Now, the sevakni of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, the mother of Damodardas Kayastha, whose name was Veerbai, lived in Sergarh. The following describes her story and its sentiment.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the Divine Leela, she is the Pulindi, known there as Bandewi. She had firm devotion to Girirajji. When Shri Acharyaji appeared, Shri Govardhandhar also manifested, and at that time, all the divine associates of the Lord appeared on earth.
In Sergarh, there was a Kayastha merchant who once went to Kashi for trade. In Kashi, a Kayastha family gave birth to Veerbai. She was later betrothed to Kayastha from Sergarh and married him. Veerbai bore a son in Sergarh, who was named Damodardas.
When Damodardas turned nine years old, a new officer came to Sergarh who was very corrupt. Whoever he saw with wealth, he accused them falsely and took all their possessions, even forcing people to steal. Then Veerbai’s husband said, “Now what should we do? The officer has taken all the wealth.”
Then that wise woman said, “Gather all the remaining wealth and give it to me. I will go to my parents’ home in Kashi. When another good officer comes, I will return. But if this same officer remains, you too come to Kashi.”
Her husband agreed, saying, “You have spoken well.” So, the Kayastha gathered all the wealth, sealed it within ten or fifteen days, and handed it to his wife Veerbai. He sent her along with their son Damodardas and two daughters to Kashi.
Veerbai stayed in Kashi. After four months, that wicked officer in Sergarh falsely accused a Brahmin and looted his entire house. Brahmin had two idols of Gaur Swaroop and Lalaji. The officer seized their ornaments, clothes, and utensils. The Brahmin’s wife began to weep. The Brahmin told her, “Do not cry. What will tears do now?”
When that officer was passing through the market on a horse, the Brahmin took a sword, struck him down from his horse, and stabbed his stomach with a dagger, killing him. The officer’s men then killed the Brahmin. Thus, both died.
When the king heard of this, he sent another officer to Sergarh. This one was a good man and brought peace to everyone. He granted two rupees a month to the widow of the slain Brahmin. Peace returned to Sergarh, and the people who had fled returned to the village.
That Brahmin’s widow then went to Veerbai’s husband and said, “I cannot worship Shri Thakurji alone; I have no wealth.” The Kayastha replied, “My wife and children are in Kashi. Now that peace has returned, I am calling them back. When they come, we will take care of Thakurji.”
The Brahmin’s widow agreed. Those Thakurji idols had appeared on the riverbank in Sergarh where that Brahmin had once gone. Later, the Kayastha sent four respectable villagers to Kashi to bring Veerbai back.
When they reached Kashi, they told Veerbai, “Now there is a new officer in Sergarh, and he is a good man. Your husband has sent for you. Please return.”
Veerbai gathered her son Damodardas, her two daughters, and the chest of wealth, and began her journey from Kashi to Sergarh. After traveling five stages, they stopped in a small village for the night. Thieves followed them. Late at night, when everyone was asleep, the thieves stole the chest.
In the morning, realizing it, they buried it in the sand outside the village and returned. When Veerbai awoke and found the chest gone, she said, “What shall I do now? All my household wealth was in that chest!”
She asked the villagers, but they said, “How would we know?” Grieving, Veerbai sat near the pond and began to weep.
At that time, Shri Acharyaji, while doing his circumambulation of the earth, came to that very pond and performed his morning sandhya prayers. Seeing the woman crying, he asked, “Why is this divine soul weeping so much?”
He approached her and said, “What sorrow has befallen you?” Veerbai said, “Maharaj, I am struck by great misery. I had a large family and much wealth, but my chest of wealth was stolen last night. I have no one here and nowhere to go.” She then told him the entire story of how she came from Kashi. Shri Acharyaji felt compassion and said, “Do not cry. Shri Thakurji will make everything right.”
Veerbai bowed and said, “Maharaj! If that wealth is found, half of it will be yours. Let my whole family live by your grace, and I shall remain your dasi forever, never forgetting your favor.” Shri Acharyaji replied, “You are a divine soul; you belong to us. I do not need your wealth.”
Then Shri Acharyaji instructed his sevak Krishnadas Meghna, “The thieves have buried the chest in the dust. Go and show her where it is.” Krishnadas went with Veerbai, found the spot, and unearthed the chest. He brought it before Shri Acharyaji and said, “Maharaj, please take half. The other half is yours. You must accept me as your sevak, for I found it through your grace.”
Shri Acharyaji said, “You are still new to this path. This is not the way of our Pushtimarg. You do not yet understand. Take your wealth and go to Sergarh. When I come to Sergarh, I will make you my sevak and do as you say.”
Veerbai prayed, “Maharaj, you are the Lord Himself. If you do not take this wealth, why would you come to Sergarh? Your darshan is rare and divine. Shri Thakurji has been merciful to let me see you. Please tell me your name and take half the wealth.”
Shri Acharyaji said, “I will come to your village and accept you as my sevak. The Thakurji with the Brahmin’s widow will be installed in your house. Therefore, I will surely come to Sergarh. Then your wish shall be fulfilled.”
Veerbai said, “Maharaj, the body is uncertain, and to speak much before you is my offense. Please place your holy feet on my head and promise that you will indeed come to Sergarh. Your touch will keep my mind pure.”
Shri Acharyaji, seeing her pure devotion, became very pleased. He placed his lotus feet on Veerbai’s head and promised, “I will come to Sergarh and accept you.” Veerbai bowed low and, with her son and daughters, returned to Sergarh. She told her husband everything that had happened and how Shri Acharyaji had blessed her.
She said, “Shri Acharyaji told me that Thakurji, who is with that Brahmin widow, will be installed in our home. Which Brahmin widow is this?” Her husband said, “That widow lives alone; her husband was killed. Every day she says, ‘Please install my Thakurji.’”
Veerbai told her husband, “Do not delay. Bring those Thakurji idols home. Shri Acharyaji will certainly come within two or four days. When he arrives, if she refuses to give the idols, take them in the name of Shri Thakurji’s command. Otherwise, she will never part with them later.”
Her husband went to the Brahmin widow and said, “My wife and children have returned from Kashi. If you wish to give the Thakurji idols, please do so now. Otherwise, we will install another Thakurji.”
The Brahmin widow said, “I already told you I cannot perform puja. Take them now.” He replied, “If you ever ask for them, I will not return them.” The widow said, “I will not ask again. I have no wealth or people left.” So he said, “You take one Thakurji, and I will take one. Come install them at my house.” The widow kept Lalaji, and the Kayastha took the Gaur Swaroop. They installed both idols in their respective homes.
After four days, Shri Acharyaji came to Sergarh and stopped in a garden near the river. He told Krishnadas, “Do not announce our arrival to Veerbai immediately. Let her heart rejoice when she hears.” Krishnadas went to the village, met Damodardas, and said, “Go tell your mother that Shri Acharyaji has arrived in the garden near the river.”
Damodardas returned home and told his mother, “Shri Acharyaji has arrived, and one of his sevaks told me to inform you.” Hearing this, Veerbai immediately ran to the garden, bowed before Shri Acharyaji, and pleaded, “Maharaj, please come to our home and take our entire family under your protection. We have kept the Thakurji idols, as you said; please install them on my head.”
Shri Acharyaji said, “You are a divine soul, fit for Bhagavad seva. Therefore, you will receive Naam and Brahmasambandh initiation. Your family members are ordinary souls, but they will receive Naam. Through you, all of them shall attain liberation. Now, bathe in the river and return.”
Veerbai bathed and returned. Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu gave her Naam and Brahmasambandh initiation, saying, “Now go home and send your husband to me, and I shall come to your house.” Veerbai returned home and told her husband, “Shri Acharyaji is in the garden by the river. Please invite him home. Let us all become his sevaks.”
Her husband said, “You also come with me.” Together they went, bowed to Shri Acharyaji, and brought him to their house. Shri Acharyaji gave Naam initiation to all family members.
He then bathed Shri Thakurji in panchamrit and seated them on a sacred platform. He installed the Gaur Swaroop on Veerbai’s head and named him Shri Kapurrayaji. The other idol, Lalaji, was named Shree Navneetpriyaji.
He then performed the rituals, swinging Shri Navneetpriyaji in a cradle and showing the ways of Pushtimarg seva. Veerbai kept Shri Acharyaji at her home for five days, learning the full method of seva. She offered half of her wealth to Shri Acharyaji, which he accepted as bhent (offering). Afterwards, Shri Acharyaji continued his circumambulation of the earth.
Prasang 1 – Veerbai’s Service to Shri Thakurji
Veerbai began to serve Shri Thakurji with deep love. After some days, Shri Thakurji began to display affection toward her. Later, Veerbai conceived. When the last part of the night had passed, she gave birth to a son. Everyone began to celebrate, and her relatives gathered for the birth rituals. But during that time, Shri Thakurji’s usual four-hour morning period passed, and he remained asleep.
Veerbai became very distressed and said, “My Shri Thakurji has overslept, and no one wakes Him! What shall I do?” She called for someone to wake Him, but no one dared. As time passed, her sorrow grew. She cried, “Why did this sinful son have to be born at this time! My Thakurji slept last night, and none will wake Him. What shall I do now?”
Her heart filled with unbearable separation. Then Shri Thakurji spoke from His bed, “Why do you weep? If no one will wake Me, then you wake Me yourself.” Veerbai replied, “Maharaj! I am impure, defiled by childbirth. How can I touch you?” Shri Thakurji said, “Apply cow dung, bathe, tie your cloth, and wake me yourself. I will not accept seva from anyone else. It is My command, and there is no offense in this for you.”
Then Veerbai, obeying, applied cow dung, bathed, tied her cloth, and woke Shri Thakurji. She performed the mangala arati, adorned Him, cooked food, offered bhog, and partook of the prasad. Afterwards, she purified all the utensils and clothes separately, performed panchamrit bathing for Shri Thakurji, and continued the seva as per the Pushtimarg tradition.
Shri Thakurji, pleased, said to her, “You obeyed My command and served Me even in impurity. Then you purified everything again as per the proper rules. Therefore, I am very pleased with you.” From that time, Shri Thakurji accepted seva from Veerbai even during impurity periods but from no one else. Thus, Veerbai became the blessed devotee graced by Shri Acharyaji’s mercy. Her story is told up to this point.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This story shows that even if one is very pure or of high birth, without love, Shri Thakurji does not accept their seva. And even if one is impure, lowly, or of humble birth, if there is love, the Lord accepts their service. In this way, even during impurity, mourning, or monthly periods, Veerbai continued seva. However, because her household was large, others did not serve during those times.
Her story is beyond expression. Just as the Pulindi in Divine Leela experienced all divine rasas by applying the kumkum from the Lord’s lotus feet, so too did Veerbai experience every rasa through her loving devotion. Such is the mysterious way of divine love. The path of love is beyond worldly and scriptural logic. Only those filled with divine understanding can appreciate such tales.
Veerbai forever remained absorbed in the blissful Leela of Shri Thakurji. In the divine realm, Girirajji’s foremost beloved Haridasrai is with her; therefore, her bhav is indescribable.
· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·