SHYAMDAS 1953-2013 IN MEMORIAM

looked everywhere for úrà Nathji, but
he could not find Him in any temple.
Finally, he went to the Govardhan Hill.
As he climbed up toward úrà Nathji’s
temple, a call sounded from the temple
for úrà Nathji’s flower garland to be
brought to the temple. Many other
bhaktas also made their way up the
hill to see úrà Nathji. Rasakhān was so
excited that he started to run up the
Govardhan Hill, but when he reached
the temple gates, the door guard, a local
Braja man, pushed him aside and did
not allow him entrance.
Rasakhān then sadly climbed down
the hill and went to the Govinda Lake,
where he pondered, “I was allowed into
every other Hindu temple, but not this
one. I am sure that úrà Nathji lives here,
but He is well protected.”
Rasakhān just sat by the Govinda
Lake and gazed toward úrà Nathji’s
temple. He vowed to himself, “I will not
go anywhere until I see Him.” Rasakhān
was unaware of hunger or thirst. He just
sat there for two days.
On the third day, after úrà Nathji’s
midday Rájá Bhoga darshan, when the
temple was closed for the afternoon, úrà
Nathji reflected, “This Rasakhān is not
even aware of his body. He has not eaten
anything for three days and will leave his
body if I do not do something.”
úrà Nathji became filled with
compassion. He took off all of His ornamentation
and adorned Himself exactly
as He appeared in Rasakhān’s painting.
Then, accompanied by His band of cow
24 Special Issue • Shyamdas ~ In Memoriam
lads, úrà Nathji climbed to the top of the
Govardhan Hill and began to play His
flute. As soon as Rasakhān heard the call,
He recognized that it was his Lord. When
he looked up and saw úrà Nathji, he knew,
“That is Him!”
He then ran up the hill, chasing after
úrà Nathji. When Rasakhān tried to
grab Him, the Blessed Lord disappeared
from his sight and went to Gokul to
discuss the matter with úrà Gusainji.
At that time, úrà Gusainji had just
taken his meals and was napping. úrà
Nathji appeared in úrà Gusainji’s room
and awoke the bhakti master by stroking
his hair. When úrà Gusainji got up and
saw úrà Nathji beside him, he placed his
hand on úrà Nathji’s face and said to
him in Sanskrit, “You are the Remover
of Your followers’ afflictions.”
rà Nathji then told úrà Gusainji,
ú“There
is one divine soul whose
name is Rasakhān. Although he was
born as a Muslim, he desires to know
Me and has been fasting by the Govinda
Lake for three days. He has not eaten
or even taken any water. Today, when I
gave him My darùan, He tried to grab
Me. I ran away and came to discuss this
matter with you. Now you should come
up to My temple on the Govardhan Hill
and initiate Rasakhān. Accept him.”
úrà Gusainji then asked, “Why did
You run away from him?”
úrà Nathji explained, “I have promised
to only touch, speak to, and accept
the food offered by those souls whom
you have initiated with the Brahmá
Sambandha mantra. I will not give those
blessings without your intervention.”
úrà Gusainji was pleased to hear the
Blessed Lord’s words. He quickly got
up, went to the banks of the Yamuna
River, and took a boat across. On the
other side of the river, he mounted his
horse, rode toward the Govardhan Hill,
and proceeded directly to the Govinda
Lake, where Rasakhān was sitting.
As soon as Rasakhān saw úrà Gusainji,
he thought, “This man who just got
down from his horse seems to be a close
friend of my Lord Who lives on top of
the Govardhan Hill.” He approached úrà
Gusainji and said, “My Lord lives in that
house on the Hill. I am very attached to
Him. I also know that you are his close
associate. If you would let me meet
Him, that would be truly grand.”
úrà Gusainji was delighted with
Rasakhān’s words and asked him, “How
do you know that He is my friend?”
Rasakhān replied, “When you came
here, I saw that your eyes were fixated
on His temple.”
úrà Gusainji then told him, “Now
bathe in the Govinda Lake.”
After Rasakhān returned from his bath,
the bhakti master gave him initiation
into the Path of Grace. úrà Gusainji
told his assistant to take Rasakhān up
to the temple, and he himself climbed
up to úrà Nathji’s temple and sounded
the awakening conch. After the temple
opened, úrà Gusainji prepared some
fruits for úrà Nathji’s early afternoon
Shyamdasji’s guru,
H.H. Shri Prathameshji,
performing his daily
sandhya and homa rites.