Vallabhacharya Jayanti

Vallabhacharya, born in the house of Telang Brahmin Lakshman Bhatt and mother Ilamma Garu, spent most of his time in Kashi, Prayag, and Vrindavan. He received his education in Kashi and propagated his thoughts there. Lord Krishna is considered the Supreme God, and it is believed that his blessings can aid any individual in attaining salvation.

The great devotee of Maha Prabhu Lord Krishna, Shri Vallabhacharya, was born around 1479 CE on the Vaishakh month's Ekadashi, during the Krishna Paksha. His birthplace was a location called Champaranya, situated between Chhattisgarh and Raipur. Vallabhacharya Jayanti is celebrated as his birthday, and on this day, the sacred Varuthini Ekadashi is also observed.

Appearance of Vallabhacharya

Once upon a time, in the village of Kankarwad in Telang, there lived a Brahmin named Lakshman Bhatt. His wife's name was Illama. Both were devoted followers of Lord Krishna. They made a resolution to perform 100 Soma yagnas with the desire for a son. Lakshman Bhatt was on his way to Kashi to organize a feast for hundred Brahmins on the completion of the Soma yagna when his pregnant wife Illama accompanied him.

On their way, beneath a Shami tree in Champaranya, Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya was born at the exact moment of completing the Yagna. At the time of birth, he did not show any signs of movement. Believing him to be dead, his parents placed him under the tree, covering him with leaves, and proceeded to Kashi, where they later sat in Hermitage.

Exhausted from their journey, they soon fell asleep. In a dream, Lord Krishna appeared and assured them that their soma yagna was successful, and they had obtained a son. He questioned why they had left the child there. Immediately, Lakshman Bhatt and Illama rushed back to where they had left the child, accompanied by their followers. Upon reaching there, they found an astonishing radiance surrounding the child. Flames encircled him, as if protecting the infant. From that moment, everyone began to consider Vallabhacharya as an incarnation of lord Agni,

Elementary education and its functions

His early education commenced in the city of Kashi. At the tender age of 13, he had already acquired complete knowledge of the Vedas. Such was his scholarly and intelligent nature that he could defeat anyone in debates and discussions, earning him fame in the field of Shastrartha (philosophical discourse). His expertise in Shastrartha further contributed to his reputation.

Being an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna, he imparted teachings of the path of devotion to Surdas, making him his disciple. Vallabhacharya had a total of 84 disciples, including notable ones such as Surdas, Krishnadas, Kumbhandas, and Paramanand Das.

Vallabhacharyaji's message

At a time when people in India lacked an understanding of spirituality, Vallabhacharya tirelessly went from place to place, spreading the devotion of Lord Shri Krishna. He convinced people that, no matter how powerful the challenges may be, one should never abandon their path. He emphasized that God is omnipresent, and maintaining faith in Him is essential. He asserted that God will undoubtedly come to our aid for protection.

One of his main messages was that to attain salvation, one should engage in devotion to Lord Shri Krishna, as spiritual study is the key to liberation from internal suffering. Vallabhacharya’s doctrine states that the eternal truth (Sat Tatva) is indestructible. In the struggle between truth and falsehood, moving away from the eternal truth leads to a lack of qualitative development of individuals. Without this development, one cannot comprehend the correct understanding of truth and falsehood.

Achievements of Vallabhacharya ji

Vallabhacharya established the Pushti Marg, emphasizing devotion, love, and service as the primary means to attain God. He promoted the philosophy of Shuddhadvaita, where the individual soul (jiva) is considered a divine part of Brahman. Shuddhadvaita is a branch of Advaita Vedanta that emphasizes complete unity between God and the individual soul.

Vallabhacharya composed works in two languages, Braj and Sanskrit. He authored sixteen major texts on devotion, including Yamunashtak, Balbodh, Siddhantmuktavali, Pushtipravahmaryadabheda, Siddhantarahasya, Navratnastotra, Antahkaranaprabodh, Vivekdhairyashraya, Shrikrishnashraya, Chatushloki, Bhaktivardhini, Jalbhed, Panchpadyani, Sannyasnirnay, Nirodhlakshan, and Sevaphal.

Vallabhacharya's contribution to the development of the path of devotion is of paramount importance. His teachings played a crucial role in bringing about social and religious reforms in society, inspiring people to stand against social injustices. Vallabhacharya significantly influenced the Vaishnavism by introducing his doctrines, contributing to the upliftment of the Vaishnav community.

Family Introduction

Vallabhacharya's marriage took place with Mahalakshmi. They had two sons named Gopinath and Vitthal Nath.

Vallabhacharya's death

Vallabhacharya's 84 meetings, 84 disciples and 84 books are famous. Apart from these books, Vallabhacharya composed many more books and hymns. At Hanuman Ghat in Kashi, Vallabhacharyaji gave the last teachings to his two sons Gopi Nathji and Vitthalnathji in the presence of his chief devotee Damodardas Harsani and other Vaishnavas. Then he fasted for about 40 days, observed silence and took Jal Samadhi in Ashadh Shukla Samvat 1587.

The festival of Vallabhacharya Jayanti is celebrated with great joy. His birthday is celebrated on a special day which is also called Varuthini Ekadashi. It is celebrated by devotees in different parts of India such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. On this day, temples are beautifully decorated with beautiful flowers. People perform many rituals throughout the day and some observe fast. They also offer special prayers and listen to speeches about Vallabhacharya. It is a day of honor to Vallabhacharya and Lord Krishna.

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