Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharyaji

Proponent of the Shuddhadvaita (Pure Nondualism)…

Founder of the Pushtimarg…

Devotional Philosopher…

One of the five main acharyas in India, the other being Aadi Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbakacharya and Ramanujacharya…

Vallabha means “dear one”…

Born today, that is the 11th day of the dark half of lunar month of Chaitra at Champaranya…

Son of Illamma and Lakshman Bhatta…

People say that His was a still birth so parents left Him under a tree wrapped in white clothes… Later Shree Krishna appeared in their dreams to tell them that it is He who had arrived in this form and is well alive… Parents rushed back to the place to find the kid alive…

Studied Vedas at a very young age and earned the title of “Baal Saraswati”… Participated in many debates and earned the titles of “Acharya” and “Jagadguru” at the age of 12…

Later travelled throughout India, not once, not twice but Thrice to explain Krishna bhakti and spread Vaishnavism…

He gave discourses on Bhagwat at 84 different places known as “Baithakji” (seats of learning) today…

In Gokul he initiated his first disciple and laid the foundations of what we know today as Pushtimarg (Path of Grace)… He made the first Vaishnava by giving / teaching him the important “Brahma Sambandh” (Realisation of a person’s relation with the Almighty)…

While travelling through India, His deity guru Vitthalnath of Pandharpur commanded Him to maary and He married to Mahalaxmi with whom he had two sons ‘Gopinathji’ and ‘Vithalnathji’ (fondly known as Gusainji)…

He took his samadhi at a very young age of 52 into the waters of the Ganges at Kashi…

His work “Madhurashtakam” is a lucid yet romantic version of His for Shrinathji… In it, He glorifies Shrinathji and all His activities, ending every verse with the line “Madhuradhipate Akhilam Madhuradhipate” (every act of the Lord is madhur)… Madhur as a noun means sweet, tender, full; as an adjective means melodious, beautiful, sweet…

Many works of His are still read and tried to be understood by His followers…

His lineage too continues through the children of Gopinathji and Vithalnathji and is popularly known as “Vallabha Kula”…

His philosophy of Shuddhadvaita is unique… He propounds that if everything has come from the Brahman (quoting Brihadarnyak Upanishad) then there is no different form then Brahman Himself… Maya according to Him is Ishvara himself… He also says that He (God) is known when He (God) manifests Himself through the world…

Such a personality is called a Mahaprabhu… Our seer’s called him so meaning He is the greatest of the Gods… Revered Pandurang Shastriji Athavale explains it in his own simple way that “Jo Bhagwaan no milne bulaaye aur unhe aana pade woh Mahaprabhu”, (the lord upon being called, is compelled to come to meet, such is a Mahaprabhu)

On His Birthday, just bow down to him and ask for His blessings to move a step further to understand God…

Shree Krishnarpanamastu….