Magsar Vad 9 - Utsav of Shri Vitthalnathji (Shri Gusaiji)
Translation and Photographs from Seva Reeti Preeti Vraj Jan Ki
SHRI VITTHALNATHJI.......SHRI GUSAIJI'S UTSAV
This utsav is also called Jalebi utsav. This utsav falls on the 9th day of the dark fortnight of the month magsar
(magsar vad navam(guj). In vraj it is paush vad navam.
This utsav is celebrated by lord Shrinathji himself . Here on that day Shriji himself ordered to prepare
jalebis on this day to celebrate the birthday of Shri Gusaiji. From that day onwards to this very present
day on the utsav of Shri Gusaiji , jalebis are prepared and offered to Shriji which he lovingly partakes. That is
why this utsav is called jalebi utsav.
On this day on the various baithakjis of Shri Gusaiji, the vaishnavs celebrate AapShris birthday by taking
the sacred bath and then by filling Jhaariji and offering dhoti - uparna and performing kesar snaan and aarti
and offering bhet and then doing the charan sparsh. Shri Gusaijis birthday falls on navmi and this figure of
nine according to the hindu calendar happens to be a complete number (akhand) and is believed to be the day of incarnation of the lord himself
(pushti poorna purshottam). Here also, just like in Krishna avatar, where, baldevji was the first born and second born was Shri Krishna, gopinathji who is
baldevjis avatar was born first and then Shri Gusaiji the lord himself was born second.
In accordance to Shrijis wish, when the time of incarnation of Shri Gusaiji was nearing, Shri Vallabhacharyaji settled down with his family in charnaat
which is known as 'Aadhi Daivik vrindaavan' in the 'Pouraanik Scriptures'. On the auspicious day of maagsar vad navmi in the samvat 1572, it being
a Friday, under the auspicious star of 'Hasta' in 'Shobhan Yog', Shri Gusaiji was born. The agony or pangs of separation from the lord which shri Vallabh
was constantly going through, came to an end when Shri Gusaiji (Lord Krishna himself) was born. This pragatya or incarnation of the lord in the
form of Shri Gusaiji has been very correctly described by Shri Gopaldas in the Third Aakhyaan(of Shri Vallabh Aakhyaan). This description is sung in raag
DhanaaShri as it considered to be a poorna (complete) raag, as it is the birth of poorna purushottam as well. Shri Vallabh very enthusiastically celebrated
the birth of Shri Gusaiji by following all the dictats of Ved Karma and by giving away Daan (Alms) to the befitting and duly honoured them. On the 12th day,
Barahi, or the naming ceremony day the child was named Shri Vitthalnathji. This was so because on the day of pragatya a Brahmin bearing the jhaanpiji,
with the swaroop of Shri Vitthalnathji arrived at the doorstep of Shri Vallabh's house and presented him this swaroop and requested Shri Vallabh to make
the Brahmin his disciple. Thinking this to be the wish of the lord, Shri Vallabh kept the swaroop in his place of worship and took the Brahmin as his
disciple. In this manner the lord was united with Shri Vallabh both as his deity (swaroop) to be revered as well as in the form of a child. So, the child was
named as Shri vitthalnathji.
This utsav is also called Jalebi utsav. This utsav falls on the 9th day of the dark fortnight of the month magsar
(magsar vad navam(guj). In vraj it is paush vad navam.
This utsav is celebrated by lord Shrinathji himself . Here on that day Shriji himself ordered to prepare
jalebis on this day to celebrate the birthday of Shri Gusaiji. From that day onwards to this very present
day on the utsav of Shri Gusaiji , jalebis are prepared and offered to Shriji which he lovingly partakes. That is
why this utsav is called jalebi utsav.
On this day on the various baithakjis of Shri Gusaiji, the vaishnavs celebrate AapShris birthday by taking
the sacred bath and then by filling Jhaariji and offering dhoti - uparna and performing kesar snaan and aarti
and offering bhet and then doing the charan sparsh. Shri Gusaijis birthday falls on navmi and this figure of
nine according to the hindu calendar happens to be a complete number (akhand) and is believed to be the day of incarnation of the lord himself
(pushti poorna purshottam). Here also, just like in Krishna avatar, where, baldevji was the first born and second born was Shri Krishna, gopinathji who is
baldevjis avatar was born first and then Shri Gusaiji the lord himself was born second.
In accordance to Shrijis wish, when the time of incarnation of Shri Gusaiji was nearing, Shri Vallabhacharyaji settled down with his family in charnaat
which is known as 'Aadhi Daivik vrindaavan' in the 'Pouraanik Scriptures'. On the auspicious day of maagsar vad navmi in the samvat 1572, it being
a Friday, under the auspicious star of 'Hasta' in 'Shobhan Yog', Shri Gusaiji was born. The agony or pangs of separation from the lord which shri Vallabh
was constantly going through, came to an end when Shri Gusaiji (Lord Krishna himself) was born. This pragatya or incarnation of the lord in the
form of Shri Gusaiji has been very correctly described by Shri Gopaldas in the Third Aakhyaan(of Shri Vallabh Aakhyaan). This description is sung in raag
DhanaaShri as it considered to be a poorna (complete) raag, as it is the birth of poorna purushottam as well. Shri Vallabh very enthusiastically celebrated
the birth of Shri Gusaiji by following all the dictats of Ved Karma and by giving away Daan (Alms) to the befitting and duly honoured them. On the 12th day,
Barahi, or the naming ceremony day the child was named Shri Vitthalnathji. This was so because on the day of pragatya a Brahmin bearing the jhaanpiji,
with the swaroop of Shri Vitthalnathji arrived at the doorstep of Shri Vallabh's house and presented him this swaroop and requested Shri Vallabh to make
the Brahmin his disciple. Thinking this to be the wish of the lord, Shri Vallabh kept the swaroop in his place of worship and took the Brahmin as his
disciple. In this manner the lord was united with Shri Vallabh both as his deity (swaroop) to be revered as well as in the form of a child. So, the child was
named as Shri vitthalnathji.
Shrimad Prabhucharan Shri Gusaiji
