Srila Prabhupad's Initiation

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nrisingha Palli, evening class
2 January 2021, part 4, translated from Bengali

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj stayed in a small hut built with banana leaves. At some point, local people heard that he was talking to some lady at night. It was Srimati Radharani, but nobody knew it, so they thought, "Oh, this sadhu is spending nights with a girl." They decided to guard the hut to see who that girl was. They had stayed on guard for three days, but they did not see anyone—nobody entered or spoke in the daytime, but at night they could again hear a girl's voice. In the end, they broke into the hut one night and saw Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj calmly chanting the Holy Name. They were astonished. Moreover, people would throw pebbles at Srila Babaji Maharaj, thinking he was mad, but Srila Babaji Maharaj only said, "Listen Gopal! I will tell Mother Yasoda! Do not be naughty! Do not pester me!" Such was Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj.

So, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur sent Bimala Prasad (Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad) to this Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj. Srila Saraswati Thakur had grown up by then, he must have been over eighteen then. He told him, "Go to the other bank of the Ganges and take initiation from Babaji Maharaj." You can think about it: Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, who was a great magistrate, sent his son to a babaji who was living in a banana-leaf hut.

When Srila Prabhupad came to Srila Babaji Maharaj, Babaji Maharaj said, "Go away! Go away!" Srila Prabhupad left and told Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, "I came to him, but he told me to go away, he did not recognise me." Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur told him to come back again the next day, so Srila Prabhupad returned. This time, Srila Babaji Maharaj spoke to him.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Where have you come from?"

"My father's name is Kedarnath Prabhu (Bhaktivinod Thakur's earlier name)," answered Srila Prabhupad (Bimala Prasad at that time).

"Oh, you are the son of the district magistrate! Your father is a great scholar, how could you come to me for initiation, bypassing him? Go back! Take initiation from your father."

"He has sent me to take initiation from you," said Bimala Prasad.

"From me? No, no, go away."

Srila Prabhupad left and then came again the next day.

"You again?" Srila Babaji Maharaj was surprised.

"Father sent me to you."

"All right. Come tomorrow. I must asked Gaura Hari first."

Srila Prabhupad left again and came back the next day.

"You again?" said Srila Babaji Maharaj. "Oh, I have forgotten to ask the Lord about it."

Srila Prabhupad left and returned later again, saying humbly, "Prabhu, have you asked yet?"

"Oh, yes, I have asked, but I have not got a reply yet."

Srila Prabhupad returned to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur told him, "Do not give up. Keep coming back until you get initiation." In the end, Srila Prabhupad came to Srila Babaji Maharaj wearing a dhoti, tilaks, kanthi-mala, etc. and said tearfully, "Prabhu, I will not leave without initiation." Srila Babaji Maharaj replied, "All right. If you do not leave, then all right, sit down." Then, Srila Babaji Maharaj gave him initiation. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur became his only disciple.

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }

• Listen to the audio or download (1.9 Mb, 5 min)