The Life story of Sri Gopinathji

Chap 2 : SRI GOPINATHJI : PARAMA BHAGAVATA :

It is said that the birth of Sri Gopinathji had taken place on the 12th day of the black half of the month of Asvin in the S. Y. 1568, soon after when Sri Vallabhacharya had completed a "Soma yajna" and was residing in the village called ADEL, near Prayaga.

TRAINED BY FATHER

Being the elder son he had received the fond care of his father and also full guidance in his education, ft is very obvious that his father had left long and deep impression on the young heir apparent.

SIMPLICITY PERSONIFIED

As one goes through the life of Sri Gopinathji - from whatever little evidence is available from the records - one would be compelled to believe that a course of simplicity ran through his veins. It appears that to him the teachings of his father were not mere doctrines to be studied and talked about in eloquence, but principles to be followed sedulously.

BIRTH OF SRI VITHALNATHJI

The birth of his younger brother Sri Vithalnathji took place four years later, on the 9th day of the black half of the month of Poush in S. Y. 1572.

It is believed that soon after completing the "Jata Karma Sanskaras" (Ceremonies connected with birth) of the 2nd son, Sri Vallabhacharya had taken both the children to Mount Sri Girraiji and had the "Charanasparsa" (touching the feet) of Sri Govardhannathji.

YAJNOPAVITA

The "Yajnopavita Sanskara" (thread ceremony) of Sri Gopinathji was said to have been performed in the S. Y. 1573 (no exact date was available) when Sri Vallabhacharya was staying in Varanasi. Soon after, as is the practice in cultured Hindu Brahmin families in those times, the real education of the young celebate into Vedic lore began in right earnest

COMPARATIVE STUDIES

Apart from the studies of the comparative systems of other doctrines he was trained in Anu Bhasyam, Subodhini and other works composed by his father.

The simple, Satvik and scholastic life of his father must have moulded the young mind of Sri Gopinathji into adopting to a life of self discipline and sacrifice.

NO CHRONOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

Just as it is difficult to put forth the life of Sri Vallabhacharya in a chronological order, so also it is next to impossibility to trace the events of the life of Sri Gopinathji for want of authentic documentary evidence.

MARRIAGE

But it is evident that the marriage of Sri Gopinathji took place at an early age before Sri Vallabhacharya had renounced and left the world. It is said that his marriage was performed in South Sri Gopinathji had one son, Sri Purushottamji and two daughters, Satyabhama and Lakshmi.

ACHARYA PITHA

It is mentioned briefly in Sri Yadunathji's "Vallabha Digvijaya", that after the passing of Sri Vallabhacharya Sri Gopinathji had adorned the seat of Acharya of the Sampradaya and that he was much venerated by various desciples. It is believed that he has done much for the propagation of Srimad Bhagavata Purana.

After completing the ceremonial rites of his father in Varanasi, he had returned to ADEL with his younder brother, mother and other members of family.

BENGALIS REMOVED

During this period he had received a complaint from the Adhikari Ramadasa that the Gauda Bengalies, to whom Sri Vallabhacharya had entrusted the seva of Sri Govardhannathji, were not fulfilling their duties faithfully. They had installed an Icon of a Devi called Brinda near Sri Govardhannathji inspite of the protests from the management.

In spite of the best efforts of Sri Gopinathji and Sri Vithalnathji the Bengalis refused to mend their ways and persisted in continuing the worship of Brinda, thus misusing the funds of the Mandir. At last the Adhikari was compelled to adopt coercive tactics. One day for some mysterious reason fire broke out in the tenements of Bengalis. So they ran helter-skelter to save their belongings. Taking this opportunity the Adhikari had the gates of the Mandir closed against them and thereafter entrusted the seva to Vaishnavas.

 

SEVA GIVEN TO SANCHIHARAS

At this juncture, it is understood that Sri Gopinathji and Sri Vithalnathji had offered the interior seva of Sri Govardhannithji like cooking etc., to their relatives. But it appears that this offer was declined by them. As such the two brothers had entrusted the seva to Sanchihara Brahmin.

Retaining Krishnadasa as the overall supervisor of the management of the mandir, they had returned to ADEL. Thereafter they had made it a practice that when one of the brothers was engaged in travels the other would take care of the seva of Sri GovardhaTinathji.

LONG YATRA

It is said that thereafter Sri Gopinathji had gone on a long trip of the whole of North, including Jagannathpuri, where his father had won a major victory over erudite scholars of Sankaramata. He started in the S. Y. 1595 and after visiting several piligrim centres and establishing the greatness of Sri Bhagavata Purana, had returned to ADEL in S. Y. 1601.

SOMA YAJNA

He had performed one Somayajna in the tradition of the family and later performed one Vishnuyajna. It is said that Sri Gopinathji had collected a lakh of rupees during this long trip. He had utilised the amount in increasing the seva of Sri Govardhannathji at Jatipura.

BHAGAVATA PURANA

It would not be out of place to mention an incident in the life of Sri Gopinathji connected with his zeal towards Bhagavata Purana. It was a practice with him, right from his youth, to read Sri Bhagavata Purana regularly. He was so obsessed with its reading that he would not even eat unless he would complete Sri Bhagavata.

PURUSHOTTAM SAHASRANAMA

Very much worried about this adamant attitude of Sri Gopinathji, Sri Vallabhacharya had composed one Stotra (a book praising the greatness) containing one thousand names of Purna Purushottama, all extracted from Sri Bhagavata Purana, and advised his son to read this work daily so that
he could have the same complete effect of reading Sri Bhagavata Purana. This "Purushottama Sahasranama Stotra", is one of the original works of Sri Vallabhacharya and is much venerated.

SECOND TOUR

Again in S. Y. 1618 he went on a long tour of Gujarat, Sindh and Dwaraka. During this period one very untoward incident had taken place when Sri Vithalnathji was at Jatipura attending to the seva of Sri Govardhannathji.

ADHIKARI KRISHNADASA

It is believed that the Adhikari Krishnadasa was having some relationship with one Gangabai, who was connected with the seva. This, it appears, Sri Vithalnathji resented. Adhikari was asked not to allow Gangabai into service. The Adhikari did not relish this interference into his personal life. So one day when Sri Vithalnathji was about to enter the premises of the Mandir to offer seva to Sri Govardhannathji he was prevented from entering the mandir.

STAY AT PARASOLE

Even though shocked by this unexpected treatment Sri Vithalnathji did not protest. Instead he went to stay in a nearby village called Parasole near Chandra Sarovar (a lake with that name). There, it is said, that he had spent a long time period thirsting for the glimpse of Sri Govardhannathji.

WRONG RECTIFIED

The news of this shocking treatment reached Sri Girdharji, the eldest son of Sri Vithalnathji. He immediately communicated with his uncle through courier, who was somewhere in Gujarat at that time. On receiving instructions from him, 'Sri Girdharji obtained court orders from Mathura and on the strength of it got the Adhikari arrested and allowed his father once again to have the benefit of seva and darshan of Sri Govardhannathji.

SRI PURUSHOTTAMJI

It had been stated already that Sri Gopinathji had been blessed with a son. But very little is known about him. Even the date of his birth was ambiguous since there were two versions of it. But one thing is certain that whenever Sri Gopinathji had gone out of ADEL on his regular
wanderings of the country (most probably following his tattlers instincts in this respect) he used to leave his son with his younger brother Sri Vithalnathji. One reason for this could be that since Sri Purushottamji was very young and the only son it might have been cumbersome to move around with a child, when the boy could find comparative comfort and companionship as Sri Vithalnathji had reared a considerably big family. Another reason might be that the young child was said to be of delicate health.

DEATH OF SRI PURUSHOTTAMJI

From the records available it is evident that this young and delicate boy passed away before Sri Gopinathji had returned from his travels of Gujarat. From whatever evidence could be gathered on the date of birth of this unfortunate child we observe that he passed away at the age of 12 in the S. Y. 1620.

A DEJECTED FATHER

Either Sri Gopinathji had been informed of the sad demise of his son by his brother through courier or he might have come to know about the unfortunate event when he returned after a lapse of nearly three years. When finally he had come to know about it he was completely dejected and might have felt that there was divine hand behind all this heart rending incident.

FATHER'S PREDICTION

At this turn of events in his life he might have recollected the words of his father who had predicted in confidence that the dynasty of Sri Gopinathji will not run long and that it would be only Sri Vithalnathji and his family members who would take the responsibility of carrying his tradition of Pusti Sampradaya.

MERGING IN SRI BALADEVJI

After this it appears that Sri Gopinathji had taken this shock very seriously. Soon after he had entrusted the reigns of the Sampradaya into the able hands of his brother and turned his face once again on wanderings. It is believed in the Sampradaya that during this period he had gone to Jagnnathpuri purposely and merged with the Swarupa of Sri Baladevji (the legendery brother of Sri Krishna) and disappeared.

Perhaps this event has given rise to the assumption in the tradition that Sri Gopinathji was an incarnation of Baladevji a Maryada Purusha (a person who strictly lives according to the concepts of Vedic Scriptures) contrary to what is believed to be Pusti Purushottama. Sri Vithalnathji is believed to be an incarnation of Pusti Purushottama like his divine father.

NO FRICTION

On going through the records available we find no evidence to show that there existed any kind of friction between the two brothers. In one of his letters written to his brother, Sri Vithalnathji had sent salutations and wrote thus : "I have stayed at the feet of Sri Govardhannathji till the end of festival of "Rasa". Since you have asked me not to go to Haridwara I have not gone. I was ill for some time and had to fast for ten days. But I have recovered and am well. There is nothing to worry. My oblations be conveyed to "Akka Amma" and others. The Vaishnavas here are sending their respects etc." Thus it is evident from the letters exchanged that Sri Vithalnathji had held his elder brother in high esteem and obeyed his instructions to the letter.

WIFE'S RESENTMENT

But from the way the wife of Sri Gopinathji had exhibited her resentment towards Sri Vithalnathji and Vaishnava disciples it can be assumed that she did not like the control of Sampradaya going into the hands of her brother-in-law.

TWO VERSIONS

There were two versions of this aspects. One version believes that Sri Purushottamji was existing and stayed with Sri Vithalnathji when Sri Gopinathji had gone on his final yatra and ultimately merged with the icon of Sri Baladevji at Jagnnatha Puri. Finding the boy young to hold the reigns of the Sampradaya a particular section of vaishnavas had requested Sri Vithalnathji to take charge of the Sampradaya.

Resenting to the attitude, it is alleged that she had gathered all the works of Sri Valabhacharya and also probably the works of Sri Gopinathji and went away to her parents house in South. There is no record of her ever returning back to either to Adel house or to the house at charanaut. How far this version is true we cannot say. It is said that all the works of Sri Vallabhacharya are available.

The second version is already mentioned on a previous occasion where Sri Vallabhacharya had fore-told Sri Gopinathji about the coming events in his life.

AWARENESS OF COMING EVENTS

It is quite possible that Sri Gopinathji was aware of how the events would take a turn in his life. It is quite apparent that from the very beginning he had turned his mind away from the household responsibilities and adapted a career of Vairagya or detachment inwardly, allowing his brother to take the greater part of the burden of the management of family and carrying the Sampradaya to its rightful course.

NO RECORDED DISCIPLES

There are no recorded disciples of Sri Gopinathji as can be found in the case of his father, the 84 prominent Vaishnavas, and also in the case of Sri Vithalnathji who had a recorded "252 Vaishnavas".

SADHANA DIPIKA : ONLY ONE WORK

Even though he was no mean scholar, (he had his primary education from his father himself) only one work credited to him is available. It is titled as "Sadhana Dipika". Even if he had written any other works we do not know for certain whether they were taken away by his wife. Even though the marriage of Sri Gopinathji with this lady was consummated through the efforts of Sri Janardana Bhatji, the brother of Sri Lakshman Bhatji, the father of Sri Vallabhacharya, who remained back in South to take care of the lands and properly of the ancestors of Sri Vallabhacharya there is no record to show to trace the whereabouts of the wife of Sri Gopinathji.

WAYS OF DIVINE BEING

The ways of the divine being are very strange and it is not for us to probe into reasons for divine will.