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

( 14 ) Ashtapadi can best compare with the finest ones of Jayadeva in Gīta-Govinda. Govindaswāmi, the greatest musician of the times, was appointed by him as the chief kīrtanakāra in the temple of Nāthadwāra. Nandadāsa, Chaturbhujadāsa, Chhītuswāmi and Govindaswāmi composed some of the finest songs in the local vernacular ( Vraja Bhāshā ) under the direct inspiration of Vitthales'vara. The songs of Vitthales'vara are all in Sanskrit. The Rāmānujiya saint Tyāgarājaswāmi composed beautiful songs in Sanskrit. Vitthales'vara's mother-tongue was Telagu, and his activities were confined to Gujarāt, Kāthiāwār, and Rajputānā where Telagu was least known. Hence Sanskrit was preferred by him as the medium of communication. Almost all the letters of Vitthales'vara which are now available are in Sanskrit. Thus after preparing materials for music, he utilised them in the Sevā-Prakāra with consummate skill and erudition. The music to be sung before the deity was in conformity with each season. Music in the morning Sevā was to be sung in Rāgas which are to be sung in the morning. Music in the evening is to be sung in Ragas which are to be sung in the evening, the rule being relaxed during the big festivals of Janmāshtami, Annakūta etc., when any Raga can be sung. In music, Ragas change according to season. The finest musical instruments (Tambura, Bīn, Mridanga, Sarangi etc. ) of the age were made use of in the daily Sevā. This practice is continued to this day in the Sampradāya. Vitthales'vara's son Raghunāthajī was, we believe, literally correct when he speaks about his father as गीतसंगीतसागर. The daily worship changed according to seasons. Everything was so arranged that if one entered a Pushtimārgīya temple during winter, the moment he was within the precincts of it, he would least feel the unpleasant- ness of winter cold. Similarly during summer, entrance in Vitthales'vara's temple would make you forget that it was summer. The perfection was carried to such an extent that the richest dainties that are daily offered to the deity vary acccording to time and season. Akbar sometimes did pay visits to Vitthales'vara and the latter made an exception by allowing the former 'Dars'an'. A Sāmpradāyika Gāthā records the following incident of Akbar's visit on one S'ārada full-moon day (रासपूर्णिमा). Krishna is the symbol of highest Rasa S'ringāra. He is described as S'yāma (श्याम). Accordingly every thing in the Sevā i. e. पीछवा, पीछात, etc. was naturally श्याम. This was changed to white silver cloth at Akbar's request, and this practice continues to this day. Painting too was a favourite pastime with Vitthales'vara. A beautiful painting of his deity Navanīta-priyaraya drawn by him is in the possession of Goswāmī Dwārkes'jee of Bombay. On Utsava days beautiful Ārtis were drawn and filled with pearls and it was filled with harmonious blending of colours. These Ārtis designed as they were by the ladies of Vitthales'vsra's family are still current in the Sampradāya under their respective names, such as Arti of Rukminiji etc. Some of these Ārtis show a considerable amount of 2014