Now, about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevaks, Dinkardas and Mukunddas, the two brothers, who were Sahania Kayasthas residing in Malwa Desh, the sentiment of their story is described here:
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine play, they were the brothers of Nandraiji. Dinkardas was Dharanand and Mukunddas was Dhruvanand. They were born in Malwa in a Kayastha family. Their father lived near the ruler in Ujjain. One day, their father lost favor with the ruler. Then Dinkardas and Mukunddas, leaving their father’s service, came back home. Within ten to fifteen days, their father left his body. At that time, both brothers were about ten to twelve years old. Then there arose difficulty in household wealth. Leaving home, they went to Kashi. There they earned much wealth. Then the two brothers began returning home. When they had gone about one kos outside Kashi, a serpent came out. It bit Mukunddas and went into its hole. The poison spread. Then Dinkardas carried Mukunddas back to Kashi. Many attempts with healers were made. But the poison did not subside. Then Dinkardas cried aloud in grief. At that time, Shri Acharyaji was residing in Kashi at the house of Purushottam. Krishnadas had come to the bazaar for some work. Hearing the wailing of Dinkardas, Krishnadas, whose heart was soft towards the devotees of the Lord, asked: “Why are you in such sorrow?” Then Dinkardas said, “First, because of the sorrow of wealth, we left our house and came here. We earned wealth. On the way home, my brother was bitten by a serpent. Many efforts were made, but the poison did not subside. Now I too will drown myself in Ganga here in Kashi. Where can I go home, and what can I do?”
Then compassion arose in Krishnadas. And by divine arrangement, the Charanamrit of Shri Acharyaji was with him. He mixed it in water and gave it to Mukunddas to drink. At once, the poison subsided. Mukunddas rose and sat up. By the Charanamrit, his mind became purified. Then Mukunddas bowed down with reverence to Krishnadas, taking him as the Lord’s form, and asked, “Where is Shri Acharyaji residing?” Then Krishnadas said, “Why do you bow to me?” Then Mukunddas said, “Seated in your heart, Shri Acharyaji has bestowed grace on me. Otherwise, I would have been lost in the ocean of worldly existence. Shri Acharyaji I did not know, but you I knew. Yet you, out of compassion, have revealed Him to me. Therefore, bowing down to a devotee of the Lord is not inappropriate.”
Then Krishnadas said, “This matter of the Charanamrit, do not tell Shri Acharyaji. Otherwise, he will be displeased with me. And do not tell it to anyone in the town. All will cause me suffering. Then it will become difficult to live here.”
Later Mukunddas asked Krishnadas, “Where is Shri Acharyaji residing?” Krishnadas said, “He is at the house of Purushottamdas.” Saying this, Krishnadas went for his business. Then Mukunddas said, “Brother, let us take refuge in Shri Acharyaji.” Dinkardas asked, “Who is Shri Acharyaji?” Mukunddas replied, “He is the Supreme Lord Himself. From receiving His Charanamrit, I have gained true knowledge. When you too will have His darshan and receive His Charanamrit, then you will know the true form of Shri Acharyaji. Therefore, let us go quickly. Do not delay.”
Then both brothers came, bowed to Shri Acharyaji, and prayed: “Maharaj! We are great sinners. We are caught in the happiness and sorrow of this world. Please deliver us.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “You are Kayasthas; how will this path of Pushtimarg be possible for you?” Then Mukunddas said, “Maharaj! By Your grace everything is possible. If Your grace falls upon a Shudra or Chandal, then too everything becomes possible. If Your grace falls upon a great learned Brahmin and yet it is not, then nothing becomes possible. Therefore, please bestow grace upon us and take us into Your refuge. By the power of refuge, our well-being will be accomplished.” Then Shri Acharyaji, pleased, said, “I know, this is the work of Krishnadas Meghna.”
Afterwards, Dinkardas and Mukunddas bathed and offered their names to Shri Acharyaji. They stayed some days with Shri Acharyaji, learning all the ways of the path. Later they requested, “Maharaj! If it is Your order, we will go home. What should be our duty now?” Then Shri Acharyaji wrote the Brahmasambandh-patri and gave it with His signature, saying, “Perform seva of these. Whatever you eat or drink, first offer it to them and then take it.” Then both brothers, taking leave, returned to their home in Malwa. The womenfolk cooked, prepared bhog, and set it aside separately, saying, “It is not divine. We do not have the mind to become sevaks of Shri Acharyaji.” But Mukunddas had received Shri Acharyaji’s Charanamrit. Therefore, he mastered all the Shastras, Vedas, and Puranas by heart.
Prasang 1 – Mukunddas’s Beautiful Poetry
Mukunddas composed very beautiful poetry. He wrote of Shri Acharyaji, Shri Gusainji, and Shri Thakurji equally. Mukunddas composed a granth in the local language called ‘Mukund Sagar.’ In it, he gave the meanings of the twelfth skandha of Shri Bhagavat (till the end). Once, Mukunddas went to an official in Ujjain. Then the Brahmin scholars of Ujjain came and met him, saying, “If you say, we will recite the Bhagavat to you.” Then Mukunddas replied, “There is no time now. When there is time, then I will listen.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason for this is that in front of the granths like Subodhiniji of Shri Acharyaji, where is there time left to listen to your discourses? But to not dishearten the Brahmins, he said, “When there is time, then I will listen.”
Thus those Brahmins came and asked Mukunddas again and again, “Whenever you say, we will recite the Bhagavat to you.” In this way many days passed. One day, Mukunddas was playing chaupar (a board game). A Brahmin scholar saw him and thought, “Today I have found the chance to speak.” After Mukunddas finished playing chaupar, the Brahmin said, “If you say, I will recite the Bhagavat to you.” Then Mukunddas replied, “When there is time, then I will listen.” Then the Brahmin said, “You have time to play chaupar, but to listen to the Bhagavat you say you will only when there is time. What is the reason for this?”
Then Mukunddas thought, “He has given me a very weighty reply. Now I too must answer him.” Then he said, “Do you know about our Bhagavat?” The Brahmin asked, “Is your Bhagavat different?” Then Mukunddas said, “Yes, our Bhagavat is different.” The Brahmin said, “Then you recite your Bhagavat to me.” Mukunddas replied, “Some time, when there is an opportunity, I will recite it to you.” Saying this, he put it off. But that Brahmin was not on the path (Pushtimarg). Therefore, he did not hear the discourse from his mouth.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Therefore, it is written among the sixty-four offenses: “To listen to the Bhagavat from a non-Vaishnav is equivalent to three births as a tree,” etc. Thus, if a Pushtimargiya Vaishnav listens, a fault arises. This causes great doubt in the soul. Why? Because in the divine name of the Lord, everyone has a right—even Shudras and Chandals. Whoever chants or listens, all attain welfare. In the Bhagavat also, Ajamila and others became purified. This glory is famous in the world. And in Pushtimarg, why then is listening to the Bhagavat from non-followers not allowed? If one listens to the divine name, how can fault arise? This doubt is very deep.
Here it is explained: In the path of Maryada, the fruit is liberation. And in the path of Pushti, the fruit is exclusive Pushti-bhakti. That bhakti happens only through the refuge of Shri Acharyaji. Therefore, the difference between refuge and non-refuge is explained. This heart-lotus is the seat where refuge, love, all dharma, and the Lord reside. When bliss related to Shri Acharyaji completely enters the heart, then refuge is perfected. In the heart, rasa and bliss enter in various ways.
One way: through the eyes. Seeing something beautiful, bliss arises in the heart. Therefore, by having the darshan of Thakur related to Shri Acharyaji, bliss is attained. But if one sees some worldly, Vedic, or otherwise pleasing object without relation to Shri Acharyaji, and bliss arises, that is non-refuge. This sight-based non-refuge is a great fault.
Through the ears: by hearing, happiness and sorrow enter the heart as rasa. Therefore, the leftovers of one’s words, heard through the ears, enter the heart. Thus, one should listen only from the mouth of those who maintain the mood of servitude. This mood of servitude is only in the Pushtimargiya Vaishnavas of Vallabhkul. Therefore, listening only from their mouth strengthens dharma in the heart. If one listens with affection from others’ mouths, then it is non-refuge, because their impurity enters the heart, and the refuge of Shri Acharyaji does not become firm. If one is compelled to listen out of social courtesy, then the mind should not be attached. One should fix the mind on one’s Ashtakshar mantra.
Thus, the chief principle of this path is that one should not engage in word-exchanges with others. Union comes through speech. Therefore, “Silence accomplishes all ends.” Hence, one should neither ask about Bhagavad-dharma from non-followers, nor tell them of one’s own. In this way, none of the senses nor the mind should find pleasure without relation to Shri Acharyaji. This is the practice of refuge to Shri Acharyaji.
Therefore, Mukunddas’s refuge in Shri Acharyaji was firm. If he heard a discourse from that pandit, it would not hinder him. But seeing him, if ordinary Vaishnavs also listened, then they would be harmed. Thus it is shown: If our knowledge is not so firm, then we should not listen from non-followers. Why? Because if the mind develops strong faith in their words, then slowly, slowly, the mind will go into the practices they prescribe, away from this path. Therefore, we should not listen. Thus, sometimes at gatherings, one should only speak or hear of Bhagavad-dharma from those connected to Shri Acharyaji.
And about Mukunddas playing chaupar (the board game), it was for this reason: Whenever non-followers came speaking of various karmas and dharmas, Mukunddas would take out the chaupar and sit playing. Thus, all the others became disheartened and went away. By this, no one was offended. People thought he was simply attached to chaupar. In this way, he kept the dharma of Pushtimarg hidden in his heart.
Then, one time a solar eclipse came. At that time, Mukunddas bathed in the river and was standing there chanting the divine name. At that time, that pandit came and said, “Good, at this time please recite some of your Bhagavat.” Then Mukunddas took one verse of the Bhagavat and began to explain its meaning. The whole day and the whole night passed. Morning came. People from the village came for bathing in the river. Then that pandit said, “Another day has dawned. Will you now finish the meaning of this verse?” Mukunddas replied, “The meaning of this one verse will take six months.” Then that pandit remained exhausted. He said, “You have the power given by God. How can an ordinary soul know?” Mukunddas then said, “Such is our Bhagavat. If you know something, then recite it to me.” Then that pandit accepted defeat and went home. After that, if any pandit came and asked him something, Mukunddas would give such a strong refutation in reply that those pandits would never come again. Such was the power of Shri Acharyaji’s grace. He entered into all the scriptures like Shri Subodhini and others.
After some days, Mukunddas, meditating on manasi-seva, left his body and attained the divine lila. Then a Vaishnav came and said to Shri Acharyaji, “Mukunddas has attained Avantika.” Shri Acharyaji rebuked that Vaishnav, saying, “Do not say it in that way. Say rather that Avantika has attained Mukunddas.” Thus, Mukunddas became firmly established as a devotee of the Lord.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason is that worldly people desire pilgrimage places. But pilgrimage places desire devotees of the Lord—so that the touch of devotees may purify them. Whoever goes near the pilgrimage (becomes free of all sins). And as for Dinkardas, the elder brother, his varta is not written in detail. From the day he came to Malwa as a sevak of Shri Acharyaji, from that day he daily read the Brahmasambandh-patri with Shri Mahaprabhuji’s signature, beating his head and weeping: “Alas! In the divine lila we were brothers of Nandaraya, and now for so many days we have been wandering in this world. Shame on us!” In this way, lamenting in separation, within three months he attained the divine lila. Therefore, his varta is of an indescribable state of viraha (separation). For this reason, it is not described in detail, for people in the world would oppose it.
Thus, both brothers, Dinkardas and Mukunddas, were great recipients of grace and devotees of the Lord.
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