Now about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Ramdasji, a Saraswat Brahmin who lived in the east. The sentiment of his story is described here:
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine play (Leela), this Ramdasji is a companion (sakhi) of Radha’s intimate friend. Her name is Prem Manjari. She is among the group of young maidens (Kumarikas).
Ramdas’s father possessed great wealth, but had no son. He worshiped the sun (Surya) intensely. Then, being pleased, Surya granted him a son. When Ramdasji turned eight, his father arranged his marriage. Soon after, the father left his body. Later, Ramdas came into contact with a Vaishnav of the Maryada Marg (path of discipline). That Maryada Vaishnav asked, “Have you gone on any pilgrimages?” Ramdas replied, “My father passed away. How can I leave the house now?”
Then the Maryada Vaishnav said, “Well, Ganga Sagar is near your place. At least come there to bathe. Come, I will go with you.” Ramdas agreed and went with that Vaishnav to Ganga Sagar. They stayed there for three days. On the fourth day, after bathing, they began to prepare food on the banks of the Ganga Sagar by spreading a little sand.
At that time, the form (svarup) of Shri Lalji emerged from there. Ramdasji, having bathed in the waters of Ganga Sagar, said to the Maryada Vaishnav, “I have attained the divine form of Bhagavan.” Then the Maryada Vaishnav said, “You are truly fortunate. Worship Him well. But whose disciple are you?” At that time, Ramdasji was sixteen years old. He replied, “I am not yet a disciple of anyone.” The Maryada Vaishnav said, “I can initiate you if you desire.”
Ramdas replied, “I will return home and take initiation along with my wife.” Then the Maryada Vaishnav said, “Shri Vallabhacharyaji, who refuted the doctrine of Mayavada in Kashi and the South, is now staying at Purushottampuri. If you attain his shelter, you will be truly blessed.” Hearing this, Ramdasji quickly returned home with the form of Shri Thakurji.
That Maryada Vaishnav remained at Ganga Sagar. Ramdas made the fourth halt on his journey and by midday reached a garden outside a village. Shri Acharyaji had arrived at Purushottampuri a day before and was staying there. Then Shri Acharyaji said to Ramdas, “How did you attain the divine form of Bhagavan at Ganga Sagar? Show it to me. Your name is Ramdas.”
Ramdas stood amazed, thinking, “I just arrived and have not shown the form of Bhagavan to anyone. This must be a great Mahapurush (divine being).” He turned to a nearby Vaishnav and asked, “What is this great person’s name?” Krishnadas Meghna replied, “This is Shri Vallabhacharyaji, famous throughout the world! He refuted Mayavada and established the path of Bhakti.”
Then Ramdas prostrated fully (sashtang dandavat) and humbly pleaded, “Maharaj! Please come to my home.” Shri Acharyaji said, “You are a Saraswat Brahmin. How will you renounce food relations with Kshatriyas?” Ramdas replied, “By your grace, I have much wealth. I will not maintain any food relation with anyone. Whatever you instruct, I shall do.”
Then Shri Acharyaji, being pleased, came to Ramdas’s home. There, along with his wife, Ramdas offered Naam Samarpan (formal surrender through name initiation). He bathed Shri Thakurji with Panchamrit, seated Him on a platform (paat), and named Him Navneetpriyaji. Shri Acharyaji stayed for five nights at Ramdas’s home and taught him the complete method of seva (devotional service). Then Shri Acharyaji proceeded on his journey to perform parikrama (circumambulation) of the Earth.
Prasang 1 – Ramdasji Lives in Constant Purity
Ramdasji lived in a state of complete non-contact (apras) at all times. Even while drinking water or eating betel leaves, he remained in non-contact.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This shows that he never spoke to worldly people. He had no dealings or trade, and he had even renounced the company of women. He served Bhagavan in this manner.
Shri Thakurji had great affection for him. He also had great wealth. But within a few days, the wealth became less.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This means that he had even a trace of pride in his wealth. So, in order to remove this reliance on anything other than Shri Thakurji and to cultivate humility, the wealth was reduced.
Then Ramdas thought, “I must find a way to earn some wealth.” In the eastern regions, people used to weave cloth, and they were called ‘tantis’ (weavers). He gave them money as a loan on interest. That interest started to come in large amounts, and Ramdasji felt some joy in his heart. So Shri Thakurji commanded, “Have you placed Me on the weavers?”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The meaning of this is – “You used to live with love and devotion for Me. But first, you relied on your wealth. When the wealth diminished, you relied on interest. That interest came from the weavers. How can I accept service offered from that interest money, which is impure? How can I reside in such a service?”
Upon hearing this command, Ramdas became shocked.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): He thought, “Alas! I have done a terrible deed. Whatever is now the wish of Bhagavan, I will accept. But I will never again do such a thing.”
Then he went to the weavers and said, “Return all my money.” The weavers replied, “You are receiving interest. So how can we give back the capital? And now you're asking for it so soon?”
Ramdasji said, “I have started working with children. Whatever the child says, I follow.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This means that a child’s way of thinking is contrary. Sometimes he puts toys up high, sometimes he puts others down, sometimes he breaks them. Similarly, it is the Lord’s nature – to do, not to do, and to do otherwise – He is capable of all. He does as He pleases. This is the principle being taught. But the weavers thought he must have a child.
So, they collected all the money and gave it to Ramdasji. He brought it home and began doing seva (service). But within a few days, all the money was gone.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Now the dependence on wealth is gone. But the pride that came earlier because of it, the seed of that pride – Shri Thakurji would now remove that completely.
Then Ramdasji began borrowing on credit from a merchant. Soon he accumulated debt. That merchant began to demand repayment. So Ramdas stopped borrowing from him and started borrowing from another merchant.
One day, that previous merchant pressured him strongly and said, “If you will no longer borrow from me, then pay back my money!” After much pleading and explaining, Ramdas left, but he was very distressed due to the shame.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In this way, the past fault of pride was removed. Then Shri Thakurji, taking the form of Ramdas, went to that merchant and repaid the entire debt. He gave 100 rupees extra and wrote in the account with his own hand under Ramdas’s name. Ramdasji could not bear the pain.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): He thought, “Because of the suffering I underwent, Shri Thakurji Himself repaid the debt. But why did he give 100 rupees more?” The reason was – if even a little joy or pride were to arise due to the excess wealth, then the fruit of Pushtimarg would be lost, and the servant’s attitude would vanish.
Shri Thakurji repaid the debt. Ramdas stayed at home. He still had about 100 rupees left. This was for testing him. Later, he had a small debt again from another merchant, and some expenses also came up.
One day, a Vaishnav came to call Ramdasji. He went with him. While passing by the market of that previous merchant, he tried to avoid being seen, thinking, “He might ask me again.” The merchant saw Ramdasji and thought, “He is avoiding my gaze. I had demanded payment from him many times.”
So, the merchant came forward and fell at Ramdasji’s feet. He said, “It is my misfortune that you no longer borrow from my shop. But you still have 100 rupees more with me – please come and take it.” Ramdasji replied, “I’ll come later. I am going to work now.”
Then the merchant went to the shop. Ramdasji thought in his heart, “I never gave him any money. So perhaps it was Shri Thakurji who gave it.”
He went to the Vaishnav’s place, finished some work involving cleanliness and touch, and then went to that merchant’s shop and said, “Bring out my account.” The merchant said, “You paid the account and even wrote in your own hand that I owed you 100 rupees extra. Please check it again.” Then Ramdas saw Shri Thakurji’s signature in the account and remained silent.
Then he returned home and thought, “Now I should not stay at home. I should take up a job.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason was that if he stayed at home, Shri Thakurji would have to bear the burden, as he would eat the Lord’s wealth. And the affection of a wife is ordinary; she would consume it. So, he bought a horse, tied on weapons, and came to Prayag to take up a job. Even then, he continued to eat betel leaves in non-contact (apras) form.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This shows that there was some pride in his apras, like “no one else can maintain this kind of purity.” So Shri Thakurji made him give up that apras and removed his pride. It also shows – what is the use of such purity, where Shri Thakurji Himself has to suffer?
Later, one day, Ramdasji came from Prayag to Adail to have darshan of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu. He came wearing five garments and carrying weapons, and bowed down. Then Shri Acharyaji saw Ramdas and said, “Blessed he is.” The Vaishnavs sitting nearby said, “Maharaj! Why are you calling him blessed now? He has given up his apras, he lives like a soldier, he carries weapons?”
Shri Acharyaji replied, “He is blessed. He does not make Shri Thakurji suffer. There is no one with such patience. I say this from my own mouth.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason is – how much can be done by apras alone? The path of grace (Pushtimarg) is very difficult. All the wealth was gone, debts mounted, but he never lost his patience. Why? Because his mind remained fixed on Shri Thakurji. Even within his heart, he never felt the pain of worry. Later, when Shri Thakurji repaid the debt, he did not even feel happy. He took up a job. Now, humility had come to him. His mind remained with Shri Thakurji. Because of this, Shri Acharyaji called him blessed.
Prasang 2 – Filling the Pool for Shri Acharyaji's Bath
Now, in front of Shri Acharyaji's door, there was a pool. He came there to bathe and said, “Is this pool still not filled?” Saying this, he proceeded towards the Yamunaji for a holy bath. Then all the Vaishnavs started filling the pool. At that time, Ramdasji took a large basket and filled the pool completely, making it level with the ground, exactly where Shri Acharyaji had bathed.
Then Shri Acharyaji saw Ramdas filling the pool. Seeing his clothes covered in dust, Shri Acharyaji became pleased and said, “Ramdas is blessed.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): From this, we see that while other Vaishnavs removed their upper garments and wore only a dhoti to fill the pool, Ramdas, upon hearing Shri Acharyaji’s command, considered it a great fortune to serve and filled the pool without any concern for status or shame. Shri Acharyaji was very pleased with him for this. This shows the principle that in divine service, one should not be concerned with prestige or dignity. Even lowly or menial service should be considered a blessing and performed with devotion.
Later, in one year, Ramdasji earned a large sum of wealth and returned home. After that, he began doing service with even greater care.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This was to test Thakurji’s patience. Afterwards, what use is wealth? Whatever is needed is automatically fulfilled.
Prasang 3 – Ramdasji and the Desire for a Child
One day, his wife said, “You should marry again so that there will be children.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason for this was that the wife did not know Ramdas’s inner feelings. So, she thought, “He is not pleased with me. Let him marry someone else.” He did marry again, and one son was born.
Then Ramdas said, “I have no desire for a son.” The wife replied, “But I desire to have one son.” Then Ramdas said, “If that is your wish, then serve Shri Navneetpriyaji in the mood of a child. Just like you feed and care for a child, serve Him the same way. Your wish will be fulfilled.” A few days later, a son was indeed born.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Ramdasji had spoken an emotional, divine truth — “If you serve Shri Thakurji in the mood of a child, then a child will be born to you. You will attain the good fortune of Yashodaji.” Only if the wife was a worthy devotee would she understand this. So, with the desire for a son, she served Shri Thakurji in the childlike mood. And Shri Thakurji gave her a son.
However, she did not attain the spiritual fruit that Ramdas had, because Ramdas’s mind never turned toward worldly desires. That is why Shri Acharyaji remained pleased with him. What can be said about the depth of Ramdas’s devotional feelings?
Ramdas was such a recipient of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s grace — he was divinely blessed. The extent of his story cannot be fully told — only a part of it can be described here.
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