Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha (Devanagari: à ¤µà ¤¿à ¤Âà ¥Âà ¤ à ¤²à ¤¨à ¤¾à ¤¥, IAST: Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha; 10 December 1515 â 10 February 1586), popularly known as Gusaijë, was an Indian philosopher. He was the younger son of Vallabha, who founded the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga SampradÃÂya of Hinduism.
Apart from Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, his other names include Viá¹Âá¹Âhaleà Âvara, Viá¹Âá¹Âhala Dëká¹£ita, or AgnikumÃÂra. In addition, he is known by the title Gosvami (Gosai-ji or Gusai-ji).
Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga records state that Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha was born on MÃÂrgaà Âërá¹£a vada 9, 1572 V.S. (December 10, 1515 CE), as the second son of the religious scholar Vallabha. However, some scholars place his birth around 1516 CE or between 1515 and 1518.
His devotees consider him an incarnation of the god Vithoba (Vitthal) of Pandharpur. He was brought up by Vallabha until the age of 15, and subsequently, by Vallabha's disciple DÃÂmodara-dÃÂsa.
He studied NyÃÂya at Navadvipa and was proficient in the Vedas, the Brahma Sà «tras, and the MëmÃÂá¹Âsàphilosophy.
In 1540, the Gauá¸Âiyas (Bengalis) were expelled from the à Ârë NÃÂthajë temple by followers of the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga. As consolation, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha gave them the image of Madanmohan, which they took to Vrindavan. To replace them, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha hired Sanchora Brahmins from Gujarat to perform the worship of à Ârë NÃÂthajë.
After the death of his father Vallabha (c. 1530), Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's elder brother GopinÃÂtha became the leader of the sect. However, when GopinÃÂtha died in 1542 with his son Puruá¹£ottama still a minor, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha emerged as the main leader of the religious sect established by his father. Six years later, he faced a challenge by Puruá¹£ottama and his family, who were backed by Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa AdhikÃÂri, the first temple manager of the à Ârë NÃÂthajë Temple.
Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa often had controversial relationships with women; he once allowed a wealthy ká¹£atriya woman named Gaá¹ gÃÂbÃÂë Ká¹£atrÃÂnë to be present during the private offerings of food to à Ârë NÃÂthajë. This was ritually prohibited, and Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha banned the woman from the temple premises. However, in retaliation, Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂs had Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha banned from the temple for six months. RÃÂmdÃÂs CauhÃÂn was a supporter of Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, and daily brought him caraá¹ÂÃÂmrÃÂ¥ta, garlands, and messages for à Ârë NÃÂthajë. Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's eldest son, Giridhara, then petitioned the local Mughal authorities (specifically identified as Bërbal), who had Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa arrested. However, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha demanded that Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa be released, and the two reconciled, with Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha reinstated as head of the sect and Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa as temple manager. Puruá¹£ottama would later die at a young age. This account is found in the vÃÂrta of Kråṣá¹ÂadÃÂsa; however, it is unlikely that Bërbal himself took part in these events, which likely took place c. 1548âÂÂ1549.
From 1543 through 1581, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha went on six fundraising tours that focused primarily on Gujarat, visiting the cities of Dvarka, Surat, Khambat, Ahmedabad, and Godhra. He was successful in converting large portions of Gujarati merchants (Lohanas, Bhatias, Banias), agriculturalists (Kanbis), and artisans. When visiting Ahmedabad he used to stay in the house of BhÃÂëlàKoá¹ÂhÃÂrë in AsÃÂrvÃÂ. The house now contains Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's baiá¹Âhak. BhÃÂëlàKoá¹ÂhÃÂrë's son-in-law GopÃÂḷdÃÂs (also a devotee of Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha) composed the VallabhÃÂkhyÃÂn by 1577, which praises the family of Vallabha, and was one of the earliest to establish the divinity of Vallabha, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, and their descendants.
Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha was successful in securing royal and political patronage, such as with RÃÂá¹Âë DurgÃÂvatë, who arranged his second marriage and gifted him land and the SÃÂtgharàmansion in Mathura. According to sectarian sources he also initiated ÃÂsakarana, the ruler of Narwar.
After moving to Gokul, he also secured Mughal patronage. In 1577, a grant was issued in the name of the emperor Akbar that Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalnÃÂtha and his family would be exempt from tax and that his land in Gokul would be protected by the state. In 1581, a grant was issued that allowed Puá¹£á¹Âi MÃÂrga cows to roam freely through Gokul, including on state property and Mughal nobles' estates. In 1581, another grant was issued in the name of Hamida Begum that Puá¹£á¹Âi MÃÂrga cows could roam freely throughout the entirety of Braj. In 1588, Bahadur Khan issued a grant affirming the same right, as well as detailing that the cows could not be harassed by Mughal officials for herding or tax purposes. In return for the imperial Mughal patronage, the Puá¹£á¹Âi MÃÂrga was required to pray for the continual welfare of the Mughal Empire. According to sectarian literature, Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha met Akbar in Braj, initiated Akbar's wife Taj Bibi, and was gifted a diamond, which was then embedded into the chin of à Ârë Nathajë. These two claims are unattested outside of sectarian literature, which seek to show Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's spiritual authority as greater than the worldly power of Akbar. In 1593, he was granted a firmÃÂn confirming his purchase of tax-free land in Jatipura, where he built gardens, workshops, cowsheds, and buildings for the worship of à Ârë NÃÂthajë. The same year another grant was issued stating his lands in Gokul and Guzar Ghat were tax-exempt in perpetuity. However, according to Saha these grants were issued to Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's grandson Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalarÃÂya.
Vitthalanatha propagated the teachings of his father and established a religious centre at Gokul.
Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha lived at his father's house in Adail, and later moved to Braj during the reign of Akbar and lived in SÃÂtgharÃÂ.
Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha expanded the rituals of the Puá¹£á¹Âi MÃÂrga by transforming the simple rituals of his father's time into a complex, aesthetically pleasing ritual experience. During his time, he reformed the sevàrituals to recreate the daily routine of Kråṣá¹Âa, in which he was offered expensive clothing, jewelry, perfumes, and sumptuous meals. Painting and poetry were also added to rituals to enhance their appeal.
After a long life of service to his sect, he died on Mahàvada 7, 1642 V.S. (10 February 1586). One sectarian source for his death, Saá¹ÂpradÃÂya Kalpadruma, gives the date of PhÃÂlguna suda 11, 1644 V.S., differing from tradition. However, since his descendants celebrate his anniversary on Mahàvada 7, it is more widely accepted that the 1642 V.S. date is correct.
Most traditional and academic accounts state that Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha had eleven children. He had six sons and 4 daughters from his first wife Rukmiá¹Âë, and one son from his second wife PadmÃÂvatë. However, some hagiographies do go as far as to claim that he had 9 sons and 9 daughters from his first wife. He distributed nine major svarà «pas of Kråṣá¹Âa that were worshipped by the Puá¹£á¹ÂimÃÂrga among his seven sons. Each son founded a lineage that served as leaders of the sampradays. The sons of Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha, their svarà «pas, and his daughters are listed below:
Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha also had an adopted son named TulasëdÃÂsa. TulasëdÃÂsa or TulasërÃÂma was a SÃÂrasvata brahmin from Sindh whose father had been appointed to fetch water from the Yamuna for à Ârë NÃÂthajë's service. However, TulasëdÃÂsa's parents died when he was young, and so he was raised in Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha's household and became known as LÃÂlajë. Later in life Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha bestowed the deity GopënÃÂthajë to him and told him to go to Sindh and convert the people there.
The texts and commentaries attributed to Viá¹Âá¹ÂhalanÃÂtha include: