Now the sevak of Shri Gusainji, a Brahman who used to do cloth brokerage, who lived in Bengal, his story’s sentiment is being told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): He is a tamas devotee. In the divine play his name is Anandī. He has manifested from Ratikalā, therefore these are his emotional forms.
He was born in the village of a Brahman in Bengal. Later, when he became eleven years old, he was married. He received an ordinary wife; she was not connected to the divine play. Later he became twenty or twenty-five years old. Then his father died. Then he began doing cloth brokerage.
Prasang 1 – Journey to Mathura with the Merchants
First, he came to Mathuraji along with a man from Bengal. Many merchants came with him. Merchants from the land of Prithvipati used to go to sell cloth. This Brahman used to act as a broker for those merchants. That Brahman was capable. Being a Brahman, he came to Mathura with those merchants for his livelihood. Later those merchants stayed in Mathuraji. And with them was a Vaishnav, who went to Shri Gokul for the darshan of Shri Gusainji. Along with them this Brahman also came to Shri Gokul. So along with all the Vaishnavs, the Brahman also received the darshan of Shri Gusainji.
Then, as soon as he saw Shri Gusainji, this came into the Brahman’s mind: “If I become his sevak, then that is a good thing.” Thinking this, the Brahman made a request to Shri Gusainji: “Maharaj! Now please make me your sevak.” Then he was made to bathe, and Shri Gusainji had him offer the name-introduction. Later, along with that group, the Brahman sold the merchants’ cloth in Delhi. The money he earned as brokerage he tied up, and came to his homeland in Bengal.
Then this desire arose in his mind: “With this wealth I should get one such excellent brocade cloth, and have a garment made for the sacred body of Shri Gusainji.” So he bought an excellent brocade cloth worth twenty-eight rupees. When he received one and a half hundred rupees for that cloth, then he prepared to leave the town. Then Brahman rolled the cloth onto a bamboo stick, and went out. He took his wife along with him.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Because he wants to bring her to Shri Gusainji’s darshan and have her offer the name-introduction.
When the gatekeepers saw he was a Brahman, they thought he was going to bathe. And he had actually left home carrying that brocade cloth. Then in a few days he came to Shri Gokul to Shri Gusainji, bowed down, and took out that brocade cloth and placed it before the Lord. Shri Gusainji, seeing that brocade, became extremely pleased. At that moment Shri Gusainji said these words: “This brocade is suitable for Shrinathji.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Because the Lord is the enjoyer of the most excellent things. Therefore excellent things must be offered to the Lord. This is the duty of a servant.
Saying this, at that very time a tailor was called, and the cloth for Shrinathji was measured. The garment was completed that same day. Later, taking that garment, along with the Vaishnav men and women, Shri Gusainji went to Shrinathji’s temple. After bathing, he went up the mountain into the temple, had the darshan of Shrinathji, and offered Rajbhog. Later, when the time came, the doors were opened for the bhog to be removed.
Then that Brahman had the darshan of Shrinathji and became extremely pleased within his mind. The next day Shri Gusainji had that garment accepted by Shrinathji. Then the Brahman Vaishnav, after seeing Shrinathji’s acceptance, became very pleased.
After that, Shri Gusainji completed Shrinathji’s service and descended from the mountain. Then that Brahman again and again bowed to the Lord, and felt that his birth had become fruitful. Later the Brahman requested Shri Gusainji: “Maharaj! Please have this woman’s name-introduction done.” Then Shri Gusainji gave the command: “She is an ordinary being. Therefore we will have the name recited to her.” Then out of grace Shri Gusainji had her name recited.
After that, in the mind of that Brahman, another thought arose: “This brocade cloth has been accepted by Shrinathji. But if I bring one more such brocade cloth, then from that Shri Gusainji will have a new garment. Then my life will be fulfilled.” Thinking this, he took leave from Shri Gusainji and went to his homeland Bengal.
In a few days, the man and woman reached home. Later, after some days, the Brahman said to his wife: “We will manage our daily expenses through begging. And whatever money comes from brokerage, keep that aside—this is a good thing.” Then the wife said: “Our livelihood happens very well through brokerage. From where have you learned such thinking?” Then the Brahman said to his wife: “These people do not leave their respective occupations, so why should we leave ours? Our very best occupation is to beg. Why should we abandon it?” So the Brahman did not reveal his inner intention to his wife.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Because her understanding is worldly. Therefore one should not speak a divine matter to someone of worldly understanding. Otherwise conflict will arise. This principle is being expressed.
Afterwards that Brahman began to maintain himself in that same way. After that, again he became capable of the wealth of the foreign land. Then again that Vaishnav taking a brocade, went toward Shri Gokul in the same manner. In a few days he came to Shri Gusainji, made obeisance, and brought that brocade forward. Then Shri Gusainji, seeing that brocade, spoke these words, “Just so, earlier also a Vaishnav had brought a brocade before me. That brocade was accepted by Shrinathji.” Then that Vaishnav made obeisance to Shri Gusainji and requested, “Maharaj! That earlier brocade was brought by me only.” Then Shri Gusainji became very pleased with him. Afterwards that Shri Gusaiji himself began to offer the cloth to the attendant from the divine hand.
Then this Vaishnav made obeisance to Shri Gusainji and requested, “Maharaj! That brocade has been accepted by Shrinathji, and you accept the garment of this brocade. After having darshan, I will go home.” Then Shri Gusainji said to that Vaishnav, “Shri Thakurji again and again accepts excellent things, and when will we ever accept? And such things come here only through you; otherwise who brings them here?” Afterwards the Lord said to that Vaishnav, “This garment is suitable for the temple.” Then that Vaishnav, hearing the words of Shri Gusainji, requested, “Maharaj! This is the house of Ishvar. What deficiency is there here in any matter? But in my mind this desire is there, that you accept the garment of this place. Having darshan of this, I will go to my home.” Then Shri Gusainji called the tailor; some garments were then prepared for Shri Navaneetpriyaji. Afterwards his own garment was measured.
In the Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): here it is shown that excellent things must not be taken by the sevak without having them accepted by the master; otherwise it becomes an obstacle.
Then that Vaishnav became very pleased. Then the tailor completed all those garments and brought them. Then Shri Gusainji placed one garment on Shri Navaneetpriyaji. Afterwards he himself returned from the temple, ate food, and after resting, Shri Gusainji put on that garment and sat on the seat. Seeing this darshan, that Vaishnav became very pleased in his mind. Afterwards, as long as that Vaishnav stayed in Shri Gokul, during that time Shri Gusainji would daily wear that garment once. After some days that Vaishnav took leave of Shri Gusainji and went to his own country. Then Shri Gusainji asked that Brahman for all the news, “What work do you do in Bengal?” Then he told the Lord all the news. Then seeing his condition, Shri Gusainji became very pleased. Afterwards that Vaishnav requested Shri Gusainji, “Raj! We had heard your name as ‘Bhakteccha Purakayanamah,’ so you made me experience it. Therefore I knew your name immediately. Now if I may receive your permission, I will go to my home.” Then Shri Gusainji, with great joy, gave him leave. In a few days that Brahman reached his home in Bengal.
On the day he reached his home, that day was the śrāddha day of his father. His wife, the Brahmani, on the previous day had gone somewhere and asked for urad pulse and oil and brought them. She had soaked the pulse, washed it, ground it, and was making the fritters. Just then the Brahman arrived at home. Then the Brahmani, seeing him, said, “It is good that you have come home. Today is the śrāddha day of your father. Therefore I have made the fritters.” Afterwards the Brahmani said to the Brahman, “Now you go perform the śrāddha and quickly do it and come back.” Then the Brahman asked his wife, “How is the śrāddha day done?”
Afterwards when the cooking was being done, the wife said to the Brahman, “The cooking is complete.” Then the Brahman bathed and it became the time to offer the food to Shrinathji. Those fritters were few. Then the Brahman asked his wife, “Is there any sweet in the house?” Then the Brahmani said, “There is a little jaggery.” Then the Brahmani brought the jaggery before him and placed it. Then the Brahman, with great joy and filled with love, meditated on Shrinathji. Bringing into his heart the form of the garment he had seen, he made this request, “Maharaj! This food was made by worldly thinking, but now you will accept this food.” Afterwards the Brahman, with great devotion, offered those fritters and jaggery before the Lord at the time of offering. Then Shrinathji came from Giriraj there to the house of that Brahman in Bengal and, seeing the love of that Brahman, ate the fritters and jaggery.
In the Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): in this story there is a great doubt, that how did the Brahman place śrāddha food before Shrinathji? This is contrary to the rule of Shri Acharyaji’s path. And why did Shrinathji eat that food? It is said that this food was made by the Brahman’s wife for the purpose of śrāddha, but in the mind of the Brahman there was no resolve of śrāddha. And on that day there was nothing in the house. Therefore the Brahman, with pure feeling, placed that food before Shrinathji. Thus Shrinathji, seeing the prayer of that Brahman, seeing his pure love, with joy ate it. Because Shrinathji’s name is “Bhaktamanorathapurak,” the fulfiller of devotees’ desires. So whoever places anything before Shrinathji with devotional feeling, the Lord certainly accepts it. This is the established principle.
When Shrinathji arrived at his house, only then did that Brahman come to know. And when, after eating at his house, Shrinathji returned to His temple, He informed that Brahman, “Now I am going after eating your fritters and jaggery.” Then that Brahman became very pleased in his mind and considered his life fulfilled, thinking, “Blessed is my fortune, that Shrinathji came to my home, and through the grace of Shri Gusainji these fritters and jaggery were accepted.” And when Shrinathji came to his house, at that very time in the temple on the mountain Shri Gusainji had offered the Rajbhog to Shrinathji. So while Shri Gusainji offered the Rajbhog, Shrinathji was actually visiting the house of that Brahman. Afterwards Shri Gusainji did not know this. When the time came, Shri Gusainji removed the Rajbhog, performed the aarti, did the anusār, came down from the mountain, ate His own meal, and rested.
At that time no sleep came to Shri Gusainji. Just then Shrinathji, holding a red stick in His divine hand, came to Shri Gusainji. Shri Gusainji made obeisance and seated Shrinathji on his couch, kissed His divine face, stroked His cheeks with his hand, and asked, “Baba! Why are you sitting so absent-minded today?” Then Shrinathji said to Shri Gusainji, “I am hungry today.” Then Shri Gusainji asked Shrinathji, “Just now you ate the Rajbhog. And whatever more you want, come, I will give you.” Then Shrinathji said to Shri Gusainji, “When I came, the Rajbhog had already been removed. So that Rajbhog was not eaten.”
In the Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): the meaning is that Shrinathji did not eat in the form of the uplifter of devotees; He ate in the form of the uplifter of all. And due to your feelings, I am hungry.
Then Shri Gusainji, astonished, asked Shrinathji, “Baba! Where did you go then?” Then Shrinathji said to Shri Gusainji, “Your sevak, the Brahman from Bengal who had brought the brocade, I went to his house to eat the fritters and jaggery.” And all the news of his house Shrinathji told to Shri Gusainji. Hearing the words of Shrinathji, Shri Gusainji’s heart filled with emotion. Then Shrinathji departed from the presence of Shri Gusainji and returned to his temple on the mountain. And Shri Gusainji had all the inner attendants bathe and said, “Quickly, everyone together prepare the cooking for Rajbhog.” Then all the attendants gathered and began to cook. And Shri Gusainji himself bathed, went up the mountain to the temple, had the conch sounded, and offered one plate of laddus as the bhog. Just then the cook informed Shri Gusainji, “Maharaj! The cooking is complete.” So Shri Gusainji removed the bhog at the proper time, performed the aarti, performed the anusār, came down from the mountain, sat in his seat, and wrote a letter to Bengal and sent two Brajvasis to that Vaishnav.
In that letter the Lord wrote, “On what day and at what time did you offer Shrinathji?” Send your reply to us.” Those two Brajvasis reached the house of that Vaishnav in Bengal. Then that Vaishnav became very pleased in his mind. Those Brajvasis gave him the letter of Shri Gusainji. And they told him all the news of the day at the door of Shrinathji. Then he, filled with love and eagerness, placed the Lord’s letter on his forehead, made obeisance, read it, and became very pleased in his mind. Then he honored those Brajvasis, had excellent cooking done, and served them prasād.
Afterwards at night, that Vaishnav wrote the reply to that letter. In that he wrote many types of requests to Shri Gusainji. And he wrote everything about that day and sent it. And he wrote, “Maharaj! This Shrinathji accepted everything because of your grace. Therefore my fortune is great.” And he wrote, “Raj! Those fritters too were few.” Afterwards he honored those two Brajvasis very well and sent them back to Shri Gusainji.
In a few days the Brajvasis came from Bengal to Shri Gokul and gave the letter of that Vaishnav to Shri Gusainji. That letter of that Vaishnav was read by Shri Gusainji Himself with grace. Then Shri Gusainji became very pleased in his mind. Afterwards the Lord gave that letter to Chacha Harivanshji and told him all the news. Then Chachaji’s heart filled with emotion. That Brahman had become such a recipient of the grace of Shri Gusainji. Therefore, how far shall one speak of his story?