The disappearance pastime of Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj

The events surrounding the disappearance of Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj.

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

At the time when Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj left his body, Sakhi Babu and Kunja Babu, later Sripad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, were coming to see him. They were very old devotees, but at that time they had not taken initiation from Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur yet though they had much regard and respect for him. Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj left his body, and about fifty babajis came and wanted to take his body to their ashram. They wanted to make a samadhi mandir there and take so much pranami. They were quarrelling, and in the meantime, the police came to ensure that the quarrelling did not turn into fighting.

Kunja Babu, Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, immediately went to Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur in Mayapur, Vraja Pattan, to give the news to him. Srila Saraswati Thakur had also felt in his heart, “My lord left his body.” He was coming from Mayapur to Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj. Every day he came at that time. Early in the morning, he was coming, and in the middle he met Kunja Babu. Kunja Babu told Saraswati Thakur, “Babaji Maharaj has disappeared”, and Saraswati Thakur said, “In my heart I felt it, so I was going to him.”

Srila Saraswati Thakur explained his feelings later, “I saw Babaji Maharaj take the form of Kunja Babu and come to me to give this news: ‘Take my body now and make proper arrangements’.” I heard this from Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and it is the truth, one hundred per cent. Then Saraswati Thakur came to Kuliya and saw all the babajis quarrelling over Babaji Maharaj’s body. He made a sound. His voice was not so big, but at that time, he made a very great sound someone said.

The policemen knew Saraswati Thakur as a deputy magistrate’s son and respected him as a sannyasi sadhu. A police officer came and told Saraswati Thakur, “They are quarrelling, and you are the disciple of Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj. You give your decision, and we will follow that.” Srila Saraswati Thakur saw that all the babajis were nonsense—materialists making a nuisance with no spiritual feelings.

Then Srila Saraswati Thakur declared, “You all know I am the disciple of Babaji Maharaj, but I am not claiming his body because I am a brahmachari, and he was a babaji. You can take this body. I am declaring to the group of babajis present here that you can take the body of Babaji Maharaj. But only someone who was not polluted by a woman in the last month can touch my Gurudev’s body, otherwise he will be destroyed.” And so many babajis left. Then Saraswati Thakur very strongly said, “One who has not mixed with a woman in fifteen days, that babaji can touch my Guru’s body.” Then many left. Then he told, “Seven days.” Then he told, “Someone who did not mix with a woman last night can touch.” And they all left.

The police officer was surprised to see that and said, “If they tell a lie, then what will happen? They can say ‘Yes, I am a clean man.’ Then what will you do?” “If anyone tells a lie, he must be destroyed, and they know it.” Then the police officer said, “Now what will you do?” Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur said, “I shall give him samadhi.” And like Mahaprabhu gave samadhi to Haridas Thakur, he dug a samadhi with the help of Sakhi Babu, Kunja Babu, and others. Some of his followers were there.

We observe this Ekadasi day.

damodarotthana-dine pradhane
ksetre pavitre kuliyabhidhane
prapancha-lila-pariharavantam
vande prabhum gaura-kisora-sanjnam

“Following Utthan Ekadasi day, in the holy abode of Kuliya, Koladwip Dham, Babaji Maharaj left his body and joined Mahaprabhu and Radha-Govinda’s Pastimes.”

Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj’s disappearance day passed here in Nabadwip. After one or two years, the Ganges flooded and took away that original samadhi mandir. From there, Saraswati Thakur took some ingredients to Mayapur and with them he made the samadhi mandir there.