Pranam Mantra:
gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ
vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaḥ ṣrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ
“I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, who is respected by the entire Vaiṣṇava community and who confirmed the discovery of the place where Lord Caitanya appeared.”
Appearance and Identity
Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Maharaj appeared at a village of Tangail subdivision of Mymensingh district in present Bangladesh in a noble family around 1776 AD. According to some, he appeared in a Barendra Kayastha family in the village of Taras in Pabna district. His parents’ names are unknown. Srila Babaji Maharaja accepted the babaji vesha and performed intense Bhajana in Vraja Mandala and Gauda Mandala. He was worshipped as the greatest Vaishnava by his contemporaries. He manifested his pastimes for more than 120 years. He performed the loving service of Sri Sri Radha Govinda following the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami. He came to Navadvipa and spent his final days in bhajana there. He was the senior most among the Vaishnavas and proficient in bhajana. Therefore the Vaishnavas of Puri and Vrindavan called him Siddha babaji or Vaishnava Sarvabhauma (sovereign vaishnava).
A Long Ascetic Life
This great saint used to reside at Radha Kunda close to Govardhana. There he always remained absorbed in the service of Sri Radha and Krishna following the instructions of Sri Rupa Goswami and the footsteps of former vaishnavas. Sometimes he set an example by meditating on Sri Navadvipa Dhama knowing it to be non-different from Vrindavan Dhama. His last days were spent in Kuliya (present Navadvipa) where he made a small bhajan kutir. This sacred place still attracts many pious people throughout the year. He was always engaged in the meditation of Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Radha Krishna, chanting Their holy names. Through his own example he taught everyone and inspired all to do so. Because this is the highest utilization of time by which one can attain the topmost goal of human life. After growing old he seemed to be short and humpbacked. But as soon as he started dancing in ecstasy, his fingers would touch the roof of the room.
Protesting the Professional Bhagavatam Speaker
While Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was residing in Vrindavan along with other dedicated ascetics, a Brahmin scholar, well versed in Sanskrit, arrived there for a few days. He was an excellent Bhagavatam speaker. An audience gathered to attend his discourse. Everyone was attracted to his beautiful explanation and melodious voice. But Vaishnava Sarvabhauma Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji and his associates did not come. When asked by the speaker why he had not come, Śrīla Jagannatha Dasa Babaji replied that to speak Srimad Bhagavatam for the purpose of money, is more despicable and sinful than the work of prostitutes. There is no greater sin than earning money by being a professional speaker of the holy book which is equal to God Himself. Even the listeners of these professional speakers commit equal offence because they are participating in this inauspicious activity. All the so-called ecstatic symptoms they display are false and hypocritical. They are for showmanship and profit.
That speaker of Bhagavatam became enlightened. He did not consider the statements of Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji to be blasphemous or unwanted. Then and there, he gave up the profession of being a Bhagavata speaker. Moreover, he appreciated the kind and compassionate advice of the saint for his own good. By the grace of Srila Babaji Maharaja, that speaker became a pure devotee.
Meeting with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura first met with Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja at Sri Dham Vrindavan in 1881 AD. Since that meeting Thakura Bhaktivinoda treated Srila Babaji Maharaj as his siksha guru (instructing teacher). He met Srila Babaji Maharaja for the second time at Amlajora of Burdwan district on his way to Sridham Nabadwip from Sri Vrindavan in 1891 AD. Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura spent day and night in Gaur-Krishna Katha with Babaji Maharaj on Harivasara Tithi. At this very place Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaj instructed Bhakti Vinoda Thakura to propagate Gaura nama and Gaura dhama. Thakura Bhakti Vinoda observed Ekadasi throughout the night in sankirtan with Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaj at Amlajora. In this regard he wrote in Sajjana Toshani: “Last night we were awake to observe Ekadashi. At 8 AM in the morning all the villagers came out for Sankirtana. His Divine Grace siddha Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja was the foremost person. Everyone followed him and finally arrived at the Prapanna Ashram. Nobody can explain how the symptoms of divine ecstasy appeared in the body of Srila Babaji Maharaj. He danced like a lion in spite of being more than a hundred years old. Sometimes he cried out by saying ‘nitai ki nama enechhe re’ (What a name nitai brought!) or ‘nama enechhe, namera hate sraddha mulye ditechhe re’ (He brought the holy names and sold them at the price of faith in the market of Nama). He shed tears and rolled over the ground. It was an unprecedented scenario. Everyone was overwhelmed seeing his divine ecstasy and danced joyfully in the kirtana.”
Establishment of Prapanna Asrama at Amlajora
A grand Nagar-Sankirtan was held at the behest of Srila Babaji Maharaj and arranged by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. In that kirtana the above one hundred-year-old Babaji danced with joy and was intoxicated with love. He remained in trance for a long time. Then Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura delivered Harikatha and spoke about the need to set up a centre for hearing and chanting Harikatha at Amlajora. The Prapanna Asrama was finally opened by Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj.
Ishta-goshthi of Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura with Srila Babaji Maharaja
From 1893, Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s intimacy gradually increased. Srila Babaji Maharaj often crossed the Ganges and came to Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura’s bhajana place, Godruma from his bhajan kuti with his followers to conduct ishta-goshti. The area was buzzing with loud Hari Sankirtana almost all the time. And Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura used to come to Babaji Maharaj to discuss Srimad Bhagavatam and the Goswami’s texts very often. In Magha, Bengali era 1299, Srila Babaji Maharaja paid his auspicious visit to Surabhi Kunja, the bhajan place of Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura. A beautiful Sankirtana festival was arranged there on Wednesday 27th Magha. Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji used to call Thakura Bhakti Vinoda ‘the commander of the devotees.’
Identifying the Birth Site of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji had a servant named Sri Bihari Dasa Babaji who was very physically strong. He used to carry Babaji Maharaj from one place to another in a basket. Even though Babaji Maharaj was very old, his eyesight was intact. He would only lower his droopy eyebrows to cover his eyes and raise his eyebrows (often by the help of his servant) in order to see.
It was reported by Sri Bhakti Vinoda Thakura in Sajjana Toshani Magazine:
“On 20th Phalguna, Thursday, 1299 Bengali era, 1892 A.D., on the advent day of Mahaprabhu, at 11 a.m., the devotees of west Navadvipa, crossed the Ganga in three boats. Respected devotee Mahendra Babu brought them on the opposite bank i.e. Mayapur. Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Mahashaya was carried in a palanquin. The number of passengers at Sri Mayapur could no longer be counted. Arriving at Mayapur, it was found that His grace Dwarika Babu was waiting for Babaji Mahashaya with a Sankirtana party carrying various flags at the birthplace of Mahaprabhu. As all the devotees mounted the lofty birth place, they began to dance. A wonderful splendour spread over the entire Navadvipa Mandala. It seemed that such beauty had not been seen for four hundred years. All the Vaishnavas sat down and finally decided that a temple should be established at the birthplace of the Lord and at Srivasa Angan. Finally Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja expressed his desire that at the birth place the deities of Sri Sacidevi and Jagannatha Mishra should be installed in a room. In another room a deity of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu along with Lakshmi Priya and Vishnu Priya should be installed. And the form of a youthful Nimai should be installed in another room.
– Sajjana Toshani, vol 4, 234-235 pages, essay: “Avirbhava Utsava” (the appearance ceremony)
Description of Sri Mayapur Yogapitha
There was a kadamba tree at Yogapitha, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Mayapur. Srila Babaji Maharaja used to come and dance there. Srila Gaura Kishora Dasa Babaji used to engage in Hari kirtana under that tree. Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja spent some time at his bhajan kutir in Navadvipa. During his final days he became very short. But when he danced out of ecstasy in Harinama Sankirtana, he was found as tall as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. He had long arms and hands which could touch his knees and a nyagrodha parimandala (extraordinary) shaped body just like Mahaprabhu. Although he seemed to be only four hands tall, he could leap 5-6 hands high! During kirtana he manifested many ecstatic symptoms.
