devotional service, who are attached to

gold and women, who make a show of purity, cannot perform sacrifices
or other religious performances purely. Their manifold, impure
activities are merely heaps of impurity on already piled-up garbage. If
there is a spot of leprosy on any part of the body, it gradually spreads to
other parts. There are people who want to maintain purity by simply
putting on woolen clothes at the time of going to the latrine or by
taking bath in the Ganges River. Their minds, however, are full of
thoughts of sense gratification. They are very impure. They are so
impure that they cannot realize their impurity even if it is explained to
them. There are people who superficially put on woolen or saffron
cloth, eat only sunned rice and take bath in the Ganges River to show
that they are genuine Vaiṣṇavas, but their hearts are full of material
desires. They show great concern for their sons, wealth, women, and
position, but the service of a Vaiṣṇava does not appeal to them.
However, Kṛṣṇa does not happily accept the service of those who are
not attached to serving the Vaiṣṇavas, however pure they may try to
be.”
It should not be understood from this incident that it is improper to
wear woolen cloth, to bathe in the Ganges, or to eat sunned rice.
Practices which help one maintain external purity, which rid one of
sinful reactions, or promote health no doubt have their place. But they
are of no avail if one is unprepared to take the dust of the feet of pure
devotees of the Lord upon one’s head. Men who have no devotion in
their hearts are often found to act irreproachably with respect to ritual
acts of purification and matters pertaining to the well-being of the
mortal frame. As it is stated in Bhagavad-gītā:
bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ
tayāpahṛta-cetasām
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ
samādhau na vidhiyate
“In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment
and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things,
the resolute determination for devotional service to the
Supreme Lord does not take place.”124
Śrīla Prabhupāda offers the following comment on this verse,
“Samādhi [absorption in spiritual ecstasy] is never possible for persons
interested in material sense enjoyment, nor for those who are
bewildered by such temporary things. They are more or less condemned
by the process of material energy.”

124. BG 2.44, translated and purported by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Birthplace of Lord Gaura

Once, a man constructed a tin-roofed hut under a neem tree at the

southwest corner of the outdoor theater of a wealthy resident of
Navadvīpa. He installed a Deity of Bala-Gaura (baby Gaura) there and
declared to his neighbors that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had been born
under that very neem tree. He explained that the Lord’s birthsite had
previously been lost and covered. In order to re-establish this long-lost,
holy site, he began to collect donations from pilgrims. The enterprising
rascal invited Śrīla Vamśi dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, who was a pure
Vaiṣṇava and very austere, to visit this newly discovered tīrtha, and he
spared no pains in seeking to persuade him that this site was the actual
Māyāpura of Navadvīpa.
He explained all of this with the hope that Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja could be prevailed upon to believe that the above-
mentioned site was the authentic birthplace. Presently, this counterfeit
birthplace is known variously as Vanikpada, Śankharipada, or
Malañcapada, etc. The rascal claimed that this had all been revealed to
him by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself in a dream. He declared that
the present Māyāpura, which is situated opposite Navadvīpa on the
eastern bank of the river Ganges, was not the authentic place of
Mahāprabhu’s birth.
Upon being informed of his claim, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja commented, “The words of those great souls who have already
uncovered the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by the power of
their bhajana are the genuine, conclusive proof. The lost holy places of
Mahāprabhu cannot be revealed by dreams alone. Holy places reveal
themselves to pure devotees, and those saintly persons do not restore the
lost tīrthas for the sake of acquiring wealth. Only those who are
Gaurāṅga’s personal associates can re-establish the lost birthplace of
Gaurāṅga. Others do not have such spiritual power. By the power of
their knowledge and proper discrimination, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja and Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda have discovered the real birth site
of Mahāprabhu, just as Śrī Advaita Ācārya brought about the advent of
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” As soon as Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja had uttered these words, Śrīla Vamśi dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
took up a sickle and cut the fence which enclosed the imposter’s tin hut.
By this act he informed the innocent pilgrims that a hypocrite was
illegally imitating great, self-realized souls.
 A Festival for Paupers

Once, on the day preceding the observance of the disappearance of Śrīla

Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja informed a devotee:
“Tomorrow is the day when Śrī Gosvāmī Prabhu disappeared. We will
observe a great festival. In Navadvīpa such festivals are not observed by
the caste gosvāmīs.” Hearing this, the devotee inquired, “How shall we
obtain the necessary articles and paraphernalia for the festival? How shall
we celebrate it?” Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “Keep this to yourself.
We will forego our daily meal and constantly chant the Lord’s Holy
Name. This is how paupers like us will celebrate the festival.”
Again, Bābājī Mahārāja explains the focus and essence of any
Vaiṣṇava festival or observance. When Śrīla Prabhupāda installed the
Deities of Gaura-Nitāi, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, and Rādhā-Śyāmasundara in
Vṛndāvana, expert chanters of Vedic hymns and mantras were invited to
perform all of the rituals for the Deity installation. Śrīla Prabhupāda sat
patiently and underwent all of the ceremonial rituals required for the
installation. However, he also insisted on 24-hour chanting of the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mantra, and later he remarked that all of the ritual observances
were for local people, but that the real installation was the 24-hour
chanting of the mahā-mantra.
 How to Recognize a Vaiṣṇava

Once, someone asked Bābājī Mahārāja, “The actual character of the

topmost Vaiṣṇavas does not always seem to correspond to the
descriptions of their character which are revealed in the scriptures such
as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Such Vaiṣṇavas sometimes even appear to exhibit
mundane characteristics. Please be merciful and instruct us in this matter
so that we can easily recognize a genuine Vaiṣṇava.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja responded, “Out of his own free will and the
inspiration of Kṛṣṇa, a great Vaiṣṇava, being saddened by the misery of
the fallen and conditioned souls, advents himself in a certain family, in a
certain place, and at a certain time. When such an exalted Vaiṣṇava
attracts people by his ecstatic love and devotion and teaches them
devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Lord considers with some trepidation, ‘It
will be difficult for Me to repay the debt to those who have surrendered
themselves to such Vaiṣṇavas, who are as dear to Me as My life. I will
become the servant of those who are affectionate to My pure devotees,
and thus I will easily come under their control.’ With this fear, Śrī Kṛṣṇa
occasionally conceals the spiritual qualities of great souls from the eyes
of the public. By the power of Kṛṣṇa’s māyā-śakti, the characteristics of
the genuine Vaiṣṇavas are concealed from those who have interests
contrary to devotional service. Thus, genuine Vaiṣṇavas appear to the
materialistic to have materialistic characters. In this mood, Kṛṣṇa
examines the living entity to see how much he is actually attracted to
the Absolute Truth, and if he is, He reveals the spiritual characteristics of
the great souls.
“Therefore, without the exercise of the independent will of a
Vaiṣṇava, no one can know him even after seeing in him all of the
characteristics described by the scriptures. It is often observed that the
Vaiṣṇavas praise the materialists and thereafter keep their distance from
them. Sometimes, out of fear of the crowd, such Vaiṣṇavas conceal their
natural spiritual symptoms. Sometimes they make a pretense of
converting materialistic persons into their disciples. They seem to want
to be served by them and always take their advice. Thus, they keep their
true nature obscured. I have seen with my own eyes that at Vraja a great
bhajanānandī used to worship and chant at a village some distance north
of Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa. Many distressed people used to visit him. He gave
them the hope that they could fulfill their desires, both physical and
mental, by praying to Kṛṣṇa. In the course of time, his fame spread near
and far, and people went there in droves, day and night. He came to be
reputed as a man of pure devotional austerity, a siddha-bābājī. When the
news was spread that he was an extremely renounced soul, devoid of the
desire for gold, women, and adoration, and compassionate to
conditioned souls, he was much harassed by a constant flow of visitors.
“Troubled by this, he made arrangements with a rich man for a
monthly allowance, and with that money he engaged a young sweeper
woman who sat in front of his cottage and acted as his servant. Seeing
this, the people began to criticize him, concluding that this Vaiṣṇava
was a womanizer and attached to wealth, etc. Others stopped visiting
this great-souled bhajanānandī when they no longer obtained any
material results from their homage to him. In fact, he was a real
Vaiṣṇava. When the Vaiṣṇavas graciously reveal themselves, faithful
persons who become attracted by the mercy of those Vaiṣṇavas and
completely surrender to them, can know the true identity of such
Vaiṣṇavas. Those who are very fortunate are not deprived of their
service or their mercy. Otherwise, the Vaiṣṇavas devise various
deceptive means to hide themselves. To know a Vaiṣṇava one has to
pray sincerely at the lotus feet of Gaura-Nityānanda, and by Their
mercy, when one’s heart becomes devoid of pride and filled with
humility, Nitāi-Gaura then reveal the true identity of a Vaiṣṇava in
one’s heart. Nitāi-Gaura are revealed through the Vaiṣṇava, and the
Vaiṣṇava is revealed by Gaura-Nitāi. It has been explained in Śrī
Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Śrī Kavirāja Gosvāmī: dui bhāi hṛdayera kṣali’
andhakāra dui bhāgavata-saṅge karaṇa sākṣātkāra.”
The above citation from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and succeeding
verses have been translated by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda as follows:

“But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda] dissipate
the darkness of the inner core of the heart, and thus They help one meet
the two kinds of bhāgavatas [persons or things in relationship with the
Personality of Godhead]. One of the bhāgavatas is the great scripture
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the
mellows of loving devotion. Through the action of these two bhāgavatas
the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental service into the heart of a
living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes
under the control of the devotee’s love. The first wonder is that both
brothers appear simultaneously, and the other is that They illuminate the
innermost depths of the heart. These two, the sun and moon, are very
kind to the people of the world. Thus for the good fortune of all, They
have appeared on the horizon of Bengal.”125
In the purport to verse 1.102 of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla
Prabhupāda has written:

“They appeared on the horizon of Gauḍadeśa to spread the science of

Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is predicted that as the sun and moon
gradually move west, the movement They began five hundred years ago
will come to the western civilizations by Their mercy. Caitanya
Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu drive away the five kinds of
ignorance of the conditioned souls. In the Mahābhārata, Udyoga-parva,
Forty-third Chapter, these five kinds of ignorance are described. They
are (1) accepting the body to be the self, (2) making material sense
gratification one’s standard of enjoyment, (3) being anxious due to
material identification, (4) lamenting and (5) thinking that there is
anything beyond the Absolute Truth. The teachings of Lord Caitanya
eradicate these five kinds of ignorance. Whatever one sees or otherwise
experiences, one should know to be simply an exhibition of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead’s energy. Everything is a manifestation
of Kṛṣṇa.”

125. CC Ādi-līlā 1.98—1.102, translation by Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
 The Imitation of Mahā-bhāgavatas

A brahmacārī born in a brāhmaṇa family went to Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa

Bābājī Mahārāja and expressed his eagerness to execute hari-bhajana in
his association. Shortly thereafter, he became well respected by the
people for his devotional austerities. Seeing the reverence which the
people showed him, the brahmacārī decided to build a thatched hut like
Bābājī Mahārāja’s. He secretly collected funds for this purpose and built
a cottage on the bank of the river Ganges. The brahmacārī then thought
to take the permission of Bābājī Mahārāja before he entered the hut, but
before he could broach the subject the omniscient bābājī said, “Oh,
respected brahmacārī, that you have a desire to execute bhajana is good,
but if you enter the house of Māyā, you will be increasingly entangled
by Māyā. You should leave this thatched hut and perform your bhajana
under a tree.”
At this, a sentimental follower of Bābājī Mahārāja asked, “You
previously advised us to do bhajana by going into a room and bolting
the door from the inside. Why do you now say that hari-bhajana should
be performed under a tree, otherwise it will not be hari-bhajana?”
Hearing this, Bābājī Mahārāja replied angrily, “Yes, I was correct in
saying so. This body is the house, and our two eyes are doors. He who
closes the doors and learns to imitate the external behavior of a Vaiṣṇava
can never be said to have closed the door. His only means for success is
to take shelter under a tree. One gets the supreme benediction if he
obeys the instruction of his spiritual master and the Vaiṣṇavas. If he
maintains faith in such instruction, he will gradually develop the ability
to follow it. However, if he imitates their behavior, he is sure to quickly
fall.”
Eventually, the brahmacārī left the association of Bābājī Mahārāja
who commented, “Just see! Such people are so evil-minded! He
performs hari-bhajana with a desire to be respected by the common
people. After two or four days he will become greedy for money. Those
who are unqualified to carry the burden of asceticism still want to act as
though they were paramahaṁsas.”
After this incident the brahmacārī decided to return home. One of
Bābājī Mahārāja’s neighbors asked him, “Why has he been entrapped by
Māyā despite associating with sādhus. Why isn’t he reaping the result of
good association?” To this, Bābājī Mahārāja responded, “The pretense of
associating with sādhus is not genuine association with sādhus. One is
not benefited if he leaves the association of saintly persons before the
benefits of such association fructify. The brahmacārī has gained this
much: in the future he will not eat flesh or fish or he will superficially
follow certain principles of pious behavior, but he will not be able to
enter into the kingdom of hari-bhajana.”
 Anyābhilāṣa (Desire for Other Things)

Once, the day before the celebration of Rathayātrā, Bābājī Mahārāja

asked the people who had gathered together for his association, “Where
will you go to see the forthcoming Rathayātrā? At Podamatala there is a
large cart and festival, and to the east there is a prominent zamindar who
has a cart, and if one goes there he can get rasagullās and yogurt and flat
rice.” In this manner Bābājī Mahārāja described five or seven places
where Rathayātrā was being held. At this, everyone began to wonder
whether Bābājī Mahārāja was encouraging them to attend the car
festivals. Almost every day they had been gathering to read Śrī Caitanya-
bhāgavata, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Śrīla
Bābājī Mahārāja used to give the philosophical understanding of the
portions studied. He liked to repeatedly hear about the character of
Prahlāda Mahārāja, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu had frequently
exhibited the pastime of hearing about the activities of Prahlāda
Mahārāja. At other times Bābājī Mahārāja listened to Prārthanā and
Prema-bhakti-candrikā by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and would explain
the proper conclusions of those songs. A reciter would read the
scriptures, but the commentator was Bābājī Mahārāja.
On the actual day of Rathayātrā, the usual class was not held as
everyone had gone to see the chariot parades. Bābājī Mahārāja opened
the door of his thatched cottage, came out and announced with a slight
smile on his face, “Today I can save my breath, as everyone has gone.
Those who were chanting hari-nāma with offense have given up the
hearing and chanting of hari-kathā in the association of devotees and,
having gone to see the Rathayātrā, they will look at the young women,
the crowd of worldly people, and other objects of enjoyment. They
have no attraction for hari-bhajana in the association of Vaiṣṇavas. They
have come on the plea of associating with Vaiṣṇavas, but since they lack
real attachment [for hearing and chanting the Lord’s glories] they are
being swept away by the current of desires for other things
(anyābhilāṣa).” Thereafter, Bābājī Mahārāja began to chant to himself at
the top of his voice. Later that day, seeing those who had participated in
the car festival gradually returning, Bābājī Mahārāja, looking very grave,
did not speak to anyone.
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī on
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Śrīmatī Bhāgavatī Devī, the wife of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and the
Ṭhākura’s second daughter, Kadambinī, sometimes went to Kuliyā,
Navadvīpa, from the Bhakti Bhavan in Calcutta, to have darśana of the
lotus feet of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora. On one such occasion Bābājī Mahārāja
questioned them, “Why have you come to Kuliyā, leaving behind the
deity [Ṭhākura] of your home? Have you come to shop in the market or
have you come to see the deity of the market? The internal associate of
Lord Gaura has appeared in your home. If you want to keep him there
for some time, then you should go home and perform hari-bhajana with
single-mindedness. Otherwise, you will not be able to keep him there
much longer.”
In this statement by Bābājī Mahārāja, we have a prediction which
came true. Although there was certainly no fault in Śrīmatī Bhāgavatī
Devī or Śrimatī Kadambinī Devī coming to take the association of
Bābājī Mahārāja, still, out of his humility and his appreciation of the
qualities and stature of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura whom he accepted as his
śikṣā-guru, he encouraged these fortunate devotees to take the Ṭhākura’s
association while it was still available to them. In 1908, Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura would take to the renounced order of life by
taking bābājī-veśa from Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, despite
the bābājī’s initial reluctance, and finally give up the trappings of
household life.
 The Artful Pastimes of a Vaiṣṇava

When Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda was ill in his final years, he was residing at
Bhakti Bhavan in Calcutta. A caste gosvāmī visited Bābājī Mahārāja in
Kuliyā, and the latter said, “You should go to Calcutta, the material
world, and bring Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to this holy dhāma.” The
caste gosvāmī could not grasp what the intimate associate of Lord
Caitanya was indicating. He did not understand, tomāra hṛdoye sadā
govinda-viśrāma “The heart of the Vaiṣṇava is always the resting place of
Lord Govinda.” And, “Wherever there are Vaiṣṇavas, that place is
Vṛndāvana, and in that place there is unlimited bliss.” Wherever a mahā-
bhāgavata appears, he lives there with his Goloka associates and serves
Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vraja, 24 hours a day. Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda’s saying
“My house became Goloka” was beyond mere hyperbole and must be
accepted as factual.126
When the caste gosvāmī arrived in Calcutta, he conveyed Bābājī
Mahārāja’s message to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and the Ṭhākura
responded by giving his blessings to Śrīla Gaura-kiśora for his
performance of hari-bhajana. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura later explained the
truth of the Vaiṣṇavas to the ignorant gosvāmī, telling him, “Having
perceived the evil in our hearts, the Vaiṣṇavas, in accordance with the
verse from Bhagavad-gītā: ye yathā mām prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajamy
aham, deceive us in various ways. Having perceived the motive with
which we approach them, the Vaiṣṇavas feel there will not be much
benefit in their instructing us, and accordingly they speak about various
other matters to test our sincerity, keeping themselves absorbed in
uninterrupted bhagavata-bhajana in the meanwhile.” Many materialistic
people whimsically approached Śrīla Gaura-kiśora and were instructed
by him according to their predispositions. Being thus deceived, they
returned to the place from which they had come. Hearing ordinary talk
from Bābājī Mahārāja about everyday articles, such as flour, rice, oil,
betel, potatoes, patola, etc., they got the opportunity to become more
interested in worldly affairs. If one possesses a hypocrite’s materialistic
instinct, then he cannot truly associate with sādhus. If, on the other
hand, one surrenders fully to a sādhu, he will be pleased to reveal himself
and will continually speak about the Absolute Truth, free from illusion.

126. tomāra hṛdoye sadā govinda-viśrām govinda kohena—mora vaiṣṇava parāṇ (From
Vaiṣṇave Vijñapti “Prayer to the Vaiṣṇava” from Prārthanā by Śrīla Narottama dāsa
Ṭhākura, verse 5) Translation: “Your heart is always the resting place of Lord Govinda,
and Lord Govinda says, “The Vaiṣṇavas are in My heart.”
ye-dina gṛhe, bhajana dekhi, gṛhete goloka bhāya caraṇa-sīdhu, dekhiyā gaṅgā, sukha sā sīmā
pāya (Śuddha-bhakata from Śaraṇāgati by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, verse 6.
Translation: “Goloka Vṛndāvana appears in my home whenever I see the worship and
service of Lord Hari going on there. Upon seeing the Ganges, which is a river of
nectar emanating from the lotus feet of the Lord, my happiness knows no bounds.”
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora’s Benediction

Bhakti-pradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja, with the encouragement of Śrīla

Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and the permission of Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda,
crossed the River Ganges to have darśana of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja. Tīrtha Mahārāja was a gṛhastha at the time and had not
yet been initiated by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda. While going to visit Bābājī
Mahārāja, he carried a melon with him. Ordinarily Bābājī Mahārāja did
not accept presents, but when he heard that someone had come from
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he accepted the fruit. He told that devotee
in the dress of a householder to sing some kīrtana from Narottama dāsa
Ṭhākura’s Prārthanā. The householder sang ‘gaurāṅga’ bolite habe pulaka-
śarīrā ‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba’be nīra.
Having heard him sing, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora gave him the following
instruction, “Keep faith in the spiritual master and other Vaiṣṇavas. Be as
humble as a blade of grass and with the forbearance of a tree always
chant the name of the Lord. Keep yourself aloof from the association of
non-devotees.” Hearing this, Bhakti-pradīpa Prabhu told Bābājī
Mahārāja, “At this time I do not have the shelter of the lotus feet of a
guru.” Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Prabhu replied, “You have taken darśana of
Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Māyāpura, and that is the place of
ātmā-nivedana—complete surrender. As you have surrendered yourself to
the lotus feet of the bona fide guru, then how can you say you have not
achieved his shelter? Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is waiting for you. Go and
take his mercy!”
After hearing this, the gṛhastha devotee got his head shaved. Bābājī
Mahārāja then told him, “When you take sannyāsa, the name of
Mahāprabhu will be spread from country to country and village to
village.” Thus blessed by Bābājī Mahārāja, Bhakti-pradīpa Prabhu
touched his lotus feet and offered him obeisances. When hypocritical
and materialistic people came to pay respects to Bābājī Mahārāja in that
manner, he would say, “Everything you have will be destroyed. Your
home will be razed to the ground.” In this way he displayed his pastime
of anger. In this case, however, his attitude was quite different. That
same day the devotee went to Godruma to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
and was initiated by him into the kāma-bīja and kāma-gāyatrī mantras.
According to the prediction of Bābājī Mahārāja, he was the first disciple
to be given tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura, whom he considered his śikṣā-guru. He was known as Bhakti-
pradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja. According to his capacity, he preached the
philosophy of Lord Caitanya and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in India
and abroad in England, France, and Germany.
 His Entrance into the Eternal Pastimes of
the Lord

In the Bengali year 1322, at dawn, on the 30th day of the month of
Karttika, corresponding to November 16, 1915, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Gosvāmī entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord. That day at sunrise,
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura left Śrī Māyāpura for the Rani Dharmaśālā at
Kuliyā, where Bābājī Mahārāja had been staying. The head priests of
Navadvīpa’s various temples and āśramas began to argue amongst
themselves about where Bābājī Mahārāja’s spiritual body would be
interred. A heated argument arose. There was a material motive behind
the dispute, for the contending parties considered that establishing the
bābājī’s samādhi at their āśrama or temple would put them in a position to
earn handsomely from the pilgrims who would flock to see the tomb of
the paramahaṁsa. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura opposed their illegitimate
attempts, however. Apprehending a breach of peace, Navadvīpa’s
Inspector of Police who was, at that time, Mr. Yatindranatha Sinha,
arrived there.
After much controversy, the various hypocritical Vaiṣṇavas stated
their position: “Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is not a sannyāsī and thus has no
right to prepare a samādhi for a person who has renounced his home.”
Hearing their pronouncement, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura replied in a voice
like thunder, saying, “I am the sole disciple of Paramahaṁsa Bābājī
Mahārāja. Even though I have not accepted sannyāsa, I am a celibate
brahmacārī, and, by the grace of Bābājī Mahārāja, I am not a hypocritical
renunciate secretly addicted to abominable habits or fornication as some
monkey-like people are. I take pride in saying this as a bearer of Bābājī
Mahārāja’s shoes. If there is someone here who is a renunciate of truly
stainless character, then he can come forward and arrange for the
samādhi. I have no objection to that. He who within the last one year, or
six months, three months, one month or even three days has not
indulged in illicit association with women will be able to touch this
spiritually blissful body. If anyone else touches it, he will be completely
ruined.”
Hearing these words, the Inspector of Police said, “How will
evidence for this be produced?”
Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura rejoined, “I will believe what they say.” After
this challenge was offered, the bābājīs turned their backs one by one and
departed from that place. The Inspector of Police was dumbfounded.
Some of the people remaining there advised that Bābājī Mahārāja
had expressed a last desire that his body be dragged through the streets
of Navadvīpa in the dust of the dhāma. To this Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
replied, “Although we are fools, inexperienced, and offenders, we will
still not be disinclined to understand the true meaning of those
humility-filled words, which have been spoken by my Gurudeva to
destroy the pride of worldly-minded people. Even Kṛṣṇacandra will
personally think Himself successful if He carries my Gurudeva on His
head or shoulders. After the departure of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī
Gaurasundara took the spiritual body of the Ṭhākura on His lap and
danced. What dignity He adorned it with! Therefore, following in the
footsteps of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, we shall also bear Bābājī Mahārāja’s
spiritually blissful body on our heads.”127
On the following day, November 17, 1915, on the Utthana Ekādaśī
in the afternoon and according to the scriptural ordinances, Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura laid the body of his guru to rest on a newly formed
sandpit of the Ganges at Kuliyā. A low caste person of Lohagara from
the district of Jessore donated his property and claimed to give up all
rights to it. Yet after some time he forgot his promise and utilized that
land for various illicit materialistic activities. Although he was criticized
for this, he maintained his pride and committed offenses to the eternal
associates of Lord Caitanya. Sixteen years later, by the will of Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, his place of rest was eroded by the River
Ganges and inundated by it. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura organized a party of
men and recovered the samādhi intact and brought it to the bank of
Rādhākuṇḍa at Vrajapattana, Māyāpura, where he reestablished it before
a memorial to Śrī Guṇa Mañjarī. Nitya Gaurāṅga dāsa Adhikārī, a
disciple of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, helped to construct a beautiful
samādhi temple on the site.
We close our account of the transcendental deeds of His Divine
Grace Śrīla Gaurakiṣora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja with this prayer:
namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye
vipralambha-rasāmbhode pādāmbujāya te namaḥ
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja [the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura], who is renunciation personified. He is always merged
in a feeling of separation from and intense love of Kṛṣṇa.”

127. This description is summarized from Sarasvatī Jayaśrī, Fifteenth Vaibhava, by

Paramānanda Vidyarātna, citing the testimony of Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣana, who
witnessed the entire incident. There is an English translation by Bhaktikusum
Mahārāja in Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, pp. 83—85, Śrī Caitanya Maṭha, 1983.
 Appendix I
108 Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Gaura-kiśora Dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja

Professor Nisikanta Sanyal, M.A. (aka Bhakti Sudhākara dāsa)

[AUTHOR: I have inserted diacritics and very minor proofreading in this

text for the benefit of readers familiar with the style established in the
previous pages of this book. UK English spellings in this essay have been
maintained. The following essay was written by Professor Sanyal for
Sajjana-toṣaṇī under the direction of its Editor, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. The reader should note that Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wished to have himself portrayed as an ordinary
conditioned soul in the section detailing his approach to Gaura-kiśora
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja for initiation, and no one should ascribe any fault
to his obedient disciple in that regard.]

THE ESSAY:
The infinitesimal dissociated particle of the power of the Absolute,
that manifests himself on the borderline between the spiritual and
mundane spheres, is all-spirit in essence. In other words he has his own
unalloyed spiritual body and senses which are identical with his entity. It
is both natural, as well as easy, for him to seek incorporation in the
spiritual sphere. He may or may not be incorporated in the realm of the
spirit even when he seeks for the same. He may also seek to function in
the mundane sphere. But he may not obtain the automatic fulfillment of
his wish also for this purpose. Nevertheless, it is far easier for him to
obtain a footing in the spiritual than in the mundane realm.
This infinitesimal particle has perfect freedom of choice between
two incompatible and alternative courses of conduct. He may choose to
serve the Absolute or, in the alternative, to dominate over (measure) the
non-absolutes. He is unable to realise either of these wishes till he is
prepared to undergo a process of progressive acclimatisation to either
sphere under proper guidance. It is only by strenuous, whole-hearted
endeavour, backed by the guidance of a power far superior to himself,
that the infinitesimal entity is gradually enabled to find his footing and
function in the respective spheres.
The mundane is not independent of the spiritual sphere. It consists
of two distinct constituents viz., semi-conscious and unconscious
entities. The semi-conscious entities, dwelling in the mundane sphere,
do not possess real consciousness. They possess only shadowy or
deceptive consciousness. The apparently semi-conscious entities are
termed jīva-māyā while the unconscious entities are jaḍa-māyā. Jīva-
māyā is related to jaḍa-māyā as enjoyer and enjoyed, measurer and
measured, lord and servant.
The terms “to measure” and “to enjoy” are in the above sense
synonymous. They denote the activity of the mundane mind
misidentified by the soul in the conditioned state as his own. The
infinitesimal Absolute is said to wish for a footing in the spiritual sphere
when he is inclined to learn to serve the Absolute Infinity under His
unconditional guidance. He is said to wish to function in the mundane
sphere if he is inclined to learn to lord it over the entities of this material
world. This latter function is, however, not practicable till he is
endowed with a second ego and material organs by means of which he
is enabled to establish contact with mundane entities. The second ego is
jīva-māyā. It is so constituted that the soul can identify himself with its
entity and through its means establish the relation of lord, enjoyer or
“measurer” with the entities of this world.
By the above process, this mundane civilization has been built up. It
should be possible to retrace our steps, by a system of corresponding
activities, towards the service of the Absolute Infinity. But so long as a
person continues to be enamoured of the state of lordship over “Nature,”
he is not likely to go in for the alternative course.
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī was known to the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava
communities of both Navadvīpa and Vraja as a self-realised soul and for
his severe asceticism. He was utterly lacking in all those qualifications
that are valued by worldly people.
A Vaiṣṇava ascetic does not belong to the category of the destitute,
unemployed and stupid people of this world. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī has also nothing in common with that objectionable type of
bābājīs of Navadvīpa and Vṛndāvana who are the very worst specimens
of fallen humanity. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī did not also belong to
the category of the infinitesimal absolutes. He belonged to the divine
category of plenary power, and as such, it was never possible for the
conditions of the physical or mental spheres of this mundane world to
exercise any control over him. But he chose to appear to the perverted
view of worldly people in the likeness of a mortal being destitute of all
good and bad qualities and given to the severest ascetic practices.
It was to this Vaiṣṇava ascetic that the Editor of this journal was
directed by Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda for receiving his spiritual
enlightenment. The Editor was then passing as a young man of high
lineage possessing a handsome physical appearance, a keen and trained
intellect and the purest morals. From the worldly point of view he was
thus the exact contrast of the person to whom he was sent for his
spiritual guidance.
Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī promptly refused to have anything to
do with the deputed supplicant of his mercy on the grounds that Kṛṣṇa
would never accept a person so utterly unfitted for His service. It seems
that the earthly merits of Editor were his spiritual drawback. But as
Editor was not prepared for such a rude jerk to his vanity, it was with
the greatest difficulty that he could retain his better judgment and
rightly guess the hidden purpose of Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda in
sending him to a person who is not to be captivated by his good morals
and high intellectual equipment.
To his worldly contemporaries Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
appeared to have had very few and simple occupations. He passed all his
time in a tiny shed, ate raw earth and similar food, dispensed with all
covering for his body and seldom spoke to any visitor.
The Editor on meeting with the above rebuff did not give up the
attempt of obtaining his mercy. His sincerity was tested and rewarded
after due trial of his perseverance. He happened to be the only disciple
that Bābājī Mahārāja ever had.
After having received the mercy of Bābājī Mahārāja, Editor
experienced such a complete upsetting of his outlook on life that for a
year he could feel no interest in any other affair. His days and nights
were fully devoted to living communion with the Divine Personality of
the Guru in the privacy of a solitary room which he had built for
himself at Śrīdhāma Māyāpura.
From this time to the disappearance of Bābājī Mahārāja, Editor
seldom met his saviour at the latter’s shed and, when he met Bābājī
Mahārāja at his place, did not spend much time in his company. But
there were a number of persons who stayed at all times with Bābājī
Mahārāja and practised austerities in imitation of his conduct. These
persons regarded themselves intimate associates and elected recipients of
the special mercy of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora. But it so happened that none of
them could long retain intact their artificial modes of living, and all of
them fell away even from the path of ordinary morality.
Those persons had not and, as a matter of fact, very few persons of
this world have any idea of the real nature of spiritual communion with
the Divine Master. Spiritual discipleship is realised by the disciple being
raised to the plane of spiritual communion with the Divine Master. This
communion is not interruptible by any interval of time or space, and is
practised on a plane and by means of instrumentals whose nature and
existence are utterly incomprehensible to the uninitiated.
I was not, therefore, surprised on going through the letter of
Professor Bauver of Zeko-Slovakia [Czechoslovakia] to the Editor
requesting information about the number of disciples, the details of
publications and other particulars about the Gaudiya Mission, in order
to be enabled to form an idea of the nature of the purpose, method and
popularity of the cause. It is the most illogical of blunders to seek to be
acquainted with the activities of a religious Mission by the statistical
method. No human ingenuity can enable a person to force an entry into
the realm of the Absolute. The causeless mercy of the pure devotee can
alone acquaint us with his real personality.
There is no worldly means of understanding the ways of the soul on
his own plane of unalloyed cognition.
When Bābājī Mahārāja was pleased to disappear from the view of the
people of this world, an attempt was made by those very persons who
used to be in attendance upon him to commit a horrible offence against
his holy transcendental body, which appeared to them to be a corpse, by
causing it to be dragged along the streets of the town of Navadvīpa by a
rope fastened to the neck, in pursuance of a verbal instruction to that
effect left to them by Bābājī Mahārāja himself. It appeared that Bābājī
Mahārāja had told them that, as he had never served God, his body
would be purified by contact with the pure dust of Holy Navadvīpa if
his body was dragged through its streets by the hands of scavengers
pulling it by a cord fastened round his neck. Editor who was at
Śrīdhāma Māyāpura at the time of the disappearance of Bābājī Mahārāja
arrived just in time to be able to prevent those rascals from carrying out
their horrible sacrilege. He told them that Bābājī Mahārāja had lamented
the fate of bad men like themselves by such instructions regarding the
disposal of his own transcendental body and that none among them
according to the śāstras was eligible to touch his body unless they had
been uncontaminated by carnal association with loose women at least
the previous night. This statement produced the strange effect of
dissuading all those persons from laying their hands on the
transcendental remains of the great saint.
Editor was enjoined by Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja not to stay in Calcutta
which place was described by him as the seat of discord (Kali), as
nobody there possessed any spiritual inclination. The busy life of a great
modern city absorbed in the pursuit of wealth is particularly unsuited for
fostering spiritual interest.
But Editor did not receive the advice in its literal sense. He could
understand that those words were expressive of the most profound
concern for the spiritual well-being of the citizens of the premier city of
India, who had no time or inclination for giving their serious thought to
the needs of their souls. He accordingly conceived the resolution of
preaching the tidings of the Transcendental Service of Kṛṣṇa to the
peoples of all the great cities of the world and to make Calcutta the
headquarters of this propaganda. He has worked for the realisation of
this idea in the face of the greatest public indifference to the concerns of
the soul.
The utterances from the press and the platform of the Editor have
since been carried to the remotest parts of India, to Burma and Europe,
by the agency of a large number of dedicated souls who have joined the
Mission.
It is not possible to bring out in detail the bearing of the doings of
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja on these activities of the Editor within the limits of
a short article, nor to explain their connection with the conduct and
writings of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda who initiated the movement for the
propagation of the Teaching of Mahāprabhu Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.
Empiric critics have not failed to detect serious discrepancies between
the doings and sayings of the Editor and the words and conduct of Śrīla
Bābājī Mahārāja and Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda. But such misunderstanding
is only one more instance of the failure of the attempt of worldly-
minded people to understand the transcendental careers of pure devotees
with the resources of their limited misguided judgment.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya stresses the supreme necessity of serving the
Transcendental Name of Kṛṣṇa appearing on the lips of His pure
devotees for the purpose of attaining to the transcendental plane of
unclouded judgment of our awakened souls. On that plane there is
activity of the cognitive energy of Kṛṣṇa, which is an undivided whole,
so that the Name on that plane is identical with the object itself. Every
activity of the pure devotee is characterised by both fullness as well as
individuality. By taking the Name of Kṛṣṇa the devotee serves Kṛṣṇa in
every way. The devotee is constantly engaged in chanting the Name of
Kṛṣṇa as he does nothing but the Service of Kṛṣṇa and as the
performance of every form of His Service is a performance of all its
forms. It is to this transcendental plane of the activities of the plenary
cognitive potency of Kṛṣṇa that the performances of Śrīla Bābājī
Mahārāja and Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda belong. It is not possible to
understand how both of them are constantly engaged in the service of
Kṛṣṇa in every way, till one is admitted to the very highest plane of the
transcendental service by their special mercy.
It is not possible to understand the real nature of the practice of
austerities by Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja unless we are lifted to the plane of
his transcendental activities by being inclined to submit unconditionally
to the guidance of the plenary power of Kṛṣṇa or the Divine Master
(sat-guru) by his special mercy. This is the result of spiritual initiation.
The eligibility to confer the fullest measure of enlightenment is
certainly a large claim to be made on behalf of any empiric teacher. But
it is the irreducible minimum claim on behalf of a real teacher of
religion. It is meaningless for any person to pose as a teacher of religion
unless he is in a position to lift his pupil to the plane of his
transcendental discourse. This function can be performed only by the
power of Kṛṣṇa or God Himself. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme World-Teacher.
He teaches all souls by appearing in the Form of the Divine Sound on
the lips of His Power or the Saviour Guru. The Name is the Supreme
Teacher. The power of the Name, by means of whose agency the Name
manifests Himself, is the Guru. The Guru or power of Krishna lifts the
soul to the plane of the Transcendental Name and also establishes and
maintains contact of the soul with Kṛṣṇa.
 Appendix II
Duṣṭa Mana (O Wicked Mind) Vaiṣṇava
Ke? — “Who is a Real Vaiṣṇava?”

By Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, translated by Daśaratha-suta

dāsa
(1)
duṣṭa mana! tumi kiser vaiṣṇava?
pratiṣṭhār tare, nirjaner ghare,
tava ‘hari nāma’ kevala ‘kaitava’
SYNONYMS
duṣṭa mana—O wicked mind!; tumi—you; kiser vaiṣṇava—what
kind of devotee?; pratiṣṭhār—of prestige; tare—on account of;
nirjaner ghare—in a solitary dwelling; tava—your; hari-nāma—
chanting of the holy name of Lord Hari; kevala—only; kaitava—
cheating.
TRANSLATION
1) O wicked mind! What kind of Vaiṣṇava do you think you
are? Your pretentious show of chanting Lord Hari’s holy name
in a solitary place is only for the sake of attaining the false
prestige of a worldly reputation—it is nothing but pure
hypocrisy.
(2)
jaḍer pratiṣṭhā, śukarer viṣṭhā,
jāno nā ki tāhā ‘māyār vaibhava’
kanaka kāminī, divasa-yāminī,
bhāviyā ki kāja, anitya se saba
SYNONYMS
jaḍer—of the material realm; pratiṣṭhā—fame; śukarer—of a pig;
viṣṭhā—stool; jāno nā ki—do you not know?; tāhā—that; māyār—
of the illusory material world; vaibhava—potency; kanaka—gold;
kāminī—attractive women; divasa yāminī—all day and night;
bhāviyā—thinking; ki kāja—what benefit; anitya—temporary; se
saba—all those.
TRANSLATION
2) Such materialistic prestige is as disgusting as the stool of a
hog. Do you not know that it is only a mere illusion cast by the
potency of Māyā? What is the value of contemplating day and
night your plans for enjoying wealth and women? All these
things are only temporary.
(3)
tomār kanaka, bhoger janaka,
kanaker dvāre sevaho ‘mādhava’
kāminīr kāma, nahe tava dhāma,
tāhār-mālika kevala ‘yādava’
SYNONYMS
tomār—your; kanaka—gold; bhoger—of enjoyment; janaka—the
producer; kanaker dvāre—by wealth; sevaho—please serve;
mādhava—Lord Mādhava; kāminīr kāma—lust for beautiful
women; nāhe—not; tava—your; dhāma—proper place; tāhār—its;
mālika—owner; kevala—is only; yādava—Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of
the Yadu dynasty.
TRANSLATION
3) When you claim wealth as your own, it creates in you ever-
increasing desires for material enjoyment. Your riches should be
used for serving Mādhava, the Lord of all wealth. Neither is it
your proper place to indulge in lust for women, whose only
true proprietor is Lord Yādava.
(4)
pratiṣṭhāśā-taru, jaḍa-māyā-maru,
nā pela ‘rāvaṇa’ yujhiyā ‘rāghava’
vaiṣṇavī pratiṣṭhā, tāte koro niṣṭhā,
tāhā nā bhajile labhibe raurava
SYNONYMS
pratiṣṭhā-āśā—desire for fame; taru—the tree; jaḍa-māyā—of
material illusion; maru—the desert; na—not; pela—reached;
rāvaṇa—the demon named Rāvaṇa; yujhiyā—fighting; rāghava—
with Lord Rāmachandra; vaiṣṇavī—the position of being a
vaiṣṇava; pratiṣṭhā—situation; tāte—in that; koro niṣṭhā—become
fixed; tāhā—that; nā—not; bhajile—if one worships; labhibe—will
obtain; raurava—hell.
TRANSLATION
4) The demon Rāvaṇa (lust-incarnate) fought with Lord
Rāmachandra (love-incarnate) in order to gain the tree of
worldly reputation—but that oasis turned out to be but a mirage
cast in the desert wasteland of the Lord’s illusory material
potency. Please cultivate fixed determination to attain only the
steady and solid platform whereupon a Vaiṣṇava ever stands. If
you neglect worshiping the Lord from this position, then you
will ultimately attain a hellish existence.
(5)
harijana-dveṣa, pratisthāśā-kleśa,
koro keno tabe tāhār gaurava
vaiṣṇaver pāche, pratisthāśā āche,
tā’te kabhu nāhe ‘anitya-vaibhava’
SYNONYMS
hari-jana-dveṣa—hatred for the devotees of the Lord; pratiṣṭhā-
āśā—desire for fame; kleśa—suffering; koro—you endeavor; keno
—why?; tabe—then; tāhār—its; gaurava—glory; vaiṣṇaver pāche—
following behind the devotees; pratiṣṭhā-āśā—desire for spiritual
position; āche—there is; tāte—in that; kabhu nāhe—never; anitya—
impermanent; vaibhava—wealth.
TRANSLATION
5) Why do you needlessly suffer the torment of blaspheming
the devotees of Lord Hari, attempting to achieve their
eminence, thereby only proving your own fruitless foolishness?
The desire for spiritual eminence is easily fulfilled when one
becomes a devotee of the Lord, for eternal fame automatically
follows the heels of a Vaiṣṇava. And that fame is never to be
considered a temporary worldly opulence.
(6)
se hari-sambandha, śūnya-māyā-gandha,
tāhā kabhu noy ‘jaḍer kaitava’
pratiṣṭhā-caṇḍālī, nirjanatā-jāli,
ubhaye jāniho māyika raurava
SYNONYMS
se—that; hari-sambandha—relationship with Lord Hari; śūnya—
free from; māyā-gandha—a scent of illusion; tāhā—that; kabhu
noy—never; jaḍer—of materialism; kaitava—cheating; pratiṣṭhā—
worldly reputation; caṇḍālī—female dog-eater; nirjanatā—
solitary living; jāli—the net; ubhaye—in both; jāniho—you should
know; māyika—illusory; raurava—hell.
TRANSLATION
6) The relationship between a devotee and Lord Hari is devoid
of even a trace of worldly illusion; it has nothing to do with the
materialistic cheating propensity. The prestige of so-called
popularity in the material realm is compared to a treacherous
dog-eating witch, and the attempt to live in solitude to
supposedly engage in unalloyed bhajana is compared to an
entangling network of distraction. Please know that anyone
striving in either of these ways verily lives in the hell of Māyā’s
illusion.
(7)
kīrtana chāḍibo, pratiṣṭhā mākhibo,
ki kāja ḍhuḍiyā tādṛśa gaurava
mādhavendra purī, bhāva-ghare curi,
nā korilo kabhu sadāi jānabo
SYNONYMS
kīrtana—chanting the Lord’s names; chāḍibo—I will give up;
pratiṣṭhā—worldly reputation; mākhibo—I will besmear myself; ki
kāja—what benefit; ḍhuḍiyā—seeking; tādṛśa—that kind of;
gaurava—grandeur; mādhavendra purī—the sage Mādhavendra
Purī; bhāva-ghare—in the storehouse of perception; curi—
stealing; nā korilo—he did not do; kabhu—ever; sadāi—always;
jānabo—I will remind you.
TRANSLATION
7) “I shall give up chanting the Lord’s name publicly in kīrtana
and retire to solitude, thus smearing myself with worldly
honor.” Dear mind, what is the good of seeking such so-called
glory? I will always remind you that the great soul
Mādhavendra Purī never deceived himself in that regard by
committing theft in his own storehouse of perception the way
you do.
(8)
tomār pratiṣṭhā,-‘śukarer viṣṭhā’,
tār-saha sama kabhu nā mānava
matsaratā-vaśe, tumi jaḍa-rase,
majecho chāḍiyā kīrtana-sauṣṭava
SYNONYMS
tomār—your; pratiṣṭhā—popularity; śukarer viṣṭhā—the stool of a
hog; tār-saha—with that; sama—equal; kabhu nā—never; mānava
—an ordinary human being; matsaratā—pride; vaśe—under the
control of; tumi—you; jaḍa-rase—in the mellows of mundane
sense pleasures; majecho—you are sunk; chāḍiyā—having given
up; kīrtana-sauṣṭava—the excellence of the saṅkīrtana movement.
TRANSLATION
8) Your cheap reputation is equal to the stool of a hog. An
ordinary ambitious man like you can never be equated with a
devotee of Mādhavendra Purī’s eminence. Under the sway of
envy, you have drowned yourself in the filthy waters of material
enjoyment after having abandoned the excellent perfection of
congregational kīrtana.
(9)
tāi duṣṭa mana, ‘nirjana bhajan,’
 pracāricho chale ‘kuyogī-vaibhava’
prabhu sanātane, parama jatane,
śikṣā dilo yāhā, cinto sei saba
SYNONYMS
tāi—therefore; duṣṭa mana—O wicked mind!; nirjana bhajan—
solitary worship; pracāricho—you are preaching; chale—by trick;
ku-yogī-vaibhava—the opulence of a false yogī; prabhu—Śrī
Chaitanya Mahāprabhu; sanātane—to Sanātana Goswāmī;
parama jatane—with great care; śikṣā dilo—gave instructions;
yāhā—which; cinto—please contemplate; sei saba—all those.
TRANSLATION
9) Truly, O wicked mind, the glories of so-called solitary
worship are propagated only by false yogīs using unscrupulous
means to deceive others. To save yourself from these pitfalls,
please contemplate the instructions that the Supreme Lord Śrī
Chaitanya Mahāprabhu kindly gave us while addressing Śrīla
Sanātana Goswāmī with the utmost care.
(10)
sei du’ṭi kathā, bhulo’ nā sarvathā,
uccaiḥ-svare koro ‘hari-nāma-rava’
‘phalgu’ ār ‘yukta,’ ‘baddha’ ār ‘mukta,’
kabhu nā bhāviho, ekākār saba
SYNONYMS
sei—these; du’ṭi—two; kathā—topics; bhulo’ nā—don’t forget;
sarvathā—in all circumstances; uccaiḥ-svare—in a loud voice; koro
—perform; hari-nāma-rava—the sound of chanting the Lord’s
holy names; phalgu—false; ār—and; yukta—befitting (linked with
Kṛṣṇa); baddha—bound in māyā; ār—and; mukta—liberated;
kabhu nā—never; bhāviho—consider; ekākār—one in the same
form; saba—all these.
TRANSLATION
10) Do not forget for a moment the two most valuable concepts
that He taught: 1) the principle of dry, apparent renunciation as
opposed to real, appropriate renunciation; and 2) the principle
of a soul being trapped in the bondage of matter as opposed to a
soul who is liberated. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking
that these conflicting concepts are on the same level. Please
remember this while engaging yourself in chanting the Lord’s
holy names as loudly as you possibly can.
(11)
‘kanaka-kāminī,’ ‘pratiṣṭhā-bāghinī,’
chāḍiyāche jāre, sei to’ vaiṣṇava
sei ‘anāsakta,’ sei ‘śuddha-bhakta,’
saṁsār tathā pāy parābhava
SYNONYMS
kanaka-kāminī—enjoyment of wealth and women; pratiṣṭhā-
bāghinī—the tigress of worldly reputation; chāḍiyāche—has given
up; jāre—who; sei—he; to’—certainly; vaiṣṇava—a devotee; sei—
he; anāsakta—unattached; sei—he alone; śuddha-bhakta—is a pure
devotee; saṁsār—the material world; tathā—in this manner; pāy
—gets; parābhava—defeated.
TRANSLATION
11) One is truly a Vaiṣṇava who has given up the habit of
falling victim to the ferocious tigress of wealth, beauty, and
fame. Such a soul is factually detached from material life, and is
known as a pure devotee. Someone with this consciousness of
detachment has thereby become victorious over the mundane
world of birth and death.
(12)
yathā-yogya bhoga, nāhi tathā roga,
‘anāsakta’ sei, ki ār kahabo
‘āsakti-rohita,’ ‘sambandha-sahita,’
viṣaya-samuha sakali ‘mādhava’
SYNONYMS
yathā-yogya—whatever is appropriate for survival; bhoga—
enjoyment; nāhi—is not; tathā—in that way; roga—the disease (of
materialism); anāsakta—detached; sei—he; ki ār—what more;
kahabo—shall I say; āsakti-rohita—devoid of attachment;
sambandha-sahita—endowed with a relationship; viṣaya-samuha
—the multitude of sense objects; sakali—all; mādhava—Lord
Mādhava.
TRANSLATION
12) One is indeed detached who moderately partakes of worldly
things that are deemed necessary for living in devotional
service; a devotee acting in that manner does not fall prey to the
disease of material infatuation. Thus devoid of selfish
attachment, and endowed with the ability to see things in
relation to the Lord, all sense objects are then directly perceived
as being Lord Mādhava Himself.
(13)
se ‘yukta-vairāgya,’ tāhā to’ saubhāgya,
tāhā-i jaḍete harir vaibhava
kīrtane jāhār, ‘pratiṣṭhā-sambhār,’
tāhār sampatti kevala ‘kaitava’
SYNONYMS
se—this; yukta-vairāgya—renunciation that is connected with
Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyment; tāhā—that; to’—indeed; saubhāgya—great
fortune; tāhā-i—only that; jaḍete—in the material world; harir—
of Lord Hari; vaibhava—the opulence; kīrtane—in chanting the
Lord’s names; jāhār—whose; pratiṣṭhā-sambhār—heaps of
ambition for recognition; tāhār—its; sampatti—opulence; kevala
—only; kaitava—cheating.
TRANSLATION
13) This is the standard of befitting renunciation, and one who
realizes this is most fortunate indeed. Everything involved in
such a devotee’s life represents Lord Hari’s personal spiritual
opulence as manifest in the world of matter. On the other hand,
one who engages in chanting the Lord’s name with hopes of
enhancing his own material reputation finds that all his
activities and paraphernalia represent only the riches of
hypocrisy.
(14)
‘viṣaya-mumukṣu,’ ‘bhoger bubhukṣu,’
du’ye tyajo mana, dui ‘avaiṣṇava’
‘kṛṣṇer sambandha,’ aprākṛta-skandha,
kabhu nāhe tāhā jaḍer sambhava
SYNONYMS
viṣaya-mumukṣu—one who desires liberation from the material
world; bhoger bubhukṣu—one who desires to enjoy sense
gratification; du’ye—both; tyajo—please reject; mana—O mind!;
dui—the two; avaiṣṇava—non-devotees; kṛṣṇer—with Kṛṣṇa;
sambandha—relationship; aprākṛta-skandha—things belonging to
the transcendental realm; kabhu nāhe—never; tāhā—that; jaḍer
sambhava—of material origin.
TRANSLATION
14) O mind, please reject the company of two types of persons
—those desiring impersonal liberation from the material world,
and those who desire to enjoy the pleasure of material sense
objects. Both of these are equally non-devotees. The things that
are used in relation to Lord Kṛṣṇa are objects belonging directly
to the transcendental realm, and thus having nothing to do with
matter they cannot be either owned or forsaken by persons
interested in mundane enjoyment or renunciation.
(15)
‘māyāvādī jana,’ kṛṣṇetara mana,
mukta abhimāne se ninde vaiṣṇava
vaiṣṇaver dās, tava bhakti-āś,
keno vā ḍākicho nirjana-āhava
SYNONYMS
māyāvādī jana—the impersonalist; kṛṣṇetara—opposed to Kṛṣṇa;
mana—mentality; mukta abhimāne—proudly considering himself
liberated; se—he; ninde—blasphemes; vaiṣṇava—the devotees;
vaiṣṇaver dās—servant of the devotees; tava—your; bhakti-āś—
devotional desire; keno vā—why then; ḍākicho—you call out;
nirjana-āhava—fighting for solitude.
TRANSLATION
15) An impersonal philosopher is opposed to thinking of Kṛṣṇa
as an object of devotion, and thus being puffed up with the false
pride of imaginary liberation he dares to criticize the true
devotees of the Lord. O mind, you are the servant of the
Vaiṣṇavas, and you should always hope for attaining devotion.
Why then do you make such a loud commotion by calling to
 me and trying to prove the supposed supremacy of your
practice of solitary worship?
(16)
je ‘phalgu-vairāgī,’ kohe nije ‘tyāgī,’
se nā pāre kabhu hoite ‘vaiṣṇava’
hari-pada chāḍi’, ‘nirjanatā bāḍi,’
labhiyā ki phala, ‘phalgu’ se vaibhava
SYNONYMS
je—who; phalgu-vairāgī—false renunciate; kohe nije—calls
himself; tyāgī—an accomplished renunciate; se—he; nā pāre—is
not able; kabhu hoite—to ever be; vaiṣṇava—a devotee; hari-pada
—the lotus feet of the Lord; chāḍi’—rejecting; nirjanatā bāḍi—
residence in solitude; labhiyā—obtaining; ki phala—what result?;
phalgu—false; se vaibhava—that opulence.
TRANSLATION
16) One who falsely gives up things that could actually be used
in the Lord’s service proudly calls himself a ‘renunciate,’ but
unfortunately he can never become a Vaiṣṇava by such an
attitude. Abandoning his servitorship to the lotus feet of Lord
Hari, and resigning himself to his solitary home, whatever is
gained by that exercise can only be the worthless treasure of
deception.
(17)
rādhā-dāsye rohi’, chāḍi ‘bhoga-ahi,’
‘pratiṣṭhāśā’ nahe ‘kīrtana-gaurava’
‘rādhā-nitya-jana,’ tāhā chāḍi’ mana,
keno vā nirjana-bhajana-kaitava

SYNONYMS
rādhā-dāsye—in service to Śrī Rādhā; rohi’—remaining; chāḍi—giving up;
bhoga-ahi—the snake of selfish enjoyment; pratiṣṭhā-āśā—ambition for
recognition; nahe—is not; kīrtana-gaurava—the glory of congregational
chanting; rādhā-nitya-jana—being the eternal servant of Rādhā; tāhā
chāḍi’—rejecting that; mana—O mind!; keno vā—why then; nirjana-
bhajana—solitary worship; kaitava—cheating.

TRANSLATION

17) Ever engage yourself in the service of Śrī Rādhā, and keep aloof
from the vicious snake of materialistic sense gratification. The glory of
participating in the Lord’s kīrtana is not meant to bolster anyone’s
ambitions for personal recognition. O mind, why then have you
abandoned the identity of being Rādhā’s eternal servant in favor of
retiring to a solitary place to practice the cheating process of so-called
bhajana?
(18)
vraja-vāsī-gaṇa, pracāraka-dhana,
pratiṣṭhā-bhikṣuka tā’rā nahe ‘śava’
prāṇa āche tā’r, se-hetu pracār,
pratiṣṭhāśā-hīna-‘kṛṣṇa-gāthā’ saba
SYNONYMS
vraja-vāsī-gaṇa—the residents of Vraja; pracāraka—preachers;
dhana—the treasure; pratiṣṭhā-bhikṣuka—beggars for worldly
fame; tā’rā—they; nahe—are not; śava—a dead body; prāṇa āche—
there is life; tā’r—theirs; se-hetu—for that reason; pracār—
preaching; pratiṣṭhā-āśā-hīna—devoid of ambition for fame;
kṛṣṇa-gāthā—songs about Kṛṣṇa; saba—all.
TRANSLATION
18) The most valuable treasures amongst the Lord’s preachers
are the eternal personalities residing in Vraja-dhāma. They
never occupy themselves with begging for worthless material
reputation, which is cherished only by the living dead. The
Vraja-vāsīs are truly infused with life, and therefore they preach
in order to give life to the walking corpses of the mundane
world. All the songs that the Vraja-vāsīs sing about the glories
of Lord Kṛṣṇa are devoid of any tinge of desire for fame.
(19)
śrī-dayita-dās, kīrtanete āś,
koro uccaiḥ-svare ‘hari-nāma-rava’
kīrtana-prabhāve, smaraṇa svabhāve,
se kāle bhajana-nirjana sambhava
SYNONYMS
śrī-dayita-dās—the servant of Rādhā’s beloved Kṛṣṇa
(Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī); kīrtanete—for congregational
chanting; āś—desirous; koro—please perform; uccaiḥ-svare—in a
loud voice; hari-nāma-rava—the sound of the Lord’s holy names;
kīrtana-prabhāve—by the power of the chanting; smaraṇa—
remembering the Lord’s pastimes; svabhāve—in one’s own
original spiritual mood; se kāle—at that time; bhajana-nirjana—
worship in solitude; sambhava—possible.
TRANSLATION
19) This humble servant of Rādhā and Her beloved Kṛṣṇa
always hopes for kīrtana, and he begs all to loudly sing the
names of Lord Hari. The transcendental power of
congregational chanting automatically awakens remembrance
of the Lord and His divine pastimes in relation to one’s own
eternal spiritual form. Only at that time does it become possible
to go off to a solitary place and engage in the confidential
worship of Their Lordships.
 Appendix III
Excerpts from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books
and Letters

“There is a practical example set for us by Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī

Mahārāja, who used to sit on the side of a latrine to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Many materialistic persons used to come and bother him and disturb his
daily routine of chanting, so to avoid their company he used to sit by
the side of a latrine, where materialistic persons would not go because of
the filth and the obnoxious smell. However, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja was so great that he was accepted as the spiritual master of
such a great personality as His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. The conclusion is that
Lord Śiva behaved in his own way to avoid materialistic persons who
might disturb him in his prosecution of devotional service.” (SB 4.2.18
purport)
“Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, Śrī Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Śrīla
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and later Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura of Calcutta, always engaged in nāma-bhajana and certainly did
not live anywhere but Vṛndāvana. Presently, the members of the Hare
Kṛṣṇa movement throughout the world live in materially opulent cities,
such as London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Moscow, Zurich and
Stockholm. However, we are satisfied with following in the footsteps of
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and other ācāryas. Because we live in the
temples of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and continuously hold hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana—
the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa—we consequently live in Vṛndāvana and
nowhere else. We are also following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu by attempting to construct a temple in Vṛndāvana for our
disciples throughout the world to visit.”
(CC Madhya 16.281 purport)
Devotee: His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī accepted
both Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Gaura-kiśora as his spiritual
masters.
Prabhupāda: Gaura-kiśora dāsa... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was his
father, and Gaura-kiśora dasa Bābājī was treating Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura... Although he was householder and Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
was renounced order, still he used to offer great respect to Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura saw him as a pure devotee;
therefore, he recommended his son, Bimala Prasāda. His former name
was Bimala Prasāda, and he got this title Siddhānta Sarasvatī by writing
one thesis on astronomy, astrology, astrological calculation according to
the solar system. So he got this title Siddhānta Sarasvatī. So this
Siddhānta Sarasvatī, Sarasvatī title is also accepted by sannyāsa. Sarasvatī,
Bhāratī, Puri, Araṇya, Bon, Parvat—there are ten names of sannyāsa
according to Māyāvādī school, and according to Vaiṣṇava school there
are 108 names. So this “svāmī” and “gosvāmī,” they’re also included
within that 108 names. So he accepted Gaura-kiśora dasa Bābājī
Maharaja his spiritual master. Yes?
Devotee: Does our line of succession go directly to Gaura-kiśora
dasa Bābājī or to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?
Prabhupāda: No. Because he was treating Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura as
his śikṣa guru, preceptor guru, so it is in the line.
Devotee: But is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura directly in succession from
Lord Caitanya?
 Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: And Gaura-kiśora dasa Bābājī also?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
(680826QA.MON, Montreal August 26, 1968, Conversation)
A Mr. Kumar, who sometimes lived in the London temple, visited
Prabhupāda with many questions. He wanted to work for ISKCON, he
said, but required money to send his mother in India. “No,” Prabhupāda
told him, “our men work twenty-four hours a day without a farthing.”
Mr. Kumar suggested ways to improve ISKCON. The devotees needed
to study more, he said, especially Sanskrit, and become scholars.
Prabhupāda disagreed. “All we need is dedication,” he said. “I am not
a great Sanskrit scholar, but I am pulling on. And even the scholars say it
is good. My Guru Mahārāja’s Guru Mahārāja [Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja] was illiterate. Still, his disciple, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Prabhupāda, was the greatest scholar of the day. But when Gaura-kiśora
spoke, it was exactly from the śāstra. Our principle is not to take time to
learn something and become expert and then preach. But whatever you
know, preach. Class in the morning, class in the evening, and if they
read my books, that is sufficient.”
(Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta vol. 5, ch. 42, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase
2003)
At the beginning of the Gauḍīya-bhāṣya of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, he has written the following prayers
glorifying his gurus:
śrī-bhaktivinoda-pada, yāte nāśe bhogi-gada,
śuddha-bhakti yāṅ-ha ‘te pracāra
likhite gauḍiya-bhāṣya, rahu citte tava dāsya,
yāci, prabho! karuṇā tomāra
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura preached the process of pure
devotional service, and his lotus feet destroy the desire for
material enjoyment. While writing this Gauḍīya-bhāṣya
 commentary I beg for his mercy. O Prabhu, let the desire for
serving you always remain in my heart.
hari-vinodera āśā, bhāgavata-vyākhyā-bhāṣā,
kuñja-sevā kariba yatane
bhakata-karuṇā ha ‘le, sarva-siddhi tabe mile,
nāhi rākhi anya āśā mane
By the desire of Lord Hari and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, I
am writing this commentary on Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata. I will
attentively serve Their Lordships in the kuñjas. By the mercy of
the devotees, one can achieve all perfection. Therefore, I do not
keep any other desire in my mind.
śuddha-bhakta mūrtimān, śunaye yāṅhāra kāna,
śrī-caitanya-bhāgavata-gāna
śrī-gaura-kiśora vara, e dāsera guruvara,
sadā kṛpā kara more dāna
The pure devotees of the Lord hear and chant this Śrī Caitanya-
bhāgavata. Śrī Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī is the spiritual master of
this servant, so I always beg for his mercy.
śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī- āśliṣṭa-dayite sevi’,
yena chāḍi aparādha ghora
śrī-vrajapattane vasi’, gāndharvike, divā-niśi,
giridhara sevā pāi tora
Śrī Vārṣabhānavī dayita dāsa desires to serve the beloved Lord of
Śrī Vārṣabhānavīdevī by giving up all offenses. O Gāndharvikā-
Giridhārī, I pray day and night for Your service while sitting at
Śrī Vrajapattana, Māyāpura.
(Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa, prayers by Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura at the beginning of his Gauḍiya-bhāṣya, translation
and editing by Bhumipati dāsa and Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi dasa,
Vedabase 2003)
kṣudra-jīva saba markaṭa-vairāgya kariyā
indriya carāñā bule ‘prakṛti’ sambhāṣiyā
SYNONYMS
kṣudra-jīva—poor living entities; saba—all; markaṭa vairāgya—a
renounced life like that of a monkey; kariyā—accepting; indriya
carāñā—satisfying the senses; bule—wander here and there;
prakṛti sambhāṣiyā—talking intimately with women.
TRANSLATION
“There are many persons with little in their possession who
accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here
and there engaging in sense gratification and speaking
intimately with women.”
PURPORT
One should strictly follow the regulative principles, namely no illicit
sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling, and in this way
one should make progress in spiritual life. If an unfit person
sentimentally accepts vairāgya or takes sannyāsa but at the same time
remains attached to women, he is in a very dangerous position. His
renunciation is called markaṭa-vairāgya, or renunciation like that of a
monkey. The monkey lives in the forest, eats fruit and does not even
cover itself with a cloth. In this way it resembles a saint, but the monkey
always thinks of female monkeys and sometimes keeps dozens of them
for sexual intercourse. This is called markaṭa-vairāgya. Therefore one
who is unfit should not accept the renounced order of life. One who
accepts the order of sannyāsa but again becomes agitated by sensual
disturbances and talks privately with women is called dharma-dhvajī or
dharma-kalaṅka, which means that he brings condemnation upon the
religious order. Therefore one should be extremely careful in this
connection. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains the word
markaṭa to mean “restless.” A restless person cannot be steady; therefore
he simply wanders about, gratifying his senses. Just to get praise from
others, to get cheap adoration from his followers or people in general,
such a person sometimes accepts the dress of a sannyāsī or bābājī in the
renounced order, but he cannot give up desires for sense gratification,
especially for the association of women. Such a person cannot make
advancement in spiritual life. There are eight different kinds of sensual
enjoyment with women, including talking about them and thinking
about them. Thus for a sannyāsī, a person in the renounced order,
talking intimately with women is a great offense. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya
and Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura actually achieved the most elevated
stage of the renounced order, but those who imitate them, accepting
them as ordinary human beings, fall under the influence of the material
energy, for that is a great misunderstanding. (CC Antya 2.120 verse and
purport)
markaṭa-vairāgya nā kara loka dekhāñā
yathā-yogya viṣaya bhuñja’ anāsakta hañā
SYNONYMS
markaṭa-vairāgya—monkey renunciation; nā kara—do not do;
loka—to the people; dekhāñā—showing off; yathā-yogya—as it is
befitting; viṣaya—material things; bhuñja’—enjoy; anāsakta—
without attachment; hañā—being.
TRANSLATION
“You should not make yourself a show bottle devotee and
become a false renunciate. For the time being, enjoy the
material world in a befitting way and do not become attached
to it.”
PURPORT
 The word markaṭa-vairāgya, indicating false renunciation, is very
important in this verse. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in
commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external
show of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in
the forest. In this way they consider themselves renunciates, but actually
they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female
monkeys. Such renunciation is called markaṭa-vairāgya—the
renunciation of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one
actually becomes disgusted with material activity and sees it as a
stumbling block to spiritual advancement. Renunciation should not be
phalgu, temporary, but should exist throughout one’s life. Temporary
renunciation, or monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels
at a cremation ground. When a man takes a dead body to the
crematorium, he sometimes thinks, “This is the final end of the body.
Why am I working so hard day and night?” Such sentiments naturally
arise in the mind of any man who goes to a crematorial ghāṭa. However,
as soon as he returns from the cremation grounds, he again engages in
material activity for sense enjoyment. This is called śmaśāna-vairāgya, or
markaṭa-vairāgya.
In order to render service to the Lord, one may accept necessary
things. If one lives in this way, he may actually become renounced. In
the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said:
yāvatā syāt sva-nirvāhaḥ svī-kuryāt tāvad artha-vit
ādhikye nyūnatāyāṁ ca cyavate paramārthataḥ
“The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should
not superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be
unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is
necessary to help one advance spiritually.”
In his Durgama-saṅgamanī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī comments that the word
sva-nirvāhaḥ actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvāhaḥ. The experienced
devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render
service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.256), markaṭa-
vairāgya, or phalgu-vairāgya, is explained as follows:
prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate
“When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things
related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them
to be material, their renunciation is called incomplete.”
Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord
should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material
thing. Yukta-vairāgya, or befitting renunciation, is thus
explained:
anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
“Things should be accepted for the Lord’s service and not for
one’s personal sense gratification. If one accepts something
without attachment and accepts it because it is related to Kṛṣṇa,
one’s renunciation is called yukta-vairāgya.” Since Kṛṣṇa is the
Absolute Truth, whatever is accepted for His service is also the
Absolute Truth.
The word markaṭa-vairāgya is used by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to
indicate so-called Vaiṣṇavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying to
imitate Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Such people carry a bead bag and chant,
but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and money.
Unknown to others, these markaṭa-vairāgīs maintain women but
externally present themselves as renunciates. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
was very much opposed to these markaṭa-vairāgīs, or pseudo Vaiṣṇavas.
(CC Madhya 16.238 verse and purport)
Therefore the reprobates’ only means of attaining any piety is
through the association of devotees. We are looking forward to that
time when the stalwart disciples of that illustrious crest jewel of all
Vaiṣṇavas, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
Prabhupāda, having received the blessings of their spiritual master, will
come together again for the benediction of the whole world and,
without wasting any more time, preach the message of Śrīla Rūpa
Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī always tried to dissuade his disciple, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, from going to Calcutta, which he considered a
bastion of Kali-yuga.
Yet though some might think Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura disobeyed his guru’s order, he preached not only in Calcutta
but in other capitals of Kali-yuga, such as London, Berlin, Bombay,
Madras, and Delhi. He vehemently opposed the idea of constructing a
temple in some quiet spot and leading a passive and uneventful life in
the monastery. He represented perfectly the ideal of utilizing 100
percent of one’s energy in God’s service for the spiritual upliftment of
humanity. A certain Gujarati friend offered to build him a temple in
Ville Parle, a quiet and remote section of Bombay [Mumbai]. He
immediately refused. We had the greatest good fortune of seeing him
act and preach in this way. And now it is our ill fate that after the
passing away of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the exemplar
of patita-pāvana, we have returned to our lowly, fallen ways. Is there a
glimmer of hope for our deliverance?
From the ocean of loving compassion, which had been completely
dammed up, Lord Nityānanda cut a canal of love of Godhead and
flooded the entire world. And then some persons called caste Gosvāmīs,
claiming to be the Lord’s descendants, again dammed up that ocean of
mercy with their malpractices of fruitive activities and rituals. Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura once more cut open the canal of love
of Godhead and brought in the floodwaters. And now are we, of all
persons, trying once more to dam it up like the caste Gosvāmīs? By the
influence of the good association of the Lord’s devotees, even a fool and
rascal like me, possessed of a destructive, demoniac mentality, can
accumulate enough piety to become inspired to serve the Supreme
Lord.
(Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.3)
There are many bābājīs. They are collecting cāpāṭis and smoking
bidis, and have one or two women. That’s all. It is going on. So they
should be drawn: “Come on! Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take the plow.” Not
that you become Rūpa Gosvāmī simply by smoking. They are thinking
they have become Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī lived like that. So they
think by changing the cloth, loincloth, they have become Rūpa
Gosvāmī. And whatever nonsense they like, they can do...All these
bābājīs should be employed, “Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and draw a plow.” Then
it will be nice.
(Varṇāśrama Dharma Walks, March 15, 1974)
My Guru Mahārāja condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera
vaiṣṇava: “My dear mind, you are thinking that you have become a very
good Vaiṣṇava and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura,
and smoking bidi.” This imitation has no value. My Guru Mahārāja
condemned it. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: “What a rascal you are.
You are thinking that you are Vaiṣṇava.” Nirjanera ghare... What is that?
I forget now. Tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. Pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera
ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava: “My dear mind, you are very much
proud of becoming Vaiṣṇava. In a solitary place you are imitating
Haridāsa Ṭhākura.” Nirjanera ghare, pratiṣṭhāra tare: “Your this solitary
chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means that you want cheap popularity—‘Oh, he
is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.’” That is not possible. You cannot imitate
Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So by imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, keeping
connection with woman and doing all nonsense, you cannot imitate
Haridāsa Ṭhākura. You must work. You must go out for chanting, for
preaching. This is the real chanting. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’ upadeśa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]. This is wanted, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya
Mahāprabhu has never said that “You may imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura,
and in a solitary place, ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare
Kṛṣṇa... Bidi, bidi, bidi.’” Not like that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Go
out.”
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru haya tāra› ei deśa
(Cc. Madhya 7.128)
So our request is, all of you foreigners, so you have learned
something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s
order. Although He expected that every Indian should go out for
parupakāra, but anyway, some of the Indians, at least one... But you take
this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you.
You are already doing that, in Europe and America, [people are] deep
asleep.
(750905SB.VRN)
“My dear mind, you have embraced the path of self-realization, yet
you foolishly think that you are cleansing yourself by bathing in the
pretentiously fierce qualities of deceit and fault-finding, which are
compared to impure donkey urine. Factually, you are incinerating
yourself and dragging an infinitesimal spirit soul like me into the
conflagration. Stop this suicidal course! Dive into the immortal ocean of
sublime ambrosia that awaits you in loving devotional service at the
lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Resuscitate my very being and
thus give both of us endless happiness.
Śrī Bhajana-darpaṇa
This verse gives advice to those who have been able to subdue lust
and anger, but have failed to vanquish the great enemy of deceit. The
sādhaka, or spiritual practitioner, is of three kinds: svaniṣṭha, devoted to
self-realization; pariniṣṭhita, dedicated to rules and regulations; and
nirapekṣa, detached. The svaniṣṭha sādhaka completely rejects all the
principles of varṇaśrāma-dharma and endeavors solely to satisfy the
Supreme Lord Hari. The pariniṣṭhita-sādhaka organizes his life and
activities to conform to the rules of devotional service and Deity
worship. These two sādhakas are usually householders. The third type of
aspiring devotee, the nirapekṣa-sādhaka, or the detached devotee, is a
renunciate and celibate. All three would do well to renounce
deceitfulness because deceit and pretense devastate spiritual
understanding.
When the renunciate, or nirapekṣa-sādhaka, becomes deceitful he
considers himself to be a very elevated devotee, and exploits the
renunciate’s dress and status, looking down upon other devotees as if
they were inferior. He collects objects and wealth far in excess of the
basic requirements for a life of renunciation, and associates with women
in the name of spiritual practice or preaching. He leaves the shelter of
the temple to collect funds and donations only to remain in close
contact with materialists. He is always in anxiety about collecting funds,
yet covers his deceit with a show of devotion. He is overly attached to
the dress, position, and the rules and regulations of the renounced order,
and thus neglects the main purpose of spiritual life, which is to develop
attachment for Kṛṣṇa. These traits like deceit, fault-finding, speculation,
argumentation, etc., are very detrimental to true spiritual realization and
have therefore been compared in this verse to the ass. Fools may think
that they can bathe in ass urine and become cleansed, but factually it
only pollutes their spiritual lives.
(Manaḥ-śikṣā, by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, verse 6, commentary from
Śrī Bhajana-darpaṇa-bhāṣya by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, translation by
Sarvabhāvana dāsa)
“You have suggested that on every back cover there will be a picture
of me in BTG, but I think a better proposal is that on page one or page
three you may have a picture of me one month, then Guru Maharaj,
then Gour Kishore das Babaji, then Bhaktivinode Thakur, then
Jagannath das Babaji, then Lord Chaitanya. This will be very nice,
showing the Guru Parampara.”
(Śrīla Prabhupāda Letters 69-7-56)
 “Yes, there are examples of Kṛṣṇa conscious persons whose worship
was solitary life, and the greatest example is Haridas Thakur. Haridas
Thakur used to live only in a cave sometimes and would spend his
whole time chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Similarly, Gour Kishore
das Babaji, the spiritual master of my guru maharaj, would chant alone in
a solitary place so as not to be bothered by anyone in his meditation on
Krishna. But these great personalities are not to be imitated. If we
artificially imitate, out of some negative feeling or out of desire for
adoration as a saintly person, it will not be very beneficial. On the
authority of Lord Caitanya and my spiritual master, I am requesting my
disciples to always stay in the association of devotees and to propagate
the sankirtan movement all over the world, so that others may get a
chance also to become liberated from the material condition. Prahlad
Maharaj prayed, ‘I am not satisfied to go back to the kingdom of God
alone, but I must bring back with me all these poor fools who have no
alternative ultimately than to surrender to You.’ This form of worship is
called gostanandi is more superior than the bhajananandi, or the holy
man who lives alone in meditation of the Lord within the heart. This is
the estimation of scripture.”
(Śrīla Prabhupāda Letters 74-6-35)
It doesn’t require even literacy. There are many great personalities,
saintly persons. My Guru Mahārāja’s Guru Mahārāja, he was illiterate,
Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He could not sign even his name.
But my Guru Mahārāja was the best scholar of his time. He accepted
him as guru. So this is the process, that yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya
[Cc. Madhya 8.128].
(740404BG.BOM)
And you will be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja’s spiritual master
was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was completely illiterate. He
did not know how to sign, and my spiritual master was the most learned
man of his age. He accepted that guru who was completely illiterate.
But when he would speak, that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he
would speak with all Vedic references. And you will find in the Veda
that:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
[ŚU 6.23]
So the spiritual knowledge becomes revealed. It is not subjected to
any material acquisition. It is not subjected to any material acquisition of
knowledge. It becomes revealed. How? Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve
tathā gurau. One who has a staunch faith in the Supreme Lord and
staunch faith in the personality of his spiritual master, bona fide, then he
gets all the things revealed in himself. Spiritual things are not just like
material things.
(660812BG.NY)
It is a great science. It is not a bluff, that anybody can manufacture
something spiritual. No. It is a great science. One has to study the
science from a bona fide spiritual master. Study means... It does not
mean that one has to be very highly qualified in academic education.
Spiritual science does not depend on one’s academic education. You’ll
be surprised to know that my grand-spiritual master, my spiritual
master’s spiritual master, he was illiterate. And my spiritual master was
the learned, greatest learned scholar of his age. Now, how he became
the disciple of an illiterate man?
So, but that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja... His name was
Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master’s spiritual master,
my grand-spiritual master. So he was illiterate, but when you asked him
some question, some intricate question of spiritual significance, he’ll
answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization. Now, how this
realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by sincerity. If
one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what
is God, what is self, what is Superself, what is this world, what is spiritual
world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not
inquisitive. And one who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of
accepting a spiritual master.
(680112SB.LA)
What to speak of others, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he was illiterate. He could not sign even his
name. But he was so spiritually elevated that my spiritual master, who
was the topmost scholar of his time, he accepted him as spiritual master.
What is the reason? The reason is that this transcendental science does
not depend on academic qualification. It is, it is not that because one is
very, academically very qualified, he’ll become a devotee. No. The
secret is... That is given in the Vedic literatures: [SB 5.18.12] yasyāsti
bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā No:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
[ŚU 6.23]
The transcendental knowledge becomes revealed. To whom it
becomes revealed? It becomes revealed to such person who has got
unflinching love for Kṛṣṇa and for the spiritual master. Caitanya-
caritāmṛta also says: guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya
19.151]. One can come to the spiritual perfectional stage, or come to the
spiritual platform, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master. The,
this is Vedic version: yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ. One who has got
unflinching faith... Deve. Deve means the Supreme Lord. Parā bhakti:
transcendental devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Yathā deve tathā
gurau. And as he has got unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa, similarly he has got
unflinching faith to the spiritual master. Tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ: all
these Vedic literatures and their purport and their meaning will be
revealed to him. Tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante. It becomes
revealed. Prakāśante mahātmanaḥ.
So that is the secret, not that erudite scholarship. One must be very
much sincere. Then Kṛṣṇa will give you dictation. He is within. Guru-
kṛṣṇa... First of all, if I am sincere and if I want to serve the Supreme
Lord... The Supreme Lord is within you. He’ll give you direction: “All
right. You do this. You do this. You just go to this man, and he’ll give
you good counsel.” He’ll give you direction. Therefore first mercy is of
Kṛṣṇa, and then the spiritual master is considered as the mercy-
representation of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa helps us from within and without. From
within He’s helping us as the Supersoul, and from without, He’s helping
us as the spiritual master. So Kṛṣṇa is ready to help us in all, always, in all
perfectional stage, if we are simply sincere. Parā bhakti. Yasya deve parā
bhaktiḥ. If you have got transcendental devotional mood, then
everything will come. It does not depend on this linguistic, I mean to
say, advancement or academically... Simply we have to develop our
transcendental love and devotional service to the Supreme Lord, and
then gradually He’ll give me direction. He’ll give me right direction.
Everything will be all right.
(690610SB.NV)
So therefore Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, he remained niṣkiñcana. And
his disciple, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, he also remained niṣkiñcana
although he possessed so many temples, because nothing was for his
personal, but for Kṛṣṇa.
So one may question that “Your Guru Mahārāja was sitting on the
ground in a municipal lavatory.” Because he did not like that “anybody
should disturb me,” he was sitting by the side of municipal lavatory.
Because so many people will come for darśana and āśīrvāda [blessings or
benedictions], he did not like it. He did not like to be disturbed by these
āśīrvāda [seekers of blessings or benedictions]. You see? They will not
take any spiritual instruction. They are thinking that “Here is a saintly
person, and he’ll bless me. So I have got now one thousand. I’ll take ten
thousand.” That’s all. Therefore they come. They do not come to take
any spiritual instruction. Therefore it is botheration. It is botheration. So
Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not like this botheration. He was
sitting by the side of a municipal lavatory so that: “These rascals will not
come out to the bad smell and will not disturb me.” You see? So
Mahārāja Mahīndrānandī, he was one of the... He had organized a
saṅkīrtana festival. So he came to Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and
to invite him. So after many requests, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
said, “Mahārāja, you have got many tenants. You are a mahārāja. Why
are you trying to make me your tenant? Because you are a rich man,
you also want... As your tenant carries your order, so you also want me
to. So why are you doing this?” “No, sir, no. You are my lord.
Whatever you say, I shall carry out.” “Will you it carry out?” “Why
not?” So he said that “Don’t go home. Sit down here. Chant Hare
Kṛṣṇa.” He fled away. (laughter) You see. So he was very humorous
also, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, that “If you are so obedient, then I ask
you, ‘Don’t go home. Better give up your dress and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa
here.’”
So he was akiñcana. So similarly... Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was
gṛhastha, very opulent, governor. He is also akiñcana because nothing
was possessed personally; everything was for Jagannātha. This is the
distinction. On one side, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and another side, Rāmānanda
Rāya. And Rāmānanda Rāya is the most confidential devotee of
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he’s a gṛhastha, because he is akiñcana, as
akiñcana as Rūpa Gosvāmī. So we have to become akiñcana. Akiñcana.
Then we shall realize Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, akiñcana-gocaram: “You
are understandable only by a person who does not possess so-called
material opulence.” So we should always remember that whatever we
are trying for materially, it is all for Kṛṣṇa, nothing for us. So that people
may... Big, gorgeous temple means people will be attracted to come
here, and we’ll distribute Kṛṣṇa’s prasādam. The aim is some way or
other to turn them, to convert them into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then
you will remain akiñcana. And if we think that “We have now got a
very big house. We shall live comfortably and sleep comfortably,” then
na gocaram, then Kṛṣṇa will not be realized. Then that comfort will be
realized only, not Kṛṣṇa. Akiñcana-gocaram. We should always
remember this.
(741006SB.MAY)
Prabhupāda: That’s a long history. You’ll find in the Bhagavad-gītā,
sthita-prajñasya. Sthita-prajñā. So there are many symptoms. On the
whole, avadhūta or paramahaṁsa is not subjected to any rules and
regulations. They are so elevated. That is not to be imitated. That is a
post, position, very exalted, perfectional stage, spiritual advancement. So
if you want to know the symptoms, that is in the Bhagavad-gītā. There is
a list. But one thing you can simply know, a paramahaṁsa is a stage who
is above all rules and regulations. That’s all…Yes. Paramahaṁsa, they do
not come into the society because people may imitate, and [then] they
fall down. Therefore they are aloof. Just like Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja. He was aloof, bhajanānandī. But one who will act as preacher
or spiritual master, even if he is paramahaṁsa, he should live ordinarily so
that his disciples may follow. He comes to the second stage.
Paramahaṁsa is the first stage, and a preacher is in the second stage, and
neophytes are in the third stage. So the neophyte should try to come to
second stage. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu. They have got
discrimination: Īśvara, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
tad-adhīna, the devotees; bāliśa, innocent; and dviṣat [envious, atheistic]
those who are atheists, envious of...
As soon as they hear that here is something going on, talking about
God, they become immediately envious. We have increased the number
of this kind of men. There is someone interested in God. They simply
challenge. They are called dviṣat. So a preacher should avoid them. But
the paramahaṁsa does not avoid. So there are so many things. So we
haven’t got to imitate the activities of... A paramahaṁsa is a position,
exalted position. They are very rare to be visible because they do not
care to come into society. So, and if you want to know about the
paramahaṁsa, the sthita-prajñā description in the Bhagavad-gītā, I think,
in the Twelfth Chapter, you can know it.
(701219SB.SUR)
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a great scholar. There is no doubt
of it. But in spite of His becoming a great scholar, He is presenting
Himself as a great fool. He says, “My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a great...”
Even if one is very great scholar, he has to abide by the decision of his
spiritual master. Even if one is a very great scholar, and if his spiritual
master says that “You are a great fool,” he should accept it. This is called
full surrender. For example, I’ll give you a practical... My Guru
Mahārāja was very great scholar, and his Guru Mahārāja, from literary
point of view, he could not even sign his name, Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura asked Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to accept Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja as his
spiritual master, that “You go and take your initiation from Gaura-
kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.” So he thought that “I am a great scholar,
and I am the son of a magistrate, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and a great
Vaiṣṇava. He’ll be very much pleased to accept me.” Of course, he was
very much pleased. But in the beginning he refused. He refused.
Because... Of course, that is only show. He was not proud. Just to teach
us. Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī explained that “I was little proud. So I was
thrice refused by Guru Mahārāja,” although he was the only disciple. So
scholarship is not a qualification for becoming a devotee. That is
Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teaching. Scholarship may help, but it is not
necessary. Real necessity is that one should be humble and meek and
follow the instruction of the spiritual master. This is the real
qualification.
(740313CC.VRN)
Jayādvaita: Just like Gaura-kiśora could not write. So it appeared
that he did not, there was something that he did not know, although he
knew Kṛṣṇa.
 Prabhupāda: Yes. He knows everything. Otherwise how
Bhaktisiddhānta accepted him as a guru? He knows Kṛṣṇa. That’s all.
(750408MW.MAY)
Thakura Bhaktivinode was not official Spiritual Master of Gaura
Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was
already [in the] renounced order, Paramahamsa, but Thakura
Bhaktivinode, while He was even playing the part of a householder, was
treated by Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja as a Preceptor, on account
of His highly elevated spiritual understanding, and thus He was always
treating Him as His Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master is divided
into two parts; namely, siksa guru and diksa guru. So officially
Bhaktivinode Thakura was like a siksa guru of Gaura Kisora das Babaji
Maharaja.
(Śrīla Prabhupāda Letter to Dayānanda 69-05-01)
In 1908, Śrīla Gaura-kiśora lost his physical vision. When his
eyesight started deteriorating, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī requested him
to go to Calcutta for treatment. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, too, for the
same reason, repeatedly asked him to go there. But he was uninterested.
“As long as I can see Kṛṣṇa in my heart of hearts, I do not need an eye
doctor.”
(BTG #35-06 “Divine Madness” by Satyaraja dasa, citing Śrī Śrī
Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, by Haridasa Dasa.)

The Joy of Raw Eggplant

Bābājī Mahārāja became renowned as the brightest gem among
spiritual practitioners, but it was not always easy to understand his
actions. He sometimes wore his begging bowl as a hat, worshiped in an
outhouse, and beat with an umbrella those who wanted initiation from
him. (In his humility, he could not entertain requests to be anyone’s
spiritual authority.) He often roamed about naked or with his loincloth
half tied.
 His behavior was considered especially unusual in Navadvīpa, where
many conservative priests and intellectuals resided at the time. His state
of love of God bordered on divine madness, and yet his ecstatic
symptoms could be corroborated by Vaiṣṇava scriptures. Learned
authorities were able to ascertain that his seemingly eccentric behavior
was in fact symptoms of the highest stage of love of God.
Sometimes, while in these exalted states, Bābājī Mahārāja found
distasteful foods to be just like nectar. Oblivious to the external world,
he would offer such food to Kṛṣṇa and then relish the remnants. For
example, he would eat raw rice or other grains lightly soaked in water
or in Ganges mud.
One day he picked up an unripe eggplant from the market and sat
down at the base of a jhao tree at Baganbari. He cut the eggplant into
pieces and dipped them into Ganges water and put a tulasī leaf on them.
He offered them to his īṣadevata [personal deity] and sang a song of
offering: Bhaja Patita Uddharaṇa, Śrī Gaura Hari—“O Lord Caitanya,
please accept the worship of this fallen soul.” He then said to his Deity,
“I don’t know the right method of cooking this, but please eat a little of
this food.”
As soon as he said this, his voice became choked, and his body
turned bright red and began to swell, while tears flowed from his eyes in
streams, soaking his face and chest. Seeing these signs of love, Lalitā-dīdī
[a close friend] was amazed. When the transcendental emotions
subsided nearly an hour later, he again sang a song. Putting his deity to
sleep, he ate the unripe eggplant. His face showed expressions of great
pleasure and happiness, more intense than one would make if tasting
pañcāmṛta [a sweet drink, considered a delicacy].”
(Back to Godhead 35-06 Satyaraja dāsa 2001, “Divine Madness,” cited
from Śrī Śrī Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, by Haridāsa Dāsa)
Prabhupāda: Today, the auspicious day of our predecessor spiritual
master, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya Aṣṭottara-śata
Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s mission... Apart from his life, we are
especially stressing on the mission of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
This place, Māyāpura, was formerly known as Miyapura. Mostly it is
inhabited by the Muhammadans. Some way or other it was converted
into the name of Miyapura instead of Māyāpura. Still, people are very
much doubtful where the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is. And
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was researching to find out the actual place. So
under the direction of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, this present
Yogapīṭha was ascertained to be the birth site of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in the beginning wanted to
develop this place very gloriously, befitting the holy name of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he started this movement of developing
Māyāpura. He could not finish it, so it was handed down to
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. So under his effort, assisted by his
disciples, this place has gradually developed, and our attempt is also to
develop this place.
(760221BA.MAY)
The life, the aim of life is to realize God. This is human life. But they
are so much embarrassed with this uncontrollable senses that they are
going to the darkest region of material existence. Adānta-gobhiḥ. Adānta
means uncontrolled. They cannot control the senses. They have become
so unfortunate that simple thing, little effort, little austerity, to control
the senses. The yoga process means to control the senses. Yoga does not
mean that you show some magic. The magic, a magician also can show
magic. We have seen one magician, he created immediately so many
coins—tung tung tung tung. Next moment it is all finished. So the life,
they’re missing the aim of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Why? Manda-
bhāgyāḥ. They are unfortunate. So you take it for granted. We are
trying, even our Kṛṣṇa consciousness mission, we are trying to awaken.
Still they are so unfortunate they cannot give up sense gratification. So
unfortunate. Condemned, unfortunate. Repeatedly we are spending our
gallons of blood—“Don’t do this”—still they are doing. Cannot give up
even sleeping. So condemned. Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.
So it is very difficult with these rascals. Very, very difficult.
Therefore my Guru Mahārāja’s Guru Mahārāja, Gaura Kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja, they were not preaching. They were disgusted that “I
have no power to reform these rascals. Better don’t bother. Let them go
to hell. At least... Let them.” But still, my Guru Mahārāja preached. He
was so kind. And he asked us also to do the same thing. But it is very,
very difficult job. People are so rascal, so condemned, so sinful. It is
very, very difficult to raise them. Very difficult. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo
manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. So only those who are very
fortunate, they will understand that “I am eternal,” avināśi, “I am
imperishable. I am put into this condition of perishable condition due to
this my material body.” So how to get out of it? They have no ambition.
Just like dogs and cats. Simply sense gratification. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, how,
very clearly explains. You try to understand what is the soul.
(730823BG.LON)
 Appendix IV
Saints of Bengal, Chapter II by O.B.L.
Kapoor, A Second Biography

[AUTHOR In this biography by O.B.L. Kapoor, a disciple of Śrīla

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura named Ādikeśava Prabhu, tells many
stories about Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja which are not
contained in the initial biographical sketch in this book. The initial
accounts in this book are taken from articles which first appeared in the
Sajjana-toṣaṇī magazine, the magazine originally published under the
auspices of Śrīla Sac-cid-ānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and continued
by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. The articles first appeared in
1917, shortly after the disappearance of Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja, and bore the title Amār Prabhur Kathā which, in English,
means “Tales of My Spiritual Master.” These articles were written by
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Subsequently, those same
articles were then compiled into a small book in 1934 by the disciples of
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, during his lifetime, and were
comprised of those original articles and other narrations they had
directly heard from Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. The titles of the stories were
provided by the editorial staff. That book was originally titled Paramguru
Śrī Gaura-kiśora and was principally compiled by the disciple of Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, known as Sundarānanda
Vidyāvinoda.
O.B.L. Kapoor, however, gathered his biographical material largely
from the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, Volume II, which was written by Śrī
Haridāsa dāsa, a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava scholar of some repute. Some of the
same stories in the initial biography about Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja are included in this second biography, in some cases with
slightly different details, but includes much that is new as well. I have
given the English a text edit for the benefit of the English-speaking
readers. I was initially a bit dubious about some of the stories in this
particular biography, so I studied Ādikeśava Prabhu’s biographical
details of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura with which I am much more familiar,
and I found his biography of the Ṭhākura to be very carefully and
faithfully done and well-composed as well. In any case, even when līlās
of the Lord or the ācāryas occasionally differ in details, the siddhānta—
proper philosophical conclusion—must remain the same, and in this case
it does.]

From O.B.L. KAPOOR:

“In Faridpur District of East Bengal, on the bank of the river Padmā,
there is a village called Bāgyān where Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī was
born. His father gave him the name Vaṁśī dāsa. He was married at an
early age. His wife died when he was 29 years old. After the death of his
wife he renounced the world, took bābājī-veṣa from Śrī Bhāgavata dāsa
Bābājī, a disciple of Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī and went to Vṛndāvana.
He lived in Vraja and practiced sādhana for 30 years. In 1893, he
returned to Bengal and lived in Navadvīpa until the end of his life.
“He was trained in rāgānuga bhajana and vairāgya by the saintly Śrī
Nityānanda dāsa Bābājī of Madan-mohana Thakura of Vṛndāvana. His
humility and renunciation were matchless. He collected provisions from
the householders, fuel in the shape of pieces of wood from the streets,
and earthen pots which had been thrown away from various places in
Navadvīpa. He washed the pots with Ganges water and cooked in them.
If he could not find fuel or time for cooking, on account of his
absorption in bhajana, he ate raw rice after soaking it in water. He made
the roof of his cottage from rejected clothes, not hesitating to collect
them from the crematory grounds near the Ganges. In other words, he
only used those things, which were discarded by people and were of no
use to them. He did not depend on anyone for anything.
“One day Bābājī Mahārāja picked up a cast-off eggplant, partly eaten
by insects, from the vegetable market of Navadvīpa. He sat near a bush
in the Rādhāramaṇa Garden and cut it into pieces. He dipped the pieces
in Ganges water in a coconut shell, put a tulasī leaf in it, offered it to
Lord Gaurāṇga, and began to sing a bhoga-ārati song as well as bhaja
patitapāvana gaurahari…etc. While singing, his entire body swelled on
account of horripilation (goose bumps), and tears of love streamed from
his eyes and drenched his cheeks. Lalitā Dāsī, the elevated saint of
Rādhāramaṇa Garden, was observing him from a position nearby. After
offering the eggplant to Gaura, he began to eat it. While he was
engaged in honoring the offered preparation, it appeared from his face
that he was enjoying the unique taste of some transcendental prasāda far
beyond the grasp of ordinary human beings.”
Satyarāja dāsa tells this story from a translation of the Śrī Śrī Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇava Jīvana as follows:

“One day he picked up an unripe eggplant from the market and sat
down at the base of a jhao tree at Baganbari. He cut the eggplant into
pieces and dipped them into Ganges water and put a tulasī leaf on them.
He offered them to his īṣadevata [personal deity] and sang a song of
offering: Bhaja Patita Uddharaṇa, Śrī Gaura Hari—“O Lord Caitanya,
please accept the worship of this fallen soul.” He then said to his Deity,
“I don’t know the right method of cooking this, but please eat a little of
this food.” As soon as he said this, his voice became choked, and his
body turned bright red and began to swell, while tears flowed from his
eyes in streams, soaking his face and chest. Seeing these signs of love,
Lalitā-dīdī [a close friend] was amazed. When the transcendental
emotions subsided nearly an hour later, he again sang a song. Putting
his deity to sleep, he ate the unripe eggplant. His face showed
expressions of great pleasure and happiness, more intense than one
would make if tasting pañcāmṛta [a sweet drink, considered a
delicacy].”128
Because Bābājī Mahārāja always swam in an ocean of bhāva, he was
sometimes unaware of what he did. He sometimes wore kaṅthī (Tulasī
neckbeads) and tilaka, kept a beadbag for his japa-mālā of Tulasī beads
and carried Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prema-bhakti-candrikā wherever
he went. However, at other times he wore a garland made of old cloth
with knots instead of beads to keep count of his rounds, and wore no
clothing at all. In this state he went for mādhukarī with an iron pot in his
hand. The street boys who saw him thought he was mad and started
teasing him in various ways. But in his state of bhāva he took a boy of
dark color as Kṛṣṇa and a boy of white color as Gaura and cried out in a
child-like manner, “Look Mā Yaśoda! Your Kṛṣṇa is making faces at
me,” or “Look Mā Śacī! Your Gaura is teasing me.”
When he had gone out for mādhukarī on one occasion, a wicked
person put some meat in his pot instead of vegetables or rice. After that,
he stopped going for mādhukarī. He sat on the bank of the Ganges with
some rejected earthen pots in front of him. He ate whatever the people
placed in the pots without asking anyone for anything.
Sometimes Bābājī Mahārāja went to the house of Īśana Sāhā to see
Mā Tārā Dāsī. Once he went to see her on Ekādaśī. He was pained to
see her boiling milk by burning the dry leaves of a jackfruit tree as fuel.
He said to her, “Mā! Tomorrow your son will dine here.”
“Very well,” said Tārā Dāsī, “But your Mā suffers from colic. Today
she is fasting. If you do not come tomorrow morning, she will suffer.”
 “No Mā, I will certainly come,” said Bābājī Mahārāja.
But the next day he remained so much absorbed in bhajana that he
forgot all about it. He went to her in the evening with a big load of
wood on his head to be used as fuel and began to shout, “Mā! Mā!” Mā
opened the door. Placing the load of wood inside the house he said,
“Mā! You know that your mad child is forgetful. Today he also forgot
and committed an offense. Now come, let me have something to eat.”
Tārā Dāsī brought boiled rice without anything else to serve with it.
She knew that Bābājī Mahārāja had given up eating pulses and
vegetables. In the past, whenever she had insisted that he eat some
vegetables with the rice he used to say, “Look Mā! If your naughty child
begins to eat delicious things, his senses will get out of control, and
bhajana will not be possible.” There was nothing Tārā Dāsī could say
about his offering of the large load of wood he had brought for her. She
knew that the “naughty” child had seen her boiling milk with the
jackfruit leaves. It was, in any case, his habit to collect wood. He used to
bring wood from the forest and keep it at night sometimes in front of
the gate of a temple, or sometimes at other temples so that it could be
used for cooking for the Deities.
During the winter season Śrīpāda Prāṇagopāla Gosvāmī gave Bābājī
Mahārāja a blanket. The next day Bābājī Mahārāja went back to the
gosvāmī and returned it saying, “Your blanket failed to befriend me. It
made me sleep the whole night yesterday and did not allow me to do
bhajana.”
Chanting the name of the Lord was never a mere exercise or duty
for Bābājī Mahārāja. It was natural and spontaneous. The name always
danced on his tongue and in his heart and manifested Itself to him in the
form of the līlā of the Lord in all its transcendental sweetness and glory.
If by chance, the līlā ceased to manifest, he felt so disturbed and restless
that he went to the Ganges to drown himself. As soon as he entered the
river up to his neck, the līlā was revived and he would come out again.
 When he lived in the Rāṇī Dharmaśālā, he was once so charged with
the passion for chanting the Holy Name that he continued shouting
“Ha! Kṛṣṇa Caitanya!” at the top of his lungs for hours. At that time
Śrīkhaṅda Śrīpāda Sarvadānanda Ṭhākura and Śrī Rākhālānanda
Ṭhākura came for darśana. They determined that if Bābājī Mahārāja
continued chanting like that his throat might burst. To bring about a
change in his mood of ecstatic consciousness, they began to jointly sing
in melodious voices about Lord Gaura. This tactic worked. He stopped
chanting and came out of the room and began talking with them.
On another occasion Bābājī Mahārāja was so much possessed with
the passion for chanting harināma that he continued chanting “Ha! Śrī
Kṛṣṇa Caitanya!” for 13 days, beating his chest and pulling his hair in
viraha (separation from the Lord).
When Bābājī Mahārāja’s fame as a siddha mahātmā reached far and
wide, many people started coming to see him. He searched for a place
where no one could visit him. There was a latrine in the old house of
Girīśa Babu, which was not being used. He lived in that latrine and
performed bhajana undisturbed by visitors for some time. After his
disappearance, another devotee lived in that latrine and did bhajana
throughout the night. He felt that every brick of the latrine was echoing
the Holy Name. He was surprised to perceive that even that the material
bricks appeared to be spiritualized by the Holy Name chanted by Bābājī
Mahārāja.
Returning from the Ganges one day with the iron pot he used for
mādhukarī placed upside down over his head, he saw two bābājīs coming
from Phānsītalā Ghāta singing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in a
melodious voice, accompanied by an ektara.129 As soon as they came
near Bābājī Mahārāja, one of them asked, “Bābā! Where is your āśrama?”
Bābājī Mahārāja lifted the mādhukarī pot from his head and, threatening
to beat them with it, said in a rage, “Sālā130 was singing harināma. I was
overwhelmed with bhāva and was thinking about what I should give
him as a reward. What has this got to do with my āśrama?”
 Bābājī Mahārāja did not easily initiate anyone.131 He tried to avoid
those who came to him for initiation, but he loved Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura (Śrī Kedāranātha Ṭhākura), a great devotee and retired
magistrate, who lived in Godruma-dvīpa across the Ganges and
performed bhajana. According to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana,132
Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda went to Bābājī Mahārāja to ask him to initiate
him as a bābājī. Bābājī Mahārāja came to know of it. He hid himself on
the veranda of a prostitute’s house. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura tried to find
him, unsuccessfully, and returned disappointed. Then Bābājī Mahārāja
went to Rādhāramaṇa Garden and began to laugh out loud. Lalitā Dāsī
asked him why he was laughing. He replied, “Today, Kedāranātha Babu
came to see me. I tricked him. I went and sat in the veranda of a mātājī.
He searched for me, but he could not find me.”
A devotee came from Noākhālī to ask for initiation. After offering
his obeisances and then sitting down, Bābājī Mahārāja asked, “What
made you come at this time?”
“I have come to request that you give me dīkśā,” he replied
hesitantly.
“How many districts and rivers did you have to cross?” asked Bābājī
Mahārāja.
After the devotee had replied, Bābājī Mahārāja said angrily, “You
have come after crossing so many districts and rivers to rob me of the
little fortune that I have.”133
The devotee had to return disappointed.
After taking bath in the Ganges, Bābājī Mahārāja returned carrying
an umbrella. That same devotee again came to him and, falling at his
feet, began to weep. Bābājī Mahārāja tried to get rid of him in a
courteous manner, but he would not leave. Then Bābājī Mahārāja
scolded him and beat him with his umbrella, but the devotee persisted in
his weeping and pleading. At last, Bābājī Mahārāja took pity on him and
said, “Listen to this mantra containing 16 names and 32 letters, which I
am giving you. Perform japa with this mantra, keeping count on your
beads. Within a year you will receive the darśana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. If you do
not have darśana, then come to me again.134
Saying this, he uttered the mahā-mantra in his ear. Bābājī Mahārāja
laid all the stress on the repetition of the Name. He was disinterested in
līlā-smaraṇa (contemplation of līlā). He said that each letter of the Name
was pregnant with līlā. When one contemplated the letters, the līlā
manifested itself. He emphasized that one must not let a single moment
pass without the Name and advised that if some worldly thought came
into the mind while repeating the Name, the Name should be chanted
loudly. He knew about the kind of nāma-kīrtana that was performed in
different places in Navadvīpa and was concerned about the successful
performance of it for those he instructed.
Once Śrī Kāshī Babu, a famous singer of Tripura, came to him for
his darśana. He said to Gaura-kiśora Mahārāja, “Bābājī Mahārāja! You
must go at once to the temple of Mahāprabhu. Mahāprabhu wants to
hear your kīrtana and is impatiently waiting for you.” When Bābājī
Mahārāja went there, he was surprised to find that a number of people
were actually waiting there for him to listen to his kīrtana.
Śrī Harendra Kumāra Sen and Aśvanī Bhattācārya, the advocate of
Agaratalā, came to him for dīkṣā. Bābājī Mahārāja refused. On their
insistence, however, he said, “All right, pray to Mahāprabhu. I shall also
pray.” Later on, he suddenly sent for them through Dīnabandhu dāsa
and said, “Mahāprabhu asked me yesterday to give you dīkṣā.” He gave
them the mantra and said, “You should not think that I have anything to
do with your dīkṣā. Think that it is Mahāprabhu Who has blessed you
with the mantra.”
Harendra Kumāra asked about guru-praṇālī, and Bābājī Mahārāja
replied, “There are infinite forms of Śrī Bhagavān and His līlā. One
cannot know them by imagination. When the Name is constantly
repeated, Śrī Bhagavān and His līlā automatically manifest Themselves
from the Name. The Name also inspires the heart of the sādhaka about
the sevā he has to perform in līlā.”
 Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not relate to the concept
of being a guru to his so-called disciples. He told them that their real
sheet anchor135 was the Name of the Lord, and they must
wholeheartedly surrender themselves to the Name. This is apparent in
the following letter he once sent to Harendra Kumāra:136
Śrī Rādhāmadanagopāla Jayati
Navadvīpa-Rānīghāta
1318/16 Caitra

You are all the servants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I am your
servant. You have given me the name Gaura-kiśora dāsa. You should
take care that this name is not disgraced. Mahāprabhu has provided you
with the Name “Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya” and the mantra containing 16
names and 32 letters. You should write both in big letters and keep
them before you and perform japa while looking at them. You should
not look at or think of anything belonging to the world of Māyā. The
letters of the Nāma-mantra have such śakti that if you continue to do
japa while looking at them, you will one day have the darśana of Śrī
Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa with Their parikaras [companions]…As for association,
amongst the householders you should keep the company of Narottāma
dāsa Ṭhākura. Amongst the vairāgī Vaiṣṇavas the company of the Eight
Gosvāmīs.137 The Eight Gosvāmīs are: Rūpa, Sanātana, Raghunātha
Bhaṭṭa, Raghunātha Dāsa, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Lokanātha Gosvāmī,
and Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. You should execute sādhana-bhakti
along the lines they have established.

Your servant,

Gaura-kiśora dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja had his own way of celebrating the anniversaries of
the Gosvāmīs. Once, a day before the disappearance day of Sanātana
Gosvami, he said to a devotee living with him, “Tomorrow we shall
celebrate the anniversary of Sanātana Gosvami.” The devotee said,
“Where shall we find the wherewithal to do so?” Bābājī Mahārāja
replied, “We shall not ask for anything from anyone. We shall eat only
once and do bhajana throughout the day.”138
Bābājī Mahārāja did not accept prasāda from everyone. Once a
certain person offered sweets to Mahāprabhu and insisted that Bābājī
Mahārāja accept the remnants. Bābājī Mahārāja said, “Mahāprabhu does
not accept the bhoga offered by a person who eats fish, commits adultery,
or offers bhoga to Him for the fulfillment of some desire.”

Bābājī Mahārāja was always cautious regarding the influence of Māyā

and its various subtle forms and advised others to be very cautious. Once
Bābājī Mahārāja had offered boiled rice to Mahāprabhu and kept it in an
earthen pot. A snake happened to crawl past the pot. A woman saw it
from a distance. When Bābājī Mahārāja sat down to eat the prasāda, the
woman came to him and began to tell him about the snake. He said to
her, “You please go away from here. I shall take prasāda after you have
gone.” When she had gone, he exclaimed, “Oh! How subtle and
multifaceted Māyā is! Expression of sympathy is also one of the ways in
which Māyā tries to penetrate our lives.”
A doctor who practiced bhajana expressed a desire to settle down in
Navadvīpa and offer his services to all and sundry free of charge. Bābājī
Mahārāja advised, “If you want to live in Navadvīpa, do not offer free
service to the people given to sense enjoyment. If you do you will only
aid and abet their sensuousness. You should serve only those who are
engaged in bhajana. Any other kind of service means playing into the
hands of Māyā.139
Bābājī Mahārāja left this world to join the eternal līlā of Rādhā-
Kṛṣṇa on the Utthana Ekādaśī of the month of Kartika in 1915.
128. From Back to Godhead # 35-06, 2001, “Divine Madness” by Satyarāja dāsa, citing
Śrī Śrī Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, by Haridāsa Dāsa.
129. . Prabhupāda: [A]...big squash thrown away decomposes. So the outer skin has
become dry. Nobody cares for it. It is lying down, the outer cover of the squash, and
one dried bamboo. You have seen, you know bamboo? Pile cut, it is also lying
somewhere. And a piece of wire.
Devotee (2): Wire.
Prabhupāda: Wire, that is also lying somewhere. Nobody cares. But one gentleman,
he collected all these three things and prepared a string instrument. He joined the
bamboo with the dry cover of squash and fitted the string and it began to ting, ting, ting.
It is called ektara. There is instrument in India it is called ektara. The example is that so
many things individually lying useless. But if somebody knows how to combine them,
it becomes an instrument, very sweet. Very sweet to hear. Similarly, in this world, so
many things are lying dead and frustrated. But if they are combined together by an
expert, it becomes useful. So although this world is dead body, when there is Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, it becomes enlivened. That is our movement. We are trying to inject
Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everything dead within this world. (720630RC.SD)
130. Sālā literally mean wife’s brother, but it is also sometimes used as a term of abuse.
131. According to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was the only initiated
disciple of Bābājī Mahārāja. When attempts were made to claim the body of Bābājī
Mahārāja after he had departed the world, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura stated: “I am the sole
disciple of Paramahaṁsa Bābājī Mahārāja.” This description is summarized from
Sarasvatī Jayaśrī, Fifteenth Vaibhava, by Paramānanda Vidyarātna, citing the testimony of
Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣana, who witnessed the entire incident. The English translation
(edited by this author) is by Bhaktikusum Mahārāja in Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrī
Caitanya Maṭha, 1983, pp. 83—85.
132. Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, Vol. II by Śrī Haridāsa dāsa, pp. 43, 44.
133. The fortune of Bābājī Mahārāja was his spiritual wealth.
134. Many people approached Bābājī Mahārāja for initiation, but he would often
instruct them to chant the mahā-mantra, and some of them appeared to take that as
initiation.
135. A very dependable person or thing.
136. It is not clear whether Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja actually wrote the letter
or had it written on his behalf. He is often described as being almost illiterate, and in
later years practically blind, so it would seem that it must have been dictated by him to
a scribe. According to Bhakti Vikāsa Swami’s researches, Bābājī Mahārāja “…
sometimes wrote letters (dictated to and sent by Nafar Candra Pal Chaudhuri) to
apparent disciples…” from: Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava Vol. One, page 28. The term
“apparent disciples” is used here as it was Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s claim that he was the only
initiated disciple of Bābājī Mahārāja. Others who obeyed the instructions of Bābājī
Mahārāja sometimes called themselves Bābājī Mahārāja’s disciples.
137. Here, Bābājī Mahārāja mentions Eight Gosvāmīs, yet we are more familiar with
the Six. Bābājī Mahārāja adds to the list Lokanātha Gosvāmī (the guru of Narottama
dāsa Ṭhākura whose songs were the life and soul of Bābājī Mahārāja) and Kṛṣṇadāsa
Kavirāja Gosvāmī (the disciple of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and the author of Śrī
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, which enumerates the beautiful pastimes of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu told by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī to Kavirāja Gosvāmī and which Bābājī
Mahārāja loved to hear). Later, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was added to such lists of
Gosvāmīs as the Seventh by other Vaiṣṇavas. Considering the affection and respect that
Bābājī Mahārāja had for the Ṭhākura, he would almost certainly have been pleased to
see the Ṭhākura’s name added to the list.
138. According to the account of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Bābājī Mahārāja stated:
“Tomorrow is the day when Śrī Gosvāmī Prabhu disappeared. We will observe a great
festival. In Navadvīpa such festivals are not observed by the caste gosvāmīs.” Hearing
this, a devotee inquired, “How shall we obtain the necessary paraphernalia for the
festival? How shall we celebrate it?” Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “We will forego our
daily meal and constantly chant the Lord’s Holy Name. This is how paupers like us
will celebrate the festival.”
139. This incident and the incident in the preceding paragraph are told in greater
detail and clarity in the stories told in the initial biography of Bābājī Mahārāja by Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. These are very brief and incomplete summaries.
 Appendix V
Gauḍīya Magazine 1930
Translated by Kiśora dāsa, BBT

(Gauḍīya magazine, 9.15, November 22, 1930, pp. 273–278)

Celebrating the Disappearance Festival of
Śrī Śrī Gaurakiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
Śrī Śrīla Prabhupādera Vaktṛtāra Cumbaka
The Magnet of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Eloquence140
[Second Part]
Venue: The sārasvata-nāṭya-mandira (temple hall)
at Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha
Date: Śrī Utthānā Ekādaśī, 16 Āśvina, 1337 Baṅgābda,
444 Gaurābda, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
(November 1, 1930 A.D., the Disappearance Festival of Śrīla
Gaurakiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

[śrī śrīla prabhupādera abhīṣṭānusāre śrī śrī gaurakiśora prabhura śrī

ālekhya puṣpa-mālya-candane vibhūṣita kariyā sabhā-sthale ānīta evaṁ ucca
vedīra upara saṁsthāpita haile loka-śikṣaka śrī śrīla prabhupāda bhū-luṅthita
haiyā sāṣṭāṅga-daṇḍavat-praṇāma-pūrvaka śrī-guru-pūjāra praṇālī-śikṣā
dilen evaṁ śrī-gurudevera māhātmya-varṇanera janya vaktṛtā-mañce
daṇḍāyamāna hailena. vipralambha-mahābhāve vibhāvita haiyā prabhupāda
kiyat-kṣaṇa mahā-gambhīra mūrtite daṇḍāyamāna thākilena. kichu-kṣaṇera
madhyei sādhāraṇa sabhā-sthale bhāva-saṅkoca kariyā kīrtana-mukhe guru-
pūjāra ādarśa prakaṭa karilena. nimne prabhupādera vaktṛtāra sāra-marma
prabhupādera bhāṣāya yataṭā sambhava pradatta haila.]
[Introduction to the first part: In accordance with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s
desire, Śrī Śrī Gaurakiśora Prabhu’s sacred portrait had been brought
into the temple hall, placed on a high pedestal and decorated with
flowers, garlands, and sandalwood paste. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the teacher of
the world, offered full prostrated obeisances (sāṣṭāṅga-daṇḍavat-praṇāma)
to the portrait, teaching us the proper procedure of worshiping the
spiritual master, and ascended to the speaker’s seat to lecture on his
gurudeva’s glories. Overwhelmed with exalted feelings of separation,
Prabhupāda remained very grave for a few moments. He then restricted
his emotions in front of the assembled audience and displayed the ideal
standard of worshiping the spiritual master (guru-pūjā), beginning with
kīrtana. The summarized text below is his speech on the occasion,
reproduced to the best of our ability.]
āmādera guru-pāda-padma—yāṅra ālekhya āpanārā darśana karchena,
tini iha-jagatera kona bhogya-viṣayera upadeśaka na’na. ābāra iha jagatera
sakala kathāya ekamātra abhrānta mīmāṁsaka tini i. kintu āmi vañcita, patita;
āmāra durbalatā-krame guru-pāda-padmera sakala kathā hṛdaye praviṣṭa
haya nā. guru-pāda-padmera kṛpāya ye-sakala kathā karṇe praviṣṭa ha’yeche,
se-sakala kathā bolbāra janya āmāra koṭi koṭi jihvā hauk—koṭi koṭi muṇḍa
hauk—koṭi koṭi vatsara paramāyu hauk—āmi yena sei koṭi koṭi jihvāya, koṭi
koṭi mastake, koṭi koṭi vatsare ananta viśva-brahmāṇḍe āmāra guru-pāda-
padmera atulanīya amandodayā dayāra kathā kīrtana karte pāri; tā’ha’le
āmāra guru-pūjā habe—tini santuṣṭa ha’bena—prasanna ha’ye āmāra prati
ajasra āśīrvāda varṣaṇa karbena, yā’te ka’re āmi tāṅ’ra dayāra kathā āra o koṭi
jihvāya kīrtana karte pārbo. sei dina āmāra sakala naśvara māyāra kathā-
kīrtana ha’te chuṭi ha’be—jagatera sakala laukika-śikṣā ha’te chuṭi ha’be.
Our revered Guru Mahārāja—whose painting you can see here—was
not a teacher of mundane sense gratification. Yet at the same time, he
was errorless in his judgment of all worldly topics. But I am fallen and
have been deceived. My weakness prevents the words of my Guru
Mahārāja from entering my heart. But to be able to repeat those few
words of his which did enter my ears by his mercy, let me have millions
and millions of tongues, millions and millions of heads, and let me live
millions and millions of years. Let me be able to sing the glories of his
incomparable divine grace which brings about auspiciousness
(amandodayā dayā),141 in unlimited universes, with those millions of
tongues, millions of heads, and through millions of years. This will be
my [true] guru-pūjā, giving him pleasure. If he is satisfied with me, he
will shower his eternal blessings upon me. I will then be able to
advertise his mercy with additional millions of tongues. On that very
day I will cease to sing the glories of perishable illusion—I will take a
vacation from all of the mundane education in the universe.
jagatera priya kathāke āmarā guru-kathā ba’le grahaṇa kari—āmarā
acaitanya-kathāya sarvadā pramatta; kintu āmāra gurudeva,—
śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam
śrī-caitanya-devera hṛd-gata abhilāṣa yini jagate vistāra o sthāpana
ka’rechena, sei rūpa-prabhu svayaṁ kabe āmāke tāṅ’ra nija-pāda-padma dāna
karbena? kabe āmi guru-pāda-padmera asāmānya, atimartya saundarya
darśana ka’re tāṅ’ra caraṇa ekānta-bhāve āśraya karbo? emana dina āmāra
kabe ha’be?
We accept the topics popular in this world as if they were the words
of a guru. We are always intoxicated with mundane, unconscious
discussions (acaitanya-kathā). But our Gurudeva:
śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
 svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam
[When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established
within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord
Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?]
When will Rūpa Prabhu—who established and spread the mission of
fulfilling Śrī Caitanyadeva’s inner desires in this material world—give
me shelter at his lotus feet? When will I behold the extraordinary,
superhuman beauty of my Guru Mahārāja and take exclusive shelter at
his lotus feet? When will that day be mine?
yāṅ’rā eirūpe vicāra avalambana karena, guru-pāda-padma ha’te śravaṇa
ka’rechi, tāṅ’rā rūpānuga—tāṅ’rā śrī-gaurasundarera ati priya. yāṅ’rā rūpānuga
ha’bāra janya yatna karena, tāṅ’dera maṅgalera kathā brahmā tāṅ’ra samagra
jīvane ba’le o śeṣa karte pārena nā.
I have heard from my spiritual master that those who adopt such a
mentality were known as rūpānugas, the followers of Śrī Rūpa, and were
extremely dear to Śrī Gaurasundara. Even Lord Brahmā in his entire
lifespan cannot fully describe the auspicious fortune of those who
endeavor to become rūpānugas.
śrī-guru-pāda-padma āmādigera sakala sandeha nirāsa ka’re bhagavānera
ye nāma-bhajanera kathā ba’lechen, tā’te jāni, gurura avajñā karte nāi—
śrauta-vāṇīra nindā karte nāi—bahu vyakti ke pūjya-jñāne guru-pāda-
padmera avajñā karte nāi—advaya-jñāna vrajendra-nandanera āśraya vyatīta
jīvera anya maṅgala nāi.
Our Guru Mahārāja would remove all of our doubts with his words.
He would speak about worshiping the Supreme Lord via the medium of
chanting His holy names (nāma-bhajana). I have learned from him that
one should not disobey one’s guru and should not blaspheme the
revealed scriptures. Nor should one extend one’s inclination for worship
to many persons and thereby neglect one’s own spiritual master. There
is no auspiciousness for the spirit soul without taking shelter of
Vrajendra-nandana, the nondual Absolute Truth.
 āmāra gurudeva! āmi dhṛṣṭatā karchi, ‘āmāra gurudeva’ ei kathāṭi balbāra
mata āmāra hṛdaya kothāy? kothāy kata ucca guru-pada-nakha-candra, ara
kothāy āmi nimnatama stare sthita vāmana! āmi guru-pāda-padmera sevā
karte pāri kai? āmi nidrā-kāle guru-pāda-padma-sevā ha’te vañchita ha’ye
ātma-sukhe magna thāki—āmi nijera khāoyā-dāoyā-vyāpāre niyukta thāki.
guru-pāda-padma-sevā-vañcita erūpa ayogya āmi, patita āmi, durbala āmi,
āmāke pracura parimāṇe dayā nā karle āmi tāṅ’ra dayāra prati āra o
adhikatara ākramaṇa kartām. āmāra guru-pāda-padma—dayāra sāgara, tā’ṅra
dayā-sindhura eka-bindu āmāke ānanda-sāgare magna karte pāre.
My Gurudeva! I am recklessly bold to use the phrase “my
Gurudeva.” But where is my heart? How exalted is my Gurudeva, how
high in the sky are the moon-like nails of his lotus feet, and where am I,
a dwarf, stuck at the lowest level! How can I serve the lotus feet of my
guru? While asleep I cheat myself of the opportunity to serve his lotus
feet, and during the day I keep myself busy with eating and drinking,
engrossed as I am in my own happiness. Thus deprived of the service to
the lotus feet of my guru, I am so ineligible, fallen, and weak. If he
refuses to be extremely merciful to me, I will wage an even stronger
attack on his mercy. My Guru Mahārāja is an ocean of mercy, and even
one drop from this ocean of mercy can immerse me in an ocean of bliss.
tini kata i nā dayā ka’re āmāke baltena—tomāra pāṇḍitya, tomāra
pavitratā, abhijātya prabhṛti saba parityāga ka’re āmāra kāche esa, āra kothāo
ye’te ha’be nā; tomāra yata ghara, bāṛī, prāsāda, saudha darakāra āche—yata
pāṇḍitya, pratibhāra darakāra āche—yata saṁyama, sannyāsera darakāra āche,
saba pā’be, tumi kevala āmāra kāche esa. ‘ghara hauk, dora hauka, pāṇḍitya
hauka,’ erūpa buddhite dauṛio nā—sādhāraṇa loka yā’ke ‘prayojana’ mane
karche, tā’ke ‘prayojana’ mane karo nā.
How much of his mercy he bestowed upon me when he said, “Your
learning, your purity, nobility and so on—just give up all of these and
come to me, there is no need to go anywhere else. As many homes,
residences, palaces and mansions you need; as much learning and poetic
inspiration you need; as much self-control and renunciation you need—
you will get everything. You simply come to me. Do not harbor this
mentality, ‘Let me have a house, let me have an entrance gate, let me
acquire scholarly credentials.’ Do not define your goals in life (prayojana)
according to the opinions of ordinary people.”
āmarā bhayānaka tarkika chilāma. kintu sei tarkera darpa ke ati dayāra
sahita padāghāta ka’re yini kṛpā ka’rechilen, tāṅ’ra dayāra kathāya sīmā karte
āmi ananta-koṭi jīvane o pārbo nā, vā keha konadina pārbe nā. tāṅ’ra bhṛtya
ba’le paricaya dibāra yogyatā yadi o āmāra nei, tathāpi tini serūpa paricaya
dibāra ye āśābandha kariye di’yechena, āmarā tā’te nitya-kāla jīvita thākte
pāri. āmarā nirānandera madhye praviṣṭa āchi—pracura parimāṇa anitya-kārye
niviṣṭa āchi. āmarā durbala ba’le mane ha’yechila, gurudevera aprakaṭe
vipatha-gāmī ha’ye yā’bo, tāṅ’ra kathā śunte pā’bo nā; kintu āja guru-pāda-
padmera bahu bahu avatāra kṛpā ka’re āmāra sammukhe upasthita ha’yechena,
tāṅ’rā āmāra nikaṭa kīrtana karena, bhāgavata pa’ḍe artha jāniye dena. tāṅ’rā
yakhana āmāra guru-pāda-padmera abhimata nava-navāyamāna vyākhyā-
samūhera dvārā āmāra mṛta śarīra ke sañjīvita karena, takhana āmi saṁjñā
lābha kari—āmāra pratidina cabbiśa ghaṇṭā-kāla hari-kathā śravaṇa-kīrtana
karbāra saubhāgya haya.
I was a fiercely argumentative logician. But my Guru Mahārāja had
bestowed his mercy upon me: he kicked out this arrogance of
argumentation with so much compassion. I am not able to reach the end
of the glories of his mercy even if I speak for unlimited lifetimes,
actually no one can ever do so. Although I am not at all eligible to
consider myself his servant, he has given me a great hope against hope
(āśā-bandha) that I may one day become his servant, and that hope can
sustain me forever. We have put ourselves into a state of nirānanda,
melancholy—we are occupying ourselves with temporary activities to an
overwhelming degree. I was aware of my weakness; I expected that I
would go astray in my Guru Mahārāja’s absence and would never be
able to hear from him anymore. But today, many incarnations of my
Guru Mahārāja are so mercifully present right in front of me; they sing
kīrtana in my presence, they study the Bhāgavatam and expound its
meanings. When they present ever-fresh scriptural explanations which
would have earned my Guru Mahārāja’s approval, they enliven my dead
body, and I become aware of my good fortune: I am able to hear and
chant hari-kathā 24 hours every day.
ye parimāṇe hari-vismṛti ha’be, sei parimāṇe ei cakṣur dvārā dekhbāra ceṣṭā
ha’be, ei nāsā-dvārā jagatera gandha grahaṇa karbāra spṛhā ha’be, grīṣma-kāle
pākhāra bātāsa khābo, śīta-kāle lepamuḍi di’ye sparśa-sukhānubhava karbo—
erūpa lālasā hṛdaye sthāna pā’be.
To the extent we forget Lord Hari, we will try to use our eyes to
see, we will desire to use our nose to experience the smells of this world.
In summer, we want to breathe in the ocean air; in winter, we want to
wrap ourselves up to experience happiness through our sense of touch.
In this way desires occupy our hearts.
gītāya yakhana śrī-bhāgavān—
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
—vākya ba’lechilen, takhana arjuna bhagavānera sei vāṇī śunlena, āra
vādavākī loka mane ka’rlo, sakala loka i—svārthapara, kṛṣṇa o tadrūpa; tini
ta’ balbena i—‘sakala cheḍe āmāra sevā kara.’ kintu ye sevā karbe, tā’ra
duḥkhera dike ta’ tini āra dekhlena nā.
When the Supreme Lord said in the Gītā:
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of
material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have
surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it. (Bg 7.14)
 Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall
deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. (Bg 18.67)]
… Arjuna listened to His words. However, quarrelsome people
thought, “Everyone is dedicated to their self-interest. Lord Kṛṣṇa is
selfish as well since He said, ‘Give up everything and serve Me.’ But He
will not care to remove the distress of those who serve Him.”
“My doxy is orthodoxy, yours is heterodoxy. āmi yā’ bujhi, e’ṭā i khub
ṭhīk,—e’ kathā nā balle ātma-pakṣa samarthana haya nā; kṛṣṇacandra sei
bhāvera i upadeśa diyechilena.’ jīvera ei rūpa kutarkera samādhāna karbe ke?
kṛṣṇera sevāra kathā kṛṣṇa yakhana ballena, takhana kali-hata lokera ei rūpa
tarka upasthita ha’te pāre. kintu kṛṣṇacandra yakhana sevaka-mūrtite ballena,
—āmāra ācaraṇa ei, tomāra yadi ei ācaraṇa bhāla bodha haya, tā’ha’le e rūpa
ācaraṇa kara. nije ācaraṇa ka’re yini agrasara hana, aparera pakṣe tāṅ’ra
anusaraṇa karbāra parama suyoga haya. yemana eka jana pradhāna gāyaka, o
tāṅ’ra anekaguli dohāra. yini sarva-pradhāna gāyaka, tini āge gānaṭā geye dena,
anye yadi tāṅ’ra dohāragiri karena, tabe tāṅ’dera o gāna gāoyā haya. śrī
gaurasundara o śrī nityānanda prabhu mūla-gāyaka rūpe kṛṣṇera gāna geye
diyechilena; yāṅ’rā yāṅ’rā niṣkapaṭa-bhāve sei gānera dohāragiri ka’rbena,
tāṅ’dera o gāna gāoyā ha’be—maṅgala ha’be.
“My doxy is orthodoxy, yours is heterodoxy.142 Whatever I
understand, that is the most correct. Without speaking in this manner,
one cannot support one’s own opinion. Lord Kṛṣṇacandra presented His
instructions in this same mood.” Who will say this to resolve the false
arguments put forth by the spirit souls? When Lord Kṛṣṇa speaks about
service to Himself, the victims of Kali-yuga can come up with such
logic. But Lord Kṛṣṇacandra in the form of His own servant said: “This
is My behavior, and if you understand it well, do the same.” Those who
lead by their own example create an opportunity for others to easily
follow them. Just like the lead singer has many members in his choir. He
sings first and if others repeat after him, they will also get to sing. Śrī
Gaurasundara and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu were singing Lord Kṛṣṇa’s
song as the original lead singers. Anyone who joins the chorus without
duplicity will also sing along and thus attain auspiciousness.
‘amaṅgala’ āra ‘maṅgala’ yadi eka ha’ye jāya, tā’ha’le anubhūti ba’le jiniṣa
thāke nā. anubhūti-virahita jiniṣa—pāthara. sukhera anubhūti yāṅ’ra
peyechena, tāṅ’dera āra pāthara habāra icchā haya nā. yāṅrā ajñānera anusaraṇa
karāṭākei ‘jñāna’ ba’le mane karena, ānanda pete giye nirānanda-sāgare ḍūbe
jāna, tāṅ’dera buddhira praśaṁsā karā jāya nā.
If inauspiciousness and auspiciousness become one and the same, the
phenomenon called perception cannot exist. An object without any
perception is a stone. Those who have experienced happiness do not
want to again become stones. Those who follow ignorance, mistaking it
for knowledge, will—instead of attaining bliss—drown in an ocean of
misery. Their intelligence should not be glorified.
śravaṇa ka’rte ha’be baṭe, kintu ki śravaṇa ka’rte habe? skūla kaleje ta’
āmarā aneka śravaṇa ka’re thāki; kintu yāṅ’rā āmādera kāche ei sakala
śravaṇīya viṣaya kīrtana karena, tāṅ’rā ke? tāṅdera ki vyārāmaṭā bhāla
ha’yeche? bhrama, pramāda, karaṇāpāṭava, vipralipsā—mānavera yeguli
svābhāvika doṣa āche, sei doṣa thākte tāṅ’rā kirūpe svataḥ vā parataḥ ālocanā
karbena? yini e sakala doṣa ha’te sampūrṇa-bhāve mukta tāṅ’ra āśraya vyatīta
ki prakāre āmarā bhramādi-nirmukta satya-kathā śravaṇa ka’rte pāri? yini
bhagavat-pāda-padmera sarvadā anuśīlana karena, tāṅ’ra ānugatyamayī sevā
dvārā tini yāṅ’ra sevā karena, tāṅ’ra anusandhāna pāoyā yete pāre, anya bhāve
pāoyā ye’te pāre na.
We should hear, indeed, but what are the topics worth hearing? We
hear a great deal in schools and colleges, but what is the condition of
those who speak about subjects which need to be heard? Have they
themselves become cured? Bhrama, pramāda, karaṇāpāṭava, vipralipsā—
these are the inherent human defects: mistakes, illusions, cheating and
defective perception. How will these teachers judge whether they
themselves have those defects—by analyzing it themselves or by
discussing it with others? How can we possibly hear truthful, infallible
words without attaining the shelter of those who are completely free
from these defects? We can approach such persons—who always
perform devotional service to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead—only by faithfully following their example and serving
them. There is no other way.
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social

positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with
their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your
personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations,
which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees,
certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise
unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds. (SB 10.14.3)]
āmāra vyaktigata ceṣṭāra dvārā tarka-pathe jñāna-saṅgrahera ceṣṭā
vipajjanaka. seirūpa jñāna-saṅgrahera āśāya yata dina āsthā sthāpana kari,
tata dina samagra jñāna pāi nā, vikṛta-jñāna—asamyag-jñāna vā kakhana o
kakhana o āṁśika jñāna lābha kare thāki. āṁśika jñāna saṅgraha ka’rte giye
khānika jānte jānte āyu phuriye jā’be. namaskārera panthā i svīkārya arthāt
kāṇaṭā pātā. sādhudigera mukha-kathita vārtā jini kāṇa pete śravaṇa karena,
tāṅ’ra i maṅgala haya. bhavadīya-vārtā—kṛṣṇa-sambandhīya vā kṛṣṇa-
bhakta-sambandhīya kathā yini ālocanā karena, tini i sādhu. anya saba kathā
vāyu-rāśite vilīna ha’ye jāya, uhā śata śata vatsara dha’re uccāraṇa ka’rle ki
phala habe?
Our individual endeavor of gathering knowledge on the path of
argumentation is wrought with danger. As long as we confidently hope
to attain knowledge in this way, our knowledge can never be complete
—all we can get is corrupted, incorrect, or sometimes incomplete
knowledge. As we go on collecting these little bits of incomplete
knowledge, our life will run out. Instead, we should choose the path of
offering obeisances (namantaḥ) or in other words, using our ears. There
will be auspiciousness for those who lend their ears to hearing from the
lips of the sādhus, the pure devotees (san-mukharitām). Topics about You
(bhavadīya-vārtā)—one who discusses topics related to Lord Kṛṣṇa or
topics related to His devotees is a sādhu. All other discussions simply
disappear into thin air. What is the result of such speaking even for
hundreds and hundreds of years?
hriyamāṇaḥ kāla-nadyā kvacit tarati kaścana

[Although one is being carried away by the waves of the river of time,
one may eventually reach the shore. (SB 10.38.5, quoted in CC Madhya
22.44)]
kāla ca’le jācche, tā’te āyu-haraṇa ha’ye jācche, era madhye ki siddhi lābha
karbena? śrauta-panthī i siddhi lābha karbena. vādera prativāda āche, tarkera
kono dina pratiṣṭhā nāi; kintu śrautapatha nitya sampratiṣṭhita. jini sarvadā—
24 ghaṇṭāra madhye 24 ghaṇṭā sarvendriya hari-kīrtana karena, tini i siddhi
lābha karte pārena.
Time is passing and reducing our lifespan. What kind of perfection
will we attain in the meantime? Perfection will be attained by those
who are hearing from authorized sources (śrauta-panthī). Every thesis has
its counter thesis. Argumentation is never conclusive, but the path of
hearing from bona fide sources is eternally established as authoritative.
Perfection is attainable by those who employ all their senses to glorify
Lord Hari through kīrtana, 24 hours a day.
kīrtanīya viṣayaṭī ki? — nāma-rūpa-guṇa-parikara-vaiśiṣṭya o līlā. yadi
vāstava-vastura nāma kīrtita haya, yadi vāstava-vastura guṇa kīrtana haya,
yadi vāstava-vastura rūpa kīrtana haya, yadi vāstava-vastura parikara-
vaiśiṣṭya kīrtana haya, yadi vāstava-vastura līlā kīrtana haya, tā’ha’le āmādera
samasta maṅgala ha’be—āmādera ahaṅkāra naṣṭa ha’ye jā’be—āmādera
asahiṣṇutā naṣṭa ha’be. jada-pratiṣṭhāra āśāke varjana ka’re samagra
bahirmukha jagatera nikaṭa parama asādhu ba’le khyāti lābha ka’re o āmarā
paramānanda lābha karte pārbo. bhāgavatera tridaṇḍīra prati bahirmukha-jagat
ha’te aneka atyācāra ha’yechila. satyera kīrtana-kārī—hari-kathā-kīrtana-
kārīra prati atyācāra karbāra janya samagra bahirmukha jagat, emana ki
devatā-gaṇa paryanta prastuta. tridaṇḍī jagatera bahirmukha-samājera
kathāya karṇa-pāta nā ka’re āpana mane hari-kīrtana karte karte bhu-
maṇḍale vicaraṇa ka’rechilena.
What is the subject of glorification (kīrtanīya viṣaya)? The Lord’s
holy name, His form, qualities, the characteristics of His associates, and
His pastimes. If we utter the holy names of the ultimate real substance
(vāstava-vastu), the summum bonum, the Absolute Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and if we glorify His transcendental qualities, forms,
associates, and pastimes—we will attain all auspiciousness. Our false egos
and our intolerance will be vanquished. When we give up the desire for
mundane reputation and instead become famous as the ones who regard
this entire world of materialists who are averse to the Lord as completely
unsaintly, we will attain the highest bliss. Such materialists severely
oppress the devotee renunciants, the bhāgatavas. The entire materialistic
world is ready to oppress the speakers of truth, speakers of hari-kathā,
even up to the demigods. But the Vaiṣṇava tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs constantly
glorify Lord Hari within their minds as they wander the earth, never
listening to the talks of the mundane sphere:
etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām
adhyāsitāṁ pūrvatamair maharṣibhiḥ
ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ
tamo mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva
[I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by
being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This
was approved by the previous ācāryas, who were fixed in firm
devotion to the Lord, Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. (SB 11.23.57)]
 kṛṣṇa yakhana “sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja”
ballena, takhana bahirmukha loka kṛṣṇacandra ke prakṛti-prasūta prāṇi-viśeṣa
mane ka’re ballena, kṛṣṇacandra nijera pūjāra kathā nije balchena, kṛṣṇa kirūpa
ātma-sukha-para! sei janya sei kṛṣṇacandra i jīvera maṅgalera janya gurura
poṣāke upasthita ha’lena. tāṅ’ra upadeśa o ācaraṇa ha’lo—kṛṣṇa ke bhajana
kara—kṛṣṇera kīrtana kara. bokā lokerā mane karle, ekajana sādhaka jīva ese
upasthita ha’yechena; buddhimānerā upalabdhi karlena, kṛṣṇa baḍa catura,
śaṭha, tāi bhola badlechena, āśrayajātīya ācaraṇa pa’rechena; tāṅ’ke tāṅ’rā cine
phellena. āra āmāra mata loka mane karle, ekajana ācārya, ekajana dharma-
pracāraka upasthita ha’yechena, tini samāja-viplava sādhana karchena.
“hindura dharma bhāṅgila nimāi, kṛṣṇera kīrtana kare nīca bāḍa bāḍa, sei pāpe
navadvīpa haibe ujāḍa.”
Lord Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja,
“Just give up all varieties of religion and surrender unto Me.” (Bg 18.66)
But the materialists regarded Him as just another living entity born of
material nature. They concluded that He urged everyone to worship
Him because He was so obsessed with His own happiness. To benefit
such people, this same Lord Kṛṣṇacandra appeared in the dress of a guru.
He instructed them to worship and glorify Lord Kṛṣṇa, and did so
Himself. Foolish people thought that an ordinary practitioner (sādhaka)
was present among them. But the intelligent realized that Lord Kṛṣṇa
was very astute and cunning. They were able to recognize Him and see
how He had changed His appearance and concealed Himself as His own
devotee. People like me thought that this was merely a certain ācārya, a
preacher of dharma, attempting to stage a revolution in society. Hindura
dharma bhāṅgila nimāi: “Nimāi Paṇḍita has broken the Hindu religious
principles.” (Cc Ādi 17.204) Kṛṣṇera kīrtana kare nīca bāḍa bāḍa ei pāpe
navadvīpa ha-ibe ujāḍa: “Now the lower classes are chanting the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra again and again. For this sinful activity, the entire
city of Navadvīpa will become deserted.” (Cc Ādi 17.211)
yadi āmādera emana saubhāgya haya, ye āmarā bhagavad-bhaktera saṅga
pāi, tā’ha’le sei suyoga kariye deoyāra ekamātra mālika—kṛṣṇacandra. gurura
hāta diye tini varābhaya-prada vyāpāraṭā ke pradāna karena. yāṅ’dera kapālera
jora āche, tāṅ’rā ei suvidhāṭā pāna. jini yerūpa-bhāve śaraṇāgata hana, tāṅ’ra
nikaṭa tad-upayogī guru-pāda-padma upasthita hana.
If we are fortunate to receive the association of a devotee of the
Lord, we have surely been given this opportunity by our one and only
master—Lord Kṛṣṇacandra. By extending to us the hand of our guru, He
blesses us with the gesture of fearlessness. Only those with great good
fortune written on their foreheads receive such an opportunity. A
suitable spiritual master will manifest to anyone who surrenders to the
Lord in this manner.
āmādera kapāla baḍa manda chila, jāgatika lekhāpaḍā śikhe uṭhte pāri nāi,
jāgatika kono sahāya-sambale āsthā sthāpana karte pāri nāi, emana vyakti ke
bhagavān dayā ka’rechena—guru-pāda-padmera sammukhīna ka’re di’yechena.
I am extremely unfortunate. I could not excel in mundane studies,
nor did I succeed in placing any confidence in mundane patrons who
could support me. But the Supreme Lord bestows His mercy to such
unfortunate persons by bringing them into the presence of their spiritual
master.
‘bhagavān’-śabdera artha ālocanā karte giye galpera mata skule
pa’ḍechilām,—
aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā
‘vairāgya’ ba’le kathāṭā galpera mata śu’nechilām, ‘vairāgya-śataka’, ‘śānti-
śataka’, ‘moha-mudgara’ prabhṛtite vairāgyera upadeśa pāṭha ka’rechilām;
kintu yakhana dayāmaya kṛṣṇa o dayāmaya kārṣṇa—ubhayera i dayā ha’lo,
takhana bhagavānera vairāgya-vyāpāra śrī-rūpa dhāraṇa ka’re upasthita
ha’lena. mānuṣera ākāre erūpa vairāgya haya nā. kintu āmarā tā’ sākṣād-bhāve
dekhte pe’rechi, tathāpi āmi ‘ye timire se timire’. śarīraṭā bādhā dicche, 24
ghaṇṭā guru-pāda-padmera sevā karte pārchi nā. ye vairāgyera ādarśa-mūrti
de’khechi, tā’ moha-mudgarera vairāgya-mātra naya—phalgu-vairāgya naya,
se vairāgya—mahābhāvamaya—kṛṣṇa-sevāra parākāṣṭhāmaya.
 In school, I have studied the following definition of the word
bhagavān:
aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā
[Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—
these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)]
I have heard about renunciation (vairāgya) through legends and tales.
I have read instructive works like Vairāgya-śataka, Śānti-śataka and the
Moha-mudgara-stotra (“Bhaja Govindam”). But when I received mercy
from both Lord Kṛṣṇa and the worshiper of Lord Kṛṣṇa (Kārṣṇa) who
are both reservoirs of mercy, then the Lord’s renunciation appeared in
front of me in a visible form. Such renunciation is not possible for
ordinary human beings. But although I have seen it directly, I remained
in the same darkness as before (ye-timire se-timire). The material body is
an obstacle, and I could not serve my spiritual master 24 hours a day.
But the renunciation that I have witnessed in him was not merely
renunciation of the kind described in the poem Bhaja Govindam, it was
not false renunciation (phalgu-vairāgya); his renunciation was an
expression of the highest level of devotion in topmost service to Lord
Kṛṣṇa.
kevala kanaka-kāminīte vairāgya naya, pratiṣṭhāśāra paryanta yāṅ’ra
vairāgya, erūpa puruṣa āmāra ārādhya haun—ekaṭī śiṣya o jini karena nā,
emana śrī-pāda-padma ākāṅkṣā ka’re tāṅ’ra nikaṭa giye upasthita ha’lām
evaṁ tāṅ’ra kāche kṛpā bhikṣā karlām. tini ballena, āmi ekṭi śiṣya ka’rechilām,
se pratāraṇā ka’re cale geche, āra āmi śiṣya karbo nā. āmi vyathita ha’lām baṭe,
kintu dṛḍha pratijñā karlām, dekhi, āmi katabāra pratyākhyāta ha’te pāri. āmi
tāṅ’ra kṛpā nā niye jagate vicaraṇa karbo nā.
His renunciation was not limited to abstaining from wealth and
women (kanaka-kāminī-vairāgya) or from the desire for recognition
(pratiṣṭhāśā-vairāgya). I wished to worship a person who did not have
even a single disciple. With such a desire I had approached him,
remained close to him, and begged for his mercy. He said, “I once
accepted a disciple but he deceived me and left. I will not have another
one.” I was quite hurt but I made a firm vow, “Let me see how many
times I will be refused. Without receiving his mercy, I will not roam
about in the world anymore.”
sei guru-pāda-padmera nikaṭa yakhana upasthita ha’lām, takhana tāṅ’ra
kṛpāya jānte pārlām, āmi yā’ke sarvottama ādarśa ba’le mane kari—śreṣṭha
jīvana mane kari, sei ādarśa tāṅ’ra nikaṭa sarvāpekṣā adhama. jagatera sakalera
sahita āmāra ādarśa mila chila nā; kintu āmāra śrī-guru-pāda-padma ekaṭī
alaukika vicāra dekhiye dilena. pūrve ‘neti neti’ vicārapara nirviśeṣa-vādīra
aneka grantha ālocanā ka’rechilām. tāṅ’ra vāstava udāharaṇa peye gelām. śrī-
guru-pāda-padma āmāke jānālena, tumi ye ādarśera anusandhāna karcho, sei
ādarśa tomāra nahe. āmi mane ka’rechilām, āmāra guru-pāda-padme advitīya
vairāgya āche vaṭe, kintu tāṅ’ra pāṇḍitya kichu kam āche. tini puṅthi-patrera
vidyāra ahaṅkāra ke cūrṇa ka’re diyechilena—tāṅ’ra kṛpā-mudgarera dvārā.
tini jāniyechilena, tomāra sarvāpekṣā śreṣṭha ādarśa—prakṛta-pakṣe sarvāpekṣā
nikṛṣṭa. yakhana tāṅ’ra ei vāṇī karṇe praveśa ka’rechila—yakhana tāṅ’ra kṛpā
peyechilām, takhana āmāra kṣudra mastiṣke sei divya-jñāna dhāraṇa karbāra
kṣamatā chila nā. etabaḍa kathāṭā tini i āmāra mata bokā saba-jāntāke
śunbāra suyoga diyechilena.
When in his presence, it was by his mercy that I came to understand
how everything I considered to be the highest ideal and the best possible
way of life was in his estimation the lowest. My conception of an ideal
did not match with that of the mundane world, but my spiritual master
revealed to me the transcendental, otherworldly consideration (alaukika
vicāra). Previously, I would analyze many books by impersonalists,
applying the principle of ‘neither this, nor that’ (neti neti). I now
received the actual example. My spiritual master explained to me, “The
ideal you are searching for is not your actual ideal.” I thought that the
renunciation of my spiritual master was indeed unmatched, but his
learning seemed somewhat deficient. But he pulverized my false pride of
bookish knowledge with the hammer of his mercy. He let me know,
“Your highest ideal is actually the lowest.” When I received his mercy
and his message entered my ears, my tiny brain was not yet able to
retain this divine knowledge. But he would bless all the foolish people
like me with the opportunity to hear this highest message.
eka samaye bāṅgālādeśera ekajana pradhāna bhuiyādhikārī, āmi kā’ra
āśrita, anusandhāna ka’re, āmāra guru-pāda-padmera sarva-śreṣṭhatva jene
āmāra prabhu ke bhuiyādhikārī mahāśayera prāsāde tāṅ’ra bhakta-goṣṭhīra
madhye niye yāoyāra janya upasthita ha’yechilena. vaiṣṇava-bhupatira
sadainya kātara-prārthanā śu’ne āmāra guru-pāda-padma ukta bhupati ke
ballena ye, āmi yadi āpanāra prāsāde gamana kari, tā’ha’le haya ta’ sekhāne
āmāra theke yāoyāra icchā ha’be evaṁ āpanāra loka-jana āmāke āpanāra
sampattira bhāgīdāra mane ka’re āmāra prati māmalā-mokaddamā juḍe
dibena. āmāra māmalā-mokaddamā karbāra sāmarthya nāi, sutarāṁ āpani ei
śrī-dhāmera gaṅgā-puline āmāra nikaṭa vāsa ka’re niścinte hari-bhajana
karuna. āmi āpanāra janya ekaṭī gāḍīra chai nirmāṇa ka’re diba evaṁ bhikṣā
ka’re āpanāra grāsācchādana nirvāha karā’bo. āra āpani āpanāra samasta
viṣaya-sampatti gomastā-gaṇera hāte arpaṇa ka’re viṣaya ha’te nivṛtta ha’le
vaisṇava ha’te pārbena, takhana āmi vaiṣṇavera prāṅgaṇe nimantrita ha’ye
ābaddha thākbo. yadi āmi āja āpanāra nimantraṇa svīkāra ka’re ei aprākṛta
gaura-dhāma ha’te āpanāra prāsāde giye vāsa kari, tā’ha’le kichu-dinera
madhye i rājāra svabhāva lābha ka’re vipula bhūmi o viṣaya saṅgrahera janya
āmāke vyasta ha’te ha’be. tā’te phala ha’be ye, kichu-dinera madhye āmāra
kṛṣṇa-bhajanera abhilāṣa viṣaya-saṅgrahera pipāsāya paryavasita ha’ye āmi
rājāra hiṁsāra pātra-rūpe parigaṇita ha’bo. pakṣāntare, yadi āpani āmāra
kuṭīrera pāśe apara kuṭīra sthāpana ka’re bhajana karena evaṁ mādhukarī
grahaṇa ka’re jīvana-yātrā nirvāha karena, tā’ha’le konadina āmarā praṇaya-
cyuta ha’ye hiṁsāya pravṛtta ha’ba nā. yadi āpanāra nyāya vaiṣṇava-bandhu
mahārāja āmāra prati kona kṛpā-pradarśana karte icchā karena, tā’ha’le āmāra
nyāya jīvana avalambana ka’re hari-bhajana karuna, tā’ha’le i āmāke kṛpā
karā ha’be—āmāra saṅge āpanāra āntarika bandhutva ha’be.
At some point, one of the prominent kings in Bengal143 who was
also maintaining me came to know about my spiritual master’s
preeminence. The king came to invite my spiritual master to his palace,
insisting that he joined an assembly of other devotees maintained by
him. After hearing the king’s humble and desperate request, my spiritual
master replied, “If I go to live at your palace, it will seem that this was
my desire. Your relatives will consider me a shareholder of your wealth
and will file a lawsuit against me. But I have no capacity for litigations,
therefore it is better that you come to the bank of the Gaṅgā in this holy
dhāma to live with me and worship Lord Hari without any worries. I
will build a straw roof144 for you and will go begging to take care of
your food and clothing. By entrusting all of your possessions to the
managers of your estates and by desisting from sense gratification you
will be able to become a Vaiṣṇava. In that case, if I will be invited to a
feast in the courtyard of a Vaiṣṇava, I will be obliged to respond. But if I
accept your invitation today and leave this transcendental abode of
Gaura to go and live at your palace, I will very soon adopt the mentality
of a king and may become busy in amassing large tracts of land and
numerous objects of sense gratification. As a result, in a few days my
desire for worshiping Lord Kṛṣṇa will be dissolved in my thirst for sense
objects, and I will be counted among those envied by the king.
Conversely, if you build another kuṭīra next to mine, engage in bhajana
and live your life by begging, we will never be deprived of mutual
affection and will not envy each other. If a king of your caliber who is
friendly to Vaiṣṇavas wants to show his mercy to me, then kindly accept
this lifestyle of mine and worship Lord Hari. In this way I will receive
your mercy and we will become genuine close friends.”
āmāra guru-pāda-padmera eirūpa parāmarśa śravaṇa ka’re vaiṣṇava-
rājendra stambhita ha’lena. yāhādig ke tini vaiṣṇava ba’le poṣaṇa karena,
tāhādigera caritra o ei mahātmāra caritrera madhye pārthakya upalabdhi
karlena. rājāra āśrita vyakti-gaṇa tāṅ’ra rucira anukūla vākya ba’le kichu
jāgatika lābha-arjane vyasta, āra āmāra śrī-guru-pāda-padma rājāra rucira
viparīta kathā ba’le o bhupatira prakṛta maṅgala vidhāne vyasta. āmāra
gurudeva sampūrṇa nirapekṣa, jagate kāhāra o nikaṭa kona kṛpā-prarthī na’na.
sakale niṣkapaṭe hari-bhajana karuna—ei tāṅ’ra śubhecchā. kṛṣṇendriya-
tarpaṇa ke i tini sarvāpekṣā adhika dayāra kārya jānena. viṣaye ruci vā kāhāra
o ātmendriya-tarpaṇa-yajñe bātāsa deoyāke tini ‘kṛpā’ jānbāra parivarte
bhīṣaṇa ‘hiṁsā’ jñāna karena.
The Vaiṣṇava king was stunned to hear my spiritual master’s
judgment. He could understand the difference between the character of
the so-called Vaiṣṇavas maintained by him, and the character of this
great soul. Intent on securing worldly gains from the king, those
maintained by him would speak pleasant words, whereas my spiritual
master was concerned about the king’s actual welfare and would speak
contrary to his pleasure. My Gurudeva was completely desireless, he
never asked anyone in this world for any favor. Let everyone sincerely
worship Kṛṣṇa—that was his only well-meaning desire. He knew that
by far the greatest mercy was to engage everyone in activities aimed at
the satisfaction of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s senses. He was convinced that approving
of anyone’s inclination for sense gratification and fanning the sacrificial
fire of their own satisfaction was not mercy at all, in fact it was the
opposite, a frightening kind of violence.
āmāra śrī-gurudeva nadīyā saharera gaṅgāra taṭera vibhinna sthāne
pāgalera nyāya pa’ḍe thāktena. tini pāka ka’re khāoyā, kona viṣayīra bhojya-
dravya grahaṇa karā, viṣayīra ṭhākura-bāḍīte khāoyā prabhṛti ke sarvatobhāve
parihāra ka’rechilena. kakhana o kāṅcā cā’la jale bhijiye khe’ye thāktena,
kakhana o pāṅka khe’ye thāktena, adhikāṁśa samaye i nagna thāktena,
kakhana o kakhana o śmaśāne satkārārtha ānīta mṛtera parityakta vasana
saṅgraha ka’re tā’ dvārā aṅga āvṛta kartena. tāṅ’ra kāche pracura khādya-
dravya āsto, aneka gṛhastha-vaiṣṇava dhanāḍhya vyakti āmāra prabhu ke
aneka ṭākā, mūlyavān śāla prabhṛti vastra ditena. ṭākā pe’ye kāpaḍera dui
pāñcṭī granthi diye nānā sthāne rekhe o arthera janya vyativyastatā dekhā’tena.
mūḍha arthapriya vyakti-gaṇa mane kartena ye, tāṅ’ra arthe pracura lobha
āche. keha tāṅ’ke mūlyavān vastra dile tini dātāke viśeṣa praśaṁsā kartena
evaṁ serūpa vastrera akiñcitkaratā jāniye ditena. tini boltena, āmi to’ vaiṣṇava
ha’te pārlām nā. ye-sakala loka e-sakala jiniṣa diye gechena, tāṅ’ra vaiṣṇavera
vyavahārera janya i diyechena; sutarāṁ vaiṣṇavera i ihā grahaṇa karbāra
yogyatā—e ba’le tini aneka samaya vanamālī rāya ma’śāyera nikaṭa ei sakala
tākā-payasā pāṭhiye ditena evaṁ tāṅ’ra nikaṭa ciṭhi likhe jāntena, tini ei sakala
jiniṣa ke vaiṣṇavera sevāya lāgiyechena ki nā. vanamālī rāya ma’śāya takhana
śrī-vṛndāvane vaiṣṇava-sevāya tatpara chilena.
My revered Gurudeva lived like a madman at various places on the
bank of the Gaṅgā near the town of Nadīyā (Navadvīpa). He
completely gave up cooking and never accepted any eatables from
materialists. He absolutely avoided accepting food and other kinds of
hospitality from the homes of wealthy sense enjoyers. Sometimes he
would consume only soaked rice, and at other times only mud. He was
often naked. Sometimes he would cover his body with clothes that were
discarded after having been used to bring the dead to the cremation
ground. He would receive many eatables in charity; many wealthy
gṛhastha Vaiṣṇavas used to donate considerable amounts of wealth,
expensive shawls and other clothes. When he received money, he made
a few knots on his clothes to keep it safe, and gave an impression of
being irritated. Foolish people fond of wealth used to think that he was
greedy for money. If someone presented him expensive clothes, he
would greatly glorify the donor and in this way make it known how
insignificant the clothes were. He used to say, “I wasn’t able to become a
Vaiṣṇava.” He claimed that his visitors who gifted him these items were
hoping that the gifts would be used by a Vaiṣṇava, and therefore only
Vaiṣṇavas were entitled to being the recipients. Therefore he would
often send all the collected donations to Vanamālī Rāya Mahāśaya and
would insist on receiving a letter from him confirming that the gifts had
indeed been used in the service of the Vaiṣṇavas. At the time, Vanamālī
Rāya Mahāśaya was engaged in serving the Vaiṣṇavas in Śrī Vṛndāvana.
āmāra guru-pāda-padma jagatera kona kathāya praviṣṭa ha’tena nā; kena
nā, āmāra nyāya ayogya vyakti ke o tini kṛpā karbāra abhinaya ka’rechilena.
tāṅ’ra śatāṁśera ekāṁśera vairāgyera sahita jagatera śreṣṭha vairāgyavān-
gaṇera vairāgyera tulanā ha’te pāre nā. śrīla raghunātha dāsa gosvāmī prabhura
vairāgya āmāra prabhute i pūrṇa-mātrāya prakaṭita chila. tāṅ’ra caritra yadi
jagate prakāśita haya, āmāra guru-varga yadi tāṅ’ra atimartya caritrera kathā
jagate ati sarala bhāṣāya prakāśa karena—pracāra karena, tā’ha’le samagra
jagat lābhavān ha’te pārbena. āmāra guru-pāda-padma śudhu kanaka-kāminī
che’ḍe dite bolchena, emana nahe, ‘sādhu-giri dekhāna’ paryanta che’ḍe dite
bolchena; tini bhāgavata paramahaṁsa chilena. pāramahaṁsī saṁhitā
bhāgavatera āśraya vyatīta kakhana o pāramahaṁsya-dharma thākte pāre nā.
My spiritual master never participated in any mundane discussions
but was intent on enacting his role: bestowing his mercy to undeserving
people, including myself. Even the most eminent renunciants of this
world could not match even one hundredth part of his renunciation. In
my master, the spirit of detachment of Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī
manifested itself fully. If his superhuman character and activities had
been made known, if my Guru Mahārāja would have spoken about
himself in a simple language, this entire world would have benefited.
My spiritual master did not instruct us to merely give up women and
wealth, he wanted us to renounce the pretense of being a sādhu as well.
He was a bhāgavata paramahaṁsa. The dharma of paramahaṁsas can
never exist without the shelter of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, the scripture of
the paramahaṁsas.
ekabāra ekaṭī kaupīna-dhārī āmāra guru-pāda-padmera nikaṭa ese bollena
ye, āmi kuliyā-navadvīpe pāñca kāṭā jami kona eṣṭatera karmacārīra nikaṭa
ha’te saṅgraha ka’rechi. tā’ śune āmāra prabhu bollena, śrī-navadvīpa-dhāma
aprākṛta, prākṛta bhūmy-adhikārī-gaṇa ki prakāre ekhāne bhūmi prāpta
ha’lena ye, tā ha’te sei kaupīna-dhārī ke pāñca kāṭā jami dite samartha
ha’yechena! ei brahmāṇḍera samasta dhana-ratna vinimaye pradāna karle o
aprākṛta navadvīpera ekaṭī bālu-kaṇāya mūlyera tulya haya nā. sutarāṁ ukta
jamidāra ata mūlya kothāya pā’bena ye, tāṅ’ra navadvīpera bhūmi vikraya
karbāra adhikāra āche? āra kaupīna-dhārīra i vā kata bhajana-bala—yā’te tini
bhajana-mudrāra vinimaye ata jami saṅgraha karte perechena. śrī navadvīpa-
dhāmera bhūmite prākṛta-buddhi karle dhāma-vāsa haoyā dūre thāk,
dhāmāparādha ha’ye thāke. aprākṛta-tattva ke ‘prākṛta’ jñāna karle tāttvika
loka tā’ke ‘prākṛta sahajiyā’ balena.
One time an ascetic dressed in a kaupīna visited my spiritual master
and said, “I have bought five kāṭās of land from an estate agent in the
town of Kuliyā Navadvīpa.” My spiritual master commented, “How
could mundane acquisition officers obtain any piece of land here in the
spiritual dhāma of Navadvīpa, to be able to sell five kāṭās of it to this
ascetic? All the wealth and jewels of this universe cannot equal the
worth of one single grain of sand in the transcendental land of
Navadvīpa. Therefore, how can any landlord in Navadvīpa receive
enough wealth in payment to be able to sell his land here? And the
ascetic, just see how powerful his bhajana is! In exchange for the coins of
his bhajana he is capable of buying so much land!” Let us remain far
away from such a mundane misunderstanding, a dhāma-aparādha, while
we reside in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. Those who understand reality
(tāttvika-loka) call such people prākṛta-sahajiyās—since they consider a
transcendental reality (aprākṛta-tattva) to be material (prākṛta).
āra eka samaya ekajana bhāgavatera kathakatāya viśeṣa nipuṇa, ‘gosvāmī’
nāme paricita vyaktira lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhāra vyākhyā sādhāraṇera mukhe
śravaṇa ka’re tini sei bhāgavata-kathaka bahu-śiṣya-saṅgrāhaka gosvāmī
ma’śāyera bhakti-pracārera saviśeṣa tathya anusandhāna karena. sei gosvāmī
ma’śāya ‘gaura, gaura’ balāna o asaṅkhya śiṣya-saṅgrahera cāturī jānena śune
āmāra prabhu bollena, ei pratiṣṭhā-śālī pāṭhaka bhāgavata-vyākhyā vā ‘gaura,
gaura’ balāna nāi, ‘ṭākā, ṭākā’, ‘āmāra ṭākā’ ba’le cītkāra ka’rechena, ihā
kakhana i bhajana nahe, satya-dharmera āvaraṇa mātra; tad-dvārā jagatera
aniṣṭa vyatīta kona upakāra sādhita ha’be nā.
A certain Gosvāmī Mahāśaya was an exceptionally expert reciter of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and had been successful in attracting a great number
of disciples. My spiritual master heard about the reciter’s desire for
adoration from the common people and then investigated the quality of
his propagation of bhakti. When he was told that this Gosvāmī would
urge his audience to chant ‘Gaura, Gaura’ and that he was very skilled at
amassing countless disciples, he commented, “This reciter who is
actually after fame is not really discoursing on the Bhāgavatam, nor is he
chanting ‘Gaura, Gaura.’ What he is actually shouting is, ‘Money,
money! Give me your money!’ This can never be devotional service, it
is only an external covering over true dharma. The world is not
benefited by such preachers at all; they only cause harm.”
āmāra śrī-guru-pāda-padmera niṣkapaṭatā o nirapekṣatāra ādarśa-svarūpa
apārthiva caritrera sambandhe asaṅkhya kathā āmarā śunechi o pratyakṣa
ka’rechi.
We have heard about and personally witnessed innumerable
incidents which revealed my Guru Mahārāja’s ideal transcendental
character, distinguished by his sincerity (niṣkapaṭatā) and detachment
(nirapekṣatā).
sakala śabda i viṣṇu ke uddeśa karche. ye śabda viṣṇu ha’te pṛthak ha’ye
anya kichura uddeśa kare, tāhā śabdera ajña-rūḍhi; tā’te kṛṣṇera advitīya
bhoktṛtva-vicārera parivarte jīvera māyā-bhoktṛtvera vicāra ānayana kare.
āmarā darśanera baḍa baḍa kathā-guli—bhāgavatera pratipādya viṣaya-guli
āmādera śrī-guru-pāda-padme ati sarala-bhāve ākārita dekhte peyechi. yadi
bhagavānera anugraha haya, tā’ha’le tini ati sojā kathāya mānava-jāti ke e
sakala kathā jāniye dena. takhana i tā’ra bujhte pāre, vāstava-satya ki jiniṣa,
āra kālpanika o āpātataḥ jagatera kāja-cālāna satya vā āpekṣika satya ki
jiniṣa.
Every word actually denotes Lord Viṣṇu. But those words which
have been separated from Lord Viṣṇu and now denote something else
are an example of ajña-rūḍhi: a corrupted secondary meaning had been
superimposed on them by the ignorant people.145 Such words, instead of
fostering the understanding of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the only enjoyer,
encourage the jīvas in their enjoyment of māyā. We have seen how even
the highest philosophical discussions such as the subject matter of the
Bhāgavatam had been converted into extremely simple points by my
spiritual master. If the Supreme Lord bestows His mercy to the human
race, He will convey His message to them in a very straightforward
manner. Thus they will be able to understand what is the real, absolute
truth, as opposed to the imagined, expedient or relative truth.
loke bole,—āja āmāra guru-pāda-padmera aprakaṭera dina, kintu āmi
mane kari, āja tāṅ’ra prākaṭyera divasa. tāṅ’ra kathā sahasra-mukhe, koṭi-
mukhe—sahasra indriye, koṭi indriye kīrtana ka’re nitya-kāla yena tāṅ’ra pūjā
ka’rte pāri. śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭa-sthāpana-kārī śrī-rūpa-prabhura
mano-’bhīṣṭa-sthāpane yena āmādera sarvendriya niyukta haya.
People say, “Today is the anniversary of my spiritual master’s
disappearance.” But I consider it to be a celebration of his appearance. I
can glorify him with thousands or millions of mouths, with thousands or
millions of senses, and thus worship him. Let all our senses be engaged
in establishing the mission of fulfilling the inner desires of Śrīla Rūpa
Gosvāmī who in turn fulfilled the inner desires of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu.
āmāra nitya-prabhura kathā bolbāra ceṣṭā dekhā’te giye āmi āpanādera
aneka samaya grahaṇa karlām. āpanārā kṛpā ka’re āmāra nitya-prabhura kathā
śravaṇa ka’rechena; sutarāṁ āpanādera caraṇe o guru-buddhite praṇāma
karchi.
I have taken so much of your time by attempting to glorify my
eternal spiritual master and you have mercifully listened. I consider you
my gurus and offer obeisances at your lotus feet.
[śrī śrīla prabhupāda ei-rūpa-bhāve vaktṛtā pradāna kariyā vaktṛtā-mañca
haite avataraṇa-pūrvaka oṁ viṣṇupāda śrī śrīla gaurakiśora-dāsa gosvāmī
prabhura ālekhya śrī-mūrtira sammukhe bhū-patita haiyā daṇḍavat-praṇāma
karilena. tat-pare samaveta kaṇṭhe nimna-likhita kīrtanaṭī gīta haila,—
[After speaking, Śrīla Prabhupāda rose from the speaker’s seat and
offered prostrated obeisances in front of the sacred portrait of Oṁ
Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Gaurakiśora Dāsa Gosvāmī Prabhu. The audience then
sang the song Sapārṣada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-vilāpa from Prārthanā by
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, reproduced below with a few additions.]
ye ānila prema-dhana karuṇā pracura
hena prabhu kothā gelā gaura-kiśora146
 kāṅhā mora svarūpa rūpa, kāṅhā sanātana?
kāṅhā dāsa raghunātha patita-pāvana
kāṅhā mora bhaṭṭa-yuga, kāṅhā kavirāja?
eka-kāle kothā gelā gorā naṭarāja?
pāṣāṇe kuṭibo māthā, anale paśibo
gaurāṅga guṇera nidhi kothā gele pā’bo?
se saba saṅgīra saṅge ye kaila vilāsa
se saṅga nā pāiyā kānde e adhama dāsa147
guru-sevāra mahimātmaka mahājana-gītāvalī
samūha-kīrtana haibāra para sabhā bhaṅga haya.]
[A few more poems extolling the service to the spiritual master were
sung, and the celebration was concluded.]

140. This particular lecture, in the Bengali original, had also been reprinted in Śrīla
Prabhupādera Goloka-vāṇī (Vol. 2, pp. 1–16). This is a collection of Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s lectures gathered by Śrī Bhakti Bhūṣaṇa Bhāratī
Mahārāja and published by Śrīmad Bhakti Kevala Auḍulomi, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
Sevāśrama, Godruma, 1997. Parts of the lecture in English translation are also quoted
in: Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, Vol. 1, pp. 27–32.
141. See Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.119. amandodayā dayā “…an
awakening of auspicious mercy.” “O ocean of mercy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! Let
there be an awakening of Your auspicious mercy, which easily drives away all kinds of
material lamentation. By Your mercy, everything is made pure and blissful. It awakens
transcendental bliss and covers all gross material pleasures. By Your auspicious mercy,
quarrels and disagreements arising among different scriptures are vanquished. Your
auspicious mercy causes the heart to jubilate by pouring forth transcendental mellows.
Your mercy always stimulates devotional service, which is full of joy. You are always
glorifying the conjugal love of God. May transcendental bliss be awakened within my
heart by Your causeless mercy.” Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupāda, BBT 1975, CC Madhya-līlā 10.119, p. 167.
142. Doxy—opinion, doctrine, religious view. Heterodoxy—opposing view. Orthodoxy
—approved form of any opinion, doctrine, or religious view.
143. In all probability this refers to the king of Tripura, Mahārāja Vīracandra Deva
Varma Māṇikya Bāhādur. See Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol.
1, pp. 21–23.
144. The word gāḍīra chai literally means a wicker awning, a light tubular canopy used
for shelter on fishing boats or traveling carts.
145. The technical term rūḍhi in Sanskrit literary theory refers to a secondary,
conventional meaning of the word as opposed to its original etymological meaning
(called yoga by the grammarians). As an extension of this concept, the term ajña-rūḍhi
refers to a corruption or change of the meaning of the word by those ignorant of its
actual or original meaning. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used this term in
his preaching, contrasting it with vidvad-rūḍhi, the superior, spiritualized or primary
word meaning understood by the learned and enlightened devotees. See: Bhakti Vikāsa
Swami, Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. 1, p. 331. See also Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s commentary to Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, chapter 1,
verses 147 and 368.
146. Notice the adjusted text in this line: instead of ācārya ṭhākura, the line ends with
gaura-kiśora.
147. Adjusted text: e adhama dāsa instead of narottama dāsa.
 Appearance, Identity, Early Pastimes, and
Initiation

Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja appeared in

this world somewhere around the middle of the 18th century in a
remote village in the subdivision of Tangail, in the district of Mayaman
Singh, in what is now known as Bangladesh. He belonged to a very
aristocratic family, and according to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja had been a famous saint in a previous lifetime who
was a contemporary of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
In a trip to Kurukṣetra and its surrounding holy places in November
of 1928, at the time of a solar eclipse, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura began his
tour with a visit to Thāneśvara to the home of the medieval saint named
Jagannātha. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura commented that Caitanya
Mahāprabhu had also visited Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse in August
1514, and in that very house had instructed Jagannātha on devotion in
the mood of separation. Ten years later, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura revealed
that this Jagannātha, who was a contemporary of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, later advented as Vaiṣṇava Sārvabhauma Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. This revelation was reported later in the Nadia
Prakash148 on January 27, 1938.
The Gauḍīya Vedāntācārya Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana’s initiated
disciple was Uddhava dāsa Bābājī, and his initiated disciple was
Madhusūdana dāsa Bābājī, and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī accepted bābājī-
veśa from Madhusūdana dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. According to the
Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, the dīkṣā-guru of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was
Jagadānanda Gosvāmī of Sringarvat, Vṛndāvana, whose veśa-guru was
Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī of Govardhana.
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja performed bhajana in Vraja-
maṇḍala for many years. He was famed throughout the region as a
siddha-bābā (a perfectly realized soul). He was known to sometimes
chant continuously for three days and nights in a row without sleeping,
and he would fast throughout. After the completion of his vow, he
would breakfast upon flat rice and yogurt prasāda. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura referred to Bābājī Mahārāja as “the sole custodian of
Rādhā-kuṇḍa.”149

148. The Nadia Prakash (“The Light of Nadia”) was a daily newspaper and also a
printing press established in Māyāpura in 1928, and was started by Śrīla
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. When questioned about the necessity of a daily
newspaper about God, the Ṭhākura replied, “Here in this world there are thousands of
newspapers and magazines reporting the stale, repetitious happenings of this limited
space. So for reporting the news of the unlimited spiritual realm, concerning the
eternal, ever-fresh Supreme Personality of Godhead, we could publish a newspaper at
every second, what to speak of daily.” The Nadia Prakash continued to be published
daily for ten years. This revelation about Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja by Śrīla
Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is found in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava, Vol. I, by Bhakti Vikāsa
Swami, p. 95.
149. Śrīla Prabhupādera Goloka-vāṇi 2.257, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava Vol. II
by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, p. 194.
 Meetings with Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and
Bimala Prasada, and Discovery of the
Yogapīṭha

In the year 1880, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura visited Bābājī Mahārāja in

Vṛndāvana and received many valuable instructions from him. In the
1880s the paramahaṁsa bābājī came to the Burdwan District in West
Bengal, staying in the village of Amalajoda. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
went there on the pretext of government business, thereby obtaining
the association of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja for the second time.
The bābājī was delighted by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s enthusiasm for
preaching the glories of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter,
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī sojourned in Burdwan for 11 days and
performed uninterrupted kīrtana (chanting and scriptural discussion) day
and night. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura established a prapanna-āśrama (a
monastery created for surrender to Kṛṣṇa) in Amalajoda village.
In the year 1893, Jagannātha dāsa Babaji was residing in Kuliyā,
Navadvīpa, and he went to see Surabhi-kuñja, the residence of Ṭhākura
Bhaktivinoda. The entire grove was electrified by his arrival and
appeared especially beautiful. Later, along with his followers, he
proceeded to Māyāpura and visited many holy places like the Yogapīṭha,
Śrīvāsāṅgam, etc. When he arrived at the birthplace of Lord Gaura,
which had been discovered by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he began to
dance in ecstasy, although he was very old at the time, and had
previously been thought unable to walk. He thus established the
authenticity of the site beyond any doubt for sincere persons. He spent
some time at the yoga-pīṭha in the association of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, and he miraculously cured one of the Ṭhākura’s sons of a skin
disease simply by telling him to lie down in the dust of the Lord’s place
of appearance.
He passed most of the time chanting the Holy Name on the bank of
the Ganges in Kuliyā. His bhajana-kuṭira and samādhi may still be seen
there. On May 19, 1890, he asked Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to
construct a veranda to shelter the devotees who came to see him, which
the Ṭhākura did immediately at a cost of 150 rupees.150
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was well-versed in astronomy
even as a boy. Hearing of this, Bābājī Mahārāja summoned him one day
and instructed him to make a Vaiṣṇava calendar which would include
the appearance and disappearance days of all the associates of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Viṣṇuprīya Ṭhakurāṇī. Accordingly,
Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura made the necessary calculations and
began publication of the Śrī Navadvīpa-pañcika.

Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī’s life and soul was the chanting of the Holy
Name and rendering service to Vaiṣṇavas. He lived on this earth for 135
years (according to Gaura-pariṣada-caritāvalī) and preached the Holy
Name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.151

150. Svalikhita-jīvanī § 367, an autobiography in the form of a letter by Bhaktivinoda

Ṭhākura.
151. According to Gaudiya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana, he lived to be 147 years old. Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī’s birth date is unknown. It has been estimated that he was born somewhere
in the neighbourhood of 1750 A.D. He left his body in 1895. By that reckoning he
would have been approximately 145 years old at the time of his departure. Regarding
his preaching about the holy name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja is credited with introducing the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra. Bhakti
Vikāsa Swami writes: “This chant is rendered as it appears in Sarasvatī-jayaśrī, p. 200. It
is usually understood to have been introduced by Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, and
there are several slightly varied versions extant. Similar to the above (śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu-nityānanda jayādvaita śrī-gadadhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda), the Gauḍīya
(10.324) gave the mantra as jaya jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda jayādvaita śrī-
gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, and in Gauḍīya 3.30.2 it appears in the same
form sans the first jaya. The present standard form is śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu
nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvasadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.” Cited from Śrī
Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava Vol. II by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, p. 292.
Transportation and the Weight of a Rupee

Although he was almost bent double in his old age, still, during the time
of kīrtana, his body would expand, and his appearance would replicate
the dancing figure of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
His favorite disciple was Bhāgavata dāsa Bābājī, who had accepted
bābājī initiation from him. Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja took bābājī
initiation from Śrīla Bhāgavata dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Gaurahari dāsa
Bābājī, Rāmahari dāsa Bābājī, and Nityānanda dāsa Bābājī were disciples
of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī who hailed from Varṣāṇā in Vraja-maṇḍala.
Another disciple, called Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī, was from Kadamkhaṇḍī. Śrīla
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s personal servant and disciple, Śrī
Bihārī dāsa, a Vrajavāsī, was very stout and powerful. Due to Bābājī
Mahārāja’s advanced age, he could apparently not walk. Śrī Bihārī used
to carry him every-where in a bamboo basket. Once, when he was
traveling like that, a wealthy man gave him a rupee, which was
deposited with Bābājī Maharāja’s servant, Bihārī. After journeying for
some miles, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja had his servant take him back to the
donor, and he returned the one rupee to him. He told the man, “I
understand that you have a good deal of money. I could not bear the
burden of even one of your rupees, and I wonder how you tolerate the
burden of so many.” Bābājī Mahārāja sometimes accepted donations for
rendering service to the Vaiṣṇavas, but in this instance he instructively
exhibited his detachment, showing how one must be wary of accepting
charity from the pounds, shillings, and pence class of men.
Śrīla Prabhupāda comments about the misfortune of materialistic
people:

A foolish man does not understand the values of human life, nor does he
understand how he is wasting his valuable life simply for the
maintenance of his family members. He is expert in calculating the loss
of pounds, shillings and pence, but he is so foolish that he does not
know how much money he is losing, even according to material
considerations. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita gives the example that a moment of life
cannot be purchased in exchange for millions of dollars. A foolish
person, however, wastes such a valuable life without knowing how
much he is losing, even according to monetary calculations. Although a
materialistic person is expert in calculating costs and doing business, he
does not realize that he is misusing his costly life for want of knowledge.
Even though such a materialistic person is always suffering threefold
miseries, he is not intelligent enough to cease his materialistic way of
life.152

152. SB 7.6.14 purport.

 Worship of Deities

Inspired by Bihārī dāsa, the villagers of Sūrya-kuṇḍa built a room and a

small temple for Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. The siddha-bābā
asked Bihārī dāsa to install a Deity in the temple. Upon receiving this
order, Bihārī proceeded to Sonaruddi village, which was about eight
miles from Katoa. He requested the local landlord to give him a Deity.
He duly received Gaura-Nitāi Deities, went to Calcutta, and collected
donations totaling 5,000 rupees from Śrīnath Rai, the renowned Laha
families, and others. He then returned to Sūrya-kuṇḍa. With great
pomp and festivity, the Deities of Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi were installed in
the temple, where They glistened like gold. Shortly thereafter, a band of
dacoits (armed robbers) stormed the temple one night and attempted to
carry away the Deities, thinking them to be actually fashioned from
gold. However, they were unsuccessful in attempting to steal those
Golden Lords and fell exhausted in the temple. They fled without
achieving their aim just before the arrival of dawn. This incident
disturbed Bābājī Mahārāja greatly, and he told Bihārī dāsa to donate the
Deities to some devotee in Vṛndāvana. Bihārī dāsa went to Vṛndāvana
town and presented them to a Bengali gosvāmī. These Deities are still
being worshipped in the temple of Dhobigatī of Gopalbagh and are
famous by the name of Sonar Gaura, i.e. the Golden Gaura.
Several days after this incident, Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja told Bihārī
dāsa, “I cannot live without the Deities. Bring another Deity from
wherever you can find one.” Hearing his guru-mahārāja’s command,
Bihārī proceeded to Rādhā-kuṇḍa and met Śrī Dhenu dāsa Bābājī of
Mathurā. There in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, in a stack of hay which had been
gathered for feeding the cows, they discovered a Deity of Ṣaḍ-bhuja, a
six-armed Deity of Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇacandra and Lord
Caitanya Mahāprabhu combined. Bihārī dāsa had the Deity properly
painted in Vṛndāvana, and returned to Sūrya-kuṇḍa with great
enthusiasm. The beautiful form of the Lord was installed according to
the scriptural ordinances, and Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja worshipped Him for
ten years.
With the passing of a decade, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja
was inspired to go to Navadvīpa, and he therefore requested Bihārī dāsa
to deliver Ṣaḍ-bhuja to someone in Vṛndāvana. Bihārī dāsa thus
proceeded to Vṛndāvana and gave the Deity to the head priest of the
Gopāla-guru-āśrama, who was known as Śrī Narottama dāsa Bābājī.
The Lord in his six-armed form is worshipped to this day in the Ṣaḍ-
bhuja Temple situated in a lane near Nidhuvana.
 Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī and Residence in
Kuliyā

Bihārī then carried his guru-mahārāja on his shoulder to the Mathurā

Railway Station and boarded a train for Navadvīpa. When they reached
the Memri station in Bardhawan, a British railway officer was so
impressed by the simplicity and blissful nature of Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja
that he assisted them in many ways. They alighted from the train before
reaching Navadvīpa, hired a bullock cart, and traveled to the āśrama of a
famous pure soul named Śrī Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, who
resided at Ambikā-Kālnā in Bengal. This great soul was extremely
pleased to see Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and he exclaimed
in a state of transcendental exultation, “Oh! My friend has come!” He
then embraced Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. Both of them fell to the
ground in a state of profound transcendental ecstasy and, becoming
unconscious, entered into an impenetrable, spiritual trance. They
remained motionless, locked in their embrace of loving friendship from
ten o’clock in the morning until eleven o’clock that night. The servants
of the two siddha bābās began to feel uneasy, and Śrī Viṣṇudāsa, the
servant of Śrī Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, requested Bihārī dāsa to
do something to bring them back to external awareness. Bihārī dāsa
began to massage his guru’s chest and chant the mahā-mantra. This
device brought them both back to external consciousness, and they got
up. Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja had not eaten or drunk
anything during his three days of travel, and so prasāda was immediately
arranged and he broke his fast at midnight. After this, they slept a while.
After staying at Kālnā for ten days, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī decided to
proceed to Navadvīpa by bullock cart. Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī had only
18 rupees in his possession, but he insisted upon giving it to Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī for his journey, which he happily accepted. On the way,
Bihārī inquired where they would stay in Navadvīpa, suggesting that
they stay in a large āśrama popularly called “Baḍa-akhara.”
Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “No, we will not stay in any āśrama.
We will stay under some tree.” They indeed stayed under a tree for
some time, but later a devotee named Śrī Mādhava Datta purchased the
land adjacent to the tree and donated it to the bābājī. A year later, Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura built two small huts there for Bābājī Mahārāja.
Rajārṣi Śrī Vanamālī Rai, a famous landlord, built three more huts and a
boundary wall about them. An elderly and wealthy lady had a well dug
for drinking water. The bābājī stayed there in Kuliyā off and on for 32
years. According to Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana he lived to the age of 147
years, at which time he entered the pastimes of the Lord.
 Cāturmāsya and a Sweeper’s Prasāda

He used to strictly and regularly follow the vows of Cāturmāsya (the

four-month-long rainy season). In the first month he would take only
four bananas each day in the evening. In the second month he would
only take guavas. In the third month he drank some buttermilk. And in
the fourth month, he consumed only the flowers of the banana tree. He
once went to Rishikesh to purify his chanting, which involved the
performance of the purificatory practice called puraścaraṇa. This penance
had to be performed with extreme rigidity. He used to bathe at three
o’clock in the morning and chant inside a closed room until sunset
without speaking or eating. In order to complete the vow properly one
is expected to take bath after each call of nature and even after passing
air. Once, after observing this regimen for two months, he inadvertently
spoke to Bihārī dāsa. He began the entire process again and completed
his vow in three months’ time. He thereafter pronounced that if one
wanted to have darśana of Lord Kṛṣṇa as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he
should perform puraścaraṇa in this manner.
Bābājī Mahārāja once accepted some bread from a person belonging
to the sweeper caste in Vṛndāvana. This action was much criticized by
the local Vaiṣṇava community. Many people approached him and
challenged him to explain his action. He replied,
“Do you know who these sweepers are? Before appearing in Vraja-
dhāma, Lord Kṛṣṇa asked 88,000 sages to take birth there, and they were
born in low-class families. Devotees reside in Vraja-dhāma simply to get
the opportunity of smearing their bodies with its dust and indeed to
give up their bodies here. These sweepers are always serving the dust of
Vṛndāvana. Therefore, I regard them as servants of Vraja-dhāma and see
them as no different from any other Vaiṣṇavas.”
After this incident, the Bābājī decided to chant in seclusion, and
proceeded to a place called Peśī Kadānkhaṇḍī, which was miles away
from any village, near Khandirvana, one of Vraja’s 12 forests. He and
Bihārī spent the Dāśamī and Ekādaśī there, fasting completely. On the
Dvādaśī morning, Bihārī began to think that Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja had
gone to a place where nothing was available to eat, and that the Ekādaśī
fast could not be properly broken by their eating prasāda made from
grains. However, the Bābājī ordered Bihārī to chant the mahā-mantra
loudly to the accompaniment of kāratālas, and before noon a Brijbāsī
came and brought some grains for them to prepare prasāda. From the
following day onward, huge amounts of milk came to them daily.
Wherever they went, prasāda was always miraculously available to
them. Once, in Navadvīpa, a similar event took place during the rainy
season. The whole city was flooded with the water of the Ganges, and it
continued raining heavily for one week. No one could go out to beg
alms. Suddenly, four persons appeared in a small boat and donated
Bābājī Mahārāja 20 kilograms of flat rice, yogurt, and sandeśa.
 Siddha Bābā

While he was staying in Navadvīpa, he became the object of great

affection and acclaim. On one occasion, the famous landlord, Śrīnath
Rai, and several family members went to have an audience with the
famous saintly person. Not recognizing him they asked if he knew
where the famous siddha bābā lived. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “I
don’t know anyone who is a siddha bābā here. I am staying here, but I
am simply an ordinary living entity like all of you.” The Rais then
realized that they were actually addressing Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja, who
was completely free from any desire for recognition or fame.
Nevertheless, they requested him to show them a miracle. Becoming
disturbed, the Bābājī declared, “I don’t know how to perform any
miracles.” He then picked up a stick and started beating the ground,
apparently out of annoyance. The landlord, fearful that he had
committed an offense, begged the Bābājī not to be angry with them for
their having made an impertinent request.
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī replied, “I am not angry with you. I was
just chasing out a goat who was eating the Tulasī plant near the cottage
of Śrīla Lokanātha Gosvāmī at Rādhā-kuṇḍa.”
The Rais were much astonished to hear this, and to test the veracity
of his statement they immediately sent a reply paid telegram to Rādhā-
kuṇḍa. The reply came back the following day, and it confirmed that a
goat had entered the cottage of Śrīla Lokanātha Gosvāmī and ruined the
Tulasī plant there. This incident convinced many doubting persons of
Bābājī Mahārāja’s perfection. They returned to see him and fell at his
feet to offer their obeisances. Perfect devotees of the Lord, being
disinterested in the material universe, never desire to make an exhibition
of miraculous powers. In order to increase the faith of worldly creatures,
however, they are sometimes inspired by the indwelling Godhead to
perform some supra-mundane deed for the edification of such persons.
Once, while residing in Navadvīpa, Bihārī dāsa became seriously ill.
He suffered a severe fever and delirium, and periodically lapsed into
unconsciousness. A medical expert was summoned from Calcutta, but
he declared that the illness was too far advanced to respond to treatment.
He predicted that Bihārī would expire before morning. Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja then sat by the side of his dear servant. He put a
sanctified Tulasī leaf in his mouth and began to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa
mahā-mantra. Within half an hour Bihārī was cured. He rose from his
bed and proceeded to the kitchen to cook prasāda, knowing that Śrīla
Bābājī Mahārāja, who had fasted throughout his servitor’s illness, would
not eat anything unless it was prepared by him.
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī used to say that the best time for
chanting was from three o’clock in the morning until seven in the
morning, and again from sunset until eleven o’clock at night. He
declared that no serious-minded devotee should sleep during these
hours, as Lord Śiva comes to inspect the devotees of his guru, Lord
Kṛṣṇa, at those times.
Although the bābājī could not walk properly during his last years,
still he would dance very enthusiastically during the performance of
saṅkīrtana. His body would expand while dancing. He daily paid 1,000
obeisances to his Giridhārī Deity until the last day of his life. He did not
like the idea of leaving any prasāda on his plate, and if he thought
anyone was going to eat his remnants, he would consume every last
morsel, and even the leaf plate to prevent it.
 Bihārī dāsa was illiterate and did not even know the alphabet. One
day Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja asked him to read the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
to him. When Bihārī reminded his guru mahārāja of his illiteracy, the
bābājī requested him to simply look at the book for some time and then
start chanting its stanzas. Within minutes, Bihārī dāsa started reciting
the pastimes of Lord Caitanya from the pages of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Whenever he went to Calcutta, he would sojourn in the house of
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura on Maniktala Street. Many devotees tried to take
him to their homes to give him prasāda, but he never accepted their
invitations. He donated a Govardhana-śīla to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura, who worshipped the śīla at his Bhakti Bhavan in Calcutta.
His eyesight was dimmed due to old age, and people who came to
see him used to offer donations. Bihārī dāsa would keep the
contributions in an empty clay water pot. One day, Bābājī Mahārāja
suddenly asked, “Bihārī, give me all the donations you have received.”
Bihārī would sometimes set some of the money aside for Bābājī
Mahārāja’s needs, but Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī would immediately discern
the exact amount missing and demand that it be returned. Bihārī would
laugh and immediately comply. Bābājī Mahārāja used to spend the
collection according to his own grave desires. Once he purchased 200
rupees of rasagullās for the cows of Navadvīpa-dhāma—an enormous
amount of sweetmeats in those days!
 Dogs of the Dhāma

On another occasion, a dog gave birth to five puppies on the bank of

the Ganges near Bābājī Mahārāja’s bhajana kuṭira. When the sage sat
down to take prasāda, the dogs sat around his plate. Bihārī tried to move
some of the puppies, but Bābājī Mahārāja said, “Take my plate away, I
will not eat today.” Bihārī would then produce the dogs and say, “Here
are the dogs.” Bābājī Mahārāja would say fondly, “They are the dogs of
the dhāma.”
Many people used to approach Bābājī Mahārāja and beg to be
initiated by him, but he did not generally accept them. He would,
however, request them to render various kinds of service. Most of them
would soon leave due to the pressure of being heavily engaged by him.
One gentleman in particular, Śrī Gaura Hari dāsa, came for initiation,
but Bābājī Mahārāja refused to accept him. On that account Gaura Hari
fasted for three days in front of the paramahaṁsa’s cottage. Finally,
Bābājī Mahārāja took mercy on him and granted him bābājī–veśa
initiation.
 Professional Reciters and Leaving Vraja-
dhāma for Navadvipa-dhāma

He once told a professional Bhāgavatam reciter, “Your speaking the

Bhāgavatam is the same business as a prostitute’s. Those who recite the
Bhāgavatam as a business are offenders of the Holy Name, and one
should not hear from them. If anyone hears from them, he will simply
become degraded.” That gentleman immediately ceased his recitations,
and he became a great devotee, living a humble existence in Vṛndāvana.
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja used to stay six months in
Vraja and six months in Navadvīpa-dhāma. According to Gauḍīya-
vaiṣṇava-jīvana, at an advanced age when he was set to travel to
Navadvīpa from Rādhākuṇḍa for the last time, many Brijbāsīs and other
Vaiṣṇavas went to him to inquire why he was leaving Vraja-dhāma at
such an advanced age. In a very humble and transcendentally depressed
mood he replied,

“You can all stay here in Vraja-dhāma because you are all pure
Vaiṣṇavas. I am very offensive, and therefore it is better for me to stay at
Navadvīpa. Their Lordships Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi do not count one’s
offenses, as They have appeared to liberate all offenders. But here in
Vraja-dhāma offenses are counted and reactions thereto are strictly
enforced.”
 This was his last journey to Navadvīpa-dhāma. A few months after
his arrival, on the first day of the new moon in the month of Phalguna, a
fortnight before the anniversary of Lord Caitanya’s appearance, he
entered the Lord’s eternal pastimes.
 Commander-in-Chief

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura used to always call Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja the
Vaiṣṇava-Sarvabhauma—the “Commander-in-chief” of the Vaiṣṇavas.
gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvāṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ
vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaḥ śrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī,
who is respected by the entire Vaiṣṇava community and who
discovered the place where Lord Caitanya appeared.”
 Appendix I
Śrī-Śrīla-Jagannāthaṣṭakam153

rūpānugānāṁ pravaraṁ sudāntaṁ

śrī-gauracandra-priya-bhakta-rājam
śrī-rādhikā-mādhava-citta-rāmaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, the foremost of
the followers of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, the king of Gaurāṅga’s
dear devotees, who takes pleasure in remembering Rādhikā and
Mādhava.
śrī-sūrya kuṇḍāśrayiṇaḥ kṛpālor
vidvad-vara-śrī-madhusūdanasya
preṣṭha-svarūpena virājamāṇaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, who was the
dearest associate of Śrī Madhusūdana dāsa Bābājī, the most
merciful resident of Sūrya-kuṇḍa.
śrī-dhāma-vṛndāvana-vāsi-bhakta-
nakṣatra-rāji-sthita-soma-tulyam
ekānta-nāmāśrita-saṅgha-pālaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, who stood out
from the rest of the devotees of Śrīdhāma Vṛndāvana just like
the moon amongst the stars. He was the protector of the
assembly of Vaiṣṇavas who are uniquely dedicated to the
chanting of the Holy Name.
vairāgya-vidyā-hari-bhakti-dīptaṁ
daurjanya-kāpaṭya-vibheda-vajram
śraddhā-yuteṣv ādara-vṛttimantaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, effulgent with
devotion to Hari, endowed with knowledge and renunciation,
a veritable thunderbolt to those who are wicked and pretenders,
and very affectionate to the faithful.
samprerito gaura-sudhāṁśunā yaś
cakre hi taj-janma-gṛha-prakāśam
devair nutaṁ vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, who was
directed by Gaurāṅga Himself to point out the place where He
appeared on this earth. He is worshiped by even the gods as the
sovereign of the Vaiṣṇavas on this earth.
sañcārya sarvaṁ nija-śakti-rāśiṁ
yo bhakti-pūrṇe ca vinoda-deve
tene jagatyāṁ hari-nāma-vanyāṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, who infused
the devoted Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura with all of his own potency,
and through him unleashed the flood of Harināma throughout
the universe.
 śrī-nāma-dhāmnoḥ prabala-pracāre
īhāparaṁ prema-rasābdhi-magnam
śrī-yoga-pīṭhe kṛta-nṛtya-bhaṅgaṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, always
immersed in the ocean of sacred rapture and engaged in
forcefully preaching the Holy Names and the Lord’s abode. He
danced ecstatically in the yoga-pīṭha at Māyāpura.
māyāpura-dhāmani sakta-cittaṁ
gaura-prakāśena ca moda-yuktam
śrī-nāma-gānair galad-aśru-netraṁ
vande jagannātha-vibhuṁ vareṇyam
I venerate Jagannātha, the best of the Vaiṣṇavas, who is totally
attached to the holy dhāma of Māyāpura, who is joyful from the
vision of Gaurāṅga, whose eyes flow with tears from the
chanting of the Holy Names.
he deva he vaiṣṇava-sārvabhauma
bhaktyā parābhūta-mahendra-dhiṣṇya
tvad-gātra-vistāra-kṛtiṁ supuṇyāṁ
vande muhur bhaktivinoda-dhārām
O Lord! O sovereign of the Vaiṣṇavas! Through your devotion
you have overcome even the heavens. I constantly venerate the
most pious line of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that has grown out
from your body and works.

153. Sri Chaitanya His Life & Associates by Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja, Mandala
Press, 1999, p. 224. The author of this aṣṭakam (eight prayers) is not mentioned in this
book, although it has clearly been written by a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava in the disciplic line
of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
 Appendix II
Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī Meets
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja met Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura for the first
time in 1880 A.D. Their second meeting took place in the village of
Amalajora in the Burdwan District of West Bengal in 1891. On this
occasion, they spent the entire night (it was Ekādaśī) discussing Kṛṣṇa-
kathā. Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī encouraged Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to
glorify the name of Lord Caitanya and His divine spiritual abode.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura provides the following account of the
morning after this eventful Ekādaśī night in his Sajjana-toṣaṇī magazine:

“After spending the whole night in the Ekādaśī vigil, people from the
entire village gathered together at eight in the morning to go on nagara-
saṅkīrtana through its streets. With the venerable Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
at the head of the group, they made their way to the prapanna-āśrama [a
monastery created for the purpose of surrender to Kṛṣṇa]. It is
impossible to describe Bābājī’s ecstatic transformations during this
kīrtana. Though he is over a hundred years old, he dances like a lion,
sometimes singing out the couplet:
nitāi ki nāma eneche re nāma eneche nāmer hāṭe,
 śraddhāra mule nāma diteche re

“O Lord Nityananda, what a wonderful Name You have brought. O

Nitai, what a wonderful Name You have given. He has brought the
Name to the marketplace and is selling it for the price of faith!”

“As Bābājī Mahārāja sang, he cried and fell to the ground in ecstasy. I
then saw something transpire which I had never seen before. All present
were affected by his mood: their eyes filled with tears and their hairs
stood on end, and even though they could barely sing, they remained
absorbed in the kīrtana and danced wildly.”154
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has also written about Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja in his autobiography:

“At times I was in Godruma and at others in Calcutta. From time to

time I lectured in Krishnanagar. The year 1893 arrived. In that year we
made a special effort to hold a darśana festival in Śrī Māyāpura and
another festival with congregational chanting in Śrī Godruma. Śrīla
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahāśaya attended both of these, bringing a
large number of Vaiṣṇavas with him.”155
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura described Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja’s arrival at the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the
Sajjana-toṣaṇī as follows:

“At eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 20th of Phalgun,

1299 of the Bengali era (1892 A.D.),156 devotees filled three boats on the
west bank of the Ganges in Navadvīpa town. The great devotee
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja was carried in a palanquin. By the time
the party reached Māyāpura, it was impossible to count the number of
people who had gathered. Dwarika Babu and a party of devotees
carrying colorful flags were waiting for the renounced Vaiṣṇavas with a
joyous kīrtana at Mahaprābhu’s Janmasthāna. When all these devotees
had gathered in the raised area where Mahāprabhu appeared and started
to dance, it was such a wondrous sight as had likely not been seen in
Navadvīpa-dhāma for nearly 400 years. Later, the devotees sat down
and, after discussing the matter, decided that Deity service should be
established both at the birthplace and at Śrīvāsāṅgam. Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahāśaya proposed that Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Devī should
be worshipped in one building and Mahāprabhu with Lakṣmī Devī and
Viṣṇupriyā Devī standing on either side of Him in another building. On
the other hand, Deities of the Pañca-tattva should be consecrated in
Śrīvāsāṅgam.”157
Bhakti Ballabha Swami gives the following description of Bābājī
Mahārāja’s arrival at the Janmasthāna:

“Upon arrival, Bābājī Mahārāja got out of the basket and began to dance
madly, singing the names Jaya Śacīnandana Gaura Hari. Everyone was
amazed to see the elderly bābājī dance in this way. Through his divine
vision, Bābājī Mahārāja pointed out the site of Mahāprabhu’s birth and
then later the site where the Kazi broke a mṛdaṅga. This place is now
known as Khol bhangar danga and is, of course, the site where
Mahāprabhu had His all-night kīrtanas—Śrīvāsāṅgam.”158
Another description of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s response to
his arrival at the Janmasthāna in Māyāpura is as follows:

When he was brought to the spot discovered by the Ṭhākura, he

[Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja] became overwhelmed with ecstasy
and jumped into the air crying, “ei to ‘nimāi-janma-bhūmi!” (This is
indeed the birthplace of Lord Nimāi!).159
The disappearance of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja took place on
śukla pratipadā of the month of Phalguna, Monday, February 25, 1895.160
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes:
“At ten o’clock in the morning, in the bhajana-kuṭīra in Koladvīpa in the
town of Navadvīpa, the Commander-in-Chief of the Vaiṣṇavas went to
his eternal abode. Siddha Bābājī Mahāśaya went to the spiritual world,
leaving this world in darkness. Our mundane eyes will no longer be able
to behold his ecstatic dancing in kīrtana. May he bestow his blessings on
us from his place in the eternal abode.”161

154. Sri Chaitanya & His Associates by Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja, citing the
Sajjana-toṣaṇī, Mandala Press, published 1999, page 222.
155. Svalikhita-jīvanī, § 375.
156. In Svalikhita-jīvanī, the Ṭhākura has stated that the arrival of Bābājī Mahārāja at
the yogapīṭha took place in 1893.
157. Sajjana-toṣaṇī, Mandala Press, published 1999, p. 223.
158. Ibid, p. 223.
159. Life of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura by Jayaśacīnandana Prabhu, 1981, page 47.
160. Sri Chaitanya & His Associates by Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja, citing Sajjana-
toṣaṇī, Mandala Press, published 1999, p. 223.
161. Ibid, p. 223, citing Sajjana-toṣaṇī 22.2.
 Appendix III
Bihārī dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and Śrīla
Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

[AUTHOR The following article appeared in the sixth year of the

monthly publications of the Gauḍīya magazine under the direct
guidance of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. It was written by
the headmaster of Satrujit High School, Śrī Yadunandana Adhikārī, a
disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.]

It was the second year after the opening of the Śrī Caitanya Maṭha in
Vṛndāvana. The resident devotees had left for Delhi to preach the
glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. I had
remained behind the others because I often become ill at the festivals.
Three or four days had passed since the devotees had departed. My mind
was feeling somewhat restless and uncomfortable. I was sitting alone
upstairs on the veranda in front of the door to my room. I was gazing
here and there empty-minded. It was now about 10:00 a.m. when the
elderly Vaiṣṇava, a Vṛndāvana resident, arrived. He entered into the
temple grounds from the front entrance and gradually made his way up
the flight of stairs. As the elderly figure climbed the stairs, he stopped for
a few moments to gain his breath and balance. He had stubbed his foot.
I paid my obeisances unto him and offered him a sitting place on a
nearby large rug. As he gasped in short drawn breaths, it was apparent
that he was exhausted from his travels. The mood in which he humbly
introduced himself would be easily recognized by many Vaiṣṇavas. I had
met this venerable Vaiṣṇava on a previous occasion.
Following a short exchange while receiving him, he told me:

“I personally served Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī for nearly 40 years. At

my present age of 86, I feel very weary. I find it somewhat difficult to
come and go these days. Previously my body was very strong. Often I
would carry Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja eight to ten miles on my back. I
witnessed a host of transcendental pastimes. During that time I was
discouraged by Bābājī Mahārāja from living in Vṛndāvana. He would
frequently say, ‘Listen Bihārī, don’t ever go and live with those false
monkey-like renunciates.’ For this reason I never associated with
persons outside, other than when it was absolutely necessary. Śrīla
Jagannātha Bābājī was especially close to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. I
have firm faith in your spiritual master [Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
Ṭhākura]. I often saw him in Calcutta at Maniktala as a boy when I
would visit there with Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja. Your spiritual master
would only be clothed with a pullover shirt. He struck me as always
having a serious nature. I was attracted by his effulgence and his
learning. He was always attached to the Holy Name. In his earlier years
his frame was very lean, and Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja loved him very
much.”
In this manner, the elderly Vaiṣṇava described many topics about
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and his own life as well. I was
deeply moved by the realization that this old and respectable Vaiṣṇava
had undergone innumerable difficulties in his service to Śrīla Jagannātha
dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. As a neophyte devotee, my curiosity was
boundlessly stimulated. There he sat before me, the actual servant of
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Numerous questions came to
mind. Indicating that he had anticipated my questions, he delivered
their answers by recounting his past. He was born in a family of
milkmen in West Bengal. As a youth he had very little academic
training. He had spent much of his time in Bangladesh. His speech was
marked by Bengali, spoken in an indistinct and broken fashion.162 Even
so, he was characterized by a very simple, easygoing nature. In this
disposition Bihārī dāsa Bābājī would explain his relationship with
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. In view of our [interest in] Vaiṣṇava cultural
heritage today, these topics are certainly priceless.
Śrīla Bihārī dāsa Bābājī began to speak:

“A long time has passed. It’s difficult to recollect things exactly. Once
when Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was living in Navadvīpa, a
householder from Calcutta suddenly appeared before him. This
householder had already spent several days in Navadvīpa. Touching
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī’s feet, the gentleman seated himself before
him. The unexpected visitor, in his first breath, requested Śrīla
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī to come with him to Calcutta. The man was
desiring to take initiation from him. Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī was
always opposed to the idea of going to Calcutta. At first consideration
he decided that the best decision was not to go. But the gentleman was
very insistent. He came every day for 15 days and implored Bābājī
Mahārāja to go with him to Calcutta.

“Finally, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī relented and agreed to go with the
man to his residence in Kāśīpura. Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī exacted a
compromise from the man that he would not accept any foodstuffs from
that gentleman’s house. So they went together by boat. We arrived at
the residence of the householder whereupon he immediately tried to
coax us into accepting some cooked foodstuffs. Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī became so annoyed that he said to me quietly, ‘Take me to the
residence of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.’ He then told me the address.
It was midday there, so we took a horse carriage to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda
Ṭhākura’s house. When we arrived, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda was upstairs.
A message was sent up. This was the first time I had seen Śrīla
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was somewhat tall with an effulgent golden-
hued complexion. His nose was very elegant, and his mouth well-
formed. Oh, and how expertly Śrīla Bhaktivinoda knew how to serve
the Vaiṣṇavas! Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda would personally serve Śrīla
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī with his own hands. They would often visit one
another in Navadvīpa and Calcutta.

“Once Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura arrived at the residence of Śrīla

Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī with a kīrtana party. The party, accompanied by
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī quickly advanced towards Śrī Māyāpura. At
this time another kīrtana group was approaching from the Nāmāna-
pukura side. The two parties chanting the glories of Lord Caitanya
assembled together at the place of the present day yoga-pīṭha. Over 130
years old, Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī , being humpbacked, normally
could not sit in an erect position. But when he would perform the
congregational chanting of the Lord, he would extend his body by a
distance of five hand lengths, and he would spring upward a distance of
over one yard! How wonderful it was when he pointed out the location
of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s appearance site. It is also still fresh within
my mind the way he struck his stick on the ground with a resounding
‘crack.’” Śrīla Bihārī dāsa Bābājī, who is holding a stick enacts the
pastime again as true as life itself. He pointed out, at some distance
away, a well which contained the broken hull of a mṛdaṅga. ‘Sometimes
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī would chastise persons who were opposed
to the authenticity of Śrī Māyāpura.’”163
Again, Bihārī dāsa Bābājī began to explain with full vigor other
transcendental pastimes he had seen. He continued:
“I came to Navadvīpa and prepared the foundation of Bābājī Mahārāja’s
bhajana-kuṭira. I dug it out by hand and constructed a fence around its
sides. Many persons would come and visit Bābājī Mahārāja, leaving
donations. I would place that money in a water pot for safekeeping.
Every 15 days to one month, I would remove the money and count it.
Normally, the funds would be expended each month. Being fearful, I
would sometimes hide the money outside the premises. I considered that
I should place 15 rupees aside for any emergency which might arise in
the future. After doing so, Bābājī Mahārāja called me and in a deep
voice exclaimed, ‘Where did you place that 15 rupees?’ He had never
paid any attention to me as his eyelids extended well beyond his eyes,
hanging loosely. Whenever he wanted to see, he would lift his long
eyelids above his eyes. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja also never accounted for
what was spent or given. In whatever way he wanted, the money was
spent. Once he said, ‘Go and buy rasagullās! I’m going to feed all the
cows in the holy dhāma.’ Two hundred rupees were taken and rasagullās
were distributed by him to all of the cows. But Bābājī Mahārāja never
wanted to spend anything on the imposter Vaiṣṇavas. He would say,
‘Don’t let them come here.’

“Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja would often sit and accept prasādam from a large
plate. Once five puppies took birth outside his bhajana-kuṭira. At
prasādam time the puppies would appear from four sides and surround
his plate. As they began to eat he would feel around to make sure they
were all present. Once, seeing this, I became disturbed and began
placing them outside. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja interrupted me in his deep
voice. ‘Bring them back in or I will not eat.’ What could I do? I again
brought the puppies inside and placed them around his plate. Satisfied,
he said, ‘The dogs of the dhāma.’
“Many persons would come desiring his Brahmin underwear. There
was one personality by the name of Gaurahari dāsa who was determined
to secure his underwear. But Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja would never give
any personal items away. For a period of three days Gaurahari remained
outside the bhajana-kuṭira of Bābājī Mahārāja. Finally, Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī gave me permission to give him his kaupīna.

“Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī would always become angry when he

would see someone acting independently. Once a kīrtana party
approached Bābājī Mahārāja from a distance chanting mantras that
weren’t bona fide. Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja, hearing them, became very
angry and said, ‘Drive them all away from here. Don’t let them come!’

“I’ve never seen such an effulgent personality as Bābājī Mahārāja. A few

days before his disappearance he told me, ‘O Bihārī, it’s not necessary to
inconvenience yourself to maintain your stomach. You don’t have to
separately endeavor for this. Don’t ever mix with those false monkey-
like renunciates.’

“He didn’t desire to remain any longer. If I could give up my body

thinking of him, then I could obtain real happiness.”

162. In other biographical accounts, Bihārī dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja is described as a

Vrajavāsī who, by the grace of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, mystically learned
Bengali well enough to read Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He spent much time in Bengal
and Bangladesh and became familiar with Bengali, but as the author points out his
speech was “marked by Bengali, spoken in an indistinct and broken fashion.”
According to O.B.L. Kapoor, however, Bihārī Mahārāja was a Vrajavāsī: “Bihārī was a
Vrajavāsī. He did not know Bengali. Nevertheless, Bābājī Mahārāja asked him to read
Caitanya-caritāmṛta to him every day so that he might listen to the recitation. Bihārī
said, ‘Bābājī Mahārāja, I don’t know Bengali.’ However, since this article represents an
actual interview with Bihārī Mahārāja, perhaps it can be taken as the more
authoritative account.
163. As detailed in the book The Seventh Goswami, the extensive research undergone
by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, including archeological, geographical, scriptural, as
well as historical facts about the actual site of Lord Caitanya’s appearance, was also
confirmed from the platform of spiritual realization by Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja. He personally authenticated the Ṭhākura’s discovery and had no patience
with those who disputed it.
 Appendix IV
Saints of Bengal by O.B.L. Kapoor, A
Second Biography

[AUTHOR: The following has been extracted and submitted to a text

edit from a book called The Saints of Bengal by O.B.L. Kapoor
(Ādikeśava dāsa), a disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura,
published by Sarasvatī Jayaśrī Classics in 1995, printed in India by Radha
Press, Gandhi Nagar, New Delhi. It appears to have been printed and
edited by some South American Vaiṣṇavas, so the English needed some
work. I have not included everything the author has written. On the
whole, however, I have adhered to his text. The material of this
biography of His Divine Grace Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja is
mainly drawn from Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Jīvana, Vol. II, by Śrī Haridāsa
Dāsa, a Vaiṣṇava scholar of some repute. This work is an addition to the
preceding biography of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and some of
the incidents are repeated, but in other cases new stories and additional
material are found in this short biography, so I think they are worth
adding to this book.]

Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

1. Siddha-puruṣa
 Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī had a very long span of life. He lived for
147 years.164 He used to stay for six months in Vraja and six months in
Navadvīpa. He was known throughout Bengal and Vraja as a siddha-
puruṣa. Once when he was in Navadvīpa, Gopīnātha Rāya and
Jānakīnātha Rāya, two proud landlords of Bhāgyakula went to see him.
They said to him, “Bābājī, we are told that you are a siddha-puruṣa. Can
you show us a miracle?
“What? Who told you that I am siddha?” As Bābājī Mahārāja said
this, he thumped his stick against the ground several times.
“Let’s go. Bābājī Mahārāja is angry,” said the frightened landlords
and began to leave.
“No, no, I am not angry. I was only trying to drive away a she-goat
who was devouring the tulasī plant in Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s kuñja in
Rādhākuṇḍa,” Bābājī Mahārāja said humbly.
The landlords were surprised. How could Bābājī Mahārāja see and
drive away an animal hundreds of miles away? Immediately they sent a
reply-paid telegram to someone in Rādhākuṇḍa to see if the claim could
be confirmed. The reply was received that a she-goat had actually eaten
the tulasī plant in Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s kuñja that very day.
The landlords again went to Bābājī Mahārāja and apologized for
their arrogance. When they had gone, Bābājī Mahārāja said to Bihārī,
his disciple, “These poor souls of Kali! They would not believe me
without directly seeing it. I showed them something so that they might
not suffer on account of any offense against me.”
The landlords were fools to have tested Baba’s visionary capacity by
asking him to demonstrate something miraculous. Bābājī Mahārāja’s
perfectional state was obvious. He was himself a miracle. At that time he
was at least 125 years old. His body was bent like a semi-circle. His long
eyelids hung before his eyes like curtains. He could hardly walk. If he
had to go anywhere, his disciple Bihārī had to carry him on his
shoulders. Still his stamina in bhajana was unique. He would perform
japa almost the entire night. In the morning he would perform 1,000
daṅḍavats before the Deities. He would often fast continually for three
days without even drinking water. He would offer Tulasī leaves to
Giridhārī with the help of his two disciples, who would stand on either
side of him and lift his eyelids with their hands to enable him to do so.
In saṅkīrtana he would dance and sing and, while dancing, jump up to
four feet above the ground in ecstasy.
The great saints do not like to exhibit their power of performing
miracles. But they are sometimes compelled to do so to instill faith in
skeptical minds or to relieve someone’s suffering, out of their mercy.
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja would sometimes feel obliged to do so.
2. Saving Bihārī and Saṅkrtana
The entirety of Navadvīpa was once flooded. Almost everyone had
to evacuate. But Bābājī Mahārāja did not. Bihārī, who was his only
attendant at that time, fell seriously ill. Pyārīmohana Gosvāmī of
Mahāprabhu’s temple sent for a doctor from Calcutta. The doctor
pronounced Bihārī’s condition as very critical. He said, “The patient will
die before daybreak.” Lālā Bābū, a landlord, called his kavirāja [an
Āyurvedic physician]. He also confirmed what the allopathic doctor had
said. Then Bābājī Mahārāja said, “All right, I will see who will take
Bihārī away from me.”165 He sat near Bihārī’s bed and began to chant
japa. After half an hour Bihārī opened his eyes and said, “Bābājī
Mahārāja, I am very hungry.” Bābājī Mahārāja immediately cooked
some mohana-bhoga (a kind of pudding) and gave it to him to eat. After
he had eaten, Bābājī Mahārāja asked him to go and cook for the Deity.
Bihārī took his bath and began to cook.
Bihārī was a Vrajavāsī. He did not know Bengali. Nevertheless,
Bābājī Mahārāja asked him to read Caitanya-caritāmṛta to him every day
so that he might listen to the recitation. Bihārī said, “Bābājī Mahārāja, I
don’t know Bengali.” Then Bābājī Mahārāja asked Bihārī to purchase a
copy of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, which he did. He then asked him to read.
Bihārī merely looked vacantly at Bābājī Mahārāja’s face. Bābājī Mahārāja
spoke angrily, “Don’t look at me. Look at the book.” Bihārī began to
look at the book and, to this surprise, he found that he was able to read
Caitanya-caritāmṛta like one who had already learned Bengali and
studied the book as well.
Similarly, Bābājī Mahārāja said to Bihārī one day, “Bihārī, I shall
sing, and you can accompany me on the mṛdaṅga.” Bihārī said, “Bābājī
Mahārāja! I have never even touched a mṛdaṅga. How can I play it?”
“There is no harm in trying,” replied Bābājī Mahārāja. Thereupon,
Bābājī Mahārāja started singing, Bihārī took up the mṛdaṅga, and was
soon playing it like an expert.
Liberated souls sometimes perform miracles or will things to happen.
In the state of bhāva or ecstasy brought about by stimulation of the
sentiment of divine love, miracles happen automatically, because in that
state the pure soul is in tune with the Lord, the infinite source of
inconceivable power or energy (acintya-śakti) that transcends the laws of
nature or logic. This happened to Bābājī Mahārāja on numerous
occasions. Once a saṅkīrtana party passed by the side of his cottage in
Navadvīpa. On hearing the kīrtana, Bābājī Mahārāja asked Bihārī to take
him closer to the party. Bihārī at once lifted him on his shoulders and
took him there. Bābājī Mahārāja laid himself prostrate before the kīrtana
party, paying his obeisances. Soon after that, the kīrtana filled him with
such ecstasy that he stood up and began to sing and dance
accompanying the party. He was no longer a bent-up old man, who
had to be carried by Bihārī on his shoulders. He was walking along with
the party and singing and dancing with them. As he sang and danced,
he leapt two or three feet above the ground in ecstasy; and sometimes
fell unconscious on the road. Since the road was under repair and
covered with small pieces of stone, the falls badly bruised his body, but
he was absolutely unaware of it. When he thus fell unconscious, the
devotees sang kīrtana close to his ears. He then regained consciousness
and again started walking, singing, and dancing as if nothing had
happened. Bhāva is contagious. Bābājī Mahārāja’s bhāva touched the
hearts of the members of the saṅkīrtana party like an electric current, and
they were also lost in ecstasy. Their progress, therefore, became much
slower. They took six hours to cover the distance from Bābājī
Mahārāja’s cottage to the banyan tree in Rānīghāta, where they finally
stopped. Bābājī Mahārāja was walking with them and dancing and
jumping in a state of trance for the entire six hours.166
Bābājī Mahārāja had practiced a long course of sādhana to attain this
state. He possessed stoic indifference to the world and was completely
free from attachment. He would not even touch money unless it could
be used in service to Vaiṣṇavas or dhāma-vāsīs [residents of the holy
dhāmas]. Once Bihārī was carrying him somewhere on his shoulders,
and a rich man offered him a rupee. Bābājī Mahārāja asked Bihārī to put
it in his pocket. After Bihārī had gone about a mile, Bābājī Mahārāja
asked him to turn back and go again to the house of the man. He called
out to the man and said, “Please take back your single rupee. I am told
you have thousands of rupees. I could not bear the burden of a single
one of your rupees. I wonder how you bear the burden of so many.”
Bihārī had the rupee, but it was still burdening Bābājī Mahārāja, because
he had touched it mentally by asking Bihārī to keep it.
Bābājī Mahārāja lived like an ascetic. His diet was strictly regulated.
During the four months of the rainy season, he took in the first month
only four bananas in the evening, in the second month guavas, in the
third month whey, and in the fourth month boiled banana flowers
without salt.
3. Puraścaraṇa
Bābājī Mahārāja once went to Hṛṣīkeśa for mantra-puraścaraṇa
(continuous repetition of a mantra for a specified period under specified
rules and regulations with the object of attaining a particular end).
Bihārī went with him. During the period of puraścaraṇa, he got up at
3:00 a.m., took his bath, closed the door of his room and sat down for
chanting japa until the evening. Throughout this period he observed
silence and did not eat or drink anything. If he had to urinate, or even if
he passed wind, he stopped his japa and bathed before resuming it. In
the evening he took haviṣyānna (boiled rice with ghee). One day, after
two months, he saw a tree heavy laden with many fruits. He became
excited and said to Bihārī, “Bihārī, look how many fruits are on this
tree!” This broke his vow of silence, and he had to restart puraścaraṇa
from the beginning. After three months he had the darśana of Gaura-
Nitai. By the strict observance of this vow, he achieved the pure state of
bhakti. He used to remark that if one wanted to see Gaurāṅga
Mahāprabhu or Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this life, he should do puraścaraṇa. Self-
realized souls are self-willed and fearless. They live in a world of their
own and do what they like, caring little for what others will say.
4. Exchange with Sweeper
Once, when Bābājī Mahārāja was in Vṛndāvana, he asked a sweeper
to give him a rotī (flat bread) to eat. The sweeper replied, “Why are you
cutting a joke with me Bābājī Mahārāja?”
“No, no, I’m not joking. I am very hungry,” replied Bābājī
Mahārāja.
“But I am a sweeper. How can you eat bread that comes from my
hand?”
“What of it? You are a sweeper of Vṛndāvana. A sweeper of
Vṛndāvana is superior even to brāhmaṇas.”
The sweeper felt that she could not disobey a saint like Bābājī
Mahārāja. Reluctantly, she gave him a rotī and Mahārāja ate it.
Bihārī was watching this with dismay. He said, “What have you
done Bābājī Mahārāja? Society will treat you as an outcaste. It will be
difficult for you to stay in Vṛndāvana.” Mahārāja smiled in response.
News spread like wildfire throughout Vṛndāvana that Bābājī
Mahārāja had eaten a sweeper’s rotī. Soon after this incident, Nīlamaṇi
Gosvāmī, Rādhikā Nātha Gosvāmī, Gaura Śiromaṇi, Gaura Sundara
Rāya and other dignitaries of Vṛndāvana came to see Bābājī Mahārāja in
a delegation. Bābājī Mahārāja asked Bihārī to give them asanas (sitting
mats). They seated themselves, but kept looking at each other for some
time, for no one could muster the courage to say anything.
 Bābājī Mahārāja said, “I know why you have come. Why not say
what is on your minds?”
Then one of them said in a submissive tone, “Bābājī Mahārāja! You
are the crest jewel of Vraja. If anyone says anything against you, we feel
very hurt by it. Now everyone is talking against you. Some people say,
‘Bābājī Mahārāja has gone mad.’ Others say, ‘If Bābājī Mahārāja defies
the age-old traditions, what will happen to society?’”167
Bābājī Mahārāja replied, “You are all learned people. Don’t you
know the importance of the raja (dust) of Vṛndāvana? It is so charged
with Kṛṣṇa prema that even Brahmā longs to be a particle of it. Isn’t the
sweeper of Vṛndāvana, who serves the raja and rolls and bathes in it
incessantly, therefore, purer than anyone else?”
No one had anything further to say.
5. Dealings with Deities
Bābājī Mahārāja was self-willed to such an extent that at times he
treated even the Deities he worshipped as he liked. Once he was living
in Sūrya-kuṇḍa in Vraja. The people of Sūrya-kuṇḍa had built a cottage
for him. However, Bābājī Mahārāja wanted to serve Gaura-Nitāi, so
they also constructed a temple for the Deities. Bihārī brought two
beautiful mūrtis of Gaura-Nitāi from Bengal. They were duly installed
in the new temple. The Deities were made of brass and glittered like
gold. One night some dacoits (armed robbers) came while Bābājī
Mahārāja was doing bhajana. They said, “Bābājī Mahārāja, we are
robbers. Give us all that you possess.” Bābājī Mahārāja said, “What do I
possess? I am only a servant. The Masters are in the temple. You go and
see Them.” The robbers entered the temple. They were overjoyed to see
the Deities, as they thought that the Deities were made of gold. So they
wrapped Them up in a blanket and attempted to flee. But the chief of
the robbers, who was carrying the Deities, struck his head against the
top frame of the door and fell down, along with the Deities. Frightened,
he then ran away. The next morning Bābājī Mahārāja asked Bihārī to
give the Deities to someone in Vṛndāvana. Bihārī took the Deities to
Vṛndāvana and gave Them to Mā Gosvāmīnī of Gayesapur. At present,
the Deities are installed in a temple in Gopāla Bāgha in Vṛndāvana.
They are known as sonāra (golden) Gaurāṅga and Nitāi.
After some time Bābājī Mahārāja said to Bihārī, “Bihārī, I do not feel
happy without a Deity. Get me a mūrti of Mahāprabhu from
somewhere.” Bihārī brought a six-armed mūrti of Mahāprabhu from
Dinū Bābājī, a Manipurī Vaiṣṇava, who lived in a village called Mukharī
near Rādhākuṅḍa. The mūrti was installed and worshipped by Bābājī
Mahārāja for ten years. After ten years he said to Bihārī, “Go and give
the Deity to someone in Vṛndāvana.” Bihārī gave the Deity to Bābā
Nityānanda dāsa of Gopālaguru Maṭha in Vṛndāvana. At present, that
Deity is being worshipped in a temple in the lane by the side of the
boundary wall of Nidhuvana in Vṛndāvana.
It is difficult to say why Bābājī Mahārāja twice brought Deities and
then sent Them away. The behavior of a liberated soul cannot be
judged or understood by ordinary standards of behavior. Such souls are
above all of the rules and regulations laid down in the scriptures for
ordinary devotees. The loving intimacy that develops between a saintly
person and the Deities they worship do not always heed strict rules and
regulations. Both are free to behave as they choose. The ways of
liberated souls, who have realized the Lord, are no less inscrutable than
the ways of the Lord Himself.
6. Going to Navadvīpa and Meeting a Companion
After some time, Bābājī Mahārāja said to Bihārī, “Bihārī, let us go to
Navadvīpa.”
“When Bābājī Mahārāja?”
“When? Just now.”
Bihārī lifted Bābājī Mahārāja on his shoulders and started for
Navadvīpa. As he lifted Bābājī Mahārāja, he felt that he was lifting a
heavy stone. But soon after that, he began to feel as if he was carrying a
thin piece of cloth on his shoulders. Walking all of that distance on foot,
Bihārī reached Navadvīpa within nine days.
 When Bihārī was passing through the forest of Bhāgalapur, he
suddenly stopped and began to turn around. Bābājī Mahārāja asked,
“What’s the matter Bihārī?” Bihārī replied in a soft voice, “There is a
tiger in front of us.” Bābājī Mahārāja spoke commandingly, “No, no, it’s
not a tiger, it’s a pārṣada168 of Mahāprabhu who has come to greet you.”
As he said this, the tiger looked carefully at Bābājī Mahārāja and
disappeared into the forest.
The last time Bābājī Mahārāja went to Navadvīpa, he decided never
to come back to Vṛndāvana.169 The news spread all over Vraja that
Bābājī Mahārāja was leaving Vṛndāvana for good. Nīlamaṇi Prabhu,
Rādhikānātha Prabhu, and other Vaiṣṇavas, paṇḍitas, and Vrajavāsīs
came to persuade him not to go. They asked him, “Bābājī Mahārāja,
why are you leaving Vṛndāvana in your old age?”

7. Shelter of Gaura
The question brought about a sudden change in Bābājī Mahārāja.
His eyes were filled with tears, his body trembled, and the hairs of his
body stood on end. He replied in a voice choked with emotion:

“I am leaving because I want to pass the last days of my life in

Navadvīpa at the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi. I am a lowly person. I do not
know how many offenses I have committed. Gaura-Nitāi of Navadvīpa
are more merciful than Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana. They condone the offenses
of the jīva, give him a loving embrace, and accept him as Their pārṣada.”
Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja expanded on this idea as follows:

“Kṛṣṇa is the avatāra of Dvāpara-yuga. Gaura is the avatāra of Kali-yuga.

We should chant the name and the kīrtanas of the avatāra in Whose age
we live, just as we sing the praises of the king in whose kingdom we
live. You should not forget Gaura for He is even more benevolent and
merciful than Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is just like a just ruler who takes into account
your offenses in His administration of justice. Gaura does not take into
account your offenses. While Kṛṣṇa is more interested in the
dispensation of justice, Gaura is more interested in the dispensation of
mercy. From this point of view, Gaura-kīrtana is also more useful than
Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Gaura-kīrtana is, for example, śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu
nityānanda, śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādī gaura bhaktavṛnda.”170
This may sound like a controversial statement. However, Śrīla
Prabhupāda confirms:

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that

if one takes shelter of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda,
follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and
humbler than the grass, and in this way chants the holy name of the
Lord, very soon he achieves the platform of transcendental loving
service to the Lord, and tears appear in his eyes. There are offenses to be
considered in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but there are no
such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityānanda.
Therefore, if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but his life is still
full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the
platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an
offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityānanda, he is very
quickly freed from the interactions of his offenses. Therefore, one
should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, or worship Guru-
Gaurāṅga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa....

It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa
and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more
potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age,
however, the chanting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s name is more
essential than the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra because Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His
mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.171

8. Meeting a Friend
During one of his much earlier journeys to Navadvīpa, when Bābājī
Mahārāja had begun his cycle of six months in Vṛndāvana and six
months in Navadvīpa, Bābājī Mahārāja stopped at Ambikā Kālnā to
meet his old friend and Godbrother, the great saint Bhagavān dāsa
Bābājī of Kālnā. The scene that took place at their meeting was unique.
Never had the persons who were present at the meeting seen anything
like it before. Upon catching sight of one other, both the great sādhus
were so filled with joy that they embraced each other. Locked in that
loving embrace, they began to roll on the ground in a display of
uncontrollable emotion. This continued for hours. Both seemed to be in
samādhi. It appeared that their absorption in samādhi would never cease.
There was nothing unnatural about it, because it was not a meeting
between ordinary persons, but a meeting of hearts between two
devotees who had realized Kṛṣṇa, and whose hearts were overflowing
with Kṛṣṇa-prema (love of God). Prema is so powerful that it makes not
only the devotees, but even Kṛṣṇa roll on the ground and dance in
ecstasy.
The disciples of the two saintly persons, however, became very
anxious. Viṣṇudāsa Bābājī, the foremost disciple of Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī
said to Bihārī, “It is now 11:00 p.m. We must do something to bring
them back to external consciousness. Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī must be
very tired and hungry after his long journey. He must have something
to eat.”
Bihārī said, “Yes, Bābājī Mahārāja has not had even a morsel of food
for the last three days.” As he said this, he lifted Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
into his lap and began to massage his chest. After some time, Bābājī
Mahārāja regained consciousness. Looking at Bihārī he said, “Bihārī,
have you had anything to eat?”
“How can I eat Bābājī Mahārāja, until you have eaten? You have not
taken anything, and it is now 11 o’clock at night.”
“Night?! No, no, it is evening.”
Everyone laughed. Bābājī Mahārāja stayed with Bhagavān dāsa
Bābājī for ten days, and then he continued his journey to Navadvīpa.

9. Staying under a Tree; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Helps

On reaching Navadvīpa, Bihārī asked, “Bābājī Mahārāja, in which
āśrama will you stay?”
Any āśrama in Navadvīpa would have gladly welcomed Bābājī
Mahārāja. But Bābājī Mahārāja said, “I will not go to any āśrama. I will
stay under a tree.” So he stayed under a tree. After some time Bihārī,
with the help of Kedāranātha Datta (Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura), purchased
a piece of land near the tree and had two thatched cottages built on it.
Later, three brick cottages were built, and a boundary wall was erected
around them by Vanamālī Rāya Bahādura of Tarāsa. Bābājī Mahārāja
lived there for 32 years.

10. Last Days; Real Wealth

His Divine Grace Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja left his body at
the age of 147.172 There was a keli-kadamba tree in Bābājī Mahārāja’s
āśrama, under which he used to sit for meditation and chant the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. After Bābājī Mahārāja’s disappearance, the tree
began to dry up and its bark fell off. On the tree’s barkless body
appeared the words “Hare Kṛṣṇa” which, though not very distinct, could
be easily read.
Four or five days before Bābājī Mahārāja left his body, he said to
Bihārī, “Bihārī, you have rendered so much service to me, but I have not
yet been able to do anything for you. Today, I will give you four or five
cartloads of wealth!”
“Well,” said Bihārī, “you don’t have anything except for a broken
karavā (an earthen vessel for storing water), and now you are going to
give me cartloads of wealth?”
“Oh Bihārī, you do not understand. I will ask Mahāprabhu, and He
will easily arrange it. But you just let me know whether you want me or
the wealth.”
“I want you, not wealth,” Bihārī replied quickly. Bābājī Mahārāja
was happy to hear this. He said, “Very good, Bihārī. By choosing me,
you will have me, but not wealth. At the same time, you will not have
to suffer for want of anything. You will live for a hundred years. Always
chant Harināma. Kali will not be able to do any harm to you. You will
be blessed with the darśana of Gaura Nitāi.”
Little is known about the early life of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, except
that he had taken dīkṣā from Śrī Jagadānanda Gosvāmī of Sṛngāravaṭa of
Vṛndāvana and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa from Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Bābājī of
Govardhana.
Bābājī Mahārāja had a large number of disciples, some of whom
became liberated souls. Among his elevated disciples the names of the
following are mentioned:
1. Śrī Bihārī dāsa Bābājī (Bābājī Mahārāja’s personal servant)
2. Śrī Bhāgavata dāsa Bābājī (the veśa-guru of Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja)
3. Śrī Gaurahari dāsa Bābājī of Navadvīpa
4. Śrī Rāmahari dāsa Bābājī of Vṛndāvana
5. Śrī Nityananda dāsa Bābājī of Varṣāṇā
6. Śrī Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī of Kadamba-khaṇḍi in Vṛndāvana

164. This amazing span of life is reported in Gaudiya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana. According to

Gaura-pariṣada-caritāvalī he lived to be 135 years old. Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī
Mahārāja’s exact date of birth, however, is not known.
165. Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja once remarked, “If painful maladies arrive in our
body, they will soon leave automatically for want of sumptuous foodstuff. Only in the
bodies of rich and comfort-loving people do diseases stay a long time, because they get
much indulgence.” (Letter from Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura of November 3, 1931, Patrāvalī
2.102, cited in Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava Vol. I by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, p. 455.
166. See Part II, Appendix II of this book where Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura offers an
eyewitness account of either a similar event or the same event, which was published in
the Ṭhākura’s journal Sajjana-toṣaṇī.
167. Caste distinctions in India have traditionally played a very prominent role in
social interactions. Although the Bhagavad-gītā clearly states that one’s social and
spiritual position should be determined by quality and activity, not by birth (BG 4.13),
in this instance, according to the perverse social norms of those times, the sweeper was
considered to be a low born person, and thereby untouchable. Yet, Śrī Jagannātha dāsa
Bābājī Mahārāja considered the sweeper more exalted than a brāhmaṇa due to his
quality of constant association with the purifying dust of the holy Vṛndāvana-dhāma.
Lord Caitanya and all of the succeeding Vaiṣṇava ācāryas never took seriously artificial
classifications based on birth only, but adhered to scriptural conclusions which declare
that a person’s social and spiritual position should be determined by their quality and
work.
168. Companion or associate.
169. Bābājī Mahārāja used to divide his time between Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa, six
months in one and six months in the other. This incident describes his last journey to
Navadvīpa, and it was there that he left his body in 1895.
170. The Saints of Bengal by O.B.L. Kapoor (Ādi-keśava dāsa) , Sarasvatī Jayaśrī Classics
1995, pp. 13, 14.
171. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 8.29-31, Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003.
172. This amazing span of life is according to Gaudiya-vaiṣṇava-jīvana. There are
various estimates of his lifespan as his date of birth is unknown.
 About the Author

Rūpa-Vilāsa Dāsa (Robert MacNaughton) was born in Colorado,

USA, in 1945. From an early age he was attracted to Eastern philosophy,
which led him to receive initiation from His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda in 1972. He is a well-known lecturer
in ISKCON (The International Society of Krishna Consciousness) and
has written a number of books on Gaudiya Vaiṣṇava saints, including A
Ray Of Vishnu, The Seventh Goswami, Nāmācārya, Without Fear, and
Bābājī Mahārāja.
He was a secondary school English teacher for many years and
pioneered education in ISKCON. The author has five grown children
and currently lives in the UK with his wife Śarad-bihār (Sara
MacNaughton). He continues to write books and his expanded and
revised edition of The Seventh Goswami is soon to be published by the
BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust).
 Books by Rūpa Vilāsa dāsa
available from Bookwrights Press
www.bookwrightspress.com

Five hundred years ago as the Ren-naisance flourished in Europe, the

revolutionary spiritual movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was
challenging the assumptions of materialistic society in India. This book
offers an insight into the exceptional life, divine qualities, spiritual
ecstacies and secret identity of Srila Haridasa Thakura—the saint whom
Lord Caitanya Himself awarded the title of Namacarya: one who
perfectly teaches, by example, the chanting of the holy names of God.

6˝ x 9˝• 368 pages • 28 B&W photo pages • $18.95 US

Coming soon in paperback!
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“The author has covered so many topics, with so much intelligence, that
it is hard to know where to begin or end in commenting on his newest
book. In Without Fear: Glimpses of Srila Prabhupada, Rupa-vilasa dasa
has, with much evidence from sadhu, sastra, and guru, as well as from
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that Srila Prabhupada is still alive and that we can approach him through
his vani, his word.”
—Giriraja Swami