Page 33 - OPIHI (English)

nAthdwArA 19

Viööhalanäthajé was also famous for of the Çrénäthajé temple. She
attracting many kings to the service helped Çréla Prabhupäda print his
of the Lord. He converted the king books and served as a patron for
of Mewar, Udai Singh, and since him in Mumbai. As the head of a
that time the royal family of Mewar shipping company, she arranged for
have been puñöi-märga devotees. his original passage to New York on
Even the great Mughal emperor one of her ships, the Jaladuta. And
Akbar was drawn to Viööhalanäthajé since that time, faithful followers
and gave large tracts of land for the of Çré Vallabhäcärya have helped
service of the Deity. Çréla Prabhupäda’s efforts to spread
Çré Kåñëa’s glories throughout India
During the time of Vallabhäcärya
and Çré Viööhalanäthajé, the añöa- and the rest of the world. m
chäpa (eight prominent devotional Yaçomaténandana Däsa, a Gujarati
poets) were selected to sing the devotee, joined the International
praises of Çrénäthajé at each of Society for Krishna Consciousness
His eight daily darçanas. These in Detroit in 1972. Inspired first
famous poets left a wealth of verses by the Detroit devotees and then
glorifying the Lord. These are still personally by Çréla Prabhupäda, he
sung daily before the Deity. Süra gave up his career in engineering
Däsa, perhaps the most famous to engage full time in the service of
among the poets, is said to have Kåñëa. He was later sent by Çréla
written more than 100,000 verses. Prabhupäda to Gujarat to open
In one well-known poem, another Kåñëa conscious centers. Now, under
of the añöa-chäpa poets, Caturbhuja Yaçomaténandana’s leadership, there
Däsa, sings of Çrénäthajé’s splendor: are four main temples in Gujarat—
in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, and
Today He is something. Tomorrow Vallabh Vidhyanagar. In all these
He is something more. Every day places, beautiful temples have been
Çrénäthajé is totally fresh and new!
erected.
We disciples of Çréla Prabhupäda are
grateful to the puñöi-märga devotees
because they aided Çréla Prabhupäda
early in his mission. Çrématé Sumati
Morarji, a lifelong follower of Çré
Vallabhäcärya, was a main trustee