Disappearance Day of Srila Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji
First day of Bhisma Pancaka · Utthana Ekadashi
Disappearance Day
All day
What is the disappearance day of Srila Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji?
Srila Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja left this world and entered the Lord's eternal pastimes on Utthana Ekadashi in 1915. In 2026 devotees honour him on Saturday, 21 November, and Utthana Ekadashi falls on that same day once again.
Significance
A babaji is a Vaishnava who gives up all possessions to live in worship, and Gaura Kisora was a great one. After leaving home he went to Vrindavana, where Bhagavata dasa Babaji initiated him. For about thirty years he stayed in Vraja, sleeping beneath a tree and begging his food. He offered obeisances to the people of Vraja, and even to its flowers and trees. Later he came to Navadvipa, where he lived on rice he had begged and rarely accepted anything from anyone.
He is the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and so the grand-spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada. In the Gaura-kisora Pranati, devotees offer their obeisances to Srila Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja,
who is renunciation personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of Kṛṣṇa.
Gaura-kisora Pranati, Initiation lecture, Los Angeles, 10 January 1969
How to observe it
Devotees hear about his life, recite the Gaura-kisora Pranati and chant the holy names with extra care. Because the day is also Ekadashi, they avoid grains and beans as usual.
This holy day falls in Kartik, the month of Lord Damodara, when devotees offer Him a lamp each evening and sing Damodarashtakam. Read about Kartik (Damodara) Month, and offer your own lamp from wherever you are through our Kartik Deep Daan Seva.
Questions
When is the disappearance day of Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji in 2026?
It falls on Saturday, 21 November 2026, which is also Utthana Ekadashi and the first day of Bhisma Pancaka.
Who was Srila Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji?
He was a renounced Vaishnava saint who lived in Vraja and later in Navadvipa. He initiated Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, so he is Srila Prabhupada's grand-spiritual master.
What is a babaji?
A babaji is a Vaishnava who has given up all possessions to live in worship, often begging his food. Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji lived in this way for the rest of his life.
Whose disciple was Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji?
He was a disciple of Bhagavata dasa Babaji, who was himself a disciple of Jagannatha dasa Babaji.
Reviewed by ISKCON Kurukshetra · Updated
Key facts
- Date
- Saturday, 21 November 2026
- Also on this day
- First day of Bhisma Pancaka · Utthana Ekadashi
- Fasting
- Till noon; as the day is Utthana Ekadashi, the feast is held the next day
- Spiritual master of
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
- Initiated by
- Bhagavata dasa Babaji
Seva for this day
Feed devotees and visitors on this holy day, or begin the Bhagavad-gita course with us.