Now, a Bania Vaishnava who was a sevak of Shri Gusainji came with the group from Gujarat. To him, Shri Gusainji explained the distinctions between love (prema), attachment (aasakti), and divine absorption (vyasan). The sentiment of that Varta is being narrated.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This is a sattvic devotee. In the divine play, her name is “Rajna.” She manifested from “Vandevi,” therefore her devotional sentiment is of that form.

He was born in Gujarat in the family of a wealthy Bania. When he became about twenty years old, his parents passed away. Afterward, he came for the darshan of Shri Ranchhodrayji. At that time, Shri Gusainji had also arrived there for the darshan of Shri Ranchhodrayji. There he obtained the darshan of Shri Gusainji. Then he thought, “This is certainly a great Mahapurush. Therefore, it would be good to go into his refuge.” Afterward, Shri Gusainji took leave of Shri Ranchhodrayji and returned to his residence. This devotee also followed Shri Gusainji there. When he found an opportunity, he submitted: “Maharaj! Please be merciful and accept me into your refuge.” Then Shri Gusainji, recognizing him as a divine soul, graciously accepted him into his refuge. Afterward, Shri Gusainji departed from there and went to Shri Gokul.

Prasang 1 – The Devotee’s Desire to Feed the Worthiest Vaishnava After that, this Vaishnava came to Shri Gokul along with a group from Gujarat for the darshan of Shri Gusainji. Upon arriving, he took the darshan of Shri Gusainji. Then he offered dandavat pranam before Shri Gusainji and presented an offering. Afterward, he sat there. For five to seven days he remained in Shri Gokul taking darshan. Then he submitted before Shri Gusainji: “Maharaj! Please arrange some manorath for all seven divine forms.”

At that time, this Bania Vaishnava—the one to whom the distinctions of love, attachment, and devotional absorption were explained—placed cloth, garments, and some wealth before Shri Gusainji and said: “Maharaj! Please do whatever can be done with this.” Then Shri Gusainji fulfilled all of this Vaishnava’s manoraths. Beautiful garments were offered, and the prepared offerings were presented for enjoyment. Afterward, Shri Gusainji proceeded to Shri Nathji’s temple. This Vaishnava went along with him. There he took the darshan of Shri Govardhannathji.

Shri Gusainji personally performed the seva and adornment. Then at night this Vaishnava came before Shri Gusainji and again placed garments, cloth, provisions, and wealth before him and submitted: “Maharaj! Whatever can be done from this, please perform a manorath for Shri Govardhannathji.” Then garments were offered and the prepared offerings were presented for enjoyment. All his manoraths were fulfilled. For another five to seven days he remained there taking the darshan of Shri Govardhannathji. Then he returned to Shri Gokul.

Afterward, Shri Gusainji arranged saffron baths for all the children. The Vaishnava offered gifts and performed arati. Then he sent sari and blouse offerings inside for all the daughters-in-law and girls of the household. After that he submitted before Shri Gusainji: “Maharaj! If I may receive permission now, I would like to undertake the pilgrimage of Braj.” Shri Gusainji granted permission and said: “Go happily and return.”

He completed the entire Braj pilgrimage and then returned to Shri Gokul. He offered dandavat before Shri Gusainji and submitted: “Maharaj! By your grace I have completed the Braj pilgrimage. Now I have one desire. Please kindly fulfill it.” Shri Gusainji asked: “What desire do you have?” The Vaishnava submitted: “Maharaj! My desire is that you show me some worthy Brahmin, and I will feed that Brahmin. I will serve him whatever food he desires.” Then Shri Gusainji said: “If this is your desire, then we permit it. If you wish to do it, then I shall tell you.” The Vaishnava replied: “Maharaj! Whatever you command, that alone I shall do.”

Then Shri Gusainji instructed: “If you feed one Namdhari Vaishnava properly with Mahaprasad, then it should be considered equal to feeding one hundred Brahmins.” The Vaishnava asked: “Maharaj! Shall I feed one hundred Namdharis?” Shri Gusainji replied: “If you feed one Samarpani devotee, then it should be considered equal to one hundred Namdharis.” The Vaishnava said: “Maharaj! Then I shall feed one hundred Samarpani devotees.” Shri Gusainji replied: “If you feed one devotee who performs seva according to the discipline established by Shri Acharyaji, then it should be considered equal to one hundred Samarpani devotees.” The Vaishnava said: “Then I shall feed one hundred such servants engaged in disciplined seva.”

Shri Gusainji replied: “If you feed one loving devotee who takes the Lord’s Name with love, serves with love, lives by dependence upon God alone, and is without possessions, then it should be considered equal to one hundred such sevaks engaged in Bhagavad-seva.” The Vaishnava said: “Maharaj! Then I shall feed one hundred such devotees.” Shri Gusainji replied: “To find one hundred such devotees is extremely difficult.”

The Vaishnava answered: “Maharaj! Creation extends into countless numbers. I am only a merchant Vaishnava, but I shall search and find them.” Then Shri Gusainji said: “If you feed one devotee in the state of attachment (Asakti Avastha), it should be considered equal to one hundred loving devotees.” The Vaishnava submitted: “Maharaj! Then I shall feed one hundred devotees in the state of attachment.”

Shri Gusainji replied: “To find one hundred such devotees is very difficult.” The Vaishnava again submitted: “Maharaj! Shri Acharyaji Mahaprabhuji and you have accepted sixty lakh souls. I shall travel throughout the earth and find them.”

Then Shri Gusainji said: “I will now tell you the final state; therefore do not speak further. If you feed one devotee in the state of devotional absorption (Vyasan Avastha), then it should be considered equal to one hundred devotees in the state of attachment.”

The Vaishnava submitted: “Maharaj! Very good. I shall do exactly as you command. Therefore please tell me who such a devotee is.” Then Shri Gusainji instructed: “The state of attachment was attained by Kumbhandas. And the state of devotional absorption was attained by Gajjan Dhavan. Such devotees are exceedingly rare to find. I have told you this. This is the final state. Therefore I have explained it to you.”

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): In this account, a progressively increasing rarity is described. Among the four varnas, Brahmins are said to be the highest. Yet superior even to them is a Namdhari Vaishnava, one who has accepted the refuge of the Lord. Therefore a Namdhari Vaishnava is greater than a Brahmin. Higher than such a Vaishnava is a Samarpani devotee, one who has offered all possessions to the Lord. Higher still is one engaged in seva according to the discipline established by Shri Acharyaji, serving the Lord carefully and properly in accordance with that sacred standard.

Among those who perform such seva, one who serves with affection and performs remembrance with love is called a loving devotee (Premi Bhakta). Such devotees are superior because love is supreme. It is through love alone that the Lord becomes bound. Such loving devotees are established in divine rasa; therefore they are called superior. Higher than them are those in the state of attachment (Asakti). They possess firm faith in the Lord’s divine form. Everything apart from the Lord appears insignificant to them. They have no taste for household affairs and worldly concerns. Beyond even that is the state of devotional absorption (Vyasan Avastha). A devotee in this state cannot remain even for a moment without the Lord’s divine form. When such a condition arises, the soul becomes truly fulfilled.

Therefore Shri Acharyaji says in Bhaktivardhini: “When one attains complete absorption in Krishna, at that very moment one becomes fulfilled.” The state of devotional absorption was attained by someone like Gajjan Dhavan. Therefore such devotees are called rare. The mention of feeding only one devotee also teaches that when many Vaishnavas are fed at once, the mind may become distracted and proper conduct may not be maintained. Therefore Mahaprasad should be served to Vaishnavas in such a way that the mind remains filled with loving affection and the proper conduct of the path is fully observed.

This Vaishnava was such an extraordinarily blessed recipient of Shri Gusainji’s grace and such a true devotee of the Lord that there is no limit to his account. How far can it be described?