Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu Ji’s Biography

Introduction:

The Goswami of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, Shri Hit Rooplal Ji, had a divine vision of a leela (pastime) of Shri Shyama Shyam through his spiritual body, which he himself describes:

The nectar of Shri Shyama Shyam’s eternal and blissful pastime is continuously showering. At one point, Shri Shyama Ji’s principal companion, Shri Lalita Ji, thought, “How can this divine sweet nectar be made accessible to humanity on this earthly realm?” Considering this, Shri Lalita Ji looked towards Shri Swamini Ji with a prayerful glance in the midst of the grand Ras (dance). Shri Shyama Ji cast a sweet glance towards Shri Shyam Sundar, who understood the heart’s desire of Shri Shyama Ji and gave his flute to Shri Shyama Ji. Shri Shyama Ji handed over the flute to Lalita Ji and said, “O Lalita, you and this flute together should illuminate our eternal pastimes.” This flute manifested as Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu in Braj Mandal, near the village of Rawal, and expanded this divine sweet eternal pastimes across the three worlds. Shri Lalita Ji manifested as Shri Swami Haridas Ji in the village of Rajpur in Vrindavan.

Background:

In the district of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, there was a village called Devvan, where lived Shri Vyasa Mishra Ji, a renowned astrologer, a Yajurvedic, Kashyap Gotriya, and a Gaud Brahmin. Vyasa Mishra was a famous astrologer of his time, and through this knowledge, he acquired considerable wealth. Gradually, his fame reached the ears of the then king, who honored him greatly and summoned him. Vyasa Mishra met the king with four holy fruits. Impressed by their conversation, the king became enamored with Vyasa Mishra’s qualities and kept him with him, giving him a ‘four thousand treasures’ to always stay with him. Vyasa Mishra’s prosperity knew no bounds, and he began to live in royal splendor.

In Vyasa Mishra’s otherwise prosperous life, there was one major deficiency—he was childless. This absence made both him and his wife, Tararani, always sad. Vyasa Mishra had twelve brothers, one of whom, Nrsimhashram Ji, was a renunciant. Nrsimhashram Ji was a high-level devotee, and many tales of his spiritual achievements were prevalent. Despite his renunciation, he had affection for Vyasa Mishra and occasionally visited him. Upon seeing the couple’s sadness despite their prosperity, he inquired about the reason. Vyasa Mishra mentioned that his childlessness was the cause of his sadness and expressed a strong desire for a son who would be a supreme devotee of God. Nrsimhashram Ji responded, “Brother, you are an astrologer yourself. You should understand your destiny through your birth chart and lead a contented life.”

Upon hearing this, Vyasa Mishra fell silent, but his wife firmly asked, “If everything is determined by fate, and if the law of destiny is true, what is the significance of your glory?” Nrsimhashram Ji could not answer this question and, deep in thought, left. He went to a solitary forest, prayed to his deity, and requested that Vyasa Mishra’s wish be fulfilled. That night, the deity appeared in his dream and informed him, “To fulfill your noble desire, Lord Hari himself will manifest with his flute in Vyasa Mishra’s home.” Nrsimhashram Ji conveyed this message to Vyasa Mishra, and upon hearing it, the couple’s joy knew no bounds.

Birth: 

The king always kept Vyasa Mishra with him everywhere. During the birth of Shri Hit Harivansh, Vyasa Mishra, along with his wife, was with the king and stayed in the land of Braj. On the Monday of Vaishakh Shukla Ekadashi, in the year Samvat 1559, during the early dawn, Shri Hit Harivansh was born in the village of ‘Baad,’ which is 5 miles from Mathura. Along with his birth, the usual auspiciousness that appears with the advent of great souls was also present with Shri Hit Harivansh’s birth. There was a spontaneous influx of religious interest, mutual affection, and peace among people. The forests of Braj became lush, flowers began to bloom on the vines, dry ponds filled with water, the atmosphere was filled with fragrance, lightning flashed in the sky, light drops of rain began to fall, the environment became pleasant, the hearts of the residents of Braj were suddenly filled with love and joy, birds began to chirp melodiously, and peacocks started to dance.

Appearance of Shri Radha Sudha Nidhi Ji: 

When Shri Hitacharya was six months old, verses in Sanskrit began to be quoted from his mouth, which were heard by Shri Nrsimhashram Ji, who was present there. These were not ordinary verses but were related to the divine leela (pastime) of Shri Shyama Shyam. This continued for a long time, and when the number of verses reached 270, the quoting of verses from Shri Hitacharya’s mouth ceased. Shri Nrsimhashram Ji recorded all 270 verses in a manuscript titled “Shri Radha Sudha Nidhi.”

Childhood Pastimes: 

Shri Hit Harivansh’s father, Shri Vyasa Ji, had come to Braj to witness the divine pastimes. Thus, he stayed in Braj for six months, visited the sacred pastime sites, and then returned to Devvan. During the naming ceremony, astrologers predicted that the child would perform many wondrous deeds. Their prediction, based on the child’s birth chart, proved to be entirely true. The various miraculous acts of young Harivansh are described in numerous devotional texts authored by devotees. Observing that Shri Hitacharya was engaging in ordinary childhood games with his peers, a devotee named Jnanu began to doubt the astrologers’ predictions. To dispel his doubts, he went one day to test young Harivansh but was shown the direct vision of Shyama-Shyam’s kunj (grove) pastimes in the child’s play, and he left his body and entered the kunj palace.

Appearance of Shri Navrangilal Ji: 

One night, Shri Hit Harivansh was instructed by the Lord, “There is a well in the garden with a two-armed form of mine holding a flute. Establish this form with my throne and serve it.” The next day, Shri Harivansh Ji jumped into the well and retrieved a black two-armed deity holding a flute. He installed this deity along with Shri Radha’s throne in a newly constructed temple and began his original service tradition, free from any prohibitions. The child Harivansh named the deity ‘Rangilal,’ who is still enshrined in the temple in Devvan. The well, which is now known as ‘Harivansh Chah,’ is still seen as a memorial of this event. This incident occurred when Shri Hitacharya was seven years old.

Education:

 It is unknown from which scholars, and when, Shri Hitacharya received his education in various scriptures. However, his works such as ‘Hit Chaurasi,’ ‘Sphut Vani’ (in Braj Bhasha), and Sanskrit compositions like ‘Radha Sudha Nidhi’ and ‘Yamun Ashtakshara’ indicate that he received top-level education in Sanskrit grammar, literature, music, astrology, and scriptures including the Vedas and Puranas. His four compositions themselves serve as evidence of this.

Guru and Mantra Initiation: 

According to various character and speech texts authored by devotees, Shri Hitacharya received a mantra from his beloved Shri Radha. In his work titled ‘Radha Sudha Nidhi,’ Shri Hitacharya often remembers Shri Radha not only as his deity but also as his guru.

One day, while Shri Hitacharya was sleeping at night, Shri Radha appeared in a dream and instructed him: “There is a unique red leaf on the highest branch of the Peepal tree in front of your house. It contains our divine mantra; retrieve it and reveal its essence to the devotees.” Following this command, Shri Hitacharya collected the red leaf from the Peepal tree the next morning and shared its divine essence with the devotees.

Receiving the ‘Hit’ Seal from Shri Radha: 

While residing in Devvan, Shri Radha personally appeared and bestowed upon Shri Hitacharya the ‘Hit’ seal. Since then, Shri Hitacharya came to be known as Hit Harivansh, where ‘Hit’ means love or devotion.

Upanayan Ceremony, Education, and Marriage:

 At the age of eight, Shri Hitacharya underwent the Upanayan ceremony. At this age, his intellect was far superior to that of other children, and his ability to grasp knowledge was extraordinary. He had established a significant circle of friends through his affection and kindness, and his pastimes were exceptional. He often engaged in devotional activities and had a natural inclination towards the service and worship of the Lord. He described the glory of Mahaprasad to his friends even during his childhood and expressed a profound devotion to the Ekadashi vow. Gradually, due to his unique devotion and service, his reputation spread to nearby regions, and devotees started coming to him. His miracles during this age are well-documented in sectarian texts.

At sixteen, Shri Hitacharya married Rukmini Devi. Even after entering household life, he did not waver in his religious dedication. He fulfilled all the duties of householder life while remaining a true devotee and saint. He had no inclination towards renunciation or any negative feelings about household life. His married life was blissful and ideal. Despite possessing all kinds of wealth and luxuries, he never became attached to them or disturbed by them.

From his marriage to Rukmini Devi, Shri Hitacharya had one daughter and three sons: the eldest son Shri Vanchandra Ji (Samvat 1585), the second son Shri Krishna Chandra Ji (Samvat 1587), the third son Shri Gopinath Ji (Samvat 1588), and the daughter Sahib Devi (Samvat 1589). Shri Harivansh Ji’s mother, Tararani, passed away in 1589, and his father, Shri Vyasa Mishra, left his mortal body in Samvat 1590. After the death of his parents, Shri Harivansh Ji felt a deep urge to go to a place of divine pastimes and immerse himself in its devotional practices to achieve a successful life. At that time, influenced by his fame, the contemporary king sent a respectful invitation to bring him to his court, but Shri Harivansh Ji, having already accepted the invitation of the divine pastime land, declined the king’s invitation. He sent a verse in response, stating that since from the beginning of creation, even emperors and gods like Brahma have been subject to time, it is desirable to remain absorbed in the Lord’s feet.

Permission from Shri Radha to Go to Vrindavan and Obtaining the Shri Radha Vallabh Ji Deity: 

Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu Ji received his personal mantra and worship methods from Shri Radha in Devband. One day, Shri Radha appeared in a dream and granted permission to Shri Mahaprabhu Ji to reside in Vrindavan. At that time, Shri Mahaprabhu Ji was 32 years old.

Mahaprabhu Ji asked his sons and wife to accompany him, but they showed some interest in worldly matters. Thus, Mahaprabhu Ji set out alone to Vrindavan for devotional purposes. Some childhood friends expressed their desire to accompany him, saying they could not be without him. Shri Mahaprabhu Ji agreed and took them along.

On the way, they rested in a village named Chidthawal near Saharanpur. In a dream, Shri Radha told Mahaprabhu Ji, “There is a Brahmin named Atmadev in this village. He has a beautiful deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Lal. You must obtain this deity and bring it to Shri Vrindavan. However, the Brahmin has vowed to give this deity only to someone who marries his two daughters. Shri Radha Rani has granted you permission to marry his daughters.”

“Two daughters will be given to you as a fortune; accept this as your destiny. Marry them, considering it as a help to your devotion. Then take the deity to Vrindavan and serve everyone, giving them happiness.”

Mahaprabhu Ji, though he had left the world to engage in devotion, accepted the marriage instruction given by Shri Radha. He did not oppose the command of his deity and went directly to Atmadev Brahmin’s house. Shri Radha Rani also instructed Atmadev Brahmin in a dream to arrange the marriage of his daughters with Shri Mahaprabhu Ji.

How did Atmadev Brahmin come by the deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Ji? The saints have written that:

Atmadev Brahmin’s ancestors had been worshipping Lord Shiva for many generations. One of Atmadev Brahmin’s ancestors pleased Lord Shiva through his devotion, and Lord Shiva appeared and asked him to request a boon. The ancestor replied, “I do not know what to ask; please give whatever you find most dear.” Lord Shiva agreed, thinking, “What I hold dearest is Shri Radha Vallabh Ji.” For countless eons, Lord Shiva, along with Parvati, served the deity of Radha Vallabh Ji on Mount Kailash.

Lord Shiva pondered how to give Radha Vallabh Ji, whom he considered his very life, but having given his word, he had to comply. He closed his eyes and manifested the deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Ji from his heart. Today, this deity is worshipped in Vrindavan. The formal marriage of Shri Harivansh Mahaprabhu Ji was completed, and with the deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Ji, he came to Vrindavan with his family. In the month of Kartik, Shri Mahaprabhu Ji arrived in Vrindavan, and on the 13th day of Kartik Shukla, he ceremoniously installed the deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Ji in a beautiful grove on the banks of the Yamuna, and celebrated the deity’s installation festival.

Mercy on Narvahan:

At that time, the area of Vrindavan was under the rule of a ruthless Bhil king named Narvahan. He had a formidable army of soldiers and bandits, and they lived near the Yamuna in the village of Bhaigaon. After the fall of the Lodhi dynasty in 1583, there was a period of anarchy around Delhi, and during this time, Narvahan greatly increased his power and established his dominance over the entire Braj region. The surrounding rulers were terrified of him, and even the emperor of Delhi feared him, resulting in no one daring to enter the area. Vrindavan was a dense forest at that time, inhabited by wild animals, and sunlight rarely touched the earth. Devotees would only bow down from afar, and Bengali saints, who were disciples of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, tried to settle here but were unable to due to the bandits’ terror.

In 1591, Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu Ji arrived in Vrindavan with the deity of Shri Radha Vallabh Ji and his family and began to reside there with the locals.

One day, Narvahan’s commander saw Mahaprabhu Ji engaged in the service of the Lord and wondered who this person was who chose to live with his family in such a dense forest. The commander, filled with anger, approached Mahaprabhu Ji, but upon coming near, his anger subsided, and he experienced profound peace. The commander reported this to Narvahan.

The commander said, “Your Majesty, a householder with his family, wealth, and the deity has come to reside on a high place. Narvahan replied, “Are you foolish? Do you not know that someone bringing wealth into such a dense forest would be risking having it stolen by our soldiers? Who would come to worship in a forest where even we need to be armed? He must be a spy sent by the emperor of Delhi to gauge our strength. Why did you not drive him away?” The commander explained that although he went in armed and angry, the person was so enchanting that his anger vanished, and he was unable to say or do anything.

Filled with rage, Narvahan, with armed soldiers, reached Madan Ter. At that moment, Mahaprabhu Ji was sitting with his back to the main gate and discussing the divine form of Vrindavan with his entourage. Narvahan had not yet seen Mahaprabhu Ji’s face but was mesmerized by his back. His sword fell from his hand as he listened to the divine discourse, and tears flowed from his eyes. When Mahaprabhu Ji turned to look at Narvahan, he felt as though he was waking from a deep slumber and saw a wonderful light spreading around him, which was immensely pleasant and powerful.

Narvahan began to feel remorse for his previous violent actions. Mahaprabhu Ji said, “Fool! Your intellect has been clouded by continuous cruel deeds. Look, the king and queen of Vrindavan are here. Just once, taste this divine nectar.” Shri Hitacharya gazed at him with compassion, and through Mahaprabhu Ji’s grace, Narvahan had a direct vision of Shri Radha-Krishna and the divine Vrindavan. He bowed his head at Mahaprabhu Ji’s feet.

Establishment of New Principles and Devotional Service:

Shri Hitacharya did not worship a deity with the six opulences; instead, his deity was the embodiment of infinite divine sweetness, the loving and unique divine couple, Shri Radha Vallabh Lal. The worship and service of such a deity cannot be performed through Vedic rituals alone but require the service of love and devotion.

Therefore, Shri Hitacharya tenderly cared for Shri Radha Vallabh Lal with affection and attention. He established the “Ashtayami Seva,” which includes seven offerings and five aartis, and is free from prohibitive regulations. He also created the beautiful form of “Utsavik Seva,” which celebrates seasonal festivals (such as Vasant, Holi, Horidol, Jalabihar, Pavas, and Jhoolas) throughout the year. Additionally, he provided a tangible form of daily worship and mental service through his behavior and teachings.

The Manifestation of the Sacred Sites:

Shri Hitacharya manifested a Vrindavan that, although located on earth, was essentially a divine and mystical realm, beyond the grasp of both the gods and devotees. This Vrindavan remains a profound mystery and will continue to be so. The appearance of the divine pastimes and sacred sites in this Vrindavan was thus necessary from multiple perspectives. Consequently, Shri Hitacharya revealed the sacred sites that are not mentioned in texts like the Srimad Bhagavatam. These revelations of divine pastimes and sites form the Panchkosi Vrindavan and serve as tangible symbols of the mystical Vrindavan. The sacred sites revealed by him in Panchkosi Vrindavan include Rasmandal, Sevakunja, Vanshivat, Dhirsamir, Mansarovar, Hindol Sthal, Shringarvat, and Van Vihar.

The Revelation of Eternal Rasleela:

The deity of love and rasa, Shri Radha-Krishna, inherently revels in Ras and Vilas. Therefore, Shri Hitacharya blessed them by saying that they should always remain in their divine ras-leela. The Radha-Kinkari group experiences this ras-leela with their eyes. To allow the heart’s rasik to experience this divine pastime directly, Shri Hitacharya manifested the eternal Rasleela, which is a reflection of the eternal Ras that is not observed by liberated souls, devotees, or even the divine associates of Govinda. This eternal Rasleela is distinct from the Maharas described in the Bhagavata and is visible only to those who are dear to Radha.

The manifestation of this Rasleela imitation began around 1592 CE at Panchkosi Vrindavan, specifically at the Chayn Ghat (now known as Govind Ghat). Shri Hitacharya adorned Brajwasi boys in the guise of Shyama-Shyam and their associates for this purpose. During one Rasmandal event, while the Maharasa was ongoing, a bangle of Shri Radha broke. Shri Hariram Vyas, present there, used his sacred thread to mend the bangle and presented it to Shri Priya Ji.

Origin of Social Singing (Sangeet):

When ‘Prem’ or ‘Rasa’ manifests, the melodies of raga naturally emerge. Shyama-Shyam are the embodiment of love and rasa, which is why they deeply cherish raga and instrumental music. Shyama-Sundar often pleases Shri Priya with his flute-playing or Priya Ji delights him with her sweet singing and veena-playing. Similarly, the companions of Radha-Krishna also engage in singing and playing instruments during various times of the day and night to entertain the divine couple.

Shri Hitacharya introduced the innovative and original method of social singing (Samaj Gayan), aiming to allow devotees to delight in the rasa leelas through poetic singing and experience the joy of Vrindavan. Notably, he transformed the Samaveda-based music into a lyrical form, creating specific melodies for rasa-leela songs. These unique melodies are preserved in the tradition of Radha-Vallabhiy singers.

Disciples of Shree Harivansh Mahaprabhu ji:

Shri Hitacharya had numerous disciples, among whom the following are mentioned in the “Rasik Ananya Mal” by Bhagwat Mudit Ji:

• Narvahan
• Hariram Vyas
• Chhabil Das
• Nahar Mal
• Beethal Das
• Mohan Das
• Naval Das
• Haridas Tuladhar
• Haridas Ji (Taut of Karmathi Bai)
• Paramand Das
• Prabodhanand Saraswati
• Karmathi Bai
• Sevak Ji
• Kharg Sen
• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Puran Das
• Kishore
• Sant Das
• Manohar
• Khem
• Balkrishna
• Gyanoo
• Gopal Das Nagar

Works:

Shri Hitacharya’s literary works include:

Shri Radha Sudha Nidhi: 

A Sanskrit poem with 270 verses, describing various pastimes of Shri Radha-Krishna along with prayers and praises.

Shri Yamun Ashtakshari: 

An Ashtakshari in Sanskrit with 9 verses, extolling and venerating Shri Yamuna Ji.

Shri Hit Chaurasi: 

A Brajbhasha poetry collection with 84 verses, depicting the divine pastimes of Shri Shyama-Shyam.

Sphut Vani: 

A Brajbhasha text with 24 verses, including doctrines, aartis, and descriptions of Shri Shyama-Shyam’s pastimes.

In addition to these, Shri Hitacharya authored two letters in Brajbhasha prose.

Conclusion of Divine Pastimes:

According to Jai Krishna Ji, Shri Hitacharya’s disappearance occurred near Mansarovar on the banks of the Yamuna, at a secluded grove named “Bhanarini Bhavan.” This mystical grove was a place where Shyama-Shyam engaged in their divine pastimes. On the full moon night of Ashwin (October), the divine couple was immersed in rasa. The enchanting fragrance of Shri Priya Ji attracted Shri Hitacharya, who, searching for her, entered the grove and soon became one with the divine radiance of Priya Ji. Thus, on the night of Ashwin’s full moon in 1609 CE, Shri Hitacharya vanished from the earthly realm.