Birth and childhood:
Shri Harivyas Devacharya was born in the Adi Gaur Brahmin clan in Mathura. His presence is believed to be in the 14th century. But most scholars consider him to be present at the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth.
Spiritual life:
Sri Harivyas Devacharya Ji requested Shri Bhattadevacharya ji to make him His Disciple, on this, Shri Bhattadevacharya Ji asked him: what do you see on my lap? Shriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied - "Nothing". Then Shri Bhattadevacharya ordered him to circumambulate Shri Giriraj Mountain for 12 years and perform Bhajan. For 12 years, Shri Harivyas Devacharya Ji circumambulated Shri Giriraj Maharaj and then came again to Shri Bhattadevacharya.
Again Shri Bhattadevacharya asked him what do you see in my lap?
Even then Shriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied - "Nothing".
Subsequently, Shri Bhattadevacharya ordered him to revolve around Shri Giriraj Maharaj for another 12 years. For 12 years, Shri Harivyas Devacharya ji circumambulated Shri Giriraj Maharaj and then came to Shri Bhattadevacharya.
Then Shree Bhattadevacharya asked him Now tell me, what do you see in my lap?
Sriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied that "I can see Shri Radha Krishn on your lap". Then Shri Bhattadevacharya accepted Him as His disciple.
Sri Harivyas Devacharya was the Acharya of Nimbarka Sampradaya, after Shri Bhattadevacharya. Shri Harivyas Devacharya made great progress in the Nimbark community. He expanded the community by composing books and making many monasteries and disciples, neither before him nor anyone after have expanded this community so much.
Shri Harivyasadevji's disappearance took place in Mathura itself. His samadhi is situated beside ShriKeshav Kashmiri Bhattaji and ShriBhattji's samadhi, on the Narada-Tila.
Disciple tradition:
There were 12 main disciples among his disciples, from whom 12 gates (branches) of the Nimbarka Sampradaya ran. 1. ShriSwabhuram, 2. ShriVohitji, 3. ShriMadangopalji, 4. Shri Uddhavji (Ghamandiji). 5. ShriBahubalji, 6. ShriParshuramji, 7. ShriGopalji, 8. ShriHrishikeshji, 9. ShriMadhavji, 10. ShriKeshvaji, 11. Shri Gopalji (Lapar) and 12. ShriMukandaji
Among them, the branches of ShriSwabhuramji and ShriParshuramji were the most extended. Famous saint Shri Nagaji of the Nimbarka sect was in the tradition of ShriSwabhuramji and ShriTatvavettaji was in the tradition of ShriParshuramji.
Literature:
Shri Harivyas Devacharya was also an eminent Spiritual Master and a scholar and poet of high standing. He has composed many short Sanskrit texts. 'Siddhant Ratnanjali' is his famous Sanskrit text. Similarly 'Mahavani' is his famous book of Braj Bhasha which is like a Granth of Rasopasna for all the followers of Rasiks traditions. 'Siddhant Ratnanjali' is the commentary of SriNambarkacharya's 'Das Shloki'. 'Mahavani' is considered to be the commentary of Shri Bhatatji's 'Yugal Shatak'. It contains a detailed description of the Bhakti-Siddhanta, worship method, and 'Raspoasna' details of Nimbarka Sampradaya.
Famous Pastimes:
The life of Shri Harivyasadeva is a famous event, which has also been written by Nabhaji and Priyadasji. The incident goes like this. Once He was wandering with His personal associates and went towards Haryana - Punjab. When they reached Chatathawal village, they stayed there in a garden, which had a temple of the goddess. After taking a bath and daily routine, they started preparing to cook. At the same time, someone came and offered a goat sacrifice to the goddess in the temple. Shri Harivyas Devacharya was shocked to see this. He thought that it's not holy even to drink water here in this land, what to say of food. So they did not cook anything. He stayed hungry. At that time, a divine light started blooming in his body, which the Goddess could not bear. So the goddess took a new form and went to the saints. She urged them to cook food. The saints gave the reason for not cooking. Then she said - "I am the Goddess, and because of me, you have been so guilty and you have decided not to cook. Now please be kind to me. Make me your disciple, so that there will be no question of sacrificing animals here ever again. Now please stay here and take the prasad of God by preparing food.
Shri Harivyasadevji was pleased and gave initiation to that goddess. After taking initiation she ran towards the village. She overturned the cot of the head of the village and climbed on his chest and said - "I have become a disciple of Shri Harivyasadeva. All of you will also have to become His disciple now. If you do not become, I will kill everyone."
After receiving the order from Goddess, all the people of that village took initiation from Shri Harivyasji. Their sins washed away, taking a new body as a Vaishnav, and performing bhajan, they crossed the ocean of birth and death.
Shri Harivyas Devacharya was born in the Adi Gaur Brahmin clan in Mathura. His presence is believed to be in the 14th century. But most scholars consider him to be present at the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth.
Spiritual life:
Sri Harivyas Devacharya Ji requested Shri Bhattadevacharya ji to make him His Disciple, on this, Shri Bhattadevacharya Ji asked him: what do you see on my lap? Shriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied - "Nothing". Then Shri Bhattadevacharya ordered him to circumambulate Shri Giriraj Mountain for 12 years and perform Bhajan. For 12 years, Shri Harivyas Devacharya Ji circumambulated Shri Giriraj Maharaj and then came again to Shri Bhattadevacharya.
Again Shri Bhattadevacharya asked him what do you see in my lap?
Even then Shriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied - "Nothing".
Subsequently, Shri Bhattadevacharya ordered him to revolve around Shri Giriraj Maharaj for another 12 years. For 12 years, Shri Harivyas Devacharya ji circumambulated Shri Giriraj Maharaj and then came to Shri Bhattadevacharya.
Then Shree Bhattadevacharya asked him Now tell me, what do you see in my lap?
Sriharivyas Devacharya Ji replied that "I can see Shri Radha Krishn on your lap". Then Shri Bhattadevacharya accepted Him as His disciple.
Sri Harivyas Devacharya was the Acharya of Nimbarka Sampradaya, after Shri Bhattadevacharya. Shri Harivyas Devacharya made great progress in the Nimbark community. He expanded the community by composing books and making many monasteries and disciples, neither before him nor anyone after have expanded this community so much.
Shri Harivyasadevji's disappearance took place in Mathura itself. His samadhi is situated beside ShriKeshav Kashmiri Bhattaji and ShriBhattji's samadhi, on the Narada-Tila.
Disciple tradition:
There were 12 main disciples among his disciples, from whom 12 gates (branches) of the Nimbarka Sampradaya ran. 1. ShriSwabhuram, 2. ShriVohitji, 3. ShriMadangopalji, 4. Shri Uddhavji (Ghamandiji). 5. ShriBahubalji, 6. ShriParshuramji, 7. ShriGopalji, 8. ShriHrishikeshji, 9. ShriMadhavji, 10. ShriKeshvaji, 11. Shri Gopalji (Lapar) and 12. ShriMukandaji
Among them, the branches of ShriSwabhuramji and ShriParshuramji were the most extended. Famous saint Shri Nagaji of the Nimbarka sect was in the tradition of ShriSwabhuramji and ShriTatvavettaji was in the tradition of ShriParshuramji.
Literature:
Shri Harivyas Devacharya was also an eminent Spiritual Master and a scholar and poet of high standing. He has composed many short Sanskrit texts. 'Siddhant Ratnanjali' is his famous Sanskrit text. Similarly 'Mahavani' is his famous book of Braj Bhasha which is like a Granth of Rasopasna for all the followers of Rasiks traditions. 'Siddhant Ratnanjali' is the commentary of SriNambarkacharya's 'Das Shloki'. 'Mahavani' is considered to be the commentary of Shri Bhatatji's 'Yugal Shatak'. It contains a detailed description of the Bhakti-Siddhanta, worship method, and 'Raspoasna' details of Nimbarka Sampradaya.
Famous Pastimes:
The life of Shri Harivyasadeva is a famous event, which has also been written by Nabhaji and Priyadasji. The incident goes like this. Once He was wandering with His personal associates and went towards Haryana - Punjab. When they reached Chatathawal village, they stayed there in a garden, which had a temple of the goddess. After taking a bath and daily routine, they started preparing to cook. At the same time, someone came and offered a goat sacrifice to the goddess in the temple. Shri Harivyas Devacharya was shocked to see this. He thought that it's not holy even to drink water here in this land, what to say of food. So they did not cook anything. He stayed hungry. At that time, a divine light started blooming in his body, which the Goddess could not bear. So the goddess took a new form and went to the saints. She urged them to cook food. The saints gave the reason for not cooking. Then she said - "I am the Goddess, and because of me, you have been so guilty and you have decided not to cook. Now please be kind to me. Make me your disciple, so that there will be no question of sacrificing animals here ever again. Now please stay here and take the prasad of God by preparing food.
Shri Harivyasadevji was pleased and gave initiation to that goddess. After taking initiation she ran towards the village. She overturned the cot of the head of the village and climbed on his chest and said - "I have become a disciple of Shri Harivyasadeva. All of you will also have to become His disciple now. If you do not become, I will kill everyone."
After receiving the order from Goddess, all the people of that village took initiation from Shri Harivyasji. Their sins washed away, taking a new body as a Vaishnav, and performing bhajan, they crossed the ocean of birth and death.