Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja: Four Rupanuga Vaisnava Acarya

Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji was born in Mandalakar India, which is on the banks of the Padma River, sometime during the early to mid 1800's. His family were vaisyas (business merchants), and he was a married householder for 29 years. During this time Babaji Maharaja had been initiated into the Sri Advaita Acarya lineage. After his wife died, he accepted the life of renunciation and accepted 'paramahamsa babaji vesa' (dress) from Sri Bhagavata dasa Babaji who was in the spiritual line of Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaja. After this he stayed in Vrndavan's Vraja mandala for 30 years, while continuously doing bhajan at the various pastime places there. Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji became well known to many of Vraja's Babaji's and sadhaka's and he would never approve of anyone's indulgence in any form of sense-enjoyment. While always being careful to avoid asat-sanga (materialistic association), he spent all his time absorbed in solitary suddha-bhajan (pure spiritual practice). In 1892 Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji received the order to relocate to Navadvipa-dhama Bengal. There he stayed in different villages of the Navadvipa-dhama area until his departure. In January of 1900 after the repeated requests and tests from Babaji Maharaja, and after telling him "Morality and scholarship are very insignificant in front of bhakti," he initiated his only disciple, Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura, the son of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. What is most astounding about the life of Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji was his extreme renunciation, and his intolerance and outspokenness to fake or hypocrite sadhu's (saints, yogi's or spiritual practitioners). He went blind between 1903-1904 at which time he began staying in a cottage instead wandering throughout Gaura mandala. The book is full of his many pastimes exonerating his uncompromising dedication to pure bhakti and devotional renunciation. A must read for those wanting inspiration and guidance on the path of pure bhakti yoga.
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