The Dispute Over the Samadhi
On November 16, 1915, Srila Gaurakisora Das Babaji Maharaja entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord. This occurred a year after the departure of Bhaktivinoda Thakur. At the time of his passing, Babaji Maharaja was staying at the Kuliya Dharmasala. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur arrived from Mayapur, he found the head priests of Navadvipa’s various temples and ashrams in heated arguments over where Gaurakisora’s body should be interred. These so-called holy men were motivated by selfish desires, seeking to establish the samadhi of the revered saint at their respective ashrams or temples, hoping to profit from the influx of pilgrims. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, discerning their corrupt intentions, vehemently opposed their attempts to claim the body.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s Stand
In the presence of Navadvipa’s Police Inspector, the hypocritical priests argued that Srila Sarasvati Thakur, not being a sannyasi, had no right to arrange for the samadhi of a renounced person like Gaurakisora. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur responded with a voice like thunder, declaring:
“I am the sole disciple of Paramahamsa Babaji Maharaja. Even though I have not accepted sannyasa, I am a celibate brahmachari, and by the grace of Babaji Maharaja, I am not a hypocritical renunciate secretly addicted to abominable habits or fornication as some monkey-like people are. I take pride in saying this as a bearer of Babaji Maharaja’s shoes.”
He then issued a challenge to anyone present who was a renunciate of truly stainless character, stating that only such a person would be allowed to arrange the samadhi. He further stipulated that anyone who had not indulged in illicit association with women in the past year, six months, three months, one month, or even three days, could touch the spiritually blissful body of Gaurakisora. Otherwise, they would be completely ruined.
The Babajis Retreat
After hearing Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s challenge, the so-called Babajis, one by one, turned their backs and left the scene. The Inspector of Police, witnessing this, was left astonished. Some of those remaining suggested that Gaurakisora Maharaja had expressed a last desire for his body to be dragged through the streets of Navadvipa in the dust of the Holy Dhama.
Honoring the True Meaning of Humility
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, understanding the true meaning behind his guru’s humility-filled words, responded:
“Although we are fools, inexperienced, and offenders, we will still not be disinclined to understand the true meaning of those humility-filled words, which have been spoken by my Gurudeva to destroy the pride of worldly-minded people. Even Krishna-candra will personally think Himself successful if He carries my Gurudeva on His head or shoulders. After the departure of Haridas Thakur, Sri Gaurasundar took the spiritual body of the Thakur on His lap and danced. What dignity He adorned it with! Therefore, following in the footsteps of Sriman Mahaprabhu, we shall also bear Babaji Maharaja’s spiritually blissful body on our heads.”
The Establishment of the Samadhi
The following day, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur personally laid the body of his guru, Srila Gaurakisora Das Babaji, to rest on a sandspit of the Ganges at Kuliya. Sixteen years later, due to erosion from the River Ganges, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur had the samadhi relocated to a site on the banks of Sri Chaitanya Math’s Radha-Kunda, near Lord Chaitanya’s Yogapitha in Sridhama Mayapur.
Lesson to be Learned
This narrative illustrates the importance of spiritual integrity and humility. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s firm stance against hypocrisy and his profound respect for his guru’s instructions exemplify true devotion and the essence of spiritual leadership. The story also highlights the dangers of material motivations in spiritual pursuits and the significance of honoring the true spirit of humility and devotion.
Prayer
“O Lord, grant us the strength to stand firm in our convictions and protect the purity of our intentions. May we be ever vigilant against the temptations of material gains and worldly recognition in our spiritual practice. Help us to honor the humility and devotion of our spiritual teachers and follow their guidance with sincerity. May we always be worthy of carrying forward the legacy of true devotion, free from hypocrisy and pride. Hare Krishna.”
