Childhood in Vraja
Śrī Vrajavāsī Bābājī Mahārāja was born in Vṛndāvana itself, in a humble Vaiṣṇava family. From childhood, he was naturally absorbed in the beauty of Vraja-dhāma. He would spend hours wandering near Yamunā, Govardhana, and the forests of Kadamba, following the cows and watching the sādhu-saṅga of the old bābājīs.
Even at a tender age, he showed an extraordinary attraction for hearing kathā. Whenever he heard the names “Rādhā” and “Kṛṣṇa,” tears filled his eyes.
His parents often found him sitting quietly in a corner, softly chanting “Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,” with astonishing steadiness for a child.
Acceptance of Kuṭir-vāsa and Lifelong Bhajana
When he grew older, he formally entered the renounced order. He built a small kuṭir near Govardhana and resolved:
“I will not leave Vraja-dhāma. This dust is my life.”
From that day until his final breath, he never stepped outside the boundary of Braja-maṇḍala.
He lived a life of strict Vrajavāsī-bhajana:
- wearing simple white cloth,
- surviving on madhukarī,
- sleeping on a thin straw mat,
- chanting constantly,
- and bathing daily in sacred kuṇḍas.
He rarely spoke. If someone asked him about worldly matters, he would simply smile and look away. His only interest was the Holy Name and the pastimes of the Divine Couple.
His Unique Love for Govardhana
Of all the holy places in Vraja, Govardhana was his heart’s treasure. He performed every Govardhana-parikramā barefoot, even when his feet were cut by stones or burning in the hot season.
When devotees asked why he pushed his body so hard, he replied:
“This body is temporary. But one step around Girirāja grants eternal fortune. Let the feet burn — the heart is cooled by love.”
He would offer dandavat-pranāmas repeatedly along the parikramā path, sometimes covering long distances entirely through repeated prostrations.
Deep Compassion and Silent Blessings
Although he lived in extreme austerity, he was full of compassion. Whenever villagers came to him for blessings, he would raise his hands gently and whisper:
“May Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa protect your hearts.”
He never accepted disciples formally, but many sādhakas considered him their śikṣā-guru purely from the strength of his example.
His presence was calming. Many felt that sitting near him was like sitting under the cooling shade of Govardhana Himself.
Miraculously Knowing Devotees’ Hearts
Many devotees experienced that he knew their inner feelings without being told. If someone approached him with hidden sorrow, he would speak a phrase that directly addressed their worry.
If someone came with pride, he would remain silent, and by that silence their pride melted.
His communication was through karuṇā, not through many words.
Absorption in Aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā
Every day, at precise times, he would enter deep meditation. Devotees who lived near him testified that during these periods, he became completely unaware of the external world.
If someone called his name, he did not hear. If someone tried to shake him gently, he did not move. His breathing became slow, and his face glowed with a sweetness impossible to describe.
In these hours, he was internally serving:
- Rādhā in Her morning beauty,
- the sakhīs dressing Her,
- the Divine Couple meeting in the forest,
- and Their wandering along the banks of Yamunā.
He lived more in the spiritual world than in the visible world.
His Departure
In the final days of his life, he stopped eating and spoke even less than before. When devotees begged him to take some milk or water, he smiled and said:
“Now the body is no longer needed. Let me return.”
On the night of his departure, he performed one last Govardhana-parikramā, with great difficulty but immense joy. When he returned to his kuṭir, he sat in his usual posture, holding his japa-mālā.
Just before dawn, he softly uttered:
“Śrī Rādhe… Śyāma…”
and left this world.
A gentle fragrance spread in the kuṭir, and his face shone with divine peace.
The entire area around Govardhana mourned the passing of a great saint, a genuine Vrajavāsī who lived and breathed only for Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Reflection
From the life of Śrī Vrajavāsī Bābājī Mahārāja we learn:
- To be satisfied with little, and to desire nothing but service.
- To protect our bhajana by avoiding unnecessary talk.
- To see Govardhana, the forests, the dust of Vraja as living limbs of the Divine Couple.
- To measure life not by possessions but by remembrance.
- To let the Holy Name become the heartbeat.
His life teaches the essence of Vraja-bhakti:
Live simply.
Love deeply.
Remember constantly.
Depend only on Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Prayer
O Śrī Vrajavāsī Bābājī Mahārāja,
Pure lover of Govardhana,
Servant of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa,
Please grant us a drop of your steadiness,
A spark of your devotion,
And the desire to serve Vraja with a pure heart.
May we learn to walk gently on this sacred earth,
To chant with sincerity,
And to live in the shelter of the Divine Couple,
Just as you lived your holy life.
