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During the hot season, Damodardas used to sleep in the open room on the roof, while Shri Thakurji had to take his rest below, inside His stuffy temple. One night Shri Dwarkanathji requested their maid to open the window, the girl who was constantly absorbed in Thakurji’s Manashi (mental) seva, opened the window and started to fan Shri Thakurji who later told her to retire. The following morning when Damodardas saw the opened window he angrily asked who had opened it. When the maid said that Shri Thakurji had told her to do so, Damodardas wondered why Shri Dwarkanathji had not informed him. He further reasoned that the Bhagwan is all merciful, for he does not look at how important a person may seemingly be, He only considers the extent of their love. To Him, all who have been initiated by Shri Mahaprabhuji are equal, whether they are a king or a peasant. Later Shri Thakurji said to Damodardas, “Why were you angry with your maid? I was the One who told her to open the window. You enjoy the fresh breeze on the roof while I have to sleep in the closed temple.” Damodardas at that moment became aware of his divine form and immediately took the oath that he would not eat any grains until a new summer temple was built for Shri Thakurji. When the construction was completed, he chose an auspicious day for Bhawat swaroop to move into His new divine temple. Later he invited the entire Vaishnava community to take Shri Thakurji prasada.
Once after Damodardas had offered Rajbhog (lunch), he went into Shri Thakuji’s sleeping chambers and there noticed a cat’s mess on the rug. Damodardas then laughingly said, “Bhagwan is not able to take care of His own bedroom.” Shri Thakurji hearing Damodardas unwelcomed words caused a tray to fall upon Damodardas and then said to him, “Do servants ever speak like that? Are you the servant or am I?” Damodardas apologized to Shri Thakurji and tried to please Him with all types of tasteful preparations, but despite all of his efforts Shri Thakurji did not speak to him for two months.
If one is not blessed with the divine sentiment of being Shri Thakurji’s friend, then he should worship Shri Thakurji as being His servant.
Only when Shri Mahaprabhuji entitles someone to have devotional friendship with Shri Thakurji can such a relationship take place, otherwise Shri Thakurji is not pleased.
Shri Mahaprabhuji’s most beloved disciple, Damala, stayed at Damodardas Sambhalavare’s house for five days. Damodardas gave Damala the utmost respect and attended to his every need. Damala knowing that Damodardas’s wife’s devotion was not firm refrained from revealing the inner secrets of devotion and did not take any sakari (grains cooked in water) during his stay there. When Damala returned, Mahaprabhuji questioned him where he had stayed and what prasada he had taken. When Damala told that he had stayed with Damodardas Sambhalavare and had only taken foods cooked in ghee Shri Mahaprabhuji became displeased with Damodardas Sambhalavare for not giving Damala rice and other grains cooked in water. Damodardas sitting in Kannouja became aware of the fact that Shri Mahaprabhuji was not pleased with him. Leaving the seva to his wife, he headed out for Adel. When Damodardas went in to have the sight of Shri Mahaprabhuji, he turned his back on Damodardas who in turn prayed to know what he had done wrong. When Shri Mahaprabhuji asked him why he had not given Damala sakari, Damodardas requested Shri Mahaprabhuji to enquire of Damala himself. Damala, later told Shri Mahaprabhuji that he had only wished to take foods cooked in ghee. The actual reason why Shri Mahaprabhuji was not pleased was because he had sent his most intimate devotee to their house and still his wife was unable to acquire one-pointed devotion. Shri Mahaprabhuji later enlightened Damodardas, “Shri Thakurji plays all types of games with His devotees to see whether their devotion is true.” Shri Mahaprabhuji then became pleased with Damodardas and later sent him home.
Damodardas always made a habit of receiving all newcomers into his home for he was interested in spreading the glories of Shri Mahaprabhuji. Once some Vaishnavas stayed at Damodardas house. After supplying them with prasada and other comforts, Damodardas gave each of them a golden coin and a coconut to offer to Shri Mahaprabhuji for he did not like to send his respects to Shri Mahaprabhuji empty-handed.
Once while Damodardas was massaging Shri Mahaprabhuji’s feet, Shri Mahaprabhuji asked him if there was anything he desired. Damodardas replied that besides Shri Mahaprabhuji’s grace he desired nothing. Shri Mahaprabhuji then asked him to enquire of his wife. His wife later replied that she desired a son. Shri Mahaprabhuji before leaving for Jatipura granted her the boon that she would bear a son. After some time she became pregnant.
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