Now the sentiment of the Varta of Birbal’s daughter, the sevakini of Shri Gusainji, who lived in Agra, is told.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): She is a sattvik devotee. In the lila her name is “Rasikpriya.” She is the bhav-form of “Madonmatta.” She is an intimate sakhi of Shri Thakurji. Therefore Shri Thakurji loves her very much.
Prasang 1 - Coming into the refuge of Shri Gusainji, and the answer given to the king
So, once Shri Gusainji came to Agra. Then he stayed at a Vaishnav’s house. Near that was Birbal’s house. It was the days of the hot season. Shri Gusainji was sitting in the chajja, in the jharokha. Then, from the jharokha, he saw Birbal’s daughter. He saw an astonishing form. Then it came into her mind that—if I become his sevak, then it is good. After that she asked her father, that—if you say so, then I will go into the refuge of Shri Gusainji. I will become a sevak. Then Birbal said, be so happily. After that, she went and met the woman of Rai Purushottamdas’s house. She was indeed a sevakini of Shri Gusainji. She said to that woman, you go and tell my request to Shri Gusainji, that he should make me a sevak. Then that woman made a request to Shri Gusainji, that—Maharaj! Birbal’s daughter is making a request, that get my naam-nivedan done. Then Shri Gusainji said, good. After that, he gave the name. Then Birbal’s daughter made a request to Shri Gusainji for atma-nivedan. Then Shri Gusainji said, do a fast tomorrow. Then we will get the atma-nivedan done. After that she did the fast. The next day he got the atma-nivedan done.
After that Shri Gusainji stayed there one month. He used to tell katha daily. Birbal’s daughter sat among the Vaishnavs’ women and listened to the katha. Whatever things Shri Gusainji said, she wrote all those things in her heart. She was such a grace-receiving bhagvadiya. After that Shri Gusainji set his feet toward Shri Gokul. After that, at night, Vaishnavs would come to her house, and they would do Bhagvad-varta. Then she, sitting among those women, listened. She kept much closeness with the Vaishnavs’ women. Meeting, she went along.
So, once the king asked Birbal, O Birbal! By what manner does the Sahib meet? Then he gave many, many answers, but it did not fit rightly. The king did not accept. After that Birbal asked many, many swamis, asked the Vrindavanis. He told all to the king, but it did not fit rightly. The king said, such a thing I do not accept. And give the answer to this quickly. Otherwise I will loot your wealth and house—all. Then Birbal sat greatly distressed. Then his daughter asked, Bava! Why are you so absent-minded? Then Birbal said, what do you know in this matter? The answer of state-work is difficult. Then the daughter said, this matter must be told to me fully. After that, if I understand, then I will give the answer, otherwise not. But you must tell it. Then Birbal told all the news to his daughter—that the king asks like this: by what manner does the Sahib meet? I give the answer, but he does not accept. And I asked all the pandits and swamis and all the Vrindavanis. But the answer did not become correct. Then the king said, give the answer and proof of this matter, otherwise I will snatch away house and all. He said so; therefore I am anxious, and now what remedy should be done?
Then Birbal’s daughter said, had you gone to Shri Gusainji at Shri Gokul? Had you asked him? Then Birbal said, I have not asked him. Then the daughter said, you go to Shri Gokul and ask Shri Gusainji, what answer does he give for this? Without him, this answer will not be found. In the matter of Ishwar, Ishwar alone knows. Therefore you must go to Shri Gokul. There, immediately the answer will be found. Do not make doubt in this matter. After that, immediately Birbal left for Shri Gokul.
He arrived at the time of uthapan. He asked a Vaishnav for news of Shri Gusainji. Then the Vaishnavs said, Gusainji is in seva. Then he sat in the baithak. After that Shri Gusainji, coming out from seva, set his feet outside. Then Birbal, doing dandvat, made a request to Shri Gusainji: Maharajadhiraj! I have to ask one matter from the king. You sit in solitude and listen. I will say it. After that Shri Gusainji sent everyone away. Then Birbal told all the news, that the king said, what is the answer to this? Then Shri Gusainji said, the answer to this is—when I and the king meet, then the doubt will be removed. Therefore, if he has eagerness to hear this matter, then he will come to me. Then I will remove his doubt. So you tell the king, that he has said like this: if you have a purpose, then you go there. Saying so, if he comes here, then send him here; we will give the answer. Then Birbal went back to Agra. Then he told the news to the king. After that Birbal went home.
After that the king thought—this work is not of the open; it is of solitude. Thinking so, so that no one recognizes him, he alone, on a horse, himself mounting, in the latter night he rose, and simply, making an excuse of riding, tying weapons, he went. He came to Shri Gokul. At that time Shri Gusainji, after placing rajbhog, had gone to do bath and sandhya at Shri Yamunaji. Then the king did dandvat to Shri Gusainji. Then Shri Gusainji recognized that the king has come. Then Shri Gusainji sent all away, and after that asked the king, how have you come? What are you asking? Ask. Then the king said, by what manner does the Sahib meet? Then Shri Gusainji said, as I and you met.
Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In this it was said: as in the worldly way you, the king, are greater than all. So when other men try to meet you, they make many means to please many people. But without your wish, meeting is difficult. And if at any time you think to meet someone, then you immediately meet him, and his coming-and-going runs. In the same way, when we think to meet you, we make means; but meeting is hard. And if you think to meet, then we meet immediately. Thus the jiv, thinking and thinking and making means, many days pass, but meeting is hard. And if Prabhuji thinks, that I should meet the jiv, then in this there is no delay at all. This Shri Gusainji said from his holy mouth.
Then the king, hearing such words, became extremely pleased. And he said, your sevaks call you Kanhaiya, so you truly are Kanhaiya. In this there is no doubt. After that he said, ask something from me. I am very pleased with you. Then Shri Gusainji said, we have no desire for any thing. Then he again said, good, but some seva like me—by grace, tell something. He said this with much insistence and stubbornness. Then Shri Gusainji said, good—since you insist so much, then there should be one horse such that in one ghari it goes five kos. And it should be very fine. Its gait should be very beautiful, so that one gets comfort in riding. And in your Aurangabad there lives one man. Keep him there. When going to Shrinathjidwar, then go along. After that keep the horse in Aurangabad.
After that, going to his house, the king called Raja Todarmal and said, keep such-and-such a horse in Aurangabad in this manner. And write to the hakim there, that its expense and the man’s expense and livelihood all be received from my royal door. And care for the horse. A man like that should remain there who goes with the horse. And at the time when Shri Gusainji gives the order, then keep it ready and prepared; remain in Shri Gusainji’s order. Saying so, in many ways he showed fear and said, do not fail even a little in this matter. And if there is a failure in this matter, then no one is worse than me. Saying this, after that Raja Todarmal did exactly as the king said.
So, when four gharis of the day rose, at that time, preparing the horse and adorning it, he brought it and made it stand on the far bank of Shri Yamunaji. Then Shri Gusainji, after adorning Shri Navneetpriyaji and offering Gopivallabh bhog, after that, wearing clothes, sat in the boat, crossed to the far side, and immediately mounted the horse and set his feet toward Shrinathjidwar. Then immediately, bathing at Govindakund, he set his feet up on Shri Giriraj. He adorned the original forms of Shri Govarddhan Nathji and others, offered Gopivallabh bhog, and taking leave from Shri Govarddhan Nathji, set his feet toward Shri Gokul. Then getting down from the horse, sitting in the boat, he crossed to the other side. Then the horse was taken to Mohanpur and tied. Its fodder, grass, grain—all were received from the royal door.
And Shri Gusainji, in the baithak, taking off all the clothes, gave them to the khavas; after that Shri Gusainji himself bathed in Shri Yamunaji, and in aparas only set his feet. He went toward Shri Navneetpriyaji. After that, getting anusar done, he took food. In this manner he did daily.
So Birbal’s daughter had such knowledge of Shri Gusainji’s form—no one knows this matter except her. She knew Shri Gusainji as directly the complete Purushottam. That Birbal’s daughter was such a grace-receiving sevakini of Shri Gusainji. She was bhagvadiya. Therefore, up to where should her varta be told?