Chapter 7: Shri Narayan Bhatt Ji – The great Gaudia Vaishnav

Shri Narayan Bhatt Ji – The great Gaudia Vaishnav. Narayan Bhatt Ji is ardently sung in Bhaktmaal ji. Several of us act as ardent devotees of Braj actually only pretend to love Braj. Only Narayan Bhatt Ji is considered to be a true devotee of Braj as he was the one who discovered, unveiled and restored the various, innumerable places of transcendental past times of Krishna & Radha Rani. Many feel that service to Braj Bhoomi a not a service to the Lord. They do so in ignorance. They are not to be blamed. Actually, a Jeev gradually turns into the kind as personality he normally keeps company off. Vices which come in their natural form are identifiable by Jeev. However, when vices and ill philosophy come in the guise of good advices and teachings, they are not recognized by Jeev Atma and it destroys him. An example is Kaalname, demon which came guised as a saint and befooled Hanuman Ji. In fact Hanuman ji was almost about to receive initiation from him. When evil comes in the guise of goodness, it is difficult to recognize it. In fact evil can approach one even in the form of guru. Shiv ji once told Parvati ji that none can do spiritual good to a Jeev Atma, be it a Guru, a Husband, a Father, or a Brother. The learned ones have explained this saying that Shukracharya too was a Guru. Had king Bali followed his Guru Shukracharya then he would not have been recognized as the Great Acharaya of Aatmanivedan Bhakti. Hirankashyap too was a father; Kaikayee too was a mother, Raavan too was a Brother, Duryodhan a King (Lord). Hence it is clear that only God…Krishna is the one who can lead to salvation, Krishna alone not a Father, Brother or Guru. Therefore, it is the kind of company one keeps that determines his thoughts and character. Here, Nabha ji who created Bhakta Maal has considered only Narayan Bhatt Ji as a true devotee of Braj because the way he served Braj Dham, none has been able to do so up till now. Bhahta Maal says that God himself created Narayana Bhatt ji and he is the only one God himself empowered to serve Braj. Hence, Bhakta Maal says “God personally created Narayan Bhat Ji and not Bhrama who creates the material world. “God sent him to serve Braj. He was the only one God selected to serve Braj. And what did Narayan Bhatt Ji do. Various 12 Purans mention and describe Braj and its leela sthalis(places of transcendental past times of RadhaKrishna). They were all lost, and forgotten. He rediscovered, restored and rejuvenated them and their significance. He became known to the world. Not only was he a true Braj Dham devotee and did he rediscover, decorate and rejuvenate Braj, was he a great preacher too. A great river of Bhakti always flowed from him. Satsung was a perpetual part of him. As a lotus is always surround by nectar stealing bees, great devotees always stuck around him to taste the great Bhakti nectar that flowed from him.f Bhakti Sudha ko Sindhu , Sada Satsung Samagam Param Rasagya ananya, Krishna leela ko bhajan Gyan Samarath pakshya ko na hin ko khandan kiyo. Even the great Nabha Ji asserts that he was ananya. People like us quickly declare to be ‘ananya’ just like that. Whether others agree or not, we within ourselves quickly claim to be ‘ananya’. All this is ignorance. The knowledge of samarth (smrithi scriptures) was reputed by him with ease. In smrithi understanding, karma has been placed greater importance. It has no bond with Bhakti. It places impediments against Bhakti. He refuted them. He did so not with any malice towards it or to prove his supremacy of knowledge but out of sheer will for Jeev Atma’s deliverance. God created Narayan Bhatt Ji himself. Why so? It is said in Vallabh sampradhay that only Bhaghwat Sristi on Deavi Sristi (God’s personal creation not Brahma’s Creation) has the potency to deliver Jeev Atma. Only Deavi Jeev (Gods own created Jeev) can liberate a fellow Jeeva atma. Only he can grant Bhakti to a Jeev Atma. Only they are Mahapurshas. People like us carry in our heart’s desires, money, ladoos and peda (sweets). How can we grant any one Bhakti. We can only grant desires because that is what we have in our hearts. Bhakti can only be preaced and granted by those who carry Bhakti in their hearts. A person with desires in his heart cannot preach Bhakti. He will only spread desires. Narayan Bhat Ji was a creation of God, a deavi Jeev.i Hence Nabha ji declared Narayan Bhatt Ji to be one of a kind, not a Bhrama creation. Such a Mahapurush was Narayana Bhat Ji . Priya Das ji said “Bhat ji Narayan Ji bhaye Braj parayan” .Narayan Bhatt ji was a true devotee of Braj Bhoomi. Why? “Jaye jahi gram” ….He used to visit various villages of Braj. He then used to meditate and dwell upon the leelas that were performed there and finally unveil them. Brijwasis had long forgotten them. None of them remembered anything at all. “Taha vrat Kani dhyag hai Boli key soonavay yaha amokh ko swaroop hai Leela kund shyam pragat dikhaye hai Thor thor raas key vilas naye prakash kiye Jiya yo rasik jan koti sookh paye hai Mathura te poochi chalo beni pooche beni kaha Uchay gaom aay khodi shroti laoye likhaye hai” Braj had disappeared. Thus, he became determined to serve Braj. Now, how was one to ascertain where which leela occurred? He used to sit and meditate in the various sites he visited in Braj. Braj had totally disappeared. Nobody could identity even Radha kund, Shyam kund or others. If your goal is pure, God certainly blesses and helps. Let’s not forget that God hasn’t left for anywhere. He is still around. He still is the same God that had revealed truth to Nayaran Bhatt ji. God used to enlighten verbally to Narayan Bhatt ji in his meditations that following certain leelas took place in following such places. Krishna used to place visuals of various leela sthalis to Narayan Bhatt Ji. This is how he revealed Braj. He is considered to be a true devotee of Dham. “Another thing that he did” say Priyadas ji “was to preach Raas at all places”. A very sad issue is that various Sampradays claim to have revealed Raas leelas themselves. There is a big dispute over which sampraday rediscovered ‘Raas’ leela. Priyadas ji says “Thor Thor”. He says that not only did Narayan Bhatt Ji rediscover Kunds, leela sthalis in various villages, he also preached ‘Raas Leelas’ there. This was his special role. He left not a village unexplored and served all Brijwasis. He was a ture devotee of Braj Dham. A great satisfaction and pleasure was obtained by Brijwasis from Narayan Bhatt Ji During Narayan Bhatt Ji’s period a miracle occurred. During Maagh Month, people used to go for a holy dip kalpwas at Triveni Prayagraj, the confluence of Ganga, Jamuna, Saraswati Rivers. Narayan Bhatt Ji was told that some Brajwasis were leaving for Praya Raaj. Narayan Bhatt Ji told them to halt as he could get them the same holy dip of Prayaag Raaj in Braj itself. They were surprised as the holy confluence; Prayaagraaj was too far from Braj. Narayan Bhatt Ji assured them that it truly was in Braj itself and he took them for a view of the confluence. He took them to a place in Uchagaon (situated near his present samadhi place) and dug the ground there. All three rivers (Ganga, Jamuna, Saraswati) could be seen in the dug up well. When Prayaag Raaj (the demi God of the teerth) heard of it, he was saddened. He personally appeared there disguised as a Brahman. He met and told Narayan Bhatt Ji that what he did was not spiritual and in accordance to scriptures. “Do you not know that Triveni is in Prayaag”. Narayan Bhatt Ji got a little annoyed. It is said that Narayan Bhatt was Narad Ji’s avatar while he was Prayaag Raaj himself. A great spiritual debate ensued which lasted 7 days and nights. At the end of 7th day, Prayaag Raaj gave up his Brahmical disguise and appeared in his original form he re-introduced himself as Prayaag Raaj and then similarly Narayan Bhatt Ji revealed his original identity of Naarad Ji. The issue at hand was a serious one and becoming difficult to solve. Nabhaji called for Triveni herself to appear and so did Prayaag Ji reasoning that it was thevery place she dwells. She appeared in front of them both. Narayan Bhatt Ji who was in his real form Naradji and Prayaag Raaj both aggravated, saw Triveni descend from the sky while they sat facing each other. Narayan Bhatt Ji asked Triveni to clarify whether he was right in his declaration or not. So did Prayaag Raaj. She agreed and declared that justice shall be done. It is true indeed that I stay in Prayaag Raaj and yet what Naraad ji claims is right too. She said that when Krishna had slew Aristasur demon, who had come in the guise of bullok, all Brijwani had declared that he has sinned. “The offence of cow slaughter is over him now”. They said “whether or not the bullock was a demon, the important issue remained that it was cattle breed”. They then declared him as an untouchable. Krishna asked for atonement and hence was told by Brijwasis to go for holy dips in all religious place “teerth snans”. Even Radha Rani and Gopis said the same. Such was the devotion to cows by Radha Rani herself. Krishna said that “If I were to go and bathe in all teerth, I shall come back in a second and you all shall not believe me. Already you all hardly believe my words”. Such is the leela (transcendental interactions) of God. Brajwasis used to say “What is so great about Nand’s son. All he has is a few more cows than us. What is the big deal ?. It does not make him any more superior than us. Why does he pretend to be the Boss amongst us then “? Krishna, then brought all the pious bathing site (teerth sthalas) to Braj (Shyam kund) later, Radha rani created Radha Kund. Trivani declared that “It is since then that I have been staying in Braj. So Narayan Bhatt Ji too is right. God gave me this golden chance to dwell in Braj Dhaam. How can I have let gone this opportunitiy. Krishna had then bathed in Shyam Kund while all teerth sthan( piuous bathing places) introduced themselves as they entered Shyam Kund.. However, the cowmaids (gopis) of Braj Dham went a step forward and amusingly declared that from now Shyam Kund is unfit for bathing as Krishna has washed his cow slaughter sins in it and hence polluted it. Now what? It is difficult to satisfy Brajwasi as they said to be dumb villagers. The Gopis then extolled Radha Rani to create a different water tank (kund) for them to use and be purified. So, Radha Rani dug a kankad kund (Radha Kund). “Radha Kund Shyam Kumd, Giri Goverdhan Madhur Madhur Bansi Baje, Sheye to Vrindanam” Prayagraj was satisfied as Krishna had actually got all teerth to Braj. Trivani said that whoever uses Braj Raj(soil of braj) on his forehead does not need to visit Triveni in Allahabad – Prayag. Braj bhoomi upasak Bhatt so Rachi Pachi Hari ek hi kiyo Gopay sthall Mathura Mandal Narayan Bhatt Ji was a true devotee of Braj. Only one who serves can be called a devotee. Why was Narayan Bhatt Ji called a devotee of Braj? He was the one who rediscovered Braj sites accordiding to the 12 puranas which mention them. He is known by the entire word for this true service to God. The lord clearly sees who amongst all is actually serving him. The glory of such true servants of Krishna are eternal and cannot be subdued by misinformation or criticism, Narayan Bhatt Ji distinguished service to Braj was seen by the entire word. One can be termed a devotee only when one is engaged in seva (service). One who shies away from sewa, one who is lazy can never become a devotee (people like us), A true servant of lord merely serves and that is his true devotion and spiritual endeavor. It is recognized by the Lord only and is difficult to ascertain by people like us. Prayagraj has great significance. It has dasashwame ghat where Brahmaji had completed 10 asuamed yagma at the dawn of creation. He had crowned Prayagraj as the king of all teerthas. Like God, exulted souls- Mahapurush also descend on earth (avatar). Now, it is impossible for us to do what avatars do. They do not belong to Brahmaji’s creation which is material. It has been declared right in the beginning that Narayan Bhatt Ji was a creation of Krishna himself. God created a single example only. It is but one sun that illuminates the entire world. Only one moon provides som nectar to the whole world. Similarly, at a give time period there is only mahapurash who is unparallel. Hence, great devotees have been considered as avtaars. They are not born like normal humans neither one their karmas. As God (Gita Slok) says that my birth, actions are all spiritual similarly great saint have unusual births and actions than that of average people like us. Their life’s action are not average. When Narayan Bhatt Ji appeared(was born) in Maduma town in Southern India it was Narsingh Chatur dashi. Yashomati was his mother; father Bhaskar Bhatt and elder brother Gopal Bhatt. His birth kunldi presented Godly qualities and hence he was named Narayan. He used to bathe in the Godawari River and at the tender age of 12 created a scripture called Braj Deepika though he lived at home. Once their Lordship - Shri. Radha Krishna appeared to him and advised him to go to Braj, rediscover and illuminate it as it had almost disappeared.. They gave him the dieties of Ladlay Lal Thakur Ji asked him to serve them. They told him that the deity of Ladlay Lal.shall direct him in his Braj discoveries to come.. Narayan Bhatt Ji left for Braj and reached Goverdhan in 2 ½ years time. There were no trains or cars in those days and he had to walk with Ladlay Lal Ji all the way. It must have been a fascinating travel. These days’ travels are all about comfort and speed. It tools him 2 ½ long years to reach Goverdhan ji. During those days Shri. Madan Mohanji (deities) used to reside at Radha Kund (They are now at Karoli these days). They are sidh deities of Shri. Sanathan Goswami. These sidh deities, arch avatars were not ordinary deities. Although they appear as statues, when served with true devotion, used to appeared in person to devotees. In those days, Madan Mohan Ji were at Radha Kund and so was Sanathan Goswami Ji. A great devotee Krishnadas Bhramachari too was at Radha Kund and was serving their lordship. They all were great devotees. When NARAYAN BHATT JI reached Radha Kund it was night time. Their Lordship Madan Mohan Ji had already had their Raajbhoj and were asleep. The temple’s doors were shut only to be opened at morning (Uthapan). Narayan Bhatt Ji had reached after a tiring lengthy walk with Ladlay Lal Ji closely held in his arms for 2 ½ years. When Narayan Bhatt Ji reached the temple gates, unsurprisingly, they suddenly opened up wide by themselves. The Lord too welcomes true devotees himself. Narayan Bhatt Ji had come to Braj with sheer pure devotional feelings. A true devotee views Braj Dham with a different paradigm. As Narayan Bhatt Ji appeared at the temple, the gates opened with a thump. People saw this miracle. He paid his obeisance to their Lordship Shri.Madan Mohan Ji. The lord then appeared in person and even explained the purport of Mantras. A lot of people say that God cannot become a Guru. He is never a Guru. They are wrong. Krishna personally explained the purport of Yugal Mantra. The lord kept talking to Narayan Bhatt Ji People could make out that someone was in conservation behind the locked temple doors. Even Sanatan ji came to the place. So did Krishna Das Brhamchari .The could see this Lordship Shri. Madan Mohan Ji talk to Narayan Bhatt Ji. They were all sidha Mahapuru. Thakur Ji (Their Lordship Madan Mohan Ji) explained about sampradaya, sewa, parampara. Narayan Bhatt Ji, was the first one to re-discover Radha kund ,Shyam Kund although Chaitanya Mahapurush had discovered and presented it earlier. It’s a known fact that teerth places fade into oblivion and are rediscovered repeatedly. This Braj is the same Braj where its people, the Brajwasis used to sing about Krishna constantly. It is the same Braj now where Brijwasis need to be told and forced to sing keertans , harinaam and organize Prabhat Feries. The numerous fading aways and rediscoveries of Braj and its culture are but gestures of Krishna. Narayan Bhatt Ji restored various kunds( stepwells ) of Braj and hence was known as a great Braj Dham devotee. He beautified various pilgrimage places. The great deity of Ladli Ji (Radha Rani) that resides in Vrishbhaanu Mahal of Barsana appeared in front of Narayan Bhatt Ji. The Dauji & Revtiji deities of Uchagaon too appeared before Narayan Bhatt Ji . He personally served both deities. He spent 12 years at Radha Kund and later spent the rest of his lifetime in Uchagaon. Uchagaon is Lalita Sakhi’s village. He finally entered Krishna’s leelas from Uchagaon. There still exists a Samadhi there. This was how Thakurji (Krishna) had personally granted mantra to Narayan Bhatt Ji. The lord too turns Guru. People who don’t believe that the Lord himself can be a Guru are free to exercise their will. The fact remains that if a Jeeva truly and earnestly wishes, the lord does become Guru as in the case of Narayan Bhatt Ji. He was given the tittle of Braj Acharya. Nabha has called him Braj Upasak, as he had rediscovered all faded pilgrimage places. The vaishanav society of that period declared him as Braj acharaya. Narayan Bhatt Ji had also preached Raas Lila in several villages. This is actuall true devotional service to Braj Wasis. Spreading of Krishna Bhakti in Braj is true devotional service to Braj and Brajwasis. This is why Narayan Bhatt Ji was termed Braj Upasak on Braj Acharaya. This is true devotional service. Although I am no true saint or Sadhu, I have firm conviction that our Braj Goshala shall become the biggest Goshala someday. If is true earnesty and devotional mood ( bhav ), no power on earth can stop you from devotional service. Such is the power of true earnesty. The restoration Kunds, pilgrimage sites, teerth sthanas, Krishna naam seva are all true devotional service to the Lord. That is why he was called Braj Acharya. Several children used to live with Narayan Bhatt Ji and perform Raas Lila. He finally gave up his body in Uchagaon.