VAMSIDASA BABAJI

He was born in Majitpura in the subdivision of Kisoraganja in the district of Mayamanasimha. His father's name was Sanatana Malovrahma. His former name was Bhairavacandra. According to usual custom, he married at an early age but he had no attraction for married life. Being repeatedly requested by his mother, he dealt with his wife for a single day only. He was initiated into the family of Narottama Thakura and accepted the garb of an ascetic. At that time the influence of the Kalacanda doctrine was very prominent throughout the country. He first began worshipping following that particular doctrine, but later entered into the realm of pure Gaudiya Vaisnavism.

At one one Siddha Sri Gaurakisore Baba went to Navadvipa and seeing the sincerity of service of Siddha baba opined, "After Gaurakisore, he will be a great successor but his doctrine will be different."

While in Navadvipa, Vamsidasa Baba lived in a hermitage and begged alms. Later when the charge of serving Sri Gaura fell on him, he became totally dependent on begging. He built a simply hut near the house of the elder Gosvami in Caumuhani and lived there with his Gaurahari. When he went out begging, he would sometimes carry Gaurahari with him.

Vamsidasa never shut the door of his hut, though occasionally his belongings would be stolen by thieves. When his devotees requested him to lock the door he replied, "If He neglects His own house, what Vamsidasa will do?" Once a devotee gave a golden chain for Gaurahari and a thief stole it. When Vamsidasa came back from begging he said to his Deity, "To whom have you given Your chain?" In the evening he got some clue and went to the house of the thief. When he requested the thief to give back the chain the thief pushed him from the verandah to the ground. He did not speak a word, but since then he lost one of his legs. Eventually that thief lost everyone in his family. Being harassed by the municipality, Vamsidasa left his hut and began to live near the social center house of Jhautala. Once in the rainy season, he covered his Gaurahari with a ragged blanket and from time to time wiped His face which was wet with drops of rain. Srimati Lalita Sakhi dasi could not drag him to live in the Nathmandir or to build a roof over his head.

Vamsidasa's Deity used to speak to him. Babaji never went anywhere except once to Kenduvilva and once to Kheturi. At the end of his life he stayed for a long time in a room north of the Badala ghat. There he served Sri Nitai-Gaura and

Gadadhara, Sri Radha-Govinda and Sri Gopala. He engaged in their service constantly without wasting a minute.

He memorised the entire Prarthana and Prema-bhakti-candrika by Sri Narottama Thakura. Sometimes he sang from Prarthana. He never spoke angrily to anyone, neither did he speak of "I" or "my". He used to address himself as Vamsidasa. He always cooked for himself and offered whatever he made to his Deity, never accepting anything but prasada. Even when he became ill, he simply fasted and never allowed anyone to nurse him.

There was a campaka tree in the garden nearby which gave two campaka flowers everyday to him. Even in his old age, he could climb the tree like a strong young man. One day, however, he fell from the tree and was severely injured. From that time forward he was unable to go outside and at that time his disciples, Manohara dasa, Govinda dasa and Jagadvandhu dasa, looked after him.