SRI NABADWIP DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

Antardwip (Atmanivedanam: self-submission)

Sri Chaitanya Math

(1) Akar-Math-raj

By the mercy of Sri Gurupadpadma, we have now come to Sri Chaitanya Math, where our Param Guru Maharaj’s Gurudev, Om Visnupad Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, stayed and preached.

When Mahaprabhu finished His pastimes, Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatan Goswami stayed in this world; after them, there was Srila Narottam Das Thakur, Acharya Srinivas, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Srila Jiva Goswami – they all continued expanding Mahaprabhu’s preaching and family. After they all left, Mahaprabhu’s religion took another turn in this world, and there appeared many sampradayas that preached misconception: aul, baul, kartabhaja, neda, dervesa, sani, sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, atibadi, chudadhari, gauranga-nagari, etc. As the result of that, people started criticising and hating the entire Vaishnav sampradaya.

Many years later, in 1838, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur appeared in the village of Ula (Viranagar, Nadia district). When he was a magistrate, he collected many scriptures and saw what Mahaprabhu preached. He saw that whatever was preached in this world was all misconception – instead of Mahaprabhu’s teachings, a multitude of wrong sampradayas were spreading misconception. Seeing the plight of this world, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur prayed to Bimala Devi, ‘O Devi! Please send someone who will be able to preach Mahaprabhu’s genuine teachings in this world!’ After that, Srila Prabhupad took birth in Sri Puri Dham. Later, he stayed together with Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sri Godrumdwip (Sri Nabadwip Dham), from where they established Yogapith and, a little later, Sri Chaitanya Math. Through this temple, Srila Prabhupad preached Mahaprabhu’s conception (the pure conception of devotion, suddha-bhakti-siddhanta-vani) all over the world. Therefore, we are extremely indebted to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.

Srila Prabhupad performed his manifest pastimes in this world during only sixty-four years; however, during these sixty-four years, he established sixty-four temples, mostly all over India and in a few places abroad. This Chaitanya Math here is the main temple, or the Akar-Math-raj (‘the king and the fountainhead of all temples’), of all Gaudiya Maths.

Before establishing this Chaitanya Math, Srila Prabhupad stayed in Mayapur. There, he vowed to chant one billion Holy Names, which took him four years and four months to complete. He spent the whole day only chanting the Holy Name, having promised, ‘I will chant one billion Holy Names and after that start preaching Mahaprabhu’s teachings.’ When Srila Prabhupad finished his vow, Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Giridhari (Srimati Radharani) came to him and said, ‘O Nayana Manjari! You must preach the teachings of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, the combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, in this world! Preach about Me!’ Srila Prabhupad replied, ‘I am alone, how will I preach?’ but Radharani assured him, ‘Do not worry, I will send to you My associates who performed pastimes with Me in Vrindavan.’

After that, one by one, many great scholar (digpal) acharyas came to help Srila Prabhupad: our Param Gurudev (Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj), Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj (the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON), Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj (Sripad Kunja Babu, the Successor-Acharya of this Chaitanya Math), Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj (the founder of the Gaura-Nityananda mandir), Srila Bhakti Prajnan Kesav Goswami Maharaj (Vinod Bihari Brahmachari, the Founder-Acharya of Devananda Gaudiya Math), Srila Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan Goswami Maharaj (the founder of Krishna-Chaitanya Math), Srila Bhakti Vichar Jajavar Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kumud Shanta Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhaktyaloka Paramahamsa Goswami Maharaj (the founder of Paramahamsa Gaudiya Math), Srila Bhakti Pramod Puri Goswami Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Svarupa Parvat Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Viveka Bharati Maharaj and others. In this way, Srila Prabhupad started preaching the pure conception (suddha-siddhanta).

By his mercy, we are all here today and have an opportunity to preach. A great Vaishnav poet wrote:

sri gauranga-parisada, thakura bhaktivinoda,
dina-hina patitera bandhu
kali-tamah vinasite, anilena avanite,
toma’ akalanka purna indu

‘To dispel the darkness of this Age of Kali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, a close associate of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and a friend of fallen souls, brought to this earth you [Srila Saraswati Thakur], a spotless, unblemished full moon.’

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur brought to this world Srila Prabhupad, a spotless full moon, who then declared a totalitarian war against Maya and distributed the Holy Name in this world. To this day, his disciples and the disciples of his disciples continue preaching about the Lord on this planet, rescuing such fallen souls as ourselves. Going door to door, they pray:

sthane sthane kata matha, sthapiyachha niskapata,
prema-seva sikhaite jive
mathera vaisnava-gana, kare sada vitarana,
hari-guna-kathamrta bhave
karitechha upakara, yate para upakara,
labhe jiva sri-krsna-sevaya
uthare uthare bhai, ara ta samaya nai,
‘krsna bhaja’ bale uchchaihsvare

‘You have established temples in many places to teach souls sincere loving service to the Lord. The Vaishnav residents of these temples always spread the nectar of the glories of the Lord. You help others, and through your help, souls get a chance to serve Lord Krishna. Vaishnavs approach all souls calling out, “Wake up, wake up, brother! There is no time left! Worship Krishna!”’

Engaging everyone in the service of the Lord, he also distributed Mahaprabhu’s teachings in this world:

trnad-api sunichena taror-iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

‘Those who are humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree and who give honour to others without desiring it for themselves are qualified to always chant the Holy Name of Krishna.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 3.6.239)

Even now, there are still such babaji gosani in Kolkata and Nabadwip Town (Kuliya) – in Prabhupad’s time, they did so many things against him: they attacked him, they harassed him, and so on. But Srila Prabhupad did not say anything to them:

kuliyate pasandira, atyachara kaila ya’ra,
ta sabara dosa ksama kari’
jagate kaile ghosana, ‘taroriva sahisnuna’,
hana ‘kirtaniyah sada harih’

‘You [Srila Saraswati Thakur] forgave the atheists from the Kuliya village despite their atrocities and proclaimed to the whole world: one who is as tolerant as a tree can always chant the glories of the Lord.’

Therefore, coming to this main temple, we pray that in some birth, as the result of great fortune, we may in whichever possible way become members of this great Gaudiya Mission and be able to do some smallest service to devotees and that Srila Prabhupad, wherever he is at present, may forgive our innumerable offences and mercifully give us the qualification and an opportunity to preach his pure conception. This is our aspiration and payer at his holy lotus feet.

(2) Srila Prabhupad’s disappearance and samadhi-mandir

Our Param Guru Maharaj, the founder of our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, composed this poem in glorification of Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur:

sujanarvuda-radhita-pada-yugam
yuga-dharma-dhurandhara-patra-varam
varadabhaya-dayaka-pujya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [1]

'I am offering obeisance to Prabhupad (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur), whose holy lotus feet are worshipped by millions of pious souls, who is the establisher of the religion of the age (Krishna-sankirtan), who is the presiding divine successor (at the Visva-Vaishnava-Raja Sabha, the Universal Assembly of Vaishnavs), and who fulfils the desires of the dispellers of all fears – I offer obeisance at his holy lotus feet. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

bhajanorjjita-sajjana-sangha-patim
patitadhika-karunikaika-gatim
gati-vanchita-vanchakachintya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [2]

'He is the master of the great souls enriched with flourishing devotional life; he is very merciful to fallen souls, being their only refuge; he is the cheater of cheats, the revealer of the path. I offer obeisance at his inconceivable lotus feet. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

atikomala-kanchana-dirgha-tanum
tanu-nindita-hema-mrnala-madam
madanarvuda-vandita-chandra-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [3]

'I offer my obeisance to his very soft, golden tall figure, the figure whose beauty excels even the obsessive beauty of golden lotus stems. The beauty of the holy lotus feet of my Sri Gurupadpadma is enhanced by his moon-like toenails, which are worshipped by millions of Cupids. I eternally offer obeisance to this radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

nija-sevaka-taraka-ranji-vidhum
vidhutahita-hunkrta-simha-varam
varanagata-balisa-sanda-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [4]

'Like the moon that makes the stars rejoice, he is surrounded by his disciples, ever delighting their hearts. His roar drives away all those who hate and envy devotees, and the simple, innocent devotees attain supreme benefit by taking shelter at his lotus feet. I offer obeisance to him. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

vipulikrta-vaibhava-gaura-bhuvam
bhuvanesu vikirtita-gaura-dayam
dayaniya-ganarpita-gaura-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [5]

'He revealed the vast beauty and nature of Sri Gaura Dham, broadcast Gauranga’s great magnanimity throughout the whole world and installed the holy lotus feet of Sri Gaura within the hearts of his dear recipients of mercy. I offer obeisance to him. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

chira-gaura-janasraya-visva-gurum
guru-gaura-kisoraka-dasya-param
paramadrta-bhaktivinoda-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [6]

'An eternal shelter of the souls surrendered to Gaura, he is the guru of the entire world. He is devoted to the service of his own guru, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj, and adores Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur with all his heart. I offer obeisance to him. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

raghu-rupa-sanatana-kirti-dharam
dharani-tala-kirtita-jiva-kavim
kaviraja-narottama-sakhya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [7]

'His very existence lies in raising the banner of Sri Rupa, Sanatan and Raghunath. On this earth, many souls always glorify him saying that his figure is non-different from Sri Jiva, who is extolled for his great erudition. He is renowned as an intimate associate of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj and Thakur Narottam. I offer obeisance to him. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

krpaya hari-kirtana-murti-dharam
dharani-bhara-haraka-gaura-janam
janakadhika-vatsala-snigdha-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [8]

'Bestowing mercy upon jiva souls, he is manifest as a worshippable deity of Hari-kirtan personified. He is an associate of Sri Gaura who removes the burden of offences from Mother Earth. I offer obeisance to this very gentle fountainhead of greater parental affection towards jiva souls than even that of a father. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

saranagata-kinkara-kalpa-tarum
taru-dhik-krta-dhira-vadanya-varam
varadendra-ganarchita-divya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [9]

'Fulfilling the cherished aspirations of his surrendered servants, he resembles a wish-fulfilling tree. His tolerance and magnanimity put trees to shame. I offer obeisance to his divine holy lotus feet, which are worshipped even by the best of benefactors. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

parahamsa-varam paramartha-patim
patitodharane krta-vesa-yatim
yati-raja-ganaih parisevya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [10]

'He is the ornament of the entire class of paramahamsas, the master of the fifth and greatest goal of life, Sri Krishna-prema. He accepts the garb of a renunciant (a sannyasi beggar) to rescue fallen souls. I offer obeisance to his holy lotus feet, which are served by the highest tridandi-sannyasis. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

vrsabhanu-suta-dayitanucharam
charanasrita-renu-dharas tam aham
mahad-adbhuta-pavana-sakti-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam [11]

'He is a dear assistant of Sri Vrishabhanu-nandini. I am very proud to have got an opportunity to place some dust from his holy lotus feet on my head. I offer obeisance to his miraculous holy lotus feet, replete with Her rescuing power. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.'

Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj also composed Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s arati song. When we offer the evening arati, we always sing this kirtan:

jayare jayare jaya gaura-sarasvati
bhakativinodanvaya karuna murati
prakasile gaura-seva bhuvana-mangala
bhakati-siddhanta suddha prajnana ujjvala

‘Glory, glory to Sri Gaura–Saraswati, the holy embodiment of mercy in the line of Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur. Revealing service to Sri Gaura, which spreads auspiciousness in this world, you presented devotional teachings (bhakti-siddhanta) that radiate self-effulgent pure transcendental knowledge.’

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur worshipped Bimala Devi to get a son who would preach about the Lord and Mahaprabhu, who would bless this world, and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur then mercifully gave this most exalted son to us. By the mercy of Srila Prabhupad, we have got our Param Gurudev and many very exalted gurus and scholars. If he had not come, how would we have come to Gaudiya Math? We would not have known anything.

Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was an undaunted preacher: he declared a totalitarian war against Maya. Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj wrote:

nikhila-bhuvana-maya-chhinnavichchhinna-kartri
vibudha-bahula-mrgya-mukti-mohanta-datri
sithilita-vidhi-ragaradhya-radhesa-dhani
vilasatu hrdi nityam bhakti-siddhanta-vani

‘He slashed to shreds the illusion of the whole material universe, putting a stop to scholarly speculations and conceptions of liberation; he eased the strict rules and regulations, bestowing the conception of natural loving worship of the Divine Couple – may the devotional teachings of this Sri Bhaktisiddhanta play eternally in our hearts.’

People say, ‘Sadhus are fighting! What is this?’ But who do they fight against? Against illusory environment (Maya). They defeat Maya and utilise everyone in the service to Maya’s Master (the Supreme Lord).

krpaya hari-kirtana-murti-dharam
dharani-bhara-haraka-gaura-janam
janakadhika-vatsala-snigdha-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam

‘Bestowing mercy upon jiva souls, he is manifest as a worshippable deity of Hari-kirtan personified. He is an associate of Sri Gaura who removes the burden of offences from Mother Earth. I offer obeisance to this very gentle fountainhead of greater parental affection towards jiva souls than even that of a father. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.’

Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj said, ‘Prabhupad was hard as a thunderbolt and soft as a lotus. Just as a father is always affectionate towards his son, in the same way, our Gurupadpadma, Srila Prabhupad, was even more affectionate towards us than a father.’

Srila Prabhupad himself said, ‘You will not like to hear what I said, but when I am no more, then you will remember my words.’ We should preach Srila Prabhupad’s words all over the world: there is no one else in this world who is capable of giving that which he has given us. We must always remember everything he has arranged for us in this world. Srila Prabhupad said:

• ‘We have not come to this world to become carpenters and brick-layers. We have come to rescue the jiva souls of this world.’

• ‘If you always serve jiva souls, it will bring benefit to your own soul.’ It is necessary to show kindness, compassion to jiva souls: we must bring the souls who have turned away from Krishna to this path. Only chanting yourself will not do – you must encourage others to chant the Holy Name. Another thing is that only chanting, ‘Hari bol, Hari bol’ will not do, too – you must say this from your heart. Service must be eternal.

• ‘Instead of opening millions and millions of hospitals and serving millions and millions of patients, it will be a million times better if you can bring to this path a single person who is averse to Krishna!’

• ‘A flatterer can never become a guru.’

• ‘Even amidst hundreds of dangers, hundreds of reproaches and hundreds of abuses, do not leave Krishna consciousness (do not leave your service to the Lord). Do not become disheartened seeing that most people of this world do not accept genuine, sincere service to Krishna; you must never leave your own spiritual life, your all-in-all, which is Krishna-katha, sravan and kirtan. Always engage in the kirtan of the Lord, become humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. May the current of the conception of Sri Rupanuga flow in this world. No matter what circumstances we maybe in, may we never show any apathy or aversion towards the seven tongues (flames) of Sri-Krishna-sankirtana-yajna (the fire sacrifice of congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord). If we keep ourselves more and more exclusively attached to it, we will get all possible spiritual perfection.’

• ‘Making a show of spiritual life, satisfying the whims of your mind and doing what you please, is not what is called spiritual life. Spiritual life means serving your guru and Vaishnavs in strict, chaste adherence to them, it means satisfying their minds and desires.’

• ‘Devotees dedicated to the Lord’s service are eternal servants of Sri Guru and eternal servants of Sri Krishna. Devotees eternally serve Sri Krishna following their guru with faith and in strict adherence. If someone tries to practise Krishna consciousness without faithfully following their guru and the Vaishnavs, this is not service to the Lord – it is service to maya. If someone does not faithfully follow their guru, but following their own ideas, behaves virtuously, visits holy places, performs the sixty-four practices of devotion to the Lord, practises renunciation, austerities, Nama-sankirtan, japa, meditation or engages in any other devotional(?) practices, they do not do even a little service to the Lord thereby; rather, they are simply fulfilling their desire to gratify their own senses.

‘When service to the Lord appears to be sense gratification in disguise, many people are often cheated by such disguised enjoyment. A deceitful show of service to the Lord motivated by the desire for fame, wealth and women is not “service to the Lord” – it is simply hypocritical cheating of oneself and others.

‘Service to the Lord is based on following your guru and the Vaishnavs with chastity and submission. Pretending to serve the Lord without faithfully following your guru is a wicked idea compared to “jumping over the goda to eat grass”. In the conditioned state, one cannot gain entrance into the Lord’s service without faithfully adhering to their guru and Vaishnavs, and even in the liberated state, when one serves the Lord in the spiritual body, constant adherence to one’s gurudev continues. If one does not faithfully follow the eternal embodiment of the Lord’s shelter (the asraya-vigraha), Sri Gurudev, and his followers, then one only, in essence, commits the offence of worshipping one’s own self.’

We pray to Srila Prabhupad: ‘O Prabhupad! Wherever you may be, you are residing happily in your eternal pastimes, but we, your unfortunate children, have stayed behind in this world, floundering amidst the illusory environment of this world, suffering an unbearable agony amidst all this illusion! Prabhu, we are praying humbly at your holy lotus feet – please give us your blessings, please give us your mercy so that we may take shelter at your holy lotus feet and never deviate from them. We are taking shelter at the holy feet of your associates in the guru-parampara line who are preaching about the Lord, about Mahaprabhu in this world, and we are praying to them that we may have attachment to the service of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda in Vrindavan.’

You all know that Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj first came to the holy lotus feet of Srila Prabhupad in Kolkata, in 1926. Soon after that, he joined the temple in Mayapur and took shelter (initiation) at Srila Prabhupad’s holy lotus feet.

A few months before he manifested his disappearance pastime at Bagbazar Gaudiya Math (Kolkata), Srila Prabhupad wanted to hear a particular kirtan. Somebody started chanting that kirtan, but Srila Prabhupad suddenly stopped it and said, with much dissatisfaction, ‘I want to hear this kirtan from Sridhar Maharaj. I do not want to hear the tune! I want to hear the kirtan. Where is Sridhar Maharaj? Call him, tell him to come.’ Then, Srila Sridhar Maharaj came and chanted that kirtan ‘Sri-Rupa-manjari-pada’. When the kirtan finished, Srila Prabhupad left this world. At that time, everyone could understand that in this way Srila Prabhupad had given a hint that Srila Sridhar Maharaj was the only preacher who could preach the line of Sri Rupa-Raghunath after him.

In one of his lectures, remembering the disappearance pastime of Srila Prabhupad, Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj spoke the following:

‘In his last days, Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur had been showing to us for some time that his heart was going to be damaged. Doctors had administered some sort of treatment, allopathic treatment was also being used, but he gradually felt that he was becoming weaker and weaker.

‘In October 1936, Srila Prabhupad went to Puri along with some of us. There is Sri Purusottam Math at Chatak Parvat (a sand hillock); this is where his bungalow was and where he lived. He was very fond of hearing the sloka of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami,

pramada-madana-lilah kandare kandare te
rachayati nava-yunor dvandvam asminn amandam
iti kila kalanartham lagnakas tad-dvayor me
nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana tvam

“You make it possible for the Youthful Divine Couple to enjoy rapt amorous pastimes in Your caves without any reservation, satiating Their hankering for each other's company. O Govardhan, please give me a residence near You.”

‘This was sung in front of him every day, and also Sripad Jajavar Maharaj would sing “Sri Rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada” to him every day.

‘When Srila Prabhupad was in Puri, Sripad Goswami Maharaj (Aprakrta Prabhu at that time) was sent to London. Srila Prabhupad personally came to the Khurda station (Bhubaneswar, Odisha) and put his own garland on his neck, saying, “Go there, and if anyone desires to take Harinam, I allow you to give it to them.”

‘A month later, Srila Prabhupad came back to Kolkata, leaving a party in Cuttack for some collection (I was among them). When we got the news that his health was deteriorating day by day, we also came to Kolkata.

‘Coming back to Kolkata, we found that it was a stinging cold winter. The treatment was going on, but in spite of that, Srila Prabhupad’s health did not improve. We rendered duty at his sickbed, and I was also among those rendering duty – my duty was at night, from two to four o’clock in the morning.

‘Just twenty-four hours before his departure, Srila Prabhupad called for me and asked me to sing “Sri Rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada”, this famous song which is considered to be the highest realisation of any Gaudiya Vaishnav devotee. Twenty-four hours later – it was 1 January, early in the morning – he left the world. He was lying down, then he jerked slightly thrice, and everything was calm…

‘We carried his holy body from Bagbazar Gaudiya Math to the Sealdah train station (Kolkata), where a special train was arranged to Krishnanagar. From Krishnanagar, we came to Svarup Ganj ghat on the roof of a bus, crossed the Saraswati River, and again carried him on our shoulders to Chaitanya Math, the place where his samadhi-mandir is now. It took us the whole day to reach Chaitanya Math from Kolkata: we started in the morning and reached Chaitanya Math at about seven–eight o’clock in the evening. Then, the digging of the grave began – we engaged ourselves in that. After that, early in the morning, Srila Prabhupad was placed there. I still remember his dignified figure. He sat in a very dignified position. His complexion was fair, and when he was seated on the asan after twenty-four hours, he sat in a dignified position of an acharya – his body was tall, fair, thin and very soft… Then, of course, salt was given around, and after that soil. When the soil reached to his head, I came out – I could not stand to see his head being covered. I went away. When I returned after a while, everything was covered and a Tulasi plant was placed there. We all circumambulated him with some chanting. After that, there was reading of Srimad Bhagavatam, and I specially requested the gentleman who was chanting to read the concluding poem Srila Prabhupad wrote at the end of his commentary to Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita:

charisata una-trimse, jyaisthe dina eka-trimse,
chaitanyabde, masa—trivikrama
sri-vraja-pattane thaki’, ‘gaura-hari’ bali’ daki,
dayita-dasiya naradhama [1]

On 31 Jyoistho 439 of Chaitanya Era, in the month of Trivikram (14 June 1932), staying in the town of Sri Vraja, this lowest among men, Dayita Dasiya, is crying out, ‘Gaura-hari!’

navadvipa-mayapure, prabhu-grha natidure,
anubhasya kaila samapana
sri-gaura-kisora-dasa, samprati kuliya vasa,
yanra bhrtya—ei abhajana [2]

This anubhasya commentary was completed in Mayapur, Nabadwip, not far from the house of My Lord. Sri Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj recently resided in Kuliya (Nabadwip area) – this worthless person is his servant.

aji ei sukha-dine, bhakativinoda bine,
sukha-vartta janaba kahare?
‘anubhasya’ suni’ yei, parama praphulla hai’, urukrpa vitarila more [3]

Today, on this happy day, Bhaktivinod Thakur is not here – whom will I tell the happy news?… If he heard this anubhasya, he would be extremely happy and abundantly shower his mercy on me.

tanhara karuna-katha, madhava-bhajana-pratha,
tulana nahika tribhuvane
tanra sama anya keha, dhariya e nara-deha,
nahi dila krsna-prema-dhane [4]

There is no comparison within the three worlds to his merciful teachings of the practice of devotion to Krishna. No one has ever assumed a human form and distributed the wealth of Krishna-prema like him.

sei prabhu-sakti pai’, ebe ‘anubhasya’ gai,
ihate amara kichhu nai
yavat jivana rabe, tavat smariba bhave,
nitya-kala sei pada chai [5]

Receiving energy from his Master, this lowly soul sings this anubhasya; I have no merit in it. As long as there is a sign of life (in this body), I will always remember him, eternally aspiring for his lotus feet.

gadadhara-mitra-bara, sri-svarupa-damodara,
sada kala gaura-krsna yaje
jagatera dakhi’ klesa, dhariya bhiksuka-vesa,
aharahah krsna-nama bhaje [6]

Sri Svarupa Damodar, a great friend of Gadadhar, always worships Gaura-Krishna. Seeing the miseries of this world, he now accepted the garb of a beggar and incessantly worships the Name of Krishna.

sri-gaura-ichchhaya dui, mahima ki kaba mui,
aprakrta-parisada-katha
prakata haiya seve, krsna-gorabhinna-deve,
aprakasya katha yatha tatha [7]

It is the wish of Sri Gaura, but what am I to tell about the glory of these two transcendental associates (Sri Gadadhar and Sri Svarupa Damodar; Srila Bhaktivinod and Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj)? It becomes revealed when one serves Krishna and His non-different from of Gora, and it is something that should not be spoken publicly anywhere and everywhere.

sri-gauranga-nija-jana, bhaktivinoda-gana,
aprakrta-bhave yanra sthiti
‘anubhasya’ sayatane, patha kara bhakta-sane,
labha kara yugala-piriti [8]

Please study this anubhasya very carefully together with the devotees of Sri Bhaktivinod, who is a close associate of Sri Gauranga and whose existence is on the plane of transcendental loving devotion, and attain love for the Divine Couple.

‘Srila Prabhupad wrote this poem in a very sweet and very lamenting temperament. I asked them to read that poem of his, and it was read. Then, Haridas Thakur’s niryan (disappearance) was read from Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita. One gentleman requested me to chant the same “Sri Rupa-manjari-pada” that I had sung two days before that, and I sang it. Then, everything finished…

‘We all had been fasting – Srila Prabhupad disappeared one or two hours before the sunrise; then, it took us the whole Friday to take him to Chaitanya Math, and everybody fasted, we did not take even a drop of water. The next day, it was Saturday, at about nine or ten o’clock we took some prasadam. After that, we had some engagement in Kolkata, so we again had to go back to Kolkata to attend some meeting. My whole body was so tired that it could not move. Still, we had to go to Kolkata. So many disciples from all over India flocked then: everybody came in pain and a weeping mood. The whole small area of the samadhi was full; everybody was crying and weeping. In this way 1936 went away and 1937 began. It happened at the meeting point between the two years…’

After the disappearance of Srila Prabhupad, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj composed 'Sri Sri Dayita-dasa Dasakam':

nite yasmin nisante nayana-jala-bharaih snata-gatrarvudanam uchchair-utkrosatam sri-vrsakapi-sutayadhiraya sviya-gosthim prthvi gadhandhakarair-hrta-nayana-manivavrta yena hina yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [1]

At the end of the night, Sri Vrishabhanu Nandini suddenly took him to Her entourage, drawing him away from the company of thousands of grief-stricken, lamenting souls, their bodies drenched in tears. When he was thus stolen away, this world was plunged into deep darkness as if the jewel of their eyes was plundered (Saraswati Thakur’s hidden name is Nayana-mani, ‘the jewel of one’s eyes’). O my wretched eyes (bereft of the vision of my Divine Master)! (Alternative interpretation: O rescuer of the fallen! O Master Nayana, who, in his mercy, is miserly not letting me get his company!) Wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there!

yasya sripadapadmat pravahati jagati prema-piyusa-dhara yasya sripadapadmachyuta-madhu satatam bhrtya-bhrngan vibhartti yasya sripadapadmam vraja-rasika-jano modate samprasasya yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [2]

From his lotus feet, a nectarine river of divine love flows throughout the world; his servitors, like bees, are maintaining their lives by always drinking the honey falling from his lotus feet; the pure devotees in the shelter of the amorous devotional mellows of Vraja always rejoice singing the glories of his lotus feet: O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

vatsalyam yach cha pitro jagati bahumatam kaitavam kevalam tat dampatyam dasyutaiva svajana-gana-krta bandhuta vanchaneti vaikuntha-sneha-murteh pada-nakha-kiranair yasya sandarsito ‘smi yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [3]

Parental affection, which is so highly esteemed in the world, is a colossal hoax (because it obstructs devotion to the Lord); the socially recognised so-called pure conjugal love (a demoniac effort that plunders both the husband’s and the wife’s eagerness to acquire the wealth of pure transcendental love) is nothing but dacoity; and common friendship is only deception – I have been shown and taught all this in the rays of the light emanating from the toenails on the holy feet of that great personality, the embodiment of supra-mundane affection. O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

ya vani kantha-lagna vilasati satatam krsna-chaitanya-chandre karna-krodaj-jananam kim u nayana-gatam saiva murtim prakasya niladri-sasya netrarpana-bhavana-gata netra-tarabhidheya yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [4]

Did he manifest from the ear a visible worshippable form of the divine message sung by Sri Krishna Chaitanya-chandra, which always plays in everyone’s ears, and make his advent in the palace favoured by the glance of Sri Nilachala-chandra (at the time of Ratha-yatra) to show the inner meaning of his name ‘Nayana-mani’ (the jewel of the eye)? O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

gaurendor asta-saile kim u kanaka-ghano hema-hrj-jambu-nadya avirbhutah pravarsair nikhila-jana-padam plavayan dava-dagdham gauravirbhava-bhumau rajasi cha sahasa samjugopa svayam svam yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [5]

Did this golden cloud arise, drawing the pure-gold waters of the Jambu River, which is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam, atop the hill where the golden moon Sri Gaura had set, showering torrents of rain on the entire land scorched by the forest fire (of threefold miseries), and then all of a sudden hide himself in the dust of the land from where the golden moon Sri Gauranga had arisen?! O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

gauro gaurasya sisyo gurur api jagatam gayatam gaura-gatha gaude gaudiya-gosthy-asrita-gana-garima dravide gaura-garbi gandharva gaura-vadhyo giri-dhara-parama-preyasam yo garistho yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [6]

He is of the same bodily hue as Sri Gaura, and although he, the singer of Sri Gaura’s tidings, is the (natural) guru of the whole universe, he assumed the position of a disciple by accepting the great soul Sri Gaura Kishor as his guru. In the whole of Gauda Mandal, he is a repository of the spiritual glory of those who liberally grant entrance into the family of pure Gaudiya Vaishnavs. He takes pride in preaching Sri Gaura’s teachings (service to Sri Radha-Govinda in Vraja) to the Dravida Vaishnavs (worshippers of Laksmi-Narayan). The devotees of Sri Gandharva can also see the wealth of his spiritual glory – he holds the supreme position in the intimate circle of Sri Giridhari, and he is the dearmost of Lord Mukunda. O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul is now, please quickly take this servitor there.

yo radha-krsna-namamrta-jala-nidhina-plavayad-visvam etad amlechchhasesa-lokam dvija-nrpa-vanijam sudra-sudrapakrstam muktaih siddhair agamyah patita-jana-sakho gaura-karunya-saktir yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [7]

He plunged the whole universe of countless living beings – brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, less than sudras and even mlechhas – into the oceanic nectar of Sri Radha-Krishna’s Holy Names. Although unapproachable for liberated (mukta) souls and the souls who have attained spiritual perfection (siddha), he is known as a friend of the fallen and the very power of Sri Gauranga’s mercy. O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

apy asa varttate tat purata-bara-vapur lokitum loka-sandam dirgham nilabja-netram tila-kusuma-nasam ninditarddhendu-bhalam saumyam subhramsu-dantam sata-dala-vadanam dirgha-bahum varenyam yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [8]

Is there any hope to ever again see that beautiful worshippable golden deity form that brings auspiciousness to the world? Is there any hope to ever have the darshan of that tall figure once again, his blue lotus eyes, his nose excelling the charm of a sesame flower, his forehead shaming the beauty of a half-moon, his graceful lotus face, his gleaming pearl-white teeth, his long arms extending to his knees? O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul has gone, please swiftly take this servitor there.

gaurabde sunya-vananvita-nigamamite krsna-pakse chaturthyam pause mase maghayam-amara-gana-guror-vasare vai nisante daso yo radhikaya atisaya-dayito nitya-lila-pravisto yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ‘yam [9]

In 450 Gaurabda, in the month of Poush, on the fourth day of the dark fortnight of the moon in the star of Magha, at the closing of Thursday night (5.30 a.m., Friday, 1 January 1937), this dearly beloved attendant of Srimati Vrisabhanu-nandini entered his eternal pastimes. O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

ha-ha-karair-jananam guru-charana-jusam puritabhur-nabhas cha yato ’sau kutra visvam prabhupada-virahad-dhanta sunyayitam me padabje nitya-bhrtyah ksanam api viraham notsahe sodhum atra yatrasau tatra sighram krpana-nayana he niyatam kinkaro ’yam [10]

The entire earth and sky became filled with the wailing of common people and the disciples who live by serving their Sri Gurupadpadma. Where has that great soul gone? Alas! In separation from Prabhupad, the whole universe feels void now. This servitor of his lotus feet can no longer tolerate even a moment of separation from him. O Dina-nayana, wherever that great soul may be, please quickly take this servitor there.

(3) Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj’s samadhi-mandir

There is one more very important place here, at Sri Chaitanya Math, that we should mention. It is Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj’s samadhi-mandir.

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj came to Nabadwip from Vrindavan. One day, he received inspiration from Sri Radha-Krishna, ‘Why are you staying here at Radha Kunda? You must come to Nabadwip! My lila is not in Vrindavan: My lila is going on in Nabadwip now, so you must come here.’ Even though he was quite old at that time, he came.

Everybody thought that he looked like a crazy man: he could not see anything, did not wear good clothes – he did not care about anything. Some boys threw stones at him, and he would only get annoyed and say, ‘Hey, Gopal! What are You doing? I will complain to Your Mom, Yasoda, and Your Dad, Nanda Maharaj!’ He would say like this, but people threw stones, spat at him, did so many things… It was too much. Nobody recognised him at that time.

One time he came from Chapahati to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s place in Godrumdwip (Svananda Sukhada Kunja). He was virtually blind and could not walk well; moreover, that day was amavasya, a new moon day, so it was pitch dark outside. When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur heard Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj’s voice outside his house and came out, he was surprised, ‘Maharaj, is that you? How did you come here on such a dark night?’

Babaji Maharaj replied, ‘Oh, somebody helped me.’

‘Who? I cannot see anyone, you are here alone!’

‘Oh, am I? No, somebody took my hand and brought me here. He was here just now…’

* * *          * * *          * * *

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj’s nature was miraculous. One time, he took some cloth at the cremation ghat, washed it, tied it into knots and chanted the Holy Name on that instead of Tulasi beads. He would get some rice, but he never cooked: he would just soak the rice in some water and three–four days later, when it got a little soft, he would eat it. That was his only food…

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj once stayed in a public latrine for six months. When somebody asked him, ‘Babaji Maharaj, how can you tolerate the stench here?’ Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj replied, ‘I do not mind this smell here, but what I cannot understand is how you can tolerate the stench coming from materialists’ minds – from those who are intoxicated with the material world, who are proud of their money, wealth, etc.! Their stench is very hard to tolerate.’

Later, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj stayed in a hut on the bank of the Ganges. By this time, everybody was already offering him obeisances, considering him a great sadhu. Seeing the attention Babaji Maharaj was getting, some man once started imitating Babaji Maharaj, thinking, ‘If I behave like him, everybody will give me respect!’ He made a small house nearby, dressed like Babaji Maharaj and chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Somebody came to Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj and told him there was another man like him nearby. Generally, Babaji Maharaj treated that man with respect, but one day he said a very beautiful thing about him: when a pregnant lady feels labour pain, she is taken to hospital and then she delivers the baby – a girl or a boy comes. This is natural. On the other hand, somebody can pretend to be pregnant – they put a pillow inside their clothes, say they are pregnant and start crying, ‘Oh, I have so much pain! So much pain! Take me to hospital!’ Somebody will take them to hospital, but will the baby come like that? Nothing will come out of such a ‘sadhu’. You can look like a pregnant lady, but how can a baby come out unless you are actually pregnant? It ludicrous. So, you cannot attain the level of a babaji just by dressing like one or just by imitating one.

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Goswami Maharaj advised married people: ‘** Babu has got married, it is good. Now he can himself cook an offering for the Lord every day and, having offered it to the Lord, serve that prasad to his pious wife seeing a Vaishnav in her; and after she has taken prasad, he can take some himself. Instead of thinking of her as an object of his enjoyment, he must think that he can serve her in various ways always thinking about his guru – in this way he can get spiritual benefit. This entire world – all wealth, jewels, women and men of this world are meant only for Krishna’s enjoyment. He must use Krishna’s property for Krishna’s service. Likewise, he must not see his wife as his maidservant; rather, he must respect her as a maidservant of Krishna.’

Another time, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj was sitting in a palm-leaf hut on the bank of the Ganges, chanting the Holy Name. At night, some naughty people walked past and heard him talking with somebody – it was a lady’s voice. They thought, ‘Some lady must have come to Babaji Maharaj at night!’ They decided to watch the place in the daytime to see who the lady was when she came out. They had kept guard there for one day, two days, but they did not see anybody although they could still hear Babaji Maharaj talking with the lady. In the end, the people lost patience and broke into the hut, but they found there nobody except Babaji Maharaj. As they went away, they could again hear the lady’s voice, but they could not hear who was talking and what they were talking about. You can understand that Srimati Radhika Herself came there – Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj is Her dear, close associate.

* * *          * * *          * * *

When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was a brahmachari, at some point he decided to take initiation. He came to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and told him about his desire to take initiation, but Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur sent Srila Prabhupad (his name was Bimala Prasad at that time) to Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj.

When Srila Prabhupad came to Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj and asked him humbly for initiation, Babaji Maharaj told him to go away, ‘Get out of here! Go away!’ Prabhupad was taken aback, ‘A boy comes to a guru and begs him for initiation, but gurudev tells him to get out of here. What is this?’

Then, Srila Prabhupad returned to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and told him what had happened that day. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur told him, ‘Go to him again tomorrow.’

The next day, Srila Prabhupad came to Srila Babaji Maharaj again. This time, Babaji Maharaj asked him, ‘You again? Your father is a great soul and an exalted Vaishnav, why do you not take initiation from him?’

‘Father has sent me to you,’ Srila Prabhupad replied.

‘Oh, all right. But I must first ask Gaura-hari. If He gives permission, I will give you initiation.’

The next day or a few days later, Srila Prabhupad again came to Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj. Babaji Maharaj said, ‘You? Oh, I have forgotten, I have not asked yet.’ Again there was no initiation. At this point, it occurred to Srila Prabhupad, ‘I came to him on the order of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, he said he would ask Mahaprabhu, but he has forgotten. What is the cause?’ Then, Srila Prabhupad realised, ‘I must lack something. I think that I am of pure moral character, I am educated, I am a big scholar, I have an indomitable strength of mind, but all this is ego! Babaji Maharaj is showing me that this is nothing – there is no merit, no qualification in that. Rather, I must think that I am unfit, I am a beggar: I am begging for the mercy of his holy lotus feet. I have come to beg him for mercy. I must approach him in a helpless, utterly poor and humble way – without his grace, my life will be ruined. I want his mercy! All my pride is now gone: I am so unqualified that he did not even tell Mahaprabhu about me: he has completely ignored me, it did not even enter his memory.’ Feeling ashamed and filled with this self-deprecating mood, Srila Prabhupad again came to Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj the next day. This time, Srila Babaji Maharaj said, ‘Yes, Mahaprabhu has accepted you.’ He gave initiation and the mantra to Srila Prabhupad.

Later, when Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj showed his disappearance pastime, a big story happened that day. Having got the news of Srila Babaji Maharaj’s demise, all smarta babajis and goswamis of Nabadwip wanted to take his body for their own purpose. There started a big fight. In the meantime, Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur got the news and went together with one of his disciples, Sri Kunja Babu, to Babaji Maharaj’s bhajan-kutir. When he arrived, he saw that there was a crowd of people fighting over the body. The police were there too, but nobody could decide who should take the holy body of Babaji Maharaj and make his samadhi. Everybody claimed that Babaji Maharaj was their guru.

In the end, Srila Prabhupad said, ‘They are saying that they are disciples of Babaji Maharaj, but actually none of them is! When he was alive, no one cared, and now everybody is saying, “He is my guru!” They are all liars! They are dressed as sadhus, but none of them is a sadhu. There are many babajis here, but they are all doing stri-sanga (they mix with ladies). I am a naisthik brahmachari (a life-long strict celibate), so no one can tell a lie in front of me. Let those who have not associated with a lady for the past six months raise their hands.’

Out of fear, or shame, some babajis left. Then, Srila Prabhupad said again, ‘Let those who have not associated with a lady for the past three months raise their hands.’

More left.

‘One month.’

More left.

‘Who has not done any stri-sanga for the last three days?’ (There are many types of stri-sanga – even thinking of a woman is also considered stri-sanga.)

All of them went away. A policeman who was there asked Srila Prabhupad, ‘How would you have known that they were not lying if they had said that they had not done any stri-sanga?’ Srila Prabhupad replied, ‘I said that I was a naisthik brahmachari – none can tell a lie in front of me.’ After that, Srila Prabhupad took the holy body of his gurudev and made his samadhi with his own hands…

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur entered his eternal pastimes in 1914, and one year later, in 1915, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj left, too. Having lost both his gurus, Srila Prabhupad felt extremely dejected, ‘I am helpless. Devoid of a guardian, all burden has come to me now.’ Srila Prabhupad said that Srimati Radharani’s dear associate, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj was Guna Manjari. Srila Prabhupad said about him, ‘My Gurudev did not know how to write his own name, but we never thought that he was a fool or uneducated. All scholarship, all wealth, everything was there within his faith. Moreover, there is no such learning in this world, no such sound reasoning in all the fourteen worlds, no man or god that can weigh more than a solitary particle of dust from the lotus feet of my gurudev.’

Srila B. R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj composed this ‘Sri Srimad Gaura Kisora Namaskara Dasakam’ in glorification of Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj:

guror guro me paramo gurus tvam
varenya! gauranga-ganagraganye
prasida bhrtye dayitasrite te
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [1]

'O guru of my guru! My Param Guru, you are worshipped in the foremost society of Sri Gauranga’s devotees. May you be propitiated with this servitor surrendered unto your loving servitor Dayita Das (Srila Prabhupad). O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

sarasvati-nama-jagat-prasiddham
prabhum jagatyam patitaika-bandhum
tvam eva deva! prakati-chakara
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [2]

'O worshipful one, you have revealed in this world my Master, who is world-renowned as Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, who is the only friend of the fallen. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

kvachid-vrajaranya-vivikta-basi
hrdi vraja-dvandva-raho-vilasi
bahir viragi tv avadhuta-vesi
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [3]

'When you lived in solitude in Vraja Dham, you happily worshipped the most sacred pastimes of the Youthful Divine Couple of Vraja, but externally you followed the formal rules of renunciation and, at some point, accepted the garb of an avadhut. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

kvachit punar gaura-vanantachari
surapaga-tira-rajo-bihari
pavitra-kaupina-karanka-dhari
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [4]

'Sometimes, you roam the outskirts of Gauravan (Sri Nabadwip Dham), wandering along the sandy banks of the Ganges. You wear a holy loin-cloth and carry a mendicant’s water-pot. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

sada harer nama muda ratantam
grhe grhe madhukarim atantam
namanti deva api yam mahantam
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [5]

'You always chant the Holy Name of the Lord with great happiness and beg madhukari house to house, like a bee collecting honey flower to flower. You are a great soul whom even demigods offer obeisances to. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

kvachid-rudantan cha hasan-natantam
nijesta-deva-pranayabhibhutam
namanti gayantam alam jana tvam
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [6]

'Overwhelmed with love for your worshipful Lord, you sometimes dance, sometimes cry, sometimes laugh and sometimes sing prayers out loud. People always abundantly offer obeisances to you. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

mahayaso-bhaktivinoda-bandho!
mahaprabhu-prema-sudhaika-sindho!
aho jagannatha-dayaspadendo!
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [7]

'O friend of greatly renowned Thakur Bhakti-vinod! O one and only ocean of the nectar of transcendental love for Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev! O moon, recipient of Vaishnav Sarvabhauma Sri Jagannath’s mercy! O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

samapya radha-vratam-uttamam tvam
avapya damodara-jagaraham
gato ’si radhadara-sakhya-riddhim
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [8]

'Completing the highest urjja-vrata, you selected the uttana day of Sri Damodar month and attained the treasure of being Sri Radhika’s loving attendant. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

vihaya sangam kuliya-layanam
pragrhya sevam dayitanugasya
vibhasi mayapura-mandira-stho
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [9]

'Giving up the company of the Kulia residents, you accepted the service of your staunch follower, Sri Dayita Das, and are now residing in a holy temple in Sri Dham Mayapur. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

sada nimagno ’py aparadha-panke
hy ahaitukim esa krpan cha yache
dayam samuddhrtya vidhehi dinam
namo namo gaura-kisora tubhyam [10]

'Although I am always submerged in the mud of offences, I (this fallen soul) am begging you for your causeless mercy. Please take pity, rescue this poor wretch. O Gaura Kishor, obeisances to you again and again.'

When Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj entered his eternal pastimes, Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur wrote two articles for Sajjan Tosani (Volume 19, Issues 5 and 6). We are presenting these two jewel articles here for the eternal benefit of the world.

About My Lord (1)

I am a conditioned soul, therefore I suffer from various deficiencies. In order to fill these deficiencies, I occupied myself with acquisition of all sorts of material pursuits up to the highest material position of Brahma. I used to think that material pursuits could fulfil my deficiencies. So often I would obtain a lot of rare material acquisition, but my deficiency did not go away thereby. I have met many persons of great character in this world, but seeing their own various deficiencies, I could not give them respect. Seeing my unfortunate, miserable condition, supremely compassionate Gaurasundar permitted His two dearmost associates to show me their special favour. As I was overwhelmed with mundane ego and praised myself on account of material achievements, I lost my own spiritual benefit, but on the strength of my previously acquired spiritual merit (sukriti), I have got Sri Thakur Bhaktivinod as my auspicious spiritual well-wisher. My Lord often paid auspicious visits to him and often stayed with him. Being compassionate towards me, Srimad Bhaktivinod Thakur showed me my Lord. Upon meeting my Lord, my mundane pride started to subside. Before, I knew that anyone who assumed a human form was as contemptible and vile as myself, but when I observed the character of my Lord, I could gradually understand that a perfect Vaishnav could exist in this world.

By the mercy of my Lord, I, too, became gradually inclined to appreciate the supra-mundane character of Srimad Bhaktivinod Thakur. My Lord is known as Sri Gaura Kishor Das in this world. He left for transcendental Gaura-dham last year, on Utthan Ekadasi, at the end of Chaturmasya. In this world, people are generally known by some chronological description of the events of their lives, but in this sense we will not be able to collect a consistent biography of my Lord. Yet, I have seen some of the events of his life myself and also heard something from others, so having recorded these, I am now writing something about Paramahamsa Babaji Mahasaya, whose heart is non-different from Srimad Bhaktivinod Thakur and who is a dearmost and closest associate of Gaura-hari. If somebody knows something that I am unaware of in relation to His Divine Grace and lets me know about it, I will be very grateful.

The words and pastimes of saintly persons can enrich such deficient jiva souls as myself in many ways. Hearing about the character of saintly persons and their pastimes can cleanse many unsaintly hearts. With this hope I am writing a few words about Paramahamsa Babaji.

I have heard that he appeared in the vaisya caste in some Gandagram village situated in Faridapur, near the Padmavati River. His appearance took place approximately 80 years ago.† His father’s name is Vamsidas. This great soul (Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj) got married and lived in his house for twenty-nine years. After his spouse’s demise, he left his business of grain brokerage and accepted kaupina [a loincloth, worn by a very strict renunciate] from Sri Bhagavat Das Babaji, a vesa disciple of the renowned devotee Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Mahasaya. While still in his family life, he had received the second initiation (pancharatrika-mantra) from a descendant of Advaita Acharya Prabhu. After accepting the kaupina vesa, he lived in different villages of Sri Vraja-mandal for almost thirty years, constantly engaging in his transcendental service (bhajan). During this time, he sometimes travelled to the holy places in North India and especially Gaura Mandal. He met and associated with Srila Svarupa Das Babaji in Sri Puri Dham, with Sri Bhagavan Das Babaji in Kalna and with Sri Chaitanya Das Babaji in Kuliya. Apart from that, he was closely acquainted with all the great souls who resided in Vraja Mandal. Although he knew everyone, he never approved of anybody’s material endeavours. He himself would stay alone and, having rejected all association, spent his days in pure bhajan.

The year when Sri Gaura-hari was installed in Sri Mayapur on Phalgun Purnima, that is in the month of Phalgun in 1300 (21 March 1894), on the order of Mahatma Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Mahasaya, this great soul arrived in Sri Gaura Mandal from Sri Vraja Mandal and from then on stayed in different small villages of Sri Dham Nabadwip up until his very demise. From 1905, we noticed that his eyesight diminished. From 1906, he left the religious practice of a mendicant renunciate and accepted a small hut (kutir) as a place of his residence. Prior to that, he had been collecting madhukari in different villages of Sri Dham and maintained himself in every respect by his own effort. Nobody ever received an opportunity to do any service for him. Hearing about his extreme renunciation, the jiva souls are reminded of the Lord’s associate Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Prabhu. It is great fortune to have Paramahamsa Babaji Mahasaya as one’s shelter for he embodies detachment from the material world and all that is opposed to Lord Krishna; and those who had witnessed the pastimes of his renunciation, no doubt, became, to a greater or lesser extent, disgusted with the material world and all that is opposed to the Lord. This is an indisputable truth. The ideal of his renunciation from the material world and all that opposes Lord Krishna can melt the hardest of stone hearts. Therefore, I aspire to have the great fortune to speak about this exalted soul and try to increase the joy of the listeners.

I have seen Tulasi beads on his neck, I have seen Tulasi beads (mala) placed in his hand, strung for counting the number of the Holy Names chanted, and I have also seen he had several holy books written in the Bengali language. Sometimes, he would wear no neckbeads; sometimes, he would be seen holding a mala made from some torn cloth with knots tied on it instead of Tulasi beads for counting the number of Holy Names; he would stay naked, wearing only an open loincloth (kaupin); he could become repulsed and use very strong language without any apparent reason, etc. – I have seen many, many sides of his nature. Many new people, many wide experts, young and old people, scholars and fools, many people who were proud of their devotion could have seen him, but they could not get the darshan (behold the transcendental form) of Paramahamsa Mahasaya. Such is the divine power of Lord Krishna’s devotees. So many materialists came to him with their material desires to get his advice, it is true, but that advice merely cheated them. Countless people accept the attire of a saintly person and show some activities like those of a saintly person, but they are situated very far from the position of a true saint. There was no such duplicity, no such deceit in my Lord. His activities manifested the truth that produced no pain, no immorality. He may not have been seated in the same manner as scriptural scholars, but he was adept at the gist beauty of all scriptures. As a result of his sincere service to Lord Krishna, he attained all possible knowledge. The aim of this article is not to describe his opulences; besides, his genuine affection is so unparalleled that it only proves the gain of any opulence to be a trifle.

This Paramahamsadev was eternally situated within devotion to Krishna. He was niskinchan (devoid of any material possessions or attachment); therefore, desire for pratistha (mundane name and fame) could never touch him. He felt no aversion towards those who tried to compete with him or oppose him; neither did he show any particular favour towards those who were the recipients of his mercy. He used to say, ‘I have nobody to feel enmity or love for in this world. For me, everyone is worthy of respect.’ Another transcendental thing is that Paramahamsa Mahasaya was always surrounded by many common people who followed some pseudo-religion that opposed the religion of pure devotion, and these people, declaring themselves the recipients of the sadhu’s mercy, became intoxicated with vile material activities, but he would never publicly reject them or tell them to go away; neither did he ever accept such people in any way. We were also blessed to see such hypocrites, who once opposed devotion, being accepted and shown the transcendental religion of Bhagavatam. Thakur Vrindavan Das mentions ‘amayaya-daya’ (genuine mercy, or compassion, devoid of any deceit) – those who receive such genuine mercy attain real spiritual benefit, become detached from the material world and receive transcendental love for Krishna.

The meaning of the word ‘impartial’ is resplendent in the character of Thakur Bhaktivinod and my Lord. Those who nurture an independent mood due to some secondary material pursuits cannot at all perceive transcendental Vaishnavs, who are great souls situated beyond the three modes of material nature. If we become impartial, we can see that the above-mentioned two great saints, being made of one substance and performing various pastimes of one Lord as they please, engaged the whole world in the service of the Supreme Lord.

About My Lord (2)

I wrote something in the previous article, and I am enclosing here a few more incidents related to that:

(1) One new kaupina-dhari man (a very strict renunciate) had often visited Babaji Mahasaya during several days and then acquired a five-cottah (33.5 sq.m.) piece of land in Kuliya, Nabadwip, from a worker at a landlord estate of XXX Rani. Hearing about this, my Lord said, ‘Sri Nabadwip Dham is transcendental, so how did this local mundane landlord obtain this land that he can now give five cottah of the land to this kaupina-dhari novice? Even if you give all jewels of this universe in exchange, it cannot compare to the price of a single particle of dust of this transcendental Nabadwip. So, where will any landlord get such a price as to have the right to give the land of Nabadwip to anyone? And what is the strength of the spiritual practice of this kaupina-dhari novice that he is able to purchase this land with the “coin” of his spiritual practice? If one considers the land of Sri Nabadwip Dham mundane, what to speak of being a dham-basi – such people are actually called sahajiyas (imitators) because they regard the supra-mundane world with their mundane knowledge.’

(2) One time, knowing my Lord to be the highest Vaishnav, some prominent Bengali landlord called him to join a devotional gathering at his great palace, which possessed opulence like that of Indra. Softened by the ardent prayer of the Vaishnav landlord, Babaji Mahasaya instead invited him to engage in exclusive practice of Krishna consciousness by establishing some grass rug on the bank of the Ganges beside him and sustaining his life on humble alms (madhukari) and also said that if he submitted his great opulence to the hands of all landlords and resigned from all involvement with the material world, he could himself become a Vaishnav – then my Lord would be bound to accept the invitation to his courtyard. Otherwise, even if Babaji Mahasaya accepted the invitation of the Vaishnav king and came from transcendental Gaura Dham to the king’s palace to humour the king for his hospitality and affection, then a few days later, he would adopt the king’s mentality and also start searching for a great land to acquire. In fact, the result would be that in a few days, his practice of Krishna consciousness, being an object of the king’s envy, would be reduced to something material. On the other hand, if the Vaishnav king establishes another cottage next to his and starts practising Krishna consciousness, sustaining his life on collecting alms at others’ houses, then one day, becoming his dearmost friend, he would not become prone to envy. If the Vaishnav friend and king wants to show any mercy to him, then he should mercifully engage himself in the practice of Krishna consciousness adopting a lifestyle similar to his.

(3) Quite shocked by the internal character of one former resident of Kuliya (Nabadwip), who was an experienced kaupina-dhari (severe renunciate) and a respected pandit babaji, my Lord one day gave up his kaupina, garbed himself into a fine clean dhoti with a black border and a chadar (shawl) and came like this to the house of Srimad Bhaktivinod Thakur in Svananda Sukhada Kunja. Seeing this play of Babaji Mahasaya and the transformation of his attire, Bhaktivinod Thakur became curious and asked him about the reason behind the change. My Lord replied, ‘We accept the cloth of Chaitanya, but taking shelter in deceit, we do not shun away even from unlawful mixing with women; therefore, we would show more respect to the truth if we accepted the garb similar to those who enjoy material luxuries and have dissolute sinful wives.’ This very clever behaviour of Babaji Mahasaya bore a great result among those who engaged in malpractices.

(4) There was one Goswami Santan, who was very learned in Bhagavatam and who, driven by greed for money, was also very anxious to accumulate disciples, employing dishonest tricks. One day, Babaji Mahasaya heard him singing and desired to express something peculiar about the devotional preaching of this man. Having heard how this immature singer, a respectable grihastha goswami, always told others to chant, ‘Gora, Gora’ and how he cleverly amassed countless disciples, Babaji Mahasaya said that this Goswami Santan Mahasaya did not explain goswamis’ scriptures (the scriptures of the great sense-controlled devotees) – instead, he explained the ‘senses’ scriptures (i.e. read the scriptures with the purport of sense gratification) and never actually said in front of others, ‘Gora, Gora’ – instead, he only shouted, ‘Money, money, my money!’ This can never be a spiritual practice. Moreover, being a mere covering of a true religion, this brings nothing but harm to the world.

(5) Many people engage in material pursuits, pretending to follow the religion of devotion to the Lord and trying to impress others with their scriptural knowledge and righteous spiritual practice. My Lord compared their material attempts to interpret goswamis’ scriptures to stool, and in order to demonstrate this, my Lord personally stayed in a public latrine near a guesthouse during almost six months. He engaged in this material matter to set the example and teach those who follow the pure lotus feet of Sri Chaitanyadev but invite material stool in their lives by preaching the stench of their own prestige (pratistha). People do not understand the pure religion of Vaishnavism, encouraging material pursuits in the garb of a Vaishnav, and my Lord showed everyone by the example of his own life that this is extremely abominable and must be given up.

(6) Many householder Vaishnavs often presented some money and expensive shawls, etc. to Babaji Mahasaya. Whenever he got some money, he would tie it in a cloth with two–five knots and keep it in different places, showing he was very anxious about wealth. Foolish people who loved money thought that Babaji Mahasaya was very greedy for money. Whenever somebody gave him some expensive clothes, he would praise the giver lavishly and explain how insignificant those clothes were.

Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad ki jay.
Jay Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj ki jay.
Akar-Math-Raj Sri Chaitanya Math ki jay.
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math ki jay.
Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama,
Sri Dham-parikrama-palankari bhakta-vrnda ki jay.
Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj's samadhi-mandir

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CONTENTS