Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé

Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé is one of the siddha Äcäryas of the Gauòéya Vaiñëava Society. His Dékñä Guru is Çré Çré Nanda Kiçora Gosvämé, who is from Advaita Parivära.[1] Thus, during His sädhana käla, Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé followed/practised what His predecessors (in Advaita Parivära) practised. As his Dékñä Guru was from Advaita Parivära, all his Gurus –Parama, Parätpara and Parameñöhi Guru were from the same Parivära, used to do same mantras, used to apply same tilaka and resided at same place on siddhi, and his genuine followers also practice the same.

  • Tilaka- Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé used to apply the tilaka of Advaita Parivära- heart shaped large banyan leaf, which is totally different from the tilaka (sharp triangular leaf) of Çréla Jagannätha Däsa Bäbäjé, who is from Nityänanda Parivära or from Çré Kåñëa Däsa  Bäbäjé Mahäräja’s tilaka (tulasé leaf with a small stem).
  • Clothes- Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja was “white clothed” during sädhanä and also after siddhi. His Guru-gaëa were always in white clothes and His bonafide followers are also always in white clothes.
  • Mantras-The mantras (Mantras and Gäyatré of Navadvépa and Våndävana) chanted by Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja and his entire Guru-gaëa are different from the mantras chanted by Çréla Jagannätha Däsa Bäbäjé and his Guru-gaëa (of Nityänanda Parivära), and also from Çréla Kåñëa Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja and his Guru-gaëa (of Narottama Parivära).
  • Siddha Praëälé[2]- Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja accepted the Siddha Praëälé and gave to his disciples also, who later on gave to their disciples. His maïjaré name is Gandarvikä Priyä Maïjaré. By giving Siddha Praëälé to Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja, Çré Çré Nandakiçora Gosvämé gave him his eternal identity as Gandarvikä Priyä Maïjaré.
  • Çré Çré Guru Praëälé of Advaita Parivära

Çré Çré Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja

  • Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu
  • Çré Advaita Candra Prabhu
  • Çré Balaräma  Deva Gosvämé
  • Revaté Mä Gosväminé
  • Kåñëa  Priyä Mä Gosväminé
  • Çré Rämeçvara Prabhu Gosvämé
  • Çré Gopäla Deva Gosvämé
  • Çré Kåñëänanda  Deva Gosvämé
  • Dokoòé Mä Gosväminé
  • Çré Nanda Kiçora Deva Gosvämé
  • Çré Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja
  • Çré Nandikeçvara Deva Gosvämé
  • Rädhä Kåñëa Däsa
  • Worshipable Deity- He was absorbed day and night in the worship of Rädhä-Kåñëa. He never worshipped the Lord like Lord Nåsiàha, Lord Räma or Lord Varäha etc. daily. One can go to His Samädhi and see His personal Deities! After his disappearance, it will be inappropriate to put him where Lord Nåsiàha or Sétä Räma or Varäha Lakñmé are daily worshipped.
  • Eternally-
  • Eternal Place of Residence- Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé is from Advaita Parivära, so He stays with Advaitäcärya i.e., his fixed eternal residence is with Lord Advaitäcärya, not with Çréväsa Paëòita or with Lord Nityänanda.
  • Yogpéöha where Çréla Jagannätha Bäbäjé stands is different from the Yogpéöha where Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja stands, as the former is directly connected to Mä Jähnavä (consort of Lord Nityänanda).

Gauòéya devotees are those who follow the footsteps of siddha devotees. And siddha devotees are those whose goal of life is the attainment of the Lotusfeet of Çré Gaura. Moreover, siddha mahätmäs (saints) completely dedicate/sacrifice their lives in the service of the Lotusfeet of Çré Gaura. They completely direct their desires, intent and everything towards Çré Gaura. It is written in the Scriptures that sweetness of Lord’s name and Lord’s remembrance can be experienced only in a pure and sweet heart. Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé possessed all these rare qualities.

Bäbäjé Mahäräja took shelter SOLELY of Gaura Näma which is the Yuga-dharma of this Kaliyuga. Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja made Näma the goal of his life. He was concerned with only two activities- Näma Kértana and Näma Smaraëa. He was an extremely serious devotee and with exclusive allegiance, he was always absorbed in Näma Sädhanä.  Bäbäjé Mahäräja had a very simple heart. He was always immersed in bliss. He was always immersed in the glories of the Holy name. Mahämantra with 16 names and 32 words, which has appeared to deliver this yuga, was always resonating in the heart of Bäbäjé. This Hare Kåñëa Mantra was Bäbäjé’s sädhana, bhajana and all pervading knowledge. One more quality of Bäbäjé was that wherever he used to go, he would never beg from anyone. He was ayäcaka (mendicant). Whatever he could find on his own, he would feel complete satisfaction in that only. He used to keep himself away from public places and would prefer to live in solitude. While keeping himself aloof from the world and with exclusive allegiance to his bhäva in relation to the Lord, he would remain absorbed in Näma Kértana throughout the day.

It is mentioned in the Scriptures that one should offer opulent bhoga to the Deities. However Bäbäjé Mahäräja was always absorbed in the relishment of the Holy Name and used to wander from one place to another. While wandering, if Bäbäjé would find even a broken utensil, even the used and no longer usable one, he would pick that utensil. Then while passing through some market, if Bäbäjé would find any discarded vegetables and fruits, he used to pick them in that broken utensil. And on reaching the embankment of river Gaìgä, he used to take bath, after which he would offer the same vegetables and fruits with Gaìgä Water to the Lord while praying to the Lord that “I am capable of offering only this and You please accept this offering”. Whatever he would offer to the Lord, he would take the same discarded vegetables, fruits and Gaìgä water in that same broken utensil. While crying profusely, Bäbäjé would pray to the Lord that he does not know any sevä paripäöé of the Lord, any devotional practice.  Tears would roll down from his eyes incessantly. This way Bäbäjé used to offer food to the Lord.

Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja is Veça Guru of Çré Bhaktivinoda Thäkura. It is well known fact that Çré Bhaktivinoda Thäkura in his advanced age took to renounced order of life. He became a Bäbäjé. He took Bäbäjé veça from Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja. Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja is not the Dékñä Guru of Çré Bhaktivinoda Thäkura. The worshipable unbroken disciplic succession is of one of the Nityänanda Parivära where Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda got initiated.

Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s Guru Paramparä-

  1. Jähnavä  Mätä
  2. Rämacandra Gosvämé
  3. Räjavallabha Gosvämé
  4. Kåñëacandra Gosvämé
  5. Rudroçvara Gosvämé
  6. Dayäräma Gosvämé
  7. Maheçvaré Gosväminé
  8. Guëa Maïjaré Gosväminé
  9. Ramämäni Gosväminé
  10. Yajneçvara Gosväminé
  11. Vipin Vihäré Gosvämé
  12. Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura
  13. Lalitä Prasäda Öhäkura
  14. Çyämasundara Öhäkura

He got his siddha deha, his maïjaré svarüpa through the mercy of Vipin Vihäré Gosvämé and he gave ekädaça bhäva, maïjaré svarüpa to his disciples, including his son and disciple Çré Lalitä Prasäda Öhäkura.

Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja received guidance in matters of Bhajana from Çré Bhagavän Däsa Bäbäjé of Kälnä, a disciple of Siddha Çré Kåñëa Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja.

Bonafide Paramparä of Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja still exists. Thousands of devotees are doing what he practised. Current Äcäryas in Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé’s lineage are still giving maïjaré svarüpa, siddha praëälé, Guru Praëälé to the practitioners.

At the age of 90, Bäbäjé left this mortal world and entered into the pastimes of Rädhä- Kåñëa. Not all devotees are aware of the place of Samädhi i.e., where Divine body of Çréla Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja was finally put. After the disappearance of Bäbäjé, few famous people of Navadvépa decided to build the Samädhi (Memorial) of Bäbäjé on the banks of Gaìgä. However, 60-70 years ago, due to the overflowing of river Gaìgä, the embankment began to erode and slowly the water in river Gaìgä reached near the Memorial of Bäbäjé Mahäräja. Consequently, few respected Gauòéya Vaiñëavas of Navadvépa, who were aware of the greatness of Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja, decided to shift the Memorial of Bäbäjé from the embankment on river Gaìgä to some other place. When Memorial Temple was being built, then the mortal remains of Çré Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja were taken out. At that time devotees from far off places who knew the greatness of Bäbäjé, came for the darçana of this divine spectacle. There were around three to four thousand ordinary men who had come for darçana. The crowd was huge that barricades had to be put to control. The place was full to the brim. People from everywhere came for darçana. Jai Nitäi Däsa Bäbäjé was among those who had darçana. Under the watchful eyes of these Bäbäjés, the mortal remains of Siddha Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja were again put to rest and this Memorial Temple was built. The place where this Memorial rests is called rani chora chakipara, Navadvépa.

But this place where the Memorial was located was very small and there was a narrow road passing through it. It was not possible for devotees to circumambulate the Memorial easily. Therefore, after some time when this Memorial Temple was finally opened for darçana, few devotees decided to shift it a little further inside to its current location. The surroundings were also renovated and were made wider so that devotees could sit there and do japa, meditation and take part in spiritual discourses. One can have darçana of this Samädhi of Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja in Präcéna Mäyäpur (not very well known), see his eternal tilaka, meet the wonderful devotees of this paramparä, see how it is different from different pariväras like- Çréla Jagannätha Däsa Bäbäjé’s Lineage, can see His Guru Paramparä, which is totally different from Çréla Jagannätha Däsa Bäbäjé’s Paramparä etc.

This is the only place where the original Memorial of Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé is located. It is mentioned in the form of a map in Scripture- Gauòéya Vaiñëava Jévané. Some people believe that this memorial of Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja is located at several other places too. But the reality is that those are not actual Memorials rather only symbolic Memorials (Puñpa Samädhi). It is because at that time when embankment on river Gaìgä was being eroded and the water of the river had reached the Memorial then people from various organizations wanted to shift this Memorial to the place of their own choice. But in order to save the Memorial, few Gauòéya devotees who knew the greatness of Bäbäjé Mahäräja, shifted the Memorial from that place to its current location overnight with the help of lamps.

The current Memorial which we see today was built by Çré Gopäla Däsa Mistré who is no longer alive. The Saints of Bonafide Gauòéya Paramparäs consider this present Memorial to be original and bonafide and offer their obeisances here. In many old Scriptures like Vaiñëava Tulikä, the life of Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja is described. Through madhukaré, the devotees residing here are trying to run this place and are trying to take care of this place. They celebrate various festivals. These devotees have an extreme and incomparable faith in Gaura Kiçora Däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja.

[1] Being a Gauòéya Vaiñëava means, that one should have a connection with a Parivära i.e., connection to the service of Mahäprabhu through an eternal associate of Çréman Mahäprabhu.

There are many Pariväras like-Nityänanda Parivära, Advaita Parivära, Çyämänanda Parivära, Jéva Gosvämé Parivära, Gopäla Bhaööa Gosvämé Parivära, Vakreçvara Parivära, Narottama Parivära, Çréväsa Paëòita Parivära, Gadädhara Paëòita Parivära, Narahari Sarakära Öhäkura Parivära etc.

[2] A Siddha Praëälé is composed of the unbroken disciplic Guru Lineage i.e. a Guru Praëälé along with their Maïjaré svarüpas in Vraja. All details are there in Siddha Praëälé. One’s own initiating Spiritual Master, His Guru and His subsequent Guru traced back to the associates of Lord Gauräìga, together form the Guru Paramparä.

To a sädhaka, Gurudeva in Gauòéya Vaiñëavism reveals his own Maïjaré Svarüpa and its details along with Maïjaré Svarüpa of the entire Guru Varga along with details…plus sädhaka’s own Maïjaré Svarüpa, ekädaça bhäva (details about Maïjaré Svarüpa). After Çré Gauräìga’s prakaöa lélä, this Siddha Praëälé is given by Gurudeva to a disciple.