Table Of Contents Chapter 3: Bauri Giri


Chapter 3: Bauri Giri


Bauri Giri is still remembered today in the Gadeigiri area as being a Pāramahaṁsa and a premī-bhakta, a very advanced devotee. If anyone were suffering from a disease in the village they would approach Bauri Giri for help. Bauri Giri would simply speak the name of Gopal, touch the body of the patient and that person would be cured of his ailment.
Bauri Giri was always doing kīrtan for Gopal’s pleasure. He became famous for his kīrtans, and his reputation spread far beyond Gadeigiri. Many high government officers and other prestigious persons would come to hear, including Bala Mukunda Kanungo, the famous deputy magistrate.


Kīrtan Competition

The nearby village of Balisahi is also famous for kīrtan. Seeing the popularity of Bauri Giri, some persons in Balisahi became a little envious. They brought in a kīrtan guru from another area and began studying various types of kīrtan. Then they challenged Bauri Giri to a kīrtan competition, a common event in those times.
The venue was the Jagulai Durga temple. Many persons, including Bala Mukunda Kanungo, came to see.
Bala Mukunda Kanungo first spoke, ‘’We are always hearing kīrtan from Bauri Giri, so he should sing last. But we have not heard from this Balisahi guru. We request that he should begin his kīrtan first.

It is morning now, so he should start his kīrtan with a description of morning in Vrindavan, the atmosphere there, and the pastimes Krishna performs at this time of day.’’ The guru began his kīrtan with a description of morning in Vrindavan, the atmosphere there, and the pastimes Krishna performs at this time of day.’’ The guru began his kīrtan, but he could not properly sing the morning pastimes of Krishna. In the morning Krishna and His elder brother Balarama go to the forest with Their cowherd boyfriends and the cows. But the guru sang of Krishna’s afternoon pastimes when They are all returning home. Because he was unable to properly sing about the correct time and atmosphere the audience did not appreciate his kīrtan. Everyone was then waiting to see what Bauri Giri would sing.
Bala Mukunda Kanungo then spoke to Bauri Giri, ‘’The time is now twelve o’clock noon, so you should sing a description of the pastimes that go in Vrindavan at this time of day.’’

Bauri Giri started singing very nicely, describing how Krishna and Balarama were enjoying a feast in the forest with all of the cowherd boys. Everyone there appreciated it and clapped loudly. At the end all support went to Bauri Giri. Everyone said that he was the real guru of kīrtan.


Bananas for Gopal

Bauri Giri would never eat anything that was not offered to Gopal. He was also very particular that Gopal’s servitors should cook in a devotional way. At the time of cooking he would often tell them, ‘’Be attentive in your service’’.
On one occasion Bauri Giri was leaving for a trip. Before going he gave the brahmin priest a large quantity of bananas to offer to Gopal. When he returned from his journey he came before Gopal and stood silently for several minutes. Then he turned to the brahmin and asked, ‘’Did you offer the bananas?’’ ‘’Yes I did,’’ the brahmin assured him. Then a little more sternly Bauri Giri asked, ‘’When did you offer them?’’ Bauri Giri could see that Gopal was suffering from a cold because the brahmin had offered all the bananas at one time. He then offered Gopal some Ayurvedic medicine to ‘’heal’’ His ailment.


Departure of Bauri Giri

Bauri Giri left this world on Friday 24 January 1969. Generally he was in fine health, but the previous day he became slightly ill with a low fever and laid down to take rest. After a short time he asked. ‘’What day is tomorrow?’’ His eldest son Gopinath Giri replied, ‘’Tomorrow is Chandrabhag-bauda.’’ Chandrabhag-bauda is an auspicious holy day for the pious people of Orissa. It is also the appearance day of Srila Advaita Acharya, the associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the incarnation of Maha Vishnu.

Bauri Giri replied, ‘’So I will leave my body tomorrow.’’
Gopinath Giri was stunned. ‘’Father, what are you saying?’’
Bauri Giri said, ‘’I don’t want to stay anymore. I want to leave this world. Tomorrow morning on the day of Chandrabhag-bauda, I will leave my body. Today I want to see all of my relatives and friends, please call them.’’

This message was spread to all of the neighboring villages and everyone was assembled there. He said, ‘’Tomorrow I will leave my body. I don’t want to live in this world anymore. I don’t like it.’’

All of the villagers, Bauri Giri’s friends and relatives started nāma- saṅkīrtana. The chanting continued all night long. When it became dawn, Bauri Giri asked, ‘’What is the time now? Please take me outside, bathe me and make a bed for me.’’
Everything was arranged as he asked. After his bath he took darśan of Gopal. Then he told his eldest son, ‘’Please hold me .’’ And with that he left his body. He was sixty-nine years old.

Bauri Giri left behind him three sons, Gopinath Giri, Jagannath Giri, and Dinabandhu Giri, and two daughters, Pata Devi and Hade Devi. The eldest son Gopinath Giri was entrusted with Gopal’s service.
Both Gopinath and Jagannath Giri were expert in kīrtan and were always singing bhajans for Gopal. Gopinath Giri’s son Ghanashyam Giri recalls:

‘’I will leave this world on the upcoming agni utsava day.’’
[Monday 15 February 1964, which is also the appearance day of Srila Narottama Das Thakur]


We stayed with him and on that day in the evening he left his body during harināma-saṅkīrtan. Seven years later in 1973 at the age of 85 Jagannath Giri also left his body on the same day of agni utsava in the month of magh. Most of our ancestors left their bodies during the month of magh. Before leaving, Gopinath Giri entrusted the service of Gopal to his eldest son Ghanashyam Giri.