§ 34 .] 
THE KR1SNA-CULT OF BRAJ, [ 1500 — 1600 .] 
19 
CHAPTER IV. 
THE KRISNA-CTJLT OF BRAJ. [1500—1600.] 
34. *) Ballabhdchar’j, of Gohul, in Braj. B. 
1478 A.D. 
Rag. Although Ballabhachdr’j was more of a religious reformer 
than a literary character, I shall deal with him at greater length than 
I have done with Ramanand, both because of his greater importance, 
and because I am able to give some particulars concerning him which 
have not hitherto been made available to European scholars. Ballabhd¬ 
chdr’j (Vallabhacharya ) was the celebrated founder of the Radha- 
ballabhl sect. 1 2 According to Harishchandr’f his father’s name was 
Lachhman Bhati (a Tailiqga Brahman of Madras ) and his mother’s name 
was lllamgaru. His father had three sons— Ram Krish’n, Bal/abha- 
char’j ', and Ram Chandr ’. Both his brothers were Vaishnava authors 
of repute. Lachhman Bhati lived at Ajodhya, and was paying a visit 
to Banaras when on the way, near the village of Chcutra, in the vicinity 
of Betiyd, in the district of Ghamparan, in Bihar, on Sunday, the 11th 
of the dark half of Balsakh, Sambat 1535 (A.D. 1478), Ballabhachar’j 
was born. 3 At Banaras he commenced studying under the celebrated 
Mddhi’wdchar] (Rag.) at the age of five years, and remained there till 
the death of his father, after which he led a wandering life and visited 
the court of Krish’n Deb, king of Bijawagar, apparently the same as 
Krish’n Rayalu, who reigned about the year 1520 A.I). Here he over¬ 
came the Smarta Brahmans in controversy (see Wilson, Religious 
Sects of the Hindus , p. 120). According to Harischandr’, however, 
this took place before Sambat 1548 (A.D. 1491), when he was only 
thirteen years of age. In this year he made a tour to Braj, where he 
studied the Bhagauata Purana, and subsequently returned to Banaras, 
preaching Vaishnava doctrines as he went along. From Banaras he 
went to Gaya, Jagannath, and the Dechan, spreading his doctrines 
1 See Wilson, Religious Sects of the Hindus, p. 120. 
2 Prasiddh IVIahatmdo kd Jiban Charitr ii, 28. 
3 See the third khandof the Ballabh Digbijai, tjtoTcT 
cjFm W^r. See also a hymn by Duiarikes quoted by Harish- 
chandr’, l.c. 
13 2 
