Jagannatha dasa Babaji
Encyclopedia
Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī was an influential leader (guru
) in the Gaudiya Vaishnava
tradition of Hinduism
, and is respected as a Mahatma
or saint
by followers of his lineage. He accepted initiation (diksha
) from Jagadananda Goswami
of Vrindavan
, and later accepted Babaji
initiation from Madhusudana dasa Babaji
. For the rest of his life, his example as a Gaudiya Vaishnava devotee was an inspiration to many in the community. Bhaktivinoda Thakur
is quoted as called him "the commanding chief of the devotees".
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was born in a small village within the modern day Tangail
district of Bangladesh
. His birth year cannot be pinpointed exactly with accounts from several different Gaudiya Vaishnava groups giving years from 1750 to 1800.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji met Bhaktivinoda Thakur
in 1880, and the latter subsequently accepted the former as his instructing guru (shiksha), adopting a guru disciple relationship. Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was also the initiating guru of Bhagavat Dasa Babaji and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji
; the latter of whom would become the initiating guru of Bhaktivinoda's son, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
. It is told among some Gaudiya Vaishnavas that a young Bhaktisiddhanta, skilled in astronomy
, created an ample Vaishnava calendar
at Jagannatha Dasa Babaji's request, detailing all holidays, including the appearance and disappearance days of prominent devotees.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji spent his last days in the areas of Vrindavan
and Navadwip, where he performed bhajan
and japa
in worship to Radha
and Krishna
.. A devotee named Bihari Lal would often assist the elderly sadhu
. His devotion to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and instructions on Vaishnava Theology to Bhaktivinoda Thakur
and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji render him an integral part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Guru Parampara
.
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
) in the Gaudiya Vaishnava
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in India in the 16th century. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gauḍa region with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of Vishnu"...
tradition of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, and is respected as a Mahatma
Mahatma
Mahatma is Sanskrit for "Great Soul". It is similar in usage to the modern Christian term saint. This epithet is commonly applied to prominent people like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jyotirao Phule and Branch Rickey...
or saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
by followers of his lineage. He accepted initiation (diksha
Diksha
Diksa also spelled deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism...
) from Jagadananda Goswami
Jagadananda Goswami
Jagadānanda Gosvāmī was a Vaishnava guru of Srngāravata, Vrndāvana. He was initiated by Krishna das Babaji, a famous Govardhana vesa-guru. He himself was the guru of the important Vaishnava leader Jagannatha dasa Babaji.-References:...
of Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
, and later accepted Babaji
Babaji
"Babaji" may refer to:* Guru Nanak, the universal enlightener and founder of sikhism, often known as "Baba Nanak" or "Babaji"* a Muslim, Sufi, Hindu or Sikh ascetic or holy man, including:...
initiation from Madhusudana dasa Babaji
Madhusudana dasa Babaji
Madhusudana dasa Babaji was a Vaishnava. He was born to a Kulina family. He was initiated by Krishna dasa Babaji, and he himself initiated Jagannatha dasa Babaji as a Babaji.-References:*...
. For the rest of his life, his example as a Gaudiya Vaishnava devotee was an inspiration to many in the community. Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur , a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birnagar, Bengal, India. He was the son of Raja Krsnananda Datta and Jagat Mohini Devi...
is quoted as called him "the commanding chief of the devotees".
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was born in a small village within the modern day Tangail
Tangail
Tangail is a town in Tangail District located in central region of Bangladesh. It consists of 5 corporations, 8 municipalities, 72 wards, 211 mahallas. It is located on the banks of Louhajang River, and is part of the Dhaka Division.-Education:...
district of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. His birth year cannot be pinpointed exactly with accounts from several different Gaudiya Vaishnava groups giving years from 1750 to 1800.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji met Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur , a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birnagar, Bengal, India. He was the son of Raja Krsnananda Datta and Jagat Mohini Devi...
in 1880, and the latter subsequently accepted the former as his instructing guru (shiksha), adopting a guru disciple relationship. Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was also the initiating guru of Bhagavat Dasa Babaji and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji
Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji
Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji is a well known acharya from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism, and is regarded as a Mahatma or saint by followers of his lineage...
; the latter of whom would become the initiating guru of Bhaktivinoda's son, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada,, was a preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism throughout India in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He was born as Bimal Prasad Dutta in the seaside pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, Orissa, India...
. It is told among some Gaudiya Vaishnavas that a young Bhaktisiddhanta, skilled in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, created an ample Vaishnava calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
at Jagannatha Dasa Babaji's request, detailing all holidays, including the appearance and disappearance days of prominent devotees.
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji spent his last days in the areas of Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
and Navadwip, where he performed bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
and japa
Japa
Japa is a spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a mantra or name of a divine power. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be spoken purely within the recitor's mind...
in worship to Radha
Radha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
and Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
.. A devotee named Bihari Lal would often assist the elderly sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
. His devotion to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and instructions on Vaishnava Theology to Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur , a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birnagar, Bengal, India. He was the son of Raja Krsnananda Datta and Jagat Mohini Devi...
and Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji render him an integral part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Guru Parampara
Parampara
Parampara denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture and Indian religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism...
.
See also
- Hare KrishnaInternational Society for Krishna ConsciousnessThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
- GourangaGourangaGauranga is a term popularized by the Hare Krishna movement in the 1970s.It is derived from Sanskrit "having a white or yellowish body", a bahuvrihi compound from "white, yellowish, reddish" and "limb, member; the body"....
- NityanandaNityanandaImage:Panca-tattva Altar.jpg|thumb|This is interactive image-map. Click! on lotus feet. Sri Krishna Chaitanya , Sri Nityananda Prabhu , Sri Advaita Acharya , Sri Gadadhara Pandit , Sri Srivas Pandit...
- Six Goswamis of Vrindavan