Kirtan by Pandit Baba ji at Priya Kunj Ashram Barsana...

I want to share a few incidents of Shri Vinod Bihari Das Babaji maharaj's life. He is a Babaji, that is equivalent to sannyasi in Gaudiya vaishnavism. So, naturally, he doesn't speak much about his life before forsaking grihastha ashram, since that is the rule of Babaji vesa. Only sometimes he refers to some of the incidents in his life as part of his satsang. That is how we came to know about these incidents. I am sorry, I am unable to give much factual description like dates and names. The intention is to let our hearts get inspired by reading about a Mahapurush's life.

Baba's previous name was Vinay Kumar. He was born in 1947 in a brahmin family to father Sri Daam and mother Lavanya. At first, his father died and a few years later, his mother. Vinay Kumar was so young, the only significant memories he has of his mother are that she used to take him to her gurudev, a sadhu, and told him to massage sadhu's feet. Baba says he got his first samskaras of sadhu seva from his mother.

They were three brothers. After their parents died, they were left abandoned, nobody to look after them. They would roam around in streets looking for some minor jobs or just for food and water. It was the most difficult time of Baba's life. He was 8-10 years old and had to face rejection, condemnation and the inhuman side of human at such a young age. He had to starve many days and was grateful to the women who gave him even one chapati or a handful of rice. There were only a few women who gave him shelter, let him sleep in the verandah and gave him food. Baba recalls an old woman would get angry if didn't go to her house and would first tell him to go away and never come back. But as soon as baba would turn his back, she would get even more angry and say "see! How conceited he is! He dares to go away!"

Baba started selling newspaper. He wanted to get educated and get a good job. Nobody knows exactly how he managed to do it, but he was a very hardworking boy. And he did go to school with his hard earned money. For a few years he had to look after the children of his elder brother. He was attracted to the street drama groups and acted in several dramas. He was a talented actor. Eventually, he grew up and became a civil engineer. He had a respectable government job and was admired by his colleagues for his sincere work and friendly behavior. Baba was also talented in music. He was trained by Allah Rakha Khan, a famous classical music artist, who is also the mentor of sitarist Ravi Shankar. He bacame a sitarist and performed in several radio programs. Baba says he used to live in style at that time. He used to wear silk kurtas and churidars with proper stylised pleats. Many foreigners used to come to listen to his sitar and would present him precious scents. He was single, nobody to care for, abundant money, his government job and classical music shows. He was quite happy and contended.

One day, he was at the railway station of Howrah, waiting for his train. He was looking at the books at a book stall when he came cross a book of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa. Curious to know about new subjects by nature, Baba bought the book and started reading it. He was so inspired by Ramakrishna Paramhamsa's teachings that he decided to change his life completely. He was awakened to the spiritual aspect of life and was determined to see the very end of it. Baba says he started living a very simple life. Even though he had so much money he started reducing his food intake and daily needs. He subscribed to a library in an university and started reading all the scriptures of Sanatan dharma. He used to go to the banks of Ganga and sit beside the sadhus there. He would listen to their lectures and view points on spirituality quietly and read the scriptures. Like this he explored all kinds of sampradayas existing around him. If anyone talked about a good sadhu, he would immediately visit the sadhu with an open mind and a thirst to know about different experiences of different sadhus. He didn't make anyone his guru but was extensively exploring all sects.

Pl visit this link for Baba's brief Biography

priyakunjashram.blogspot.com/p/baba-bio.html