Shri Nathji :Nathadwara
Shri Nathji is the form of Lord Krishna when he lifted the Govardhana Hill.
He is shown with his left hand raised and the right hand closed in a fist and resting on his hip. His followers worship him both as Shri Radhanath or the Lord of Radha and as the mischievous child god Krishna.
The idol of Shri Nathji is made from a large black stone and has several animals engraved on it – two cows, a snake, a lion, two peacocks, a parrot by the god’s head, three seated sages, one on the Lord’s left and the other two on his right and another snake below the sages. They are evidently inhabitants of Mount Goverdhan watching Shrinathji reverently.
A flower garland made of stone around the deity’s neck resembles a black snake. The god wears a large diamond beneath his lips, a gift from the Mughal emperor Akbar. The lord here is given much respect: his clothes and jewellery are changed six times a day between the prayer services.
Vajranabha, the great grandson of Lord Krishna, first installed Shri Nathji as a deity over 5,000 years ago.
The deity was then found by Madhavendra Puri around 500 years ago, lying neglected in some bushes next to the Govardhana Hill in Vrindavan. Krishna had appeared to him in a dream and asked him to install the deity of Shrinathji who had been originally installed by Vajranabha.
Puri then established the idol in a temple on the same hill in 1519 AD. Later Madhavendra handed over the service of the deity to Vitthalanathji, the son of Vallabhacharya (b. 1479).
Vitthalanathji took up the worship of the deity and since then it has been carried forward by the followers of Vallabhacharya, the Vaishnava spiritual guru.
Vallabhacharya (Mahaprahbhuji) once defeated a large group of learned men at Vidyanagar and was amply rewarded with gold coins by King Krishnadeva Raya.
The scholar gave away most of those coins and kept only seven. Those seven coins were then made into an ornament for Shri Nathji’s statue which is still around his neck.
HISTORY OF SHRI NATHJI
Shri Nathji’s idol was brought to Rajasthan from Govardhana near Vrindavan to protect it from the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who in 1665 was bent upon vandalizing the area of Vrindavan by widespread destruction of Hindu temples.
When the Mughal army came to Govardhana, the devotees of the Lord showed them the titles and gifts given to the temple by the previous Mughal rulers.
The army commander then ordered the deity to be taken away from Govardhana. For almost six months the statue stayed in Agra after which the custodians of the idol of Shrinathji left that place with the idol in search of a new heaven.
While several other princes were diffident, it was Maharana Rajsingh of Mewar who dared to provide refuge. The idol went on a journey to Mewar which took 32 months to complete.
The decision to settle the Lord here at Nathdwara involves an interesting story. When the wheel of the chariot carrying the Lord got stuck in the mud at a place called Sihar, the Rana saw it as a divine sign that Lord Krishna wished to settle here. and thus a temple was built at this spot and the holy township of Nathdwara grew around the temple.
In 1672 Shrinathji was installed in a new temple built in village Sihad, now called Nathdwara, on the banks of the Banas.
SHRINATHJI TEMPLE
The temple of Shri Nathji dating from 12th century BC is a simple structure and is built like a house, but simultaneously has grace, design and harmony.
It has been designed in the lines of the house of Krishna’s father, Nanda Maharaj, in Vrindavan. The temple is thus also known as Nanda Bhavan or Nandalaya (the house of Nanda Maharaj).
A kalasha (spire) tops it on which are seven flags alongwith the weapon of Lord Vishnu, the sudarshan chakra (discus).
There is an interesting story regarding the deity of Shri Nathji that forms the basis of a temple ritual. It is said that once the Lord had torn his clothes while rushing back to the temple to be on time for prayers. Since that day it has become a custom to first blow the conch and then wait for a few minutes before opening the altar doors so that the Lord can return from his frolicking without any hurry and thus save himself from the embarrassment that he had already faced once.
The management of the temple is under the main acharya or the spiritual leader of the Vallabh Sampradaya, known as the Tilakayata. The acharya is also known as Gosain Maharaj.
SHRINAHJI DARSHAN’S (JHANKIS)
Shrinathji during summer sleeps late at night and so rises late in the morning similary in winter Shrinathji retires early at night and so awakens early in the morning. In winter a Saghdi with Coal is lit and placed near him in order to produce heat for the divine child.
Early in the morning the VINA is played to awaken Shrinathji and classical songs and music is sung during other Jhankis. Shrinathji is royally dressed and fed the purest and richest of foods.
Even the water he drinks comes from the sacred river Yamuna. Shrinathji wears the best of the Dresses/Jewellery which is very rarely repeated.
Normally there are eight Jhanki’s are eight Jhanki’s every day. These eight Jhanki’s are for a short while because shrinathji being a young child can be a Victim of evil eye (Nazar) and moreover each Jhanki has a particular meaning and purpose.
The 8 Darshans or glimpses of Srinathji known as Ashtaya, are Mangala, Shrungar, Gwal, Rajbhog, Uthhapan, Bhog, Sandhaya Aarti and Shayan. In each of them the leelas (divine manifestations) of the Lord are described and harmonized with His daily routine.
ATTRACTION OF COWS
The temple has over 500 cows amongst which one is honoured of being Shri Nathji’s cow.
This cow comes from a lineage that has served the Lord for ages and whose milk is only for the deity to drink.
Milk from the other cows is used to make various sweets.
OTHER TEMPLE ATTRACTIONS
The temple has over 500 cows amongst which one is honoured of being Shri Nathji’s cow.
This cow comes from a lineage that has served the Lord for ages and whose milk is only for the deity to drink.
Milk from the other cows is used to make various sweets.
Adapted from Notes of Lalita Palep
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