Shri Bahulavan Baithakji Number 8
Baithaks in Pushtimarg religion are holy places where Shri Vallabhacharya, the founder of Pushtimarg, narrated the Holy Bhagvad Katha. They are total 84 in number and spread all over the country. Mahaprabhuji had circled the whole of India three times and done sthapna of these various Baithaks.
Each Baithak has its own particular Charitra (description).
Baithaks are holy places where there is no Idol or Chitra (Picture); sewa is done of Gaddi (Seating).
Baithaks are a very important pilgrim place for all Pushtimarg bhakts, as Shri Vallabhacharya is their primary Guru.
Here are some pictures displayed from my visit to the 8th Baithak of Mahaprabhuji, located at Bahula Van, Vraj Mandal.
The Mukhiyaji had asked us not to take photos of the darshans, so I did not.
These three photos that you see below, I have found on the internet, hence uploaded them for the bhakts. Their link is given at the bottom of this post.
View of the Krishn Kund, one of the few Kunds which have been maintained in cleanliness
There are several birds in this area, as it is not commercialized yet. There is no major construction happening here, thank God!
Shri Vallabhacharya was born in the VS 1535 or AD1478.
It was on Vaishak Vad Giyaras (11th) in Vikram Samvat 1535, or AD 1478; in Satbhisha Nakshatra on a Thursday; during the Abhijit mahurat, 12.40-1.00 in the afternoon; when ShreeNathji’s Lotus Face Appeared from Govardhan to give His divya Darshan to the lucky people of the village; According to Shree Krishn’s desire, on the same day but in the Abhijit mahurat, 12.40-1.00 at night, Shree Vallabhacharya also appeared at Champaran in a ring of fire.
(Details of his life and teachings, can be read on my website:
http://www.shreenathjibhakti.org
http://www.shreenathjibhakti.org/brief_sketch_vallabhacharya.htm
8th Baithakji at BahulaVan
(This detail of the original varta about this Baithakji is taken from website: http://www.vallabhkankroli.org/)
At Bahulavan, Shri Mahaprabhuji stayed three days giving discourses on the Srimad Bagavatam
This is the fourth Van of the Vraj area, in the village of Bathi.
Krishn Kund is also located here
Here there are temples of Bahulabihariji and Bahula cow.
A story of Bahula cow can be found in Padma Puran:
Once Dharmaraja, in the form of a lion, visited this jungle to kill cows. All the cows except Bahula had escaped at the sight of this lion. Lion wanted to kill Bahula. She requested him to wait till she can go and feed her child. She promised him to return after that. She did return. Impressed with her honesty and truthfulness, lion revealed his true identity of Dharmaraja. When the cow died the people of this village started worshipping her by installing a stone statue of this cow.
The Muslim King of this area prohibited them from worshipping this cow. The king proclaimed that worship could only be commenced when the cow would actually eat grass. During his visit to this place, Shri Mahaprabhuji was informed about this prohibition. Shri Mahaprabhuji invited the king and showed to him the stone Bahula cow partaking of the offered grass. The king was amazed and became disciple of Shri Mahaprabhuji. In his next life this king was born as Meha Dhemar.
Amongst the Vraj’s 12 ‘ Vans’, this ‘ Van’ ranks fourth. Under the tree of ‘ Vadh’, this Baithakji is situated. Also beside it a cow named ‘ Bahula’ rests.
In this Baithakji, Vraj’s Muslim Suba was shown an astonishing miracle by Shri Mahaprabhuji.
Contact Information :-
Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Baithak,
At Post – Bathi
Dist. Mathura
Uttar Pradesh
India
(Picture of the inner mandir darshans are taken from: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45245944)
Jai Shreeji!
Abha Shahra Shyama 