Vaiñëava Särvabhauma Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja appeared in the Vinnauri village of Tangail around 1748 AD. His father Sri Gopal Nandi, named him Sri Narahari Nandi. He lived as a paramahaàsa in Çré Navadvépa and Çré Vraja-maëòala. While living in Sürya-kunòa, he accepted Çréla Madhusüdana däsa Bäbäjé as his spiritual master. Çréla Madhusüdana däsa Bäbäjé was a disciple of Uddhava däsa Bäbäjé, who was a disciple of Çrépada Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa, the author of the Govinda commentary on Vedanta Sutra. Çréla Madhusüdana däsa Bäbäjé was famous as “Siddha-baba” in Vraja and Navadvépa.
In 1880, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura first met Jagannätha däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja in Våndävana-dhäma. In 1891, they met for the second time in Amlajora. A strong devotee named Çré Bihäré Däsji served Bäbäjé Mahäräja. Due to old age, Bäbäjé Mahäräja became crippled, Çré Bihäréji carried Bäbäjé Mahäräja in a shanty from one place to another. But when Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura brought Bäbäjé Mahäräja to the opposite side of the Gaìgä, to Çré Mäyäpura (the original birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) with a large saìkértana party, Bäbäjé Mahäräja jumped down from the shanty and started dancing wildly saying, “Jaya Çacénandana Gaura Hari!” very loudly. When he would travel to the Bhakti Bhävän in Calcutta to meet Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, He would display a lot of affection and love towards Öhäkurji. He directed Çréla Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvaté Öhäkura to publish the Païjikä, or calendar, according to the conclusion of Vaiñëava philosophy. Bäbäjé Mahäräja introduced the chanting of the Païca-tattva mantra before the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra.
jaya çré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu ityänanda
çré-advaita gadädhara çréväsa-adi-gaura-bhakta-våndä
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityänanda, Çré Advaita, Gadädhara Paëòita, Çréväsa Öhäkura, and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.”
Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja was completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He used to say, “Those who are clever in devotional service should live in Navadvépa. Because in Vraja, there is no mercy for offenders. Yet there is no offence in Navadvépa. Just see, Yaçodä-mätä tied up Kåñëa just for breaking a pot which had barely a value of 2 taka, whereas Nimäi broke whatnot in Navadvépa, and Çacémätä said nothing.”
When Bäbäjé Maharaja danced in the bliss of saìkértana, His body looked like Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He could leap five or six feet high, and displayed an amazing spirit during kértana.
Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja disappeared at 10am on Monday, February 25, 1895. It was Sukla-pratipada-tithi. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura wrote about the disappearance of Bäbäjé Mahäräja in his Sajjana-toñaëé: “The aged Commander-in-chief, Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja, attained Goloka Våndävana at his bhajana-kuöirä in Koladvépa, in Çré Navadvépa-dhäma. Siddha Bäbäjé Mahäräja entered the eternal spiritual planet, leaving Çré Navadvépa-dhäma in darkness. We shall never be able to observe His blissful dance and kértana. We wish that he keep blessing us from the spiritual world.” – Sajjan-toshani, 2nd year, 2nd page.
There was formerly a big Akkhra, or meeting-place, in Vinnauri.
How to Go There
To reach Vinnauri, take the Dhaka-Tangail bus, and get down in Tangail. Then take an auto-rickshaw to reach Kolatola Bazaar, which is about 10km from Tangail. The birthplace is just beside the Kolatola Bazaar.
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