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7/27/2019 Gaudiya Vaisnava Jivan

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r-r Gauya Vaiava JvanaHagiographies Of r Hareka Ds Bbj, r Harids Bbj,

r Mdhava Ds Bbj, a Bbj From Nandagrm andDharmads Bbj

rla Harids dsj (1898-1957)


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Hare Ka Dsa Bbj

(Rdhkua)In the life of this Mahpurua we see a brilliant example of how those who are attached

to r Ka-bhajana are making good use of their time. He performed bhajana in differentplaces, but he always performed the regular duties of the external body within this bustle. He gotup at the end of the night, kept his ml apart and went out with his clay pot to answer nature'scall and to take a bath. Then he somehow put on his tilaka and sat down to do bhajana. Then,

when it was midday he again went off with his clay pot, answered nature's call and bathed,putting on tilaka with the help of a broken mirror. At the base of a Tulas-tree he offered twoTulas-leaves to his Girirja and then went off with his begging bag to do mdhukar. After ashort while he came back and recited a few handwritten verses from a translation of rla RpaGosvm's 'Cu Pupjali'. After this he took his mdhukar and sat down again to dobhajana.

In the evening he again took his clay pot out to answer nature's call and bathe and sat downagain to do bhajana. At night he would not eat anymore - nobody really knew if sleep came tohim or not. In his old age he used to live in Ntana Gher at Rdhkua. At that time his

bhajana was supported by the prasda from Rjari Bhdura's sevita r-r Rdh-Vinoda.Hearing about his firm attachment tobhajana and seeing it with his own eyes, r-yukta KminKumra Ghoa went to him and prayed to him: "I am always very sleepy, ever since I was small,and I cannot do anybhajana, please bestow your mercy on me!" Bb replied: "When a youngman and woman meet, will sleep come to them at night? As soon as passionate attachment (to

bhajana) comes, sleep will go away by itself! Meditate on it which limb of your siddha deha isadorned with which ornament!" Then, when Kmin Bbu asked him if he could sometimes

come and have darana of his lotus feet, Bb said: "Come, but do not stay too long." A fewmonths after this, on the night of the full moon in autumn (October) the Vaiavas, who weredoing parikram of the r Kua, were calling out for him. After doing krtana the Vaiavasonce again returned to him. At night they offered pyasa (sweet rice) and when they went toBbj Mahaya to offer him theprasda they saw that he had left his body while remaining onhis sana.

(Source: rla Haridsa Dsj's 'Gauya Vaiava Jvana', Vol.2)

r Haridsa Bbj Mahrja(r Govardhana, Govinda Kua)

He was the disciple of the famous r Dayla Dsa Bbj Mahaya of r Vndvana. Hefirst didbhajana in riagrma for 7-8 years, then he lived at Govinda Kua near Govardhanafor 10 years, after that he lived in Paiho Grma for 5 years, and finally he lived in YatipurGrma for the remaining 6 years, before becoming unmanifest (passing away). rla Advaita DsaBbj Mahrja described his inner and outer condition while he lived at Govinda Kua as

follows:


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"r Haridsa Bbj Mahaya lived according to the principle laid down by rRaghuntha Dsa Gosvmpda in his Svaniyama Daakam (9): vrajotpanna krana vasana

ptrdibhi ("I will drink milk from Vraja, wear clothes from Vraja and use plates from Vraja")janma n dilo jihvya rasera sparana "From his very birth he did not allow his tongue to enjoyany taste". He was wholly liberated and he remained assagd bhujagd iva, suka dhaman

jarat kanth "He carefully and fearfully stayed far away from everyone, considering himselflower than the lowest. He always wore one ragged old quilt over his body, that he dragged overthe floor as he walked, so that no one would see his footprints afterwards."

He searched for r Ka's footprints all over Vraja. If someone brought him someprasd sweets he would very respectfully accept it, take it in his kura and keep it on a plate.Then he would take a crumb of it, take some of his drymdhukar and go out. He told those whobrought him prasda: "I have received all the prasda you gave me." No light could come intohis kura - it was all dark inside. There were many clay pots in there, in which he kept the foot-nectar and lip-nectar (foodremnants) of so manymah-puruas, all seperately. At night he tookthe aforementioned sweets out into the forest and placed them at the base of a tree - if he wouldhave given it to someone personally it would have disturbed hisbhajana.

r Stntha Dsj, who lived there, told him one day: "Haridsj! You are going to rVndvana, please bring one woollen cloth for me", and gave him one rupee. Actually rHaridsj never touched any metals or any foreign material, but in order to follow the order of asuperior Vaiava he wrapped the Rupee in his garment and took it with him. rla Advaita DsaBbj Mahaya went with him to r Vndvana. r Haridsj gave the Rupee seperately to theshopkeeper and wrapped the woollen cloth separately in his garment before giving it to rStntha Dsj. He was in r Vndvana for only three days. He bathed in the Yamun, greatlyafraid that he was going to touch someone, saw the seven (main Gauya Vaiava) temples andthen left again.

Fearing the company of the people he would doparikram of Govardhana at night. Oncehe performed such a nocturnalparikram and it had become morning but he could not reach hiskura. While on the way he thought - "It would be better if there was a big temple with serviceto the Vaiavas here." As soon as this thought crossed his mind he began to research where thisdesire had come from. When he looked behind himself he saw that one eha (rich man) walkedthere. Fearfully he left the pathway and took another road. This was a mental transformationdue to association (however remote).

A rich doctor from Allahabad had a charitable booth in Govinda Kua. The VrajavsPjr got the ruis from there that he gave to Bb as mdhukar. After eating this mdhukar

Bb had a dream in which he saw that one person was stabbing another and was skinning himcompletely. He immediately called r Advaita Dsa Bbj Mahaya and warned him: "Don'tgo formdhukar to the house of thispjr - look, as a result of this I am suffering in hell!" This

was a mental transformation due to foodgrains.One day at noontime in the month of Jyaiha (May-June, the hottest month of the year

in Vraja) the base of Girirja is too much heated by the sunrays to go out on, but Bb once wentout very far at that time to answer nature's call. rla Advaita Dsa Bbj Mahrja was veryunhappy to see him going out to the fields at that time. When he saw that Bb had not comeback even after two hours r Advaita Dsaj went to the base of the tree where Bb was andsaw him standing there motionlessly in the sun. His consciousness was immersed in some kind of

feeling. His whole body was shivering and he was shedding tears also. r Advaita Dsj thereforedid not go to him but went back. When Bbj Mahaya returned r Advaita Dsj asked him


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why it had taken him so long, and Bb replied: "What more can I say? For so long Girirja hasgiven me shelter at his feet, but he did not give me even one drop of the love of the asses thathave taken shelter of him. Come along and I will show you." Saying this, he took r AdvaitaDsj along and showed him that one donkey was rolling around in the muddy waters of a moat,saying: "Just see!" r Advaita Dsj said: "Yes, I see an ass rolling in the mud." Then Bb gently

placed his hand on the head of r Advaita Dsj, as if slapping him in ecstatic love. Then rAdvaita Dsj understood his ecstasy - 'The ass is rolling in the dust in ecstatic love, taking it tobe r-r Rdh-Ka's footdust!'

When r Haridsj was staying at Kadamba Kha, south of Airvata Kua, and hereturned from doing mdhukar at Yatipur one night he saw a tiger sitting on the road. Bbused to whisper the name 'r Ka Caitanya' while walking along the road. When the tigerheard this name he became alert and sat up, but Bb passed by right before the tiger, repeatingthe holy name. If Bb had known beforehand that the tiger was there he would have becomecurious to look back at him, but at first he did not know that there was a tiger there. Then he sawthat he had actually come close to a tiger. The tiger sat only half a hand away from the side of the

road.In the final six years of his life he stayed at Yatipur. When he stayed at Govinda Kua

one 25-year old Vrajavs brhmaa came to him and took complete shelter of him. However,r Haridsj considered all the Vrajavss as superior to him. How could he accept this

brhmaa as his disciple? Since the brhmaa was wholly surrendered unto him r Haridsjgave him all instructions, dk and bhekh as a matter of Guru-sev. He never accepted anyservice from him. He gave his disciple the name r Hare Ka Dsa. After his Guru passedaway r Hare Ka Dsa sat down on a seat below his Guru's seat and performed bhajana inthe same manner for one year, imitating the way in which the wives of the sacrificing brhmaashad attained r Ka's lotusfeet, and then he disappeared. Thesamdhi of Guru and disciple issituated west of Airvata Kua, next to Yatipur's Haraj Kua.

(Source: r Haridsa Dsj's 'r Gauya Vaiava Jvana', Vol.2)

rMdhava Dsa Bbj

Pcchar, Girirja

r Mdhava Dsa Bb was born in about 1863 in the village of Sakary near Chatikarin Vraja in a family of Gaua Brhmaas. His name at home was Maku. When he was very smallhis father died, so his mother took him to her father's home in the village of Ai (on the roadbetween Mathur and Govardhana).

In Ai lived Pait Gysrmaj, the disciple of Advaita Vaa's Nlamai Prabhu.Although he was a ghastha he was most renounced. He was doing bhajana in solitude in akura which was far away from his home. Two or four students would come and study underhim. Maku also studied under him.

Maku was of a very simple and sincere nature and his inquisitiveness towards spiritual

matters was very strong from the very beginning. When Gysrmaj saw this, his parental lovefor the boy swelled up. He loved him even more than his own grandchildren! By destroying his


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doubts he planted the seed of devotion within his heart. Maku had also become so fond ofGysrma that he began to live with him, leaving his own family.

Maku's external appearance was as beautiful as his heart. His voice was also very sweet.He was very suitable for playing Rdhr in the Rsa-maals. Seeing this, the manager ofone Rsa-maal asked permission from Gysrmaj to use him for the Rsa-lls. Thus he

begin to play Rdhr in the Rsa. The people sat down and watched him attentively whenthey saw his natural and simple play.

Also when he was playing in the Rsa-maals Makuj remained very pure. He bathedthrice a day and served his lagrma-il.

While playing Rdhr in the Rsa his heart became filled with bhakti. When hereached adolescence he tookmantra-dk from Gysrmaj, and thus began hisbhakti sdhan.

Once upon a time Gysrmaj and all the kids of the house put on silver bracelets. A fewdays later there was a non-stop krtana going on in Govardhana' s Cakalevara and Makuj wentthere and donated his bangles to thesdhus for their service. The other children complained toGysrmaj - "Our brother has given his bracelets away!"

But instead of becoming angry, Gysrmaj became very satisfied and said: "Don't thinklike that of Maku. Maku is amahtm; he will become abbj!"

Maku really wanted to become abbj, but his relatives were already arranging for hismarriage. This created a dilemma for him. He saw hisguru's words as a blessing from him that

would give him strength to leave household life.He used to go on Govardhana Parikram every full moon, and have darana of r

Caitanya dsa Bbj at Govinda Kua and have sat saga with him. r Caitanya dsa Bbjwas also very affectionate towards him and instructed him in bhajana. Makuj had decided totake vea (renounced order) from him, although he knew that he was not giving it to anyone.

After his betrothal two full moons passed, but he did not go out on Govardhana Parikram. Hewas ashamed to come before Caitanya ds Bb, as if he were no longer qualified to associatewith renounced saints after having been 'brandmarked' as a married man. When Caitanya dsBb went on parikram on the third full moon he asked the other Vrajavss from A grma:"Why does Maku not come anymore?"

They replied: "Bb, he has been married! Why would he still come?"Hearing this, Bb became thoughtful. He made it known to Maku through the

Vrajavss and came to him the following full moon. Seeing him, he said: "Why, you are being soclean! You are taking bath thrice a day, but now your wife has come, you will get children andthey will pass stool on her lap while she is making rois. Are you going to eat from her hand?

Maku said: "Bb what you say is correct, but if I do not marry and will becomebbjinstead, will you givevea to me? I do not wish to take vea from anyone else! If you give mevea I will become free from this marriage and be able to dobhajana."

Bb remained silent. Taking his silence to be a sign of agreement Maku returned homewith a satisfied mind. The other day he quietly went out of the house, went to Caitanya Ds Bband tookvea from him. Hisvea-name became Mdhava dsa.

After taking vea Mdhava dsa began to do bhajana in the Purna Vihrj Mandira inGovardhana. He was still a child actually. Once he developed the desire to dig up the touchstonethat hisguru had buried under a Banyan-tree (see Jvana Caritra of r Caitanya Ds Bbj). Headmitted his desire to (Rmaka ds) Pait Bb, who told him: "The touchstone is the

mantra which you have received from yourguru, on the strenght of which the disciple can cross


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over the ocean of material existence. You want to defile your guru by digging up this materialtouchstone! Promise me that you will never think like that again!"

Mdhava dsa then gave up thinking about the touchstone. When Pait Bb went toVndvana, Mdhava ds went to yma Ku and did bhajana there. Within a few days hebecamesiddha in Gopla mantra.

In his V r Rpa Mdhur ds has described all the siddha saints of his time andMdhava ds Bb is amongst them. He wrote about him -

pro tyga o virga, nain jhalake anurga,jko ati uco bhga, aise santa mdho dsaj

vraja taja tahi jbe, uka mga ke jo khbeihiya nanda manvei, rakhe pais na psa j

bolei ati mh vn, prema rasa lapan,unhe jnau pro dhyn rasikana me khsa j

rahei pcchar sthna, jke neka nahi mna,hiya dnat pradhna, lakhei dampati vilsa j

"He was fully renounced and detached and his eyes were shimmering with anurga. Atsuch a high stage was the saint Mdhava dsaj. He never left Vraja and ate only a piece of roi aday. His heart was filled with bliss and he did not keep one pais on him. He spoke very sweet

words and was a relisher ofprema rasa. He was a great rasika. Staying at Pucchar he wascompletely free from pride. His heart was filled with humility and he perceived the conjugalpastimes of Rdh and Ka."

Thus there is no doubt about the fact that Mdhava dsa experienced the conjugal

pastimes of Rdh and Ka and relished its flavours. One time he told r Gaurga ds Bbjithat he had seen Girirja in its divine form studded with jewels, pearls, bushes and beautifulcascades. r Gaurga ds Bbj Mahrja often discussed this with his disciples.

On the Nsiha Caturdai of the year 1942 Bb attained the Divine Abode, meditatingon the Rsa Ll at Govinda Kua. His samdhi is here. After Bb attained the SupremeAbode his disciple Jaganntha ds Bb arranged for a feast for the whole 84 Kroa

Vrajamaala. Apart from Jaganntha ds Bb, Mdhava dsa Bb's main disciples were rRdh Mohana Ds Bb, r Prahlda ds Bb and Kldaha's Supaita Mahtm r Kiords Bb.

Source: Dr. O.B.L Kapoor's Vraja Ke Bhakta

One Bbj Mahrja Of r NandagrmaAnd A Dog

A long time ago one nikicana mahtm was doing bhajana alongside Yaod-kua,near r Nandvara. His name was unknown. At the end of the day he used to come out of hiscave once to go to the toilet and to go to the village to do mdhukar. After taking this meal he

would again blissfully spend his time with bhajana. In his old age he would never leaveNandagrma to go anywhere. One day a Bbj came from Govardhana and eagerly wanted to


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take him along to r Cklevara, where there was anma yaja going on. At first he absolutelydid not want to leave his sana, but later after strong insistence by his guest he agreed to go andattend thenma yaja. He did not come to Nandagrma for two nights, and in the afternoon ofthe third day he returned to his place to go on mdhukar in the evening. It was a dark night.After receiving hismdhukar prasda he entered into his cottage, when a pitiful voice told him:

"Bbj Mahaya! I have not eaten in the last two days!" Bbj Mahaya stood there in surpriseand asked: "Who are you?" The answer was: "I am the dog whom you give a piece ofmdhukarevery day". Understanding this to be the wonderful prowess of the transcendental dhma, BbjMahaya said with anxious voice: "Please reveal your real form to me!" The dog then said:"Bb, I am a highly unfortunate soul. I was apjr in the temple here in Nandagrma. One daya big lu was coming to me for thebhoga, but I was so greedy that I ate it without offering itfirst to the deities. As a result of such an offense I have become a ghost. You are a nikicana

vaiava, I hope to get a higher destination by eating mdhukar from your hand, that is why Ihave been coming to you for so many days, eager to getmdhukar from you!' Hearing this story,Bbj Mahaya once more humbly asked him with an anxious voice - 'That is all right, but youare a ghost in the transcendental dhma. You certainly have the darana of the r-r YugalaKiora and Their pastimes." The answer was: "Yes Bb, I have the darana of Them and Theirlls, but I cannot relish them in this body as you are able to!" Bbj Mahaya again anxiouslysaid: "So can you show them to me once?" The answer was: "No, I don't have the ability to dothat." Question: "Then how can I have Their darana, can you tell me that?" Answer: "Yes, I can.Look, tomorrow at the time ofuttara goha* you should sit down on the bank of Yaodkua.The last one in the line of cowherd boys that follow the cows - He is r Ka." Saying this, thedog-shaped ghost disappeared.

Meanwhile this Bbj Mahaya had become mad with the desire to see r Ka - he

could simply not wait!! He considered the time until the afternoon of the next day to be virtuallyendless! Sometimes he wept, sometimes he laughed, sometimes he spoke and sometimes hedanced impatiently. With great difficulty he spent that long night, and as soon as the morningcame he went to the bank of Yaodkua and sat down there within a thicket. But even in thatplace he could not remain calm. One time he thought: "Am I qualified to have r Ka'sdarana? It is an impossible dream!" Saying this he began to weep and rolled in the dust of Vrajain an unconscious state. After a while he again thought - 'r Ka is an ocean of compassion -He will certainly be kind upon this fallen soul!" While he thought like that he danced and sang inecstasy. The time does not pass anymore, not even six hours have passed!! While he thuslaughed, wept, danced and sang Sryadeva dropped to the western horizon. The time for uttara

goha had arrived. In a short distance he could see the sky getting colored by the dust thrownup by the hooves of the incoming cows. Bbj Mahaya could remain calm with only thegreatest effort as he sat in hiding in the bushes. Slowly, slowly, the cows, buffaloes and goats

were coming in, followed by the herdsboys that were driving them along in their own groups ofone or two. Aho! At the very end a cowherd boy came into Nandagrma - with blackishcomplexion, His body bent in many different places, limping behind with a stick in His hand.According to the special indication that he had received Bbj Mahaya took this to beRkhlrja+ r Kacandra, so he quickly came before Him and offered sga daavats(prostrated obeisances with eight limbs of the body) and clasped on to His feet. The boy said: re

bb, me - biyk ll hu. mer kasur hog, tu mer pair cho de, miy mreg - bb

* The time at about 4 in the afternoon when Ka returns to His village with His cows.+ King of cowherdboys.


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dekh, tu mer ghara cal, dahi deg, michar deg, aur yo chiye le lao, mer pair cho de! " OBb, I am a cowherdboy! I will be blamed (for being late), let go of My foot! My parents willbeat Me! Look, Bb, come along to My house, I will give you yoghurt, I will give you candy, and

you can take whatever else you want, but let go of My foot!" Bbj Mahaya did not listen toany of His words but simply said: "O Priyatama! Please cool off my afflicted heart by giving me

Your darana! O Ka! Don't trick me anymore and give me a place at Your lotus feet that grantfearlessness!" Needless to say the other ordinary cowherd boys had long before gone to theirindividual homes. There were only two persons left - thebhakta and the Lord, who is subduedby the love of His bhaktas. They sat down on the bank of the Kua from early evening untilmidnight, and talked. When Bbj Mahaya did not let go of the boy's feet at all and also didnot give in to false consolations, r ymasundara said: "Allright Bb, then behold My

svarpa!" Then He showed Bb His threefold bending form, holding a flute. Bbj Mahayasaid: "I do not meditate on You alone, I am a Yugalopsaka, therefore O Kpmaya! Please savemy life by showing Yourself along with Your eternal associates!" Then the wonderful YugalaKiora with Their wonderful sakhs became manifest within wonderful Vndvana. BbjMahaya then made his eyes and mind successful by diving into this rpa mdhur (sweetdisplay of transcendental forms). His long cherished desire had become fulfilled - he wasimmersed in an ocean of great transcendental bliss and a few days later he concealed (left) hisbody.

(Source: rla Haridsa Dsj's 'Gauya Vaiava Jvana')

Dharma Dsa Bbj Mahaya (Kmyavana)

He was a grand-disciple of Kmyavana's Siddha Bb (Jaya Ka Dsa Bb). In hisprvrama he was living in Orissa - he did not know well how to read and write. He used toconstantly repeat one verse from the Caitanya Bhgavata - aninduka hoiy ye sakt ka

bole; satya satya ka tre uddhribo hele ("A person who once says Ka withoutslandering will certainly and easily be redeemed by Ka"). His mouth would never slanderanyone in any way. He used to serve the deity of r-r Rdh Madana Gopla which waspreviously served by Siddha Jaya Ka Dsa Bb. Although he was not really expert in theservice he would take good care of a strictsadcra (conduct of cleanliness). Even when he

was old and it was winter he would a bathe upto the waist in Vimalkua after just passing

urine. Themagala rati of the deity would be held twelve months a year, and he would stayon the Jagamohana (the space outside of the altar). When r Mdhava Dsa Bbj or anyother Vaiava would stay on the Jagamohana he would not call them to ring the bells forrati, he would do it himself throughout the rati. The sev was maintained throughbegging. The means of begging was also a little different - if no ingredients for the service

were obtained he would stand in front of some shop and simply said: "A certain thing is notthere for the hkura", without looking at the face of the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper then

would immediately provide what was necessary. When the Vrajavss came to bathe inVimalkua he would keep sticks ready for them to brush their teeth before bathing, hewould keeptilaka ready for them for putting ontilaka after bathing and he would keep some

extrajapa mls ready there for them to do r Harinma with. In the winter he would makea fire for them. In this way he would serve the Vrajavss. If anyone liked they would give


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him some vegetables, and otherwise he would get it from the forest and offer it with ruis tor Madana Gopla. He would prepare the morning and evening bhoga for Gopla bymaking small laus by frying wheatflour in gh and adding gua (brown sugar) to it. Allkinds of Vaiavas were always coming and going there, but Bbj Mahaya never forbadeanyone to come, nor did he disrespect anyone. He would always offer a vast amount of ruiandka even if there were no Vaiava-guests, so that all Vaiava guests would be pleasedif they came. He would always divide all the ruis equally to everyone, also when there wasless available, and if here was not enough for everyone he would go on mdhukar tocomplete the meal. After his hnika (dialy duties of bath, tilaka, mantra japa andpj) he

would, following Vaiava-customs, offer daavats to r Mdhava Dsj, even though hewas younger in age than him, and if he thought that would make him unhappy he wouldcome to him and tell him in a hospitable way: "I have offered a lot ofrui andka - comeand eat with me today." r Mdhava Dsaj would go on mdhukar every day and if there

was nothing to eat in the afternoon for Dharma dsj he would tell Mdhava Dsj when he

went out for mdhukar: "Today there is nothing to eat in the afternoon.", so r MdhavaDsj would take extra mdhukar along. Then the two would sit down together afterwardsand takemdhukar. Once a Bbj came here and stayed here for some time. r MdhavaDsj knew that the new Bbj was eating onions. r Mdhava Dsj was only young then.He thought: "He should give up onions or go somewhere else.", and he instructed BbjMahaya accordingly. r Dharma dsj sat and heard this in seclusion and then told rMdhava Dsj: "This is not our place, this place belongs to Siddha Bb Mahaya! It is ourduty to serve anyone who comes here. You need not instruct me in this!"

One day a Vaiava left his body here and r Dharmadsj gave his clothes to anotherVaiava, without going through the royal authorities, as was the local custom. He was calledto the court of justice, where he honestly told what had happened, and was sentenced toprison for short while. In the jail he went through no hardship. Wheatflour and dl wherebrought from the royal palace, abrhmaa-prisonercame there to prepare ruis andka forhim, while other prisoners rendered other services.

r Dharma Dsj left his body in 1890 or 1891, and was nearly 100 years old then.

(Source: rla Haridsa Dsj's 'Gauya Vaiava Jvana')

yvanti bhagavad-bhakter agni kathitnha

pryas tvanti tad bhakta bhakter api budh vidu

(Bhakti Rasmta Sindhu 1.2.219)

"Each item of devotion to the Lord that has been described here (in Bhakti RasmtaSindhu by rla Rpa Gosvmpda) is exceeded by the corresponding item of devotion to Hisdevotee. The wise and intelligent know this." In other words, it is better to hear about a devoteethan to hear about the Lord, it is better to glorify a devotee than to glorify the Lord, it is better toremember a devotee than to remember the Lord and it is better to serve a devotee than to servethe Lord.

Translated by Advaita das in 1996

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