Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
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Overview
Jagannatha dasa was a disciple of Jagadananda Gosvami of Srngarabata in Vrndavana (belonging to Purunia Pata of Bankura district) and the bheka-chela of Siddha Krsnadasa baba, a resident of Govardhana. According to Bihari dasa Vrajavasi baba, Jagannatha dasa was the bheka-chela of Siddha Madhusudana dasa baba, a resident of Surya-kunda.
- gauravirbhava-bhumes tvam, nirdestha saj-jana-priyah
- vaishnava-sarvabhaumah shri-jagannathaya te namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances to Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, who is respected by the entire Vaishnava community and who discovered the place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared."
Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja was born in the Mayamansingh district of West Bengal. Gaudiya Vedanta-acharya Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana had a disciple named Uddhava das. His disciple was Sri Madhusudana Dasa Babaji who lived in Suryakunda. Madhusudana Dasa Babaji's disciple was Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja.
Bhaktivinoda Takes Shelter
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji lived in Vrndavan and performed his bhajan there for quite some time. He became famous among the devotees there as one who was perfect in Krsna-bhakti. In 1880, Srimad Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to Vrndavan and saw his lotus feet for the first time. While there, he received many divine instructions on Hari-bhakti from Jagannatha Dasa. Some time later, Babaji Maharaja visited the Barddhaman district during the month of Phalgun. He stayed at a town called Amalajorha. At that time, Bhaktivinoda Thakura again had the good fortune to take darshan of his holy feet.
Seeing Bhaktivinoda Thakur's enthusiasm for preaching the holy name of Krsna, Srila Babaji Maharaja was very happy. He stayed in Amalajorha during ekadashi, and that night there was kirtan and Hari-katha. Later, at Amalajorha, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura established his Prappana-Ashram.
In 1893, Srila Babaji Maharaja went from Koladwip (the part of Nabadwipa where Srila Sridhara Maharaja's temple is presently located) to Surabhi-kunja in Godrumadwipa. There he took his seat. His arrival in Surabhi-kunja was a wonderful event. Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji revealed many lost holy places in Mayapura, including the Yogapith, Srivasa Angana and others. It is said that when he came upon the holy place of Mahaprabhu's birth he danced, although he was very old and walked with difficulty. For some time he remained in Nadia and performed his bhajan on the banks of the Ganges. His bhajan kutir and samadhi mandir are still there at present. He ordered Bhaktivinoda Thakura to build a hut so devotees could stay near his bhajan kutir, and Bhaktivinoda did so.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's Jyotir
When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura was twelve years old, he was an expert in the Jyoti-shastras explaining Vedic astrology. Hearing this, Srila Babaji Maharaja one day called upon him to prepare the Vaishnava calendar in accordance with the proper siddhanta. He did so and Babaji Maharaja was very pleased. With this, the Nabadwipa Panjika, the Vaisnava calendar recording the dates of the appearance and disappearance of important Vaishnava saints and the celebration of important festivals began.
Srila Babaji Maharaja always had great enthusiasm for kirtan and Vaishnava seva. Even when he was nearly 135 years old, he went on preaching the message of Sri Caitanya throughout the world for the benefit of the fallen masses. In his old age, although he was almost paralyzed by infirmity, whenever it was time for kirtana he would still raise his arms in ecstasy.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja was the Veda or Babaji guru of Bhagavat dasa Babaji Maharaja. Bhagavat dasa in turn gave the dress of a babaji Gaurakisora dasa Babaji. Jagannatha dasa Babaji's servant's name was Bihari dasa. He was extremely strong and powerful. In his old age, Babaji Maharaja could not walk. Bihari dasa used to carry him in a basket on his shoulders so that Babaji Maharaja could move from place to place.
When he went to Calcutta, Babaji Maharaja would stay at the house of Bhaktivinoda Thakura on Manikatala Street. Bhaktivinoda was always very eager to invite him to his house for prasada, but Babaji Maharaja was very renounced and would come only occasionally.
When he was in his old age, Babaji Maharaja was nearly blind. Many people would come to see him and to offer him donations for the service of Sri Krsna. His servant Bihari dasa would keep all these donations in a bag. One day, Babaji Maharaja said, "Bihari! How many rupees have I got?" Bihari dasa had put some rupees aside for some service he had planned to render Babaji Maharaja. When asked by Jagannatha dasa Babaji about how many rupees were on hand, Bihari placed some rupees in his hand and kept twelve rupees aside. Even though his eyesight was failing, however, Babaji Maharaja detected the discrepancy. "Bihari!" he said, "Why have you kept twelve rupees aside? Give me all the rupees!"
Smiling at this fun, Bihari surrendered the remaining coins to his guru. At that time, Babaji Maharaja made his wishes known as to how the money should be spent. The total came to two hundred rupees. Babaji Maharaja ordered Birari dasa to take the money at once and buy sweetballs, rasagolas, to feed all the cows in Nabadwipa dhama.
Shows Compassion to Dogs
Once Babaji Maharaja was on the banks of the Ganges, living under a makeshift canvas tent. Nearby that place there lived a dog with five puppies. Whenever Babaji Maharaja would take prasada, the dogs would come around and lick the food from his plate. When Bihari dasa caught hold of one of the dogs to drive it off, Babaji Maharaja told him: "Bihari! If you wish to drive these dogs off, you may take my plate away as well. I shall not eat today."
When Bihari complained, "But guru maharaja - these dogs are unclean!" Babaji Maharaja remarked, "No. These dogs are residents of the holy dhama. You may not abuse them."
Many people used to come and beg alms from Jagannatha Dasa Babaji. He did not want to give them alms, but told them to do service. One day a man named Sri Gaura Hari dasa came and asked Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja for alms, but Babaji Maharaja would give him nothing. When the man persisted for three days, fasting outside Babaji Maharaja's tent, Babaji Maharaja finally relented. He tore off a piece of his kaupina, his undergarment and gave it to Bihari dasa, his servant, with the instruction to present it to the beggar as alms, thereby informing the beggar that he must first learn to control his senses before taking up the profession of a saint.
Professional Bhagavata Readers
One day, Sri Babaji Maharaja remarked about the professional readers of Srimad-Bhagavatam, "This kind of professional Bhagavata kirtana is simply prostitution. Those who make their living by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam are offenders to the holy name of Krsna. No one should listen to the kirtana and Bhagavatam readings that they produce. And one who listens to such offensive readings and thus commits offenses against the holy name of Krsna certainly go to hell. Those who are involved in this professional reading should immediately give it up. Such a person should worship the residents of Vrndavan with great care and attention, considering himself most fallen, and thus pray for forgiveness."
Srimad Bhaktivinoda Thakura remarked of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja that he was the topmost general among Gaudiya Vaisnavas.
Austere Lifestyle
Jagannatha dasa was very austere; he never hesitated to fast without taking any water for three days at a stretch. He used sit up the entire night chanting the holy name and at early dawn finish his ablutions. In the morning he took prasada of curd and flat rice. His disciple, Bihari dasa Vrajavasi, used to carry Jagannatha dasa in a basket to wherever he desired to go. Once, while traveling in his basket, a devotee offered a rupee to Jagannatha dasa and Bihari dasa picked it up as directed. After traveling another two or three miles Jagannatha dasa wanted to return to the site which they had passed earlier. Upon returning Jagannatha dasa called the disciple who had given the money and said, "My child! please take back your money. I hear that you have plenty of money; I couldn't bear with the bite of one rupee, I wonder how you manage to swallow the bite of so much money?" Saying this Jagannatha returned the rupee.
The following is a list of disciples of Siddha Jagannatha dasa baba:
- Biharidasa babaji
- Bhagavata dasa babaji
- Gaurahari dasa babaji
- Ramahari dasa babaji
- Ramadasa babaji
- Nityananda dasa babaji, a resident of Varsana
- HareKrsna dasa babaji, a resident of Kadamakhandi.
At the initiative of Bihari dasa, the residents of Suryakunda jointly constructed a concrete room and a temple for the accommodation of Siddha baba. Siddha baba then asked Bihari dasa to locate a Deity to install there. Bihari dasa personally approached a weaver-caste Zemindar to help him in this regard. The Zemindar thus arranged to bring Deities of Gaura-Nitai from Dainhata and gave them to Bihari dasa. Carrying the Deities by boat Bihari dasa went to Calcutta where he gathered bhiksa from the following sources:
Srinatha Raya of Hatkhola gave Rs. 500, the members of the Laha family gave Rs. 1,500, Haridasa baba of Kumartuli gave Rs. 2,000, and collecting another Rs. 1,000 from other sources Biharidasa finally reached Suryakunda with the Deities. Nitai-Gaura looked so beautiful when They were installed that it appeared as if They were made of gold. On the occasion of the installation ceremony a sum of Rs. 3,000 was spent to feed the Vaisnavas of Suryakunda and Radhakunda.
One day a band of dacoits approached Siddha baba with the motive of stealing the Deities which they thought were made of gold. Siddha baba told them that he possessed nothing and they might look into the temple for booty. The dacoits broke open the temple door and quickly gathered up everything they could find, including the Deities. However, in rushing to make their escape they stumbled on the door step and dropped the Deities. Seeing that the sun had risen outside the dacoits left the Deities and rushed off with the rest of the booty.
Takes Deities to Vrndavana
After this incident Siddha baba asked Bihari dasa to arrange for the Deities to be cared for by someone else. Bihari dasa carried the Deities to Vrndavana where he handed Them over, along with Rs. 2,000, to Mother-Gosvamini, a resident of Gayespur in the district of Maldaha. At present these Deities are residing at Dhopapada in Gopalbag and are known as "Sonara Gaura".
Sometime later Siddha baba again asked Bihari dasa to locate another Deity for him. Bihari dasa found a Deity of the six-armed Lord Caitanya which had been kept hidden in a bag of cattle-feed. This Deity belonged to Dinu Bahaji, a Manipuri Vaisnava residing in Mathura near Radha-kunda. Bihari dasa brought the Deity to Vrndavana where he cleansed and decorated Him, then carried the Deity, along with all items for worship, to Surya-kunda. For ten years thereafter Siddha baba worshiped this Deity until one day he said, "Bihari, please put this Deity in the care of someone else in Vrndavana. I would like to go to Navadvipa. Let my body be offered at the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga."
Bihari dasa brought the Deity to Vrndavana and after receiving a donation of Rs. 25 from Mother-Gosvamini of Gayespur handed over the Deity as well as the money to Narottama dasaji, the head of the Gopalaguru matha. At present this Deity is being served at the lane of Nidhuvana.
Carrying Siddha baba on his shoulders from Surya-kunda, Bihari dasa reached the Mathura railway junction and from there left for Navadvipa without buying tickets. On the way no one questioned them. When they got down at the Memari railway station near Burdwan, a European gentleman escorted them safely through the check post. From there Siddha baba went to the akhda of Nepal Babu. After taking some rest they continued their journey until reaching the residence of Siddha Bhagavan dasa babaji at Amvika kalna.
Upon meeting Jagannatha dasa, Siddha Bhagavan dasa said, "Oh! my dear friend has come, Visnu dasa please arrange for their seva." The two friends hugged each other rolling on the floor. They remained in embrace from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M. Visnudasa and Bihari dasa stood by helplessly, not knowing what to do. Bihari dasa explained to Visnu dasa that they had not eaten eat for the last three days. Bihari dasa then threw his arms around Jagannatha dasa and began massaging his chest. Shortly afterwards Jagannatha dasa inquired if Bihari dasa whether he had eaten or not. Bihari explained that although it was about 11 P.M. he could not eat as the other two had not taken prasada yet. Jagannatha replied, "My foolish child, it's merely evening now". He then got up, partook of prasada and went to take rest.
Jagannatha dasa stayed there for about eleven days then left for Navadvipa. Along the way Bihari dasa asked Jagannatha dasa whether they were going to stay at Bada Akhda in Navadvipa. Jagannatha, however, refused to stay at any akhda. He preferred to settle beneath a tree where now the bhajan kutir of Bihari dasa stands. Later Bihari dasa bought ten cottahs of land from Madhava Datta for Rs. 40. That plot had a huge ditch in it which Bihari filled up by carrying earth from the Ganges at night after Jagannatha dasa went to bed.
Sometime later Kedaranatha Datta Bhaktivinoda arrived there and both he and Bihari dasa sought bhiksa from Nafar Pal Chowdhury of Mahesaganj and raised two shades. Awhile later, with the approval of Jagannatha dasa, Rajarshi Banamali Raya Bahadur built three small rooms and fenced them in with a surrounding wall. The aged Manamohini dasi, a resident of Kaigrama, arranged to dig a well. Jagannatha dasa lived here for 32 years until his death at the age of 147 years.