The Biography of HDG Srila Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja, Part 8

BY: SUN STAFF - 1.5 2025

Sri Srimad Paramahamsa 108 Srila Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji
River Yamuna, flowing past Khans Qila at Mathura Painting by Francis Swain Ward, c. late 18th c.

A serial presentation of the life and pastimes of our illustrious Sampradaya Acaraya.

The Devotee and The Hypocrite

Dipaka was a resident who lived near Srila Gaurakisora for some time. Because of his close relationship with Srila Gaurakisora the people naturally displayed a high devotional regard for him also. Dipaka had previously resided in Orissa. Once Dipaka's father came to Navadvipa. He used to carry a hand written copy of the Srimad-Bhagavatam with him wherever he went. This inspired the people in general to give him charity.

Dipaka's father would offer large sums of money to Dipaka for Srila Gaurakisora to use in his service. Now and then, Dipaka would hide some money away and give it back to his father who was a pauper. Srila Gaurakisora, who was in contact with the Supersoul, knew this was going on. Eventually he stopped talking to Dipaka altogether.

Previous to that Dipaka would boil and serve rice for Srila Gaurakisora. However, after this incident, Srila Gaurakisora would never accept anything that touched the hands of Dipaka. Instead, as before, Srila Gaurakisora would take some cracked rice, soak it in the water of the Ganges River, and accept that as his prasadam. This scared Dipaka and caused anxiety in the other devotees. Dipaka began to fast.

When Srila Gaurakisora heard that Dipaka was not eating he said, "If that person does not leave immediately, I will give up my life in the Ganges river." Then one day while walking along the bank of the Ganges, Srila Gaurakisora threw himself in. Many people gathered to draw him from the water. Srila Gaurakisora began to yell very loudly, "Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Because I have been unable to perform my worship of the Supreme Lord properly, I must give up this body." Many persons immediately grouped together and were able to rescue Srila Gaurakisora from the river and bring him up onto the bank. After Srila Gaurakisora had come to his external senses, he said, "Why did all of you bring me up from the waters of the Ganges? My servant, Dipaka, has given everything I have to his father." Then everyone consoled him, saying, "We will bring as much money as you need. We will immediately bring you four times as much money as Dipaka wasted." Srila Gaurakisora then said, "Wealth is not important to me. I only want to avoid living in the association of people like Dipaka, because in the association of deceitful persons, worship of the Supreme Lord becomes obstructed."

Many people had thought that Srila Gaurakisora had thrown himself into the Ganges because of attachment to money. Now they could understand that Srila Gaurakisora was not just any ordinary beggar looking for wealth. He would never tolerate rascaldom in the name of devotional service. Krsna has a monopoly over despotism. A deceitful natured person can only imitate the Lord and at best become a cheap imposter, baula. A Vaisnava is always straightforward and simple in all his activities.

The Enjoyment of Wealth

Once Srila Gaurakisora entrusted Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura with one hundred rupees. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, in order to keep the money safely, put it in the bank. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta then travelled to another place. Suddenly one day Srila Gaurakisora approached Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and asked him for his one hundred rupees. Bhaktivinoda Thakura then said, "My son has put that money in the bank. As long as he is gone, it will be impossible to withdraw your money from the bank."

Although Bhaktivinoda Thakura told this to Srila Gaurakisora he could understand that it was essential to give Babaji Maharaja the necessary funds. At the first opportunity Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave Srila Gaurakisora one hundred rupees from his own private savings. Srila Gaurakisora gave the money to a friend and sent him to Vrndavana. Srila Gaurakisora said, "Many persons come to me thinking that I am a Vaisnava, and therefore give money for my foodstuffs. But actually, I am not a Vaisnava. I have heard that there are real devotees in Vrndavan. So therefore, I am sending the money for their service."

Whenever Srila Gaurakisora would receive any donations from admirers who considered him to be a Vaisnava, he never used the money for his own sense gratification, but always gave it for the service of other exalted devotees. Srila Gaurakisora would say, "Any foodstuffs collected by begging is pure and can be utilized in bhajana to maintain ones sustenance. Any money accepted if utilized for non-devotional purposes will contaminate the mind and create different impediments on the path of devotional service."

Desire for Wealth

One day in Kuliya, Navadvipa, a Gosvami came with several other persons who were dressed as renounced Babaji vaisnavas. Approaching Srila Gaurakisora, he said, "Oh, Baba! For many days I was unable to have your association because I went to Pravasa." Srila Gaurakisora then said, "Why have you left Navadvipa? You found a nice house with a good bathroom. What is the need of you travelling to so many distant places and mixing freely with the public?" Then one of the Gosvami's companions explained, "He went to another province in order to deliver the people in general. If he doesn't travel and preach, then what will be the future of those places?"

Hearing this, Srila Gaurakisora became irritated and said, "If you want to actually do good for the people in general, then why are you so interested in accepting money from foreigners? Why are you interested in the heads of the Caucasions which appear printed on the currency notes. I have understood your inner desires. You are simply making plans to build yourself a nice brick house, so that you can live comfortably. If you actually want to serve the Supreme Lord in bhajana, you must give up the idea that you are the master, prabhu. When you can do that I will personally tell Nityananda Prabhu to build you fifty brick houses. But if you simply want a nice brick house as a place to enjoy your wife and sons, then Nityananda Prabhu will grant all these materialistic desires of yours and then discard the possibility of your ever obtaining pure love of Godhead. If you are really searching after false prestige and material acquisition, yet making a show of delivering the material universe, then let the material universe continue as it is because you will fall down and deceive the material world."

Saying this, Srila Gaurakisora began to absorb himself in kirtana very loudly until late that afternoon. Srila Gaurakisora made it clearly evident that if someone becomes offensive toward the Lord's pure name or offensive in his service, he will instead obtain the results of mundane religiosity, economic development, and sense gratification. This is the epitome of misfortune for the living entity. Our spiritual master Sri Nityananda Prabhu cheats the deceitful, by fulfilling their material desires.

Gauranga Gauranga or Rupee Rupee

Once several visitors began to eulogize the son of one famous caste Gosvami because of his expertise in explaining the Srimad Bhagavatam. They told Srila Gaurakisora, "This lecturer always chants "Gaura! Gaura!", and exhibits many devotional moods in devotional service which attract many disciples." Srila Gaurakisora then revealed the nature of the householder Gosvamis' son to the people who had gathered there. "That Gosvamis' son who appears to be so expert does not know how to properly describe the scriptures of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. He is expert in superficially explaining their literatures. Actually, he does not loudly scream "Gaura! Gaura!", but "Rupee! Rupee!" (Money! Money!). If one performs devotional service like this, simply crying very loudly for wealth, then his devotional attitude is meaningless. This is the reason why actual Vaisnava practices have become covered. This behavior reaps havoc in human society. This kind of activity will never benefit anyone."