Buddhist Vajrayana Sahaja has no roots in Baul. I can see it coming another fundraiser for a jackpot. How can someone (a cosplaying Baul who uses Baul to travel the world) even know what the roots of Baul are? You need to have roots in Baul of at least 7 generations to self-determine who is Baul and you must prove your roots.
Baul is only Vaishnava Sahaja (Sahajiya) that of Krishna/Radha and Dattatreya the first Sahajiya that of Sahaja Samadhi.
BabuKishan.org
“When people steal from our culture they end up distorting our culture, they turn it into something we do not even recognize, erasing us by replacing us.”
They re-package a watered-down or romanticized version by cosplaying Baul to attain donations, financial jackpots, international travel representing Baul when you are not even indigenous to Birbhum W Bengal. The mainstream world then accepts the fake/distorted version as authentic, effectively erasing the original living caretakers and replacing them in the public consciousness. I have seen this in academia, and in the western audiences who do not have a clue. They think if one calls themselves a Baul that they are Baul when they actually have no way of knowing, this is the oldest trick in India, self-titling onself a sadhu, tantric, yogic, swami when one is not even close. They put on the costume, throw a few terms around, build an akhara or ashram then a website and travel the world scamming people.
The west and now in India thinks if it looks exotic and is armed with a list of Gurus, and if it sweetly smiles, no absolutely NOT, whether their lineage is fake, their style and songs are appropriated, unless you are an expert on Baul there is no way you can know. Before the computer and modern times one would be tested in the Indian traditional systems as to their authority through debate, questions, however, today no one knows the questions to even ask.
Well Babu Kishan knows the questions, he has extensive experience throughout India testing, debating the spiritual heirarchy on their knowledge and wisdom he was trained in Mimansa Philsophy which means reflection or critical investigation, Purna Paksha literally means the former position or the oppenents view. Western style is called exegesis, the critical explanation, analysis, or interpretation of a written text to discover its original and intended meaning. Exegesis says very little about speculating what you think it is about what is the truth. Babu Kishan has been trained in both systems and one of his life mentors was a historical Supreme Court of Calcutta and Bombay Judge, it was their play to travel around testing all these so called Gurus as to hope much they actually knew, so not only has the eductation in both the Indian and the Western systems, he has major experience even learning the legal system.
There was a time he knew most of the major Guru's and composed music for many of them and many temples all over India, his music was heard in temples all over India. He knows and has adhikara authority regarding Baul (Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul). Some used to think of him as a snob, but there were no shishya's worth taking on as students, nobody even knows the questions to ask, he has very little patience for stupidity, you have to do the work first, not come and out of the blue ask him if he can be your Guru, the answer will always be no.
KD Babu Kishan can see who you are, he is not what you see as Guru out there today and he certainly is not what you see as Baul today, he says they are all fake even more about the popular ones bragging what they are going to preserve and how many countries they have traveled to by using Baul as their ticket to ride duping people as they go? Duping the India government for awards... Trying to replace Purna Das Baul by using all of his historical significance in a remake, no way.
When a sacred song, medicine, or teaching is taken out of its traditional lineage, it loses its spirit or in this case Baul its 'essence' the (Shakti that has been passed down for hundreds of years). In India Ancestral Puja is one of the most important worships to be done, their ancestors are important.
Regarding Baul ancestry is important, the new wave of cosplaying Bauls has no ancestry in Baul as has been seen all they know how to do is poach from this lineage or guru shishya parampara sampradaya of at the very least 13 generations. Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Baul the path of the Avadhut is hundreds of years older and way before the preachers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Baul does not preach they are Baul Gurus who teach, pandits Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi. Make no mistake no one would know about Baul or be interested in Baul without the pioneering work and historical significance of this lineage or parampara.
"Reading academic papers on the Charyapadas does not make someone a Baul. Real Baul is not an extinct Buddhist experiment pieced together by modern researchers; it is a living Vaishnava Sahajiya lineage rooted in the soil of Birbhum since at least the 12th century with Poet Jayadeva of Kenduli. Those who try to strip the Radha-Krishna Tattva and Nityananda-paramparā out of the tradition to call it 'Vajrayana' are simply trying to invent an exotic persona to bypass authentic initiation and family lineage."
Sahajiya Roots, this one and only lineage is the Sahajiya Roots of Baul whether that be Krishna, Dattatreya or Vajrana Budhhism where it is said Nityananda in Vaishnava of Bengal 1486 -1900 by Ramakanta Chakravarti stated that Nitai converted many Buddhists into Vaishnava Sahajiya. It must be stated that Bauls do not convert people and secondly they did not speak Pali. Thirdly, Babu Kishan has already preserved every type of Sahaja that the Bauls were in the Baul tradition whether that be Vaishnava, Shakti or Buddhist Sahaja. Regarding the ailing on the Sea of Love: The Music of the Bauls of Bengal Babu Kishan knew Charles well in Bengal and in America. He disagrees with him regarding his book.
"Why Baul Sahaja is not Buddhist Sahaja and Baul is not related to the - Charyapadas, that has already been debunked and is in the triology series on historical Baul.
The only root of Sahaja (Sahajiya) regarding Baul is that of Krishna/Sahaja and Dattatreya Sahaja as in Sahaja Samdhi - Dattatreya comes thousands of years before Buddha.
Baul has not roots in Buddhist Sahaja or Charyapadas, Baul did not speak Pali
Bauls do not follow Carapadas as stated by Charles Capwell, how did he draw these conclusions as he has no self-determinion rights to draw such a conclusion or adhikara as an outsider to draw these conclusions or self-determine of who indigenous Baul is?
Krishnendu Das aka Babu Kishan gives a strong no to Baul in relation to Bengali Charyapadas and Buddhist Sahaja, he say people especially the cosplaying Bauls you see today have no clue, they just throw out there and hope it stick, one more fundrasing for a financial jackpot scheme? Babu Kishan does not care what a academic scholar or a fake cosplaying Bauls new angle is.
Bauls do not follow Carryapada philosophy, one have to see if the person now saying they are going to preserve this regarding Baul actually has any adhikara (authority) is their Guru a Baul Guru - 100% NO, they are myth makers to collect international travle and students donations? This is completely a false narrative consisting of personal speculation. Babu Kishan had already strongly opposed Charles Capwell's speculations regarding Baul in the 1980s. Charles thought Baul would never speak or read English or read his academic book on Baul. KD Babu Kishan could and he strongly rejected what Charles wrote about Baul. Babu Kishan has read all what scholars wrote, journalists and strongly reject your self-determination on who Baul is, and who his lineage is. When you think that an indigenous people are illiterate you can write and denigrate them, but when they become educated in your system you no longer can get away with gross mischaracterizations and speculations?"
The dilemma is, we now have an 'opportunistic Baul claimant' who is a cosplayer Baul, once again trying to preserve Baul, however, this time claiming the roots of Baul Sahaja is Buddhist Sahajiya. Others have stated this previously not knowing that this is completely wrong.
The Historical Trilogy of Baul books explain ,why. It is a big long historical story as to why Baul is not Buddhist Sahaja. The cosplaying Baul have tried in every direction to fundraise or fishing for a finacial jackpots to preserve Baul, when they are not Baul they are self-title Baul cosplayer Artists and self-titled Baul Masters, there is no such thing in Baul as a Baul Master there never ever has been. One scheme after another?
They have made up a fake Guru and fake lineage that has culturally mis-appropriated -songs, style, dance, where this history has gone, traveled to even tracking their friends and accomplishments and repeating them, and now calling themselves the next Purna Das Baul which is an isult to the hightly awarded famous Baul that millions of people used to come out and see, these fake Bauls sing the songs of this lineage, they have approrpriated Nabani Das Khyapa Baul style of dance and they are social media influencers, people today travel to every country world wide. Regarding Baul only this lineage pioneered Baul worldwide, that is an old history a one and only copied by fake Bauls? They are not from a lineage and not indigenous to Bengal, not indigenous to Baul but from a middle class family with a Balderdash – Hogwash – .Claptrap – pretentious, empty talk meant to catch attention without having real substance. Bunkum (or Bunk) – Short, sharp, and directly calls out fabricated claims.
Collecting donations, awards, making short youtube videos touching on every aspect of the already 'first and lasts' that have been completely by this lineage over decades if not over hundreds of years. Claiming awards in the name of Baul when you are not Baul, good for you, you traveled only by using this lineage, other than that there is no substance. Remaking us by replacing us and taking our names off.
Why "Pretendians" Push the "Buddhist Vajrayana" Narrative
Modern, academic-sounding poseurs often try to trace Baul tradition strictly back to the Charyapadas and Buddhist Vajrayana for a few specific reasons:
Exotic Appeal: Framing it as "extinct Buddhist Tantra" sounds esoteric and ancient to Western seekers or casual audiences, making it easier to sell workshops, books, and retreats.
Bypassing Lineage (Paramparā): If they claim Baul is an ancient, unstructured Buddhist-Tantric relic, they can bypass real Hindu kul (family) lineages, Guru-Shishya paramparā, and Sanskrit Agamic roots. It allows them to claim they "researched" or "discovered" the path in books rather than being initiated into an unbroken lineage.
Stripping the Bhakti (Devotional) Core: Reducing the path to pure Vajrayana energy mechanics while (kaya-sadhana) strips away the devotional core—Radha-Krishna Tattva, Prema, and Rasa—which requires genuine surrender and practice. The core of Baul is ATMA tattva, Atma Lila where is the ATMA in Buddhism? Think about it. Baul (Batula) Vayu Tula means atma, sat chit ananda plus vigraha (form, rupa).
2. The Historical Lineage: Jayadeva of Kenduli (12th Century Birbhum)
To debunk their claims, point to the historical and geographic heartland of Birbhum, West Bengal:
Jayadeva Gosai (12th Century): Long before the late medieval period, Jayadeva of Kenduli (Birbhum) composed the Gita Govinda. This text is the foundational bedrock of Vaishnava Sahajiya. Jayadeva introduced the explicit worship of Radha and Krishna through Parakiya Rasa (divine, unconditioned love outside social convention), which became the core metaphysical framework of the Bauls.
The Soil of Kenduli: The annual Kenduli Mela in Birbhum—held on the banks of the Ajay River at Jayadeva's birthplace—is historically recognized as the central gathering place for genuine Vaishnava Bauls. The tradition's root is explicitly tied to Jayadeva's Radha-Madhav devotional realization, not a Buddhist monastery.
Pre-Chaitanya Vaishnava Sahajiya Poets:
Before Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, poets like Chandidas (from Nanoor, Birbhum) and Vidyapati were already writing Vaishnava Sahajiya poetry focused on Rasa, Deha-tattva, and the divine lover (Moner Mānuṣh). Chandidas’s famous declaration—Sabar upar manush satya, tahar upar nai ("Above all is humanity, higher than that is nothing")—is a purely Vaishnava Sahajiya realization.
The Distinction Between Sahaja Concept vs. Vaishnava Sahajiya Lineage
While it is true that the word Sahaja ("innate" or "spontaneous") was used by Buddhist Siddhacharyas in the Charyapada, using the same Sanskrit word does not make the traditions identical:
How Nityananda Vaishnava Sahajiya Baul Avadhut - Avadhut is always Dattatreya Sahaja, he was the first Sahaja - Anchored the Lineage
When Nityananda the Vaishnava Baul Avadhut (born in Ekachakra, Birbhum) and his son Virabhadra Gosai organized the tradition in the 16th century, they did not "convert to Buddhism." They absorbed wandering ascetics into the protection the Vaishnava Baul lineage as Seva always did, they fed, helped, and loved people who were persucuted, they did not become those people. Love, Serve and Feed people.
Nityananda’s movement established that;
The human body is the temple of the divine (Deha-tattva): Divine love (Prema) transcends caste and ritualistic orthodoxy. The ultimate goal is discovering the Māner Mānuṣ (the Person of the Heart) through Rasa—which is entirely rooted in Vaishnava cosmology.
Baul has been preserved for over 60 years by Krishnendu Das Baul (Babu Kishan) and his lineage for 13 generations at the very least. No outsider can preserve Baul, that is a fact , it has been proven over and over. Adhikara lies within the lineage, not by outside made up lineages either of one generation based on a poet.
When the dominant society spreads that distorted version, the original community is erased and marginalized because their true practice is no longer recognized—even by their own youth who grow up seeing only the mainstream caricature.
Krishna/Radha and Dattatreya Sahaja regarding Baul are copyrighted, only to preserve the integrity.
Jayadeva of Kenduli (12th-century Birbhum, West Bengal) composed the Gītā Govinda, establishing the core philosophical, aesthetic, and energetic bedrock of the Vaishnava Sahajiya path centuries before the formalization of Gaudiya orthodoxy.
While academic scholars often analyze the Gītā Govinda strictly as classical Sanskrit court poetry, the living paramparā of Birbhum recognizes it as an esoteric manual of Deha-tattva (bodily truth), Rasa-sādhana (refinement of divine emotion), and Parakīyā-bhāva (unconditioned love).
Key Pillars: How the Gītā Govinda Founds Vaishnava Sahajiya
The Elevation of Rādhā over Kṛṣṇa (Prādhānya) - Birbhum is Radhadesh and Baul is the path of Radha from the land called Rarh (red soil).
In classical Vedic literature, the masculine deity is treated as the primary source. Jayadeva reversed this hierarchy. In the Gītā Govinda, Kṛṣṇa actively seeks out Rādhā, surrenders to her emotional state, and begs to place her feet upon his head to cool the fire of separation (Dehi padapallavamudāram).
Sahajiya Reality: This established the fundamental Sahajiya principle that the feminine energy (Śakti / Rādhā-tattva) is the ultimate container of Rasa (divine essence), and the masculine (Puruṣa / Kṛṣṇa-tattva) must become a devotee of that internal feminine power to attain the innate (Sahaja) state.
The Metaphysics of Parakīyā-bhāva (Unconditioned Love)
The central narrative of the Gītā Govinda revolves around love that exists outside the bounds of conventional marriage, social duty (Svadharma), and societal sanction.
Sahajiya Reality: Sahajiyas do not view Parakīyā as social transgression or mere lust (Kāma). Rather, it represents love freed from societal conditioning, self-interest, and institutional ownership. It is the earthly mirror of the soul's relationship with the divine—spontaneous, uncalculating, and total.
Deha-tattva: The Body as the Sacred Microcosm
Jayadeva explicitly grounds spiritual realization within the sensory, physical embodiment of the lovers—describing breath, bodily temperature, ornamentations, secret meeting places (Kuñja), and physical union.
Sahajiya Reality: Long before later commentators tried to spiritualize or allegorize the text away into abstract metaphysics, the Sahajiya line held that the human body (Deha) is the exact microcosm of the cosmic realm (Brahmāṇḍa). The physical interactions described by Jayadeva are understood as internal energetic alignment (Kāya-sādhana), where the human body becomes the vessel for experiencing eternal Līlā.
The Transformation of Kāma (Lust) into Prema (Pure Love)
The Gītā Govinda does not deny sensory experience; it refines it. Through the intense heat of separation (Viraha) and union (Milana), dense physical desire (Kāma) is burned away, leaving only pure, unselfish devotional essence (Prema). This is exactly the Vaishnava Sahajiya of this singular lineage of Baul (Vayu Tula).
Sahajiya Reality: This is the precise definition of Sahaja—not the suppression or destruction of natural human senses, but their transmutation into divine realization right inside the physical vessel.
Comparative Framework: Textual Layer vs. Esoteric Sahajiya Realization
The Unbroken Continuity to Birbhum
For the Vaishnava Bauls of Birbhum, Jayadeva is not a historical relic of the 12th century; he is the root ancestor who anchored the Gītā Govinda into the very soil of Kenduli. Subsequent figures like Chandidas, Nityananda Prabhu, and Virabhadra Gosvāmī did not invent a new doctrine—they inherited, protected, and expanded the exact Rasa-sādhana that Jayadeva poured into his songs.
Notice: The historical documentation, biographical details, and lineage archives presented here are the direct intellectual property of KD Babu Kishan. Any reproduction, citation, or adaptation without explicit attribution and authorization is strictly prohibited. babukishanproductions@gmail.com
The first Baul to speak English, the first Baul to attain a BA and MA from Calcutta Univeristy, the fist Baul to creat a template for indigneous Bauls to travel the world, the first Baul to be a monk in the Ramakrishna order for 12 years and teach at Universities throughout India and worwide. The Baul who invented Baul Fusion 2 decades before others are claiming. The first Baul to work in Indian Cinema on all levels including as a Music Composer. The list is long including the first and only Baul to preserve this lineage, record it, document it both indigenously and academically.
Key Baul Figures & Lineage
#NabaniDasKhyapaBaul #PurnaDasBaul #BabuKishan #KrishnenduDasBaul #lineagebaul #baullineage #NabaniDasBaul #dasbaul #NityanandaofEkachakra #ChandiDas #Joydev #GosaiVaishnavaDasBaul ##NeemKaroliBaba #baulparampara
Core Baul Concepts & Philosophy
#Baultantra #GaudiyaVaishnavaandBaul #Baulphilosophy #VaishnavaSahajiya #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls #KrishnaKaliunity #Krishnakali #RaaiRajaLila #Baulsadhana #BaulAvadhut #BaulAvadhuta #BaulthepathoftheAvadhuta #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja #Baultantramantragopiyantra #BaulKirtan #BaultheRasaLilaMystics #BaulVayuTula #Baulwindcatchers #mirrorofthesky
Geographic & Cultural Context
#BirbhumBaul #Birbhum #EkachakraBirbhum #Tarapith #TarapithandBaul #TaraMa&Baul #Kolkata #Shantiniketan #shantiniketanbirbum #Bengal #baulofbengal #baulofbirbhum #India #IncredibleIndia #indianmusic #sangeetnatakakademi
Critique & Preservation
#Baultruth #Baulculturalappropriation #Baulrealhistory #EndangeredBaullineage #Baulendangeredlineageparampara #Baulhistory #baularchive #archivedbaul
Baul Music
#baulmusic #baulgaan #Bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #baulkirtan #ektara #gopiyantra
Related Figures & Movements
#RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #osho #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #vaishnavaaghori #Ramakrishna #BaulandRamakrishna
General & Other
#baul #historicalBaul #pioneeringBaul #baulwomen #baulsaint #legendarybaul #baulartist #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul "Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara "Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali "Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory "Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
Baul and Ramakrishna is only associated with KD Babu Kishan as he is the only Baul to be a monk in the Ramakrishna Mission for 12 years, this is a first and last in Baul.
Baul and Tantra is only associated with Nabani Das Khyapa Baul and KD Babu Kishan, Baul and Tarapith is only associated with them both too. Those others are not Baul as Baul Artist of an non-indigenous Baul is not a Baul but a users, poser, actor trying to remake the already lived lives of this parampara, do you speak the language, do you know what they are singing or who is the owner of the songs, or even if the songs are Baul songs, no you do not, so don't make emotional promotional comments when you do not even understand. You are cheering for a fake Baul and have no clue.
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga" Copyright, all songs will be reclaimed that belong to this lineages.
(only this lineage, parampara, no one used Baul kirtan until they read it on this blog, this is downright appropriation and false advertising by fake opportunistic self-titled so-called Bauls for marketing purposes, they have appropriated this lineages intellectual property, it can be proven and must be brought to the attention of the public because they are asking for donations and fundraising for jackpots, awards, grants and are not Baul, their Guru is a fake Baul Guru.
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" this is the only lineage parampara that is Vaishnava and Vaishnava Sahajiya Gosia Chandra Das Baul and Dasi, there is not another, never was. #BaultheRasaLilaMystics
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra". Copyright, no poaching
"The path of the Avadhuta". Copyright there are no other Baul Avadhuta's and that title only belongs to this lineage or singular parampara, there is not another. They make Baul a no name generic Baul while claiming the intellectual property and the already lived firsts and lasts of this lineage. I have documented thousands of misuse of Baul for over 20 years, if you would like to see my research contact KD Babu Kishan, his website is listed throughout this blog and website
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". Copyright and only mentioned by KD Babu Kishan
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers
#India #lineagebaul #baultantra #baullineage #baulofbengal #babukishan #baulwomen #baulavadhuta #baulsaint #legendarybaul #nabanidasbaul #mirrorofthesky #rabindranathtagor #osho #vaishnavabaul #vaishnavaaghori #baul #baulmusic #tantra #babukishan #baulgaan #nabanidasbaul #purnadasbaul #bengal #india #indianmusic #shantiniketan #baullineage #bengalibaul #baularchive #archivedbaulbn#Baulhistory #BaulofBengal #BaulofBirbhum #dasbaul #Kolkata #Bauldocumentary #baulkirtan #Baulsadhana #ektara #EkachakraBirbhum #gopiyantra #baultantra #NabonidasKhyapabaul #bauldocumentary #baulsangeet #RabindranathTagore #BaulTagore #shantiniketanbirbum #jainitai #jaiguru #NityanandaofEkachakra #BaulAvadhut #Birbhum #Tarapith #Kolkata #IncredibleIndia #India #VaishnavaBaul #TantricBaul #sangeetnatakakademi
"Authentic Baul" #AuthenticBaul
"Vaishnava Sahajiya Tantric Bauls" #VaishnavaSahajiyaTantricBauls
"Birbhum Baul" #BirbhumBaul
"Nabani Das Khyapa Baul" #NabaniDasKhyapaBaul
"Babu Kishan Baul" / "Krishnendu Das Baul" #KrishnenduDasBaul
"Baul Guru Shishya Parampara" #BaulGuruShishyaParampara #Baulparampara
"Baul philosophy" #Baulphilosophy
"Krishna Kali unity" #Krishnakali
"Raai Raja lila" #RaaiRajaLila
"Real Baul history" #Baulrealhistory
"Baul cultural appropriation" #baulculturalappropriation
"Endangered Baul lineage" #Baulendangeredlineageparampara
The practice of "Baul Kirtan-anga"
The "Rasa Lila Mystics" Raasa leela Mystics, Raas Tattva (this lineage only)
"Baul Tantra Mantra Gopi Yantra".
"The path of the Avadhuta".
"Baul Sahaja is Krishna & Dattatreya Sahaja". #BaulsahajaKrishnaDattatreyasahahaja
The Windcatchers (Vayu Tula). #BaulVayuTula. #baulwindcatchers