Now Shri Gusai Ji’s sevakni, a Kunjari, a resident of Mathura, her Varta’s inner sentiment is being told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): So this kunjari is a “tamas” bhakt. In the lila, her name is “Sohini.” She is in the group of the Pulindini. So every day she prepares new dry-fruit offerings, and at the time of Utthapan she offers them to Shri Thakur Ji in the inner chambers. Therefore Shri Thakur Ji remains very pleased with her. So one day she prepared very beautiful dry fruits in new and new ways and was offering them to Shri Thakur Ji. At that time Shri Syamala Ji came there. Then she said to her in a slightly loud voice, “Right now Shri Thakur Ji is taking the Utthapan-bhog, so you must not come near.” As she was saying this, from Sohini’s mouth a spray flew and fell into the dry fruits. Then Shri Syamala Ji said, “You have become so proud that you stop me? And you make the Lord eat your own leftovers? Therefore go, fall upon the ground, and attain the mleccha-womb.” So because of that offense, she took birth in Mathura in the house of a kunjari. So she appeared from “Harni.” Therefore these are her forms of sentiment.
Prasang 1: The Kunjari’s Rescue and Acceptance
So at one time that kunjari, after eating ginger and hot roti at her home, set out. She was going to Agra. It was a day of the hot season. So she became distressed by the sun. So from Aurangabad, about one kos further on, there was a tree, one solitary tree, there in the forest, and she lay down beneath it. So there she was distressed with thirst. Just then Shri Gusai Ji arrived at Shri Nath Ji’s gate. Then Shri Gusai Ji asked the khavas, “What is this?” Then the khavas said to Shri Gusai Ji, “Maharaj! She is a mlecchani.” Then Shri Gusai Ji looked toward her. That mlecchani pointed with her hand toward Shri Gusai Ji, “I am thirsty.” Then Shri Gusai Ji said to the khavas, “Quickly give her water.” Then the khavas said to Shri Gusai Ji, “Maharaj! Here no one has water, and neither a pond nor a well is nearby.” Then Shri Gusai Ji said to the khavas, “There will be water in our jhari.” Then the khavas said, “Maharaj! The jhari will be touched.” Then Shri Gusai Ji said to the khavas, “The jhari will come again, but from where will this mlecchani’s life come back? Therefore quickly give her water.”
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): By saying this he showed that a Vaishnav must have compassion for every living being.
After that the khavas, from that jhari, gave her Shri Navneetpriya Ji’s maha-prasadi water into the mouth of that kunjari. Then that kunjari became alert. Her understanding returned. After that she took darshan of Shri Gusai Ji. She saw directly the complete Purushottam Shri Nandanandan. Then that mlecchani got up and said to Shri Gusai Ji, “Maharaj! I had heard of Kanhaiya Ji. Today I have seen Him with my eyes. Therefore you are truly ‘Gusaiya.’ You brought me to life.”
After that she forgot to go to Agra, and came to Shri Gokul. There she stayed sitting by the doorway of the baithak. When Vaishnavs took maha-prasad, then whatever leftovers remained, she would ask for them. She would take them respectfully. After some days, Shri Gusai Ji returned from Shri Nath Ji’s gate and came to Shri Gokul. Then that kunjari got Shri Gusai Ji’s darshan. In this way, daily she would take darshan when Shri Gusai Ji went out and came in. And she stayed sitting there. Daily she took leftovers of maha-prasad. Later, right in front of the baithak, she set up a market-stall and sat. After that she said to her body-relations, “Now I will stay in Shri Gokul. There is great benefit here. And here there is no other kunjari, so whatever things are needed, someone will want them. Therefore I will stay here.”
Later that kunjari stayed in Shri Gokul with her stall. She brought beautiful dry fruits and sat at the gate. Then she said to Shri Gusai Ji’s men, “You keep these dry fruits.” Then those men said, “If you state a price then we will take them; then this will be of use to us. Otherwise, without Shri Gusai Ji’s sevaks, the Lord does not accept anyone’s authority.” Then the kunjari felt eagerness: “If I become their sevak, that is a good thing. And my wealth too will be used for Bhagavat’s purpose. Therefore some method should be done.” Thinking this, one day that kunjari saw the Vaishnav khavas. Then she called him, and sitting in a secluded place asked him, “Listen. You are very much Bhagvadiya, worthy of grace. And I am a great fool, ignorant, and a demon. By your grace, by the power of your leftovers, I have received understanding. I have had darshan of Shri Gusai Ji as directly the complete Purushottam. Therefore I know that no one is equal to him. And you too are his sevak, a Hari-jan, worthy of grace. Therefore I am in your refuge and have no other support.” Saying this, she folded her hands and fell at the feet of that Vaishnav. And she said, “My honor is now in your hands. Therefore I ask you one thing: in my knot (bundle) there is wealth—one thousand rupees. How can my wealth and body be used for Bhagavat’s work—please tell me that. And how will Shri Gusai Ji accept me? Please tell the means.”
Then that Vaishnav khavas said, “Listen. Your body-relation is bad, demonic; therefore your thoughts are difficult. But by Bhagavat’s wish, what occurs to me, shall I say it? If you accept it, Shri Thakur Ji will accept you.” Then she said, “Please quickly show mercy and tell. I will do exactly that.” Then that Vaishnav said, “You set up your stall right here, and bring many new things—excellent, the most excellent dry fruits, mixed dry fruits, and vegetables out of season. Search and bring them from big big cities and towns, otherwise keep a man and have them brought. And keep those things carefully, thinking, ‘These are things for Bhagavat’s acceptance.’ Do not let impure water or other things touch them; do not let feet touch; do not let sprays fly from the mouth. Wash hands with good water, sprinkle good water, and keep them with great care. And if any customer comes, show them inferior goods and say double the price, so that customer will not take them. And when Shri Gusai Ji’s Vaishnavs come, show them the best goods; and if they ask the price, say half the price. Then seeing the beautiful items and knowing them cheap, they will take them. Then your body and wealth both will be accepted. In this way they will take from you daily. Seeing the beautiful goods, Shri Gusai Ji will ask them, ‘From where have you brought these goods?’ Then they will take your name: ‘Maharaj! At our gate there is such-and-such kunjari; I have brought them from her. She takes a small price and speaks truth.’ Hearing this, Shri Gusai Ji too will remain pleased with her. Do it daily like this. Then in a few days your wealth will be accepted for Bhagavat, and your body too will be accepted. After that you should do austerity and feel anguish: ‘Nothing more is possible for me. What use will this body be?’ Then Shri Thakur Ji will remove your anguish. The Lord is fully powerful.” Thus that Vaishnav said.
So that kunjari did exactly that. Whenever good new things came, she searched from somewhere and had them brought. When Vaishnavs saw, they told Shri Gusai Ji, “Such-and-such goods, dry fruits and vegetables have come.” Then Shri Gusai Ji would send for them. Then Vaishnavs would take them, and would take half the money. Then Shri Gusai Ji and the Vaishnavs, seeing the goods, became very pleased: “Such things are not found anywhere else.” After that, whenever needed, they would have them sent for from her. Doing this, in a few days the wealth was exhausted. All was accepted for Bhagavat. After that, that kunjari began to do anguish and distress: “Now nothing can be done by me. Therefore if this body leaves, it is good.” Thus she did great anguish in her mind. And if any Vaishnav came to take goods and asked, she would say, “I have nothing.” After that he would go back. Then she would feel great sorrow in her mind. Doing this daily, feeling anguish, and also eating and drinking little—doing this, in a few days that kunjari’s body became weak. Then she even left food and water. Later she suffered much pain and lay fallen. And no one took news of her.
Then one day Shri Gusai Ji remembered: “Before, very beautiful dry fruits and vegetables used to come, but now they do not come.” Then the Vaishnavs said, “Maharaj! The kunjari is very good, but now she is about to die. In two-four days she will die. But she was a very good person; by your name she remained very pleased.” After that, one day Shri Gusai Ji, after placing the Rajbhog, was going to Shri Yamuna Ji. At that time that kunjari was in great pain and suffering; she could not speak. And people and boys were standing to see. Shri Gusai Ji asked, “Why is this crowd?” Then that Vaishnav said, “Maharaj! This is the kunjari’s stall. From here dry fruits and vegetables used to come, and you praised them. She is going to die, she is very unhappy. She does not even speak. People are standing crowded to see her.” Hearing this, Shri Gusai Ji, being the refuge of the refuge-less, ocean of compassion, stepped there. Then everyone was moved aside. Then that kunjari, after taking Shri Gusai Ji’s darshan, placed her head on his feet and said, “Maharaj! Other than these feet I have no refuge and no place. You are Ishwar, you are great, you know everything—whether this is true or not. You are the inner-knower. You know everything in the mind; what can I say with my mouth! My honor is in your hands. Therefore think well and do what is right. And there is no need to say much—why? My body-relation is very low; therefore what more can I say?” Saying this, she began to weep.
Then Shri Gusai Ji consoled her: “I know all your inner intentions. Do not worry about anything. The Lord is capable of doing everything.” Saying this, he spoke the Ashtakshar mantra into her ear. And he had Shri Govarddhan Nath Ji’s charanodak and maha-prasad and his own charanodak and a mala brought from the Vaishnav, and gave them to her. After that, comforting her, he went to Shri Yamuna Ji. At that very time that kunjari had darshan of Shri Gusai Ji as directly Shri Govarddhan Nath Ji together with Shri Swamini Ji. After that Shri Gusai Ji, after bath and sandhya, entered the temple. Then she felt separation-heat; it became extreme. After a short while the body left. The news reached Shri Gusai Ji. Then he had her funeral rites performed. After that Shri Gusai Ji said from his mouth, “Now she has no other obstacle.” So that kunjari, taking birth in Mahavan in the house of a Brahmin, will attain in the alaukik.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In this Varta it is shown that the Lord is supremely compassionate. Whoever, with firm refuge, stays at the gate—of that person the Lord Himself takes care. And even a little service of that person, He accepts as very great. In this way Shri Gusai Ji is supremely compassionate. Vaishnavs must definitely take his refuge. And one must keep the company of the best Bhagvadiyas.
So that kunjari was such a grace-receiving Bhagvadiya, a sevak of Shri Gusai Ji. Therefore up to where should her Varta be spoken?