गोस्वामिश्री १००८ श्रीव्रजभूषणलालजी महाराज

इस पृष्ठ पर कोई पाठ (टेक्स्ट) उपलब्ध नहीं है, यह एक रिक्त (कोरा) पृष्ठ है।

॥ श्रीकृष्णाय नमः ॥ ॥ श्रीमदाचार्यचरणकमलेभ्यो नमः ॥ ग्रन्थ-परिचय कुछ विद्वानोंकी धारणा है कि प्रारम्भमें श्रीमहाप्रभु दैवी तथा आसुरी जीवोंके भिन्न-भिन्न होनेके गीताप्रतिपादित सिद्धान्तको तो मान्य करते थे पर दैवी जीवोंके अवान्तर भेद — पुष्टिजीव और मर्यादाजीव के भिन्न-भिन्न होनेका सिद्धान्त श्रीमहाप्रभुने अपनी वयके उत्तरार्धमें स्थापित किया था. अतएव पुष्टिप्रवाहमर्यादा ग्रन्थका रचनाकाल श्रीमहाप्रभुके अडैलमें स्थिर निवासके समयके आसपास निर्धारित किया जाता है. इस विषयमें यह दृष्टव्य है कि निबन्धका शास्त्रार्थप्रकरण श्रीमहाप्रभुकी प्रथम रचना है यह तो प्रायः सर्वमान्य है. इस ग्रन्थकी कारिका ४५-५२ के अवलोकन करनेसे यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि निबन्धके रचनाकालमें भी पुष्टिजीव मर्यादाजीव और प्रवाहजीवों के भिन्न-भिन्न होनेकी धारणा श्रीमहाप्रभुकी दार्शनिक मान्यताओंमें स्थान ले चुकी थी. एतदर्थ कुछ शब्दप्रयोगोंपर लक्ष्य- पात अपेक्षित है. यथा : (१) तत्त्वसृष्टिप्रवृत्तानां देवानां मुक्तियोग्यता.(का.४६) (२) ब्रह्मानन्दे प्रविष्टानामात्मनैव सुखप्रमा, संघातस्य विलीनत्वाद्, भक्तानां तु विशेषतः, सर्वेन्द्रियैस्तथाचान्तःकरणैरात्मनापि हि ब्रह्मभावात्तु भक्तानां गृह एव विशिष्यते (का. ५०-५१) (३) तीर्थादावपि या मुक्तिः कदाचित् कस्यचिद् भवेत् कृष्णप्रसादयुक्तस्य नान्यस्येति विनिश्चयः(का. ४७)

यहां स्पष्टतया मुक्तियोग्य जीवोंमें से किसीको ब्रह्मानन्द और किसीको भजनानन्द मिलता है यह निश्चित हुआ है. मर्यादाविधिके अनुसार तीर्थ आदिद्वारा जिन्हें मुक्ति मिलती है वह भी कृष्णकी मुक्तिदानकी इच्छापर अवलम्बित है यह भी कहा गया है. इन कारिकाओंपर लिखे गये प्रकाशके अध्ययन करनेपर भी मर्यादाजीव और पुष्टिजीवों के प्रभेदकी धारणा स्फुट हो जाती है. यथा- "ये सात्त्विका दैव्यां सम्पदि जाता विध्युपजीविनः सर्वदा तेषां मुक्तिर्भविष्यति" (प्रका. ४६) तथा "स्वतन्त्रभक्तानां तु गोपिकादितुल्यानां सर्वेन्द्रियैस्तथान्तःकरणैः स्वरूपेण चानन्दानुभवः अतो भक्तानां जीवन्मुक्त्यपेक्षया भगवत्कृपासहितगृहाश्रम एव विशिष्यते" (प्रका. ५०-५१). इन उद्धरणोंसे यह सिद्ध हो जाता है कि दैवीजीव तथा आसुरीजीव का भेद और इसी तरह विध्युपजीवी मर्यादाजीव तथा स्वतन्त्र पुष्टिजीव का अवान्तर प्रभेद भी श्रीमहाप्रभुको निबंधमें भी विवक्षित है ही. ऐसी स्थितिमें इस पूर्वोक्त आधारपर ग्रन्थका रचनाकाल निर्णीत कर पाना कठिन है. यह ग्रन्थ किस अवसरपर तथा किस अनुयायीके लिए लिखा गया था यह पता नहीं चलता. इसके अलावा यह ग्रन्थ पूर्णतया उपलब्ध नहीं होता है. यह ग्रंथके प्रारम्भमें की गयी प्रतिज्ञासे स्पष्ट हो जाता है. विभिन्न व्याख्याकार भी इस वातका उल्लेख करते हैं. सर्गभेद-कारणभेद, फलभेद, मार्ग या साधनभेद तथा जीवोंके स्वरूपा- दिभेद के आधारपर पुष्टिमार्ग मर्यादामार्ग तथा प्रवाहमार्ग परस्पर भिन्न-भिन्न हैं. यह श्रीमहाप्रभु इस ग्रन्थके द्वारा हमें समझाना चाहते हैं. उपलब्ध ग्रन्थके पूर्ण न होनेके कारण यह कह पाना अब कठिन हैं कि इदमित्थतया श्रीमहा- प्रभुने किस प्रकारसे पूर्वोक्त मार्गोंका पृथक्करण विश्लेषण एवम् वर्गीकरण किया था. उपलब्ध अंशके अध्ययनसे तीन तरहकी सम्भावनायें प्रकट होती है. यह सब समानन्यायकी सामान्य युक्तिपर की गयी सम्भावनायें है, जिनका तुलनात्मक प्रामाण्य अन्य ग्रन्थोंमें श्रीमहाप्रभुके द्वारा इस विषयके बारेमें किये गये विधानोंके साथ संवादपर अवलम्बित है.

प्रथम सम्भावित वर्गीकरण जीव दैवी आसुरी मार्गाधिकृत चर्षणी चर्षणी मार्गाधिकृत पुष्टि मर्यादा अज्ञ दुर्ज्ञ शुद्ध मिश्र पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह कुल: १० द्वितीय सम्भावित वर्गीकरण जीव पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह शुद्ध मिश्र पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह कुल: १० तृतीय सम्भावित वर्गीकरण जीव पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह शुद्ध मिश्र शुद्ध मिश्र शुद्ध मिश्र पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह पुष्टि मर्यादा प्रवाह कुल: १२

इनमें श्रीमहाप्रभुको अभिप्रेत वर्गीकरण कौन सा है यह केवल पुष्टिप्रवाहमर्यादा ग्रन्थके आधारपर निर्विवाद निर्णीत नहीं हो पाता. जीवोंके उपर्युक्त वर्गीकरणके अलावा मार्गभेद सर्गभेद एवम् फलभेद के आधारपर अन्य विशेषताओंका भी निरूपण यहां श्रीमहाप्रभुको अभिप्रेत है. १) मार्गभेद पुष्टिमार्ग मर्यादामार्ग तथा प्रवाहमार्ग इन तीनों मार्गोंकी कुछ अपनी- अपनी विशेषतायें हैं. तदनुसार ये तीनों मार्ग परस्पर भिन्न-भिन्न हैं. तत्तत् मार्गोंमें जीवोंके स्वरूप, उनके देह, उनकी रुचि, उनके व्यवहार तथा अन्तमें उन्हें मिलनेवाले फलके तारतम्यको दृष्टिगत करनेपर मार्गभेदको भलीभांति समझा जा सकता है. यह मार्गभेदकी धारणा शास्त्रीय प्रमाणोंपर अवलम्बित है. शास्त्रके अनु- सार सारे लौकिक कर्मोंका उत्स कर्मकर्ता जीवके प्राकृत स्वभावमें तथा लौकिक प्रयोजनोंकी पूर्तिके प्रयासमें निहित रहता है. वैदिक कर्मोंका अनुष्ठान स्वभावसे प्राप्त नहीं होता. किन्तु शास्त्रीय आज्ञाओंके अनुसरण करनेकी मनोवृत्तिसे प्राप्त होता है. फिर भी शास्त्रीय आज्ञायें स्त्री-पुरुष बालक-वृद्ध या ब्राह्मण-शूद्र आदिके देह और उनसे सम्बन्धित विविध अभिमानों को लक्ष्यमें रख दी गयी हैं. अतएव "त्रैगुण्यविषयाः वेदाः" कहा जाता है. इन लौकिक तथा वैदिक कर्मोंसे ऊपर उठनेकी ज्ञानमार्गमें जैसी सन्यासकी एक शास्त्रीय प्रक्रिया है, वैसी ही निर्गुण भक्तिमार्गीय सर्वसमर्पणकी भी एक शास्त्रवर्णित प्रक्रिया है. इसी अलौकिक निर्गुणा भक्तिके प्रकारको 'पुष्टिमार्ग' कहा जाता है. गीतामें दैवी सृष्टिसे भिन्न एक आसुरी सृष्टि दिखलायी गयी है वह प्रवाहमार्ग है. वेदोंमें वैदिक धर्मकी विभिन्न मर्यादाओं के निरूपण मिलते ही हैं और वह मर्यादामार्ग है. इससे सिद्ध होता है कि जैसे प्रवाहमार्ग और मर्यादामार्ग परस्पर भिन्न हैं, वैसे ही इन दोनोंसे पुष्टिमार्ग भी एक भिन्न मार्ग ही है. सभी जीव अतः पुष्टि मार्गीय नहीं माने जा सकते हैं. लौकिक या वैदिक सभी तरहकी कामनाओं और प्रयोजनों से ऊपर उठकर जो जीवत्मा केवल भगवान्‌की ही भक्तिमें परायण हो जाती हैं उन्हें प्रवाहमार्गीय या मर्यादामार्गीय नहीं गिना जा सकता

है. “आत्मभावित भगवान् जिस जीवपर अनुग्रह करते हैं वही जीव लोक- वेदोंमें अपनी परिनिष्ठत बुद्धिसे छुटकारा पा सकता है” (भागवत) तथा “वेद- तप-दान-याग आदि किसी भी साधनसे मेरा दर्शन इस तरह कर पाना शक्य नहीं है, जैसा तुमने पाया है. अर्जुन ! यह तो केवल अनन्य भक्तिके कारण ही मुझे इस तरह जाना जा सकता है, तत्त्वतः देखा जा सकता है और अन्त में मुझमें प्रवेश भी पाया जा सकता है” (गीता) इन दो वचनोंसे क्रमशः विशेष अनुग्रह और तज्जन्य भक्तिका सुस्पष्ट निरूपण हमें मिलता है. इस तरह अन्यत्र भी ऐसी उत्कृष्ट भक्तिके निरूपणके बलपर उसके कारणभूत अनुग्रह या पुष्टिमार्ग का अनुमान किया जा सकता है. यहां यह शंका उठ सकती है कि मार्ग भिन्न-भिन्न नहीं मानने चाहिये किन्तु इनमें उत्तरोत्तर उत्कृष्ट होनेके सोपानोंका सा सम्बन्ध मानना चाहिये प्रवाहके सोपानसे उत्कृष्ट मर्यादाका सोपान है तथा सर्वोत्कृष्ट सोपान निर्गुणावस्थाका है. यह शंका उचित नहीं है. क्योंकि श्रौत युक्ति तथा ब्रह्मसूत्र दोनोंसे उक्त धारणा विपरीत है. जैसे आसुरी जीव तथा दैवी जीवों का नित्यभेद श्रुतिसिद्ध है. उनके देह तथा कर्मों की भिन्नता भी श्रुतियोंमें वर्णित है. इसी तरहसे दैवी जीवोंके अन्तर्गत पुष्टिजीव और मर्यादाजीवों के स्वरूप देह तथा कर्मों में भी परस्पर भिन्नता स्वीकारनी चाहिये. अतः पुष्टिमार्ग मर्यादामार्ग तथा प्रवाहमार्ग का भेद प्रमाणसिद्ध ही है. २) सर्गभेद पुष्टिमार्ग मर्यादामार्ग तथा प्रवाहमार्ग के प्रमाणसिद्ध भेदके विचारके बाद अब इन मार्गोंकी सृजनप्रक्रियाके भेदको भी समझ लेना चाहिये. भगवान् स्वयम्‌के मनके द्वारा प्रवाहमार्गका सृजन प्रवर्तन तथा नियमन करते हैं. अतः प्रवाहमार्गीय जीवोंके विशिष्ट स्वरूप देह तथा व्यवहार की नियति केवल ब्रह्मकी इच्छापर ही निर्भर है. वैदिक मर्यादामार्गीय जीवोंके विशिष्ट स्वरूप देह तथा व्यवहार का भगवान् वेदरूपा वाणीके द्वारा सृजन प्रवर्तन तथा नियमन करते हैं. पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंके विशिष्ट स्वरूप देह तथा व्यवहार का सृजन प्रवर्तन तथा नियमन श्रीकृष्ण अपने प्रकट आधिदैविक स्वरूपके द्वारा करते हैं.

इस तरह इन मार्गोंमें सर्गभेद अथवा सृजनकी प्रक्रियामें भी भेद है. ३) फलभेद प्रवाहमार्गीय जीवोंकी कामना एवम् आचरण के अनुकूल या प्रतिकूल फल प्रभु स्वयम् अपनी इच्छानुसार निर्धारित करते हैं तथा उन्हें प्रदान करते हैं. मर्यादामार्गीय जीवोंके वेदविहित धर्मार्थकामरूप पुरुषार्थोंके अनुष्ठानका फल वेदादि शास्त्रोंमें निरूपित विविध मोक्षोंके रूपमें प्रभु देते हैं. पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंके भजनानन्द-सम्बन्धी मनोरथोंकी पूर्ति श्रीकृष्ण अपने आधिदैविक स्वरूपके द्वारा करते हैं. "में उन आसुरी जीवोंको निरन्तर अशुभ योनिमें डालता रहता हूं" (गीता). इस वचनके आधारपर निरन्तर अशुभ भवप्रवाहमें बहनेवाले प्रवाही जीवोंसे मर्यादायार्गीय जीव तथा पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवों के फलको भिन्न मानना पड़ता हे. क्योंकि इन्हें भवप्रवाहमे छुड़ाया जाता है तथा मोक्ष प्रदान किया जाता है. (क-१) पुष्टिमार्ग इस तरह मार्गभेद सर्गभेद एवम् फलभेद के आधारपर पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंको अन्य जीवोंसे भिन्न मानना ही चाहिये. यह पुष्टिसृष्टि भगवान्‌के आधिदैविक स्वरूपकी सेवाके लिए ही प्रकट की गयी हैं. अतः भगवत्सेवाके अतिरिक्त अन्यत्र किसी कर्म या प्रयोजन में पुष्टिसृष्टिके जीवोंका तत्पर होना भगवानको अभिप्रेत नहीं है. बाह्य दृष्टिसे पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंके स्वरूप देह स्वभाव एवम् व्यवहार तो सभी जीवोंके समान ही प्रतीत होते हैं. परंतु अन्ततः आधिदैविक स्वरूपके भजनानन्दमें ही इन पुष्टिजीवोंको आकर्षण और संतोष का अनुभव होगा. क्योंकि इनसे यही काम प्रभु लेना चाहते हैं. (क-२) पुष्टिसर्ग इस पुष्टिसृष्टि के पुनः दो अवान्तर भेद होते है: १) शुद्ध पुष्टिसृष्टि २) मिश्र पुष्टिसृष्टि

मिश्र पुष्टिसृष्टिके तीन अवान्तर भेद होते हैं. यथा : १) पुष्टि-पुष्टिसृष्टि २) मर्यादा-पुष्टिसृष्टि ३.) प्रवाह-पुष्टिसृष्टि १) पुष्टि-पुष्टिसृष्टिके जीव सर्वविध माहात्म्यज्ञानयुक्त तथा सुदृढ़ सर्वतोधिक स्नेहपूर्वक कृष्णसेवामें परायण होते हैं. २) मर्यादा-पुष्टिसृष्टिके जीव भगवान् श्रीकृष्णकी लीलाकथाओंके द्वारा भगवान्‌के गुणोंके प्रेमपूर्वक चिन्तन (श्रवण-स्मरण-कीर्तन) में परायण हो जाते हैं. ३) प्रवाह-पुष्टिसृष्टिके जीवोंमें न तो भलीभांति माहात्म्यज्ञान ही होता है और न उत्कट स्नेह ही. फिर भी कृष्णभजनके क्रियात्मक बाह्यरूपमें इनकी रुचि एवम् तत्परता होती है. मिश्र पुष्टिसृष्टिके इन तीनों प्रकारोंसे विलक्षण शुद्ध पुष्टिसृष्टिके जीव होते हैं. इन्हें भगवान्‌के प्रति स्नेह किसी प्रमाणबलके आधारपर नही होता किन्तु भगवान् इनके समक्ष स्वयम् प्रकट होकर अपने आधिदैविक स्वरूपके प्रमेयबलसे इन्हें अपनी ओर आकृष्ट कर लेते हैं. इनका भगवान्‌के प्रति स्नेह उत्कृष्ट सहज एवम् शुद्ध अर्थात् अन्य किसीभी भाव या प्रयोजन से अभि- श्रित रहता है. यह अतिदुर्लभ प्रकारकी पुष्टिसृष्टि है. (क-३) पुष्टिफल पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंका साधन जैसे भगवान्‌की पुष्टि या अनुग्रह है वैसे ही फल एकमात्र स्वयम् भगवान ही हैं. तत्तद् भक्तोंके लिए गुण और स्वरूप के भेदोंके अनुसार जैसे-जैसे रूप धारण कर भगवान् प्रकट होते हैं, उन-उन निजी भगवद्-रूपोंके साथ पुष्टि- सृष्टिके विभिन्न जीवोंकी फलानुभूति सम्पन्न होती है. इन निजी भगवद्- रूपोंसे अतिरिक्त अन्यत्र कहीं भी पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवकी आसक्ति जब भगवान् देखते हैं तो शाप भी दिलवाते हैं. कभी-कभी इन्हें साहंकार देखकर भी भगवान् शाप दिलवाते हैं. और तब ये पुष्टिजीव भूतलपर प्रकट होते हैं. कभी-कभी भूतलपर पुष्टिमार्गको प्रकट करनेके लिए भी पुष्टिजीवोंको भूतल- पर प्रकट किया जाता है, लोकमें आनेपर भी ये दैहिक रोगादिके उपद्रव

अथवा मानसिक पाषण्डता आदिके उपद्रवसे ग्रस्त नहीं हो जाते. इन महानु- भावोंका भूतलपर प्राकट्य, चाहे शापवश भी क्यों न हो, होता है प्रायः शुद्धताके लिए ही. भगवान् इन जीवोंके लिए अपने स्वरूप तथा अपनी लीला में जैसा तारतम्य प्रकट करते हैं तदनुसार इन भक्तोंमें भी तारतम्य घटित हो जाता है. लौकिक व्यवहारका निर्वाह तथा वैदिक कर्तव्योंका पालन ये महानुभाव लोकमें बुद्धिभेद न पैदा हो जाये. एतदर्थ अर्थात् लोकसंग्रहार्थ ही करते हैं. इनकी सहज तथा उत्कट रूचि तो अपनी वैष्णवताके निर्वाहमें ही ही होती है—लौकिकता या वैदिकता के निर्वाहमें नहीं. इस तरह पुष्टिजीवोंके मार्ग सर्ग एवम् फल का निरूपण सम्पूर्ण हुआ. कभी-कभी इन पुष्टिमार्गीय जीवोंके साथ सदा-सर्वदा भटकते रहनेवाले चर्षणी जीव भी सम्मिलित हो जाते हैं. अतः उनके स्वरूपका भी थोडा-बहुत निरूपण यहां अप्रसंगोपात्त न होगा. चर्षणी जीव दैवी जीवोंके संगके कारण कुछ अदैवी जीवोंमें भी कभी-कभी तात्कालिक रूपमें दैवी लक्षण दिखलायी देने लगते है. पर ये लक्षण उन जीवोंमें चिरस्थायी नहीं होते. ऐसे जीवोंको 'चर्षणी जीव' कहा जाता है. चर्षणी प्रतिदिन नये-नये मार्गोंपर भटकते रहते हैं—नये नये रंग बदलते रहते है. इनका अपना कोई स्थायी रंग अथवा स्वभाव नहीं होता. जिनके साथ सम्मिलित हो जाते है, उतने समयके लिए उनके गुण-धर्मोंको अपना लेते हैं. अपने नित्यनूतन बदलते हुए रंगोंमें कुछ न कुछ तात्कालिक फल अथवा अनुभूतियां इन्हें होती रहती हैं. दैवी जीवोंका संग पाकर दैवी शील प्रकट करते हैं तथा आसुरी जीवोंका संग पाकर ये आसुरी शील प्रकट करते हैं. स्थिर ये कहीं भी नहीं हो पाते. (ख—१) प्रवाहमार्ग प्रवाहमार्गीय जीवोंके स्वरूप देह एवम् व्यवहार का अब निरूपण किया जाता हैं. सभी आसुरी सृष्टिके जीवोंको प्रवाहमार्गीय समझना चाहिये. गीतामें इनका निरूपण—"इन्हें न उचित प्रवृत्तिका और न उचित निवृत्तिका ही बोध होता है." कहकर किया गया हैं. प्रवाही जीवोंके दो अवान्तर भेद होते हैं.

यथा : १) अज्ञ प्रवाही जीव २) दुर्ज्ञ प्रवाही जीव १) आसुरी सृष्टिके जिन जीवोंका वर्णन भगवान्ने गीतामें किया हैं उन्हें दुर्ज्ञ प्रवाही जीव समझना चाहिये. २) इन दुर्ज्ञ प्रवाही जीवोंके संगवशात् प्रवाही स्वभाव या लक्षण प्रकट करनेवाले जीवोंको 'अज्ञ प्रवाही जीव' कहा जाता है. पुष्टि जीव जैसे प्रवाहमार्गीय कुलमें जन्मग्रहण करनेपर भी प्रवाह- मार्गीय वातावरणमें अपना तालमेल नहीं बैठा पाता, ठीक उसी तरह प्रवाह- मार्गीय जीव पुष्टिमार्गीय कुलमें भी जन्मग्रहण करले परन्तु पष्टिमार्गीय वातावरणके साथ वह अपना तालमेल नहीं बैठा पायेगा... (यहांसे ग्रन्थ त्रुटित हो जाता हैं.) ग्रन्थके प्रारूपके अनुसार अधोलिखित विषयोंपर प्रकाश अपेक्षित हैं: (ख--१) प्रवाहमार्गीय जीवोंके देह एवम् व्यवहार का निरूपण. (ख--२) प्रवाहसर्ग (ख--३) प्रवाहफल (ग--१) मर्यादामार्ग (ग--२) मर्यादासर्ग (ग--३) मर्यादाफल (घ) तथा उपसंहार प्रस्तुत संस्करण वि. सं. १९८१ में प्रकाशित संस्करणका ऑफसेट प्रॉसेस द्वारा पुनर्मुद्रित रूप है. उस संस्करण के सम्पादक तथा प्रकाशक श्रीमूल- चंद्र तुलसीदास तेलीवाला तथा श्रीधीरजलाल व्रजदास सांकलिया महानुभा- वोंका हम इस पुनर्मुद्रणावसरपर कृतज्ञताके साथ स्मरण करते हैं. इतिशम्.

S'RĪMAD VALLABHACHARYA AND HIS MISSION. S'rīmad Vallabhacharya, the author of this little treatise 'Pushti- Pravāha-Maryādā', was born on the 11th day of the dark half of Chaitra, 1535 Samvat, (1479. A. D,) in the forest of Champa near Raipur. His father was Lakshmaṇa Bhatta, and Yallammagaru was his mother. He was a Telugu Brahmin studying the Taitiriya S'ākhā of the Black Yajur-Veda. Vallabha's birth is shrouded in the mysteries of the devotional beliefs of his followers, but one thing is certain that his followers believed that he was commissioned by God to inaugurate a great religious revival in India. From the writings of Vallabha which are available now, we can say that this belief was shared by himself also. It is not an uncommon phenomenon in India. Rama- nuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Chaitanya, and several other great teachers did believe in their special messages to the world. Vallabha's ancestors were Deekshitas, and were devoted to Krishna in the form of Gopāla. The Swarūpa of Madana Mohanaji in the Seventh Pitha is the one which came to him from his Sixth ancestor Yajna Narayana Bhatta. It is possible that Vallabha's father Lakshamana Bhatta and his ancestors were the Upāsakas of Gopāla according to the cult of Vishṇu- swami. The early years of Vallabha were passed by him with his father at Benares, where he is said to have mastered all the Vedas, Six Dars anas, and all schools of Āstika and Nāstika thinkers. He studied the S'aiva and Vaishṇava Āgamas. When Vallabha was comparatively young, his father died. Vallabha wanted to study the Vaishṇava systems of Madhva, Ramanuja, Nimbarka and others, and seeing that they were not prevalent there, in order to have direct knowledge, he is said to have proceeded to the south. Vallabha's desire to go to the south of India was very natural. During that time there was the powerful Hindu kingdom of Vijaya Nagar or Vidya- Nagar, over which ruled the mighty monarch Krishnadeva-Raya, himself a great Vaishṇava. During his time, it seems a convention was held of the representatives of all the existing Sampradāyas. The session seems to have been going on when Vallabha visited Vijaya-Nagar. The main dispute seems to have been between Vyāsa Tirtha, the Mādhva, and some representative of Mayavadins. It seems also clear that the Dwaita philosophy of the Mādhvas could not hold its own

against the attacks of S'ānkaras. At this juncture Vallabha seems to have baffled all by his great learning and powerful arguments. We see no reason to doubt this fact. The author of a rcently discovered work Vyāsa-Yoga-Charitam, from Vyāsa Raya Matha, does chronicle the fact that Vallabhacharya was honoured by the king Krishṇadeva Raya under the presidentship of the then famous Mādhva Swami Vyasa Tirtha. Vallabha's position was peculiar. He accepted Adwaita pure and simple without the interference of the Mayavada of S'ankara; hence all the attacks advanced by Mādhvas and others against Advaita lost their force as against him. His acceptance of ‘अद्वैतपूर्वकभक्ति’ disarmed the opposition of both Vaishṇavas and S'ānkaras. The position taken up by Vallabha was not altogether singular. We believe that Narayana Bhatta, the author of the famous drama Veṇisanhara, was the follower of a system of Philosophy which combined in itself the Pure Adwaita of the Upanishads and the Bhakti Mārga. Whatever that may be, it is certain that Vallabha made a very great impression on king Krishnadeva, Vyasa-Tirtha and others who were present there. In consequence of this session, the king performed a 'Kanakābhisheka' with hundred Maunds of Gold. It is said that Vallabha did not accept this gold and began to commence his travels. This abstinence on the part of Vallabha added to the admiration of all those present for him. Vyāsa Tirtha, the Madhva, actually requested him to be the head-priest of his matha after him. Vyasa-Tirtha with king Krishna-deva again approached Vallabha and presented him with a good many valuables. From these presents Vallabha is said to have prepared a gold Mekhala set with diamonds, rubies etc., and presented the same to S'ri Vitthala in the Vitthala Swami Temple at Vijaya-Nagara. Ultimately, it appears, Vallabha could not conscientiously accept the offer of Vyasa-Tirtha, but from this time Vallabha came to be regarded as a great Acharya. Before this, he seems to have met with great opposition from the Mayavadi Pandits of Benares. In order to silence them for ever, Vallabha wrote out a pamphlet in mixed verse and prose and affixed the same to the doors of Kās'hi Vis'vanātha, with a challenge to Benares Pandits to refute the same, if they could. One Upendra was the leader of the opposition. It seems this discussion ended into threats of personal violence, as a consequence of which Vallabha left Benares and moved over to Adel on the opposite bank of the Ganges. This work seems to have created a great stir in the world of Scholars then living. One Ayyanna Dikshita actually mentions it by name in his Vyasa-Tatparya-Nirṇaya. Ayyanna's seems to be a veiled attempt

to belittle the achievement of Vallabhacharya by propounding a principle though novel, far from convincing, for finding out the true view of Vyasa. It is would be rather hazardous to say that the true view of Vyasa can be determined from the statement of the opponents. Assuming however that it is so, the opponents mention both Parinama and Vivarta as the view of Vyasa. Hence from the statements of opponent Sankhyas and Naiyayikas it is impossible to come to the conclusion that Vyasa teaches Vivarta alone in his Brahma sūtras.

The last portion of his life was passed at Adel, where he finished his works which were begun by him during his travels, and served Lord Krishna with the love and devotion of Gopees, and founded his system on it. At the age of 52 he left his Parnas'āla, joined the Sannyasa Ās'rama and came to Benares. For a month he observed fast, and for the last eight days he observed मौनव्रत, and on the 2nd day of the bright half of Āshadha Samvat 1587, he left this world mid-day.

Vallabha married one Maha Lakshmi. By her he had two sons, Gopinatha and Vitthales'wara. Gopinatha had one son named Purushottama, after whom his line became extinct. Vitthales wara lived over seventy years. He had seven sons. During his time the Sampradaya flourished very considerably. Todarmal, Birbal, and Ray Purushottam seem to have come under his influence. Akbar also presented him with Gokula and Jatipura villages in Vraja. All the present Maharajas are direct agnate descendants of Vitthales'wara.

While he was staying in the north of India, Vallabhacharya came into contact with Kes'ava Kashmirin, the famous Nimbarka scholar, and Chaitanya, the Bengal Saint. They were both Krishnopasakas, and it seems from Sampradayika gathas that their relations were very cordial. Kes'ava presented his pupil Madhava Bhatta Kashmirin to Vallabha in Dakshina of भागवतकथाश्रवण. He became his devout disciple, and during his whole life acted as the scribe of S'ri Vallabha. It seems that during Madhava Bhatta's stay with him at Adel, Vallabha composed his numerous works. During that interval Vallabha wrote Purva Mīmānsā Bhashya, Brahma-Sūtra Bhashya, Tattvadipa-Nibandha with his own commentary, Sūkshma tīka and Subodhini on Srimad Bhagavata, and the sixteen Prakarana Granthas giving in brief the essence of his views. It is really unfortunate that only a fragment of his Purva Mimansā Bhashya is available now. Aṇu Bhashya, as we have it now, is not wholly written by him.

Krishnāśraya. The country surrounding the holy rivers the Jamuna and the Ganges was overrun by mahomedans. The kingdom of the great Krishnadeva-Ray in whose court at Vijayanagar Vallabhacharya gained distinction as one of the greatest Acharyas then living, was under the perpetual terror of neighbouring mahomedan kingdoms of the Bahamany dynasty, and its disruption appeared to him to be a question of time. After the death of Krishnadev-Ray, such a time did arrive, and during the regime of weaklings who succeeded Krishnadeva, we find that the five mahomedan kings of the Bahamani Dynasty did combine to overthrow the Hindu kingdom of Vijaya-Nagar, and they actually succeeded in destroying the same in 1565 A. D. in the battle of Talikota. This being the condition of India the very existence of the Vedic civilisation seemed to Vallabhacharya to be in peril. Numerous writers before him had painted the picture of Vedic religion in colours which made it difficult, if not imposible, to be recognized. Even then, after removing all the false colours and showing it in true perspective, it was a great problem to put the same in practice in an acceptable form, having regard to the disturbed state of society then existing in India. Vallabhacharya seems to have devoted much anxious thought to this problem. The problem before him was two-fold, first how he was to present the true picture of Vedic religion, and secondly how he was to save mankind, degenerated and distracted as it was, on the basis of the same. These questions seem to have troubled him most. He found it impossible to solve this problem through human agency. It was in the moments of holy communion and devine inspiration, that a mode of worship was revealed to Vallabha. Divine grace was the essence of this mode of worship. Hence following ‘पोषणं तदनुग्रहः’ a sentence in the Bhagavata, he named this mode as पुष्टिमार्ग.

The conception of this Pushti-Marga was based on a very broad basis. Traivarṇikas and Non-Traivarṇikas, males and femals can equally be Adhikari in this path. The position of the female was elevated to an extent unknown to Vedic times. The conceptions of the Highest Deity, human soul, universe etc. were accepted on the basis of the Vedic doctrine of Brahmavāda, but the process of Sādhanā was based purely on love generated by the singular grace of the Supreme Deity. The Grace Divine was to act in inverse ratio of the individual’s attachment to Veda and Loka. The lesser the attachment to Loka and Veda, the deeper became the attachment to the Supreme Deity. Such love devoid of Upadhi and Avadhi was the index of the Divine Grace. Without love the mode of worship was not Sevā, but a Pūjā. Hence the first requisite

The last Adhyaya and a half of the Bhashya is finished by his son Vitthales'wara. Sūkshma tika is almost lost. Even Pushti-Pravaha- Maryada Bheda, one of the minor Prakaraņas, here printed, is not available as a whole. The Bhagavata Subodhini is available only on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th and a portion of 11th Skandhas. It is possible that Vallabha wrote on all the Skandhas. The loss of these valuable works seems to have been due partly to the apathy of his descendants and followers. It is a pity that no one seems to take care to preserve even those of the writings of Vallabhacharya and his descendants which are available at present. Stray efforts like ours are hardly commensurate with the task which is of immense magnitude, requiring the collaboration of Scholars, Maharajas, and rich Vaishnavas coupled with earnestness of purpose. During his visit to Vraja, Vallabha set up the Shrine of S'rī Nathaji on the holy hill Govardhan in a temple built for that purpose by one Purņa Malla Kshatriya. There Vallabhacharya used to pass his Chātura-Māsa i. e. Āshādha S'ukla eleventh to Kārtik S'ukla eleventh every year. Here he developed the asthetic side of Vaishnavism by refining and perfecting the mode of worship Sevā Mārga. During his stay in Vraja, on the midnight of 11th day of the bright half of S'rāvana, he says he had holy communion with Lord Krishna, who commanded him to initiate Jivas in his service. This initiation consists of two parts: one is the formula to be repeated by the aspirant before the deity by holding Tulasi-leaves in hand and afterwards placing the same at the feet of the deity through Acharya, and the other part is the effect of the same, on the devotee, by which he becomes the Adhikari in the Sevā Marga of Lord S'rī Krishna. In the introduction to Siddhānta-Rahasya we have at length explained the ceremony of initiation and philosophical reasoning on which it was based. A person so initiated was considered to be a member of the Pusti-Marga, a path to approach God through his singular grace alone. In this Prakaraņa Grantha Vallabhacharya tries to distinguish this Pushti-Marga from the so-called Maryada-Marga and Pravaha-Marga. By a description of the characteristic features of these Margas, he tries to bring out the excellences of the Pushti- Marga as compared with the Maryādā and Pravāha. The conditions political social and religious then prevailing in India seem to have made Vallabhacharya very sceptical and nervous as to the future of the Veda-Marga or Maryada-Marga as he calls it here. A vivid picture of this degredation is drawn by him in another of his Prakarana Grantha

was the Grace Divine, which in its turn generated love towards the Supreme Deity and non-attachment towards the allurements of Veda and Loka. This could be achieved only by a complete self-surrender to the Supreme Deity. Hence this vow of ‘Samarpana’ the Sadhaka had to take at the time of initiation. Taking this vow was the beginning, and realisation of the Supreme was the end of this Pushti-Mārga, while the stage between the two ends was to be passed through the process of what are called तनुजा and वित्तजा सेवा. This process gradually eliminates the objectionable features of अहन्ता and ममता, and generates a mental attitude in which the presence of the Supreme Deity is always experienced. To distinguish this Pushti-Marga from the Marya'da' and the Prava'ha, Vallabhacharya first explains the existence of these Margas. The existence of Bhaktimarga-Path of devotion, pre-supposes the existence of Pushti which itself is the finest flower of the Bhakti-Marga. The observance of the Vedic rites and Vedic Jnana proves the existence of Maryada-Marga. Those who follow only worldly pursuits are said to follow the Prav'aha-Marga. ‘अत्रैवं स्वरूपनिश्चायनेन यावन्तः पुष्टिप्रयुक्ता मार्गा भक्तिरूपास्ते पुष्टिमार्गेऽन्तर्भवन्ति, ये लौकिकाः सर्गपरंपरां न विच्छन्दन्ति, ते प्रवाहेऽन्तर्भवन्ति, ये वेदनियमं नातिवर्तन्ते, ते मर्यादायामन्तर्भवन्ति।’. The bhajana in Pushti-Marga is due to love alone. This bhajana is not based on the injunctions of the Veda, nor on worldly selfishness. Hence the devotee who becomes the recipient of the singular grace of the Supreme Deity gives up his faith ( A'stha' ) both in Loka and Veda. The soul elect attains his status through Divine Grace alone un-fettered by Vedic rules and worldly demands. Such a soul is the specially favoured one and naturally he is considered to have reached the highest stage. The difficulty to reach this stage is emphasized by Krishna in ‘कश्चिदेव हि भक्तो हिं’. Thus the Pushti Soul is distinct from the Maryada Soul as well as Pravaha Soul. The distinction was first inferred from the fact that the Pushti Soul’s sole dependance is on the grace of the Supreme Deity, that of Mary'ad'a Soul on Vedic injunction, that of Pravaha Soul on worldly pursuit. This distinction is due to difference in the mode of creation of each of these Souls. The Highest Deity is Sat-Chit- Ananda. He creates Pravaha Srishti through Manas, Maryada Srishti through Vachas, and Pushti Srishti through Kaya or Ānanda S'rianga. Pravaha Srishti is Sadans'a-Pradhana, Maryada Srishti Chidans'a Pradhana, while Pushti Srishti is Anandāns'a Pradhana. The Pushti Soul is guided by the dictates of love of God, Maryada Soul by

Vachas, Words of God spoken in Veda, and Pravaha Soul by the will, manas of Lord. The phala of Pravaha Soul depends on Mulechha will of God, that of Maryādā Soul on the Vedic words, and that of Pushti Soul on Purushottama-Ananda-Kaya. The Pravaha Soul gets only birth and death, the Maryada Soul Vedic Moksha, and the Pushti Soul Praves'a-entrance in Līlā Srishti. From this it appears that Vallabhacharya regards the Pushti soul as different both from Maryada Soul and Pravaha Souls. The Pushti Soul is meant for the service of the Swarupa of Lord, and for no other object. Between the Pushti Soul who has reached the highest stage and the Supreme Deity there, is no तारतम्य so far as Swarupa, avatara, external sign, attributes, actions or Vigraha except that which is absolutely essential for the perfection of the Divine play. Such a soul being created from काय (कः आनन्दः) आनन्दस्वरूप essentially resembles the Lord in स्वरूप. He is like Him अतिरोहितसच्चिदानन्द. Just as the Lord comes down in the world (अवतार) making सत्त्व as His अधिष्ठान or basis, so also has he in this world सत्त्व as his basis. Like the Lord he has also marks such as कमल, ध्वज, वज्र, अंकुश etc. Like the Lord he has six गुणs ऐश्वर्य etc. श्रुतिs like एकोऽहं बहु स्याम्, स एकाकी न रमते, स द्वितीयमैच्छत, पतिश्च पत्नी चाभवताम् refer to such a soul. The पुष्टि Soul is मुक्त and शुद्ध. He is लीलासृष्टिस्थ. He is the true recipient of the Divine Grace पुष्टि. आविर्भाव manifestation of the Lord is his फल and not मोक्ष. The Pushti Soul of this pure type is an extremely rare thing. In the mass we find Souls whose inclinations are mixed. Such mixed Souls have also their scope in the Divine Fair. Pushti Souls with Pushti become Sarvajna, Pushti souls with Pravaha become engrossed in actions pertaining to God, and those with Maryādā devote themselves to Gunas of God, while a Pushti Soul with love alone is rare. To the Pushti Soul God manifisted is phala in this and the next life. A Pushti Soul very often becomes subjected to other influences, then he is called Mis'ra Pushti Soul. He does not ultimately suffer even when there is a curse in case of egotism. He has to suffer for a purpose and when that purpose is served, he also becomes pure. His Parinishtha being in God alone, the Laukika and Vedic activities followed by him are without Astha. He is placed in that position, so he seems to follow those activities, though his goal is Bhagavatprapatti alone. His Vaishnavatva is sahaja natural, while his other activities are due to the circumstances in which he is somehow placed. A Pushti Soul having come in Pravaha does not ultimately suffer from the shortcomings of Pravaha; the grace of Lord on which he depends, saves him there also.

After describing the characteristics of a Pushti Soul, Vallabha- charya describes who are called Sambandhi Souls. They wander always. They don't really belong to any class, but become such on account of their contact with Souls of such a class. They are known as Charshani. They have no definite inclination. They have their fruits according to their actions. Pravaha Souls are described by Krishna in 'प्रवृत्तिं च'. They are known as Āsuras. They are of two sorts. One class is known as दुर्ज्ञ and other as अज्ञ. The दुर्ज्ञs are real Āsuras, while अज्ञs are those who follow दुर्ज्ञs. The Asuratva of अज्ञs being due to an extraneous cause, may disappear, while the दुर्ज्ञs being मायिक disappear into Māyā. Incomplete as this work is, we are not in a position to exactly understand the views of Vallabhacharya as regards the Maryada and Pravaha Souls, but the characteristics of the Pushti Soul—Soul who is the subject of Lord's Varana, are fully set out. The Soul elect is a peculiar Soul who though appearing sometimes different, never ceases to be as such. His Pramaṇa, Prameya, Sadhana and Phala is Lord Krishna alone. Such a Soul may belong to any sex, class, or race, but if he has the requisite Prapatti-sole dependendce of God,— He alone saves him. Such dependence is not possible in the absence of the purest love, and such love is impossible in the absence of the Grace of God. For this reason Vallabhacharya declares that the sine quo non of the Adhikara in Pushti Marga is the Anugraha of the Supreme Deity. Anugraha of Lord controls the Pushti Soul from the व्युच्चरण to नित्यलीलाप्रवेश and nothing else. श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु । Bombay, } M. T. Telivala. 28th-3-1925. }

EDITORS' NOTE.

In this volume are printed four commentaries with the text of the Pushti-Pravāha-Maryādā of S'rī Vallabhāchārya. The four commentaries printed here are those of S'rī Gokulanathaji, S'rī Raghunāthaji, S'rī Kalyanarayji and S'rī Pitambarji. The first two are grand-sons of S'rī Vallabhacharya, the third his great- grand-son and the fourth is 6th agnate descendant. The last Commentary though it is published in the name of S'rī Pitambarji, we have no doubt, is actually written by his learned son S'rī Purushottamji. S'rī Purushottamji seems to have written this and dedicated it to his father by ascribing the authorship of the same to him. Whatever that may be, the style is evidently familiar one which we meet in other writings of S'rī Purushottamji.

Pushti-Pravāha-Maryādā is one of the so-called ‘Shodas'a Grantha’ sixteen works of S'rī Vallabhacharya. Though this is a Prakaraṇa grantha, the whole of it is unfortunatily not available. The last portion of it seems to have been lost by the time S'rī Gokulnāthaji came to write his commentary on it. S'rī Gokulnathaji remarks at the end of his commentary thus:—‘यद्यप्यत्र ग्रन्थोपसंहारदर्शनाभावादग्रेऽपि ग्रन्थोऽस्तीति ज्ञायते, तथाप्यग्रिमग्रन्थस्याप्रसिद्धत्वाद्यावत्प्रसिद्ध एव व्याख्यात इति नानुपपत्तिः काचित्’. S'rī Raghunathaji another commentator also remarks at the end of his commentary ‘इत ऊर्ध्वं ग्रन्थत्रुटिः’. S'rī Gokulnathaji and S'rī Raghunathaji are both grandsons of S'rī Vallabhacharya, and from the above we come to know that they were unable to trace the whole of the present Prakaraṇa Grantha and therefore they had to satisfy themselves by com- menting on that portion of Pushti-Pravāha-Maryādā which was available to them during their times. Though we are not informed exactly as to what was lost from this work by these commentators, we do learn from the last commentator S'rī Pitambaraji or S'rī Purushottamji that the portion of this work dealing with the प्रयोजन, साधन, अङ्ग, क्रिया and फल of प्रवाहमार्ग and प्रयोजन, स्वरूप, अङ्ग, क्रिया, साधन and फल of मर्यादामार्ग, seems to have been lost. Whatever that may be, we have also to satisfy ourselves by publishing the portion which is available. Inspite of our efforts we have not been able to trace the whole of it anywhere. How the last portion of the present work came to be lost as early as the time of S'rī Gokulnathaji is a question which is not possible for us to answer definitily. In the absence of any reliable information whatever we may say would be nothing more than speculation. It is not absolutely impossible that this work in the original with others of S'rī Vallabha- charya, was consigned to oblivion by the wife of S'rī Gopinathaji (elder son of S'rī Vallabhacharya) when differences arose between her and her brother-in-law S'rī Vitthala Dikshita, on the death of her husband, as to the succession to the seat of Acharya between her son Purushottamaji and S'rī Vitthala Dikshita. It does not seem to be probable that S'rī Vallabhacharya himself left it incomplete. Possibly this work as it is available deals fully with the Pushtimarga, while the rest of the portion dealing with Pravāha and Maryādā being uninteresting to the exclusive tendencies of S'rī Vitthala Dikshita became neglected with the result that by the time Gokulanathaji came to write his commentary, he was unable to trace it. In those days the means of communication were few. Whatever might have been the reason for the loss, the fact is that we have now to satisfy ourselves with the fragment as is available.