Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj has not only exemplified in the pastimes of solitary worship but also exhibited the pastimes of an acharya by preaching. Sri Rasbihari Goswami was his initiated disciple. He appeared about 214 years ago. He used to take pleasure in performing bhajan.

Rasikananda Deva Goswami was born in the village of Rohini in Midnapore district. His father’s name is king Acyutananda and Srimati Bhavani Devi was his mother. By his extraordinary transcendental power, he has attracted many influential people. He disappeared into the Transcendental limbs of the Deity of Sri Gopinath.

Today is also the 32nd disappearance anniversary of the founder acharya of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Om 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj Vishnupad.

On Tuesday, February 27, 1979 (Govinda 26, 492, Chaitanyabda; Phalgun 14, 1386, Bengali year), at 9 A.M., in the midst of the singing of the Holy Names, Srila Gurudeva entered the forenoon eternal pastimes of Sri Radha-Govinda, leaving his godbrothers and disciples in an ocean of separation grief. At four o’clock in the afternoon on the same day, the devotees left Calcutta with his body in the accompaniment of the singing of the Holy Names and came to Mayapur, where he was placed in Samadhi according to the scriptural directions. The officiating priest at his funeral was most revered Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj, and on March 1, 1979, a festival of mourning was held in his honor at the headquarters of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math at Ishodyan in Mayapur.

I committed offence to him. When most revered Gurudev was externally unconscious, prominent doctor said that Srila Gurudev will remain for 3-4 days surely. Having no other alternative, I left for Goverdhan over train without informing anyone. After reaching there in the early hours of next day, I took bath and performed worship with a hope of recovery of Srila Gurudev’s health. Later I heard that Srila Gurudev disappeared on the day I left Kolkata. All my efforts became futile. Though I decided that I would not return, devotees from all directions had come to me and forced me to go to Mayapur on the last day of the appearance anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Most Revered Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj had described how Most Revered Srila Gurudev disappeared in Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math and the sorrowful state of the devotees as below –

Most Revered Srila Maharaj’s most wonderful extraordinary exemplary life and his fully potent Harikatha had attracted many men and women from eastern to western corner and from northern to the southern corner of India towards the teachings of Divine Love by Sriman Mahaprabhu and got them initiated to the Gaudiya Vaishnava dharma. He established preaching centers in Vrindavan in the northern region, in Guwahati in the eastern region, in Chandigarh in the western region and in Hyderabad in southern region (charitable education institutes for Sanskrit, libraries, elementary and higher educational institutes, charitable dispensaries etc.) and also established many branch Maths within one lifetime. With his untiring enthusiasm, he had propagated the message of Divine Love as practiced and preached by Sriman Mahaprabhu to all irrespective of their religion-caste-creed-race. Due to this extensive preaching, even today countless men and women from different regions get initiated to Mahaprabhu’s prema-dharma and are following virtuous practices. This should be termed supramundane and beyond the comprehension. Especially there is one particular contribution to the Saraswat-Gaudiya-Vaishnavas by him – His twelve-year tireless and persistent effort for obtaining the appearance place of the founder-acharya of Sri Chaitanya Math and Sri Gaudiya Maths, Nityalila-pravista Om Vishnupad 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, in Sri Puri dham. A huge international institute is proposed to be constructed at the said appearance place. He established Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math under the registry act of the West Bengal Society.

At 4 PM on 27/2/79, Srila Maharaj was brought out of his rest house along with the cot and was brought to his most adored Sankirtan hall (natya-mandir) and was placed in front of his eternal worshipable and dearmost Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Nayananath. Countless male and female devotees cried in grief, sang his glories and offered flowers and garlands. The entire scene was very heart-touching. Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Suhrid Bodhayan Maharaj, Sripad Krishna Kesav Brahmachari, Sripad Jagamohan Das Brahmachari, Sripad Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj, other dear associates of Maharaj, his sannyasi, brahmachari, grihasta and vanaprastha disciples offered flowers and garlands with tearful eyes to his transcendental body. Garlands offered to the Lord were also given to Srila Maharaj’s body. Mahaprasad and Tulsi from the feet of the Lord were offered to his mouth.

A big lorry was decorated with flowers, petals, leaves and revered Maharaj decorated with flowers and garlands was placed in the lorry along with the cot. The Sankirtan party sat adjacent to the bed with mridangas and cymbals and chanted the Holy Names loudly. Sripad Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj was the principal leader of the kirtan. One more bus with devotees followed the lorry. At 11.00 PM both bus and lorry reached Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math situated in Ishodyan, Sree Mayapur. Devotees there brought down Srila Maharaj all the while crying in separation. He was placed in the spacious natya-mandir along with the bed. Devotees cried aloud and offered obeissances to his feet; all the while Sankirtan was being performed.

After consulting Srimad Bhakti Vigyan Bharati Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Bhushan Bhagavat Maharaj, Srimad Bhakti Lalit Giri Maharaj, Sripad Jagmohan Das Brahmachari, Sripad Krishna Kesav Brahmachari and other prominent vaishnavas, Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj chose the place of Samadhi to be on the north of Bakul tree, which is on the northern side of the main temple. Sri Bhagavat Das Brahmachari and others dug a pit that is 4 hands length, 4 hands wide and 7.5 feet deep. Maharaj’s asan was placed in the Samadhi facing east.

The digging was complete by 2.00 AM. Sri Maharaj was later offered ghee and other cow products (cow urine, cow dung etc). Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj recited the hymns. During that time Srila Maharaj was bathed in the pure waters of Ganga and later new clothes were offered. Body was decorated with twelve tilakas. With the mud of Radha-Kunda, Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj had written Samadhi Mantra on the chest of Maharaj. In the middle of Sankirtan, Srila Maharaj was taken from the natya-mandir to the place of Samadhi and was placed in the pit with his face in the eastern direction. Later Srimad Bhakti Lalit Giri Maharaj performed worship of the lotus feet of Guru, offered fruits and sweets, and performed Aratika. Later, all the devotees offered flowers at the feet of Srila Maharaj. In that seated position, the Samadhi would be covered with salt and sand. A mark was placed at the face of the Samadhi and later a Tulsi pot was placed on the top. Later it was decorated with garlands on all the directions. Devotees performed grand Sankirtan while circumambulating the Samadhi. Samadhi ceremony that started at 3.00 AM was complete at 5.00 PM.