Now about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak (servant), Damodardas, a Kshatriya from Sambhal. He was a resident of Kannauj. The sentiment of his story is spoken of here:
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): From childhood, Damodardas had a deep yearning – “How will I attain Shri Thakurji?”
At one time, Damodardas had come to Prayag for the Makar Sankranti bath. There, he met Krishnadas. While conversing, Krishnadas (Meghna) said, “Shri Vallabhacharya has appeared in this world. He is now in the South. Near King Krishnadev, he has refuted Mayavad (illusionist philosophy). Through his grace, one will certainly attain Shri Thakurji. I have affection for my Guru, but no significant work was done through him for me. Therefore, now I will go wherever Shri Acharyaji is.” Saying this to Damodardas, Krishnadas went to the southern regions.
From that time, after Krishnadas Meghna left for Shri Acharyaji, Damodardas’s longing intensified greatly. “How will I meet Shri Acharyaji?” In this separation, Damodardas observed Makar Sankranti baths for a whole month. On the full moon day (Maha Sud 15), while bathing, a copper leaf (tamrapatra) floated to Damodardas from the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna. He brought it home. That night, he dreamt a voice saying, “Read this letter and take refuge.”
In the morning, he sought out great scholars, Brahmins, and holy men who had come to Prayag for the Makar bath and asked them to read it. But no one could decipher it.
At that time, Damodardas was handling financial matters in Kashi for Seth Purushottamdas. He went there, took a bill of exchange (hoondi), and explained the entire situation, saying, “This letter is to be read by Shri Acharyaji himself. No one else has the capacity. Krishnadas Meghna told me, ‘By taking refuge in Shri Acharyaji, one attains Shri Thakurji.’”
Hearing this, Seth Purushottamdas felt restless, thinking, “When will I get darshan of Shri Acharyaji?” (The story of Seth Purushottam will be described separately.)
Thus, Damodardas stayed 15 days in Kashi, but no one could read the letter. Finally, he returned to his home in Kannauj. He continued in longing for a few months until Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu himself came to Kannauj. He stayed in a garden outside the village.
Prasang 1 The Divine Meeting and the Letter of Refuge
When Shri Acharyaji arrived in Kannauj, he stayed in a garden outside the village and sent Krishnadas into the village, saying, “Bring the necessary items, but do not tell anyone that Shri Acharyaji has arrived.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The meaning of this instruction was that Krishnadas might meet Damodardas, and Damodardas should hear directly from him about Shri Acharyaji’s arrival, which would naturally draw him due to his devotional nature. If Damodardas came of his own accord, it would be through genuine affection, avoiding any interference or compulsion.
Also, another reason was that before Shri Acharyaji came to Kannauj, he had already received a divine command that the souls of Kannauj were to be purified. Therefore, he thought, “If the command has been given, then the meeting will happen naturally without my active intervention.”
Krishnadas went into the village, collected all necessary items, and returned. At the royal gate, Damodardas saw him and recognized him. Getting down from his horse, Damodardas approached Krishnadas, offered prostrations, and asked, “Has Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu arrived?”
Krishnadas, recalling Shri Acharyaji’s instruction, remained silent. Damodardas thought to himself, “Why else would Krishnadas be here?”
As Krishnadas left, Damodardas quietly followed him, sending his horse back home. Shri Acharyaji, from a distance, saw Damodardas approaching and asked Krishnadas, “Why did you tell him?” Krishnadas replied, “Maharaj, I said nothing.”
Damodardas then pleaded with Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj, he did not tell me anything. I simply followed him.”
Shri Acharyaji asked Damodardas, “Did you bring the letter you received?” Damodardas replied humbly, “Maharaj, what is the use of the letter now?” Shri Acharyaji said, “You were commanded to bring it. Bring the letter.” The letter was then sent for.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): When Shri Acharyaji questioned Krishnadas, it was not out of anger but as part of a divine play. Damodardas, by saying the letter was no longer needed, subtly expressed his realization that Shri Acharyaji was none other than God himself. Shri Acharyaji smiled and said, “Bring it anyway, since it was the divine command.”
The letter was read aloud, and its meaning was revealed to Damodardas. His name was mentioned within. Afterwards, Shri Acharyaji came to Damodardas’s home. Damodardas’s wife also came for refuge, and Shri Acharyaji initiated both of them into surrender. Even a maidservant, a divine soul, took refuge.
Damodardas then asked, “Maharaj, what is your command? What should we do now?” Shri Acharyaji said, “Now you should serve.” Damodardas asked, “Maharaj, how should I serve?” Shri Acharyaji instructed, “Find a proper image of Shri Thakurji for seva (worship).”
A deity image was procured from a tailor’s house, and Damodardas brought it home. The entire household was purified, and Shri Acharyaji personally performed the Panchamrit abhishek (ritual bathing) of the deity, naming him Shri Dwarkanathji.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The name Shri Dwarkanathji was given because the responsibility of expanding royal-level service (raj-niti seva) was first entrusted to Damodardas.
A throne was installed, and Shri Acharyaji himself began cooking and offering bhog (food) to Shri Thakurji at the appropriate times. After offering, betel leaves (beeda) were presented. Seeing green betel leaves, Shri Acharyaji became displeased and instructed, “Do not offer unripe leaves to Shri Thakurji. Always present the finest and most excellent items. Shri Thakurji only accepts the best.” From then on, the household began serving meticulously, and Shri Dwarkanathji’s seva flourished beautifully.
Shri Acharyaji further instructed, “Do not offer to Shri Thakurji any fabric from a parkaala (bolt of cloth) that has already been cut. Always reserve the first portion for Shri Thakurji before using it elsewhere.”
Damodardas began serving with great care. Golden bowls were used to hold nectar-like food items, so subtle and refined that others could not even perceive there was anything inside them.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Later, the protocol for offering garments and other items was established. Any surplus not used for Shri Thakurji was called prasadi (sanctified). Thus, it became the practice in Pushtimarg that the best of all materials should first be dedicated to Shri Thakurji. Golden vessels symbolized service in the mood of Shri Swaminiji (Rukmini), while silver ones reflected the mood of Shri Chandravali.
Afterwards, Shri Acharyaji departed on his circumambulation of the earth. During that time, Damodardas would personally fetch water for Shri Thakurji. One day, his father-in-law came to his house and said, “You fetch water yourself? It brings shame to our caste. Have a maid do it instead.”
Damodardas reflected on Surdasji’s words in his kirtan: “In Kaliyug, only devotion matters; cast aside all shame.” And another verse: “Do not care for the opinion of others; hold firm to single-minded devotion.”
He then told his wife, “Come with me, you too fetch water.” The next day, he carried one pot, and his wife carried another. When his father-in-law saw them passing under the marketplace, he felt remorse and came to Damodardas, fell at his feet, and said, “I was wrong to tell you that. From now on, you alone fetch water. Do not make the women do it. I will never interfere again.”
Shri Thakurji began showing affection towards Damodardas, often asking him directly for what he desired. Seeing Damodardas’s devotion, Shri Acharyaji was greatly pleased and said, “One who has not seen King Ambarish should see Damodardas. Ambarish served in the path of propriety (Maryada Marg), but Damodardas served in the Pushti Marg. The latter far surpasses the former.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Damodardas’s service of fetching water was performed in the loving mood of Shri Yamunaji. Just as Ambarish served within the bounds of propriety, Damodardas served in the grace-filled path of Pushti. Thus, the comparison is like that between the moon and the sun – the latter being vastly greater in brilliance.
Even when his father-in-law told him not to involve his wife in fetching water, Damodardas thought, “If I stop her now, people might blame my father-in-law. But if I insist too much, Shri Thakurji might not accept such forced service. Let me discourage her gently, so that if love is genuine, she will stop on her own.” He then said to his wife, “From now on, I will fetch water myself; you do not need to.” His wife agreed, and thus the father-in-law was not blamed. Damodardas continued serving with even greater determination.
Prasang 2 The Temple Doors, the Maidservant, and True Devotion
Once, during the summer days, Damodardas placed Shri Thakurji to rest in the temple and then went to the upper room (choubara) to sleep. At that time, Shri Dwarkanathji instructed the maidservant, “Open the door. It is very hot for me.” The maid opened the temple doors. Then Shri Dwarkanathji said to the maid, “Fan me.” The maid began fanning. Afterwards, Shri Thakurji told her, “Go, leave it. Let it be.” So the maid left the temple doors open and went to sleep.
In the morning, Damodardas saw the temple doors were open. He asked, “Who opened the doors?” The maid replied to Damodardas, “Shri Thakurji commanded me, ‘You open the doors.’ So I opened them.”
Damodardas said, “Why didn’t he tell me to open them? Why did he tell you?” Then Damodardas thought in his heart, “Why did Shri Thakurji not instruct me to open the doors? Why did he tell the maid instead? But the Lord is very merciful. He converses with whomever he has affection for. In Shri Acharyaji’s acceptance, all are equal. Worldly people may say there is high and low, but Shri Thakurji is bound by love.”
Then Shri Thakurji said to Damodardas, “I made them open, and she opened them. Why are you upset about this? You went to sleep in the upper room and left me inside the temple.”
Damodardas replied, “I will accept prasad only after the temple is newly renovated.” His wife said, “Why act like this? This is not a matter of just five or seven days.” Damodardas replied, “I will not take the hard-earned Mahaprasad. I will survive on fruits.”
Thus, work on the temple began immediately. When the auspicious day arrived, Shri Dwarkanathji was seated in the temple. A great festival was held. Afterwards, Mahaprasad was distributed to all Vaishnavas. Then Damodardas himself partook of Mahaprasad.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Shri Thakurji had the maid fan him but did not reveal this to the wife. She had already stopped fetching water, so Shri Thakurji did not ask her. Why? Because she had not previously done water service, there was no concern. If she had begun and then stopped, it would have mattered. Since she had ceased due to her father-in-law’s words, Shri Thakurji assigned the service of opening the door and fanning to the maid.
It is Shri Acharyaji’s teaching that until perfect affection is firmly established in the heart, one should serve according to their capacity, considering the limitations of the body like heat and cold. Damodardas went to sleep upstairs, leaving Shri Thakurji no means to air himself. Therefore, to establish proper temple etiquette, Shri Thakurji had the maid open the doors. The maid was qualified for manasi seva (mental service), performing it secretly all day and night. No one knew of this. Shri Thakurji was very pleased with the maid.
When Damodardas became upset with her, Shri Thakurji could not tolerate it. He thought, “Why are you angry with the one dear to me?” Shri Thakurji took the maid’s side and told Damodardas, “I had her open the doors. Why are you angry? From now on, love her. Recognize her form as extraordinary. You went and slept upstairs, leaving me no way to air out the room. Have you forgotten your role as Chitra Sakhi in your previous life? Renovate the temple properly.”
Then Damodardas was deeply moved, realizing the divine nature of his own and the maid’s forms. In this inspired state, he said, “Once the temple is completed, only then will I eat.” The wife said, “How will we manage without eating? This isn’t work of just a day or two.” But Damodardas, still under spiritual fervor, said, “I will only take fruit.”
Thus, work on the temple proceeded swiftly. Windows, niches, sanctum (nij mandir), verandas, courtyard, doors, and curtains were arranged in the mood of divine pastimes. After determining an auspicious time, Shri Thakurji was ceremoniously installed. A grand festival was held, and the Vaishnavas offered donations to Shri Acharyaji.
Prasang 3 Shri Thakurji’s Rebuke for Careless Words
Again, one day, after offering Rajbhog to Shri Thakurji, Damodardas went into the bedroom temple to arrange the bed. There he saw that a cat had soiled the bedding. Damodardas said, “Shri Thakurji cannot even protect his own bed?”
Hearing this, Shri Thakurji angrily kicked the Rajbhog plate off the throne and said to Damodardas, “Are you the servant, or am I? How can you, as a servant, speak like this?”
Shri Thakurji was very displeased. Damodardas humbly begged for forgiveness and pleaded earnestly. He prepared all the offerings again and presented them to Shri Thakurji, but for two whole months, Shri Thakurji did not speak a word to him.
Eventually, after much pleading, Shri Thakurji began speaking again.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Shri Thakurji kicked away the Rajbhog plate to demonstrate that Damodardas had now been given the right to serve in the mood of a das (servant). Such a scolding would only occur if he had previously been granted the right to serve in the mood of a sakha (friend). Since Damodardas had acted beyond his current qualification without Shri Acharyaji’s permission, Shri Thakurji did not accept the offering and gave him this instruction.
This shows how acting beyond one’s level of spiritual maturity without proper authority creates obstacles, even for a Vaishnav.
Prasang 4 Serving Guests with Love and Revealing Inner Dependence
Once, at a certain time, Damodardas Harasani came as a guest to Damodardas Sambhalware’s house. He stayed at the house in Sambhal for five to seven days. During that time, Sambhalware served him very well and with great care.
Later, Damodardas Harasani left from there and came to Adail. Then Shri Acharyaji asked Damodardas Harasani, “Damala! Where did you stay? Where did you take Mahaprasad?”
Damodardas Harasani humbly said to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! In Kannauj, I stayed at Damodardas Sambhalware’s house. I took unsacred Mahaprasad (anashkhadi).”
Hearing this, Shri Acharyaji became displeased with Damodardas Sambhalware and thought, “He is my close sevak. Why did he not have sacred Mahaprasad (sakharadi) served to him?”
At that very moment, sitting in his house, Damodardas Sambhalware understood in his heart Shri Acharyaji’s displeasure towards him. He said to his wife, “You serve Shri Thakurji properly. I am going to Adail to have Shri Acharyaji’s darshan.”
Then Damodardas Sambhalware went to Adail. There, he arrived and did darshan of Shri Acharyaji, offering full prostrations. Shri Acharyaji sat turning his back towards him.
Damodardas Sambhalware humbly pleaded, saying, “Maharaj! What is my offense? A living being is prone to commit offenses, but to recognize the offense is a good thing.”
Shri Acharyaji then said, “Why did you not serve Damodardas Harasani sacred Mahaprasad? Why did you serve unsacred Mahaprasad?” Damodardas Sambhalware humbly pleaded, “Maharaj, please ask Damodardas Harasani himself.” Then Shri Acharyaji asked Damodardas Harasani, “Damala! Why did you not take the sacred Mahaprasad at Damodardas Sambhalware’s house?”
Damodardas Harasani replied, “Maharaj! Shri Thakurji accepts the Bal Bhog (morning offering) at dawn. I did not have a taste for sakharadi Mahaprasad after that, so I did not take it.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “You did not take it according to your own wish. But I had great displeasure towards him (Sambhalware).”
This play of the Lord is to reveal the devotion in the hearts of his devotees. Why? Because while sitting in Kannauj at his home, Damodardas Sambhalware understood the feelings in Shri Acharyaji’s heart. Shri Acharyaji is always present in the hearts of devotees. Would such a devotee not know the feelings in his heart? But to test the devotee, this was a divine play of the Lord.
Afterwards, Shri Acharyaji honored Damodardas Sambhalware greatly and sent him back to his home. Upon returning to Kannauj, Damodardas and his wife began serving Shri Thakurji with even greater devotion.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Shri Acharyaji’s reason for sending Damodardas Harasani as a guest to Sambhalware’s house was to show his grace upon Sambhalware. Damodardas Sambhalware, along with his wife and wealth, served in royal style (raj seva). Whenever Vaishnavas visited and then went for Shri Acharyaji’s darshan, Sambhalware would send gifts with them as tokens of affection and respect. He served Vaishnavas with such excellence that they praised him highly before Shri Acharyaji. Whoever came spoke highly of his hospitality.
Then Shri Acharyaji thought in his heart, “If the feelings within the heart are pure, only then does the service bear fruit. Otherwise, if there is dependence on others (parashray), the work does not succeed.”
Understanding Shri Acharyaji’s heart, Damodardas Harasani came to Sambhalware’s house as a guest (as an act of grace). During his stay, Sambhalware observed all the qualities of his own heart carefully. However, his wife retained even a trace of dependency on her father. Because of this, sacred Mahaprasad was not served to the guests.
They stayed five to seven days, but Sambhalware did not speak to Damodardas Harasani about this inner issue of the heart or any worldly matters.
Later, when Sambhalware came before Shri Acharyaji, Shri Acharyaji asked, “Where have you come from?” Sambhalware humbly replied, “I had gone as a guest to Damodardas Sambhalware’s house. I did not take the sacred Mahaprasad but took unsacred Mahaprasad.”
By saying this, Damodardas Harasani demonstrated his steadfastness of feeling (bhav). That is why he took unsacred Mahaprasad. His wife’s feelings were not yet firmly rooted, which is why sacred Mahaprasad was not served.
Because of this, Shri Acharyaji became displeased with Damodardas Sambhalware and thought, “My close sevak was in his house, yet his wife did not let go of her dependency on others. When will such an opportunity come again?”
This thought in Shri Acharyaji’s heart was known by Sambhalware, but his wife could not understand, for she remained attached to external support.
Prasang 5 Hospitality to Vaishnavas and Offering Gifts to Shri Acharyaji
The Vaishnavas from Singhnand, when they would go for Shri Acharyaji’s darshan, stayed at Damodardas’s house in Kannauj. Damodardas served Mahaprasad to all of them. Later, when these Vaishnavas departed for Adail, he sent with each of them a gold mohar (coin), a coconut, and an offering for Shri Acharyaji.
Why? He said, “How can you do prostrations to my Guru empty-handed?” Such was Damodardas’s devotion to the Lord.
Prasang 6 The Wife’s Devotion and Selfless Service Despite Luxury
Damodardas’s father-in-law was very wealthy. At the time of marriage, he had given his daughter one hundred maidservants as dowry, saying, “My daughter will sit comfortably while all the work is done by the maidservants.”
However, Damodardas’s wife did not employ the maidservants for any service. All tasks related to Shri Thakurji’s seva she performed herself, while the maidservants handled all other household work. Thus, she too was deeply devoted to the Lord.
Prasang 7 The Desire for a Son and the Consequence of Dependence
Once, Shri Acharyaji was resting at Damodardas Sambhalware’s house. Damodardas Sambhalware was massaging his feet. Shri Acharyaji asked him, “Do you have any desire or wish in your heart?”
Damodardas replied, “Maharaj! By your grace, I have no desire left.” Shri Acharyaji then said, “Go and ask your wife if she has any wish.” Damodardas went to his wife and asked, “Do you have any wish in your heart?” His wife replied, “I have no other wish except for the desire for a son.”
Damodardas returned and said to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! My wife desires a son.” Shri Acharyaji, from his divine mouth, gave the command, “You will have a son.”
Later, Shri Acharyaji went to Shrinathji’s temple at Jatipura. In time, Damodardas’s wife conceived. One day, while she was in the courtyard, a wandering fortune-teller came by. Some women in the house began asking him questions. One maid went and asked him, “What will happen? Will it be a son or a daughter?” The fortune-teller replied, “It will be a son.”
Some days later, Shri Acharyaji came to Kannauj. When Damodardas approached to touch his feet, Shri Acharyaji said, “Do not touch me. You have become dependent on another (anya-ashray).”
Damodardas said, “Maharaj! I know nothing of this.” Shri Acharyaji said, “Ask your wife.” Damodardas went and asked his wife. She then narrated everything that had happened with the fortune-teller. Damodardas reported it all to Shri Acharyaji. Shri Acharyaji said, “A son will indeed be born, but he will be a mlechchha (impure).”
After this, Shri Acharyaji returned to Adail. Hearing all this, Damodardas’s wife stopped touching any items or utensils used for Shri Thakurji’s seva, saying, “There is a mlechchha in my womb. How can I touch Shri Thakurji’s items?”
When the time for childbirth came, she told her mother, “As soon as the child is born, take him away immediately. I will not see his face. If I even see his face, it will bring ruin upon me. Do something so that his face is not shown to me.”
Her mother did exactly that. As soon as the child was born, she took him to her own house and handed him to a wet nurse.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): When Shri Acharyaji came to Kannauj, he told Damodardas, “If there is any wish, ask for it.” In this way, he was testing Damodardas again. Why? Because his wife still had dependency on others (anya-ashray). By her association, some trace of it might enter Damodardas as well. Shri Acharyaji thought, “If I give them a son, they will remain deprived of the fruits of Pushtimarg (path of grace).”
But Damodardas was steadfast and replied, “Maharaj! Since I have received service to your lotus feet, I have no other desire.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Go and ask your wife.” Here it should be understood that Shri Acharyaji spoke only to Damodardas, not directly to his wife. Nor did his wife come to Shri Acharyaji to make any request herself. This shows she was not very close to Shri Mahaprabhuji and carried dependency in her mind.
Her desire for a son was not with the intention of serving Pushtimarg. She did not think that a son, if born, would necessarily serve. Shri Acharyaji understood this and thought, “My shelter has been forsaken. The son will be born, but devotion has now become tinged with selfish desire.”
As Mukunddas says in the Seventh Skandh of the Bhagavatam, quoting Prahlad to Lord Nrisimhaji: "When one seeks one’s own benefit from the Lord, such devotion is blameworthy and not true devotion." Thus, seeking worldly or Vedic fulfillment from the Lord is censured. Such a person does not attain true devotion.
Shri Acharyaji granted them a son and went to Giriraj at Govardhan. When the wife later became aware of her dependency, Shri Acharyaji came to Kannauj again. At that time, he did not allow Damodardas to touch his feet, saying, “Since you have accepted food from your wife’s hands, you have no right to touch my feet.”
This was to show that anya-ashray (dependency on anyone other than the Lord) is the greatest fault. Just as if a woman leaves her husband and takes another, her dharma (religious duty) is lost entirely, in the same way, even the slightest anya-ashray destroys a Vaishnav’s dharma.
This principle was revealed here. Later, the wife developed single-mindedness (ananyata) and would not touch Shri Thakurji’s items during her impurity. Through her son, she let go of all attachment to others in her heart.
Why? Because as stated in the Bhagavatam, “If a devotee develops affection for anything other than Shri Thakurji, the Lord immediately destroys that object.” Then, knowledge and detachment deepen, and true shelter is realized.
When there is no devotion, the object is taken away, yet the mind continues to depend on others. Seeing the wife’s affection for her son, Shri Acharyaji arranged for him to be taken away as soon as he was born.
She understood and resolved never to see her son’s face. At the time of birth, she even had her eyes covered with a cloth. As soon as the child was born, her mother took him away to her house. There, the son grew up to the age of ten and then became a mlechchha (impure in conduct).
Meanwhile, Damodardas and his wife devoted themselves wholeheartedly to serving Shri Dwarkanathji.
Prasang 8 The Final Offering of Everything to Shri Thakurji
At one time, Damodardas left his body. His wife kept this hidden in the house. Later, she told the Vaishnavas, “You hire a boat to take to Adail.” So the Vaishnavas hired a boat and brought it. Then they placed Shri Dwarkanathji and every single item from the house into the boat—even straw was not left behind in the house. Everything in the house was placed in the boat.
The wife then told the Vaishnavas, “Take this boat to Adail. Deliver everything to the temple of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu.” The Vaishnavas took the boat and departed. The boat went about thirty to forty kos (miles).
Afterwards, the wife revealed, “Damodardas has passed away.” The Vaishnavas came and performed his funeral rites.
Then Damodardas’s son—who had become a Turk (mlechchha)—arrived. When he came, he saw that nothing was left in the house except for clay pots filled with water. Seeing this, he struck his head in grief.
Later, Damodardas’s father-in-law came and said to his daughter, “Daughter, you have left nothing in the house. Now how will you eat?” She replied, “Whatever you give, I will eat. Among Kshatriyas at such times, close relatives give support. This is the custom of our community.”
Damodardas’s wife then took no food or drink and, within a few days, also left her body. The funeral rites for both were performed together.
Some days later, a Vaishnav told Shri Acharyaji about this. Shri Acharyaji said, “This is exactly as it should be.” Damodardas and his wife were such recipients of grace, such divine devotees of Shri Acharyaji, that their story has no limit—how can it be fully told?
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): After Damodardas passed away, his wife kept his body hidden because she thought, “My son is a mlechchha. All the possessions belong to Shri Thakurji, so they must be sent away.” She filled the boat with all the items and sent them to Shri Acharyaji.
When the boat had gone about forty kos, she made it known that Damodardas had passed. Then his relatives, including his father-in-law, performed his funeral rites. When the son returned and saw that only clay pots with water were left, he tried to find the boat and bring it back but did not succeed. He struck his head in sorrow. This shows that worldly people who attempt to reclaim divine possessions through worldly means will only suffer but will never succeed.
The father-in-law asked, “Nothing is left. How will you survive?” This was a worldly question. But the wife replied with a divine sentiment: “Whatever you give, I will eat. In our Kshatriya tradition, close relatives give support in such situations, and I will sustain myself that way.”
Her meaning was: “Shri Thakurji’s possessions have gone. Without seva, how can I use them? Since all divine items have departed, I will now live on worldly support.” She too soon left her body. The funeral rites for both were performed together.
The Maidservant’s Story (Londi ki Varta) – The Hidden Sakhi and Her Divine Role
That maidservant was highly devoted to the Lord. Her story is not fully written because she is none other than a sakhi (companion) of Shri Yamunaji in her divine form. In lila (divine play), her name was Krishnavesani. She was always immersed in the form of Krishna.
In Dwapar Yuga, she had been Vidurji’s wife. At that time, she had such deep love for Shri Thakurji that he often visited Vidurji’s house uninvited. Now she came to Damodardas’s household and joined during his marriage. She had the bond of Pushti (grace). She always remained absorbed in manasi seva (mental service).
Once, while Damodardas was serving, he thought in his mind, “I should go to Nakhas and buy a horse.” At that very moment, a Vaishnav came looking for him. The maidservant said, “He has gone to Nakhas to buy a horse.”
The Vaishnav left. Later, someone mentioned this incident to Damodardas, saying, “You were serving at that time, yet the maid said this.” Damodardas asked the maidservant about it. She replied, “Where was your mind at that moment? Wherever your mind is, consider your body to be there as well.” Damodardas fell silent.
When the boat was filled with all the items, the maidservant too—being like a part of the household’s possessions—was placed in the boat and went with Shri Dwarkanathji.
When the Vaishnavas reached Shri Acharyaji, they said, “Maharaj! Shri Dwarkanathji has arrived with all his wealth and possessions.” Shri Gopinathji was also present and said, “It is as if Lakshmi and Narayan themselves have arrived.”
Shri Acharyaji asked, “Seeing all this wealth, is your mind delighted?” Shri Gopinathji replied, “If your mind becomes attached to Shri Thakurji’s possessions, that attachment will be completely destroyed.” Shri Acharyaji said, “That is indeed the nature of our path. Still, a little of the wealth pleased Gopinathji, and he had a son, though his lineage did not continue.”
Later, Shri Acharyaji instructed the Vaishnavas, “Take all these possessions and offer them to Shri Yamunaji. Bring Shri Dwarkanathji to our house.”
Thus, the maidservant, being part of the possessions, also went with her body to Shri Yamunaji. All the possessions were offered to Shri Yamunaji, and Shri Dwarkanathji was installed at Shri Acharyaji’s house. This miraculous story about the maidservant seemed strange to worldly people, which is why Shri Gokulnathji did not reveal it fully and spoke of her only in general terms.
Later, a Vaishnav pleaded with Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! The possessions sent by Damodardas’s wife were not accepted by you. Why?” Shri Acharyaji said, “Her son is a mlechchha. If he hears of this, it will create conflict. Wealth is the root of sorrow. Damodardas’s wife sent it, and it has been accepted by Shri Maharani (Yamunaji), thereby avoiding worldly conflict.”
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