Shri Padmanabhdasji

Shri Padmanabhdasji used to occupy the seat of Vyasji and perform katha from his place. He used to sit on a higher seat and never visited anybody’s place. Once, Shri Acharyaji came to Kanoj and Padmanabhdasji came for his darshan and heard a Bhagwat katha episode from him. He recognised Shri Acharyaji as Purushottam and came to his refuge. He got name and then did samarpan. Then after Utthapan Shri Achryaji opened his pothi (a bag where religious books are kept). He had stayed in the house of Shri Damodardas Sambhalwala. Padmanabhdas came here from his residence. He then got seated after bowing down to Shri Acharyaji. Then Shri Acharyaji recited the shloka of Nibandh:

Pathaniya Prayatnen….Krushnamapnuyaah || Soon after hearing this Shri Padmanabhdas got up and filled his hands with water and took a vow that he will never earn money by preaching katha. At that time Shri Acharyaji told that Bhagwat should not be recited with intentions of earning money. But it is your occupation, so you may recite Mahabharat etc. But Padmanabhdasji told that once vow taken is taken. Now he will not recite anything. Shri Acharyaji asked that you are a responsible man with family. How will you maintain yourself? To this, Padmanabhdasji replied that he will not earn money by reciting Bhagwat. Instead, he will go and ask for alms to Jajmaan and earn his livelihood. Then he went to Jajmaan for some alms. The Jajmaan respected him. At that time, Shri Padmanabhdasji felt guilty that earlier he was just a Brahmin with Janoi (sacred thread) so this practice of asking alms suited him. But now he is a vaishnav with a kanthi-Tulsimala. It does not suit him anymore. So he decided not to ask for alms anymore. To this, Shri Acharyaji again asked him as to how is he going to maintain himself? To this, he replied that he would earn by doing some business. Then he started selling kodis and woods but never thought otherwise and performed seva till the end.

Asmita Bodh:
Realization of Shri Mahaprabhuji’s swaroop. Faith on the sect. Readiness to tolerate any odds to suit the norms of the principles of Shri Mahaprabhuji.

Back