Radha Vallabha Sampradaya

The Radha Vallabha Sampradaya (Sanskrit: श्री राधावल्लभ सम्प्रदाय, romanized: Rādhāvallabha sampradāya)^[4] is a Vaishnava Hindu denomination which began in 1535 at Vrindavan, with the Sant Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu (1502–1552).^[5] Harivansh's views are related to Krishnaism, but emphasises devotion to the goddess Shri Radha as the Supreme Being.^{[6][1][7][8][9]}

Radha Vallabha Sampradaya

Central deity of Radha Vallabh Temple, Vrindavan
Founder
Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu[1]
Regions with significant populations
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh[1]
Religions
Hinduism
Scriptures
Hita-Chaurāsī[2] • other hymns
Languages
Braj Bhasha • Sanskrit[3]
Website
radhavallabhmandir.com

Features

Radha Krishna murti depicting their love where Radha is depicted as queen and Krishna as her loving subordinate.

According to the scholar Guy L. Beck, the Radha Vallabha Sampradaya has the following features, in comparison with Krishnaite traditions.^[10]

1. Its view on Radha and Krishna differentiates from normative Krishnaite theology. The Supreme Being in this tradition is Radha, while her consort Krishna is described to be the penultimate step toward the supreme deity,^[1] and her most intimate servant.^{[note 1]}
2. The tradition prefers to remain unaffiliated with any classical philosophical positions^[3] and previous four major Vaishnavite sampradayas.^{[note 2]}
3. It declines to produce theological and philosophical commentaries, based on pure bhakti, divine love.
4. The founder and followers lived and lives as householders and sannyasa is not praised.

Scriptures

The main scriptures of the sampradaya created in regional Braj Bhasha with status of the heaven language.^[3]

• Hita-Caurāsī (a.k.a. Caurāsī Pad) — the eighty-four verses (hymns), the principal work of Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu.^[2]
• Vyāhulau Utsav ke Pad (the Wedding Hymns of Radha and Krishna).^[13]
• Shri Hit Radha Sudha Nidhi, written by Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu.^[2]
• Shri Hit Sevak Vaani, written by Sevak Ji(Damodardas Ji)^[14]

Lineage of Radha Vallabha Sampradaya

The central deity of Radha Vallabh Temple, Vrindavan

The Shri Radha Vallabh Temple in Vrindavan, Mathura is a famous temple in Radha Vallabha Sampradaya. This temple is among the most famous 7 temples of Thakur of Vrindavan including Radha Vallabha, Govinda, Banke Bihari and four others. In this temple, there is no idol of Shri Radha, but a 'Gādī Sevā' is placed next to Krishna to signify her presence.^[15]

The Shri Radha Vallabh Temple was founded by Shri Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu who is worshipped in the adjacent temple of Radha Vallabha which was earlier Radhavallabha's temple, but because of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's attack on Vrindavan he was shifted to other place and then the new temple was built. The Yugal Darshan of Radhavallabha is considered as difficult because of rituals due to which the "patt" gets closed. This temple with Madan teer and Seva kunj with Maharasmandal are held by the Tikaet Adhyaksh and are considered as Radha Vallabha's property. In this temple Radhastami is celebrated largely which is a festival on the birthday of Radha.^{[citation needed]}

The kirtan "Samaj-Gayan" is the Radha-vallabha's collective style of hymn singing by the Hindustani classical music forms, such "dhrupad" and "dhamar".^[3]

Notable people

Premanand Ji Maharaj

• Pujya Shri Hit Gaurangi Sharanji Maharaj -Spiritual Guru of Premanand Ji Maharaj
• Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj^[16]

• Shri Hit Hariram Vyas Ji
• Shri Hit Mohit Maral Goswami Ji

See also

• Govind Dev Ji Temple
• Bankey Bihari Temple
• Radha Raman Temple
• Madan Mohan Temple
• Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan
• Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan
• Radha Vallabh Temple, Vrindavan

Notes

1. As a precursor to this view can understand the 12th-century poet Jayadeva, in whose Gita Govinda (10.9) Krishna beneath Radha.^[11]
2. Scholaes sometimes count the Radhavallabhis as an offshoot of Nimbarka Sampradaya.^[12]