Page 12 - Sri Vamsidasa Babaji (English)

Preface

the result hopefully being a more readable and interesting
book.

Jati Çekhara Prabhu departed from this world on 6
February 1995, the advent day of Advaita Äcärya Prabhu.

Preface to the First Edition

I first met Çré Jati Çekhara Däsa in 1986 at his home in
Cuttack, Orissa, while I was researching the life of Çréla
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, of whom Jati Çekhara
Prabhu was a disciple. When in the course of discussion
Jati Çekhara Prabhu mentioned the name Vaàç édäsa
Bäbäjé, I asked him to tell me more, for I had previously
heard of Vaàç édäsa. To my delight, for the next few hours
Jati Çekhara Prabhu elaborated on the character and
activities of Çréla Vaàç édäsa Bäbäjé. Jati Çekhara Prabhu
had personally seen him do and say many wonderful
things, and testified how Vaàç édäsa was a mahä-puruña
in vätsalya-rasa.

Jati Çekhara Prabhu gave me a booklet he had written in
Oriya about Vaàç édäsa Bäbäjé, in which some of Bäbäjé
Mahäräja’s travels were recounted, based on a diary Jati
Çekhara Prabhu had kept while accompanying Bäbäjé
Mahäräja to Puré, and on similar journals by other devotees
who had traveled with Bäbäjé Mahäräja in North India.
These details, together with whatever else Jati Çekhara
Prabhu told me, form the basis of this book. Also herein
are several anecdotes told by Bhakti Bardhaka Sägara
Mahäräja (a disciple of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté

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