Baithak No. 1.
Shri Champaran Baithak

Located in Raipur District in Madhya Pradesh, and easily accessible by Rail via Raipur, it is about 45 mins from Raipur by car via Rajeem.

The birthdate of Shri Mahaprabhuji Shri Vallabhacharyaji falls on the 11th day of the dark half of the month of Vaishakha in the samvat year 1535 corresponding to A.D. 1479. Before the advent of Sri Vallabha on the horizon, this sacred land was under the yoke of Muslim Invaders and the country was under a cloud of confusion and tremendous stress and strain.

Laxman Bhattji, father of Sri Vallabh was a very learned, pious and a religious minded person hailing from Vellanaidu Sect of South Indian Brahmins. With a view to visit the sacred places of North India, Laxman Bhattji had started from his village with his relatives on a pilgrimage which ultimately brought them to Varanasi, a place which brought a lot of peace to Bhattji’s mind.

As things would have it, slowly there were rumuor’s creeping in that Varanasi would be soon invaded and taken over by a Muslim ruler.This made many people residents leave the city and Laxman Bhattji also joined in the exodus to return back to their birth place.At this time Sri Ellammagaru was going through her seventh month pregnancy. The long and tedious journey was full of hazards and very slow and back breaking considering the distance.

One night they were passing through “Champaranya “, a dense forest area in Raipur district in Madhya Pradesh. As legend goes, if any pregnant woman passes through this forest during dark hours, she would surely have a miscarriage. What ever it may be, when Laxman Bhattji and Sri Ellamagaruji with the family were passing through the forest, Sri Ellamagaru suddenly complained of pains. The relatives proceeded ahead while both Laxman Bhattji and Ellamagaru stayed behind to rest.

Soon after, Sri Ellamagaru gave birth to a male premature child. The whole area was covered in dark, the strain of the journey, tiredness and uncertainty of the circumstances made everyone dejected. In this anxiety they felt that the newly born was lifeless and still. So believing this they wrapped the child with dry leaves and placed it in a hollow of a tall tree (which turned out to be a Shammi tree), and with sad and burdened hearts they proceeded to join other members at Choda City.

That night in seclusion of their rooms while resting, The Lord himself appeared in their dreams and commanded them to go back saying, ”don’t leave me and go”.They returned back to the forest to claim their child just to find that there at the very place under the shammi tree the child was surrounded by a fire ring radiating with divine glory and clad in dhoti and uparna. As Sri Ellamagaru stepped forward, the fire subsided giving full access to the child thus proving that the child was theirs.

Far far away, on the mount of Sri Govardhan, a strange phenomenon occurred on the same day. A Shepard boy had witnessed the emergence of a black face of a Swarupa of Sri Govardhannathji. Thus the birth of Sri Vallabha coincided with the manifestation of the Mukharavinda (lotus like face) of Sri Govardhandharan.

Connecting the two incidents, birth of a divine child and the manifestation of the face of Sri Govardhan Nathji, it is said that Sri Vallaba is the manifestation of the face of Sri Krishna. It is to be clearly understood here that the fact that the child was surrounded by Fire ring proves that it is of a trancedental character and not natural one like all of us.

Baithak No. 2.
The Chhathi Baithak in Champaranya

This is where the sixth day ceremonies after the birth of Sri Vallabh took place. Also it was here that Madhvanand Brahamachari and Mukund Sanyasi, with the kripa of Sri Vallabh’s krupa received heavenly eyesight and had alaukik darshans of Vraj-Leela.

Baithak No. 3.
Shri Vidyanagar Baithakji.

Shri Vallabh had resided here for sometime and conducted Srimad Bhagvat sermon for seven days. Aapshri’s uncle who was an important Raj Darbar officer invited Aapshri to the darbar where a religious conflict was going on. Shri Krishnadevraya, the ruler of Vidyanagar requested Shri Vallabh to participate and bring some solution to this religious debate. Shri Vallabh debated for twenty seven days and presented such convincing arguments and theories to sort out all the controversies, that one and all had to concede to his theories and accept defeat. Thus Aapshri established his doctrine called “Brahamavada” before the stalwarts of all other religions and the debate came to an end in his favour with the hall reverberating with the thunderous Jaighosh meeted out to Shri Vallabh spontaneously by one and all and a title of ” AKHAND BHUMANDALACHARYA JAGADGURU SHRI MAHAPRABHU SHRIMADACHARY” was confronted on Him with a gift of seven thousand Gold coins, out of which Aapshri accepted only Seven Gold coins which were converted to make Anklets for Lord Shri Vithalnathji.

Baithak No. 4.
Shri Pampa Sarovar Baithak.

Approximately 5 kms. away from Vidyanagar is Pampa Sarovar where Shri Vallabh set his camp beneath an oak tree. Shri Vallabh asked Krishnadas Meghan to arrange for some dry leaves (namely Khakhra leaves used in seva purpose). Krishnadas went quite far while searching and came across a hideous vulture who pleaded with Krishnadas to release him from his worldly sufferings. On his return, Krishnadas narrated the incident to Shri Vallabh and with His permission carried some Charnodak (the holy water obtained after washing Aapshri’s lotus feet), and sprinkled the same on the vulture thus relieving him from all his sins and sufferings. Later the devotees learnt that the vulture was a passive witness to the battle between jatayu and Ravana and did not bother to help Jatayu. Hence the situation.

This Baithakji is Gupta and not in existence any more.

Baithak no. 5.
Shri Laxman Balaji Baithak.

In Andhra Pradesh in Renugunta district, situated above the seven holy hills depicting Sheshnaag, is the holy town of Tirumallai where resides Lord Laxman Balaji. Residing on the banks of Pushkar Kund Aapshri proceeded to the temple to have darshan of Lord Shri Balaji who was very pleased to see Shri vallabh and asked for Manohar Laddoos as Bhog Saamagri. Shri Mahaprabhuji instructed the then Mukhiaji to do the needful and Aapshri on the wishes of Shri balaji had prasaad with the Lord himself.

For seven days Shri Vallabh resided and conducted sermon at Pushkar kund – Tirumallai .

Baithak No. 6.
Shri Vishnukanchi Baithakji.

Situated in Kanchipuram, 2 1/2 miles away from Madras, it is a quiet and a serene baithakji. Shri Vallabh on arrival, proceeded for Shri Varahswamy’s Darshan but when He saw the famous Geet Govind inscribed on the steps Aapshri stopped there and then as he found it improper to enter the temple by stepping on The Lord’s name. At night, Shri Varahswamy appeared in His dream and told Aapshri that the Geet Govind had been erased from the steps and He is now free to enter the temple. Next day Shri Acharyaji proceeded to the temple, performed the Seva Shringaar and gave seven gold coins to Mukhiaji for preparation of Shri Varahaswamy’s favourite Saamagris. Incidentally later because of Shri Vallabh-krupa the mukhiaji was able to have Vraj-leela darshans too.

For seven days Aapshri conducted sermon on Shrimad Bhagvat, conducting discussions with Nirsinhacharya and Neelkanthacharya scholars.

Baithak No. 7.
Shree Rangjee Baithak.

From Vishnukanchi via Chidambaram, Shri Vallabh proceeded to Sree Ranga or South Dwarika. On the banks of River Kaveri while Aapshri was resting, Shri Rangjee appeared and requested Shri Vallabh to visit Him the next day and perform Seva and Shringaar which Aapshri happily performed.

This Baithakji has been rediscovered recently.

Baithak no. 8.
Shri Rameshwaram Baithakji.

One of the four South Pilgrimage centres, Rameshwaram is the main one. Shri Vallabh explained to His sevaks that Lord Ramchandraji, while building the stone bridge to Lanka, had evoked Lord Shiva and a Shree Rameshwar Lingam appeared and blessed this herculean task.

For seven days Aapshri conducted Shrimad Bhagwat sermon here.

This Baithak is Gupt and not in existence.

Baithak No. 9.
Sri Darbrai (Darvsen Baithak) Baithakji.

Enroute to Tiruchirapalli from Rameshwar, there is a station called Ramnaad, from where 5½ miles is Aadisetu where Shri Darbhashyanji resides. In this dense forest, Shri Acharyaji selected a peaceful and serene spot and camped. Shri Darbhshayanji appeared before him and asked him to salvage many jeevas in the forest who are waiting since many years to be relieved .

This is Gupta Baithakji and not in existence.

Baithak No. 10.
Sri Tamrapani River Baithakji

Between Tiruchirapalli and Madurai is Tiriveli Village on the banks of River Tamrapani where Shri Acharyaji camped. As the story goes, the king of the nearby city was a sick man and after much medicines it was suggested by the local scholars and pundits that he make a life size statue of himself out of gold and and give it to a Brahmin. The only catch being that the Brahmin who accepts it would eventually die and hence no one was willing to accept the deal because of the association of a Demon with this statue. This Demon would eat who ever even came close to the statue. Upon having Shri Acharyaji’s Darshan, the king requested Aapshri to solve this problem. The next day Shri Vallabh arrived at the palace and when Aapshri was about to accept the gold statue, the demon appeared and raised one finger (as if to ask if Aapshri was doing Sandhya once a day) to which Shri Acharyaji raised three fingers ( to reply that he was praying thrice a day ) and seeing this the demon vanished . Shri Acharyaji then had the statue broken into small pieces and distributed to all the Brahmins and priest’s present there thus reducing the bad omen on the statue and the king.

For three days Shri Acharyaji resided here and conducted Gayatri Mantra Chanting and later Shrimad Bhagwat discourse.

This is a Gupta Baithak and not in existence.