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

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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