Srila Gourkishore Das Babaji Maharaj

Srila Gourkishore Das Babaji Maharaj is known to be the most beloved Preceptor of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. After renouncing the world, He came to Vrindavan and took the garb of Babaji from Srila Bhagabat Das Babaji Maharaj, a prominent disciple of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj. In prakat-lila, He spent about thirty years in various villages of Vraja-mandal. While staying in Varshana, He made Sri Radharani very happy by stringing garlands regularly. He came to Nabadwip in 1894 in accordance with the order of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj, and spent the rest of His life in various places of Nabadwip. He would roam about from one village to another, move from door to door singing the sweet names of Gadai-Gouranga and Radha-Govinda. He would never allow anyone to serve Him in any way. From 1906, He gave up the life of a wanderer and agreed to live in a cottage. 

 

 The severe austerities revealed in His character would remind everyone of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Prabhu, the eternal intimate associate of Lord Goursundar. Their renunciation is the acme of eagerness to gratify the divine senses of Krishna in every way. The sublime ideal of positive austerity could melt even stony hearts. During His appearance lila, Srila Gourkishore Das Babaji Maharaj was fully detached from worldly things as He was fully attached to the Supreme Lord. Srila Acharyadeva described Srila Babaji Maharaj as ‘Hard shell without, but mellow juice within.’

                                        

 He was a great ‘Abadhut’ (an independent devotee beyond scriptural regulations). Mysterious were His manners. Sometimes, He could be seen in a proper Vaishnava dress with Sri Narottam Thakur's Prarthana and Premabhakti-chandrika in His hands, and chanting on Tulasi beads. Sometimes, He was seen without any Tulasi neck-beads, wearing almost nothing, speaking harshly, and expressing causeless disgust. He would collect the rejected clay pots of the householders of Nabadwip and use them for cooking for the Lord after washing them in the water of Ganges. He made His loin-cloth from the dispelled clothes of the dead bodies at the crematorium after washing them in Ganga-water.

 

 While Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur was staying at Godrum Swananda-Sukhada-Kunja, Srila Babaji Maharaj would come to Him very often. He used to listen to the discourses on Srimad Bhagavatam from the lips of Thakur Bhaktivinode. Sometimes, He used to spend the night there in a small room. Srila Babaji Maharaj was always very enthusiastic about discussing the principles of unalloyed devotion with Thakur Bhativinode.

 

 Srila Saraswati Thakur has written—“Srimad Bhaktivinode Thakur was merciful enough to show me my Divine Master, Srila Babaji Maharaj” (Sri Sajjantoshani 19/5/6). When He met His Preceptor for the first time, Srila Babaji Maharaj was singing a melancholy song of Divine Love-in-separation— “Kothay go premamayi Radhe, Radhe !” (O Radharani ! O My Goddess full of Love! Where are you now?) Srila Saraswati Thakur prayed to Him for initiation. Srila Gourkishore Prabhu examined Srila Saraswati Thakur three times and being pleased to see His determination, bathed Him with the dust of His (own) lotus-feet. He was initiated, and the wish of Thakur Bhaktivinode was fulfilled.