Page 17 - Sri Vamsidasa Babaji (English)

Introduction

but they serve no meaningful purpose for devotees who
have already attained the elevated stage. Vaàç édäsa
Bäbäjé was a topmost paramahaàsa whose character and
behavior were so unusual that only the most advanced
devotees, on that same level of perfection, could clearly
recognize his greatness.

Yet while unorthodox in his practices, Çréla Vaàç édäsa
Bäbäjé was not without discrimination. He rigidly adhered
to the principle of änukülyasya saìkalpaù prätikülyasya
varjanam: to accept anything favorable and reject
everything unfavorable for the execution of devotional
service. Unlike persons who simply pretend to be advanced
devotees, those who are actually immersed in spontaneous
devotion to Kåñëa never deviate from the correct
philosophical understanding of Kåñëa consciousness. Even
though Vaàç édäsa often seemed to babble like a madman,
he never said anything inconsistent with the approved
conclusion of the scriptures. Whatever he spoke was
concordant with Gauòéya Vaiñëava siddhänta, and he was
never influenced by the speculations of pseudodevotees.

At that time, many members of apa-sampradäyas were
posing as devotees and crowding Navadvépa with
imaginative ideas and practices—ordinary people were
likely to accept anyone who was exhibiting bhäva to be
a great devotee. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura and Çréla
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté vehemently protested the
deviations of the apa-sampradäyas. Yet they readily
accepted Bäbäjé Mahäräja as an exalted pure devotee. Had
they not informed us of Çréla Vaàç édäsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja’s

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