Shri Hit Harivansh Chandra Mahaprabhu (another spelling, Hita Harivaṃśa, 1509–1552) is a

Braj Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhoomi, is a region in India on both sides of the Yamuna river with its centre at Mathura- Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh state encompassing the area which also includes Palwal and Ballabhgarh in Harya ...

-language bhakti poet- sant and the founder of

Radha Vallabh Sampradaya The Radha Vallabh Sampradaya is a Vaishnava Hindu denomination which began in 1535 at Vrindavan with the bhakti poet- sant Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu (1502–1552). Harivansh's views are related to Krishnaism but emphasizes devotion to Radhar ...

. His principal work is the hymnal ''Hita-Caurāsī''. Born in Baad Graam (modern day Bad near

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...

on 11th Day of the Hindu month of Vaishakh (

Ekadashi Ekadashi () is the eleventh lunar day (''tithi'') of each of the two lunar phases which occur in an Vedic calendar month - the '' Shukla Pakṣa'' (the period of the brightening moon also known as the waxing phase) and the ''Kṛṣṇa Pakṣ ...

). He considered as the

incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...

of Lord

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

(Hari) and Krishna's flute by the followers. A follower of Prema Bhakti and devotee of Radharani as the ultimate Supreme Power. His preaching of Radha and

Radha-Krishna Radha-Krishna (IAST , sa, राधा कृष्ण) are collectively known within Hinduism as the combined forms of feminine as well as the masculine realities of God. Krishna and Radha are the primeval forms of God and his pleasure potenc ...

being ''Ek Pran Dou Deh''—One Soul Two Bodies; has been the valuable asset of this Sampradaya (sect). The temple of Shri Radhavallabh ji in

Vrindavan Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

, was established by him, and his followers (hierarchy) are facilitating the Temple till today and is the center place for his followers in

. The old temple of Shri Radhavallabh ji, just adjacent to the new temple has a painting of Shri Hit Harivansh Ji. Shri Radha Vallabh Temple is one of the most famous temples of Krishna in Vrindavan including Shri Bankey Bihari Temple, Shri Govind Dev Ji Temple, Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Shri Gopinath Temple, Shri Radha Raman Temple and Shri Radha Damodar Temple. He was the Guru of

Jaimal Rathore Jaimal Mertiya (1507–1568) was the ruler of Merta. He was cousin of the Hindu saint Mirabai and became the ruler of Merta after the death of his father, Rao Veeram Dev. His father was perceived as the strongest king of the east in his time. ...

, ruler of Martha State and brother of

Mirabai Meera, better known as Mirabai and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition. Mirabai was born into a Rathore ...

.Shree Bhaktmal, Geeta Press, Gorakhpur, P.437

Birth of Sri Hit Harivansh

Founder of the Sri Radhavallabh Sampradaya was Goswami Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu who is regarded as the incarnation of Lord Krishna's flute. His father, Sri Vyasa Mishra, was a Gaur Brahman of Deoband in

Saharanpur Saharanpur is a city and a municipal corporation in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is also the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur district. Saharanpur city's name was given after the Saint Shah Haroon Chishti. Saharanpur is declared as on ...

district of

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

, who was in service of the

Mughal Emperor The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...

Humayun Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad ( fa, ) (; 6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556), better known by his regnal name, Humāyūn; (), was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, who ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northe ...

, according to 'Tarikh-I-Deoband' (Syed Mehboob Rizvi, Ilmi-Marqaz, and Deoband). On one occasion while Sri Vyas Mishra was accompanying Emperor on his march from Agra, his wife Tara Rani, gave birth to a son at the Royal Army Camp at village-Baad, near Mathura; on 11th day (Ekadashi) Monday of 'Baisakh'(April–May) in the Samvat 1530 corresponding to 10th.(Zilkad 878 Hijri). According to various Ephemeris, Solar, Lunar and Planetary, compiled and edited by eminent Foreign and Indian Chronologists like John Warren (1825), James Princep (1831), Robert Swell (1881). Hermann Jacobi (1888), L. D. Swemikennu Pillai (1911), V.B. Ketkar (1923), Gahlot and Devra for the years B.C.1 to 2000 A.D., on Vaishakh Shukla 11, Monday appears only during 1530 whereas in 1559 the day was Thursday. Zauhar Aftabchi, the Royal Diarist and Courtier of Humayun support this.

Celebrations after Sri Harivansh's birth

In grateful recognition of their answered prayers, the parents named the child after the God they had invoked, and called him 'Harivansh', i.e. Hari’s issue. The Emperor celebrated with pomp and splendor heralding the incarnation of the sacred flute of the Lord. Gulbadan Beghum, sister of the Emperor in her book 'Humayaunnama' (preserved in Gulistan Library at Tehran, capital of Iran) and Zohar Aftabchi in his book 'Tazkirat -ul-Wakiat' had described in detail that how for ten days there were festivities celebrated, profuse lightings, fireworks, feasts, etc., continued during this period. The Emperor, his Queen 'Mariam Makani' , his sister 'Gulbadan Beghum' , prominent courtiers Bairam Khan, Tardi Beg, Yaqoob Beg, Zohar Aftabchi, Baba, Khoja Ambar, etc. sent gifts and greetings to 'Pt. Mishra’s Alms were given to beggars and special gifts One part of the Royal caravan was staying at Serai, three 'Kos'(6 km.)away from 'Baad Gram' on Agra-Delhi Road, where also festivities in the honor of HIT Harivansh Mahaprabhu were celebrated on large scale for ten days supervised and managed by Abdul Majeed the Deewan of Mathura at the Royal expense. But on the order of Emperor, all the inmates of Royal caravan abstained from alcoholic drinks and non-vegetarian food during this period. To mark the serenity of the occasion, the Emperor ordered, that in future The Royal Armies should not camp at Baad, instead Farah was declared camping ground

Childhood days of Mahaprabhu

Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu passed his childhood at Deoband a place of peace and divinity. Once playing with his playmates; the ball fell in a deep well. Mahaprabhu jumped into the well and came out with a 'Shri Vigraha'(Lord's idol). The well still exists and 'Sriji' placed in the ancestral palace, at Deoband is widely known as 'Sri Radha Navarangilalaji' here at Deoband. When he was eight years old Harivanshji's Yagyapaveet (Sacred Thread) ceremony was performed, and later he was married to Rukminiji, determined to abandon the world and lead the life of an ascetic. Since then the replica was taken care of and served by all the generations. Next morning Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu was married at a simple but solemn ceremony and the replica, named 'Radha Vallabhji' was gifted to him. Sri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu carried this deity, which on his arrival at Vrindavan was set up at Oonchi Thaur(High Cliff-Madan teer) on the bank of the Yamuna. This happened on the 13th day of bright fortnigt in hindu month of Kartik widely celebrated as "Vrindavan Pragatya Divas" by the rasik saints.

Further Family of Harivanshji

Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu is considered as an avatar of Shri Krishna’s Flute and hence considered as God himself. His child Shri Vanchandra is also considered as God who like him only wholesomely devoted himself to Radhavallabh ji. Further heredity is taking care of the temple and its properties.

Works

Hith Harivansh's principal work is the ''Hita-Caurāsī'' (a.k.a. ''Caurāsī Pad'') — the eighty-four verses (

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hy ...

s) in Braj Bhasha in praise of Radha.

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

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External links

About Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu
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