) marks known Baithaks while red dot (
) marks unknown or Gupta Baithaks.Baithaks (1-22) are located in Braj region roughly covering Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.
For Baithaks (53-72) in Gujarat, see Gujarat map below.
Baithak or Bethak, (बैठक, literally "seat"), is a shrine in the Pushtimarg tradition of Vaishnavism that commemorates a specific location where Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) performed religious activities.1 These sites are considered sacred by followers for performing devotional rituals and are associated with the founder and his descendants.2
The Baithaks are primarily associated with the proselytizing pilgrimages Vallabhacharya undertook across the Indian subcontinent to spread his devotional teachings.3 The most prominent collection of these sites is the '''Eighty-Four Seats''' (''Caurāsī Baiṭhak''). The tradition maintains that the act of visiting these sites constitutes a pilgrimage.4
These sites are spread across India, chiefly concentrated in the Braj region in Uttar Pradesh and the western state of Gujarat. A total of 142 Baithaks are considered sacred: 84 of Vallabhacharya, 28 of his son Viththalanath Gusainji, and 30 of his seven grandsons.2
Significance and function
The Caurāsī Baiṭhak specifically marks the eighty-four primary sites where Vallabhacharya sat to recite and provide oral exegesis on the Bhāgavatapurāṇa.5 Vallabhacharya’s intense commitment to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa was central to his mode of religious instruction, and the readings delivered at these locations are believed by followers to have transformed the lives of those who heard him.5
The shrines often house hand-written manuscripts and personal artifacts of Vallabhacharya. Unlike many Hindu temples, Baithaks generally do not house images (murti) for worship; instead, devotees revere the seat itself and the manuscripts.6 Devotees offer personal items such as clothes and ornaments at these shrines. However, unlike the elaborate meals typically offered in temples, food offerings at Baithaks are often limited to water, sugar crystals and milk made sweetmeats. This is due to Shri Mahaprabhuji’s rule that he doesn’t eat from the hands of Vaishnavas but he cooks and eats himself after offering to Shri Navneetpriyaji during Pruthvi Parikrama.6 These sites generally observe the schedule of seven darshan periods (viewing periods) followed in Vaishnava havelis.6
Associated literature
The tradition surrounding the Baithaks is recorded in the devotional literature of the Pushtimarg, known as Vārtā Sāhitya ("Chronicle Literature").4 This corpus is crucial to the community's scriptural canon. It includes texts that function as a "theology of place," guiding pilgrims through the geographical sites associated with Vallabhacharya's religious activity.7
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.689
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.62
His descendants also gave discourses at various places and established their Baithaks.6
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.62
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.2
They are as follows:6
- 28 Baithaks of Gusainji Viththalnath, younger son of Vallabhacharya
- Gokul.
- Badi Baithak in Gokul
- Bansighat, Vrindavan
- Radha kund
- Chandra sarovar
- Chandra Sarovar, in Phoolghar
- Mathura Nathji Mandir, Jatipura
- Shrikund, Kamavan
- Prema Sarovar
- Near Sanketadevi, Sanketavan
- Reethori, near Chandravali kund
- Jalaghar of Shrinathji, Karahata
- Kotavan, on Seeta kund
- Cheeraghat
- Bachavan, under Chokar tree
- Belavan, on the banks of Yamuna
- Charanaut
- Adel/Arail
- Ganda desa, in the house of Narayandas
- Soramji (Soron), near Mahaprabhu's Baithak
- Godhra, in the house of Nagjibhai
- house of Mahidhar Phoolbai
- Asarwa, Ahmedabad; in the house of Bhaila Kothari
- Khambat, on Narayan lake
- Navanagar (Jamnagar), in the house of Bala Badarayana
- Gaga Gurgadh
- Dwarka, near Dauji's Mandir
- Dwarka, in the temple of Ram Lakshman
- 4 Baithaks of Giridharji, the eldest son of Viththalanath
- Gokul
- Jatipura, in Mathuraji temple near Gosainji's Baithak
- caves of Kamara hill
- Narisevan, near Dauji's temple
- 1 Baithak of Balkrishnalalji, third son of Viththalnath
- Gokul in Dwarakadhish temple14
- 13 Baithaks of Gokulnathji, fourth son of Viththalnath – 13 Baithaks
- Gokul, in temple of Gokulnath
- Bansighat in Vrindravan
- Radha Kund, near Gosainji's Baithak
- Chandra Sarovar, near Gosainji's Baithak
- Gopalpura, in the temple of Gokulnath
- Shrikund, Kamavan.
- Karahala, near Gosainji's Baithak
- Rasoli.
- Soramji (Soron), near Gosainji's Baithak.
- Adel/Arail
- Kashmir
- Godhra
- Asarwa, in the house of Bhaila Kothari
- 1 Baithak of Raghunathji, fifth son of Viththalnath
- Gokul
- 1 Baithak of Ghanshyamji, youngest son of Viththalnath
- Gokul
- 7 Baithaks of Harirai Mahaprabhu
- Gokul, in the Vithalnath's temple.
- Nathadwara, in the temple of Vithalnath
- Khamanor
- Jaisalmer, on the banks of Gomati river
- Sawali, near lake
- Jambusar, near lake
- 3 Baithaks of Damodardas Harsani, devotee of Vallabhacharya
- Thakaranighat in Gokul
- Bansighat in Vrindavan
- Khambhalia, near Mahaprabhu's Baithak
References
References
- Bachrach, Emilia (2023-02-23). Religious Reading and Everyday Lives in Devotional Hinduism (1 ed.). Oxford University PressNew York. p. 206. doi:10.1093/oso/9780197648599.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-764859-9.
- E. Allen Richardson (8 August 2014). Seeing Krishna in America: The Hindu Bhakti Tradition of Vallabhacharya in India and Its Movement to the West. McFarland. pp. 31–33. ISBN 978-1-4766-1596-7. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017.
- Bachrach, Emilia (2023-02-23). Religious Reading and Everyday Lives in Devotional Hinduism (1 ed.). Oxford University PressNew York. p. 55. doi:10.1093/oso/9780197648599.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-764859-9.
- Bachrach 2022, p. 34. Cite error: The named reference "Bachrach34" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Bachrach 2022, p. 55.
- "Baethakji". pushtimarg.net. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - Bachrach 2022, p. 55, n. 59.
- Swami Satyaprasad Dasji. Indian Philosophy. Swaminarayan Temple Bhuj. p. 167. ISBN 978-81-909956-3-4. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24.
- Gokulanātha (1985). Chaurasi Baithak. Shri Vallabha Publications. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24.
- "84 Baithaks of Shri Vallabhacharyaji across India". pushtimarg.net. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - Nathdwara Temple Board (30 June 2013). "Mahaprabhuji Shri Vallabhacharya : 84 Baithaks Of Vallabhacharya". Shrinathji Temple, Nathdwara (in Hindi). Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-11-29. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - Entwistle, Alan W. (1987). Braj: A Center of Krishna Pilgrimage. Groingen. p. 427.
- Other Baithak is said to be situated near a water tank in Vinjhana village.