Now, about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Govinddas Bhalla, a Kshatriya, residing in Thaneshwar. The sentiment of his story is described here:
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Govinddas used to serve as a soldier in Thaneshwar, carrying weapons. He stayed near the hakim of Thaneshwar. He used to receive five to seven rupees daily. Once, Shri Acharyaji arrived in Thaneshwar. Then many souls in Thaneshwar came into refuge. Then Govinddas Bhalla prayed to Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, saying, “Maharaj! I have a lot of wealth, what should I do with it?” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Do Bhagavad seva.” Then Govinddas Bhalla said, “Maharaj! My wife is not favorable. Her intention is not towards Bhagavan but towards the goddess.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Renounce your wife.” Then Govinddas renounced his wife and brought all his wealth, and prayed to Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, “Maharaj! What should I do with this wealth? My wife I have already renounced.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Divide this wealth into four parts. One part is offered to Shrinathji. One part is given to your wife, so that when she is left after marriage there will be no fault upon you. Two parts to keep with you for Bhagavad seva.” Then Govinddas Bhalla said, “Maharaj! Please accept some parts as well.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Very well, give one part to me.” Then Govinddas divided his wealth into four parts. One part he offered to Shrinathji. One part he offered to Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu. One part he gave to his wife. One part of the wealth he kept and came to Mahavan. There, his wife was socially restricted in the village. So he came to Mahavan and began seva of Shri Mathuranathji.
Prasang 1 – Govinddas in Mahavan
Govinddas in Mahavan daily prepared offerings worth twenty-four taka, and offered bhog. He gave it to Vaishnavs of the maryada-marg. Whatever was left, he fed the cows. He himself took nothing from it. Separately, he would prepare a little, offer bhog, and eat that.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The meaning of this is that in Mahavan there was a temple of Nandarai. The worship was entrusted to Brahmins. They performed it according to maryada (scriptural rules). The expenses were given by Nandarai. So the Thakur was there, and Brahmins did the worship. How could he himself take from that temple? Therefore, separately he would prepare a little and, in his mind, offer the bhog and then eat.
In this way, all the wealth was spent. Then he came to Shrinathji’s temple and began doing service of Shri Govardhan-dhar. He cleaned the utensils at both times of the day. At midnight, one and a half prahar later, he would wake, finish bodily duties, bathe, and with a pitcher go to Mathura. He filled a pitcher of Yamuna water and brought it before Rajbhog. He washed all the utensils, plastered the kitchen with cow dung, completed all services, came down from the mountain, washed his tilak, removed his mala, tied it in a knot, and went around Govardhan begging for alms. That brought him food equal to five or seven seers. When that food was brought, he ground flour with his own hands, prepared rotis, showed them to the flag of Shri Govardhan-dhar, and partook of it mixed with charanamrit. Afterwards he washed the utensils of the afternoon bhog, plastered the kitchen, and performed the service of shayan. In this way he performed seva. But Shri Govardhan-nathji was not pleased with him.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason for this is that if such seva is done with love and affection, then Shri Govardhan-dhar becomes pleased and follows after the sevak. But Govinddas Bhalla was of tamasic nature, so he did everything with pride. His renunciation of wife too was done with pride. In Mahavan also, the daily twenty-four taka worth of offerings he made were done with pride. Here too, all seva was done with pride. He gave much pain to his body. But he lowered all other sevaks, thinking, “Who else will do equal to me?” Therefore, Shri Govardhan-dhar was not pleased with him.
Then Shri Govardhan-dhar spoke to Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu in Aadel, saying: “Your sevak troubles me greatly.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Here it is shown that if much seva is done with pride, it troubles me and displeases me. And the words “Your sevak” show this: “If it were any other, I would punish him. But since he is your sevak, you yourself explain to him.”
Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, from Aadel, came to Agra and asked all the Vaishnavs: “Why is Shri Thakurji displeased?”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason for asking all was this—that you already know it was because of Govinddas Bhalla. But by asking everyone, it shows that if anyone does seva with pride, then Shri Thakurji will become displeased.
Then all the Vaishnavs said: “Maharaj! We know nothing. Why should we be proud? Nothing comes from us.” Then Shri Acharyaji became pleased and from Agra went to Mathura. There too, all said: “Maharaj! We know nothing.” Then from there too Shri Acharyaji became pleased and came to Shrinathji’s temple.
Then, after bathing, he entered the temple. He stroked both cheeks of Shri Govardhan-dhar and asked: “Baba! Why are you unhappy?” Then Shri Govardhan-dhar said: “Your sevak troubles me greatly!” Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu called all the sevaks, asked about seva, care, and Mahaprasad. He instructed all of them: “Do not be proud.” Then he asked Govinddas. He replied. Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said: “All the sevaks take Mahaprasad from Shrinathji’s kitchen. You too do the same.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This shows—follow the way of all the sevaks. Abandon pride. And the Lord is beyond all suffering. If seva is done with pride and pain, it is not pleasing to the Lord.
Then Govinddas said: “Maharaj! How can I take the portion of Deva-ans?”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): By this he meant: “All take the portion of Deva-ans, how can I take it?”
Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said: “Take Mahaprasad in our kitchen.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The meaning is: “If you remain in our kitchen,” this shows: leave the seva of Shri Govardhan-dhar and do ours. Stay here. Go along with all the sevaks, then life will go well. If not, then remain with us and take Mahaprasad.”
Then again, with pride, Govinddas said: “How can I take Deva-ans, Guru-ans?” Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said: “Then give up seva.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Here it is shown that when he was proud at Shrinathji’s temple, then seva was easily lost. So seva was left, but he did not obey. Therefore, Shri Gokulnathji said: “The proud Kshatriya has left seva.” The meaning is—Shri Gokulnathji does not like pride. For the tamasic, the destination is downfall. Because pride is opposed to the feeling of servitude. Therefore, he is called the proud Kshatriya. The meaning is—there were many Kshatriya sevaks, but they abandoned the pride of Kshatriyahood. But he was not called a Vaishnav, but a proud Kshatriya. That Kshatriyahood, when made into servitude, is not lost, because the Guru is before you. Therefore, it is shown that the pride of high birth is an obstacle. For one day, because of pride, seva is lost. Seva is done by Thakur Himself. This principle is shown.
Therefore, in the Shikshapatra it is written:
असाधनः साधनो वा न साधुः साधुरेव वा। शरणादेव निखिलं फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः ॥
“Asadhanaḥ sadhano vā na sādhuḥ sādhureva vā। Sharaṇādeva nikhilaṁ phalaṁ prāpnotyasaṁśayaḥ॥”
In this path there are many asadhans, which do not form Bhagavad dharma. There are many sadhans, such as seva, remembrance, japa, and recitation. Among them, some are sadhus who are sattvik, and some are asadhus, rajasic or tamasic. But those who are firm in refuge day and night in the Lord—such alone surely attain Him. This is shown.
Prasang 2 – Govinddas Leaves Seva and Kesorayji Incident
Then the proud Kshatriya left seva and afterwards came to Mathura. But he could not remain without seva and worship, for he was divine in nature. Then he took Kesorayji’s seva on contract. But he did it wrongly.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason is, earlier in Mahavan, when he left Mathuranathji’s seva and did Shri Govardhan-dhar’s seva, that was proper. But when he left Shri Govardhan-nathji’s seva and again went into maryada-marg, that became opposite, therefore it is said so.
Later, one day Govinddas had Kesorayji’s bed woven. He fed sweets to the weavers and had it made. It became very beautiful. And the hakim of Mathura also had a cot woven. Then someone said, “Kesorayji’s bed is not like this one.” Hearing this, Hakim came to Kesorayji’s temple. At that time, in the outer room, Kesorayji’s bed was placed. He climbed up and sat on it. Then someone said to Govinddas Bhalla: “The hakim of Mathura has come and sat on Shri Thakurji’s bed.” Then Govinddas, taking a staff, came and struck the hakim there itself. Then the hakim’s men attacked Govinddas and committed violence against him.
This news was heard by the Vaishnavs of Mathura. They performed the cremation of Govinddas’s body.
Later, one Vaishnav asked Shri Acharyaji: “Maharaj! How did such a Vaishnav meet this kind of fate?” Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said: “In the afterlife he suffered no harm. But because he did not obey my command, therefore this happened. In his previous birth he was a buffalo in Nandarai’s house. Shri Thakurji used to climb upon him. One day he struck Shri Thakurji with his tail. That was the offense, and so he was punished. And when Shri Thakurji’s temple was built at Shri Nandarai’s house, he carried much water and earth upon his back.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This shows—there also he bore burden, and here too he bore burden. But he did not do seva with love, therefore the work did not bear fruit as per the earlier right.
And Govinddas in the Saraswat kalpa used to stay at Nandarai’s place, carrying weapons. He gave them to Krishna to use against Kans. In the divine play, his name was “Mansukha” Gopa. When Shri Thakurji looted the washermen’s clothes and beat them, then Mansukha, who kept Kans’s money and coins, was looted, and on the way he beat many. Ten or fifteen were left half-dead. That enmity continued to him.
Later came the Shvetbarah Kalpa. In it, he became a buffalo in Shri Nandarai’s house. That was five thousand years ago. There, he struck Shri Thakurji with his tail. That offense was carried forward.
So, the hakim of Mathura was a mleccha. He used to collect Kans’s taxes. Govinddas struck him, because earlier he had taken much money from Nandarai. And now he sat on Shri Thakurji’s bed. Therefore, he was fit to be struck, and so he struck him. And as earlier he had left many half-dead, so those ten or fifteen, along with others, killed Govinddas. Thus, all his old enmities were settled. Afterwards, he was again born as a gopa at Nandarai’s house.
In this way, it is shown that past enmity continues as enmity, and past love continues as love. Thus, Govinddas Bhalla was such a Bhagavadiya. In his story, this principle is shown: that one should not have pride, nor act in stubbornness and disobey the Guru’s command. And that one should not leave Pushtimarg’s seva of Shri Thakurji and perform maryada-marg seva of Shri Thakurji.
So, that Govinddas was such a recipient of grace of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu. Therefore, how far can one speak of his story?
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