Now there was a sweeper who was a sevak of Shri Gusainji. He lived in Shri Govardhan. The sentiment of his account is spoken as follows.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): These are tamas devotees. In the divine play, her name is “Ban Rani.” She lives in Kusum Van. She belongs to the group of Pulindinis. She manifested from Rasatmika, therefore her form is of devotional sentiment.

Once Shri Thakurji went to the forest with the cowherd boys to graze the cows. One cow became separated from the herd and went into Kusum Van. Shri Thakurji understood this. Then He said to the cowherd boys, “You all stay here and watch the cows. I will immediately bring back that cow.” Saying this, He Himself went into Kusum Van.

There Ban Rani received the darshan of Shri Thakurji. At that time Ban Rani made a request, saying, “Maharaj! For many days I have been serving this forest for Your sake. Today You have met me alone in seclusion. Therefore please accept these beautiful fruits and offerings of the forest, and fulfill my desire.”

Then Shri Thakurji said, “If I become delayed, then all the cowherd boys will come here searching for Me. Therefore do not stop Me. And Shyamalaji is also in this very forest. If she comes to know, that also will not be proper.” In this way Shri Thakurji tried to explain to Ban Rani.

But Ban Rani became stubborn. She said, “Maharaj! Please accept these beautiful fruits of the forest and fulfill my desire. When will such an opportunity come again?” Shri Thakurji is indeed affectionate to His devotees. Ban Rani brought many kinds of forest fruits and dry fruits, and Shri Thakurji happily accepted them with laughter and playful conversation. Afterwards He went into Ban Rani’s grove, and in many ways He gave her happiness.

One sakhi saw this incident and went and informed Shyamalaji. Then Shyamalaji came there. She saw Ban Rani sitting alone with Shri Thakurji engaged in joyful conversation and play. Shyamalaji stood hidden at a distance. At that very moment Shri Thakurji’s glance fell upon her. Then Shri Thakurji said to Ban Rani, “I am now leaving. Shri Shyamalaji has arrived here, therefore remain careful.” Afterwards Shri Thakurji departed into the forest through the back entrance.

Ban Rani then adjusted her clothes and ornaments and stood up. Then Shyamalaji came there and asked Ban Rani, “When did Shri Thakurji come here to you?” Ban Rani replied, “Shri Thakurji did not come here at all. What are you saying?” Then Shyamalaji said to Ban Rani, “Why are you speaking falsely? I saw it with my own eyes.” Then Ban Rani said, “He had come into the forest searching for a cow. After finding the cow, He immediately left.”

Then Shyamalaji said, “You are speaking untruth before me. Therefore fall to the earthly plane and attain a low birth.” Thus she was born in Govardhan in the house of a sweeper. By the age of ten years, once he was walking on the path in Govardhan when a snake bit him there. He fell unconscious on the road.

At that same time Shri Gusainji was coming from Shri Gokul riding on a horse. Shri Gusainji saw the boy lying in the middle of the path and asked a servant, “Who is this? Why is he lying on the road?” The servant went nearby and looked, then said, “Maharaj! He appears to be someone’s child. Some creature seems to have bitten him, and therefore he has fallen unconscious.”

Then Shri Gusainji Himself got down from the horse and came near him. He recited Vedic mantras over him and sprinkled water upon him. Then the boy regained consciousness. Shri Gusainji asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “Maharaj! I am a sweeper. A snake bit me. By Your grace You have revived me. Now I have come into Your refuge.”

Then Shri Gusainji recognized him as a divine soul, recited the Ashtakshar mantra to him, and accepted him as a sevak. Afterwards He told him, “You should daily chant this mantra.” Then Shri Gusainji went onward to Gopalpur. Afterwards the boy returned home, but he did not tell anyone about this. Thereafter he constantly meditated upon Shri Gusainji and chanted the Ashtakshar mantra. He lived in this way and did no other work. After some days, his parents died. Then he began doing farming work. By the grace of Shri Gusainji, Shrinathji began giving him darshan and conversing with him.

Prasang 1 – The Sweeper’s Daily Darshan of Shri Govardhannathji That sweeper lived in Shri Govardhan and was a sevak of Shri Gusainji. Such was his attachment that he could not live without the darshan of Shri Govardhannathji. Therefore Shri Govardhannathji would come outside and give him darshan. One day Shri Gusainji saw Shri Govardhannathji standing near him. He saw Shri Govardhannathji conversing with that sweeper. Afterwards Shri Gusainji asked the sweeper, “What was Shri Govardhannathji speaking with you about?”

Then the sweeper humbly submitted to Shri Gusainji, “By Maharaj’s grace, Shri Govardhannathji gives me darshan daily. And whatever playful activities take place in the forest — regarding the cows, the cowherd boys, and the cowherd girls — He speaks of those matters with me.”

Then the sweeper made another request to Shri Gusainji, saying, “Maharaj! By Your grace, Shri Govardhannathji cannot remain without giving me darshan. And if someday, by the will of Bhagavan, I do not receive darshan, then on that day I do not even take food or water. I remain hungry. This is my daily rule. Then the next day Shri Govardhannathji Himself comes outside and gives me darshan. Only then do I take food and water.”

Then Shri Gusainji said from His own lotus mouth, “At the time when the garland is announced during Rajbhog, sit at the doors of the temple. Then you will be given darshan before everyone else.” After this Shri Gusainji called the temple attendant and ordered him, “Always give this sweeper darshan before everyone else.” The attendant replied, “Maharaj! As You command.”

Thereafter Shri Gusainji bestowed such grace upon that sweeper. Daily, by the grace of Shri Thakurji, at the time of the garland announcement, he would go up Shri Giriraj for darshan. He would bathe, wear clean clothes, and sit a little distance in front of the temple doors. Then before everyone else, the temple attendant would call him and give him darshan. Thus he daily received the darshan of Shrinathji according to his regular practice.

Many days passed in this manner. Then once, by the will of Bhagavan, he became delayed in some work. When he arrived, he saw that the Tala-Mangal had already taken place and no Vaishnavas were there. So he came behind the temple and lay down there. He became extremely distressed, and fever also came upon him. He suffered greatly. Then Shri Govardhannathji Himself rose from the throne and came there. On the back side He made a small opening and called out the sweeper by name. The moment he heard that sound, he at once stood up. That day he received the darshan of Shri Govardhannathji through that opening.

Afterwards Shrinathji gave that sweeper two laddus. Shri Govardhannathji said to him from His own lotus mouth, “Eat these laddus of My prasad.” Then the sweeper ate one laddu. Afterwards he tied one laddu in his cloth and returned home. Then the time came for the Utthapan of Shri Govardhannathji. The conches sounded. Then the chief inner temple servant bathed and went up Shri Giriraj into the temple. There he saw that on the back side there was an opening. Then everyone became greatly worried.

The inner servants checked all the belongings of Shri Govardhannathji and found everything exactly as it was. Then the servants informed Shri Gusainji, saying, “Maharajadhiraj! Today someone has made an opening at the back side of Shri Govardhannathji’s temple.” Hearing this, Shri Gusainji became greatly distressed. The sweeper heard this matter. He came to the doorway of Shri Gusainji’s sitting place and humbly submitted, “Maharaj! Please send everyone away, then I wish to say something.”

Then Shri Gusainji said, “Speak. What is it you wish to say?” Then the sweeper submitted to Shri Gusainji, “Maharaj! Why are you so troubled today?” Shri Gusainji said, “Today someone has made an opening at the back side of Shri Govardhannathji’s temple. Therefore I am saddened.”

Then the sweeper humbly said to Shri Gusainji, “Maharajadhiraj! Is this the reason you sit here distressed? Do you not know the nature of your child? Today I went to Govardhan for some work. When I came to the temple door, I saw that the Tala-Mangal had already happened. Afterwards I lay down behind the temple. The pain of separation became very intense within me.

“At that very moment Shri Govardhannathji came holding a stick in His hand and made that opening. Afterwards he called me by name. I became startled and sat up. In my mind I thought, ‘Shri Govardhannathji is calling me.’ Then again He said, ‘Take darshan.’ So I took darshan. “Then Shri Govardhannathji said from His own lotus mouth, ‘Eat these laddus.’ So I ate one laddu, and one is tied in my cloth.”

Then the sweeper said, “Maharaj! Is it proper for You to remain so distressed over such a matter?” Hearing these words, Shri Gusainji became very pleased. Then Shri Gusainji called the doorkeeper and temple attendant and instructed them, “This sweeper should never remain without darshan. Whenever he comes, at all eight times of darshan, you should give him darshan.” Thus they always gave that sweeper darshan before everyone else.

Then the next day craftsmen were called to close the opening. But Shri Govardhannathji gave the command, “Do not close this opening. Let it remain as it is.” Therefore it was left just as it was. Even now that opening remains upon Shri Giriraj.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In this account it is shown that for one in whom loving devotion has manifested, considerations of caste distinctions and worldly rules no longer remain. Such love manifests only when a soul takes complete refuge in Shri Gusainji. Therefore a Vaishnava should maintain firm refuge in Shri Gusainji.

That sweeper was such a recipient of grace and beloved devotee of Shri Gusainji. By the gracious glance of Shri Gusainji, divine love had manifested within him. Therefore Shri Gusainji did not maintain ordinary social boundaries with him. How much more can be said of his account?