I recently purchased dhoti-bandi on my trip to India so that I can offer Jhariji at various bethakji(s).

After I used it (after offering Jhariji), many Vaishnavas told me not to wash dhoti-bandi pair since this was made from cotton. If I wash it it will become useless to offer any kind of seva to Thakorji/Mahaprabhuji. If material was from Resham, I could wash it and reuse it thousands of time and this is not the issue.

When I asked them why, they all said the same thing that (in gujarati) "Cotton Chho-vai jai."

Can someone please provide logical and/or scientific answer if this is true and what is "Chho-Vai Javu?". I had been to Haveli regularly while I was in India, and everyone including Mukhiyaji, Kirtaniya, Bhitarya were wearing cotton dhoti-bandi.

I am sure many of the 84/252 Vaishnavas were very poor and could hardly afford Reshami clothes. Does it mean Thakorji/Mahaprabhiji/Guisaiji would have not accepted their seva?

I also went to Pratham Bethakji in Gokul. As per protocols, I took quick shower from head to toe, was not allowed to dry myself (reason being Towel was not made from Resham). If I touch towel, it will break my "Apras". To my knowledge, to be in Apras, means person is totally soaked in Ras of Ap (Bhagvan). If I am in Apras then I would not even know that I have used cotton Towel.

I had my 3 year old son with me. I was strickly told by one of the Sevak at Bethakji, that I should not touch my son after shower, since my son did not take shower and thus was not in Apras. So I explained my son that he is not allowed to offer Jhariji and also cannot touch me. (Because do so will also break my Apras). I offered Jhariji and was on my way to change cloths. My son came running down to me and asked if I can do similar Tilak to him (on his forehead) as I did. So I went to the same place from where I did tilak, took the "Tilaki" and pressed it against forehead of my son. Sevak, who saw me doing this was so furious what he immidiately took Tilaki from my hand, and threw away along with "Kanku" saying this is no good for Vaishnavas who are in Apras now.

I am not sure what I did was correct or not. I seek your opinion about this. I know when you visit someone, you need to follow their protocol. But I think taking Apras to a level where it becomes totally illogical and superstition was not motive of Mahaprabhuji. I am sure according to Mahaprabhiji, being in "Apras" means one who is drenched in Ras of Bhagvan, and not wearing Reshmi clothes and always reminding them not to touch someone/something else.

When I went to Bansibat Bethakji, view of Mukhiyaji over there was totally different. He told me there is no need for three year old to be in Apras, becuase(1) he is very young, (2) Thakorji resides in them, they have purest of heart, so they are always in "Apras" (Kids).

Deepakji!!!!

you had raised a most common question but most important question-query on behalf of major of the members, vaishnavas. You approached to solve your query, and majority tried to avoid the question to ask.

Apras - A+sparsh. No sparsh means apras. Why to do apras, first we just have small discussion....

In television a advertisement of Vicks vaporub comes.....explains the effect of sparsh-touching.....Maa ka sparsh de rahaat.....something like the quote. Means the positive touch of others enters the feelings to us also when they touch us or we touch them. When we go for Seva-Tahel of ShriPrabhu only with HIS grace, that time we had our own feelings. Our feelings to do the seva-tahel. So we maintain the decoram, discipline, a Shistachar of becoming pure by clothes, and body. So we do bath and wear good clothes. Inpure clothes stings or smell bad....so we wear new or washed clothes......

But here for going to seva-tahel of shriprabhu-shrigurudev, we avoid to touch others so that the thoughts upcoming in our mind remains intact. Person feels calm and easy.

Now for cotton clothes and others.......Clothes which gets wet or in other words in gujarati we say je vastra pani-jal-water ne sosi-chusi le, te vastra paherva thi aapni apras chhovai javani sambhavna che.....cotton clothes gets sucked with water when it comes in contact. Atle je koi pan vastra jal ne sosi-soki-chusi le, te vastra aapni apras chhovi de che.......Logic behind this is been already answered by you......to be in Aapras......

further if someone eloborates....and clarifies to me also.....if i mistaken anywhere, please guide me properly..