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

( 13 ) On the formation of the Sāmpradāyika practices Vitthales'vara's influence seems to be very marked, the nucleus having been supplied by his elder brother Gopinātha in his Sevā-Paddhati. Vallabhāchārya established the shrine of S'ri Nāthajī on the holy mount of Govardhana and initiated a mode of worship which was extremely simple. This shrine was entrusted by him to the devotees who resided there. The initiation of Vaishṇavas was a very simple formula, as he puts it somewhere in his Subodhinī, viz; Krishna, I am Thine. कृष्ण तवास्मि. This would seem to be the ordinary mode of initiation as communicated to Vallabhāchārya by Lord S'rī Krishṇa. But for the practical purposes of the Sampradāya, some solemn declaration was a necessity, and hence we feel it is possible that the language used in the explanation incorporated in the Gadya formula ( सहस्रपरिवत्सरमितकालजातकृष्णवियोगजनिततापक्लेशानन्दतिरोभावोऽहं भगवते कृष्णाय देहेन्द्रियप्राणान्तः- करणानि तद्धर्मांश्च दारागारपुत्राप्तवित्तेहापराव्यात्मना सह समर्पयामि, दासोऽहम्, 'कृष्ण तवास्मि ।') is the work of S'rī Vitthales'vara. For the Sampradāya which was expanding in all directions, some grave and solemn declaration appeared to Vitthales'vara to be a necessity, and he without adding or subtracting anything to the sense of कृष्ण तवास्मि added a solemn declaration by which the sense of the Mantra became abundantly clear. The Sāmpradāyikas do understand that the portion of the Gadya preceding कृष्ण तवास्मि is explanatory of the same. This being an explanation coming from Vitthales'vara accounts for the difference in the readings of the formula among his seven sons. This change was most essential as it added to the solemnity of the initiation ceremony. Vitthales'vara's personality was second to none in the Sampradāya after S'ri Vallabhāchārya, and one feels admiration for his wisdom when he sees how he has added to the gravity without sacrificing the sense of the original. We are informed by Goswāmi S'rī Gokulanāthajī Mahārāja of Bombay that the whole Gadya in the handwriting of S'ri Vallabhāchārya is preserved in the daily worship in the temple of S'rī Damodaraji at Junagadha in Kāthiāwār. We have not been able to satisfy ourselves as to the authenticity of the same, but if it were so, the above reasoning would be inapplicable. It is rather difficult now to appreciate how much Vitthales'vara contributed to the development of the aesthetics in the mode of worship, Sevā-Prakāra. All the fine arts were requisitioned in the performance of the daily worship. Vitthales'vara was himself a master-musician. He knew both the theory and practice of the Indian Music. Some of the most charming songs which are sung before the deity were composed by him. The song 'मंगल मंगलम्' is daily sung in every Pushtimārgīya temple in the early morning when the ( स्वरूप ) is made to awake. The famous Prabodha is also daily recited. Another song 'प्रेङ्खपर्यङ्कशयनम्' is always sung in 'Rāmakalī' in the morning when the ( स्वरूप ) is swung in the cradle (Palnā). During the Vasanta season an Ashtapadi 'मञ्जुलविकलवेगे' is daily sung when Vasanta is being played during the Rāja Bhoga Dars'ana. This 2013