GokulanÃÂtha (December 14, 1551 - February 4, 1641) was an Indian religious figure of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga sect of Vaishnavism. GokulanÃÂtha was the fourth son of Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, and was the founder of the fourth house of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga. He wrote several theological works in Sanskrit, and is considered the progenitor of the sampradÃÂya's VÃÂrta tradition in the vernacular Braj Bhasha language.
GokulanÃÂtha was born on MÃÂrgaà Âërá¹£a suda 7, 1608 V.S. (December 14, 1551 CE) in the village of Adel, the fourth son of Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, head of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga sampradÃÂya. Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's father Vallabha had founded the sampradÃÂya. At the age of sixteen GokulanÃÂtha married an eight-year-old girl named PÃÂrvatë. GokulanÃÂtha had six children, the last three of which were boys: GopÃÂla, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalarÃÂya, and Vrajaratana, of which only Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalarÃÂya had any male issue. Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, before his death, distributed seven deities or svarà «pas of Kråṣá¹Âa amongst his sons, of which GokulanÃÂtha received the deity GokulanÃÂtha, which had previously been worshiped by the family of Vallabha's wife. After their father's death, GokulanÃÂtha's eldest brother Giridhara ordered the splitting of the family's residences. GokulanÃÂtha had to live separately, and took custody of his youngest brother Ghanaà ÂyÃÂma and nephew KalyÃÂá¹ÂarÃÂya (son of GovindarÃÂya). GokulanÃÂtha once made a journey to Gujarat where he engaged in preaching and conversion at several sites.
According to sectarian sources, GokulanÃÂtha defended the right of members of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga to wear their sectarian tilakas and tulasë mÃÂlÃÂs from a Shaiva-Tantric ascetic named Jadrup or Cidrà «pa who exerted great influence over the emperor Jahangir. This incident is considered to be of doubtful historicity by modern scholars.
GokulanÃÂtha was also involved in the dispute between his nephews DvÃÂrakeà Âa (son of BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa) and Madhusà «dana (son of YadunÃÂtha) over the deity BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa. BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa's service had been entrusted to YadunÃÂtha by Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, however the deity was jointly worshiped with DvÃÂrakÃÂnÃÂtha by YadunÃÂtha and his elder brother BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa. YadunÃÂtha's son Madhà «sà «dana later wished to worship the deity separately, however DvÃÂrakeà Âa refused to give BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa away. GokulanÃÂtha acknowledged Madhusà «dana's right to worship the deity separately, but within a year Madhà «sà «dana wanted to give BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa back to DvÃÂrakeà Âa. GokulanÃÂtha then had the cousins sign a contract resulting in DvÃÂrakeà Âa's custody of BÃÂlakråṣá¹Âa and Madhusà «dana's of an alternate idol.
GokulanÃÂtha initiated his grandnephew HarirÃÂy (son of KalyÃÂá¹ÂarÃÂya) into the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga sect.
Puá¹£á¹Âi records state that GokulanÃÂtha died on MÃÂgha vada 9, 1608 V.S. (February 4, 1641 CE) at the age of 89. Entwistle places his death in 1640 or 1647 CE.
GokulanÃÂtha wrote several works in Sanskrit, however lists of his work tend to be incomplete and incorrect. Among his original works include Tilakanirá¹Âaya, VijñÃÂpti, and à ÂrëvallabhÃÂcÃÂrya BhaktÃÂnÃÂá¹ NÃÂmÃÂvalë, however his authorship of these works is doubted by modern historians. He also wrote commentaries on the works of Vallabha and Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, mantras, and other subjects:
A series of discourses by GokulanÃÂtha was recorded and compiled by his disciple KalyÃÂá¹ Bhaá¹Âá¹ called à Ârë GokulnÃÂthjë ke Caubës VacanÃÂmrÃÂ¥ta. This work details GokulanÃÂtha's speeches which reemphasized Vallabha's teachings in terms of what it means to be a servant or Kråṣá¹Âa and how to perform proper service to him.
All the prose vÃÂrtàliterature in Braj Bhasha is generally attributed to GokulanÃÂtha. The most important vÃÂrtÃÂs are the CaurÃÂsë Vaiá¹£á¹Âavana kë VÃÂrtà("Stories of the 84 Vaishavas") and Do Sau BÃÂvana Vaiá¹£á¹Âavana kë VÃÂrtà("Stories of the 252 Vaishnavas), which depict the lives of the disciples of Vallabha and Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, respectively. According to Entwistle, while it is possible some of the stories were composed by GokulanÃÂtha, they were revised, expanded, and commented upon by HarirÃÂy.
The haveli of the svarà «pa GokulanÃÂtha currently in is in Gokul, Uttar Pradesh. GokulanÃÂtha is a small four-armed metal image. Two of GokulanÃÂtha's arms play a flute, the third is held in the air, and the fourth holds a conch. The image is flanked by icons of RÃÂdhàand CandrÃÂvalë. The haveli is maintained by GokulanÃÂtha's descendants, who form the fourth house of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga. During the reign of Aurangzeb the Vaishnav deities of Braj left the region, and GokulanÃÂtha was eventually installed in Jaipur in the late 1700s, along with the deities Gokulacandramàand Madanamohana of the fifth and seventh houses of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga. At some point GokulanÃÂtha was then taken back to Gokul.
GokulanÃÂtha's followers repeat the phrase "Jai Jai Gokuleà Â" and wear a different tilak than the other Six Houses. The disciples of GokulanÃÂtha are split into two divisions, the Bharucës and Nëmaá¸ÂëÃÂs, The Nëmaá¸ÂëÃÂs do not differ much from the other six houses and seek initiation from their gosvÃÂmë's seat in Gokul. Unlike the other six houses, the Nëmaá¸ÂëÃÂ's temples are managed by the devotees themselves rather than the gosvÃÂmë in Gokul. The Bharucës differ vastly from the other six houses and the Nëmaá¸ÂëÃÂs, and consider GokulanÃÂtha to be the supreme deity and Vallabha and Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha to be his incarnations. They do not attend any Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrgëya temples, pay respect to gosvÃÂmës, worship Kråṣá¹Âa idols, or worship portraits of GokulanÃÂtha. Their objects of worship are GokulanÃÂtha's pÃÂdukÃÂs: i.e. items that have been touched by GokulanÃÂtha, e.g. his garments, letters, or hair. Some also worship Yamunàin a pitcher.
Among his disciples include the poet HaridÃÂsa Vaiá¹£á¹Âava of Bharuch, who authored VirahagëtÃÂ, AnubhavÃÂnanda, Bhaktasukhamaá¹Âjarë, and some dhoḷas and kërtanas.