Vamsidas Babaji (1859 – 23 July 1944) was an Bangladeshi Hindu monk, philosopher and spiritual guru of Vaishnavism religion He is known as Vaishnavism Churamani of Vaishnavism religion.^[1][2]

Early life

Srila Vomsidas Babaji appeared in 1859 in Majitpur village of Greater Mymensingh District of East Bengal (present day Pakundia Thana of Kishoreganj District, Bangladesh) in British India. His name in Purvashram was Bhairav Chandra.^[3] He was the first child of Srisanatana Mantra Brahma (Burman), a poor fisherman. His mother Shrimati Sarbasundari was a religious lady who was there for all the family members despite poverty and hardship dedication. They had two other sons named Kulachandra and Rajchandra and they had four more daughters. According to family tradition, the head of the Bhairava Chandra family was initiated by Srinrottam Das Babaji of the Narottam-family of Nigaya Akhara in nearby Jamalpur village. Like any other child of a common fisherman's family in Bengal, Bhairav grew up in extreme poverty. Every day he could catch as much fish as he could, so the family lived. Life was very difficult and without any facilities. Institutional education is out of the question.^[4] As a young man, Bhairav had nothing to do but catch and sell fish. This was life. What more can be expected? Bhairav used to spend the whole day in the river with his father and other fishermen. After sunset, he would return home and go to the arena. There he used to listen to the impermanence of material life, the Lilakatha of Sri Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the greatness of Harinam in the village dialect. At this time he was Srila.^[5]

Religious consciousness

Though he entered Navadwip as a stranger like other saints, Vamsidas Babaji gradually became known. Many well-to-do saints used to speak softly or imitate Siddhilav. But Babaji Maharaj really got it. During his stay in Navadvipa he avoided the company of those disguised Vaishnavas. Once a man started preaching a part of Navadwipa as the birthplace of Mahaprabhu. He says that Mahaprabhu told him about this place in a dream. But in the meantime Srila Bhaktivinoda Tagore had discovered the actual place of appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapur and the Vaishnava sovereign Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj also declared it to be genuine. That is why Srila Gaurkishor Das Babaji Maharaj said about that man:

Those who have discovered the abode of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are to be followed by all. A mere dream cannot be any proof that such and such a place is the place of appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. To whom the Dhamma of God manifests itself, he never tries to earn money from the Dhamma. Only the true followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are able to discover His abode. Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj and Srila Bhaktivinoda Tagore have discovered this holy place in that sutra - it should be accepted as true. Denominator result the next day Srila Vanshidas Babaji took an ax to the fake place and destroyed its front.^[6][7]

Death

July 23, 1944 AD On Srila Raghunandan Tagore's Tirovava Tithi at 8 pm, Paramahamsa Vamsidas Babaji Maharaj entered Sri Krishna's Nityalila in Goloka Vrindavan accompanied by Ihilila.^[8] Babaji's constant companion, Tulsi Devi in the clay tub,^[9] also fell down immediately. Devotees of Majitpur buried the unnatural body of Yamavithi Babaji Maharaj.^[10][11]

See also

• Vaishnavism
• Bhakti yoga
• Sanatana Goswami
• Jiva Goswami
• Rupa Goswami

Notes

References

• Bhakti Vikasa, Swami. Sri Vamsidasa Babaji. Bhakti Vikas Trust. pp. 23–33. ISBN 978-8190829250.
• Bhakti Vikas, Swami. Вамшидас Бабаджи- Sri Vamshidas Babaji (Russian) (in Russian) (2013 ed.). Russia: Bhakti Vikas Trust. pp. 3–12. ISBN 9785820501616.
• Bhakti Vikas, Swami. श्री वंशीदास बाबाजी : Sri Vamsidasa Babaji (in Hindi) (2016 ed.). India: Bhakti Vikas Trust. pp. 8–16. ISBN 9789382109365.

Further reading

• Bhakti Vikas, Swami. શ્રી વંશીદાસ બાબાજી (in Gujarati) (2019 ed.). Gujarat, India: Bhakti Vikas Trust. pp. 5–18. ISBN 9789382109594.
• Bhakti Vikas, Swami (2017). [Swami শ্রীল বংশীদাস বাবাজি] (in Bengali). Dhaka- 1100, Bangladesh: Hare Krishna publication. pp. 33–38. ISBN 978-984-91407-5-7. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)CS1 maint: location (link)

External links

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• Works by or about Vamsidas Babaji at Internet Archive