Now the sentiment of the account of a Seth, a resident of Rajnagar, who became a sevak of Shri Gusainji, is being explained

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): This is a rajasic devotee. In the divine play, he is a water-creature belonging to Shri Yamunaji. Once, Shri Thakur and Shri Swaminiji, along with the devotees of Vraja, were engaged in water-sports. At that time, this being came there. Upon seeing him, Shri Swaminiji became greatly frightened. Because of that offense, he came to this earthly world. He manifested from Sunanda; therefore his devotional sentiment is of that form.

Prasang 1 – The Merchant of Rajnagar Who Became a Worm One time, Shri Gusainji went to Dwarkaji. From Dwarkaji, he came to Rajnagar. There he sat in his meeting place at the house of Bhaila Kothari. At that time, all the Vaishnavas came for darshan. Among them, a merchant also came. When Shri Gusainji saw that merchant, he said, “Has Sethji come?” The merchant submitted, “Maharaj! By the grace of these Vaishnavas, today I have obtained your darshan. Therefore, please make me your sevak.” Then Shri Gusainji bestowed the Name upon him. Thus he became a Vaishnava. He then offered a gift, performed dandavat, and sat down.

Then Shri Gusainji instructed him, “Sethji! Now go and have the darshan of Shri Govardhannathji. Also go to Shri Gokul. Perform the Vraja pilgrimage and drink the water of Yamunaji.” The merchant replied, “Maharaj! If you bestow your grace, then I shall do so.” Shri Gusainji said, “Yes, Sethji, we shall certainly bestow our grace upon you. Come along with us. We shall arrange your darshan.” Sethji replied, “Maharaj! I am a householder. How can I leave immediately? At some suitable time, by your grace, I shall come.”

Then Shri Gusainji proceeded to Shri Gokul. There he performed the seva and adornment of Shri Navnitpriyaji. Afterward, he sat upon cushions and bolsters in his meeting place. Then all the Vaishnavas came for darshan. At that time, Shri Gusainji instructed a renounced Vaishnava, “There is a merchant in Rajnagar. I told him, ‘Come to Shri Gokul,’ but he said, ‘I cannot come right now; I will come at some later time.’ Bring that merchant to Shri Gokul.” The renounced Vaishnava replied, “Maharaj! Very good. By your grace, I shall bring him.”

After some days, that renounced Vaishnava took permission and came to Rajnagar. He stayed at the house of Bhaila Kothari and asked him, “Which merchant is the one whom Maharaj instructed to come to Shri Gokul?” Bhaila Kothari sent a Vaishnava along with him, and that Vaishnava showed him the merchant’s house. The renounced Vaishnava entered the house and remembered Shri Krishna. Then he said to the merchant, “Sethji! Shri Gusainji has called for you. Therefore, come to Shri Gokul. I have come to take you there.”

The merchant replied, “Yes, Vaishnavaji, I shall go to Shri Gokul.” The renounced Vaishnava said, “Then come now.” The merchant replied, “After I have a son, then I shall go.” Hearing this, the renounced Vaishnava went for the darshan of Dwarkaji. After completing his pilgrimage, he returned about one and a half years later. By then, the merchant had a son. The Vaishnava said to him, “Now you have a son. Therefore come now.”

The merchant replied, “Yes, I shall go to Shri Gokul. But let the boy grow up. After handing over the business to him, I shall go.” The renounced Vaishnava returned to Shri Gokul. He offered dandavat before Shri Gusainji and submitted, “Maharaj! I told that merchant that Shri Gusainji has called him to Shri Gokul. He said that he would come after he had a son. Then I went to Dwarkaji and returned after one and a half years. By then he had a son. When I again asked him to come, he said that he would come after the boy grew up and took charge of the business. Therefore I have returned to Shri Gokul.”

Shri Gusainji said, “You have come back, but will you go again?” The renounced Vaishnava replied, “Yes, Maharaj, I shall go.” After some days, the renounced Vaishnava again departed from Shri Gokul and came to Rajnagar. He met the merchant and said, “Sethji! Now come to Shri Gokul.” The merchant replied, “Yes, I shall go to Shri Gokul. My son has now grown up and is handling the business. But let me first enjoy the happiness of having a grandson; then I shall go to Shri Gokul.”

The renounced Vaishnava again went to Dwarkaji. He stayed there for about a year and then returned. By then, the merchant had a grandson. The Vaishnava said, “Sethji! Now come. You now have a grandson.” The merchant replied, “Yes, Vaishnavaji, I shall go to Shri Gokul. But let the grandson grow up, and let me enjoy playing with him; then I shall go.” The Vaishnava remained there, staying at Bhaila Kothari’s house. After some time, the merchant left his body.

The Vaishnava reflected, “His body has been left behind, but what birth has he now taken?” He came to know that the merchant had taken birth as a snake. The Vaishnava went near him, called out to the snake, and said, “Sethji! Now you have died and become a snake. Therefore now come to Shri Gokul.” The merchant replied, “At present I am guarding my wealth. Later I shall go to Shri Gokul.” After some time, the snake also left its body.

Then he was born as a dog. The Vaishnava called the dog and said, “Sethji! Now come to Shri Gokul. You have now taken birth as a dog.” The merchant replied, “Yes, I shall go to Shri Gokul. But there is great fear of thieves. Therefore I am guarding the mansion.” After some time, the dog also left its body.

Then he became a worm in a water-trough. The renounced Vaishnava came again and thought, “The dog has left its body. What birth has he now taken?” Looking carefully, he saw that he had become a worm in the water-trough. He came and called the worm, saying, “Sethji! Now you have become a worm in the water-trough. Therefore now come to Shri Gokul.” The merchant replied, “I shall not go to Shri Gokul yet. At present I take care of everyone here, and they are pleased with me.”

Then the Vaishnava brought a small container, filled it with water, placed the worm into it from the trough, bathed, and set out for Shri Gokul carrying the container. After some days he arrived in Shri Gokul. He went before Shri Gusainji and showed him the container, saying, “Maharaj! I have brought Sethji to Shri Gokul.” Shri Gusainji asked for the whole account: “What happened to him?”

Then the Vaishnava submitted, “Maharaj! He obtained a grandson and enjoyed the happiness of playing with him. Then he left his body and became a snake. He guarded his wealth. I told him, ‘Sethji! Come to Shri Gokul.’ He replied, ‘I shall go to Shri Gokul, but at present I am guarding this wealth.’ “Then the snake birth ended, and he became a dog. Again I said, ‘Sethji! Now come to Shri Gokul.’ He replied, ‘I shall go to Shri Gokul, but there is great fear of thieves, so I am guarding the house.’

“Then he became this worm. Therefore I have now brought him before you.” Shri Gusainji ordered, “Now cast him into Shri Yamunaji.” The renounced Vaishnava went, placed him into Shri Yamunaji, bathed, and returned. Then the merchant attained his liberation.

Bhav Prakash (Revealing the Sentiment): There is a great doubt in this narrative. Shri Gusainji told this merchant, “Go to Shri Gokul,” yet he did not go. Later, the renounced Vaishnava also told him, “Sethji! Go to Gokul,” but still his mind did not change. He remained attached to his household. That renounced Vaishnava also possessed divine power. If he had wished, he could have immediately turned the merchant’s mind toward the proper path. Then why did he undergo so much effort? The answer is that through the example of this merchant, the true nature of the soul is being shown. A soul is like this. By its own effort, worldly attachment never completely leaves it. Yet how could the resolve of Shri Gusainji ever prove false? Therefore, through his Vaishnava, he repeatedly had the merchant called to Shri Gokul in this manner. Shri Gusainji never abandons his own souls. No matter how attached a soul may be to worldly life, he still remembers that soul and, in this way, grants deliverance.

Shri Gusainji ordered that he be placed into Shri Yamunaji because, in the divine play, he is also a soul belonging to Shri Yamunaji. Therefore, through Shri Yamunaji, his connection with the divine play became firmly established. That merchant was such a greatly blessed devotee and such a recipient of Shri Gusainji’s supreme grace. Therefore, the depth of his narrative cannot be fully measured; how much of it can truly be told?