Bauri Giri is still remembered today in
the Gadeigiri area as being a paramahamsa and a premi-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 kirtana for
Gopal’s pleasure. He became famous for his kirtanas, 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.
The nearby village of Balisahi is also
famous for kirtana. Seeing the popularity of Bauri Giri, some persons in
Balisahi became a little envious. They brought in a kirtana guru from
another area and began studying various types of kirtana. Then they
challenged Bauri Giri to a kirtana 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 kirtana from Bauri Giri, so he should sing last. But we
have not heard from this Balisahi guru. We request that he should begin
his kirtana first. It is morning now, so he should start his kirtana
with a description of morning in Vrindavan, the atmosphere there, and
the pastimes Krishna performs at this time of day.” The guru began his
kirtana, but he could not properly sing the morning pastimes of Krishna.
In the morning Krishna and His elder brother Balaram 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 kirtana. 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 on in Vrindavan at this time of
day.”
Bauri Giri started singing very nicely,
describing how Krishna and Balaram 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 kirtana.
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.
Bauri Giri, left this world on Saturday
28 January 1939. 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 Adwaita Acharya, the
associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and 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 assembled there. He said, “Tomorrow I
will leave my body. I don’t want to live in this world any more. I don’t
like it.”
All of the villagers, Bauri Giri’s
friends and relatives then started nama-sankirtana. 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 darsana of Surya, the sungod, and then he took
darsana 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
kirtana and were always singing bhajanas for Gopal. Gopinath Giri’s son
Ghanashyam Giri recalls:
In 1967 at the age of 72 my father
Gopinath Giri called his family and friends and told us, “I will leave
this world on the upcoming agni-utsava day.” [Friday 24 February 1967,
which is also the appearance day of Srila Narottam Das Thakur]
We stayed with him and on that day in the
evening he left his body during harinam-sankirtana. Eighteen years
later in 1985 at the age of 85 Jagannath Giri also left his body on the
same day of agni-utsava in the month of magh. [Tuesday 5 February 1985]
Govinda Giri had also left his body on the 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.
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