84 Vaishnav Story 74 Gopaldas Jatadhari

Long ago, in the holy city of Prayag, a little boy named Gopaldas was born. He was just six years old when his father took him to the sacred place where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet. It was the winter festival of Makar, and the riverbanks were crowded with thousands of people who had come to bathe and pray.

But in the busy crowd, little Gopaldas lost sight of his father. Alone and scared, he looked around for help. A man dressed like a sadhu saw him crying and kindly said, “Come with me, child. I will take you back to your father.” But instead of helping, the man took Gopaldas far away to the South of India.

There, Gopaldas lived with the man until he grew into a young man of thirty. When the sadhu passed away, Gopaldas felt lost again. He joined a group of holy men who were traveling to Dwarka, the land of Shri Krishna’s pastimes. Later, he continued his journey to Mathura, where a new chapter of his life was about to begin.

One day, as he stood quietly on the banks of the Yamuna River, he saw a gentle figure sitting under a tree. It was Shri Mahaprabhuji, glowing with peace and love. A Vaishnav nearby said to him, “Why are you standing there alone? Your friends have all gone ahead.”

Gopaldas softly replied, “I have wandered so far and for so long. But now, I will stay with loving devotees and find my true Lord.”

At that very moment, Shri Mahaprabhuji looked up and called out with a smile, “Gopaldas, come here.” Gopaldas felt warmth in his heart. He went closer and bowed down. “I have walked many paths, but now I know your grace will lead me home,” he said with tears of gratitude.

Shri Mahaprabhuji then gave him a special service: “Go to Jatipura and take care of Shri Nathji’s garden.”

Gopaldas joyfully obeyed. In Jatipura, he worked in the garden with great love. He watered every plant, spoke kindly to each flower, and cared for every fruit as if Shri Krishna Himself would come to play among them.

But one day, a young Vaishnav boy sneaked into the garden and began picking flowers for his own worship. Gopaldas, feeling protective of the Lord’s garden, became very angry. He caught the boy and scolded him harshly. The boy broke free and ran straight into Shri Nathji’s temple, but Gopaldas, still upset, followed and grabbed him there. Seeing this, other Vaishnavas rushed in and stopped him.

Shri Nathji was saddened by Gopaldas’s anger towards the boy. To help him learn, Shri Mahaprabhuji gave Gopaldas a new service: to care for Shri Nathji’s betel leaves. Gopaldas now spent his nights gently fanning the precious leaves and keeping them cool with wet cloths during the hot season.

One evening, Shri Mahaprabhuji came to the temple and saw many devotees singing and talking. But Gopaldas was different. He was asleep, yet his hands continued to move the fan over the betel leaves. Shri Mahaprabhuji smiled, thinking, “Gopaldas’s service is so deep that even in sleep, his heart keeps serving.”

The next day, Shri Mahaprabhuji said, “From now on, fan Shri Nathji, but always keep your eyes closed.” Gopaldas followed the instruction with full faith. Day and night, he fanned the Lord with closed eyes.

One evening, Shri Nathji spoke sweetly to him, “Open your eyes and see Me.”

But Gopaldas replied, “Shri Mahaprabhuji has told me to keep them closed.”

Shri Nathji then placed some divine prasada into Gopaldas’s mouth, but even then, Gopaldas kept his eyes shut, staying true to his guru’s words. The Lord was so pleased with his devotion that He allowed Gopaldas to hear His playful talks with Shri Svaminiji.

Later, Shri Nathji decided to purify Gopaldas even more. “I must help him grow from the mistake he made with the boy,” thought the Lord. He inspired Gopaldas to leave the temple service and go on a pilgrimage.

After asking permission from Shri Mahaprabhuji, Gopaldas set out. The other devotees were surprised and wondered why such a dear servant of the Lord would leave. Shri Mahaprabhuji explained, “Through this journey, Gopaldas will feel a deep longing for Shri Nathji. In this sweet pain of separation, he will leave his body and join the Lord’s eternal play.”

As Gopaldas walked alone, far from the temple, he felt his heart fill with longing for Shri Nathji. Falling to the ground, he cried out, “Oh Lord, why did I ever leave Your service and the company of the devotees?”

In that moment of deep love, his soul left his body and entered Shri Krishna’s eternal pastimes. There, Gopaldas found his true home, serving the Lord forever in joy.

Poem: Gopaldasji’s Garden of Love

In Prayag’s crowd, a boy was lost,

To South he went, at a heavy cost.

Years rolled by, till one fine day,

He found Shri Mahaprabhuji to show him the way.

He cared for flowers, leaves, and trees,

He worked with love and felt at peace.

Though anger came and made him fall,

Shri Nathji’s mercy forgave it all.

With closed eyes, he served with grace,

Till longing took him to a higher place.

In Krishna’s land, where joy won’t end,

Gopaldas found his dearest friend.

Moral: Love and service done with faith and humility brings us closer to Shri Krishna’s eternal play.

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