What is religion?
A power that sustains a human being.
What is the function of this power?
Religion is a discipline and behavior of mind to cultivate mental peace and happiness.
What are the consequences if a human being does not accept religion?
The human being will be just like an animal.
If a human being does not like religion, then?
Religion is not the matter of liking or disliking, one who does not accept religion, does in practional life, follow religion.
How?
Respect to parents, love to friends, clean living the type of behavior means the acceptance of religion.
When was Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya born?
On ‘Vaishakh Krishna Ekadashi’, Samvat 1535.
Was the Christian era not in practice that time?
He being Indian (Bharati-yah), it is apt to date his birth from Hindi era of Vikramaditya the Vedic way. Even then, if you are interested to know as per Christian era, it was 1478 A.D.
Where was Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharyaji born?
He was born in Champaranya of Madhya Pradesh. Now a days it is known as Champaran.
Were his ancestors from Madhya Pradesh?
No. They were from Andhra Pradesh.
Which Place of Andhra Pradesh?
From Kakarvada please.
By what nickname his ancestors were known there?
They were known as Belunad or Vellunadu.
What was his father's name?
Shri Laxman Bhatt (Dixit).
Was his Gotra 'Dixit'?
No, his Gotra was ‘Bha-rad-dwaj’. He was Tai-lang Brahmin.
Why then 'Dixit'?
They were inspired for 100 Som Yajnas (Yagya’s) and anointed (ceremonially appointed) as the doer of Yajnas (as Yajmans or Yagya’s). Hence their nickname was ‘Dixit’.
What was the concern of Mahaprabhuji with Jaunpur?
Sikandar Lodhi defeated Sultan of Jaunpur and lived there for sometime. Mahaprabhuji desired to exercise his divine power to retroact this anti Hindu Sultan thus subsiding his anti Hindu (Vedic) activities.
What next? Did he come to Mathura?
After Gokul, he went to Mathura and established his residential quarter at Govind Ghat.
For what purpose did he live on Govind Ghat?
Once, at night Shrinathji appeared in his sleep and told him that it was the proper time to reveal his idol from Holy Mountain Giriraj.
Who was with him that time?
His dear disciple, Damodar Das Harsani was sleeping with him. But only Mahaprabhuji had the glimpse of Shrinathji.
What then?
Next day morning (Shravan Sudi 12th, Sam-vat 1550) Mahaprabhuji indoctrinated ‘Samarpan Mantra’ to Damodar Das. He also wrote the holy book ‘Sidhanta Rahasya’.
For how much time was he in Braj?
He made the Brajwasis free from the terror of Sultani administration and in Samvat 1553 he left Braj.
When did he come back to Braj?
In ‘Samvat 1556’ he came back to Braj for the Second time.
At that time, what was the political situation of Braj?
It was worse than before. Sikandar Lodhi was a terror because he was destroying the temples and had prohibited the repairs of old temples.
What did Mahaprabhuji do for it?
He faced the cruel administrators. Being a great personality he went to Goverdhan, where as per request of Mahaprabhuji, Shri Madhvendra Puri was serving Shri Gopal secretly.
What did he do there?
He placed the swaroop of Srinathji, in the building of temple complex constructed on the peak of the Sacred Mountain to prove his boldness.
Was he not stopped by Lodhi's soldiers?
Before the divine image nobody dared so.
How was the swaroop found?
Saddu Pande, was of village Anyor. His cow used to go for grazing. On return homewards, she poured showers of her milk from her nipples on a particular stone of the Holy Mount daily.
Why?
Because below that Holy stone, the swaroop of ShriKrishna (Srinathji) was there. Mahaprabhuji revealed Shri Thakurji’s presence and named Him Shri Govardhan Nath (also known as our very Dear) Shrinathji and placed the swaroopji in a Kach-cha Temple.
Who was appointed for the service of temple?
Saddu Pande, Manikchand Pande, Ramdas Chauhan, Kumbhan Das and Achyu-th Das all were appointed for the service. Ramdas Chauhan was appointed for praying for the necessary services. Other Braj dwellers used to co-operate with him, Kumbhandas used to do ‘Kirtan’ (recitation of names of Sri Krishna collectively)
How was the condition of the temple changed?
A devotee, Puranmal Khatri from Ambala came for Braj pilgrimage. He arranged for making, it into a Puck-ka Temple.
Was he not afraid of Sultan's rule?
Yes, he was.
Did he express his desire to Mahaprabhuji? And then what?
Within no time Mahaprabhuji removed his fear.
Who built the temple?
The construction work was given under the supervision of an architect, Hiraman, who was from Agra.
Was Mahaprabhuji present there all the time?
No. He was on pilgrimage towards Pandhar-pur in Maharashtra after giving a start to temple. Meanwhile, no one could dare stopping the construction of Temple.
Which Diety's Darshan did Mahaprabhuji do in Pandhar-pur?
There he had the glimpse of Maharaj Vithales-war and was very happy. There he got the inspiration from the Deity.
What then?
He came to Shri Giri-raji, in Jati-pura Anyour.
What then?
The construction of the temple had been completed in these 20 years by Puranmal Khatri. He celebrated there the Placing Ceremony (Stha-pana) of God Shri-Nath-Ji. Shri Kumbhan-das-ji and Sur-das-ji were appointed as ‘Kir-tan-yas’ (singers) for God Shri-Nath-Ji.
What about his married life?
On Bha-dra-pad Krishna 12, 1568, his first son was born. He was named ‘Gopi-nath’. He was born in the village Devan-shu, which is close to Adail.
Had he the only son?
No, the second son was born to him on Magh Badi 9,1572 in the village ‘Char-nar’.
Didn't Shiva followers of Kashi come to differnces with Shri Vallabh-acharya-ji in respect to Religious Variance?
No. Rather the thinkers of other Sects used to come to his house to have their doubts, resolved.
Did he satisfy them?
In this regard Maha-prabhu-ji found out a way. Every morning he used to write an article on the wall of Rashi Vishwanath Temple in advance. Reading those articles the doubts of thinkers were removed automatically without even them questioning.
How many days did he carry on this practice?
He did it for 30 days and wrote 30 articles.
Are those articles available now?
Yes, Not only Maha-prabhu-ji’s followers but thinkers of other sects also wrote them down. At present this collection is available in the name of “Patra-wa-lam-banam”.
What about his sons, how did they fare?
Both sons were intellectuals as their father.
Which ceremony was celebrated by Maha-prabhu-ji in Champa-ranya?
At the time of “Vasanto-utsav”of God Gopi-Vallabh-Shri-Krishna he celebrated there cradle function.
What did Maha-prabhu-ji do for the propagation of his tenets and principles?
When he was in the stage of a small boy he traveled without shoes through forests, villages. He carried on this practice for about one year and spread his ideology in all directions.
Didn't Mahaprabhuji go to the Ganga-sagar (a holy place)?
Yes, he did, from that moment he cherished a change in his outlook.
What?
In the dream he was ordered by God that he was to quit the world and go back to ‘Golok Dham’.
Did Mahaprabhuji go to Golok?
No, first he went to Adail, where he was living those days.
What did he think there?
He detailed his future plan.
What was it?
The service of Giri-raj Temple should be performed in a proper way.
What did he do for it?
He first trained his sons, imparting them adequate knowledge, the theme of his philosophy.
Anything else?
After making his sons strong as per his desire, he determined to go to Kashi to take “Tri-dand-Sanyas”. (Complete renunciation)
What is the meaning of "Tri-dand-Sanyas"?
“Tri-dand-Sanyas” means to give up home, food and speech.
When did he accept it?
In Samvat 1587 in Kashi at Hanuman Ghat accepting this Sanyas he fixed his seat under a tree.
Did he give up everything?
Yes, giving up all domestic happiness, he sat on the place constantly meditating.
What did Maha-prabhu-ji do that time?
He called his sons.
When……?
After 40 days.
Why?
He called them to give them final lesson.
How did he advise them as Tri-dand-Sanyas was accepted by him?
Writing on the sand by fingers.
What did he write?
He advised his sons never to be money minded and greedy.
Anything else?
God Shri Krishna’s importance is always above all.
Anything else?
God Shri Krishna is the Supreme and the Ultimate Power.
Didn't he tell them how to pray to God Shri Krishna?
God Shri Krishna should be prayed with transcendental spirit. God Shri Krishna is everywhere.
Any example of how should it be done?
With Love, which is uncommon, as it was in the heart of Yashoda and Gopies.
Did his sons accept it?
Yes, of course, by heart.