84 Vaishnav Varta 26 - Gusain Das Saraswat

Now about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Gusain Das Saraswat, who lived in Mathura, the sentiment of his story is described here –

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine play, he is the parrot of the Kadamba tree near Govindkund by Giriraj. When Shri Thakurji played the flute, then he would drink the nectar of that sound and of His lips. So this Gusain Das was born in the house of a Saraswat Brahmin in the East. When he was fourteen years old, he heard the recitation of Shri Bhagavat and the Bhagavad Gita from the mouth of a Brahmin. He became detached and started going on pilgrimages. Continuing pilgrimage, he reached the age of twenty-four. Then he arrived at Mathura.

At Vishrant Ghat, Shri Acharyaji was performing sandhyavandan. Seeing Him, Gusain Das thought in his mind, “I have done a lot of pilgrimage alone. But now I should take His refuge.” Then he prayed to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! Please make me a sevak.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Your mind is fixed on doing pilgrimage, so how will you serve as a sevak?” Then Gusain Das said, “Maharaj! Whatever you command, I will do. Now I am tired of doing pilgrimages. Now I will stay in one place in Mathura.” Then Shri Acharyaji had him perform the offering of his name, and afterwards said, “Do Bhagavad-seva.” Then he said, “Maharaj! Please seat Shri Thakurji with me, I will do His seva.”

So with a vairagi there was the form of Shri Thakurji, Chaturbhuj Shyam Swaroop. That vairagi gave his swaroop to Shri Acharyaji and went to Dwarika. Then Shri Acharyaji, after giving Him a Panchamrit bath, seated Him on the forehead of Gusain Das.

Prasang 1 – Transfer of Seva to Another Vaishnav

So Gusain Das took a house in Mathura and began to do seva there. Then Shri Thakurji began to show affection to Gusain Das. One Vaishnav used to come daily to Gusain Das’s house to have darshan of Shri Thakurji. In his mind, Vaishnav prayed to Shri Thakurji, “Maharaj! Please come to my forehead, then I will serve you.” In this way he made daily prayer in his heart.

Then Gusain Das said to that Vaishnav, “If you stay with me, then you can do seva.” But that Vaishnav refused. In his heart he thought that this was the seva of one’s own independence, so he did not accept. Later, after some days, Shri Thakurji inspired Gusain Das. Then Gusain Das said to that Vaishnav, “Now you seat Shri Thakurji and do seva.” Then that Vaishnav said, “What will you do?” Then Gusain Das said, “I will go to Badrikashram. There my body will leave me.” Then that Vaishnav said, “Perhaps the body may not leave according to Bhagavan’s wish. If you return, then what? The ways of the Lord cannot be known.” Then Gusain Das said, “The Lord will not do so. And if perhaps I return, then I will stay at your door. Shri Thakurji is pleased with you. I will not seat Him, I will just take one darshan.” Then that Vaishnav seated Shri Thakurji and began to do seva well. And Gusain Das went to Badrikashram, where, through separation, he left his body. Thus Gusain Das was such a supremely blessed devotee, a recipient of Shri Acharyaji’s grace.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): After leaving his body, he became a parrot in the divine play. After some days, the news of the passing away of Gusain Das came to that Vaishnav. Then he said, “Shri Acharyaji’s Vaishnav does not speak false, he has left the body.” Afterwards, with a focused mind, he began to do seva.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Gusain Das did Bhagavad-seva for some days. Then he attained knowledge of his own swaroop. Then Shri Thakurji revealed to him, “Now you seat Me on the forehead of this Vaishnav and go to Badrikashram. There, through separation, you will leave the body and enter the divine play. Your sadhan (spiritual practice) is completed.” Then Gusain Das went.

And that Vaishnav was, in the divine play, the sakhi of Shri Chandrawali Ji. Her name was “Chatura.” She was born in the house of a Sonadhiya in Mathura. Her mother, father, and wife all died. He remained alone. He was a sevak of Shri Acharyaji. He had great burning zeal for Bhagavad-seva. Then one day, Shri Thakurji said to him in a dream, “Go daily to have darshan of Gusain Das’s Thakurji. Then Shri Thakurji will seat Himself on your forehead.”

So that Vaishnav daily came to the house of Gusain Das for darshan. Then Shri Thakurji, showing His grace, seated Himself there. Thus, in the end, whatever the original nature of the soul is, in that way the means become the fruit.

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