17 Facts About Vitthalanatha

Vitthalanatha was the younger son of Vallabha, who founded the Pustimarga Sampradaya of Hinduism.

Vitthalanatha's devotees consider him an incarnation of the god Vithoba of Pandharpur.

Vitthalanatha was brought up by Vallabha till the age of 15, and after that, by Vallabha's disciple Damodara-dasa.

Vitthalanatha studied Nyaya at Navadvipa and was proficient in the Vedas, the Brahma Sutras, and the Mimamsa philosophy.

In consolation Vitthalanatha gave them the image of Madanmohan which they took to Vrindaban.

However, when Gopinatha died in 1542 with his son Purusottama still a minor, Vitthalanatha emerged as the main leader of the religious sect established by his father.

However, in retaliation Krsnadas had Vitthalanatha banned from the temple for a period that would last six months.

However, Vitthalanatha demanded that Krsnadasa be released, and the two reconciled with Vitthalanatha being reinstated as the head of the sect and Krsnadasa as temple manager.

From 1543 through 1581, Vitthalanatha went on six fundraising tours that had a primary focus on Gujarat, visiting the cities of Dvarka, Surat, Khambat, Ahmedabad, and Godhra.

Vitthalanatha was successful in converting large portions of Gujarati merchants, agriculturalists, and artisans.

Vitthalanatha was successful in securing royal and political patronage, such as with Rani Durgavati, who arranged his second marriage and gifted him land and the Satghara mansion in Mathura.

Vitthalanatha propagated the teachings of his father and established a religious centre at Gokul.

Vitthalanatha lived at his father's house in Adail, and later moved to Braj during the reign of Akbar and lived in Satghara.

Vitthalanatha expanded the rituals of the Pusti Marga by transforming the simple rituals of his father's time into a complex, aesthetically pleasing ritual experience.

Vitthalanatha had six sons and 4 daughters from his first wife Rukmini, and one son from his second wife Padmavati.

Vitthalanatha distributed nine major svarupas of Krsna that were worshipped by the Pustimarga among his seven sons.

Later in life Vitthalanatha bestowed the deity Gopinathaji to him and told him to go to Sindh and convert the people there.