Now about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Prabhudas Jalota Kshatriya, resident of Singhanad, the sentiment of his story is described here –
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This Prabhudas Jalota Kshatriya is, in the divine play, the sakhi of Lalitaji. Her name is “Manmathmoda.” She prepares all the materials for the play of Vihar (divine pastimes), she remains absorbed in conversation with Lalitaji. That is why her name is “Manmathmoda.”
So, in Singhanad, he took birth in the house of a Kshatriya. When he was thirteen years old, he was married. That wife turned out to be of very bad character. She abused everyone. Whatever thing she obtained, she would steal it and give it to her parents. In this way, due to her conduct, Prabhudas’s mother and father left their bodies. And all relatives, because of that woman’s misdeeds, no one came to the house.
So one day, that woman said to Prabhudas, “Bring some wealth from somewhere.” Then Prabhudas said, “Where is wealth? If I get it, I will bring it.” Then the wife beat Prabhudas. Anger rose in Prabhudas. He then beat the wife. Then the wife tore her bangles, shaved her head, and went to the village chief, saying: “I am no longer Prabhudas's wife. If he comes to this house, I will kill myself.”
Then Prabhudas also came. He said, “I am leaving this house. You and I are separated.” In this way, making the separation clear, he left the village. He came to the royal city Sikandarabad. There Ramdas Kshatriya, one of his community, lived. He stayed there. Ramdas was in the company of a Vaishnav of the path of maryada (discipline). So Prabhudas stayed there for some days.
At that time, Shri Acharyaji was staying near Sikandarabad in a garden. Prabhudas came there. Having the darshan of Shri Acharyaji, he felt in his heart: “I should become his sevak.” Then he prayed to Shri Acharyaji: “Maharaj! Please make me your sevak, by your grace.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Your Ramdas is in the company of a follower of the maryada path. Therefore, do not become my sevak.” Then Prabhudas said, “Maharaj! If you say, then I will also make Ramdas your sevak. Then will you make me your sevak? He will not oppose me.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “What will happen if you make him sevak? His acceptance lies only in maryada. But go, bring Ramdas here. We will make both of you sevaks together.”
Then Prabhudas went to Ramdas and said: “Shri Vallabhacharyaji is verily the Supreme Lord Purushottam. He has come. He is in the garden outside the village. If both of us become sevaks, then we can do seva together.”
Then Ramdas said, “I already have a guru, a vairagi. His kanthi (neck beads) I wear. So how can I take another guru now?” Then Prabhudas said, “Then things will not work between you and me. Give me my clothes and utensils.”
Then Ramdas said, “For your sake, I will become sevak. But I will not leave my taban (mark of my former guru).” Then Prabhudas said, “Become sevak, but do not insist on your ways.”
Then both Ramdas and Prabhudas came. Shri Acharyaji bathed and gave names to both of them. To Prabhudas, the realization of Shri Acharyaji’s true form came. But to Ramdas, it did not.
Then Prabhudas prayed, “Maharaj! By your grace, please make both of us offer our surrender.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Not Ramdas.” Then Prabhudas understood. He said, “At least, by your grace, accept me.” Then Shri Acharyaji gave Brahmasambandh to Prabhudas.
Afterwards, Prabhudas told Shri Acharyaji that both he and Ramdas would do seva together. Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Not now. After some days.” Saying this, he went to Shri Gokul. Prabhudas followed the Pushtimarg tradition. Ramdas followed the maryada-marg tradition.
After some days, Shri Acharyaji’s eldest son, Shri Gopinathji, came to Sikandarabad. Then Ramdas prayed, “Maharaj! Please install the seva.” Then Shri Gopinathji, at the house of a Brahmin, where Shri Madanmohanji was present, after giving some things to the Brahmin, placed them on the heads of both of them. After that, Shri Gopinathji went to Adel.
Then Ramdas continued the maryada-marg tradition – the rituals of invocation, immersion, and puja. Later, one night at midnight, Prabhudas took his belongings and secretly left, thinking: “How long should I adjust with Ramdas? He has no knowledge. And just as Shri Gopinathji, who follows the maryada path, installed him, so I will leave here.”
Thus he went to Shri Gokul, did dandavat to Shri Acharyaji. Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Prabhudas has come?” Then Prabhudas prayed, “Maharaj! Now I am freed from very bad company.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “I had already told you, he is fit for the maryada path. You are from Pushtimarg. You did well to leave his company and come.”
Then Prabhudas prayed, “Maharaj! Now please keep me near your lotus feet. I have wandered much in this world.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Now remain with me happily.” From that day onwards, Prabhudas stayed with Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhuji himself.
Prasang 1 – Shri Acharyaji in Vishrant Ghat, Mathura
One day Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu went to Mathura. At Vishrant Ghat he sat down nearby and performed Sandhyavandan (evening prayers). Nearby, four Vaishnavas were standing: Damodardas Harsani, Krishnadas Meghan, Prabhudas, and one Vaishnav of Mathura.
At that time, the sevaks of Rupa and Sanatan of Krishna Chaitanya came to Shri Acharyaji, had darshan, and did dandavat (prostration). Afterwards, Rupa and Sanatan asked Shri Acharyaji: “Maharaj! Who are these Vaishnavas?” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “They are my sevaks.”
Then Rupa and Sanatan said, “Maharaj! Your path is Pushti, but why are these weak?” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “I had forbidden them not to enter into this path. But they did not listen to my words. They are now bearing the result of that.”
In this way, Shri Acharyaji spoke with deep meaning, but Rupa and Sanatan did not understand anything. Afterwards, Rupa and Sanatan, taking permission, went to have darshan of Shri Jagannathrayji. Then Krishna Chaitanya asked them, “From where have you come?” Then Rupa and Sanatan said, “We have come after having darshan of Baj (Vallabhacharyaji).”
Then Krishna Chaitanya asked, “Did you have darshan of Shri Vallabhacharyaji there?” Then Rupa and Sanatan said, “At Vishrant Ghat in Mathura we had darshan.”
Then Krishna Chaitanya asked, “Was there any conversation?” Then Rupa and Sanatan said, “We asked, ‘Your path is Pushti, but your Vaishnavas appear very weak?’ Then you said, ‘I had forbidden them not to enter into this path, but they did not listen. They are now bearing the result of that.’”
Hearing this, Shri Acharyaji’s feeling entered Krishna Chaitanya, and for one muhurt (short time) he fell unconscious. In this way, when it was told three times, he fell unconscious three times. Afterwards, when asked the fourth time, Rupa and Sanatan said, “Now we cannot tell further.” Then Krishna Chaitanya understood something.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Why is this said? Because Rupa and Sanatan had some knowledge of Shri Acharyaji’s true form. Therefore, they understood something. If they had understood everything, then their body would have been left at that very moment. And Shri Acharyaji said, “I had forbidden them not to enter this path, but they did not listen. Now they are bearing the result.” Just like in the Panchadhyayi, Shri Thakurji told the Braj bhaktas: “Go home.” But the Braj bhaktas did not accept this word. Then they obtained the fruit of Raslila.
So now this is spoken in maryada (discipline) style. Why? Because the Vedic maryada is this – when someone comes to become a sevak, the first time, they must be told “No.” This is to see the firmness of the sevak’s feelings. Afterwards, if his complete love for becoming sevak is there, then he is accepted as sevak. Then he obtains the fruit of that. Therefore, to a Vaishnav it is first said, “No.” And “Do not enter this path” – this path is of the Braj bhaktas.
When the Braj bhaktas surrendered themselves completely, then food, pleasures of the body – all were left aside. They bore the state of separation. Because of this, their bodies became thin, they rose with sadness of separation, tears filled their eyes, their throats choked, their entire body perspired, they became unconscious, they laughed, they wept, they danced. These are the symptoms of a bhakta.
Prasang 2 – Prabhudas Makes a Fault in Cooking
And Prabhudas always did the cooking with his own hands. One day the cooking went wrong. The lentils remained raw and the bread burned. Then in Prabhudas’s mind came this thought: “How can such spoiled food be offered to Shri Thakurji?”Therefore, he mixed it with Charanamrit and took it for himself.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Why is this so? Because he was a Vaishnav of Pushtimarg. His mind was tender. Just as Shri Thakurji is extremely tender, so too is the mind of the bhaktas. Therefore, he thought, “How can such food be offered? And burned grain has a fault.” “Vrintaka cha kalingam cha dagdhannam cha masoorikah” – considering this, he thought it not suitable for Shri Thakurji. And taking food without offering is a great fault. Therefore, he mixed it with Charanamrit and took it.
Then Shri Thakurji said to Shri Acharyaji: “I saw Prabhudas’s way today. He did not offer bhog to me. He took it himself.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Here it is shown that although Shri Thakurji is one, the son of Nandraj, yet according to the bhava of the bhaktas, as many bhaktas there are, so many Thakurjis there are. So in Prabhudas’s bhava, Shri Thakurji said that Prabhudas had not offered bhog.
Then Shri Acharyaji said to Prabhudas, “Why did you take Shri Thakurji’s bhog today without offering?” Then Prabhudas humbly said, “Maharaj! The lentils remained raw and the bread was burned. So I mixed it with Charanamrit and took it.”
Shri Acharyaji said, “Why did you cook like this? Shri Thakurji watched with great patience. Therefore, with care, cook good food, offer bhog, and then take it.” From that day, Prabhudas carefully cooked the meals.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Here it is shown that although the fault of the food was removed by mixing with Charanamrit, still it did not become an article of bhog for the Lord. Therefore, a Vaishnav must take prasadi food only in the same way as if it had been offered to Shri Thakurji.
If yogurt has been placed separately, then rice should not be mixed in it and taken by oneself. Why? Because milk-rice and curd-rice are each separate offerings according to bhakta’s bhava. Therefore, only that which has been offered as prasadi should be taken, not anything else mixed by oneself for bhog.
The way of a sevak is to take only that which is like the Lord’s uchchhishta (remnants), not in any other manner. This is the characteristic of a devoted and faithful wife (pativrata). Such is the sentiment being shown.
Prasang 3 – Shri Acharyaji in Radha Kund
And once Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu came to Braj. Near Govardhan is the place Radha Kund. It was the days of winter. There quickly Shri Acharyaji cooked, offered bhog, and himself partook. Afterwards, he said to Prabhudas, “Take Mahaprasad.” Then Prabhudas said, “Maharaj! I have not bathed.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The meaning here is this – Shri Acharyaji’s sevaks each used to cook separately, and they would take. But Shri Acharyaji, after bathing in Shri Kund, cooked, offered bhog, and partook. That place belongs to Shri Swaminiji. It is very dear to him. Therefore, in order to show grace upon Prabhudas, Shri Acharyaji said, “Take Mahaprasad.”
Then Prabhudas spoke the words of maryada: “I have not bathed.” At that time Shri Acharyaji was absorbed in the divine play of Pushti. So he showed Prabhudas the true form of Braj.
Then Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, speaking of both worlds, showed the true form of Braj, saying
वृक्षे वृक्षे वेणुधारी पने पने चतुर्भुजः । यत्र वृन्दावने तत्र लक्ष्यालक्ष्यकथा कुतः ॥१॥
On every tree there is the Flute Holder (Shri Krishna), on every leaf there is the Four-Armed One (Shri Narayan). Where there is Vrindavan, how can there be any talk of what is seen or unseen?
जलादपि रजः पुण्यं रजसोऽपि जलंवरम् । यत्र वृन्दावनं तत्र स्नात्वास्नात्वाकथा कुतः ॥२॥
More sacred than water is the dust, and greater than dust is the water. Where there is Vrindavan, what meaning is there in saying “bathed” or “unbathed”?
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Speaking thus with grace, Shri Acharyaji showed Prabhudas the divine form of Braj.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Under each and every tree, Shri Venudhari, the lifter of Govardhan, is playing with his bhaktas. Such trees are divine. How are their leaves? In the form of Chaturbhuj Narayan. Thus the trees of Vrindavan are the very form of Shri Govardhandhar. Their intention is to serve as support, their leaves being in the form of Chaturbhuj Narayan.
Such is Vrindavan. It is both perceivable and imperceivable. For worldly people, it is imperceivable. But for the devotees, it is of divine form. This cannot be explained in words. This matter can be known by bhaktas – those who know Krishna’s form. But the Krishna form in the trees should not be revealed to ordinary people.
Just as the dust of Vrindavan is greater than water, and greater than dust is water. Therefore, what need is there to talk of bathing there? Whether one bathes in water or applies the dust, both are the same. When the dust rises and touches, then bathing is not needed, yet for maryada one may bathe.
Hearing this, Prabhudas had darshan of the divine form of Shri Vrindavan. Then without bathing, he took Mahaprasad, by the command of Shri Acharyaji. In this way, the divine form of Shri Vrindavan was described to Prabhudas, where Vedic maryada does not apply.
Prasang 4 – Prabhudas Gives Liberation in Exchange for Yogurt
And once Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu was adorning Shri Govardhandhar in his temple. Then it came into his mind: “If there were yogurt today, it should be offered.” So he said to Prabhudas, “Go, if yogurt is available somewhere, bring it.”
Then Prabhudas went. On the way he met an Ahirni (cowherd woman). He asked her, “Do you have yogurt?” Then she said, “The yogurt is sweet and beautiful. But what will you give me in return?” Then Prabhudas said, “Give me the yogurt. Whatever you ask, I will give you.” Then the Ahirni said, “Give me one coin, and also say, will you give me liberation?” Then Prabhudas said, “Yes, here, take a coin, and I will also give you liberation.”
Then the Ahirni said, “How can I believe you?” Then Prabhudas wrote on a paper: “In exchange for yogurt, liberation has been given.” Then the Ahirni tied it in her cloth and went to her home.
There she said to her neighbor, “Today, in exchange for yogurt, I have received liberation.” Then the neighbor said, “Oh foolish one, a vairagi has deceived you. How can he give you liberation?” Then Ahirni said, “Do not speak like this. He is a great Mahapurush. Truly he has given me liberation. He has written it on a paper. It is tied in my clothes. He will not speak falsely.”
Then the neighbor said, “Now it will be known.” Afterwards, within two days, Ahirni left her body. Then the messengers of Yama came. But just then the messengers of Vishnu arrived and said to the Yamadutas, “Leave her, we will give her liberation.”
Then the Yamadutas said, “She has not done any practice for liberation. How can she be liberated?” Then the Vishnudutas said, “She has been given liberation in exchange for yogurt by Prabhudas, the sevak of Shri Acharyaji. Therefore we will take her.” Then the Yamadutas went back. The Vishnudutas seated her on a celestial vehicle and took her.
Then she said, “My neighbor does not believe. Therefore please tell her.” Then they said, “The sevak of Shri Acharyaji gave her liberation in exchange for yogurt. Therefore we are taking her.” Then she (the neighbor) ran from her house to see, and that Ahirni was lying dead. Then that neighbor said to the people of Braj, “A note is tied in her cloth, see what it is.” Then they saw her cloth and found written: “In exchange for yogurt, liberation has been given.” Then she believed.
Then she also said, “I too will go to that Mahapurush and receive liberation.” Thus she too became a sevika of Shri Acharyaji and was fulfilled.
And here, Shri Acharyaji offered the yogurt as bhog. Then Shri Nathji said, “The yogurt is very sweet.” Afterwards, when they came out from the temple, Shri Acharyaji said, “Prabhudas brought very sweet and beautiful yogurt. Where did you get it?”
Then Prabhudas said, “Maharaj! It came at a great cost. I gave liberation in exchange for yogurt.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Why did you not give bhakti? Shri Thakurji accepts bhakti with love. Liberation is insignificant – why did you give that?” Then Prabhudas said, “Maharaj! She asked for liberation. If she had asked for bhakti, I would have given bhakti.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The reason for this is that day was Dana Ekadashi. On that day yogurt is especially needed. Therefore Shri Acharyaji said, “Today yogurt is necessary.” And the greatness of Shri Acharyaji’s sevak was shown – that he has the power to give both bhakti and mukti.
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