YAGNOPAVIT OF SHRI GOKULESH

The Sacred thread ceremony:

In the bright half of the month Magsara V.S. 1612, he was taught the alphabets. Vitthalnathji wrote some letters by his ring. This was the auspicious beginning of learning some letters. He was made to write Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha, three times and that was repeatedly done.

When Gokuleshji was seven years old, the sacred thread ceremony was performed by Dravida Upadhayaji Shri Purushottam Bhattji on the sixth day of the bright half of the month Chaitra, (Friday) in V.S. 1615. The initiation ceremony of Gayatri mantra and Brahamsambandh mantra was given by his father Shri Vitthalnathji.

Shri Gokuleshji's study was started. Shri Vitthalnathji engaged a teacher named Narayan Upadhya from Karnataka. He was well versed in Vedas. Within a short period Shri Gokuleshji studied Amarkosh, Panini Astadhyayi, Grammer, Nyaya, Shruti, Smruti, Puranas, Mimansa, Upanishadas, History, Poetry etc.

In V.S. 1623 Shri Vitthalnathji was living in "satghara" with his family. Shri Gokuleshji used to visit a learned Shivbhatt's house for the further study of scriptures.
Father Shri Vitthalnathji made Shri Gokuleshji study Shrimad Bhagavat, Subodhiniji, Shodash Grantha, Anubhashy and other religious scriptures written by Shri Vallabhacharyaji. And made a deep study to those scriptures. At the young age of ten Shri Gokuleshji was able to make detailed exposition of the meaning of the five shlokas of the Yamunastaka. Seeing this sharp and subtleintellect, Shri Vitthalnathji was very much pleased and he did the detailed explanation of one and a half shloka. He allowed Shri Gokuleshji to go further in the critical study of Yamunastaka. In this way the writing work of the review of the Yamunastaka was started by Shri Gokuleshji. Over and above these, there is Sanskrit literature independent criticisms on Bhagavat and the same on Subodhiniji. 16 religious comments (Shodash-Grantha) ,Yamunastaka, Pushtipravah Maryada, Siddhant-Rahasya, Antahkaran Prabodh, Bhaktivardhini, Sanyas Nirnaya. The learned criticisms all done lucidly on these various subject : The explanation on Gadya Mantra, Gupt Ras Tika and small explanation on Sarvottam Stotra which contains 40 shlokes. There is a big explanation on Sarvottam Stotra which has 1200 shlokas (unavailable), Independent explanation on Venugeet, Vaishnavite characteristics, Bhav Rasayan Ekadashi. There is a definition of Asmatkul Nishakalankam. There is a explanation on Shri Vallabhastaka. He has written the book by the name of Sar Sangrah with scriptural authority of Veda on Mala-Tilak.

Shri Gokuleshji is a protector and savior of Pushtimarg. He was considered as the incarnation of Shrimad Vallabhacharyaji. Gopaldasji the disciple of Shri Vitthalnathji has given a great attribute to Shri Gokuleshji in "Vallabhakhyan" in the following words : "Shri Gokulpati ati gunnidhi re Tat tano pratibimb re rasana". Shri Gokuleshji is highly intelligent and possess divine interest. He is really a true knower of Vedshastra. He is a world teacher.

He was expert in human psychology too. He has tried to show the eleven kinds of mental attitudes and explained us which kind of mental attitude is congenial to cultivate devotional heart. So outstanding was his personality that he has been considered the third great leader of pushtimarg by his followers.

Shri Gokuleshji has made use of Vraj Bhasha just to make the principle of his own path is easy to the vaishnavas who do not know the Sanskrit language. He is known as the father of prose literature in Vraj Bhasha. He used to explain very lucidly the salient principles of pushtimarg through table talks. The book of his table talks is very big. Table talks the number of which is said to have been nearly fifteen thousand. A small part of these have been published. There are many books written in Vraj Bhasha by Shri Gokuleshji as : The Story of 84 Vaishnavas who were the disciples of Shri Mahaprabhuji and Shri Vitthalnathji the story of 252 Vaishnavas, Shri Vallabhacharyaji's - Nijvarta, House hold stories (Gharu Varta), The history of Bethaks (Bethak- Charitra), The sentiments behind all the festivals (Utsav Bhavana), Instructions for daily devotional service (Nitya Seva Bhavana).

His nature was very jolly and witty. There are many anecdotes of his wit and humor. They are published in a book form. He used to explain the principles of Pushtimarg by narrating humorous incidents.