Now, the sevak of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu, Mavji Patel, and his wife, Birjo, lived in Ujjain. The story of their devotional sentiment is told here.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): The way in which Mavji Patel and Birjo became sevaks of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu has already been described in detail earlier in the story of Gopaldas along with the Padmaraval. Therefore, it is not repeated here. In the Divine Leela, they are the friends (sakhis) of Shri Chandravaliji. The name of Mavji Patel in the Divine Leela is “Rupa,” and the name of Birjo is “Harkha.” They were both born in Ujjain. Mavji Patel was a man of great wealth.
Once, Birjo came to Shri Gokul. There she humbly prayed to Shri Gusainji, saying, “Maharaj! Please grant me the grace of performing Bhagavad Seva. I had earlier made this request to Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu. At that time, Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu said, ‘Your wish will be fulfilled by Shri Gusainji.’ Therefore, I now request you to kindly bestow your grace upon me.”
Then Shri Gusainji placed a small deity of Shri Lalji from the temple of Shri Navneetpriyaji’s play on Birjo’s forehead. Birjo then prayed to Shri Gusainji, “Maharaj! Please show your grace so that Shri Thakurji may soon reveal His divine presence and give me His experience. Please tell me how to attain that.” Shri Gusainji replied, “Maintain the same loving feeling (bhav) toward the Vaishnavas of the Pushtimarg that you have toward me. Shri Thakurji will fulfill all your desires.”
Then Birjo took leave of Shri Gusainji, brought Shri Thakurji home, and celebrated a great festival. She invited Vaishnavas from many villages and joyfully distributed Mahaprasad, gifts, and clothes to everyone. In Ujjain, through her association with Padmaraval’s son, Krishnabhatt, she developed extraordinary wisdom and deep understanding of divine matters. Shri Thakurji began to show His loving affection toward her.
Prasang 1 – Birjo’s Twice-Yearly Pilgrimage to Braj
Every year, Birjo would travel twice to Braj, once to Shri Gokul for the darshan of Shri Gusainji and once to Shri Govardhannathji for darshan. She would bring along one cart full of jaggery and one cart full of ghee.
She would stay fifteen days at the temple of Shri Nathji and fifteen days at Shri Gokul. She would personally make all arrangements for Shri Govardhandhar’s offerings. The Mahaprasad that came from the temple she would carefully keep covered. When the cowherds returned from grazing the cows, she would take all that Mahaprasad to the cows’ sheds and distribute it to the cowherd boys and women who tended the cows.
She made special feed from wheat chaff for the cows and fed them with love. She gave gifts and clothes to all the sevaks and honored everyone with devotion. Every day, she offered new ornaments and garments to Shri Nathji according to her wish. All the sevaks were pleased with her. At Shri Gokul, she presented gifts and offerings to Shri Gusainji, adorning all the children, daughters-in-law, and women with new clothes daily, and performing new devotional offerings every day.
Prasang 2 – Birjo’s Wish to Serve Mahaprasad Herself
Once, on a festival day, Vaishnavas were partaking of Mahaprasad. Birjo was serving unsakhadi (a type of sweet). At that time, a wish arose in her heart, “If only all the Vaishnavas could sit together, and I could personally serve them sakhadi and Mahaprasad with my own hands.” Later, Birjo said to Krishnabhatt, “A desire has arisen in my heart, I wish to invite Vaishnavas from all villages and personally serve sakhadi Mahaprasad to each one of them.”
Krishnabhatt replied, “If Shri Gusainji gives his permission, then your devotional wish will be fulfilled.” He further said, “Let us go to Shri Gokul with all the Vaishnavas and present this wish to Shri Gusainji. Whatever he says will be done. But this wish will require much wealth.” Then Birjo came to Mavji Patel and said, “This is my wish please help fulfill it. I want to offer Mahaprasad with my own hands to all the Vaishnavas. I spoke to Krishnabhatt, and he said it will require wealth to accomplish.”
Mavji Patel said, “I have one lakh mohurs (gold coins). If that will be enough, then happily carry out your wish after consulting Krishnabhatt.” Birjo then went to Krishnabhatt and said, “There are one lakh mohurs available. If this is sufficient to complete the wish, please let me know.” Krishnabhatt said, “Certainly! Shri Thakurji will fulfill your wish.”
Then Birjo returned to Mavji Patel and said, “Krishnabhatt has said that with this much, the wish will be fulfilled.” Mavji prepared the wealth and gave one lakh mohurs to Birjo. Birjo placed the coins before Krishnabhatt and humbly said, “Now it is in your hands please fulfill my wish.”
Krishnabhatt then wrote letters to Vaishnavas of all villages and sent them by riders with carriages and provisions. He affectionately invited all the Vaishnavas from Gujarat and Halar, arranged separate camps and expenses for all of them. Then, along with all the Vaishnavas, Krishnabhatt and Birjo set out from Ujjain for Shri Gokul.
They arrived first at Shri Nathji’s temple, where the whole group had darshan of Shri Nathji. They made offerings of ornaments, clothes, and jewelry, fulfilling their wishes there, and then proceeded to Shri Gokul.
At Shri Gokul, they had darshan of Shri Navneetpriyaji and of Shri Gusainji. Then Krishnabhatt humbly said to Shri Gusainji, “Maharaj! Birjo has this wish, she desires to serve sakhadi Mahaprasad with her own hands to all the Vaishnavas. For this reason, we have come here with all the Vaishnavas. Please grant your permission so her wish may be fulfilled.”
Shri Gusainji thought within himself, “Birjo is truly fortunate to have such a divine wish. But if I give permission now, will it not create objections at this time? This wish will become famous in the world. However, Shri Acharyaji maintained the sanctity of Vedic tradition. People might say, ‘Shri Gusainji, who upholds Vedic order, allowed Brahmins to receive sakhadi Mahaprasad from the hands of a Patel’s wife.’ Such misunderstanding could cause harm to many souls.
Yet, if I do not fulfill the wish of a devotee, it would be against the principles of Pushti Bhakti. Therefore, a devotee’s heartfelt wish must certainly be fulfilled. I must find a way by which the Vedic order remains intact, the devotee’s wish is fulfilled, and all Vaishnavas are pleased.”
Then Shri Gusainji said, “This wish will be fulfilled in Shri Jagannathrayaji’s temple at Purushottampuri. There, all the Vaishnavas of earlier times will also assemble.” Krishnabhatt said to Birjo, “Your wish will be fulfilled at Shri Jagannathji’s temple in Purushottampuri. It will be completely accomplished there.” Birjo replied, “That is very good! Let us go to Purushottampuri. If Shri Gusainji also kindly comes, it will bring great joy.”
Then Krishnabhatt requested Shri Gusainji, “Maharaj! If you too kindly accompany us to Purushottampuri, it will give immense happiness.” Shri Gusainji said, “I will also go. Whatever pleases the Vaishnavas must be done.” Then invitations were sent to the Vaishnavas of Shri Nandgaon and the western regions. Shri Gusainji, along with Vaishnavas from Mathura, went to Agra, then took along the Vaishnavas from Agra to Kashi, and from there gathered Vaishnavas from each village along the way.
Wherever they halted, new offerings and arrangements were made daily. Separate camps were set up for Vaishnavas of each village. Every day there were new kirtans, discourses, and celebrations in Shri Gusainji’s presence. Merchants accompanied them with carts filled with supplies.
All the Vaishnavas’ hearts were filled with joy, daily darshan of Shri Gusainji, daily new festivities. It was as if Shri Krishna Himself were traveling with His entourage in Dwarika. Elderly Vaishnavas and others all experienced great bliss. In every village where they stopped, the local people were blessed and became happy with wealth and other gifts. In this way, taking along all the Vaishnavas from various villages, they finally arrived at Shri Purushottampuri.
They had darshan of Shri Jagannathji and offered many kinds of sakhadi and unsakhadi preparations. Then, with her own hands, Birjo arranged the plates and served food to Shri Gusainji. After that, she served all the Vaishnavas with sakhadi and unsakhadi Mahaprasad, becoming deeply absorbed in divine love. Tears of bliss flowed from her eyes, and her entire body was thrilled with joy. She thought in her heart, “Blessed is Shri Gusainji, and blessed are divine souls like Krishnabhatt who gave me the experience of this supreme joy.”
After staying in Purushottampuri for some days, performing daily new offerings and serving different kinds of preparations according to each Vaishnava’s liking, they all began the return journey with the same joyful spirit. They came back to Shri Gokul and then stayed for some days at Shri Nathji’s temple, performing various offerings. The wealth that remained afterward, Birjo offered it as a gift to Shri Gusainji.
Shri Gusainji was very pleased with Birjo and said, “You have accomplished an extraordinary devotional act by fulfilling the wishes of the Vaishnavas.” Later, Birjo took leave of Shri Gusainji and returned to Ujjain with the entire group of Vaishnavas. She lovingly served Mahaprasad to all, and for those who had no provisions, she gave clothes, utensils, and gifts, sending everyone away happily.
Birjo became a true and noble Vaishnava through the association of Krishnabhatt. All the Vaishnavas and Shri Gusainji were pleased with her, and Shri Thakurji continued to show His affection toward her. Thus, Mavji Patel and Birjo were among those blessed souls who had received the divine grace of Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhu. Therefore, their story concludes here.