Part One.

I have for a long time wanted to post my record of my meeting with Sri Binode Bihari Das Babaji Maharaj or Vinode Baba as he is known in Barsana and among our assembly here.
I must first offer thanks to Madhavananda for being the instrument of Sri Nitaichand's mercy and taking me to him and for babysitting me and keeping me from making too much a fool of myself.
Upon reaching Radhakunda and meeting with Madhavananda, we discussed the list of Gurus and noted Vaisnavas that I wanted to meet in the scant few days I had to spend there. I got to take Sri Ananta Das Babaji Mahraja's very kind association and was very happy. He was first on the list. Number two was Sanatana Das Babaji and as we all know, for various reasons, that was out of the question. Number three was Prankrishna Das Babaji. I have corresponded with sisyas of his and have alway been impressed by his dependence on Sri Nama Prabhu and his ecstatic mood. We were unable to find him. I was also unable to locate Fakir Mohan Das- he was probably still in Orissa.
That was it. I was out of ideas. Madhavananda said in an almost offhand way, "well, there is one very nice Baba in Barsana who I was very inspired by when I met him. He will probably be in Mauna, but we can make pranaams and see Barsana."
I was game for whatever he wanted to do so we set out the next morning.
We autorikshawed to Barsana and made parikrama of the hill (barefoot) and walked all the way (long way) up the hill and went to the AMAZING Shriji mandir there.

I am, for those who don't know me, very fat. Six feet one inch tall and 280lbs. I work a very physical job but walking barefoot on sharp stones up hill is not part of my usual program. Needless to say after the previous day of 14 km of walking around Gobardhan and Radhakunda I was at my absolute physical limit by the time we reached Vinode Baba's idyllic asrama.
I mean absolutely exhausted and on the verge of emotional upset due to it and the intensity of being in Mathura Mandala. I just needed to sit and ache and maybe nap.
We came to the gate of Baba's asrama and the soft sand soothed my feet slightly and the shade from the bowers of creepers and trees made the blazing sun less a factor. I did mention it was very hot, yes?

We entered and I was amazed at the spacious and immaculate grounds of the asrama (really just a small concrete building surrounded by the largest Tulasi plants I have ever seen) and walked down a path made of perfectly smooth cow dung between huge jasmine bushes and marigolds. There was a beautiful little Siva shrine with Lingam/yoni and pancakshara mantra written in stone above the little mandap. The building sported a broad porch upon which two young Nityananda vamsh babas were sitting doing japa.
We approached and made pranaams and introductions were had etc. We were told by a very beautiful and older looking Advaita vamsh babaji that Vinode baba was just finishing his morning bhajan and would come see us directly. From the window directly in front of us as we sat, we could hear Baba singing Bhagavat in a beautiful voice full of reverence. He then performed arati of his deities which when we peered thru the window we saw were a gigantic painting of Shriji and very nice Nitai Gaur deities and a very large picture of Sri 1008 Tinkudi Baba ( I am sure there were more, but...).
He sang Joy Shri Krishna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Hare Krishna Hare Rama, Shri Radhe Govinda in a lovely voice.

Several moments later he came out of the screen door and before Mdhavananda and myself could even think, Baba was on the ground making pranaams to us! We of course immediately followed suit and he gave us asanas and cushions to make us comfortable. He was observing mauna, (i think he does this every kartik) so motioned to me and Madhavananda introduced me as his friend from America etc. I was at once struck by Baba's smiling face. His whole face radiated natural joy. His eyes themselves were smiling radiant brown orbs. His body was quite stout with heavily muscled arms and shoulders. His jatta was tightly coiled into a large ball on the diagonal of his head to his left. His tilak was very dark and vary large.
I don't want to sound like a hippy, but the overwhelming sense that i got from him was of love. I felt that he loved the Yugala Kishora and that he loved his Guru and that he loved anyone lucky enough to cross his path. I have spent a lot of time in the past few years meeting many Gurus (ISKCON) and reading all the books of the pre-eminent teachers of the tradition living and recently departed for the lila (IGM, Traditional). In some cases I was deeply impressed instantly, in other cases warmed to them after reading their books or hearing them speak. In a few cases I was repelled a reaction which I took to be unfortunate but impossible to ignore. I don't think I ever got such a strong vibe of love before.
When I met Baba, I was instantly taken with his face, mood and general aspect.
He immediately asked us by hand signs to stay the night. We readily agreed. He then asked us to take prasad. We told him we just ate (a lie- we didn't want to be trouble) he would not take no for an answer. We accepted and he disappeared into the kutir and began singing Harinam. We sat and made japa till he returned with two gigantic plates full of fresh cut fruit and sweets with little tulasi patra on top.
This was the freshest and most delicious fruit I have ever had. The sweets were also very opulent and savory. When we had emptied a little of our plate, Baba with his own hand placed more on. This went on till the gigantic plate that was sitting in front of Baba that he was serving from was completely empty. Needless to say we were completely satisfied. Baba sat with us for a short time and brought out a dry erase board to at least have the bare bones of communication. I honestly can't remember anything that was said by Madhavananda or myself or anyone else at this point. Too full and happy.
Sunset was soon approaching and Baba made some hand signs to Madhavananda who said that Baba makes parikrama of Barasana and takes Darshana of Shriji everyday- will you come? I told Madhavananda that I was too tired and my feet hurt more than I have ever felt in my life. Baba heard me and took his dry erase board and wrote,"short walk- you come" then erased it. " We go slow- I will show you something new" soon followed. At that moment I felt all my tiredness and fatigue and pain rise like a wave and I was sure I would not go. Instead I found myself saying "Baba, whatever you say, that is what I will do". In the exact moment that I surrendered, I felt that wave of tiredness and pain break and wash away followed by a total renewal of body and mind. I felt totally fresh and ready to run a marathon. The pain in my feet disappeared, and my energy level skyrocketed with my mood.
Baba and a young baba named Nitai Das who was carrying a burlap sack and Madhavananda and myself set off. (There may have been others, but...)

The parikrama is a blur in my mind so bear with me.
First Baba chants japa loudly while walking. This is very attractive and his voice is so sweet. I especially remember his voice on ...Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Second, Baba walks fast. How fast? Baba never wlked faster than a nice leisurely stroll. I found myself breaking into a run at several points to catch up.
Every person crossed Baba's path in any fashion whether verbally, waving, or by coming to say Radhe Radhe got his full attention and response in kind. Street urchins and various Vrajavasi children running up to Baba (many) got full handshakes/hugs/head rubs/hair ruffles. In fact the face of one girl will be forever etched in my mind. A boy around ten years oldwas walking with his sister around eight years. They saw baba and walked right at him saying "Radhe Radhe, Baba". Baba ruffled the Boys hair and just before they walked off gently touched the girl's cheek with the index finger of his left hand. She had the biggest smile on her face and her eyes were half-closedas she walked away. This was a typical interaction with the children on the parikrama marg.
This kind of exchange was not limited to children however. Teens, Young men and women and adults to very senior people all got at least a few seconds of baba's time on the walk.

One other event on the walk sticks out for me. An old man was begging in the doorway to a house. It was up on steps quite high such that the old man's feet were at chest level. When we walked by, the old man cried out for alms and Baba stopped and indicated he had nothing but chanted Radhe Radhe to the old man and then while chanting began massaging his hands, arms legs and feet. This man got a three minute massage and then we moved on.
To Be Con't