Bābājī Mahārāja did not stay exclusively in the Navadvīpa area but travelled to many holy places where he also performed his spiritual practices. He embodied the verse kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvita-matiḥ, and wherever he went he always remained immersed in the ocean of kṛṣṇa-rasa. Therefore, everything reminded him of kṛṣṇa-līlā, but especially the banyan tree. Whenever he saw a banyan tree, he would sit under it, taking it to be the Vaṁśī-vaṭa under which Kṛṣṇa played His flute to attract the gopīs. Once he had stationed himself there, it would be difficult to get him to move.

On the 12th of Phālguna, 1347 (Monday, Feb. 24, 1941), Bābājī Mahārāja left Navadvīpa city and headed for Vṛndāvana. He sometimes walked, sometimes he travelled by ox-cart and sometimes by rail. He first went to Katwa where he stayed for two days under a vaṭa tree near the train station. Then he took the train to Bhagalpur where he stayed for one day under a vaṭa tree near the station and for four days by the Ganges. Then he travelled on to Gaya where he remained on the banks of the Phalgu River for three days. He also stayed on a boat in the Ganges near Daśāśvamedha Ghāṭa in Benares for three days, spent another three days in Ayodhya by the Sarayū River including three hours under a vaṭa tree, at the Triveni confluence at Prayāga for ten days, two days at Viśrāma Ghāṭa in Mathura, eight days at Vaṁśī-vaṭa in Vṛndāvana, nine days at Madhyacaḍa on the banks of the Yamunā, one day at the Govindajī Temple, two days at Kāliyadaha, eight days under a tamāla tree on the east bank of Sūrya-kuṇḍa at Nandagram, two days at Pāvana Sarovara, four days at the foot of a pīlu tree, and then another nine days at Vaṁśī Vaṭa Ghāṭa in Vṛndāvana. Everywhere he went, he remained absorbed in chanting the Holy Names and meditating on Kṛṣṇa’s form and pastimes. After three months, he returned to Navadvīpa-dhāma, in the month of Jyaiṣṭha.

Those who travelled with Bābājī Mahārāja recounted that when wandering through Vraja-maṇḍala, he would sometimes sing songs about Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, sometimes glorify Navadvīpa-dhāma, sometimes chant loudly, sometimes laugh madly. Sometimes he would babble incoherently, and oftentimes he would remain completely silent. When visiting a temple, he was often seen muttering confidentially to the deities, disclosing some personal sentiment to Them. All in all, his companions were charmed by his devotional absorption.

The old Gauḍīya weekly magazine gives further accounts of Bābājī Mahārāja’s travels. It states that between 1943 to 1944, he travelled to Ambika Kalna, Kharagpur, Baleshwar, Soro, Bhadrak, Khorda Road and Puruṣottama-dhāma. Afterwards, he again visited Gaya, Kāśī, Saidpur, Patna, Munger, etc.

After travelling to all these places, some devotees from his birthplace in Majidpur invited him to come for a visit. He acquiesced to their enthusiasm but found little pleasure in going. He said that it was a place that the Pāṇḍavas had neglected.

The founding ācārya of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, my spiritual master, Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, told his disciples a story about a personal encounter he had with Vaṁśī Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Gurudeva founded an āśrama in Midnapore city, Sree Shyamananda Gaudiya Math, with the help of two of his godbrothers, Srila Bhakti Vichar Yayavar Mahārāja and Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Mahārāja. On one occasion, Bābājī Mahārāja was travelling and passed through Midnapore. When Gurudeva received the news that Bābājī Mahārāja was coming with a group of devotees by ox-cart, he immediately sent a disciple to invite him and his other companions to visit the maṭha. Bābājī Mahārāja promised the disciple that he would come and so Gurudeva started to make preparations to receive the party of pilgrims. However, after the midday offering and ārati, no one from Bābājī Mahārāja’s party came. Śrīla Gurudeva waited for some time and finally took a number of his disciples and went looking for him.

When Bābājī Mahārāja had entered the city with his party, he had seen a vaṭa tree and had taken it to be Vaṁśī Vaṭa. He had camped there and planned for making an offering to his deities and feeding his party there. When he saw Gurudeva, Bābājī Mahārāja remembered his affection for Śrīla Prabhupāda and offered him some sweet rice prasāda, which Gurudeva accepted respectfully. I often heard Gurudeva say how delicious the sweet rice tasted that day.

Our śikṣā-guru, most revered Śrīla Bhakti Pramode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, also told us a few anecdotes about Bābājī Mahārāja, incidents that he had witnessed personally: “Once, a pile of fruit intended for the service of the deities had accumulated at Bābājī Mahārāja’s cottage by the Ganges and Bābājī would not let anyone lay a finger on it. One day, however, a cow entered the cottage and ate all the fruits. Though they tried, no one was able to drive the cow away. Meanwhile, Bābājī Mahārāja watched and laughed, clapping his hands. Out of curiosity, I asked Bābā’s disciple, whose name was Pūrṇa or Puṇya, why Bābā was laughing. He said, ‘Last night a thief stole all the deities and cooking pots. Now a cow has come and eaten all the fruits. So he is beside himself with joy and is laughing and saying, ‘One thief gives and another thief takes away!’ Kṛṣṇa is the supreme thief.

“Bābājī Mahārāja never allowed anyone to touch his feet, except once, on the day after Phālguni Pūrṇimā, the festival celebration of Jagannātha Miśra. Bābājī Mahārāja was so ecstatic that he forgot his rule and became as generous as a desire tree. So on that day, I was fortunate enough to get the dust of his lotus feet. I also had the good fortune of getting his prasādi leftovers.”

We have heard that Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja took bābājī-veṣa from our Parama-gurudeva, Śrīla Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.

“Bābājī Mahārāja relished hearing devotional songs. One day, he heard Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s couplet, tyajiyā śayana sukha, vicitra pālaṅka, kabe vrajer dhulāya dhūsara habe aṅga—‘When will I give up the pleasure of sleeping in a comfortable bed and roll in the dust of Vṛndāvana?’ Tears rolled down from his eyes and his voice choked. Bābājī Mahārāja said, ‘You are only singing a song. It only bursts open for those who have burst open.’ In other words, we only sing the songs of the mahājanas, but we feel no emotion. When the dust of the holy places covers our bodies, we only think of brushing it off. We have no real idea of its value.

“Another day, however, someone started singing one of these new-fangled, invented mantras that contradicts siddhānta and divine sentiment. Bābājī Mahārāja said, ‘That Name is not allowed here.’

“One gentleman often came to visit Bābājī Mahārāja and kept asking him for his mercy. One day, Bābā finally became impatient; he took off his kaupīna and handed it to the gentleman and said, ‘You want my mercy? Here it is—take it.’ The visitor was frightened by the manner in which Bābā challenged him. We have heard that all perfections come from the grace of the Vaiṣṇavas, but we do not have the sincerity necessary to really take their blessings when they are given. What is the use of repeatedly imploring them to be merciful if we don’t mean it?

“We had an elderly godbrother named Gokula Dāsa Bābājī. His family home was not far from that of Bābājī Mahārāja. Gokula Dāsa Bābā went frequently to see Vaṁśī Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and when they got together, they would joyfully converse about Kṛṣṇa in their Mymansingh dialect.”

Bābājī Mahārāja was normally occupied with his devotional activities; he minded his own business and spoke little. He would talk to his deities, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying desperately, but he did not speak much to others. Many people would come to him; often they would ask him questions. Mostly he remained silent, and if he took any notice at all, he would usually answer indirectly. If he did give spiritual instruction, he would rarely cite scripture, but always spoke from his personal realization. In two or three short phrases, he would make a deep impression on the listener.

Once, he had a regular visitor who kept asking him, “How can we attain God?” Bābājī Mahārāja just remained silent, giving the questioner no answer. One day, he suddenly looked at this visitor and asked him, “What do you want?” The fellow replied, “I want to find God.” Bābājī Mahārāja answered in one word, “Cry.”

Those who visited him occasionally reported the short answers that he gave to their questions. Some of these were noted and are given here.

Q: Bābā, what should we do?

A: If you worship Nitāi, you will get Gaura. All your unhappiness will disappear and you will begin to feel real joy.

Q: How can one become free from the demands of the senses?

A: Śuniyā govinda-rab, āpani palābe sab, siṁha-rabe yathā karigaṇ—“They will all flee at the sound of Govinda’s name just as the deer flee at the sound of the lion’s roar.” (Prema-bhakti-candrika by Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura)

Q: Bābā, is there no happiness even in your world?

A: There is no joy here unless you worship Gaura-Nitāi. This is my eternal world, while this world of yours is an illusion. Happiness in this world is like the laughing or crying of a dreaming baby.

Q: How can we tell if we have received the blessings of Kṛṣṇa or the Vaiṣṇavas?

A: Je kare tomāra āśa, tāre koro sarva-nāśa—“You ruin everything for someone who aspires to attain You.” Kāhāke-o ṭākā dey, kāhāro ṭākā nei—“To some He gives money, while He makes others penniless.” Tomā sthāne aparādhe nāhi paritrāṇa—“There is no pardon for an offence at your (Vaiṣṇava’s) feet.” Why false vanity? Who will deliver you? Whom should I explain, who will understand? I haven’t got the slightest bit of attachment to the Vaiṣṇavas.

Q: How will I attain Kṛṣṇa’s mercy?

A: You will get His mercy by crying. Who really cries? If you cry with tears of love, you will get the Lord’s mercy. Mukhe boli hari, kāje anya kari, prema-vāri cokhe elo nā—“I recite Hari’s Names, but I act otherwise. So the tears of love do not well up in my eyes.”

Q: How can we be happy? In renunciation or in enjoyment?

A: There are saintly persons on the Sarayū River who chant the Names of Sītā-Rāma. They are happy, they know no distress. Those who stay with King Duryodhana know no joy. Those who were with King Yudhiṣṭhira are happy. Happiness and distress—enjoyment and renunciation—are twins. Some people enjoy and some renounce.

Q: Have you ever been to Māyāpura?

A: Yes. Some call it Māyāpura, some call it Navadvīpa. There are buildings all over the Māyāpura temple site and the deity is worshiped under a neem tree. I once went to Māyāpura with a torn wrapper and a waterpot. Śaccīnandana Gosāṣi (Mahāprabhu) came and took my waterpot. I sat down and waited and a few minutes later Śacīnandana Gosāṣi came and gave it back. Then I came back here.

Bābājī Mahārāja’s disappearance day was the Śrāvaṇa śuklā caturthī.

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¹ - The word avadhūta refers to one who has shaken free from all worldly feeling and obligation. He does not care for social conventions, particularly the varṇāśrama-dharma, and he is quite eccentric in his behaviour. Nityananda Prabhu is often characterized as an avadhūta.