Pushti Margiya Vaishnav Samaj Inc
Pushtidham Haveli (Ocala Fl)

A not for profit corporation. Federal ID # 27-2487275
14080 South West 20th Avenue Road Ocala FL 34473

Jai Shree Krishna

 

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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.