Now the sentiment of the discourse concerning the sevaks of Shri Gusainji, the Kayastha father and son who lived in Hissar, is being described.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This father and son are both tamas devotees. In divine play, the father is Vajangana, and the son is Varjvallabha. That Varjvallabha manifested from Prammanjiri. Therefore, they are forms of sentiment. And there is one antaragini companion of Vajangana, she is Varjvallabha. Thus, here she became the son.
These two, the Kayastha father and son, lived in Hissar. They came to Delhi for service. There they served in the household of the ruler. They earned a great deal of wealth. Later, once, both father and son went to the Od pargana for some work. From there they came for the darshan of Mathura and Vrindavan. After having darshan there, both father and son came to Shri Gokul. They stood at Thakurani Ghat. There Shri Gusainji was performing his evening worship. They took darshan of Shri Gusainji. At that time Shri Gusainji, seeing these father and son, smiled slightly.
Then both of them reflected among themselves that there seems to be some reason why he smiled upon seeing us. Then the father made a request to Shri Gusainji, saying, Maharaj, what is the reason that you smiled upon seeing us? Then Shri Gusainji said, I was simply speaking with my sevaks. Then again Kayastha made a request, saying, Maharaj, this matter must certainly be told. We are ignorant souls, therefore we understand nothing. Then Shri Gusainji, seeing his humility, gave the command, saying, You have forgotten your own true form and are wandering here and there. Therefore, seeing you, I smiled.
Why? Because I know that you are wasting your birth like this. Then Kayastha made a request to Shri Gusainji, saying, Maharaj, now please show mercy and give us knowledge of our true form. Please accept us into your refuge. You speak the truth that we are wasting our birth like this. Then Shri Gusainji, knowing their eagerness, commanded both of them, saying, you’ll bathe in Shri Yamunaji and quickly come to the temple. I will take both of you into refuge there. Then both father and son quickly bathed in Shri Yamunaji and came to the temple. There Shri Gusainji had their offering made in the presence of Shri Navneetpriyaji. After that Shri Gusainji himself completed his rituals and came to the sitting hall.
There these two father and son came and prostrated before Shri Gusainji and made a request, saying, Maharaj, we are ignorant souls. Therefore, please show mercy and give us knowledge of our true form. Then Shri Gusainji commanded, saying, First you take prasad here, then afterwards everything will be explained to you. Then both father and son were pleased and sat there. After that Shri Gusainji came for his meal. Meanwhile Chachaji came there. After Shri Gusainji ate, rinsed his mouth, took betel, and sat upon the cushions and bolsters, then Chachaji prostrated before Shri Gusainji. Then Shri Gusainji commanded Chachaji, saying, Chachaji, keep these two father and son with you for a few days and explain to them the principles of the path, so that they gain knowledge of their own true form, the form of Shri Thakurji, and the system of the path and so on.
After that Shri Gusainji commanded both father and sons, saying, You go and take mahaprasad. So both took mahaprasad. Then they came and prostrated before Shri Gusainji. After that the Lord himself went to rest. Then Chachaji brought those father and sons to his own home. There Chachaji made them remember the offering. Then the entire path manifested by itself. At that very time, knowledge of Shri Thakurji, Shri Gusainji, and their own true form arose in both of them. Thus, by a moment’s association with Chachaji, Shri Gusainji himself bestowed such grace upon both of them. Afterwards, both father and son remained absorbed in remembrance of the offering. Seeing this condition of both of them, Shri Gusainji commanded them, saying, Now you go to your own home. Now the world will not affect you. Then both father and son, taking leave of Shri Gusainji, returned to their homeland.
Prasang 1 – Imprisonment and Complete Surrender
Those two were servants of the ruler. The ruler sent them to collect revenue from a pargana. After some days of collecting the pargana, someone made a false accusation. Then the ruler confiscated the pargana from them and summoned them. The ruler, Raja Todarmal, imposed a fine of twenty thousand rupees upon them. Then Raja Todarmal put both of them in prison. After some days passed, both of them reflected in their minds and sent their priest to their home in their homeland. They told the priest, Sell the jewelry and the house, take some loan, and bring a hundi, so that we may be released from here. That Brahmin went to their homeland, sold the jewelry and household goods, took some debt, and obtained a hundi of fourteen thousand rupees, and then returned to them in Agra. He handed over the hundi to them and told all the news of the household. Then they sent that Brahmin back to his home. And the father said to his son, Tomorrow we will give this money to the king and be released. For the remaining six thousand, we will make a promise and be released.
Then the son said to his father, Listen to one request of mine. Afterwards you may do whatever you feel. If we give this money, the king will take this money too and will say that only after paying six thousand more will you be released. The king will not honor the promise we make. Thus, this money too will be lost from our hands, and he will not release us either. And when his own enjoyment is fulfilled, then he will release us anyway. And the wealth of the household belongs to Shri Thakurji. It is money taken as debt. It will become a Brahma-debt upon our heads. Therefore, if you accept my understanding, then send this hundi to Shri Gusainji in Shri Gokul through this same priest. And when we had made our offering, we had read that we have offered our homes, wives, and sons completely. Therefore, by giving this money, we are not to be released. Moreover, the king will become even more suspicious, thinking that if they have given so much money, they must have more wealth. Therefore, the king will not release us. The son explained this matter to the father in detail. Hearing these words of the son, the father became very pleased and said, Son, well done for your steadfastness. At such a time, you have had this understanding. Therefore now all this wealth should be sent tomorrow to Shri Gusainji in Shri Gokul. And when our destined experience is completed, we will be released; otherwise we will die here. Even then, in the next world there will be no obstacle. Therefore, you are blessed, for you upheld dharma for me even at this time. Now do exactly this.
Then when morning came, they called that same priest and said to him, We owe a great amount of wealth to Shri Gusainji. But now we have no other wealth with us. Therefore, you take this wealth to Shri Gusainji in Shri Gokul and convey our prostration before the Lord. Even after giving this much wealth here, our release is not happening. Therefore, hand over this hundi to Chapabhai Bhandari. And they wrote a letter of request to the Lord. That priest was their family priest. Therefore, accepting their instruction, he set out for Shri Gokul. Reaching Shri Gokul, the priest came to Shri Gusainji. Then he told all their news to Champabhai Bhandari and handed over the request letter and the hundi. Hearing this news from the priest, Champabhai told everything to Shri Gusainji, saying, Maharaj, there is no remaining wealth left with them in their treasury. Yet these two Kayasthas are your sevaks. They have sent this hundi through their priest, and they are lying in prison. Then Shri Gusainji said to Champabhai, Now keep this wealth in the treasury.
Then Shri Gusainji summoned Chacha Harivanshji and wrote a letter to Birbal. In it he wrote that these two Kayasthas are our sevaks. They are imprisoned in the house of Raja Todarmal. You should get them released. A fine of twenty thousand rupees has been imposed upon them. We will arrange the money by taking a loan and send it to you. This was written in the letter. Shri Gusainji explained this to Chacha Harivanshji and then, sending one Braj resident along with him, bade farewell to Chacha Harivanshji. Chacha Harivanshji departed from the Lord and came to Agra. With that Braj resident, he sent a message to the imprisoned Kayastha father and son, saying, Do not worry now. Shri Gusainji himself has written a letter and sent Chacha Harivanshji to get you released. Then that Braj resident went into the prison and conveyed this news to them. Then those Vaishnavas asked that Braj resident, Where is the letter bearing Shri Gusainji’s signature? Then that Braj resident said, The letter is in my turban. Then those Vaishnavas said, Show us the darshan of that letter. Then that Braj resident took the letter out of his turban and placed it in their hands. Then those Vaishnavas gave that Braj resident one rupee and said, Go and bring some provisions from the market. That Braj resident went to the market to buy provisions. After that those Vaishnavas reflected in their minds, saying, In this letter Shri Gusainji has written to Birbal that these two Kayasthas are ours. So who is Birbal? To whom should this letter be given? Saying this, they placed the letter on their heads, read its contents, and hid it there itself.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): Why was this done? Because Shri Gusainji had written in the letter to Birbal that he would take a loan and pay him twenty thousand rupees. In this, there would be hardship for the Lord. Therefore, their dharma would not remain intact. Knowing this, that father and son hid Shri Gusainji’s letter.
After that, the Braj resident brought all the provisions from the market and came to the place where they were. After giving them the provisions, the Braj resident asked them for that letter. Then they said to the Braj resident that the letter had been lost from their possession. Then the Braj resident came and told all these matters to Harivanshji. He said that the letter had been taken from him by them to see, and they had given him one rupee and sent him to the market to bring provisions. When he returned from the market and asked them for the letter, they said that the letter had been lost from them. Then Harivanshji said to the Braj resident, The work of the letter was important, but this is a matter close at hand. And Birbal will also accept what I say. Therefore, for now I will manage the work here. And if such letters were to be lost while traveling to foreign places, what arrangement would remain? Hearing this, the Braj resident remained silent.
The next day Harivanshji met Birbal. Birbal greatly satisfied Harivanshji and, with great devotional feeling and reverence, greeted him, brought him to his house, asked about the well-being of the Lord, and seated Harivanshji near himself. Then Birbal made a request, saying, Harivanshji, if Shri Gusainji has given any command through you, then please tell me by your mercy. Then Harivanshji told Birbal all that Shri Gusainji had written in the letter. Then Birbal said to Harivanshji, Today I have taken prasad, but tomorrow I will take prasad only after freeing those two. After that, in the evening, Birbal returned home from the court. Then in the morning he placed twenty bags of rupees upon the howdah of an elephant, mounted that elephant himself, and came to the house of Raja Todarmal. Then Birbal said to Raja Todarmal, Those Kayastha father and son from Hissar are both in your prison. You have imposed a fine of twenty thousand rupees upon them. They are sevaks of Shri Gusainji. Therefore, Shri Gusainji has taken a loan and sent twenty thousand rupees to me. Please accept that money and release those Kayasthas. They are sevaks of Shri Gusainji.
Then Raja Todarmal said to Birbal, Those Kayasthas are sevaks of Shri Gusainji, and the Lord has sent this money by taking a loan, and you have come to my house with the money. Then what should I do with the money? I will speak to the Emperor about those Kayasthas and have them released. Immediately, Raja Todarmal went to the Emperor and said, O Emperor, such-and-such pargana has become deserted. That pargana cannot be restored without those Kayasthas. And those Kayasthas are in my prison. I imposed a fine of twenty thousand rupees upon them. Now they have no money. They say that if they are sent to the pargana, they will earn revenue and give it to you. Therefore, if it is your command, then release them and send them to the pargana after granting them robes of honor.
Then the Emperor said to Raja Todarmal, This is a good matter. Release those Kayasthas and bring them before me. At that very moment they were released from prison and brought before the Emperor. Then the Emperor gave them robes of honor, forgave the fine of twenty thousand rupees, and issued the command that they should properly restore that pargana. Thus, after clothing them with robes of honor, Raja Todarmal brought them to his house, told Birbal all the matters, and handed over those two Kayasthas to him.
Then Birbal brought both of them with him to his house and handed them over to Harivanshji. Harivanshji became very pleased with Birbal. Then those two prostrated before Harivanshji, met him, embraced him, and made many requests, saying that by the Lord’s grace all this work was accomplished. Because the Lord’s grace was upon them, they were released, the entire fine was forgiven, and they received another pargana with robes of honor. Saying this, both of them, filled with great joy, made many requests to Harivanshji.
Then the next morning Harivanshji took leave of Birbal and set out for Shri Gokul. Birbal sent those twenty bags as an offering to Shri Gusainji. Carrying them, Harivanshji came from Agra to Shri Gokul to Shri Gusainji, placed those twenty thousand rupees before Shri Gusainji as Birbal’s offering, and told all these matters before Shri Gusainji. Shri Gusainji became very pleased. Then those Kayasthas arranged the affairs of the state and went to administer the pargana.
Then again the son said to the father, All these things that we have obtained have come by the grace of Shri Gusainji. Because Shri Gusainji regarded us as his sevaks, we have been released well from there. Therefore, once more, let us go from here to Shri Gokul, take darshan of Shri Gusainji, and then go to administer the pargana. Thus, both father and son took leave of Birbal and came to Shri Gokul for the darshan of Shri Gusainji. There, taking darshan of Shri Gusainji with great joy, they prostrated and stood. Then Shri Gusainji commanded them to sit. They prostrated again and sat with great joy. Then Shri Gusainji asked them, Have you come? Then with great eagerness they said to the Lord, When the king regarded us as his sevaks, then why would we not be well? By your grace we were released from that place, and we received another pargana from the Emperor’s court. In this manner they made many requests before the Lord. Shri Gusainji became extremely pleased with them.
Then the father made a request to Shri Gusainji, saying, Maharaj, this grace has happened only by your mercy, because the understanding of this son proved correct. Otherwise, I had no such understanding. He is very steadfast. Thus the father praised the son before the Lord. Hearing all the earlier accounts and knowing the purity of their sentiment, the Lord became very pleased with them. Then the father and son stayed with Shri Gusainji for two days, took his permission, and went to administer the pargana. Reaching the pargana, they restored it. From there they took a great amount of wealth and sent it to the Emperor through Raja Todarmal. They sent a considerable amount as an offering to Shri Gusainji. They repaid the debt that was upon them and greatly pleased their priest. Every year they began sending large amounts of wealth to the Emperor, which Todarmal reported to the Emperor. The Emperor became very pleased with them. And every year they sent a great deal of wealth to Shri Gusainji. They were such Bhagavadiya devotees. Seeing their disposition, Shri Gusainji was very pleased. Those Kayastha father and son were such recipients of Shri Gusainji’s grace and such Bhagavadiya devotees that there is no end to their discourse. How far can it be told?