अणुभाष्य (महाप्रभु वल्लभाचार्य - शुद्धाद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र महाभाष्य प्रकाश टीका सहित)

S'rī Vitthales'vara and Aṇu Bhāshya. S'rī Vitthales'vara Dīkshita, the author of the last Adhyāya and a half of the Aṇu Bhāshya was the second son of S'rī Vallabhāchārya. He was born at Charaṇāta near Allahabad on the 9th day of the dark half of Mārgas'īrsha, 1572, Saṁvat. Vallabhāchārya in his later life adopted Adel as his permanent residence, and therefore Vitthales'vara passed his childhood there. When Vallabhāchārya took up Tridaṇḍa-Sannyāsa in 1587, Vitthales'vara was a boy, fifteen years old. His elder brother S'rī Gopīnātha was senior to him by five years. His Upanayana ceremony was performed by Vallabhāchārya, but his early education seems to have been of a desultory character. A Gāthā current in Sampradāya states that 'Vitthales'vara in his childhood was given to playfulness. He did not seem to realise the heavy responsibility that lay on his shoulders, so Dāmodaradāsa, the chief among Vaishṇavas, is said to have remonstrated with young Vitthales'vara and persuaded him to study, and thus be fit to bear the responsibility of the Sampradāya as the worthy son of a worthy father. There is no doubt that Dāmodaradāsa had his share in turning 'Vitthales'vara ffom worldly playfulness to the meditation of Krishṇa-Leelā. Chāchā Harivaṁs'ajī was another personality who influenced Vitthales'vara in the successful discharge of his duties as Āchārya. Chāchā Harivaṁ- s'ajī's proselytizing tendencies were great. It was he who generally visited a place in advance and prepared it for the acceptance of Vitthales'vara's teachings. It is not known from whom Vitthales'vara got direct help in the profound learning which is manifest in his works which are available now. A Gāthā says that Vitthales'vara was sent by Vallabhāchārya to Mādhava Sarasvatī for his studies, but instead of studying anything at his place, he devoted his time to reading S'rīmad Bhāgavata. Whatever may be the truth in the above Gāthā, it is an undisputed fact that like his father, Vitthales'vara had a very great hold on and absorbing attachment to S'rīmad Bhāgavata. After Vallabhāchārya passed away in 1587, Gopīnātha and Vitthales'vara lived together at Adel. Except perhaps two small works named Sādhanadīpaka and Sevāpaddhati, we are not aware of any important work of S'rī Gopīnātha, and so we have not got materials to decide how far Vitthales'vara was indebted to his elder brother S'rī Gopīnātha, for his future literary activities. S'rī Gopīnātha and his son Purushottama seem to have passed away between 1590 and 1600. After this, Vitthales'vara became the recognised representative of his father, and thereafter he seems to have planned various tours, and thought of writing works for the propagation of the Sampradāya. Unlike S'aṅkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, Chaitanya, and a host of others, Vallabhāchārya preferred to follow the Aupanishada traditions, and like Yājnyavalkya and others, became a Grihastha Āchārya. After him, his