Now, the story of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevaks, a husband and wife, who were residents of Singhanand, is told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine play (leela), both of them were friends (sakhis) of Vishakhaji. The man’s name was Ranga, and the woman’s name was Hansa Sakhi. Both of them went to bathe in Shri Yamunaji, where they met Shri Thakurji. They became immersed in various kinds of joyful divine pastimes. Later, when it was time for the water pastimes, Shri Swaminiji and Vishakhaji came to bathe in Shri Yamunaji. At that time, Shri Thakurji came out of the Yamuna and stood behind the trees. Both these sakhis, while playing in the water, remained standing there. Then Shri Swaminiji called out, “Ranga, Hansa, come to us.” But their minds were absorbed in Shri Thakurji, how could they come back? So they did not hear. Then Shri Swaminiji said, “Vishakha! These two of your sakhis are very obstinate. I called them, yet they did not come.” Then Vishakhaji called out, “Ranga, Hansa, come here!” Yet they did not come. Then Vishakhaji said, “Such pride and arrogance they have developed that even after so much calling, they do not reply! Fall to the ground!” And both of them fell to the ground.
They were born in Singhanand, in the house of two Kshatriyas. Ten years passed, and both came of marriageable age, and their marriage took place. Then dispassion (vairagya) arose in both of their hearts. They said to each other, “Pleasures of the senses and worldly joys exist even among animals and birds. But since Shri Thakurji has granted us human birth, we should take vows and subdue our senses and body.” Then both took vows, they slept on the ground, ate only fruits daily, sometimes milk, sometimes water, and observed complete fasting on Ekadashi. During the month of Kartik, one day they would eat fruits, and the next day they would fast without water. By following such vows, both their bodies became emaciated.
Their parents became angry and said, “Why are you torturing yourselves like this? What for? These are the days for you to eat and dress well! Enjoy good pleasures. Shri Thakurji has given you a body worth four coins, so enjoy the worldly happiness!” Then both of them replied, “Let dogs and donkeys enjoy worldly pleasures. We shall continue our vows.” So the parents remained silent.
Later, one day during the month of Magh, both went to bathe in the river Saraswati. At that time, Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu arrived in Thaneshwar. He came to the Saraswati River to perform his evening prayers (Sandhyavandan). Seeing the man and woman standing in the freezing water, he asked the Vaishnavas of Thaneshwar, “Who are these two, a man and a woman standing in such cold water? They seem extremely weak.” The Vaishnavas said, “Maharaj! They are the son and daughter of Kshatriyas, a man and a woman. They have never known worldly happiness. They are always observing vows and never eat any grain. By undergoing severe austerities, they have weakened their bodies. They do not listen to their parents or anyone else.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “Bring them to me somehow.” So a Vaishnav went across the river and said to the two, “Come across. Shri Acharyaji is calling you. Whatever result you desire from your vows, you will attain.” Hearing this, both became happy and came across the river with the Vaishnav. They offered prostrations (dandvat) to Shri Acharyaji and stood before him. Then Shri Acharyaji asked, “You are enduring such hardship and following vows, what is your purpose? Whatever fruit you desire, ask for it.”
Then both said, “Maharaj! The fruit we desire is great, but our means are small. How can we obtain such a result?” Shri Acharyaji said, “Tell me what you wish for.” They replied, “Our desire is that in this very birth, with this very body, Shri Thakurji should speak to us and bless us. But how can we attain Shri Thakurji through pilgrimages, vows, and spiritual practices? Therefore, what should we do? Failing, we shall abandon this body through our vows and austerities. We know no other way.”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “If you give your body such pain through vows, then instead of that, engage your body and mind in the remembrance and service of Shri Thakurji. Then in this very birth, the Lord will show His grace.”
Then both the man and woman said, “Maharaj! How can we serve Shri Thakurji? We have nothing. We wear only these two worn-out clothes. Our parents have wealth, but they use it for worldly enjoyment. Whatever we ask for, they will give, but not even a small coin for spiritual purpose or in Shri Thakurji’s name. They bear hatred toward us. So without wealth, how can we perform divine service?”
Then Shri Acharyaji said, “It is good that they hate you. That removes your external attachments. If you make even a little effort, working four or eight hours a day, you will find what is needed for your sustenance. Live on that. If your body suffers for the sake of service, bear the pain with patience, for Shri Thakurji Himself cannot tolerate your suffering. He will show you His grace. I will tell the Vaishnavas of Thaneshwar, they will help you. They will also assist you in trade or other work. But only if your mind remains devoted to divine service. If not, it is your decision.”
Then both said, “Maharaj! Our minds are indeed devoted, but we fear our parents’ opposition.” Shri Acharyaji said, “Do not fear your parents’ opposition. Do as I say. All your desires will be fulfilled.” Then both happily said, “Maharaj! We surrender to you. Do whatever will be good for us.”
Shri Acharyaji said, “After you finish your bath, since you are impure from bathing, come forward afterward.” Both came forward. Then he initiated them with name submission (naam nivedan). Then Shri Acharyaji told the Vaishnavas of Thaneshwar, “Now arrange for a suitable form (swaroop) of Shri Thakurji for them.”
One Vaishnav who was a Namdhari said, “Maharaj! I have two swaroops of Thakurji. I will give one Lalji.” Shri Acharyaji said, “Bring it quickly.” The Namdhari Vaishnav brought the swaroop. Shri Acharyaji performed a Panchamrit bath for the deity and then placed the Thakurji image on the couple’s heads.
Then Vaishnavas from Singhnaand came to have Shri Acharyaji’s darshan and said, “Maharaj! These two, the man and the woman, are from our place. Please see that they do not suffer in any way.” Shri Acharyaji said, “We will ensure that.” Then a Vaishnav said, “Maharaj! We will serve them as if they are our own lives and fulfill all their needs.”
At that time, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who had come for darshan said, “There is ample space in my house. I will give them a place to stay and will provide everything necessary for seva, throne (singhasan), bed (sajya), etc.” Then Shri Acharyaji told the couple, “Go with this daughter-in-law. The Lord will soon bless you. Wherever you live, you will find happiness. Do works that uphold the Pushtimarg faith.”
Then the couple offered prostrations to Shri Acharyaji and went with the daughter-in-law to her home. There, they arranged a separate place and installed Shri Thakurji. They borrowed twenty-two rupees from a Vaishnav, bought materials, cooked, and offered food (bhog) to Shri Thakurji, and then took mahaprasad.
They gave up all their former austerities and instead observed the Vishnupanchak fasts, four Jayantis and one Ekadashi, these five fasts related to Lord Vishnu. A Vaishnav must perform these, and no other vows are required.
Later, the man began going to the market. The Vaishnavs honored him greatly and said, “You may open a shop and take funds for it, or take monthly pay if you prefer service work, do whatever pleases you.” The man said, “My mind is inclined toward brokerage work.” So he began brokerage. The Vaishnav lovingly arranged for him to earn two rupees daily and cleared the earlier debt of twenty-two rupees. They continued their divine service.
Then the parents of both began to criticize them, saying, “Earlier these two were great renunciants. Now they beg from Vaishnavs to survive and live in others’ homes! They bring shame upon us. If they wished to live like this, they could have gone to another town. They call themselves great devotees of Thakur, but they are deceiving people.” They spread these words everywhere. One person told this to the man. The man felt deeply hurt and told his wife, “Your parents and mine are speaking ill of us everywhere.”
The wife said, “What they say is true. Earlier we had not even a coin with us. All that we now have was given by the Vaishnavs, seeing us as Shri Acharyaji’s sevaks. We are now comfortable, but such a life will not please Shri Thakurji. Our path has been spoiled. We are sustaining ourselves on the wealth meant for worship. Shame on us! Let us go somewhere no Vaishnav knows us. There, we shall earn honestly, offer bhog to Shri Thakurji, and live. Then Shri Thakurji will be pleased. So our parents’ criticism is actually justified. We indeed deserve it. Because to please Shri Thakurji, we took refuge in Shri Acharyaji and began seva. But we are not Vaishnavs who seek offerings for pride or self-interest. Therefore, we must protect our dharma. Let us take Shri Thakurji and move to another village, a little distance from here.”
Hearing his wife’s words, the husband said, “You are blessed, blessed indeed, for such wise instruction.” Then both made all arrangements and told the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, “We are leaving now. Please keep your belongings safely.”
The mother-in-law said, “If we have committed any offense, tell us.” The daughter-in-law said, “No offense at all. Now Shri Acharyaji’s grace has been fully bestowed upon them.”
Then the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law learned from this and began to perform seva to Shri Thakurji. The man and woman, without informing any Vaishnav or their parents, quietly departed.
Prasang 1 – They Arrive at Agra
After a few days, both reached Agra. They rented a small room, it was very small indeed. They placed Shri Thakurji in one corner. In front of the altar, they made a small enclosure of sticks and clay and placed their bedding there. On one side was the kitchen, and on the other side, the items for cooking were kept. At night, both husband and wife slept near the door of the small room. The door opened to the street, so during winter and summer, they spent their nights there in this way.
Later, the rainy season came. One night it rained heavily, and both sat by the door, getting drenched. Half the night passed in this manner. Then Shri Thakurji spoke from within the temple, “Vaishnavs! Why are you getting wet? Come inside.”
The man and woman replied, “Maharaj! The room is very small. Our bodies emit impurity. How can we sleep near you? That would not be proper.” Shri Thakurji said, “I am on the upper floor. You stay below. Seeing you getting drenched causes me great sorrow. If you come inside, I will be happy.”
Then both came inside and lay down on the floor. The whole night they remained fearful, thinking, “If we sneeze, cough, or move, we might commit an offense.” Thus they stayed in constant fear.
When morning came, both thought in their minds, “Now that the rainy season has come, we should not sleep inside. But if we sleep outside, we get wet, and Shri Thakurji feels pain. So let us make a small hut at the doorway.”
So they built a small hut there and slept outside. Shri Thakurji said, “Why don’t you sleep inside? I had ordered you.” They replied, “Maharaj! We are ordinary worldly beings. It is not proper for us to stay so close. As per your order, we are not getting wet now, and the hut is below.”
Seeing their pure devotion, Shri Thakurji began to reveal His divine presence more clearly to them. They received all they needed through asking and praying. Both the man and woman were blessed recipients of Shri Acharyaji’s grace and were great devotees of Bhagwan. Thus ends their story.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): From this story, the principle is revealed that one must always fear offending Shri Thakurji. To have reverence and loving service while maintaining humility and secrecy in one’s devotion, this is the dharma of a sevak. When the sevak serves with love and keeps his dharma private, Shri Thakurji is pleased. Such was the loving devotion of this husband and wife.
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