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

( 3 ) Bhāilā Kothārī of As'arvā near Ahmedabad. When Vitthales'vara visited Dwarka or Gujarāt, he used to put up with him for a couple of months. Bhāilā's son-in-law Gopāladāsa has given the Sampradāya a charming and unique poem in Navākhyāna. The Sampradāyika Gāthā relates that this Gopāladāsa was Narsinha Mehtā in his preceding birth. Whatever that may be, it helps one in furnishing the latest date of Narsinha Mehtā. Vitthale- s'vara's first visit to Gujarāt was in 1600 St, and Gopāladāsa was then nine years old. The poem of Gopāladāsa (Navā Khyāna) has been the most popular and revered among Vaishṇavas. Every Vaishṇava, male and female, recites it. Commentaries in Sanskrit and Vraja Bhāshā are written on it. The commercial people of Gujarāt have been fascinated by it. This poem, it seems, has been instrumental in shaping Vaishṇava attitude towards the Mahārājas. The intensely tender feelings with which the Mahārājās are looked upon have their genesis in the spread of this lyric. It speaks of Vitthales'vara as Goswāmiji. He assumed the surname of Goswāmi in 1634, after he was granted permission by Emperor Akabar to graze his cattle on all lands including the Royal ones. From this it would seem that this poem of Gopāladāsa could not have been composed before 1634. The Sāmpra- dāyika Gāthā informs us that the inspiration of this poem came to Gopāladāsa from Vitthales'vara himself. It is said that Gopāladāsa, who was dumb, miraculously got his powers of speech as a result of the chewing of the betelleaf offered by Vitthales'vara. When he visited Bhāilā's house, numerous persons came to see him and joined his Sāmpradāya. In Cambay, Jivā Pārekh, a celebrated Baniā merchant was instru- mental in the early spread of Vaishṇavism. On the whole the spread of Vaishṇavism in Gujarāt was not only rapid but complete. Numerous castes and sub-castes wholly embraced the Vaishṇava Cult. This continued in increasing proportions during the times of the succeeding generations of Vitthales'vara. Vitthales'vara himself visited Gujarāt not less than six times. His first visit was in 1600 from Adel. The second one was also from Adel in 1613. The third one was from Gaḍā in 1619. The fourth one was from Mathurā in 1623. The fifth one was in 1631 from Gokula. And his sixth and last visit was also from Gokula in 1638. This would show that for nearly forty years Vitthales'vara exercised his influence over Gujarāt and Kathiāwād. The visits to Gujarāt were incidental to his visit to the shrine of Dwārkānāthaji at Dwārkā. His desire for and interest in Dwārakā and Gujarāt were created by the early reception of his father and his elder brother S'rī Gopīnātha. Rānā Vyāsa, a learned pupil of Vallabhāchārya, was an active worker at Siddhāpura. So also there was one Gopāladāsa of Naroda. Vallabhāchārya himself had visited Dwārakā not less than three times, his last visit being in 1585. He is said to have stayed at Dwārakā for over six months. The Swarūpa of Dwārkānāthaji at Bet-Dwārkā was installed there by Vallabhāchārya. 2003