Now, about Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Jeevandas Kshetri, who lived in Sinhanand, the feeling of his Varta is told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This Jeevandas is, in the Leela, a friend of Shri Yamunaji. Her name is “Ishwari.” So he was born in the house of a Kshatriya in Sinhanand. He grew up to the age of about eighteen to twenty years. Then Jeevandas’s father brought him from Sinhanand to Delhi. There he began to work as a broker. Jeevandas had a great passion and love for amusements and entertainments, so whatever he earned, he gave to prostitutes and bhavayya (performers) to watch dances. He ate from his father’s earnings. When his father heard this, he became very angry with Jeevandas. He said, “You must not go to dances and shows today or hereafter.”
Then Jeevandas said, “Now I will not go.” After that, for him it was not possible to live without hearing and seeing amusements, so he went hiding it from his father. Then his father again heard of it. Then, becoming very angry with Jeevandas, he said, “You go from Delhi to Sinhanand. There is no work for you in the city.” Then his father gave Jeevandas two rupees and said, “Stay for some days in Sinhanand in your house. Afterward, come to me.” Then Jeevandas took the two rupees and set off for Sinhanand. On the way he thought, “I will not be able to live without amusements. And in Sinhanand everyone knows me, so there I cannot listen and watch. And my father has sent me home.” Thinking this, he stood on the way.
So two hours passed while standing there. Meanwhile a bhavayya came along in company. He was going to Agra. Seeing that caravan, Jeevandas asked, “Who are you, from where have you come, where will you go?” Then they said, “We are bhavayya. We have come from the west; we will go to Agra.” Then Jeevandas thought, “Agra is said to be a big city; let me see it. When I go home, what will I do?” So Jeevandas came to Agra with those bhavayya. In Agra, he did brokerage in cloth and did his food and drink there. Whatever surplus he earned, he spent to listen to amusements, and then returned. In this way he stayed for three years. His father then concluded, “My son was killed somewhere on the way, or he went out to some other country. A bad love of amusements causes harm so he has perished.” Thinking this, he sat weeping.
Here in Agra, at one time some thieves came wearing fine clothes. They said to Jeevandas, “We want to purchase very fine clothes.” So Jeevandas brought goods worth one hundred rupees from a cloth-merchant’s market. Then those thieves engaged him in talk, and evening fell. They said to Jeevandas, “In the morning, we will pay the price for what we keep. So you come at dawn.” Seeing the upper display of their wealth, jewelry, and clothes, Jeevandas understood that they were good men. So that night Jeevandas went to listen to amusements. Meanwhile, the thieves took away all the clothes. In the morning, when he came and looked, there was no one. People asked him like this; then the people said, “They were thieves. They have cleanly taken away the goods from four or five others too.”
Then Jeevandas went to that cloth-merchant and said, “Your goods have all gone like this.” Then that cloth-merchant sent Jeevandas to prison. So three days passed, without food or water. Then Jeevandas said to that cloth-merchant, “Now certainly my life will go. Therefore do one thing. My father does brokerage in Delhi; I will write to him. And my house is in Sinhanand; I will write there. So I will arrange your hundred rupees and pay them. Therefore take me to bathe in the Yamuna. Because, in our village, all the Vaishnavs, the sevaks of Shri Vallabhacharyaji, used to say among themselves that, by bathing in Yamunaji and by drinking her water, all sorrow departs. A new body is obtained. Therefore, Vaishnavs do not speak falsely. So if you let me bathe in Yamunaji, I will consider something for your rupees.”
Then compassion arose in that cloth-merchant’s mind, and he said, “We will bathe you at home with Yamuna water. So take food and drink.” Then Jeevandas said, “It is a great meritorious stream for bathing. So if you will let me bathe in Yamunaji, that is good. If not, I will not drink water now. My throat is drying; so my life will depart today or tomorrow. Then the blame of killing will fall on you.” Then that cloth-merchant sent four men, saying, “Tie this one’s hands and take him to bathe in the Yamuna. Lest he drown and die, hold him firmly.” Then the four men, binding his two hands, took him to the bank of Yamunaji and bathed Jeevandas. There Shri Acharyaji performed the Sandhyavandan. Ten or twenty Vaishnavs were singing. At that time Shri Acharyaji’s gaze fell upon Jeevandas.
Then seeing Jeevandas, Shri Acharyaji said, “Who is this? Four men are holding him with his hands bound. Bring him here.” Then all the Vaishnavs went and persuaded those four men. So the men holding Jeevandas came to Shri Acharyaji. Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Jeevandas, will you again watch and listen to amusements?” Then Jeevandas said, “Maharaj! I am suffering from the fruit of amusement. I did not heed what my father said, so I must undergo it (pargho).” Then Shri Acharyaji said to Krishnadas, “Arrange to get someone to pay these hundred rupees for Jeevandas. Write our name and bring him released.” Hearing this, ten or twenty Vaishnavs of the village submitted, “Maharaj! Why are you sending Krishnadas for such a small matter? We will get him released.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Quickly, get him released and bring him.”
Then the Vaishnavs, taking Jeevandas with them, said to that cloth-merchant, “Release Jeevandas; we will give you the hundred rupees.” (Afterward) giving the hundred rupees, they brought Jeevandas to Shri Acharyaji. Then offering prostrations to Shri Acharyaji, Jeevandas submitted, “Maharaj! From this extraordinary prison you have released me. So release me from this worldly prison also. And blessed is Shri Yamunaji, and blessed are your Vaishnavs. Once, in Sinhanand, for some household work, I had gone to the Vaishnavs. The Vaishnavs used to say among themselves that, by bathing in Yamunaji, all sorrow departs, and a new body is obtained. That is true, I say. I have just now bathed; this worldly sorrow has gone, and even the sorrow of the world will also depart by your grace. If you make me a sevak, then even a new body will be obtained. Therefore your Vaishnavs are blessed. The fruit of being in their company for a single moment is beyond measure.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Go and bathe in Shri Yamunaji and come.” Then Jeevandas bathed in Shri Yamunaji and came to Shri Acharyaji. Then Shri Acharyaji bestowed the Name upon Jeevandas and gave him Brahma-sambandh. Afterward he said, “You come with us; we will take you and reach you to Sinhanand. If you stay here, then some bad company may attach to you and you will spoil again.” After that Shri Acharyaji went to a Vaishnav’s house; he had the cooking done and offered the bhog. Afterward he took the meal and gave the plate of jhoothan (leftovers from the offering) to Jeevandas at his house. Jeevandas took Mahaprasad on the fourth day; then his body became excellent. Afterward Shri Acharyaji, taking Jeevandas along like this from Agra, arrived at Thaneshwar. Then he sent a Vaishnav to Sinhanand and said, “At Jeevandas’s house, say that Jeevandas has come.”
Then Vaishnav went to Sinhanand and said to Jeevandas’s father, “Your son has come to Thaneshwar with Shri Acharyaji.” Then Jeevandas’s father, delighted, ran from Sinhanand and came; he met Jeevandas in Thaneshwar. Embracing him to his chest with tears, he said, “Son, where had you gone? I thought you had died somewhere.” Then Jeevandas told the entire matter. “In this way Shri Acharyaji freed me from prison and took me along, showing grace. But now, you go and bring my wife and mother and everyone here. If you all become Shri Acharyaji’s sevaks, then I will come home. If not, then I will not live at home.” Then his father said, “I will bring everyone. Whatever you say, I will do.” Then Jeevandas’s father went to Sinhanand and brought everyone to Thaneshwar. He made a request to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! You saved Jeevandas’s life. You have done us a great favor. We all are in your refuge. Kindly bestow the Name.” Then Shri Acharyaji bestowed the Name. Then Jeevandas submitted to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! It would be good if everyone received Brahma-sambandh.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “They are not qualified for Brahma-sambandh. By the Name alone they will be uplifted.” Afterward Jeevandas said, “Maharaj! Now what is your command for me?”
Then Shri Acharyaji placed on Jeevandas’s head the prasadi garments of Shri Navneetpriyaji for seva and said, “Now live at home and do Bhagavad-seva.” Then Jeevandas, together with father, mother, and wife, offered prostrations to Shri Acharyaji, took leave, and came to Sinhanand. Then Jeevandas said before his mother and father, “Such compassionate Shri Acharyaji is he who paid the rupees and got me released from prison.” Then the mother and father said, “One must not keep a Guru’s debt on one’s head.” So they sold all the jewelry and clothes, and one hundred and ten rupees came. Then the father said to Jeevandas, “I will go and give all these rupees to Shri Acharyaji. It is not good to keep a Guru’s debt on one’s head.” Then Jeevandas took the one hundred and ten rupees and went and placed them before Shri Acharyaji.
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Why have you taken so much trouble over this? You are ours. We are pleased; therefore nothing would have been an obstacle for you.” Then Jeevandas said, “Maharaj! What worthiness do we have? Whatever favor you have done, each and every hair of the body is indebted to you. Wherever you sell us, there we will be sold. We are slaves without a price. We were suffering the hell that is this world. You have freed us.” Hearing this humble supplication, being very pleased, Shri Acharyaji said, “Jeevandas, now worldly sorrow and happiness will not hinder you at all. And whatever you hold in your mind, those desires of yours will all be fulfilled. Now go home and do Bhagavad-seva.” Then offering prostrations, Jeevandas came home. Afterward, Shri Acharyaji set out for circumambulation of the earth. So Jeevandas served with love. He did daily satsang with Vaishnavs with affectionate warmth. Then Shri Thakurji began to show favor.
Prasang 1 – Rain Stops by Shri Acharyaji’s Honor
So, at one time, the Vaishnavs of Sinhanand all together were coming to Aadel for the darshan of Shri Acharyaji. Among them was also Jeevandas. One day on the way, stopping at a stage of the journey, each one set up his own cooking place, and all the Vaishnavs were doing the cooking. At that time, rain clouds rose up. Clouds came from all sides. Drops began to fall. Then all the Vaishnavs said, “Rain has come; today it will be difficult to do the cooking.” Then Jeevandas said to all the Vaishnavs, “Do not worry.” Then, looking toward the clouds, Jeevandas said, “This is the honor (aan) of Shri Acharyaji—that now it does not rain.” So the rain stopped. Afterward all the Vaishnavs finished the cooking, offered bhog to Shri Thakurji, took Mahaprasad, went to their resting places, and slept. Then Jeevandas said, “Now all other honors are released. When it comes into your mind to rain as much as you wish, then rain.”
Then the Vaishnavs remained astonished, thinking, “There is divine potency in Jeevandas.” Afterward, all the Vaishnavs came to Aadel, had darshan of Shri Acharyaji, and offered prostrations. Shri Acharyaji gave satisfaction to all. Then one Vaishnav said to Shri Acharyaji, “Maharaj! One day on the way, while we were cooking, rain came; then Jeevandas invoked your honor (aan). Immediately the rain stopped.” Then Shri Acharyaji said to Jeevandas, “You invoked my honor—if the rain had still fallen, then what would you have done?” Then Jeevandas said, “Maharaj! Who is there who, after your honor (aan) has been invoked, would still rain? By your glory, I would have thrown him to the earth along with Indra.” Then Shri Acharyaji remained silent. Thus, with such firmness, Jeevandas is a recipient of grace and belongs to the Lord. How long can one tell his Varta?
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Here a doubt may arise—that Jeevandas is indeed a recipient of the Lord’s grace. Why did he not give his own honor (aan)? Why did he invoke Shri Acharyaji’s? Here it is said that—even if Jeevandas had given his own honor, the rain would not have fallen. But Jeevandas did not wish to manifest his own greatness. Because from that, if one’s greatness grows very much, then sometimes pride arises. That only brings ruin. Therefore Shri Acharyaji would be displeased—“You made Shri Thakurji exert effort in a trivial matter.” Therefore, in his heart, Jeevandas knows love for the Path of Grace (Pushtimarg). Hence he showed the greatness of Shri Acharyaji to the Vaishnavs.
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