{"id":8685,"date":"2025-03-07T05:15:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T04:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/?p=8685"},"modified":"2025-03-07T05:15:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T04:15:41","slug":"sri-sakhi-ma-her-upbringing-and-the-story-of-her-vesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/sri-sakhi-ma-her-upbringing-and-the-story-of-her-vesh\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Sakhi Ma ~ Her upbringing and the story of her\u00a0vesh"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"page\">\n<div id=\"wrapper\">\n<div id=\"header\">\n<div id=\"title\">\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/\"> Living in Sri Radhakund <\/a><\/h1>\n<div class=\"description\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"title_image\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"frame\">\n<ul class=\"menu page-menu primary\">\n<li class=\"page_item\"><a class=\"first_menu\" href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/\"> Home <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item\"><a title=\"Guru Pranali\" href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/guru-pranali\/\">Guru Pranali<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"last_menu\">\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"content\">\n<div id=\"post-1257\" class=\"post-1257 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized tag-baba-mahashaya tag-carita-sudha tag-dada-mosai tag-dinesh-chandra-bhattacharya tag-gopal-krishna tag-jaya-gopal tag-jayagopal tag-kisori-dasi tag-kusum-didi tag-lalita-sakhi-dasi tag-o-b-l-kapoor tag-radharaman-charan-das-dev tag-radharani tag-sakhi-ma tag-sakhi-thakurani tag-sakhi-vesh tag-sakhi-besh tag-the-life-of-love\">\n<h2>Sri Sakhi Ma ~ Her upbringing and the story of her\u00a0vesh<\/h2>\n<p><small class=\"date\"> <span class=\"date_day\">25<\/span> <span class=\"date_month\">11<\/span> <span class=\"date_year\">2009<\/span> <\/small><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry\">\n<div id=\"attachment_1258\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" data-shortcode=\"caption\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_8686\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8686\" style=\"width: 252px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8686 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sakhi-ma01.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"299\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8686\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sri Sakhi Ma ~ Her upbringing and the story of her\u00a0vesh<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1258\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sri Sakhi Ma seated near her Dada Mosai (Radharaman Charan Dev)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>I was speaking the other day with my gurubrother, Subrata Adhikary Ji. We were discussing the lila of Sri Lalita Sakhi Dasi (Sakhi Ma). I had posted a little bit of information and several photos related to her recently on my blog. The information is very commonly known among people who are at all familiar with her. I obtained that information from a biography on Radharaman Charan Dev titled, <em>Carit Sudha<\/em>, otherwise known as <em>The Life of Love<\/em>, which is the English translation done by O.B.L. Kapoor. The problem here is that Sakhi Ma wrote <em>Carit Sudha<\/em>, and as far as possible by her she tried to exclude herself from the events in the biography. She did this out of humility. So many of the lilas that Radharaman Charan Dev, who from here on will simply be referred to as Baba Mahashaya, performed featured Sakhi Ma as one of the main characters. Many are probably unaware of this, but she had a very strong personality. Both her and Baba Mahashaya were Simha rasi, in other words they were Leos according to their birth charts and had forceful, and outgoing personalities. Most could not stand up to Baba Mahashaya, but Sakhi Ma with her strong nature could and often did. While many of Baba Mahashaya\u2019s sisyas would be afraid to speak in front of him, she had no fear whatsover. There was a great chemistry between them and their relationship was extremely sweet and loving, with so much intimacy and depth.<\/p>\n<p>Sakhi Ma\u2019s younger brother, Sri Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya wrote a book titled, <em>Sri Sri Lalita Sakhi<\/em> in order to make her glories known and to portray her involvment in various lilas with Baba Mahashaya and his companions that Sakhi Ma herself purposefully left out of her own book. In this book one can learn a great deal more about the character and life of Sri Sakhi Ma. One of the lilas that Subrata Ji related to me from this book is how and when she first began to wear Sakhi-vesh and he also told me about the family in which she grew up, about her vast learning, and how she came to the feet of Baba Mahashaya and accepted him as her guru.<\/p>\n<p>Sakhi Ma, was given the name Gopal Krishna, from his parents. He was born in 1873 in a family of highly advanced spiritual personalities. They were from the highest of Brahmin families and gave diksha and assumed the responsibility of thousands of disciples. During her time the traditional custom was that even the Prabhu Vamsh Goswamis were not allowed to sit and eat in the company of such Brahmins. Her eldest brother would frequently move from place to place to take care of his disciples and Gopal Krishna during childhood would stay at home and help take care of the family. Soon it became evident that Gopal Krishna possessed great intelligence and a flawless memory. He was trained and very learned in the Sad Darshanas or six schools of Indian philosophy, i.e, vaizeSika, nyaya, saGkhya, yoga, mImAMsA, and vedAnta. The school in which he studied Sanskrit gave him the title Vidyaratna.<\/p>\n<p>During his childhood Gopal Krishna strictly practiced brahmacharya and yoga sadhana. He became advanced in yoga and began to seek a guru. He would leave home many times to seek a guru and to further his yoga studies, and his elder brother would send him money to survive on. He would go to many holy cities including Haridwar and Varanasi. Then one time he left home without informing anyone of his whereabouts. He was gone for a long time and eventually he went to Jagannath Puri. At first sight of Baba Mahashaya his heart was stolen and he took him into his fold. Baba Mahashaya then changed his name to Jaya Gopal.<\/p>\n<p>I had written this <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/15\/disappearance-day-of-sri-sakhi-ma-sri-sripad-ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">earlier blog post<\/a> about her receiving sakhi-vesh from Jagannath Dev, but that was not the whole story. The occasional or temporary donning of sakh-vesh was not uncommon at all during those times. On various special occasions or as inspired by Nitai Chand, Baba Mahashaya would dress in sakhi-vesh and dance in ecstasy before Radhakanta at Jhanjpitha Math and other places. It was common for Nityananda Vamsh Goswamis to put on sakhi-vesh while performing their puja or aroti. So for Jaya Gopal to receive the sakhi-vesh at Jagannath Mandir was not that unusual of an occurance, though certainly an instance of him receiving great kripa.<\/p>\n<p>After that lila Jaya Gopal resumed his normal attire. In the book by Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya we hear the story as told by Baba Mahashaya. On one occasion Baba Mahashaya decided to have a play performed on Braja-lila. He asked someone to write the play according to his wishes and to obtain all the necessary outfits, make-up, backdrops, etc. to produce the play. On the day of the play Baba Mahashaya first performed some astonishing kirtan that got everyone in such a spiritual frame of mind that they were easily able to enter into the mood of the character that they were to perform. Everyone got submerged in the bhav of the wonderful play and totally identified with their characters. The play went on for a long time and it got quite late and when it ended everyone took prasad and went to their rooms for rest.<\/p>\n<p>The next morning everyone noticed that Jaya Gopal was missing. They searched for him and then came to realize that he was in his room, but not answering their calls. Someone informed Baba Mahashaya that Jaya Gopal was in his room still dressed in sakhi-vesh, crying many tears, and ignoring the calls of everyone. Everyone was anxious for Jaya Gopal\u2019s welfare hoping that he was not unwell. Baba Mahashaya became angry because she was not obeying the Vaisnavas and so he went to her room thinking he would break down her door himself. When he pulled back his leg to get ready to kick the door, a miracle happened. He heard a voice in the sky saying, \u201cCharan! Have you started thinking that you have become a big guru? You are not respecting your own disciple and the state she has already reached, by thinking I have not reached there, so how could she.\u201d After hearing the voice Baba Mahashaya became very calm and happy. In a sweet voice he asked, \u201cJaya Gopal, will you please come out of your room?\u201d Jaya Gopal opened her door and stood in front of Baba Mahashaya with folded hands while fully attired in her sakhi-vesh. Baba Mahashaya embraced her and told her, \u201cRadharani has showered special mercy upon you so you should try to keep this bhav intact and permanent. Vesh alone will not do much until you have attained the proper bhav and behave like a gopi of Braja.\u201d He gave her detailed instructions on how to maintain her bhav and then gave her the name Lalita Sakhi Dasi. People later referred to her simply and affectionately as Sakhi Ma or Sakhi Thakurani.<\/p>\n<p>Later several people tried to copy her behavior, but they couldn\u2019t maintain it for long. Only a couple of people come to my mind that were highly successful in their practices while adopting sakhi-vesh. Their names were Kusum Didi and Kisori Dasi. <small class=\"postmetadata\"><\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-1199\" class=\"post-1199 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized tag-carita-sudha tag-jayagopal-das tag-lalita-sakhi-dasi tag-path-bari tag-radharaman-charan-das-dev tag-ramdas-babaji-maharaj tag-sakhi-ma tag-sakhi-thakurani tag-samaj-bari tag-sangita-madhava tag-sri-surat-kathamarita tag-the-life-of-love\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/15\/disappearance-day-of-sri-sakhi-ma-sri-sripad-ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Disappearance Day of Sri Sakhi Ma &amp; Sri Sripad Ramdas Babaji\u00a0Maharaj<\/a><\/h2>\n<p><small class=\"date\"> <span class=\"date_day\">15<\/span> <span class=\"date_month\">11<\/span> <span class=\"date_year\">2009<\/span> <\/small><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry\">\n<p>Today is the 63<sup>rd<\/sup> tirobhav of Paramaradhya Sriyukta Lalitadasi Sakhi Ma &amp; the 56<sup>th<\/sup> tirobhav of Paramaradhya Sri Gurudev Namacharya 108 Sri Sripad Ramdas Babaji Maharaj. Festivals are being held at Samaj Bari and Path Bari Ashrams, with sucak kirtan being performed, nagar-sankirtan, and grand feasts being served.<\/p>\n<p>My beloved Sakhi Thakurani and my beloved param-gurudev Sripad Babaji Maharaj are such prominent and important personalities in my life, so on this sacred day I feel the need to write something about them. Their glories are beyond the reach of mere words. It is impossible for me to properly glorify them or describe their divine characteristics. So in my own simple way I will just present a small glimpse into their lives and activities, hoping that it will bring pleasure to my Vaisnava readers.<\/p>\n<p>===============================================<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1200\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" data-shortcode=\"caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1200\" title=\"sakhimayoung\" src=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg?w=122&amp;h=150\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 122px) 100vw, 122px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg?w=122 122w, https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg?w=244 244w\" alt=\"sakhimayoung\" width=\"122\" height=\"150\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1200\" data-attachment-id=\"1200\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/15\/disappearance-day-of-sri-sakhi-ma-sri-sripad-ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/sakhimayoung\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"449,552\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"sakhimayoung\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Sri Lalita Sakhi Dasi (Sakhi Ma)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg?w=244\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/sakhimayoung.jpg?w=449\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1200\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sri Lalita Sakhi Dasi (Sakhi Ma)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lalita Sakhi Dasi was always engaged in seva. She had taken up the task of cooking for Thakurji and serving in the ashram, but dearer than anything else to her, was the service of her gurudev, Sri Radharaman Charan Dev. Externally, she was always engaged in service, but internally her bhava was that of a sakhi of Braja. She imagined that the ashram was the kunja of Radharani and all the Vaisnavas in the ashram were Radha\u2019s sakhis.<\/p>\n<p>Lalita Sakhi Dasi was born Sri Gopal Krishna. Later when he attained the sanga of Radharaman Charan Das Dev Babaji Maharaj in Puri, the young boy known as Gopal was given the name Jayagopal by Baba who accepted him as one of his own.<\/p>\n<p>One day Madhava Pasupalaka, the sringari panda of Jagannathji came to visit Baba and gave him the carana tulasi of Jagannath and His prasadi mala. At that time Jayagopal was standing behind Baba and was fanning him. Madhava Pasupalaka said, \u201cBaba, when I see this boy and some of his companions dancing before Jagannath they appear to me like the sakhis of Braj. You will be surprised to know one day when I was offering dhupa to Jagannath, I actually saw them wearing gaghra like the sakhis of Braj! I said to myself, \u2018Perhaps Baba has made them put on the sakhi vesh today. Oh! How beautiful they look.\u2019 Exactly when I was lost in that thought, the mala worn by Jagannathji slipped and fell down\u2026I thought that had some special significance. So I brought it to you, and you gave it to this boy. That day I did not reveal that to you. Today prompted by Jagannath I have specially come to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Baba said, \u201cYou are a favorite of Jagannath, and you can make the impossible possible. Kindly bless him that he may realize the bhava he covets. Baba gestured to Jayagopal who then went and offered his dandabat before the sringari panda who then placed his hand on Jayagopal\u2019s head and said, \u201cMay Jagannath bless you.\u201d\u00a0As if a step of the immediate fulfilment of the wish and blessings of Jagannath received through the panda, Baba performed a lila. He asked Kunja Babu to sing a kirtan pada relating to Radhaji\u2019s standing on the flat roof of Tungamani mandir to see Krishna going to the forest. Jayagopal placed the Sri Murti of Radhika on a cauki. With every change of bhav in the kirtan, he changed the dress, position, and movement of the Murti to assist in the visualization of Their gostha-lila.<\/p>\n<p>When the kirtan described Radha and Krishna in Radhakunda, he made Radhaji sit by the side of Krishna. He stood behind Them and started to fan Them. Radhagovinda, Kishorigopal, and four or five others began dancing in front of the Murtis. Baba Mahasaya then began a kirtan describing the beauty and glories of Radhakunda. Everyone danced and sang in ecstacy, except for Jayagopal who was then weeping constantly.<\/p>\n<p>Tears fell incessantly from his eyes. Suddenly he fell unconscious. At this time Baba Mahasaya came dancing near him and uttered a mantra in his ear. He got up, flung one corner of his cadara over his head and went and sat in the corner of the temple sobbing and weeping. Just then a man came holding a sari and said, \u201cJagannath sitting in my heart told me that one of you needs a sari, so I have brought it, who will wear it?\u201d Navadwip Baba made Baba Mahasaya wear the sari.\u00a0The situation aroused sakhi bhav in his mind and he began to dance like one possessed by a sakhi of Braj! Tears of love constantly streamed from his eyes and the sattvika bhavs appeared on his body. Others caught this emotional current emanating from him and they too began to dance and sing under the spell of this bhava.<\/p>\n<p>After about an hour, Baba came to his own. He then gave the sari to Navadwip Baba and whispered something in his ear. Navadwip Baba then made Jayagopal wear the sari. After Jayagopal was dressed in sari, Navadwip Baba brought him near Baba Mahasaya. Baba said, \u201cRadharani has\u2013out of Her infinite kindness\u2013bestowed this sublimest and sweetest bhav upon you. Retain it carefully and be happy. Vesa alone will not do any good. You have to live according to this bhav in thought, word, and deed. In this sakhi bhav don\u2019t even once think of your own happiness. You will have to convert this bhav into your svabhav, you will have to make it completely your own, your natural disposition. The best way to do this is to constantly do the seva of Radha Krishna according to this bhav.<\/p>\n<p>Navadwip Baba said, \u201cWhat should we name him?\u201d<br \/>\nBaba said, \u201cWhat do you propose?\u201d<br \/>\nNavadwip Baba said, \u201cI wish that henceforth he be called Lalita Sakhi Dasi.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She was a greatly learned scholar and many big pandits of Nabadwip would come to her with questions on sastra. It was seen that Radha and Krishna would be personally present when she gave Bhagavat-path. She used to love to celebrate Jhulan, Ras, and Holi lilas with great eclat and bhava. She wrote several wonderful kirtans herself which are sung to this day. She also was responsible for the writing of <em>The Life of Love, <\/em>the biography of Radharaman Charan Das Dev. She also wrote commentaries on <em>Sri Surat Kathamrita<\/em> and <em>Sangita Madhava<\/em> and had them published.<\/p>\n<p>===============================================<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1201\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" data-shortcode=\"caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1201\" title=\"Babaji Maharaj\" src=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg?w=95&amp;h=150\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg?w=95 95w, https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg?w=190 190w\" alt=\"Babaji Maharaj\" width=\"95\" height=\"150\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1201\" data-attachment-id=\"1201\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/15\/disappearance-day-of-sri-sakhi-ma-sri-sripad-ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/babaji-maharaj-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"800,1259\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Babaji Maharaj\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Sri Sripad Ramdas Babaji Maharaj&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg?w=191\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/babaji-maharaj.jpg?w=510\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1201\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sri Sripad Ramdas Babaji Maharaj<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now, I will tell something about the disappearance of Sripad Ramdas Babaji Maharaj. It is intimately connected with the departure of Sakhi Ma. Inspite of illness during 1945-46 Babaji Maharaj tried his level best to perform all his duties. Babaji Maharaj was in Sri Khanda on November 18, 1946, when Sakhi Thakurani who was staying in Radharaman Bagh of Samaj Bari left to enter the nitya-lila. She did this quietly without revealing her intentions to anyone. It happened so suddenly that even Babaji Maharaj himself could not forsee the event. Babaji Maharaj commented to Basu Dada that his whole life\u2019s deliberation became topsy-turvy because of the departure of Sakhi Ma.<\/p>\n<p>The first Viraha Mahotsav of Sakhi Ma was held on December 5, 1946. After that Babaji Maharaj spend a lot of time in Orissa during 1947-48 to fulfill particular duties, but it was evident that the loss of Sakhi Ma was becoming increasingly difficult to bear. The lonliness took him to places deep in his thoughts. Travelling from village to village performing sankirtan and holding festivals went on from 1948-1953. During 1953 the 100<sup>th<\/sup> year advent of Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev too place. The sucack kirtan of Narahari Sarkar Thakur was solemnized at Sri Path Bari Ashram on December 3, 1953. The loss of separation and the eagerness to meet was so aptly depicted in the kirtan that words could not describe it.<\/p>\n<p>His mixed feelings were thus: <em>When you held my hand in the form of Sri Guru, I have nothing more to expect. Nam and Namdatta are not separate.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Tie me up in your bonds of love. I have come to be tied by you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>There is no distinction between Nam, Nami, and Namdatta.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The lila vividly depicts itself whenever there is lila prasanga. That day Babaji Maharaj was uncontrollable as he continued to gift gems of his wisdom to all that were present. The atmosphere was electric. He ended the sucak kirtan by emphasizing that Nam and Namdatta are one and inseparable. Hence, we should chant Nam with utmost sincerity.<\/p>\n<p>On December 4, 1953, Babaji Maharaj ended the day like any other day and went to take his rest. At about 2:30 A.M. he woke up and sat on his bed and called his sevak. He said, \u201cNo more this time\u2014Didi (Sakhi Ma) is calling me\u2014Didi is calling me\u2013I have to go. Call everybody here and bring my Thakur here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He took bath and after finishing his necessary chores he returned to his room and paid his respects to all the photographs in his room. He sat on a chair and said, \u201cAll is gone! All of you chant Nam!\u201d Then in a deep-throated voice he called out, <strong>\u201cBandhusundar! Bandhusundar! Radharaman! Radharaman!\u201d<\/strong> He then said, \u201cLet me sing on the floor.\u201d He got down from his chair and started chanting:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201c(Bhaja) Nitai Gaura Radhey Shyam ~ (Japa) Hare Krishna Hare Ram\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tears were shooting from his eyes as if from a mechanical pump. Everyone joined in the chanting. In the meantime the photos he worshipped daily of his Sri Gurudeva and Nitai Gaura were brought from the Mandir. Babaji Maharaj gazed at Them in a reverie. Then in a booming voice, as if the essence of his whole life\u2019s quest and it\u2019s divine answer sprang out from his within and burst into, <strong>\u201cJaya Nityananda Ram!\u201d<\/strong> which shook the entire ashram. The chanting continued. Babaji Maharaj was chanting, but gradually his eyes began to close and he became motionless, and entered into the realm of Sri Nam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br class=\"clear\" \/><br \/>\n<small class=\"postmetadata\">Comments : <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/15\/disappearance-day-of-sri-sakhi-ma-sri-sripad-ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/#comments\">9 Comments \u00bb<\/a><\/small> <br \/>\n<small class=\"postmetadata\">Tags: <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/carita-sudha\/\" rel=\"tag\">Carita Sudha<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/jayagopal-das\/\" rel=\"tag\">Jayagopal Das<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/lalita-sakhi-dasi\/\" rel=\"tag\">Lalita Sakhi Dasi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/path-bari\/\" rel=\"tag\">Path Bari<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/radharaman-charan-das-dev\/\" rel=\"tag\">Radharaman Charan Das Dev<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/ramdas-babaji-maharaj\/\" rel=\"tag\">Ramdas Babaji Maharaj<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/sakhi-ma\/\" rel=\"tag\">Sakhi Ma<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/sakhi-thakurani\/\" rel=\"tag\">Sakhi Thakurani<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/samaj-bari\/\" rel=\"tag\">Samaj Bari<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/sangita-madhava\/\" rel=\"tag\">Sangita Madhava<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/sri-surat-kathamarita\/\" rel=\"tag\">Sri Surat Kathamarita<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/tag\/the-life-of-love\/\" rel=\"tag\">The Life of Love<\/a><\/small> <br \/>\n<small class=\"postmetadata\">Categories : <a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/category\/uncategorized\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Uncategorized<\/a><\/small><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-946\" class=\"post-946 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized tag-barsana tag-carita-sudha tag-gopi-vesh tag-jagannatha-deva tag-jai-nitai tag-jhanjpitha-math tag-kishori-sakhi-dasi tag-kusum-dasi tag-lalita-sakhi-dasi tag-mahaprasad tag-nitya-lila tag-pranesvari tag-radhakantha tag-radharaman-charan-das-dev tag-radhey tag-sakhi-ma tag-siddha tag-siddhi tag-sriji-mandir tag-tirobhava\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/sriradhakund.wordpress.com\/2009\/08\/30\/sri-kishori-sakhi-dasis-disappearance-lila\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Sri Kishori Sakhi Dasi\u2019s disappearance\u00a0lila<\/a><\/h2>\n<p><small class=\"date\"> <span class=\"date_day\">30<\/span> <span class=\"date_month\">08<\/span> <span class=\"date_year\">2009<\/span> <\/small><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry\">\n<p>Jai Nitai!<\/p>\n<p>As I mentioned in my previous post I had lost internet connectivity for nearly 24 hours so the date of this post is off by a day. Yesterday was the tirobhav of Sri Kishori Sakhi Dasi, a close disciple of Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev. She was an upasaka of sakhi-bhava and an intimate companion of Lalita Sakhi Dasi (Sakhi Ma). She attained siddhi at a very early age There is a chapter about her in <em>carita-sudhA<\/em> titled, \u201csakhi kizorI dAsIra bibaraNa\u201d in the SaSTha khaNDa which gives a brief account of her life and I will reproduce it here for the pleasure of the Vaisnavas and in hope of receiving the kripa of Sri Kishori Sakhi Dasi.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>One day, when Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev was staying in the Agaraparha Garden in Calcutta he suddenly spit up some blood while washing his mouth in the morning. This made his companions anxious about his health. They said, \u201cWhat could this be due to? Does it indicate some disease?\u201d Baba Mahasaya replied, \u201cThis is due to some sorrowful happening in Puri.\u201d Then he went and lay in his room and covered himself with a cadara from head to feet. After half an hour he uttered, \u201cKishori!\u201d Then again he was quiet.<\/p>\n<p>At about 10:30 AM he got up and said to someone, \u201cI will go to Puri today, inform Pulin.\u201d He had hardly said this when Pulin came with a telegram in his hand. He said, \u201cWhat news Pulin?\u201d Seeing that Pulin was hesitant in replying he said, \u201cI know that on the day following Radhastami, Radharani accepted Kishori Dasi. She is blest. Arrange for my journey to Puri, I shall go today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The news spread in Agaraparha that Baba Mahasaya had suddenly decided to go to Puri. Many people came to inquire the reason for his sudden departure.<\/p>\n<p>Baba Mahasaya replied, \u201cSometime ago a twenty year old boy named Advaita Das took mantra from me and went to Braja. After seeing all the holy places connected with the lila of Sri Krishna, he went to Barsana. There he lived with vairagya and swept the Sriji Mandir. He did not talk with anyone. In the evening he covered his head with his cadara and danced before the Sri Vigraha of Radharani. While dancing he often lost himself in bhava. The people of Barsana loved him very much because of \u00a0his bhava-bhakti.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne day Radharani asked him in a dream to dance before Her in gopi-vesh. He ignored this as a mere dream. After three days Radharani again appeared to him in a dream and said, \u2018You did not dance as I had asked. Tomorrow I shall send you the dress of a gopi. You wear the the dress and dance before Me. Remember that is your siddha-vesa.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe next \u00a0evening an old lady came with a sari and a blouse and said to him, \u2018Baba, you dance before Radharani everyday. I like your dancing very much. I am giving you this sari and blouse so that you may wear them while dancing.\u2019 \u00a0He put on the sari and began to dance. Slowly he became so much attached to it that he could not give up wearing it. People began to call him Kishori Dasi. After one year he went to Puri and engaged himself in the service of Radhakanta Deva in Jhanjapita Math. Everyone was charmed by his bhava and loving service of the Thakurs. During the period of his service the Thakurs put on a new appearance. They looked so beautiful that sometimes I would wonder if They were the same Sri Vigrahas or not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRadharani accepted him yesterday and engaged him in Her loving service in nitya-lila for all times. I am happy \u00a0because of this, but I am sorry to have been deprived of his company because the very sight of him inspired Krishna-lila in my heart.<\/p>\n<p><em>What follows is Lalita Sakhi Dasi describing the passing of Kishori Dasi:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kishori<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> \u201cBelieve me, I feel that by Radharani\u2019s grace and your blessings I shall leave this body tomorrow between 8:30 and 9:00 AM.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lalita<\/strong>: \u201cI burst into tears and said, \u201cKishori! Will you really leave us all and go?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kishori<\/strong>: \u201cMa! By your blessings it appears that it will be so. You decorate me and send me to Braja happily. I am sorry I have to leave your sweet company and to go without having the darshan of Baba Mahasaya.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lalita<\/strong>: \u201cAs she said this she threw her arms around my neck and began to cry like a child. After some time she contained herself and asked for some mahaprasada. Kusuma Dasi brought Radhakanta\u2019s and Jagannath Deva\u2019s mahaprasada. With her own hand she put a little of the mahaprasada in the mouth of each of us and then she took our remnants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe next day early in the morning we assembled around her and started kirtana. At 8:30 I saw the she was slowly sinking. According to her desire I uttered her siddha name in her ear. As soon as she heard her name she became radiant and a smile came to her face. I placed a garland of Mukundavilasa around her neck. Others decorated her by putting a vermillion mark on her forehead and alta on her feet. We were singing, <strong><em>\u2018Bhaja Nitai Gaura Radhe Syama, Japa Hare Krishna Hare Rama.\u2019<\/em><\/strong> She started singing with us. Suddenly she shouted, <strong>\u2018Radhe Pranesvari!\u2019<\/strong> and she became silent forever. Her face was still radiant with a smile and her eyes were wide open and fixed on some object. It appeared as if she was looking at something extremely astonishing and attractive when she took her last breath.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As Lalita Sakhi Dasi concluded the story of Kishori Dasi\u2019s entrance into the nitya-lila, she began to cry. Baba Mahasaya was moved to the core of his heart. He said with a voice choked with emotion and tears in his eyes, \u201cKishori Dasi has left an ideal for the upasakas of madhura-rasa.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p><br class=\"clear\" \/><br \/>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Living in Sri Radhakund \u00a0 \u00a0 Home Guru Pranali \u00a0 Sri Sakhi Ma ~ Her upbringing and the story of her\u00a0vesh 25 11 2009 Sri Sakhi Ma seated near her Dada Mosai (Radharaman Charan Dev) I was speaking the other day with my gurubrother, Subrata Adhikary Ji. We were discussing the lila of Sri Lalita&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8685"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8687,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8685\/revisions\/8687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakti.tattva.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}