I was asked to give a brief introduction on Srila Gurudeva by one of my old friends who is also a devotee. Personally I speak from whatever Gurudeva had revealed to us ..after much coaxing. Gurudeva prefers to be just introduced as a devotee of the divine couple and as a servant of Sriman Mahaprabhu…However I will take this opportunity to say a few words on Srila Gurudeva.
Babaji as we fondly address Gurudeva came to Mathura Mandala at the age of 10.He was born in Jharkhand near the village Kuju ; a few miles from the spot where Sriman Mahaprabhu performed the jungle pastimes with the ferocious animals. He appears to be a character directly picked up from the pages of the book Saints of Vraja. He was pulled by Vraja Mandala at this tender age and when he arrived in Mathura he made his way to one of the kundas ( I do not recollect which kunda) ; but this was in Mathura. Babaji had not eaten for two days. Suddenly from the kunda a big fish appeared carrying a small cloth packet and left it on the bank where Babaji stood and disappeared. The young hungry boy opened the cloth packet ; to find a few chappatis and subji. The boy (Babaji) had a hearty meal. Then the boy after a few days of stay in Mathura was directed by divine will to Radha Kunda. The boy was aimlessly undertaking a parikrama round the holy kunda when suddenly a white-clad Babaji ( who later was to become his Gurudev) appeared from nowhere and held the boy’s hands tightly and ordered..”Come with me”. Babaji was given food and shelter and that particular night he had an experience where Srimati RadhaRani gave him Darshan of all the 14 worlds .He was also given Darshan of Golok (which is the desire of all sadhakas) and RadhaRani personally asked him if he wanted to witness more of this Transcendental plane.After this beautiful experience , Babaji made up his mind to become a sanyasi but was denied by his guru since he was too young.Later with RadhaRanis personal intervention he was given sanyas by his Gurudev the very next day at the age of 10.He was trained as a pujari to serve Radha Govind Devji at RadhaKund.Babaji has attained his manjari Swarup merely through his Vigraha seva . At night he would go for parikram of Girirraji without fail. After spending 35 years at Radha Kunda we was personally asked by Sriman Mahaprabhu to go to Jharkhand and establish a temple there. This place at that time was hidden by world-view and was infested by junkies and drug-addicts. The Leela Sthali was still not revealed at that time. However Babaji was directed to the exact spot by Sriman Mahaprabhu. Babaji continues to serve at that very spot since the last 20 years. He believes and propogates that all activities should be done as a service to the Lord (be it cooking,family responsibilities).Life becomes more meaningful as living life itself becomes Bhajan.
The link below takes you to a video clipping of Babaji which was shot by my God-brother Akhilatma Nitai Das during his stay with Babaji at the Leela Sthali @ Kuju Village.
Param Pujya Premdasa Babaji Maharaj
This video below was shot by devotees at our permanent residence at Goverdhan
Charan Pahari 