Thought of the week: Vamsidasa Babaji

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Position of Vamsidasa

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There are two type of exalted devotees of Krishna. The Bhajananandi is

completely immersed in intense meditation of the Lord, principally by chanting

and remembering the glories and pastimes. The Goshtinandi is primarily involved

in spreading the name of the Lord by extensive preaching. Of course the

boundaries are not rigid, for the Bhajananandi may also sometimes preach and

the Goshtinandi also relish bhajans and kirtans. But depending on the moods

they generally make one or the other as their primary service.

 

Vamsidasa Babaji was a bhajananandi. He was completely aloof from the material

world, and was totally preoccupied with worshipping his Deities, performing his

bhajans and visiting holy places. He had reached the highest levels of

spontaneous devotion and seldom bothered with the rules and regulations of

sadhna-vaidhi bhakti. For instance he did not chant on beads, did not follow

any fixed schedule of worship and did not chant any mantras or prayers for

worshipping. His brief interactions with the outside world often left people

confused and bewildered.

 

The true position of Vamsidasa Babaji was revealed by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati

Thakura, the founder of the Gaudiya Matha and the initiating spiritual master

of Srila Prabhupada. Even though Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, in the mood of a

goshtinandi had made preaching his primary service, as an exalted devotee he

could perceive the greatness of Vamsidasa. This mutual affection and respect

between the two paramhansas formed the basis of a very sweet and loving

relationship. Bhaktisiddhanta would often send his disciples to try and serve

Vamsidasa. His disciples would render all kinds of service to Vamsidasa and

carefully preserve his remnants which were sent back to be honored by members

of the Gaudiya Matha. Vamsidasa had great respect and affection for

Bhaktisiddhanta. Once Vamsidasa saw Bhaktisiddhanta coming and smilingly

remarked, "Oh a manjari has come, so won't Radha come also? She will come! She

will come!"

 

Birth and youth

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Vamsidasa was born as Bhairab Chandra in the year 1859 in the village of

Majitpur in current Bangladesh. He was the oldest of the seven children of

Sanatana Mallabrahma and Srimati Sarvasundari. As the son of a poor fisherman,

he lived a hard and austere life, mostly occupied with his family business of

catching and selling fish. However on the way back he would stop at a

Gaura-Nitai temple and relish the association of Narottama Dasa Babaji, a

devotee who stayed at the temple. From him Vamsidasa learnt many bhajans of

Narottama Dasa Thakura and developed a great attraction for Caitanaya

Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. His parents, worried by his growing

attraction to spirituality married him. However soon after this Vamsidasa left

his wife and his six months old son and became a renunicant. He took initiation

from Narottama Dasa Babaji, who gave him the name Vamsidasa.

 

Austerities

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Even though Vamsidasa had lived a hard life as a youth, as a babaji he became

extremely austere. He was always dressed in one simple loincloth and nothing

more. He rarely attempted to procure any food and would often go without

eating, sometimes for several days. It was common for him to abstain from both

food and water for a day or two. He took very little care of his health, and

would bathe in freezing water even when he was sick. Despite all this Vamsidasa

looked vibrant and healthy. He was over six feet tall and was constantly

traveling. Even at the age of eighty he walked so fast that many of his younger

associates could not keep up with him. Much like the Goswamis of Vrindavana he

survived solely on spiritual energy.

 

The character of Vamsidasa

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Even amongst the babajis, Vamsidasa is unique. He was on the avadhuta platform,

that is he was completely beyond any rules and regulations. His hair and beard

were uncut and matted. He rarely took a bath and he wore nothing more than a

loin cloth. His eyes looked wild and his behavior intimidating.

 

He often spoke in an un-intelligible manner. Even though he knew the local

Bengali dialect, he sometimes spoke in his native Mymensingh dialect which very

few people could understand. His sentences would run together and he would

randomly jump from one topic to another without any seeming connection.

Sometimes he spoke about the pastimes of Krishna in Braja and sometimes about

the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Some times he would animatedly talk and at

other times he would remain silent, not even bothering to acknowledge the

comments of his close associates. One of his favorite phrases was

'Bhakta-vatsala Hari! Prana-vallabha Hari!' and he would shout this

continuously, drawing out the Hari into a long plaintive cry.

 

Despite his seemingly dis-organized life, Vamsidasa had a keen sense of

discrimination when it came to people. He not only shunned the company of

non-devotees he also avoided the pseudo-Vaishnavas who would often flock by his

side to bask in his glory. He rigidly abided by the principle of adopting that

which is favorable to Krishna and rejecting every thing else. With a keen

intuition he was able to discern the hidden motives of people coming to him for

guidance or blessings and would appropriately respond to them.

 

Even though Vamsidasa would appear to talk like a madman, he never said

anything inconsistent with the conclusions of the scriptures. Though he often

spoke enigmatically he was always in agreement with the Gaudiya Vaishnava

siddhanta

 

Deities

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Vamsidasa had three sets of Deities that he carried along with him. He had a

small Bala-Gopala (Krishna in the form of a child) that he was extremely

attached to. He also had six inches metal Deities of Radha-Govinda and larger

three feet wooden Deities of Gaura-Nitai. He always carried his Deities with

him and would continuously talk to Them. His mood of worship was that of an

affectionate parent. He would talk to Gopala lovingly, sometimes angrily and

sometimes pleadingly. He rarely spoke to any one but his Deities. In his

unending conversation with the Deities he would often stop as if to listen and

then continue talking. Even if people would come to ask him questions, he would

reply to the Deities, referring to himself in the third person (as Vamsidasa).

 

 

Pastimes of Vamsidasa

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When Vamsidasa was visiting Puri during Ratha Yatra, the cart stopped closed to

where he was standing. Despite the efforts of everyone assembled the cart would

not move. Then Vamsidasa came and after some intimate conversation with the

Lord, the cart moved on with ease.

 

Once Vamsidasa went to the sea in Puri, to give Bala-Gopala a bath. Arriving on

the shore be beckoned the sea 'Come here, come here!' Huge waves crossed over

the beach and Vamsidasa was able to bathe his Deities.

 

While crossing the river Mahanandi, Vamsidasa instructed the boatmen to drop

him near a point where he claimed was a snake. When the boatman dropped

Vamsidasa and his associates at the point, a yellow snake appeared. Holding his

Bala-Gopala Deity Vamsidasa exclaimed, 'See Anantadeva has come!' After some

time the snake went away.

 

Once on a full moon night of Ashvini, Vamsidasa instructed his associates not

to set up any tent but camped out in the open. At this time fifty attractive

women, dressed in white, came and offered obeisances to Vamsidasa and left

without saying. Despite the late hour, they were unescorted, something that

never happens in rural India, and none of the locals had any knowledge of them.

The devotees concluded that they were demigoddess who had come to get the

blessings of Vamsidasa on this auspicious day.

 

One day Vamsidasa cooked sweet rice for Bala-Gopala, but before offering it he

angrily threw it away, accusing Gopala of having already eaten rice-gur (sweet

rice with semi-processed sugar extract from palm trees) in the Radha-Govinda

temple in Vrindavana. One of the persons who happened to hear this sent a

letter to the temple priest inquiring about the offering to Radha-Govinda on

that particular date-time. A reply soon came indicating that the offering on

the day was sweet rice cooked with palm-tree gur.

 

Once a man suffering from cholera (considered fatal in those days) lay outside

the hut of Vamsidasa, expecting him to cure him. For three days he lay there

moaning with intense pain, without eating and drinking anything. Finally

Vamsidasa came outside and place a Tulasi leaf on his tongue. The man was

instantly cured and he got up and went home.

 

When Vamsidasa became too old and infirm, he would have trouble going out to do

madhukari (begging food from devotees). Once in such a situation he exclaimed

to his servant, "Did you hear what Gauranga was saying? He has told Vamsidasa,

'you do not go begging for three days. Now you are too old, so I will feed

you.' This Gauranga wants to feed me!" Saying this Vamsidasa fetched a stick

and waved it threateningly at his Gaura Deity. "You do not have to go outside

for serving me. If You go outside, I will break Your legs!!"

 

Instructions by Vamsidasa

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Though many people, attracted by the fame and austerity of Vamsidasa would come

to him for benedictions, Vamsidasa would generally ignore them. Once in a while

he would get angry at people asking for material benefits and strongly chastise

them. However sometimes when he was approached by a sincere seeker then

Vamsidasa would instruct him in his typical fashion by conversing with the

Deities. Some of his instructions are:

 

"Whoever offends a Vaishnava cannot be saved."

"Kindness to all living beings, taste for the holy name and service to the

Vaishnavas - apart from this there is no other religion."

 

Once a man asked Vamsidasa how to attain God. Vamsidasa replied:

 

"The personality of Kali is extremely powerful. When Kali came, Krishna told

Narada, 'Now it is time for Me to go.' Sri Narada asked, 'What will be the

future of the creatures in this world?' Krishna replied, 'Those who worship the

Brahmans and feed them will attain Me.' Narada asked, 'What of those who are

too poor to serve the Brahmans?' Krishna replied, 'Those who worship Me with

flowers and Tulasi will attain Me.' Narada then asked, 'What of those who are

lame from birth?' Krishna replied, 'If some one only once at the end of the day

calls my name with undivided devotion, he will attain Me!'"

 

Final pastimes of Vamsidasa

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On March 17th 1944 Vamsidasa returned to his home town of Majitpur. He did not

actually enter the town as it is traditional for renunciants not to return to

their former family. He lived there for some time and finally on July 23, 1944,

Srila Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja concluded his earthly pastimes and resumed his

service to Lord Krishna in Goloka.

 

Reference: Vamsidasa Babaji by Bhakti Vikasa Swami

 

----- Festivals over the next week ------

*** Note all times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

Jul 30 2001, Monday Ekadasi Pavitropana (Break fast 05:09-09:53) (Fast)

Radha Govinda Jhulana Yatra begins

Jul 31 2001, Tuesday Disappearance Srila Rupa Gosvami

Disappearance Sri Gauridasa Pandita

 

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C E L E B R A T I O N of the 25th Anniversary

 

Attend the joyous reunion and 25th Anniversary of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha

Madana Mohana residing in Potomac, Maryland. Reconnect with old friends, share

stories of the past, and create stories for the future. Watch the original

video footage of Srila Prabhupada's only visit to Washington, DC, 25 years ago

in July of 1976. Plenty of fun activities for children and lots of assorted

prasadam for everyone.

 

Schedule:

Saturday, August 11, 2001 - New Hastinapura Retreat (picnic at Great Falls,

campfire with Prabhupada memories, relay races, volleyball, game room, face

painting and much more)

Sunday, August 12, 2001 - Sri Janmastami Mahotsava

Monday, August 13, 2001 - Sri Vyasa-puja of Jagat Guru A C Bhaktivedanta Swami

Srila Prabhupada

 

Contact Padma malini devi dasi at 301-299-1326

E-mail: Padma (AT) prastha (DOT) com or Trikalajna dasa at 301-299-7205

We are also requesting contact information from all previous residents of New

Hastinapura.

 

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