Ramdas Kathiababa

Ramdas Kathiababa (early July 24, 1700 – February 8, 1909) was a Hindu saint of the Hindu Dwaitadwaitavaadi Nimbarka Sampradaya.[1][2][3] The 54th Acharya of the Nimbark community, Sri Sri 108 Swami Ramdas Kathia Babaji Maharaj, was known everywhere as Kathia Baba. He was born about two hundred years ago in the village of Lonachamari in the state of Punjab.

Swami Ramdas Kathiababa Gurudev
Succeeded by	Santadas Kathiababa
Title	Kathia Baba Maharaj
Personal
Born	24 July 1700 Lunachamari village, Punjab state, India.
Died	8 February 1909 Kathia baba ka sthan Temple Gurukul, India.
Religion	Hindu
Nationality	British India
Sect	Nimbarka Vaishnav religion
Philosophy	Nimbarka Sampradaya
Senior posting
Guru	Sri Sri Devdasji Maharaj

Biography

The 54th Acharya of the Nimbark community, Sri Sri 108 Swami Ramdas Kathia Babaji Maharaj, was known everywhere as Kathia Baba. He was born about two hundred years ago in the village of Lonachamari in the state of Punjab. The exact birth and year of this Mahatma of Brahmin descent is not known, Sri Sri 108 Swami Santadasji Maharaj said that Sri Kathiya Babaji Maharaj was born on the holy day of Guru Purnima, i.e. Asadhi Purnima. From then on we will celebrate the advent of Kathia Babaji Maharaj on Gurupurnima. He was the third son of his parents and was very much loved by them, especially his mother.

Religious practice

At the age of four, a Paramahansa devotee of the village advised him to always chant the name of Rama. From that time on, he started chanting the name of Ram. When he was 5/6 years old, once while grazing buffaloes in the field, he got the vision of a bright and pious man. When Sadhuji asked him for some food, Kathia Babaji Maharaj brought him a large quantity of flour, sugar, ghee, etc. from his house. The saint was pleased and gave him the gift, "You will be the yogi king." With this gift, the saint disappeared. At that time Kathia Babaji Maharaj felt as if all his attachment to the world was gone. Then, when Upanayan was reformed, he began to study the scriptures with the Guru in another village. There he studied grammar, astrology, scriptures, memory, Vishnu Sahasranama, Srimadbhagavad Gita etc. Of all these texts, Srimad-Bhagavatam was his favorite. Returning from the Gurugriha, he sat under a banyan tree in the village and chanted the Gayatri mantra to attain Siddhi, and at last he attained Siddhi in Gayatri. Goddess Gayatri appeared and succeeded in seeing him. While chanting the Gayatri mantra, he was instructed to complete the last twenty-five thousand chants by fire.

Initiation

He left for the volcano without delay. On the way, he saw a saint with a very bright body and a huge braid. He was very attracted to him and immediately surrendered to him and took initiation and asceticism from him. That saint was the 53rd Acharya of our community, Sri Sri 108 Swami Devdasji Kathia Babaji Maharaj. Sri Sri Devdasji Maharaj was a great man of Yogishwar Siddha. He was buried in Ekasan for six months and had nothing to eat even though he was not in the grave. After taking sannyasa, Kathia's father was named "Ramdas". From the time of Guru's presence, he was fully engaged in Guruseva. His guru started teaching him astanga yoga, all kinds of mantras and their application method with Hatha Yoga. Gurudev, however, did not make the mistake of testing the disciple from time to time. Sometimes he would starve, sometimes he would have a very tasty meal, sometimes he would test Sri Sri Ramdasji with inaudible abuse or beatings for no reason. Once Sri Sri Devdasji showed him a seat and asked him to sit there, instructing him, “You will sit here in this seat until I come back. Don't leave your seat and go anywhere else. ” Gurudev came eight days later. Sri Ramdasji sat in that seat for eight consecutive days, did not eat anything, nor did he defecate. When Gurudev returned on the eighth day, Sri Ramdasji got up from his seat and prostrated himself before Gurudev. Seeing this devotion and determination towards obeying his guru, Gurudev was very pleased and said, “In this way one has to obey the guru's orders. God is pleased when the Guru's orders are obeyed wholeheartedly. ”

Evangelism travels the world

In this way, after spending many years in the presence of the Guru, he was satisfied with the service of the Guru and received the gift of all perfection from him. But before that Gurudev did one last test. One day, pretending to be angry, he started beating Sri Ramdasji for no reason. .He said, "Why are you lying behind me? All my great disciples have left me. I don't want anyone's service. ” Shri Ramdasji Maharaj patiently endured everything and at the end he humbly said to Gurudev, “Maharaj, I consider you a meeting God, so I will not leave you anywhere. But I can't stand this anymore. I am giving you a knife. You cut my throat, but I will not leave you. .Gurudev was pleased to hear these humble words of the disciple and said, “Today I tested you for the last time, I am pleased with your service and devotion to Guru. I am gifting that your best will be fulfilled, you will meet Ishtadev, ”etc. Many boons were given to Sriramdas. After some time, Shri Devdasji Maharaj left Leela Chhala and after the death of Gurudev, Shri Ramdasji Maharaj started performing severe penance. In summer he used to heat panchadhuni and in winter he used to stand in the pond and chant all night. He met Ishtadev near a well called Saylani Kund in Bharatpur and became fully enlightened. He himself used to say about this -

"Ramdas Ko Ram Mila Soylaniki Kunda"

"Shantan means true, false means goon"

Sri Sri Kathia Babaji Maharaj traveled all the pilgrimages in India on foot after he had attained Siddha Manorath in Sadhana. Later he settled in Vrindavan permanently. At first he sat for a few days in the arena above the fire pit and then he started living at the Jamuna Ghat in Gangakunj. Later, a Brahmin of Gautam descent named Chhinnu Singh started living in Kemarban at the request of Brajbasi Palwan. Chhinnu Singh handed over the place to Sri Sri Ramdasji near the railway line. There is an ashram in that place which is still known and famous as “Kathia Baba Ka Purana Sthan”. At the Gangakunj ghat in Vrindavan, Baskale Chhinnu Singh one day showed Sri Sri Ramdasji to a man and said, “Babaji Maharaj, you correct this thief. This thief is a Brahmin from Braj but he is such a heretic that even after serving fourteen years in exile, nothing has changed. Free everyone from its oppression. ” Sri Sri Ramdasji initiated the chief of that robber named "Gosana" on the same day. At the mercy of Sri Sri Kathia Babaji Maharaj, the oppressive robber later became a loving saint. Sri Sri Ramdasji used to wear a wooden band and koupin given to him by his guru and smear bibhuti (ashes of the incense of the saints) on his limbs. Everyone called him "Kathiya Baba" for his wooden caps and barriers. The introduction of this wooden kaupin and arbandha was started by the fourth Acharya, Sri Sri Indradasji, who was above him. But even so, the name "Kathia Baba" has become famous from Sri Sri Ramdas Kathia Babaji Maharaj. Like the Nimbark community, the "Kathia family" has gained fame all over India. That is why now in the sadhu or household society we belong to the "Kathia family", also called by this identity.

The main disciple and Mahanta

It was for Sri Sri Kathia Babaji Maharaj that the Nimbark community was founded in the state of Bengal. He initiated many Bengali disciples as if he had become a devotee of the Nimbark community in Bengal. Since then, millions of people have found refuge in this community and are on their way to liberation. Although they are sheltered by the various Acharyas of this community, they have all attained the right of paramapada. Sri Sri Kathia Babaji Maharaj was also the "Brajavidehi Mahanta" of Brajbhumi and the "Srimahanta" of the Vaishnava community of Kumbh Mela. He was an infinitely powerful Yogi Raja Vaishnavacharya. Sri Vijayakrishna Goswami said that Sri Sri Kathia Babaji Maharaj belonged to the class of ancient sages like Garg, Narad etc. While he was in the body, he came out of his own picture and initiated someone. Arriving in Calcutta from Vrindavan by air, he gave a mantra to another. He was able to visit devotees at two separate locations at one time. Not only that, he still gives eyewitness accounts to some fans.

Death

On the morning of the 8th of Magh in 1318 BS, this great man voluntarily settled in yoga and restrained his human strength.

Sri Sri Kathiyababastakam

Kamandalukarkamalaya tapodiptakantaye.

Kathiyababakhya Sriramdasaya te namah..1.

Nimbarkkultilakaya manoharrupine.

Sridevadasasisaya sriramadasaya te namah..2.

Namo nardarshisankadikakripasitaya.

Kathiyaparibaraprasiddhipradayine namah..3 ...

Sabestavarade srimahantabrajabidehine.

Bhaktanapujitaya munindraya namo namah..4 ..

Troyatapapaharine in Brajrajangraga.

Kalpadrumasvarupaya Sriramdasaya te namah..5 ..

In Jamunatanibasaya Brajdhambiharine.

Namah kalyanarupaya sriramdasaya te namah..6 ..

Namah sharanarttabandhabaya karunasindhabe namah.

Namah papapranasaya sriramadasaya te namah..6 ..

Parabrahmasvarupaya parabhaktipradayine.

Anantabisvarupaya Sriramadasaya te namah..6 ..

Sabhaktya Stotramidang Srikathiyababastakam.

Dasanudasen Krishnadasen Birchitam.

Shraddhabhaktisamnbitah yah pathenityang stotramidam.

Lavate sa parabhakting baikunthadham tasya nischitam.

Iti Krishnadasen Birchitang Sri Srikathiyababastakam Samapta.

References

1. Prof. Roma Bose, Vedanta Parijata Saurabha of Nimbarka and Vedanta Kaustubha of Srinivasa (Commentaries on the Brahma-Sutras) - Doctrines of Nimbarka and his followers
2. Siddhayogi Ramdas Kathiababa Kon Kon Aloukik Shaktir Adhikari Chhilen, Saptahik Bartaman Patrika(Bengali) 23 July 2011.
3. A Short Biography of His Holiness Shree 108 Swamy Ramdas Kathia Baba