Pushtimarg Baithak Explained

Baithak or Bethak,, is a site considered sacred by the followers of the Pushtimarg tradition of Vaishnava Hinduism in India for performing devotional rituals. These sites are associated with Vallabhacharya, the founder of Pushtimarg and his descendants. They mark public events in their lives. Some of them are restricted or foreboding. These sites are spread across India and are chiefly concentrated in Braj region in Uttar Pradesh and in western state of Gujarat. Total 142 Baithaks are considered sacred; 84 of Vallabhacharya, 28 of his son Viththalanath Gusainji and 30 of his seven grandsons.

Baithaks

Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu was the founder of Pushtimarg who lived in 15th century. From the young age, he travelled and visited pilgrimage sites across India. He recited and gave discourses on sacred scriptures like Vedas, Ramayana and Bhagavata at these sites. The locations for recitation were usually banks of the rivers or lakes and quite groves in outskirt of towns. He recited original texts from scriptures as well as gave commentaries on them. Later these commentaries were compiled in Anubhashya and Subodhini.[1] [2]

These are 84 sites where Vallabhacharya gave discourses which are known as Baithaks. Later small shrines are built to commemorate the event at some sites. Some sites do not have shrines or temples to mark the place but they are known only through stories and texts.[1] [3]

At these shrines, the hand-written manuscripts and personal artifacts of Vallabhacharya are housed which are revered by the followers. They generally don't house images. Personal use products like clothes and ornaments are offered by the followers. Only water and sugar crystals are offered as Vallabhacharya used to fast during sacred recitals. They too follow seven darshan schedule followed in Vaishnava Haveli temples.[1]

His descendants also gave discourses at various places and established their Baithaks.[1]

Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya's 84 Baithaks

These 84 Baithaks are located from Rameswaram at the southern tip of India to Badrinath in the north, and from Narayan Sarovar and Bet Dwarka in west to Puri in the east. Baithaks are also located at the places associated with his life such as at Tirumala Tirupati, the family's tutelary deity; Champaran, his birthplace; Varanasi where he spent significant part of his life. Baithaks are also located in the regions highly associated with Krishna such as in Braj region (now roughly corresponding to Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh) and in Dwarka in Gujarat.

84 Baithaks of Vallabha[4] [5] [6] [7] !Number!Baithak Name!Location!Town/City!District!State!Coordinates!Notes
1GovindghatGokulMathuraMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4403°N 77.7132°WThis baiṭhak is the main ghat of Gokul and is where Vallabha initiated his first disciple.[8]
2Badi Bhitar BaithakGokulGokulMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4368°N 77.7213°WSecond Gokul Baithak, Gupta Baithak
3Shayya MandirDwarkadhish TempleGokulMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4368°N 77.7213°WThird Gokul Baithak
4BansivatVrindavanMathuraUttar Pradesh27.5862°N 77.7013°W
5VishramghatVishramghat (on bank of Yamuna river)MathuraMathuraUttar Pradesh27.5043°N 77.6848°W
6MadhuvanMadhuvanMaholiMathuraUttar Pradesh27.461°N 77.6458°W
7KumodvanKumodvanUsfarMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4986°N 77.6262°W
8BahulavanBahulavanBathiMathuraUttar Pradesh27.5364°N 77.5986°W
9Radhakrishna KundRadhakundMathuraUttar Pradesh27.5255°N 77.4921°W
10Mansiganganear Chakreshwar Mahadev, Vallabh GhatGovardhanMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4983°N 77.464°WTwo Baithaks
11ParasoliChandrasarovarGovardhanMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4784°N 77.468°W
12AnyorSadu Pandey's HouseAnyorMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4683°N 77.439°W
13Govindkundopposite GirirajAnyorMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4685°N 77.4403°W
14Sundershilaopposite foothill of GirirajJatipuraMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4747°N 77.4392°W
15Govardhan hillinside Shrinathji's Temple on Giriraj hillJatipuraMathuraUttar Pradesh27.4737°N 77.4438°WGupta Baithak
16KamvanKamvan, ShrikundKamanBharatpurRajasthan27.6628°N 77.258°W
17Ghewarvannear Radhaji's Temple, below MorkutirBarsanaMathuraUttar Pradesh27.6471°N 77.367°W
18Sanketvanin the Garden, Krishna KundBarsanaMathuraUttar Pradesh27.6469°N 77.3675°W
19NandgamMansarovar RoadNandgamMathuraUttar Pradesh27.7111°N 77.3833°W
20KokilavanJauvBaithenMathuraUttar Pradesh27.7489°N 77.3923°W
21BhandirvanOpposite bank of Yamuna riverBhandir, Manjh TalukaMathuraUttar Pradesh27.6908°N 77.7091°WGupta Baithak
22Mansarovar (Makhan)Opposite bank of Yamuna riverMatMathuraUttar Pradesh27.6294°N 77.7108°W
23Sukar kshetra (Soramji/Sauroji)Saurabhghat on bank of Ganga riverSoronKasganjUttar Pradesh27.8826°N 78.7388°W
24ChitrakutKamtanath hillPili KothiSatnaMadhya Pradesh25.1793°N 80.8648°W
25 AyodhyaRamghat Road, Gunsai GhatAyodhyaFaizabadUttar Pradesh26.7898°N 82.1817°WGupta Baithak
26Naimisharanyaopposite Vedvyasa AshramNaimisharanya, Taluka MishrakSitapurUttar Pradesh27.3448°N 80.4843°WGupta Baithak
27Kashi-1Sheth Purushottamdas' House JatanvadVaranasiKashiUttar Pradesh25.3071°N 83.0014°W
28Kashi-2Hanuman GhatVaranasiKashiUttar Pradesh25.2973°N 83.0068°W
29Harihar Kshetra (Sonpur) Baithakji Hajipurnear Mahadevji's temple, Magarhatta ChowkHajipurVaishaliBihar25.6812°N 85.2029°W
30JanakpurBhagwandas Garder, near Chhoti Dhigi village (Hajipur)JanakpurVaishaliBihar28.6157°N 79.0723°WGupta Baithak
31Gangasagar Sangamnear Kapil Ashram, on Kapil Kund, Kakdwip BetWest Bengal21.6385°N 88.0668°WGupta Baithak
32Champaranyavia RajimChamparanRaipurChhattisgarh21.0319°N 81.9232°WBirthplace
33Champaranya Chattigharvia RajimChamparanRaipurChhattisgarh21.0327°N 81.9198°W
34Jagannathpurinear Harjimal Dudhwala'S Dharmshala, Grant RoadPuriOdisha19.8072°N 85.8213°W
35Pandharpuropposite Bank of River Chandrabagha, ShegaondumalaPandharpurMaharashtra17.6765°N 75.3283°W
36NasikParasram Puriya Marg, Panchvati KaranjaNasikMaharashtra20.0006°N 73.7842°W
37Pannakala NrisimhaOn Mangalgiri hill, Mangalgiri StationVijayawadaAndhra Pradesh16.437°N 80.5693°WGupt Baithak
38Tirupati Lakshman BalajiLakshman Balaji, Medharam Metta RoadTirumalaAndhra Pradesh13.6287°N 79.417°W
39ShrirangjiShrirangamTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu10.8548°N 78.6972°WGupta Baithak
40VishnukanchiChetravatri MuttukolamVishnukanchiTamil Nadu12.8174°N 79.7126°W
41SetubandhVallabhacharya MathRameshwaramRamnadTamil Nadu9.2858°N 79.304°WGupta Baithak
42Malayachal ParvatMalayachal Parvat near OotyKarnatakaGupta Baithak
43LohgadhGujarati Temple, beside Rudreshwar Temple, Harvane - SankhadiSanquelimNorth GoaGoa15.5492°N 74.0234°WGupta Baithak
44Tamraparni RiverOn the bankTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu10.816°N 78.619°WGupta Baithak
45Krishna RiverKrishna Dham, Vadi Junction near Raichur StationKrishnaAndhra Pradesh17.0542°N 76.9921°WGupta Baithak
46Pampa Sarovarnear Hampi Village, Haspeth Railway StationKarnataka15.3539°N 76.4771°WGupta Baithak
47PadmanabhPondhanathThiruvananthapuramKerala8.4828°N 76.9414°WGupta Baithak
48Janardan KshetraJanardan KshetraVarkalaKerala8.7352°N 76.7125°W
49VidyanagarHampi Village, near Tungbhadra RiverHampiKarnataka15.3343°N 76.4595°WGupta Baithak
50TrilokbhanTamraparni River, Totadri hillTamil NaduGupta Baithak
51TotadriTotadri hill, Nangumeri villageTirunelveliTirunelveliTamil Nadu8.5002°N 77.6426°WGupta Baithak
52DarvasenAdisetuRamnadTamil NaduGupta Baithak
53SuratAshwinikumar Ghat, near Tapi RiverSuratSuratGujarat21.2235°N 72.8492°W
54Bharuchbeside District Panchayat, Station Road, on bank of Narmada riverBharuchBharuchGujarat21.6997°N 72.9876°W
55Morbiopposite Bank of Machchhu River, behind L.E. CollegeMorbiMorbiGujarat22.8166°N 70.8433°W
56Jamnagarnear Nagmati River, Kalavad RoadJamnagarJamnagarGujarat22.4585°N 70.0933°W
57JamkhambhaliyaStation Road, on the KundJamkhambhaliyaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.3415°N 69.7427°W
58Pindtarakfrom Nandana Patiya Via Bhatiya, PindaraPindaraDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.253°N 69.2469°W
59Mul GomtiDevidas Nathuram, Neelakantha ChowkDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.2375°N 68.9707°W
60Harikund, Dwarkanear Gomti RiverDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.2371°N 68.9674°W
61Gopi TalavDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.3698°N 69.1065°W
62Bet ShankhoddharShankh TalavBet DwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat22.455°N 69.1017°W
63Narayan SarovarNarayan Sarovar, Lakhpat TalukaNarayan SarovarKutchGujarat23.6773°N 68.5411°W
64JunagadhDamodar KundJunagadhJunagadhGujarat21.5255°N 70.4865°W
65Prabhas (Somnath)on the Ghat of Triveni RiverPrabhas PatanGir SomnathGujarat20.8875°N 70.4134°W
66Madhavpuron KadamkundMadhavpur GhedPorbandarGujarat21.2566°N 69.9591°W
67Gupta Prayag (Junagadh)on TrivenikundDelvadaJunagadhGujarat20.7832°N 71.0198°W
68TagadiAhmedabad - Botad RoadTagadiAhmedabadGujarat22.2968°N 71.9441°W
69NarodaGopaldasji Haveli, NarodaAhmedabadAhmedabadGujarat23.0724°N 72.6496°W
70GodhraRana Vyas Road, Patel Vad, GodhraGodhraPanchmahalGujarat22.7708°N 73.6075°W
71KheraluShrimalivasKheraluMehsanaGujarat23.8853°N 72.6162°W
72SiddhpurBindu Sarovar RoadSiddhpurPatanGujarat23.9109°N 72.364°W
73Avantikapuri (Ujjain)Gomti Kund, inside Sandipani AshramUjjainUjjainMadhya Pradesh23.2113°N 75.7801°W
74PushkarNear Brahma Mandir, VallabhghatPushkarAjmerRajasthan26.4859°N 74.5504°W
75KurukshetraSaraswati Kund, near Bhadkrali temple, ThanesarKurukshetraKurukshetraHaryana29.9797°N 76.8307°WGupta Baithak
76HaridwarRamghat, on bank of Ganga riverHaridwarHaridwarUttarakhand29.9518°N 78.1642°WGupta Baithak
77Badrikashramnear TempleBadrinathChamoliUttarakhand30.7447°N 79.4894°W
78KedarnathKedar KundBadrinathChamoliUttarakhand30.7353°N 79.0654°WGupta Baithak
79Vyas Ashramnear Alaknanda - Saraswati Sangam, Keshav PrayagBadrinathChamoliUttarakhand30.7353°N 79.0654°WGupta Baithak
80Himachal ParvatHimachal PradeshGupta Baithak
81Vyas GangaVyasghatHimachal PradeshGupta Baithak
82MandarachalMandarachal hillTamil NaduGupta Baithak
83Arail (Prayag)/AdelTriveni SangamDevrakh, NainiAllahabadUttar Pradesh25.4025°N 81.8859°W
84CharnatAcharya Koop Charnat (Charnadri)ChunarMirzapurUttar Pradesh25.1121°N 82.8778°W

Vallabhkula Baithaks

Many Baithaks of Vallabhkula, the descendants of the Vallabhacharya are at the sites of Baithaks of Vallabhacharya. This Baithaks are sanctified by Viththalnath Gusainji and his seven sons. 28 Baithaks are associated with Gusainji Viththalnath while 30 more Baithaks are associated with his seven sons.

They are as follows:[1]

28 Baithaks of Gusainji Viththalnath, younger son of Vallabhacharya
  • 4 Baithaks of Giridharji, the eldest son of Viththalanath
    1. Gokul
    2. Jatipura, in Mathuraji temple near Gosainji's Baithak
    3. caves of Kamara hill
    4. Narisevan, near Dauji's temple
    1 Baithak of Balkrishnalalji, third son of Viththalnath
    1. Gokul in Dwarakadhish temple[9]
    13 Baithaks of Gokulnathji, fourth son of Viththalnath – 13 Baithaks
  • 1 Baithak of Raghunathji, fifth son of Viththalnath
    1. Gokul
    1 Baithak of Ghanshyamji, youngest son of Viththalnath
    1. Gokul
    7 Baithaks of Harirai Mahaprabhu
    1. Gokul, in the Vithalnath's temple.
    2. Nathadwara, in the temple of Vithalnath
    3. Khamanor
    4. Jaisalmer, on the banks of Gomati river
    5. Sawali, near lake
    6. Jambusar, near lake
    3 Baithaks of Damodardas Harsani, devotee of Vallabhacharya
    1. Thakaranighat in Gokul
    2. Bansighat in Vrindavan
    3. Khambhalia, near Mahaprabhu's Baithak

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Baethakji . pushtimarg.net . 20 August 2017 . https://archive.today/20170820150625/http://www.pushti-marg.net/Baethak.html . 20 August 2017 . dead .
    2. Book: Indian Philosophy. Swami Satyaprasad Dasji. Swaminarayan Temple Bhuj. 978-81-909956-3-4. 167. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824131727/https://books.google.com/books?id=EUEs-A4vazUC&pg=PA167. 2017-08-24.
    3. Book: Seeing Krishna in America: The Hindu Bhakti Tradition of Vallabhacharya in India and Its Movement to the West. E. Allen Richardson. 8 August 2014. McFarland. 978-1-4766-1596-7. 31–33. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824131727/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoBABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA31. 24 August 2017.
    4. Web site: 84 Baithaks of Shri Vallabhacharyaji across India. 20 August 2017. pushtimarg.net. https://archive.today/20170820150330/http://www.pushti-marg.net/Baithak-details.html. 20 August 2017. dead.
    5. Web site: Nathdwara Temple Board . Mahaprabhuji Shri Vallabhacharya : 84 Baithaks Of Vallabhacharya . Shrinathji Temple, Nathdwara . 30 June 2013 . hi . 20 August 2017 . 20 August 2017 . https://archive.today/20170820144742/https://www.nathdwaratemple.org/shrimahaprabhuji/mahaprabhuji-baithaks . dead .
    6. Book: Chaurasi Baithak. Gokulanātha. Shri Vallabha Publications. 1985. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824131728/https://books.google.com/books?id=ULkcAAAAMAAJ. 2017-08-24.
    7. Web site: Archived copy . 2017-03-21 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151129123835/http://www.ramansujatisamaj.com/addresses_84baithaksofshrimahaprabhuji.pdf . 2015-11-29 .
    8. Book: Entwistle, Alan W. . Braj: A Center of Krishna Pilgrimage . Groingen . 1987 . 427.
    9. Other Baithak is said to be situated near a water tank in Vinjhana village.

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