Shreenathji Temple

Here by the side of the Kantanath mountain under a shady tree Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya conducted a discourse on the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Ramayan, the story of Lord Rama. Hunuman, the monkey god, standing daily came to hear the dscourse while standing on one foot. Shri Mahaprabhuji requested him to take his seat, but the monkey god replied that to stand was his oath of austerity.

Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya later explained that the Kantanath mountain is the brother of Shri Giriraja Hill, therefore we should not walk on the sacred mountain. Kantanath mountain, wishing Mahaprabhuji to bless him with the touch of his feet, came disguised as a Brahman saying, “Sita and Ram have told me to tell you that they are on top of the Kantanath mnountain and are very hungry so please bring them some food.”

Mahaprabhuji then requested Damala to prepare bananas with sugar, cardaman, and rose water, Krishnadas questioned, “How is it possible to offer the foodstuff to Shri Krishna and to Shri Ram. Shri Mahaprabhuji replied, “Ram is no other than Lord Krishna, the only difference is that Lord Ram is controllec by law while Krishna is governed by grace.” Shri Mahaprabhu then ascended the mountain and there saw Sita and Ram sitting with Laxshman by their side holding an umbrella while Manuman stood by with folded hands.
Shri Rama, taking Shri Mahaprabhu’s hand made him sit next to him on his jewelled throne. After Lord Ram and Sita partook of the bananas, Laxshman and Hamunan took the remains. For some time Lord Rama and Mahaprabhuji became engrossed in diving discourse. Shri Ram then said, “It was my great desire to partake of the food offered by your hand. Mahaprabhuji then took his leave and returned to the bottom of the mountain.

In the area of Soram Kshetra at Soram Ghat, Shri Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya made his halt. There Krishnadas Meghan went to see his former guru wiothout Mahaprabhuji’s permission. His previous guru asked him, “why have you made a second guru” Krishnadas replied, “ you are my guru and it is by your grace I have come into contact with Lord Vallabhacharya.”

His guru then questioned, “How do you know he is truely the Lord.” Krishnadas then took some burning ambers in his hands and declared, “If the fire does not burn my hands, then know what I say to be true.

The fire failed to have any burning effect on his hands and his previous guru the became convinced of Shri Mahaprabhu Vallabhachrya’s divinity.

Once while Mahaprabhuji was bathing in the Ganges, his older brother Keshava puri arrived there. He showed off to his brother that he could walk on the waters of the Ganges. Mahaprabhuji seeing this said that man’s greatest power is in serving the Lord. When his brother asked him to demonstrate some of his prowers, Shri Mahaprabhuji was not pleased such boasterous talk and remain silent. On the following day, his brother again showed off his ability to tred water but when he reached to middle of the river he sank. Drowning, he called out to his brother who was at that time making his prayers. Shri Mahaprabhuji siting on the bank, extended his arms hundreds of feet and saved his sinking brother. Keshava Bhatt seeing this miraculous feat bowed low before Mahasrabhuji.

Shri Mahaprabhu Vallabhachayra stayed for three days at Mansarovar discussing the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Once, Damala awoke in the middle of the night and noticed that his guru was missing. A few hours later, Shri Krishna appeared before Damala who exclaimed, “Today I am certainly blessed to have your supreme vision. “The Lord than told Damal, “Today, Shri Radha has become very displeased with me.”

Later, Shri Radha came to the Lord and Their reuinon was established. Damala and Shri Mahaprabhuji had the sight of this divine pastime. All of this transpired while the other Vaishnavas were deeply emersed in Sleep.

From Manasaravar, Mahaprabhuji proceed to Lohavan, Raval, Shri Baldevaji, Mahavan, and then took his bath in the yanauna river at Brahmanda Ghat. There all his disciples had the vision of the Lord playing with his other cowherd friends. Then he continued on stopping at Raman Reti, Utareshvar Ght, Yashoda Ghat and finally at Shri Gokul’s Govinda Ghat. Here Acharya Mahaprabhu celebrated Krishna’s appearance day by swinging child Krishna (Lord Navanita priayji) in a cloth. All of the people there had the divine vision that child Krishna was swinging in a jewel studded cradle. With his iparents Nanda and Yashoda roking him. Nanda and Yashoda told Mahaprabhu to ask of them whatever the wanted. Mahaprabhuji requested “In the future you should not give this divine sight to everyon because if unqualified people see saw a vision they would still not have faith. We will dress up like you, and appear through us instead.”

At Banares there was also a divine appearance day celebration at the house of purushttamdas but the celebration in Shri Gokul was most amazing because it is Shri Krishna’s birthplace

From here Shri Mahaprabhuji went to Mathura and gave one Brahmin priest 100 rupees in honor of the completion of his first all India pilgrimage. Maheprabhu Vallabhacharya made three pilgrimages around the Braja land as well as three all India pilgrimages sanctifying everyplace he went.

From Kolilavan, Mahaprabhu Vallabhachayra proceeded to Bathain, Kotvan, and stayed the night at Shesasia. Then he continued to Ramghat, Gopighat, Gangavan, Nivarnvan, Chinghat, Nandaghat and then finally to Bhandirvan where he held a seven reading of the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Their Byastirth a religious head of the Madhava Sampradaya said to Mahaprabhu Vallabhcharys, “I have over 100,00 disciple and many famous kings are among them. Madavendra puri is my disciple and his disciple is Krishna Chaitanya. I have come here to drop my body. I feel that you are capable to take over my position, so I am giving you 100,00 rupees and my religious position. Shri Mahaprabhuji told him that he would reply him the next morning. That might, the servants of the Lord came and beat Vyastirth who cried, “why are you beating me? “The Lord’s servants replied, “you have the pride to think that you can give something to Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya. Your words to his were most unbefitting. If you wish to fare well, go and grasp hi feet, seek his protection.

The following morning, Vyastirth apologized for his prideful words and prayed to made a disciple. Shri Mahaprabhuji initiated him into the path of Grace and then went on to Mansarovar stopping on the way at Blevan and Bhadravan.

Here by the Krishna lake, under a tree, Mahaprabhu Vallabhachayra resided for one month discussing the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Their Chaturnaga a disciple of the Nimvark Sampradays approached Mahaprabhuji and said, “we have heard that you support the path of Devotion as taught by Vshnu Svami and have debated and defeated all the Mayavadians in the south. Please shower you infinite grace on the thousand hermits living here by feeding them all rice pudding.

Mahaprabhuji then told Krishnadas to bring five kilos of milk and make the pudding for the hermits. When the pudding was prepared, Mahaprabhuji glanced over it and it became an inexhastable five kilos of pudding. The thousand hermits were feed the pudding in bowls made of leaves and even after everyone had finished, the same five kilos of pudding remained. Mahaprabhuji then told Krishnadas to distribute the rest of the pudding to all the peacocks and monkeys in the areas, but even after that the original five kilos of rice pudding remained. Only when Vasudevadas took the remains of the pudding to his home did the five kilos of pudding finally diminish.

Chaturnaga seeing this amazing pastime prayed, “you are no other than the Lord Himself. I was ignorant of your true form, but now I pray t be made you disciple.”

Shri Mahaprabhu replied, “you already have a guru, but by the grace of my grandson, Shri Gokulnathji who will appear in the future, you will enter into the path of Grace.”

Chatrunaga questioned, “what will be my condition intil then.”

“You will live for 150 years and then my grandson Shri Gokulnathji will shower his grace on you during your 110 th year.”

For many years, Chaturnaga wander about in to holy preceints of Vrindavan always absorbed in the Lord’s divine remembrance. Once, while rambling about, his hair got tangled on a branch and for three days he could not free himself. Then Shri Krishna came and untangle his hair. During that time, King Jahangir order that all Tulsi necklaces worn by the Vaishnavas not to be worn. Chaturnaga fell a victum to the order and fhad his necklace removed. Shortly later, Chaturnaga passed Shri Gokulnathji in Mathura. Shri Gokulnathji called, “Chaturnaga, although we are married people, we did not take off our tulsi necklaces. How is it that you a hermit had yours removed?”

Chaturnaga prostrated before Shri Gokulnathji and holding on to his feet said with welling eyes, “After so long a wait have net you. Kindly accept me as your disciple and give me Tulsi necklace.”

Gokulnathji knowing the promise of Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya made Chaturnaga his disciple. From that time, Chaturnaga always went about sing the glories of his guru. At the age of 150 he dropped his body at Govinda lake by the Govaradhan hill and enter into Krishna’s lila.

Here, Shri Mahaprabhujji stayed for six months discussing the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Uddhavaji, a friend of Shri Krishna stayed there for one month to acquire true spiritual knowledge form Achrya Mahaprabhuji. Krishna’s father, Nanda Baba also divinely appeared and listened for the entire six months.

Once, while Shri Mahaprabhuji was sitting by the lake a Muslim cam to let his horse dring of the lakes waters. The horse drank too much water and suddenly feel dead and out of his body appeared a celestrial form with four arms and ascended to the eternal realm of Vaikuntha. All present there were blessed to see the divine occurance.

The Muslim, who also witnessed it approached Mahaprabhuji and prayed to be made His disciples but was told that his liberation would take place in his next birth. The Muslim left, placing Mahaprabhu Vallabhachrya’s lotus feet always in his heart and shortly thereafter left his material body. He took rebirth as Sangji in the home of a shoe maker. He always practied tantra and became very proficient in the use of spells and mantras. Once he had a argument with one disciple of Shri Vitthalnathji, Shri Vallabhacharya’s son and decided that at night he would dispose of him by means of his various mantras and spells. For the whole night he tried but that devotee remained completely unaffected. Sangji then realized that he was a great saint and sought his surrender on the following day. The Vaishnava told him to leave the use of all such mantras and spells and to take the shelter of his guru Shri Vitthalnathji and the supreme Lord, Shri Krishna. Some days later, Shri Vitthalnathji stopped at Nandaguam on his way to Dwarka. That Vaishnava asked him on behalf of Sangji if he could be made a disciple. Shri Vitthalnthji replied, “That is the reason why I have come her.” Sangji then took initiation and became an accomiplished bhakta.

The king heard that a low caste shoe maker had taken on a Brahmicial code of living and summoned him. “you are a common shoe maker. How is ti that you are living in the style of a Brahmin?”

Sangji replied, “I am the disciple of Shri Vitthalnathji, therefore I have risen to that level.”

The king replied, Milk can be made into yogurt, but yogurt can hever be made into milk. In the same way. Someone from the priestly can fall to the class of a shoemaker, but a shoemaker can never become a priest,”

Saangji replied, “If I can turn yogurt into milk, will you belive me?”

The king then called for some yogurt and summoned all of the local priests to witness the event. Sanfji then loudly proclaimed, “If Shri Vitthalnathji has qualified me to live the way I do, then this yogurt will turn to milk, otherwise know that I am the lowest of all shoemakers.”

The king then called for some yogurt had turned to milk. Everyone present was convinced of the divinity of Shri Vittalnathji and they all became his followers.
From Nanda Gaum, Shri Mahaprabhuji procced to Karala, Anjano, Kari, Disoyo, Citravan, Jovat and finally to kakilavan where he stayed under a tree by the Krishna lake.

By the Krishna Lake, Shri Mahaprabhuji stayed for seven days discussing Srimad Bhagavatam. During His discourse a girl of sixteen years adorned with ornaments of great splendour use do daily come and fan Shri Mahaprabhuji and when the discoursed was completed she would suddenly disappeat. After the seventh day, one Vaishnav asked Shri Mahaprabhuji who the young girl was. Shri Mahaprabhuji then said, “She is the goddess of Sanket, and has for a long time cherished the desire to make my services, so now her wish has been fulfilled.”

Form here, Shri Mahaprabhujji proceeded to Nandaguam stopping at Rithora to have the view of the gopi Chandrawali.