Jagannätha däsa Bäbäjé

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March 3rd, 2003, Monday (Pratipat)

Disappearance day of Çréla Jagannätha däsa Bäbäjé

 

Sri1a Jagannatha Dasa Babaji

 

 

gauravirbhdva-bhumes tvam

nirdesta saj-jana-priyah

vaisnava-saivabhaumah

sri jagannathayan te namah

 

"I offer my respectftil obeisances unto Jagannatha dasa Babaji, who is

respected by the entire Vaisnava community, and who discovered the place

where Lord Caitanya appeared."

 

 

Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja appeared in this

world sometime around 1750 A.D. in a remote village in the subdivision of

Tangail, in the district of Mayaman Singh, in what is now known as

Bangladesh. He belonged to a very aristocratic family.

 

The Gaudiya Vedantacarya Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusanas initiated disciple was

Uddhava dasa Babaji and his initiated disciple was Madhusudana dasa Babaji.

and Jagannatha dasa Babaji accepted Babaji initiation from Madhusudana dasa

Babaji Maharaja. According to the Gaudiya-vaisnava-jivana the diksa-guru of

Jagannatha dasa Babaji was Jagadananda Gosvami of Sringar-Vat, Vrndavana,

whose vesa-guru was Krsna dasa Babaji of Govardhana fame.

 

Jagannatha dasa Babaji performed bhajana in Vrajamandala for many years. He

was famed throughout the region as a siddha-Babaji (a perfectly realized

soul). He was known to sometimes chant continuously for three days and

nights in a row without sleeping, and he would fast throughout. After the

completion of his vow, he would break fast on flat rice and yogurt prasada.

 

In the year 1880, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura visited Babaji Maharaja's

lotus feet in Vrndavana and got many valuable instructions from him. In the

1880's the Paramahamsa Babaji came to the Burdwan District, staing in the

village of Amalajoda. Sria Bhaktivioda Thakura went. there on the pretext of

government business thereby obtaining the association of Jagannatha dasa

Babaji for the second time. The Babaji was delighted by Bhaktivinoda

Thakura's enthusiasm for preaching the glories of the Holy Name of Krsna.

Thereafter, Jagannatha dasa Babaji sojourned in Burdwan for eleven days and

performed uninterrupted kirtana (chanting and scriptural discussion) day and

night. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura established a prapanna-asrama (a monastery

for surrender to Krsna) in Amalajoda village.

 

In the year 1893, Jagannatha dasa Babaji was residing in Kuliya, Navadvipa,

and he went to see Surabhi Kufija, the residence of Thakura Bhaktivinoda.

The entire grove was electrified by his arrival and appeared especially

beautiful. Later, together with his followers, he proceeded to Mayapura and

visited many holy places like the Yogapitha, Srivasangana, etc. When he

arrived at the birthplace of Lord Gaura, which had been discovered by

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he began to dance in ecstasy, although he was very old

at the time, and had previously been thought unable to walk. He thus

established the authenticity of the site beyond any doubt. He spent some

time at the Yogapitha in the association of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and

he miraculously cured one of the Thakura's sons of a skin disease simply by

telling him to lie down in the dust of the Lord's place of appearance.

He passed most of the time chanting the Holy Name on the bank of the Ganges

in Kuliya. His bhajana kutira and samadhi may still be seen there. One day

he asked Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to construct a veranda to shelter the

devotees who came to see him, which the Thakura did immediately.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was well-versed in astronomy by the age of

twelve. Hearing of this, Babaji Maharaja summoned him one day and instructed

him to make a Vaisnava calendar which would include the appearance and

disappearance days of all the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and

Visnu-priya Thakurani. Accordingly, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura made

the necessary calculations and began publication of the Sri

Navadwpa-pancika.

 

Jagannatha dasa Babaji's life and soul was the chanting of the Holy Name and

rendering service to Vaisnavas. He lived on this earth for 135 years

(according to Gaura-parisada-caritavah) and preached the Holy Name of Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although he was almost bent double in his old age,

still, during the time of kirtana, his body would expand to well over six

feet, and his appearance would replicate the dancing figure of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

 

His favorite disciple was Bhagavat dasa Babaji, who had accepted Babaji

initiation from him. Gaura Kisora dasa Babji took Baba-ji initiation from

Srila Bhagavat dasa Babaji Maharaja. Gaurahari dasa Babaji, Ramahari dasa

Babaji and Nityananda dasa Babaji were disciples of Jagannatha dasa Babaji

who hailed from Barsana in Vrajamandala. Another disciple, called Krsna dasa

Babaji, was from Kadamkhandi.

 

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja's personal servant and disciple, Sri

Bihari dasa, was very stout and powerful. Due to Babaji Maharj.a's advanced

age he could apparently not walk. Sri Bihari used to carry him everywhere on

his shoulder in a bamboo basket. Once, when he was traveling thus, a wealthy

man gave him a rupee, which was deposited with Babiji Maharaja's servant,

Bihari. After journeying for some miles, Srila Babaji Maharaja had his

servant take him back to the donor and he returned his one rupee. He told

the man, "I understand that you have a good deal of money. I could not bear

the burden of one rupee, and I wonder how you tolerate the burden of so

many." Babaji Maharaja sometimes accepted donations for rendering service to

the Vaisnavas, but in this instance he instructively exhibited his

detachment, showing how one must be wary of accepting charity from the

pounds, shillings and pence class of men.

 

Inspired by Bihari dasa, the villagers of Surya-kunda built a room and a

small temple for Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja. The Siddha Babaji

asked Bihari dasa to install a Deity in the temple. Upon receiving this

order, Bihari proceeded to Sonaruddi village, which was about eight miles

from Katwa. He requested the local landlord to give him a Deity. He duly

received Gaura-Nitai Deities, went to Calcutta and collected donations

totaling 5,000 rupees from Srinath Rai, the renowned Laha families and

others. He then returned to Surya-kunda. With great pomp and festivity, the

Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai were installed in the temple, where They

glistened like gold.

 

Shortly thereafter, a band of dacoits stormed the temple one night and

attempted to carry away the Deities, thinking them to be actually fashioned

from gold. However, they were unsuccessful in attempting to purloin those

Golden Lords and fell exhausted in the temple. They fled without achieving

their aim just before the arrival of dawn. This incident disturbed Babaji

Maharaja greatly, and he told Bihari dasa to donate the Deities to some

devotee in Vpndavana. Bihari dasa went to Vrndavana town and presented them

to a Gosvami of Bengali extraction. These Deities are still being worshipped

in the temple of Dhobigati of Gopalbagh and are famous by the name of Sonar

Gauranga, i.e. the Golden Gauranga.

 

Several days after this incident, Srila Babajij Maharaja told Bihari dasa,

"I cannot live without the Deities. Bring another Deity from wherever you

can find one" Hearing his guru's command, Bihan proceeded to Radha-kunda and

met Dhenu dasa Babaji of Mathura. There, in Radha-kunda in a stack of hay,

which had been gathered for feeding the cows, they discovered a Deity of

Sad-bhuja, a six-armed Deity of Lord Ramacandra, Lord Krsnacandra and Lord

Caitanya Mahaprabhu combined. Bihari dasa had the Deity properly painted in

Vrndavana, and returned to Surya-kunda with great enthusiasm. The beautiful

form of the Lord was installed according to the scriptural ordinances, and

Srila Babaji Maharaja worshipped Him for ten years.

 

With the passing of a decade, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja was

inspired to go to Navadvipa, and he therefore requested Bihari dasa to

deliver the Deity to someone in Vrndavana. Bihari dasa thus proceeded to

Vrndavana and gave the Deity to the head priest of the Gopalaguru-asrama,

who was known as Sri Narottama dasa Babaji. The Lord in his six-armed form

is worshipped to this day in the Sad-bhuja Temple situated in a lane near

Nidhuvana.

 

Bihari then carried his guru on his shoulder to the Mathura Railway Station

and boarded a train for Navadvipa. When they reached the Memri station in

Bardhawan, a British railway officer was so impressed by the simplicity and

blissful nature of Srila Babaji Maharaja that he assisted them in many ways.

They alighted from the train, before reaching Navadvipa, hired a bullock

cart and traveled to the asrama of a famous pure soul named Sri Bhagavan

dasa Babaji, who resided at Ambika-Kalna in Bengal. This great soul was

extremely pleased to see Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, and he

exclaimed in a state of transcendental exultation; "Oh! My friend has come!"

He then embraced Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji of them fell to the ground in

state of profound transcendental ecstasy and, becoming unconscious, entered

into an impenetrable, spiritual trance.

 

They remained motionless, locked in their embrace of loving friendship from

ten o'clock in the morning until eleven oclock that night. The servants of

the two Siddha Babas began to feel uneasy, and Sri Visnudasa,the servant of

Srila Bhagavan dasa Babaji Maharja, requested Bihari dasa to do something to

bring them back to external awareness. Bihari dasa began to massage his

gurus chest and chant the maha-mantra - this device brought them both back

into external consciousness, and they got up. Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji

Maharaja had not eaten or drunk during his three days of travel, and so

prasada was immediately arranged and he broke his fast at midnight. After

this, they slept a while.

 

After staying at Kalna for ten days, Jagannatha dasa Prabhu decided to

proceed to Navadvipa by bullock cart. Bhagavan dasa Babaji had only eighteen

rupees in his p5session, but he insisted upon giving it to Jagannatha dasa

Babaji for his journey, which he happily accepted. On the way, Bihari

inquired where they would stay in Navadvipa, suggesting that they stay in a

large asrama popularly called "Bada-akhara".

 

Srila Babaji Maharaja replied, "No, we will not stay in any asrama. We will

stay under some tree." They indeed stayed under a tree for some time, but

later a devotee named Sri Madhava Datta purchased the land adjacent to the

tree and donated it to the Babaji. A year later, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

built two small huts there for him. Rajarsi Sri Vanamali Rai, a famous

landlord, built three more huts and a boundary wall about them. An elderly

and wealthy lady had a well dug for drinking water. The Babaji stayed there

in Kuliyar thirty-two years According to Gaudiya-vaisnavajivavia he lived to

the ag of 147 years, at which time he entered the pastimes of the Lord.

 

He used to strictly and regularly follow the vows of Caturmasya (the

four-month-long rainy season). In the first month he wold take only four

bananas each day in the evening. In the second month he would only take

guavas. In the third month he drank some buttermilk. And in the fourth

month, he consumed only the flowers of the banana tree. He once went to

Rishikesh to purify his chanting, which involved the performance of the

purificatory practice called purascarana. This penance had to be performed

with extreme rigidity. He used to bathe at three oclock in the morning and

chant inside a closed room until sunset without speaking or eating. In order

to complete the vow properly one is expected to take bath after each call of

nature and even after passing air. Once, after observing this regimen for

two months, he inadvertently spoke to Bihari dasa. He began the entire

process again and completed his vow in three months time. He thereafter

pronounced that if one wanted to have darsana of Lord Krsna as Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, he should perform purascaraya in this manner.

 

Babaji Maharaja once accepted some bread from a person belonging to the

sweeper caste in Vrndavana. This action was much criticized by the local

Vaisnava community. Many people approached him and challenged him to explain

his action. He replied, "Do you know who these sweepers are? Before

appearing in Vraja-Dhama, Lord Krsna asked 88,000 sages to take birth there,

and they were born in low-class families. Devotees reside in Vraja-Dhama

simply to get the opportunity of smearing their bodies with its dust and

indeed to give up their bodies here. These sweepers are always serving the

dust of Vrndavana; therefore, I regard them as servants of Vraja-Dhama and

see them as no different from any other Vaisnavas." After this incident, the

Babaji decided to chant in seclusion, and proceeded to a place called Pesi

Kadankliandi, which was miles away from any village, near Khandiraana, one

of Vraja's twelve forests. He and Bihari spent the Dami and Ekada there,

fasting completely. On the Dvadasi morning, Bihari began to think that Srila

Babaji Maharaja had gone to a place where nothing was available to eat, and

that the Ekadasi fast could not be properly broken by their eating prasada

made from grains. However, the Babaji ordered Bihari to chant the

Maha-mantra loudly to the accompaniment of karatalas, and before noon a

Brijbasi came and brought some grains for them to prepare prasada. From the

following day onward, huge amounts of milk came to them daily.

 

Wherever they went, prasada was always miraculously available to them. Once,

in Navadvipa, a similar event took place during the rainy season. The whole

city was flooded with the water of the Ganges, and it continued raining

heavily for one week. No one could go out to beg alms. Suddenly, four

persons appeared in a small boat and donated Babaji Maharaja 20 kilograms of

flat-rice, yogurt and sandesa.

 

While he was staying in Navadvipa, he became the object of great affection

and acclaim. On one occasion, the famous landlord, Srinath Rai, and several

family members went to have an audience with the famous saintly person. Not

recognizing him they asked if he knew where the famous siddha Babaji lived.

Srila Babaji Maharaja replied, "I don't know anyone who is a siddha baba

here. I am staying here, but I am simply an ordinary living entity like all

of you." The Rais then realized that they were actually addressing Srila

Babaji Maharaja, who was completely free from any desire for recognition or

fame. Nevertheless, they humbly asked him to show them a miracle. Becoming

disturbed, he replied, "I dont know how to perform any miracles." He then

picked up a stick and started beating the ground, apparently out of

annoyance. The landlord, fearful that he had committed an offense, begged

the Babaji not to be angry with them for their having made an unpleasant

request.

 

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji replied, "I am not angry with you. I was just

chasing out a goat who was eating the Tulasi plant near the cottage of Srila

Lokanatha Gosvami at Radha-kunda."

 

The Rais were much astonished to hear this, and to test the veracity of his

statement they immediately sent a reply-paid telegram to Radha-kunda. The

reply came back the following day, and it confirmed that a goat had entered

the cottage of Snla Lokanatha Gosvami and ruined the Tulasi plant there.

This incident convinced many doubting persons of the Babaji's perfection.

They returned to see him and fell at his feet to offer their obeisance.

Perfect devotees of the Lord, being disinterested in the material universe,

never desired to make an exhibition of miraculous powers. In order to

increase the faith of worldly creatures, however, they are sometimes

inspired by the indwelling Godhead to perform some supramundane deed for

their edification.

 

Once, while residing in Navadvipa, Bihari dasa became seriously ill. He

suffered a severe fever and delerium, and periodically lapsed into

unconsciousness. A medical expert was summoned from Calcutta, but he

declared that the illness was too far advanced to respond to treatment. He

predicted that Bihari would expire before morning. Srila Jagannatha dasa

Babaji Maharaja then sat by the side of his dear servant. He put a

sanctified Tulasi leaf in his mouth and began to chant the Hare Krsna

Mantra. Within half an hour Bihari was cured. He rose from his bed and

proceeded to the kitchen to cook prasada, knowing that Srila Babaji

Maharaja, who had fasted throughout his servitors illness, would not eat

anything unless it was prepared by him.

 

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji used to say that the best time for chanting was

from three o'clock in the morning until seven in the morning, and again from

sunset until eleven o'clock at night. He declared that no serious-minded

devotee should sleep during these hours, as Lord Siva comes to inspect the

devotees of his guru, Lord Krsna, at those times.

 

Although the Babaji could not walk properly during his last years, still he

would dance very enthusiastically during the performance of sankirtana. His

body would expand while dancing. He daily paid one-thousand obeisances to

his Giridhari Deity until the last day of his life. He did not like the idea

of leaving any prasada on his plate, and if he thought anyone was going to

eat his remnants, he would consume every last morsel, and even the leaf

plate to prevent it.

 

Bihari dasa was illiterate and did not even know the alphabet. One day Srila

Babaji Maharaja asked him to read the Sn Caitanya-caritamrta to him. When

Bihari reminded his guru Maharaja of his illiteracy, the Babaji requested

him to simply look at the book for some time and then start chanting its

stanzas. Within minutes, Bihari dasa started reciting the pastimes of Lord

Caitanya from the pages of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.

 

Whenever he went to Calcutta, he would sojourn in the house of Bhaktivinoda

Thakura on Maniktala Street. Many devotees tried to take him to their homes

to give him prasada, but he never accepted their invitations. He donated a

Govardhana-sila to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who worshipped the sila at

his Bhakti Bhavan.

 

His eyesight was dimmed due to old age, and people who came to see him used

to offer donations. Bihari dasa would keep the contributions in an empty

clay water-pot. One day, Bibaji Maharaja suddenly asked, "Bihan, give me all

the donations you have received." Bihari would sometimes set some of the

money aside for Babji Maharaja's needs, but Jagannatha dasa Babaji would

immediately discern the exact amount missing and demand that it be returned.

Bihari would laugh and immediately comply. Babaji Maharaja used to spend the

collection according to his own grave desires. Once he purchased 200

rupees-worth of rasagullas for the cows of Navadvipa-Dhama, an enormous

amount of sweet-meats in those days!

 

On another occasion, a dog gave birth to five puppies on the bank of the

Ganges near Babaji Maharajas bhajana kutira. When the sage sat down to take

prasada, the dogs sat around his plate. Bihari tried to move some of the

puppies, but Babaji Maharaja said, "Take my plate away, I will not eat

today", whereat Bihari would produce the dogs and say, "Here are the dogs."

Babaji Maharja would say fondly, "They are the dogs of the Dhama."

Many people used to approach Babaji Maharaja and beg to be initiated by him,

but he did not generally accept them. He would, however, request them to

render various kinds of service. Most of them would soon leave due to the

pressure of being heavily engaged by him. One gentleman in particular, Sri

Gaura Hari dasa, came for initiation, but Babaji Maharaja refused to accept

him. On that account Gaura Han fasted for three days in front of the

Paramahamsa's cottage. Finally, Babaji Maharaja took mercy on him and

granted him Babaji initiation.

 

He once told a professional Bhagavatam reciter, Your speaking the Bhagavatam

is the same business as a prostitute. Those who recite the Bhagavatam as a

business are offenders of the Holy Name, and one should not hear from them.

If anyone hears from them, he will simply become degraded." That gentleman

immediately ceased his recitations, and he became a great devotee, living a

humble existence in Vrndavana.

 

Srlla Jagannatha dasa Babaji used to stay six months in Vraja and six months

in Navadvipa-Dhama. According to Gaudiya-vaisnava-jitana, at the advanced

age of 146, when he was set to travel to Navadvipa from Radha-kunda, many

Brijbasis and other Vaisnavas went to him to inquire why he was leaving

Vraja-Dhama at such an advanced age. In a very humble and transcendentally

depressed mood he replied, "You can all stay here in Vraja-Dhama because you

are all pure Vaisnavas. I am very offensive, and therefore it is better for

me to stay at Navadvipa. Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura-Nita do not count

ones offenses, as They have appeared to liberate all offenders. But here in

Vraja-Dhama offenses are counted and reactions thereto are strictly

enforced." This was his last journey to Navadvipa-Dhama. A few months after

his arrival, on the first day of the new moon in the month of Phalguna, a

fortnight before the anniversary of Lord Caitanya's appearance, he entered

the Lord's eternal pastimes.

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to always call Srila Babaji Maharaja,

Vaisnava-Sarvabhauma, the "Commander-in-chief" of the Vaisnavas.

 

gauravirbhdva-bhumes tvam

nirdesta saj-jana-priyah

vaisnava-saivabhaumah

sri jagannathayan te namah

 

"I offer my respectftil obeisances unto Jagannatha dasa Babaji, who is

respected by the entire Vaisnava community, and who discovered the place

where Lord Caitanya appeared."