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Shri Chaitanya Sridhara Sangha
SrilaGaurakisora das
Babaji Maharaj
Gaurakisora das Babaji appeared in the early 1830s in the village of Vagyana, in the district of Faridapura, in eastern Bengal (known as Bangladesh). In his childhood and adolescence, he led a conventional life, marrying and working as a grain broker. However, as time passed, he realized he was searching for something more in life and his passionate interest in spiritual Truth grew year by year. After his wife died, he abandoned business and went to Vrindavana, the land of Krishna. Studying under the guidance of realized souls, he developed a deep appreciation for the Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta, or Krishna conscious philosophical truths, as they were presented by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
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Little by little he became known as an eminent practitioner, as he lived uncompromisingly according to the Vaishnava teachings. After several years of intense practice, he approached Srila Bhagavata Dasa Babaji, one of the most famous disciples of Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja, the guiding teacher of Krishna consciousness at that time, and from him he accepted the elevated initiation of Babaji Vaisnava.
This initiation required a total commitment to live according to high levels of renunciation and austerity, with the sole purpose of developing love for God. Gaurakisora das Babaji Maharaja, who excelled in this practice, became completely renounced; he resided under trees in various parts of Vrindavana and for his sustenance depended solely on God.
He had no tendency to deceive and performed religious practices alone, in a deep feeling of devotional ecstasy. His integrity was unquestionable.
He uncompromisingly rejected every form of false religiosity. Constantly absorbed in the devotional feeling of divine separation, his outward actions could not be understood by ordinary people.
He developed with another illustrious link in the disciplic chain of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a deep devotional relationship, so much so that the latter urged his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, to ask Babaji for the holy initiation into spiritual life (diksa).
Babaji was always reluctant to accept disciples, given his deep humility and sense of inadequacy, but finally, satisfied with the modesty and dedication shown by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, he accepted him as his only disciple, gave him his full blessings and asked him to "preach the Absolute Truth, setting aside all other work."
Srila Gaurakisora das Babaji became famous among the great devotees of Vrindavana and was given the elevated title of bhajananandi which is attributed to one who has attained the highest happiness and
satisfaction in solitary meditation.
In 1908, Srila Gaurakisora became blind. When his sight began to deteriorate, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura asked him to go to Calcutta for treatment, but he replied: “As long as I see Krishna deep in my heart, I have no need of an eye doctor.”
His behavior was considered unusual especially in Nabadwip, where at that time many conservative priests and intellectuals resided. His level of love for God bordered on divine madness, yet his ecstatic symptoms could be validated by the Vaishnava scriptures. Authoritative sages could ascertain that his behavior, apparently eccentric, was actually the symptom of the highest stage of love for God.
On November 16, 1915, Srila Gaurakisora entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.