Lifesketch
of Shree Gopinathji
Shree Gopinathji, the elder son of Shri Vallabhacharyaji had born
on the 12th Day of he black half of the month of Asvin in the Samvat
1568. Shree Vallabhacharyaji reveived his full guidance & education.
He was very studious and extremely intelligent. To him the teaching
of his father were not mere doctriners to be studied and talked
about, but were principles to be followed sedulousy. The "Yajnopavita
Sanskra" (thread ceremony) of Shri Gopinathji was performed
in 1573. Apart from the studies of the comparative systems of ther
doctirnes, he was trained in Anu Bhasyam, Subodhini and other works
composed by Shri Vallabhacharyaji .The satvik and scholastic life
of his father had mouleded the young mind of Shri Gopinathji into
adopting a life of self discipline. He was a great scholar and wrote
a number of treaties to explain the inner workings of Pushti Marg
as set up by his father. Of all his works,the only one to survive
till date (in North India) is Sadhan Dipika.
It throws light on how the worship of the Lord might have been
in the early years of the sect. It is a wonderful text full of bhav
and gives precise instructions on acharan - the dos and don'ts of
the sect. Shri Gopinathji was so immersed in worshipping the Lord
and reading the 10th Canto of Shrimad Bhagvatam, that he would not
even have his meal till he had completed it. Ever compassionate,
Shri Vallabh composed Gopal Shastranama and instructed Gopinathji
to recite that text in place of the Shrimad Bhagvatam. This freed
up more time for Gopinathji to assist his father in spreading the
Pushti philosophy.
Shri Gopinathji's marriage took place at an early age. He had a
son, Shri Purushottamji and two daughter,Satyabhama and Lakshmi.
After the Shri Vallabhacharyaji, Shri Gopinathji had adorned the
seat of Acharya of the Sampradaya and he was much venerated by various
desciples. Retaining Krishnadas as the overall supervisor of the
management of the Shreenathji's mandir , he returned to ADEL. Shri
Gopinathji than spread the Shuddhadvait philosophy to various corners
of India. Like his great father before him, he toured India, expanding
and consolidating the influence of Pushti principles. With his great
debating skills, and unequalled mastery over Sanskrit, he convinced
the greatest scholars of the merits of Shuddhadvait philosophy.Thereafter
they had made it a practice that when one of the brothers was the
other would take care of the seva of Shri Govardhannathji at Jatipura.
During his own short, but fruitful period as the head of the sect,
he commissioned and increased the Seva of Shree Goverdhannathji
at Jatipura. He had performed one Somayajna in the tradition of
the family and later performed one Vishnuyagna. In Samvat 1618 he
undertook a long tour of Gujarat & Sindh. Shri Gopinathji had
been blessed with a son. Whenever Shri Gopinathji had gone on his
regular yatra of the country ,he used to leave his son Shri Purrshottamji
with his younger brother Shri Vithalnathji. Shri Purushottamji passed
away at thage of 12 years before Shri Gopinathji had returned from
his travels of Gujarat in the Samvat 1620 after a lapse of nearly
three years and considered divine hand behind this. After this event
Shri Gopinathji entrusted the reign of the Sampradaya into the able
hands of Shri Vitthalnathji.
Like his father ,Shri Gopinathji was very attached to Shri JagganNathji
of Puri in Orrisa. On one occasion, Shri Gopinathji helped reverse
a long drought by his prayers to the Lord and also granted the much-desired
boon of an heir to the royal family of Puri. All this and more are
recorded on palm manuscripts in the palace and temple library at
Puri. During his last visit to the Lord's inner sanctum, he was
overwhelmed with a divine desire to be one with the Lord. Like Shri
Chaitanya before him, he merged physically with the divine Lord
of the Universe in Puri.
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