A Brahmin from Gujarat

Varta 34 from 252 Vaishnavs

 

Once the Brahmin from Gujarat visited Gokul and after becoming Shri Gusainji's disciple requested, "After seeing Shri Nathji, I would like to encirle the sacred lila area of Braja." Shri Gusainji told the Brahmin to sit outside the main shrine room while he took away Child Krshna's lunch offerings. The bhakti master then washed Shri Krshna's hands and after opening the temple doors and waving the arati lights he blessed him, "Take your prasada here before setting out on your Braja pilgrimage."

On the following day, the Brahmin from Gujarat went to the Govardhan Hill. After seeing Shri Nathji, he continued visiting holy sites throughout the Braja area. About a month later, when he returned to Gokul he bowed before Shri Gusainji and said with confidence, "Now I am ready to begin Shri Krshna's seva."

In the lila he is Rohiniji's sakhi Gopadevi. She is a rajas bhakta and is always eager to perfrom Shri Krshna's seva. For this reason, it was but natural that a seva bhava arose in him here on earth.

Varta 2

Once the Brahmin from Gujarat accompanied Shri Gusainji to Mathura where they passed a shop-keeper who sold Krshna deities. The guru turned and told the Brahmin, "Purchase a Krshna deity." When he showed Shri Gusainji a deity he liked, the bhakta master gazed upon Shri Krshna's beautiful form wearing bangles and told him, "Keep this one."

The Brahmin then returned to the merchant, "I will take this Krshna deity but please take the bracelets off."

"It is late, I will do it tomorrow." Then the Brahmin took the bracelets off him-self and left the Krshna deity there with the intention of coming back later. At that moment, the Krshna diety took on the form of a local Braja Vasi boy and came to Shri Gusainji complaining, "That man over there took My bracelets off." He declared it three times.

Here is is shown that when Shri Gusainji glanced upon the Krshna deity, it actually became a walking-talking Krshna. Now, how could Krshna stay in that shop? He used the excuse of the bangles to get out of the shop.

Krshna enacted the lila to inspire the Brahmin to commence His seva as soon as possible as well as to establish faith in His form.

After Shri Gusainji scolded the Brahmin for taking Shri Krshna's bangles off, the Brahmin from Gujarat returned to the merchant, "Give me my Child Krshna now." When he returned home, Shri Gusainji bathed the Krshna deity with milk, ghee, sugar, honey and curds and taught the Brahmin from Gujarat the ways of the grace-filled seva. Very quickly that Child Krshna revealed His true Self to the Brahmin for he was a blessed vessel of his guru's grace. His story has no end!

 

This was kindly translated by Shyamdas.

[email protected]

Return to the Index

Return to the central courtyard

 

 

1