At Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi (4)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, Day Two
Koladwip, 24 March 2021, part 5
Translated from Bengali

One day, Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj was walking from here, chanting the Holy Name. On the way, he passed some rich man's house. In those days, there were no good houses, and only very rich people built proper good houses. The man was sitting on the roof of his house and saw Srila Babaji Maharaj passing by, chanting the Holy Name. He noticed that Srila Babaji Maharaj was wearing old torn clothes (the clothes were clean but old) and, coming down from the roof, he gave a rupee to him. Srila Babaji Maharaj did not think anything—he took the coin and continued his way. After he had walked for quite a while (he had walked for maybe three kilometres), he suddenly told his servant, Bihari Das, "Bihari, let us go back."

"But why?" Bihari Das was surprised

"Let us go back to that rich man's house," Srila Babaji Maharaj answered.

"But why? What has happened?" Bihari Das asked again.

"You will not understand it. Come, let us go back."

"We have walked so far from that house, and you now want to go back?"

"Yes, yes," said Srila Babaji Maharaj. "Come."

So, they went back to the house. When they came, Bihari Das called the man, "Prabhu, please come for a minute. Srila Babaji Maharaj wants to speak to you." The rich man thought, "He has taken money, and now he has come to ask for more!" However, when he came out, Srila Babaji Maharaj put that rupee back into his hand and said, "I cannot tolerate the burden of this money. Please relieve me from this. I cannot chant the Holy Name, I cannot practise spiritual life—I keep thinking how I will spend this money, and my head cannot take it anymore. I cannot tolerate this burden." The man was astonished.

After that, Srila Babaji Maharaj and Bihari Das continued their way to Dhatrigram, a village near Kalna, where they had been invited for prasad. The old lady who invited them had some desire, "I will invite Babaji Maharaj and get his prasad." Just like many of you invite me to your house, that lady also invited Srila Babaji Maharaj. Because of this story with the money, Srila Babaji Maharaj was late, so when he finally came, the lady said, "I have already finished cooking, please offer bhog, and I will serve you prasad." Bihari Das offered bhog, and then the lady said, "You two can sit down, and I will serve you prasad." She put rice, dal, subji, etc. on Srila Babaji Maharaj's plate, and Srila Babaji Maharaj took everything. Seeing this, the lady thought, "He has taken all prasad—I was hoping to get his prasad, but he has not left anything for me!" She only thought of this—she did not say anything to Srila Babaji Maharaj, but Srila Babaji Maharaj could understand everything. Then, the lady forcefully put more prasad on his plate—she put rice, dal, vegetables, etc. Srila Babaji Maharaj became grave, thinking, "I see. You want to take my prasad. I will show you." Then, Srila Babaji Maharaj not only took all prasad again but also ate the banana leaf plate! Seeing this Bihari Das was taken aback, "I have made an offence by bringing Srila Babaji Maharaj here! Srila Babaji Maharaj got so much pain—because of me, he had to eat a banana leaf plate!"

Vaishnavs never give their prasad to others.

Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj is a very famous personality. I told yesterday about him. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur first took him to Mayapur, and when he saw that place, Srila Babaji Maharaj jumped out of his basket, exclaiming, "I have got it! This is Prabhu's place!" A holy place never disappears—the Ganges had at first taken Mahaprabhu's birthplace, but then she gave it back. This is how Srila Babaji Maharaj confirmed that Mayapur was the actual birthplace of Mahaprabhu.

Srila Babaji Maharaj came to Nabadwip from Vrindavan, and he lived his spiritual life in a very strict way—he practised Krishna consciousness properly. [His Divine Grace relates the same pastimes briefly in English for the devotees.]

Jay Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj ki jay.

We are now leaving. We will turn right and go a little down the street—there is a field nearby, and we will take prasad there. The trucks are already there.

Jay Sachi Nandan Gaura Hari ki jay!

Jay Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay
Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jay
All the assembled, all the worldwide devotees ki jay
Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj ki jay
Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama ki jay
Parikrama-kari bhakta-vrinda ki jay
Jay Koladwip parikrama ki jay

• Download / listen to audio
(2.9 Mb, 6 min | Bengali)