Govindadas, a Brahmin from Mathura
Varta 33 from 252 Vaishnavs
Govindadas is a tamas bhakta. His his lila name is Nrityakala. She is beloved to Shri Chandravali as well as an accomplished dancer.
In this world, Govindadas was born into a Brahmin family in Mathura. As a young man, he was very worldly and kept the association of prostitutes, worldly singers and watched dance shows. He also danced and sang and enchanted anyone who saw him. He was famous.
Once when Shri Gusainji was in Mathura, someone mentioned, "Shri Gusainji enjoys song and dance." When Govindadas went to see Shri Gusainji, he was immediately spellbound. The Bhakti master asked him, "Govindadas, come to Gokul and dance before my Child Krshna, Shri Navanita Priyaji ."
Govindadas agreed and later arrived in Gokul. When he began his dance before Child Krshna he was enchanted. Suddenly Child Krshna granted him His divine darshan and Govindadas fell unconcious to the floor. Shri Gusainji then called out to him, "Govindadas, arise! Now your eyes will always be filled with His vision."
From that moment, Krshna remained embedded in his eyes. Shri Gusainji later initiated him and gave him some of his beetle nut. As soon as he tasted it, he attained knowledge of both Shri Gusainji and Shri Mahparbhuji lila forms. From that day, Govindadas sang songs in praise of Shri Mahaprabhuji. Shri Gusainji was pleased with him and soon after these events, he became Shri Gusainji's personal attendant.
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Whenever Shri Gusainji made Shri Navanita Priyaji's ornamentation, he would put bells on his ankles and dance before Child Krshna. Once, on Shri Radha's appearance day, Shri Gusainji accompanied by all of his sons, went to Raval, the birthplace of Shri Radha.
Meanwhile, back in Gokul, as Shri Gusainji's daughter Shobha Betiji was attending to Shri Navanita Priyaji seva, Govindadas danced before Shri Navanita Priyaji. Once again, while dancing before God, he became totally lost in Krshna's ras. Suddenly, the bells atttached to one foot broke. Shri Navanita Priyaji immediately took off one of His anklets and gave it Govindadas. Govindadas, unaware of anything else, continued his dance, uninterrupted.
Many hours later, after sunset, when Shri Gusainji and his sons returned from Raval to Gokul, the guru heard that Shri Navanita Priyaji's seva was not completed. When he entered temple to find out what had happened, Child Krshna explained, "Don't worry about the delayed. I am having a great time."
Govindadas continued to danced before Child Krshna until after midnight. Shobha Betaji then combined the afternoon and everning offerings and after waving the arati lights, she put Shri Navanitipriyaji to sleep.
Govindadas, was a great vessel of Shri Gusainji's grace, a great bhakta. He continued, from time to time, to dance before Child Krshna. He was always intoxicated with devotion and full of his guru's grace. His story has no end. To what extent can his account be praised!
This was kindly translated by Shyamdas.
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