Now, we tell the story of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Achyutdas Saraswat Brahmin, who lived in Kada.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine Leela, he is one of Shri Yamunaji’s sakhis, named “Rasatmika.” She always remains absorbed in the bliss of union (samyog).
Achyutdas took birth in the home of a Saraswat Brahmin in Kada. When he was eleven years old, he got married. After four years, his wife passed away. Achyutdas was deeply saddened by her death. For four days, he did not eat anything. His sorrow was immense. His parents tried many times to console him, but he did not listen. He said, “I will take up renunciation.” Then his father said, “If you wish, I will get you married twice.” Saying this, his father tried to console him and fed him food. Ten days later, his father passed away. Achyutdas became even more sorrowful. Four days after that, his mother also passed away.
Then Achyutdas left his home and went on a pilgrimage, first to Badrinath and then to Jagannath Rai. There, Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu had also arrived and was narrating the divine stories. Achyutdas sat and listened, but due to the weight of his sorrow, he could not comprehend anything. After finishing the discourse, Shri Acharyaji said, “Achyutdas, why are you so sad?” Then Achyutdas began to weep and said, “Maharaj! There is no limit to my grief.” Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said, “If you tell me about your sorrow, I will find a remedy for it.”
Then Achyutdas said, “Maharaj! My wife, mother, and father have all passed away. I have never experienced such suffering before, so I do not know what to do or how to overcome it.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Go, take a bath and come back. Shri Thakurji will remove all your sorrow.” Achyutdas took a bath and returned. Then Shri Acharyaji initiated him by giving him the Name and having him make his formal offering (nivedan). Afterwards, reading the Vedic mantras, he sprinkled a handful of sanctified water.
At that moment, Achyutdas’s heart became filled with wisdom, patience, and firm refuge in Bhagwan. Then Achyutdas bowed to Shri Acharyaji and said, “Maharaj! I suffered so much for no reason. Who is wife, who is mother or father? Even this body is not mine, so why did I grieve over the relatives of the body? I am a sevak of Bhagwan, yet I forgot Him, that is why I suffered. Now that I have taken shelter in You, I have attained supreme happiness. Please instruct me in my service, and I shall do it.” Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Stay with me. Do whatever service is possible for you.”
So Achyutdas remained with Shri Acharyaji and served him with full dedication of body and mind during one of his pilgrimages around the holy land. When Shri Acharyaji was pleased and arrived at Adel, he said to Achyutdas, “Now go home and serve.” Tears filled Achyutdas’s eyes. He said, “Maharaj! Without hearing Your nectar-like words and without seeing You, I will not be able to live even a single day. You have removed all my worldly sorrow. If You send me away, who else has the power to remove this pain?”
Then Shri Acharyaji, pleased with him, gave him the seva (service) of His Padukas and said, “I am very pleased with you. Wherever you stay, I will appear to you and give you darshan. Whenever you have a doubt, ask me, I will remove it. Therefore, now go home and perform Bhagavad-seva.” Achyutdas bowed to Shri Acharyaji, placed His Padukas upon his head, and returned home to Kada.
Prasang 1 – Daily Darshan of Shri Acharyaji
Achyutdas devotedly served the Padukas of Shri Acharyaji. Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu used to give him daily darshan and speak with him. He taught him the principles of the Pushti Path and the inner sentiments of divine Leela. Achyutdas was thus deeply devoted and a true recipient of divine grace.
After some time, Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu accepted Sannyas and went to Kashi. He remained in that state for about one and a half months and then performed His divine Leela of Asur-Vyamoh (the illusionary departure from the world). At that time, there was a Vaishnav with Him who became extremely sorrowful in separation. Before performing this Leela, Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu had told that Vaishnav, “Go to Kada to Achyutdas. He will remove all your sorrow and doubts.”
When Shri Acharyaji performed His Asur-Vyamoh Leela in Kashi, the Vaishnav, filled with grief, went to Kada and met Achyutdas. He told him about Shri Acharyaji taking Sannyas and the Asur-Vyamoh Leela. Then Achyutdas said, “Shri Acharyaji could never do such a thing. You must be deluded. Mahaprabhuji would never perform such an act. You are mistaken.” The Vaishnav replied, “I was in Kashi with Shri Acharyaji. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Achyutdas said, “The time of His divine reappearance will be within two ghadi (about 48 minutes). Then your doubt will be removed.” The Vaishnav waited. After that time passed, Achyutdas took a bath, opened the temple doors, and called the Vaishnav inside to have darshan. The Vaishnav saw Shri Acharyaji seated, looking into the scriptures. He immediately bowed down and stood with folded hands. Then Shri Acharyaji said to him, “Do not doubt after seeing My worldly Leela in Kashi. I always dwell in the homes of My devotees. Now I am not visible to worldly people, but to My Bhagwadiya (devoted souls), I give daily darshan.” The Vaishnav’s doubts were dispelled.
Achyutdas always remained absorbed in the bliss of union (samyog-rasa). He was a true Bhagwadiya and a beloved recipient of Shri Acharyaji’s grace. Thus, this is the account of his life and devotion.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): He is a sakhi of Shri Yamunaji, and therefore, his experiences related to the Leelas of divine union are numerous and cannot all be described openly.
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