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One day a Dakotiya (a person who accepts inauspicious gifts and practices fortune telling), arrived in their town, all of the ladies there became interested in asking him various questions about the future. One girl told Damodardas’s wife that she would ask on her behalf whether that she would bear a son or a daughter. The Dakotiya informed her that she would be the mother of a son.
Many Days later when Shri Mahaprabhuji came to Kannouja, Damodardas went to touch His guru’s blessed feet, but shri Mahaprabhuji told him not to. When Damodardas questioned what he had done wrong, Shri Mahaprabhuji told him that his wife’s devotion had become contaminated, for even after hearing Shri Mahaprabhuji’s blessing that she would bear a son, she still relied on the forecast of the Dakotiya. She had also asked Shri Mahaprabhuji for a son without having the devotional sentiment that her offspring would be helpful in performing Shri Thakurji Seva hence her desire for a son was based on selfishness. In the Shrimad Bhagavatam it is mentioned that when a devotee has an interest which is not directed towards Bhagwan, at that moment his devotion becomes destroyed. In the path of devotion, to take another support besides one’s Thakurji is the gravest obstacle.
After damodardas had questioned his wife, shri Mahaprabhuji informed him that she would bear a demoniacal son. Hearing that, his wife left the Seva for she did not want to enter into Shri Thakurji’s most intimate services while she carried such a son in her womb. When the delivery time arrived, Damodardas’s wife immediately gave the infant to her mother who nourished the child until his tenth year.
Once while Damodardas was making seva he thought to himself about buying a horse. At that time one Vaishnava came to meet with him. The maid told the Vaishnava that he had gone out to buy a horse. Later when Damodardas heard what the maid had said, he questioned her, “Why did you tell that Vaishanava that I had gone out to purchase a horse?” The maid replied, “Where was your mind at that time? Where the mind goes the body follows?” Damodardas hearing that became silent.
When Damodardas left his body, his wife hid the body and told her maid and some other Vaishanava to take everything out of the house including Shri Dwarkanathji, and to put it all on a boat in order to take it to Shri Mahaprabhuji’s house for she did not want her non-Vaishnava son to have the wealth. When the boat had gone sixty miles downstream, Damodardas’s wife revealed the fact that her husband had died. Soon afterwards her son came and saw only a water jug in the whole house, desirous of the wealth, he sent out after the boat, but when ultimately he was unable to find it, he began to beat his head. Later when Damodardas’s in-laws arrived they questioned,
“Why have you left nothing in the house? From where will you get your meals?” Damodardas’s wife replied, “It is the custom for widows like myself to get things from their relatives and other persons.” Actually, she had not intentions to take any food or water for without Shri Dwarkanathji how would it be possible to take anything which was not offered to Him? Abstaining from food and water, after some days she also left her body. Their last rites were performed together by the local Vaishanavas.
When Shri Mahaprabhuji’s eldest son Shri Gopinathji saw Shri Dwarkanathji and all of Damodardas’s wealth coming on the boat he mentioned, “The goddess of wealth, Shri accompanied by Shri Narayana are approaching, “Shri Mahaprabhuji then questioned him, “Are you pleased to see all that wealth?” His son then replied, “You mean that when one desires the Thakurji’s wealth, he certainly falls.” Shri Mahaprabhuji agreeing said, “In My Path this is so.”
Later Shri Mahaprabhuji took Lord Dwarkanathji and told some Vaishanavas to put all of Damodardas’s wealth into the Shri Yamuna River, for Shri Yamunaji would personally accept it. Damodardas’s maid also submerged herself into Shri Yamunaji’s waters and attained toShri Krishna’s eternal lila. Later, some Vaishnavas asked Shri Mahaprabhuji why He did not accept their wealth. Shri Mahaprabhuji explained that Damodardas’s son would create trouble because of the wealth which is the very root of all worldly miseries. He further enlightened the Vaishnavas explaining “Because Damodardas” devoted wife had sent it, Shri Yamunaji gladly accepted everything which put an end to all the possible disturbances which could have happened.
Even though Damodardas’s in-laws supplied his wife with a maid in order that she would not have to do any work, she performed all of Shri Dwarkanathji’s seva and left only the outside work to her maid. Damodardas’s devotion was also so pure that he was able to read Shri Mahaprabhuji’s mind while sitting miles away. Both of them had achieved the causeless grace of Shri Mahaprabhuji which enabled them to overcome all obstacles and to ultimately relish the nectar of Shri Krishna’s devotion.
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