Shri Vallabh during his lifetime gave Brahmasambandh to many Vaishnavas but from them Shri Hariraiji picked 84 Vaishnavas as the ideal Vaishnavas and their tales (known as the Vartas)have been written so that the Vaishnavas of today can follow Pushtimarg in the same way that these 84 Vaishnavas had done.
Four of the Ashta sakhas of Pushtimarg,namely Shri
Surdasji,Shri Kumbhandasji,Shri Krishnadasji & Shri
Paramananddasji were the disciples of Shri Vallabh (the remaining four
were the disciples of his son Shri Gusainji).All of the Ashta Sakhas have composed beautiful Kirtans (devotional songs) in the praise of Lord Shrinathji,these Kirtans are still sung in the temples of Pushtimarg by the Kirtaniyas (The Vaishnavas who sing these Kirtans).The Bhav in these Kirtans is uncompeted to this very day.These Kirtans form a huge part of the Vraj-Bhasha literature
in India and are respected by the disciples of other religions as
well.Shri Surdasji is the most famous amongst the Ashta Sakhas,He composed 125000 Kirtans during his lifetime(108 Years). |
