Now, the feeling (bhav) of the story of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu’s sevak, Krishnadas, and Krishnadas’s wife, who were Gujarati Brahmins living in the village of Vad Choila in Gujarat, is being told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In the divine play (Leela), these two are the forms of Shrutis. They are the two daughters of Madan Gopa. Once, Shri Chandravali met Shri Thakurji secretly in a signal (hinted) meeting. These two daughters of Madan Gopa, named Nanda and Shubhda, told everything about it to Kirti. When Shri Chandravali and Shri Krishna were having a private conversation, Kirti became upset and said, “Such things should not be done by anyone.” Hearing this, Shri Chandravali cursed them, saying, “You shall be born on earth.”
Thus, Nanda became Krishnadas, and Shubhda became his wife. Krishnadas was born in Vad, and his wife was born in a Brahmin’s house in Choila. When they grew up, Krishnadas married her. Since childhood, both had the same nature, whenever a vairagi, saint, or sadhu came to their home, they never let them go away empty-handed.
One day, Krishnadas’s wife went with some other women of the village to collect clay. While digging, a large mound broke and fell upon them, and all the women were buried underneath. At that very moment, Shri Acharyaji arrived there. Seeing the mound collapse, He told the Vaishnavs, “Quickly remove the soil; some women are buried here.” Many Vaishnavs from Gujarat were present with Him, and all of them immediately started removing the soil and rescued the buried women. Among them, four were almost dead.
Then Shri Acharyaji recited Vedic mantras and sprinkled water over all the women. Instantly, they regained consciousness. Meanwhile, the people of the village gathered and took their women home. Krishnadas’s wife bowed (did dandvat) to Shri Acharyaji and prayed, “Maharaj! Who are You, who has revived us, the women who were buried and almost dead? Such mercy only You could show. Without You, who else could help at this time!?”
Shri Acharyaji said, “You are a divine being, belonging to the Lord. Because of you, the lives of all these women were saved.” Krishnadas’s wife then humbly said, “Maharaj! Please be merciful and visit my home. Kindly accept my submission.”
At that time, Krishnadas Meghan said, “Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu accepts offerings only from His own sevaks; He takes no one else's offerings.” While they were talking, Krishnadas returned home and heard that his wife had been buried under the soil. He ran there immediately. The woman told him, “Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu Himself, the Lord, came and revived all of us by sprinkling water upon us. But He accepts only His own sevaks, not anyone else.”
Krishnadas then went and bowed to Shri Acharyaji and prayed, “Maharaj! Please come to our home and make both me and my wife your sevaks.” Shri Acharyaji graciously went to Krishnadas’s home, had them both take a purifying bath, and performed the ritual of initiation by name (Naam Nivedan). Afterwards, both of them prayed, “Maharaj! Please give us the opportunity to do seva.” Shri Acharyaji replied, “You are granted the seva of Vaishnavs. Serve the Vaishnavs who visit you. Also, you are given the seva of the clothes of Shri Navneetpriyaji (Lord Krishna).”
Shri Acharyaji stayed at Krishnadas’s home for three nights and taught them all the ways of the Path. Then he went to Dwarika. Krishnadas and his wife faithfully performed seva, serving visiting Vaishnavs with devotion. Later, Shri Acharyaji, while returning from Dwarika, again stayed one night at Krishnadas’s home and then proceeded to Adel.
Prasang 1 – The Devotion and Trial of Krishnadas’s Wife
At one time, ten or fifteen Vaishnavs gathered and went to Adel to have darshan of Shri Acharyaji. On their way, they stopped at Krishnadas’s house. That day, there was nothing available at home, and Krishnadas himself was not there. His wife bowed to all the Vaishnavs and welcomed them into the house. Then she thought, “There is nothing at home, and my husband is not here. The Vaishnavs must be hungry. What should I do now?”
In the same village, there was a merchant (baniya) who was often attracted to her because she was very beautiful. He had once said to her, “If you come to my house for one night, you may take whatever you wish.” The woman thought, “I should go to that merchant.”
She went to the merchant’s shop and said, “I will come for one night, but I need the ingredients for food.” The merchant, being pleased, gave her whatever she asked for. She took all the materials home, bathed, prepared the meal, offered bhog to Shri Thakurji, and then served the Mahaprasad to all the Vaishnavs. Whatever was left, she fed the cows. She herself did not eat anything.
In the evening, Krishnadas returned home with the groceries. Seeing the Vaishnavs there, he was delighted and greeted everyone. He asked, “When did you all arrive?” They replied, “Around noon.” Krishnadas then said to his wife, “The Vaishnavs must be hungry. Quickly prepare food.” His wife said, “They have already taken Mahaprasad. Do not worry.”
Krishnadas was surprised. “How did you serve Mahaprasad? There was nothing in the house.” Then his wife told him everything that had happened. Krishnadas bowed to her and said, “You are blessed; you have protected my dharma.” That night, they again prepared food, offered bhog, and both husband and wife took Mahaprasad with the Vaishnavs.
Later that night, they sang kirtans and discussed divine stories with the Vaishnavs. In the morning, when the Vaishnavs were departing, Krishnadas humbly said, “Please do not leave my home hungry.” Together with his wife, he quickly prepared food again, offered bhog, served Mahaprasad to the Vaishnavs, and respectfully bid them farewell. Krishnadas walked a little distance to see them off, then returned home.
In the evening, Krishnadas said to his wife, “You had promised that merchant you would go tonight. He must be waiting for you. Our purpose is fulfilled, and our dharma preserved. Now his desire should also be fulfilled. Bathe and adorn yourself.”
The woman got up, bathed, and adorned herself with kohl, bindi, sindoor, and mahavar (red dye) on her feet. When she was ready to go, it began to rain heavily and it became dark. Krishnadas said, “The path is muddy. Your feet will get covered in mud, and the mahavar will come off. The merchant will be displeased. So, sit on my shoulders; I will carry you to his shop.” He carried her on his shoulders through the rain and mud and set her down at the merchant’s shop, then returned home.
The woman called out, “Open the door!” The merchant, happy, came out with a pot of water and said, “Wash your muddy feet.” The woman said, “My feet are clean and dry.” The merchant was surprised. “The road is full of mud—how are your feet clean?” The woman replied, “My feet are clean, why do you need to ask? Do your work.” The merchant insisted, “Tell me truthfully, how are your feet clean in such rain?” The woman said, “My husband carried me on his shoulders and dropped me at your shop.”
The merchant was stunned. “Are you speaking the truth? Why did your husband bring you here himself? You never speak to me. You came once, took groceries saying you’d come for one night, but you didn’t take any money. Tell me everything clearly.”
The woman replied, “Some Vaishnavs, my Guru brothers, came to my home, but there was nothing to feed them. I thought, ‘What is this body worth if Vaishnavs go hungry?’ So, I took ingredients for them. My husband was pleased with you and carried me to your shop himself. Do not be afraid.”
Hearing this, the merchant began to curse his own birth. He said, “You and your husband are blessed!” He bowed to her and said, “You are my sister in dharma. Please forgive my offense.” He then dressed her in a new sari and accompanied her back to Krishnadas’s home. There, bowing to Krishnadas, he said, “I am a great sinner. Please forgive my offense. Blessed are you both, whose dharma is true. Please take me under your shelter and free me from the suffering of this world. She is my sister, and you are my brother-in-law and worthy of my worship.”
Krishnadas replied, “We do not make anyone our sevak. We ourselves are sevaks of Shri Acharyaji. You too should become Shri Acharyaji’s sevak and attain fulfillment.” A few days later, Shri Acharyaji arrived in that village and stayed at Krishnadas’s home. Krishnadas told Him everything about the merchant. The merchant had a strong desire to become a sevak. Shri Acharyaji said to Krishnadas, “Call that merchant here.”
Krishnadas went and told him, “Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu has arrived.” The merchant came with Krishnadas, bowed to Shri Acharyaji, and humbly prayed, “Maharaj! I am very sinful. Please have mercy upon me.” Shri Acharyaji then bathed him, gave him a new name, and initiated him with the Brahmasambandh. His name was given as Gyanachand. Shri Acharyaji said, “You have received knowledge (Gyan) through the company of Krishnadas. Therefore, remain in the company of Krishnadas; through him you will attain the Lord.”
Shri Acharyaji accepted food at Krishnadas’s home, where he personally prepared the meal, offered bhog, and ate. The next morning, he departed. Krishnadas accompanied Him for some distance. Shri Acharyaji said, “Krishnadas, you are blessed. I have instructed you to serve Vaishnavs, and you have served them with your body, mind, and wealth. There is none equal to you.” Saying this, Shri Acharyaji departed, and Krishnadas returned home.
Thus, the divine Krishnadas and his wife became the recipients of Shri Acharyaji’s grace. Through their association, the merchant too became a great Vaishnav. Hence, the story of Krishnadas and his wife is told up to this point.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): That merchant, in the divine play (Leela), is a Gopa named Paili. In his essence, he is a divine being. Through association with Krishnadas, he received initiation (Naam Nivedan) and later became a worthy recipient of grace.
This story of Krishnadas is indescribable. Any Vaishnav who has steadfast faith and dharma should read or listen to it. But if a worldly-minded Vaishnav listens to it and imitates such acts with the intent of physical action, he becomes fallen. Krishnadas and his wife were personally accepted by Shri Acharyaji. Shri Acharyaji resides within their hearts, and thus they are like fire — whoever looks at them with worldly eyes would be burned.
This act was performed only to shower grace upon the merchant and to demonstrate the rare and precious nature of Vaishnav seva. To serve Thakurji or the Guru is possible, but to serve a Vaishnav, who is the sevak of Thakurji, is extremely difficult. This story reveals that divine principle.