Gaurī Dāsa’s first residence was in the village known as Shaligram, not far from Muragacha. Later he moved to Ambika Kalna in Burdwan district for longtime residence, where his Sripat is extremely well known. His father’s name was Kaṁsāri Miśra. Kaṁsāri Miśra belonged to the Vātsa gotra, and their family name was Ghoṣāla. Gaurī Dāsa was the fourth of six sons. His three older brothers were named Dāmodara, Jagannātha and Sūrya Dāsa. Sūrya Dāsa, whose title was Sarakhela, gave his two daughters, Vasudhā and Jāhnavā, in marriage to Nityānanda Prabhu. Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita’s younger brothers were named Kṛṣṇadāsa Sarakhela and Nṛsiṁha Caitanya.

Paṇḍita Sūrya Dāsa Sarakhela was a very magnanimous person. His younger brother was named Gaurī Dāsa. Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita took permission from his older brother before moving from Shaligram to Ambika. (Bhakti-ratnākara 7.330-1)

Gaurī Dāsa and his disciple Hridaya Caitanya left only a line of initiated disciples and not one family descendant. According to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Abhidhāna, Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita and his wife Bimalā Devī had two sons, Balarāma and Raghunātha. Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, however, did not accept this family connection due to the lack of authenticity. He has written as follows in his Anubhāṣya: “Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita’s disciple was named Hriday Caitanya Dāsa. His disciple was the son of Annapūrṇā Devī, Gopīramaṇa. It is the family descendants of this Gopīramaṇa who are the current owners of the Ambika Sripat.” (Anubhāṣya to Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.11.26)

The current temple at Ambika houses deities of Gaurī Dāsa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Gaura-Nityānanda, Jagannātha, Balarāma, and Sītā-Rāma. As one enters the temple grounds, there is a large tamarind tree. It is said that Mahāprabhu and Gaurī Dāsa met under this very tree. Other valuable items housed in the temple are a paddle said to be used by Mahāprabhu Himself when He crossed the Ganges and came to Ambika and a Bhagavad-gītā said to have been hand-copied by the Lord.

Gauracandra, the Lord of lords, resides in the temple of Gaurī Dāsa in Ambika. Towards the north of Ambika is a place called Kalna, together it has become Ambika Kalna.

One day Gaurāṅga crossed the Ganges from Śāntipura to visit Ambika. He told Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita, “I was in Śāntipura and from there I went to Harinadi village and took a boat to come here. I have brought one of the paddles with me—here, take it. Use it to take the fallen living beings across the river of material suffering.” So saying, the Lord embraced him. (Bhakti-ratnākara 7.333-6)

Fortunate souls can still see the Gītā that the Lord gave to Gaurī Dāsa, as well as the paddle when they visit the deities in Ambika. (Bhakti-ratnākara 7.341)

Nityānanda Prabhu made no distinctions between those who were qualified or unqualified but simply gave kṛṣṇa-prema to everyone as though intoxicated. His intimate associate, Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita, similarly displayed great power in preaching.

Gaurī Dāsa possessed the highest order of loving devotion. He had a great ability to deliver and receive kṛṣṇa-prema. He surrendered everything he had, including his own clan, to Nityānanda Prabhu and made Caitanya-Nityānanda the masters of his life and soul. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.11.26-7)

Sūrya Dāsa Sarakhela’s house and temple are also in Ambika, a little to the west of Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita’s Sripat. Bhagavāna Dāsa Bābājī’s āśrama is also a little further west of there.

A wonderful story is told about Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita in Ambika Kalna. It is said that on the day that Mahāprabhu paddled across the Ganges to come to visit Gaurī Dāsa, He sat under the tamarind tree in the courtyard. Gaurī Dāsa asked for Mahāprabhu to stay permanently with him in Ambika. In order to fulfil His devotee’s desire, Mahāprabhu manifested His and Nityānanda Prabhu’s deities from a nearby neem tree. It is also said that Nityānanda Prabhu was physically present when the deities were being carved.

When Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu were about to leave, Gaurī Dāsa in deep mental anguish held Them back. Mahāprabhu calmed him by saying, “Nityānanda and I are present here in person as well as in these deity forms. You can tell either the deities to go, or we can leave. You choose.” Gaurī Dāsa chose the Gaura-Nitāi in person to stay and said that the deities could leave. So the deities walked away and Gaura-Nitāi entered the temple room.

nāma vigraha svarūpa, tina eka-rūpa
tine bheda nāhi tina cidānanda-rūpa

These three, the name, the deity form and the original form of the Lord, are all one. No distinction should be made between Them, for all three are of spiritual nature. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.17.131)

Subsequently, conquered by Gaurī Dāsa’s love for Them, the deities would physically eat everything that he offered to Them.

Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita disappeared in the month of Śrāvaṇa on the śuklā dvādaśī, the twelfth day of the waxing moon. His samādhi is in Vṛndāvana.

When Jāhnavā Devī saw Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita’s samādhi, torrents of tears fell from her eyes and she could do nothing to stop them. (Bhakti-ratnākara 11.259)