Mayapur Yatra

APPENDIX – 2

Life of Srila Gaura Kishor das Babaji Maharaj

• Born in 1830 – dist. of Faridpur in Bangladesh

• Father Vamsidas – GKB – married in boyhood –
remained for 20 years
• Grain Business –but exhibited spirituality
• After death of wife, left home and went to
Vrindavan
• Accepted Babaji dress from Bhagavat das Babaji,
who is a disciple of Srila Jagannath das Babaji
• Renounced, sojourned under trees in different
parts of Vraja Mandal (30 Yrs)
• Babaji – famous in Vrindavan – given the title
– bhajanandi
• In 1887, moved to Navadvipa under the
instructions of Jagannath das Babaji
• Stayed in Navadvipa for the rest of His life.
• Would beg dry foodstuffs from householders &
would offer to the Lord by holding them in the
hand
• Used discarded earthen pots for cooking,
discarded clothes that were used to cover
corpses in burning ghat – used things that were
of no value to anyone else.
• Would listen to Bhaktivinode Thakur speak on
Srimad Bhagavatam at Godrumdvipa – both
associated with each other. BVT cited the
example of GKB for nirapeksha – indifference
and glorified for unequalled renunciation and
pure devotion and attachment to Krishna.
• Only possessions were Tulasi neck beads and
Japa mala and books like Prarthana and Prem-
bhakti-chandrika
• Would never accept service from anyone

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• No distaste for inimical people and no special

affection for those very dear to him
• 1908 – lost eyesight, stopped traveling and
resided principally in Navadvipa
• Initiated BST in Magha 1898 (story of how he
was not willing to accept disciples)
• BST requested him to go to Calcutta for eye
treatment. GKB – “I will never go to the
illusory universe, Calcutta”
• Observed Nirjala Ekadashi
• Other days he ate dried cracked rice soaked in
water with chilies or at other times simply
earth from the bank of the Ganges. Sometimes
soaked in skull.
• Story of how once He arrived to Mayapur from
Kuliya at 2 a.m. – when boats are not available
and also He was blind. – Krishna brought Him
there
• Would expose pretenders and hypocrites
• Neophyte devotee wanted to buy some land with
help of a queen in Kuliya
• GKB – “The Supreme Lord’s abode is
transcendental – How can a queen become a land-
owner in Dhama? All the jewels found within the
universe are not valuable enough to purchase
even one speck of dust in the Dhama. Therefore
how can any landowner amass enough wealth to
become the owner of a plot of the
transcendental abode of Sri Navadvipa Dhama?
Has this new baba, for the exchange of the
practice of devotional service, become entitled
to a portion of the land in Navadvipa-Dhama?
Anyone with such materially tinged intelligence
is very offensive and far away from actual
residence within the Dhama. Those persons whose
attitude is thus tainted by materialistic
intelligence, whose think that the Dham is part
of the material universe, are considered by the
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devotees of the Supreme Lord to be sahajiyas or
cheap imposters.”
• Thus He was preaching Ishvasyam idam sarvam …..
• Landlord, who was reputed to be a great devotee
came, was exhibiting symptoms of ecstasy. His
friend was introducing the landlord and wanted
to hear of the confidential exchange between RR
and Mp from CC.
• GKB replied _ “ I will tell you the process but
first you should give up the association of
this imposter and take shelter of a pure
devotee – You should hear CC one hundred times
in the association of authentic devotees. This
person may be exhibiting symptoms of ecstasy –
but does not have real renunciation because he
is not fixed in devotional service. SP also
never exhibited publicly the symptoms of
ecstasy.
• The best procedure for dealing with these
imposters is to neglect them
• GKB – If one offers the covering of the banana
flowers because he likes the taste himself, the
offering is not accepted by the Supreme Lord.
• GKB loved the residents of the Dham. –
• GKB –One person whom He instructed left. Sadhus
who speak sharp words to drive away the witch
of Maya are the real devotees of Krishna and
friends of the living entities.
• One disciple begged alms in the noon in April-
May One devotee asked Babaji Maharaj - Why is
He begging in the hot sun.
• GKB – “ Troubles encountered in Your service
shall be the cause of great happiness, for in
Your devotional service joy are sorrow are
equally great riches. Both destroy the misery
of ignorance “ (Sarnagati 8.4 – BVT)
• Would be able to expose illicit activities of
others
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• Unusual Bhajan Kutira GKB – “It is not possible

to properly worship the Supreme Lord in an
outhouse. A house where people indulge in
eating and sensual pleasure is not a place for
sadhus.
• Once Mr. Girish, the proprietor of a
Dharmashala accompanied by his wife came to see
Babaji Maharaja. The proprietor’s wife very
humbly requested him to allow them to build a
bhajan kutir for him. Because of rain and heat
– you must be undergoing a lot of difficulties.
• GKB replied – “ I am not experiencing even the
slightest hardship. But many people come to
disturb me – they do no desire real welfare –
if you can give me your latrine, it will serve
as a favourable place for my chanting the Holy
Name of the Lord. There I will be able to chant
without distrubance. 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.
• GKB stayed in the public latrine of a
dharmashala to teach people in general that
attachment to material affairs under the
pretense of devotion is fouler smelling than
excreta.
• Gaura Gaura Not Rupee Rupee One person was very
famous for explaining Srimad Bhagavatam and
attracted many disciples. When GKB heard this –
He replied this so-called Goswami explains
Goswami'sliterature. He explains sense
gratificatory sastra He is not chanting Gaura
Gaura but He is shouting Rupees! Rupees! My
rupees! As long as he maintains this mentality,
there is no question of his performing Hari-
Bhajan.
Secret Immoral Behaviour – Once there was a
certain pandit Babaji of Kuliya who wore only a
loincloth as his dress. This pandita was a
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much-respected person whose secret immorality
wounded the feelings of Srila GKB. As a result
one day GKB left aside his loincloth and
dressed himself in a fine dhoti and chaddar.
Having attired himself in the manner of a
materialist he went to see Srila BVT asked –
Why you are dressed in this way? GKB replied –
“ We way we will at least be free from
hypocrisy. “ have adopted the dress of Sri
Chaitanya, 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 Sri Chaitanya and commit
adultery secretly.

Initiation of Srila BST

Better to be a virtuous bull than to be a
domesticated cow.
Disappearance Pastime: 30th day of Karttika,
Nov. 16th 1915
Quarrel about His body – BST exposes hypocrites

Jagannath das Babaji Maharaj

• Appeared in 1750 in Tangail in Bangladesh

• JBD accepted Babaji initiation from
Madhusudana das Babaji who accepted
initiation from Uddhava das Babaji who took
initiation from Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
• Diksha from Jagadananda Goswami of Sringarvat
in Vrindavan
• Performed bhajan in Vrindavan for many years.
• Sometimes chant for 3 days and nights without
sleep and eat and then break fast with flat
rice and yogurt
• 1880 – BVT visited JDB in Vrindavan and took
instructions from Him. Next when JDB came to

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Burdwan BVT visited Him on the pretext of
Govt. work. For eleven days JDB performed day
and night Kirtan in the village called
Amalajoda. BVT established a prapanna-asrama
in this village
• Story of the discovery of the birth place of
MP
• Cured one of the sons of BVT of a skin
disease by telling him to lie down in the
dust of the Lord’s place of appearance.
• Bhajan Kutir and Samadhi still seen on the
bank of the Ganges in Kuliya
• Asked BVT to build a veranda for visiting
devotees
• JBD instructed BST to make a Vaishnava
calendar which includes the appearance and
disappearance of all of the associates of MP
– known as Vaishnava Pancika
• JBD’s life and soul was Chanting Hare Krsna
and serving Vaisnavas
• Lived for 135 years and preached the Holy
Name
• He was almost double bent in his old age,
still, during the time of Kirtan, his body
would expand to well over six feet, and his
appearance would replicate the dancing figure
of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• His favourite disciple was Bhagavat das
Babaji
• His personal servant Bihar was very stout and
powerful. Due to Babaji Maharaja’s advanced
age he could apparently not walk. Sri Bihari
would carry him everywhere on his shoulders
in a bamboo basket.
• Once a wealthy man gave him one rupee to JDB
who gave it to His servant. After traveling
for several miles Srila JDB told His servant
to take Him back to the donor and returned
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the one rupee. He told the man, “ I
understand that you have a good deal of
money. I could not bear the burden on one
rupee, and I wonder how you tolerate the
burden of so many.
• Bhajan Kutir near Surya Kunda
• Story of Sonar Gauranga
• Later found 6armed form of the Lord
• Late this Deity was given to one Narottama
das Babaji in Niddhuvan and JDB moved to
Navadvipa
• Took train from Mathura to Navadvipa –
reached Ashram of Sri Bhagavan das Babaji.
Both embraced each other from 10 am to 11 pm
Then Bihari das began to massage his guru’s
chest and change the mahamantra – then they
both returned to external consciousness. JDB
had not taken any prasad during 3 days of
travel. So He broke His fast at midnight. And
then took rest.
• JDB told His servant not to stay in Ashram,
but underneath a tree. For some time they did
and later a devotee purchased the land
adjacent to the tree and donated it to the
Babaji. A year later BVT built two small huts
for him. Then a landlord built three more
huts and a boundary wall. A wealthy, elderly
lady dug well for drinking water. The Babaji
stayed in Kuliya for 32 years.
• Lived until the age of 147 years.
• Strictly follow chaturmasya
• First month – 4 bananas only – evening
• Second month – only guavas
• Third month – only buttermilk
• Fourth month – Flowers of Banana trees
• Went to Rishikesh to purify His chanting –
purascarana

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• Bath at 3 am and chant inside a closed room

till sunset without speaking or eating. Once
has to take bath after every call of nature
and even after passing air. Once, after
observing this regimen for two months, he
inadvertently spoke to Bihari das. He began
the entire process again and completed his
vow in three months time. He pronounced that
this is necessary to have darshan of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• Story of accepting roti from the Bhangis of
Vrindavan
• He replied Lord Krishna before His appearance
asked 88,000 sages to take birth there in
Vraja dhama and they were born in low class
families. Devotees reside in Vraja dham
simply to get the opportunity to smear their
bodies with the dust and desire to give up
their bodies there. These sweepers are always
serving the dust of Vrindavan.

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