What is Pushtimarg?
Pushtimarg can be translated in English as “The Path of Grace.” The meaning of the word Pushti is defined in the Shrimad Bhagavatam as poshanam tadanugrahah. Poshanam = nourishment; Tad = Shri Krishna’s; anugrah = grace. Pushti is nourishment that arises through Shri Krishna’s grace.
Pushtimarg is also called ‘Pushti Sampraday,’ which means it is an authentic Vedic lineage, or sampradaya. It can also be called a Bhaktimarg or Bhagavat Bhaktimarg.
About Pratham gruh nidhi shri Mathuradheesh Prabhu
शंखचक्रगदापद्मधारिणं सुखदायकम् |
कारणं सर्वभूतानां मथुरेशं नमाम्यहम् ||१||
Holding the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, Shri Mathuradheesh Prabhu emerged out of the banks of the Yamuna River at the village of Karanaval, in Vraja. In order to fulfill the divine desires of His bhakta Padmanabhdasji, Shri Mathuradheesh Prabhu took the form (svaroop) of Madhuresh: the Lord of Sweetness. In this beautiful manifestation, He continually protects His faithful souls, through His grace, and gives them the gift of svaroop-ananda: the bliss of His own form. According to the shastras, Supreme Bliss has arisen from Brahman: आनन्दो ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात्। (Taittriya Upanisad 3/6) and is indeed the very form of Brahman: आनन्दं ब्रह्मणो रुपं.
Origin of Pratham Peeth?
Prabhucharan Shri Gusainji had seven sons, so from these eight Gusain Balaks (including Shri Gusainji Himself), the eight Griha (houses) or Peeths (seats) of the Pushtimarg were created. They are the Pradan Peeth (Shri Gusainji’s) and the ‘First’ through ‘Seventh’ Peeths.
Shri Gusainji wished to retain the seva of Shri Navanita Priyaji as long as He remained on this earth. In the meantime, Shri Gusainji entrusted his eldest son, Shri Girdharji, with the seva of Shri Mathuradheesh. Shri Girdharji thus became the Adi-Grihadheeshwar, the Mul-purush and original Tilkayat of the First House. He performed Shri Mathuradheesh Prabhu’s seva in his own separate home (as documented in the 252 Vaishnav varta #115). Shri Girdharji Maharaj had three sons. The eldest, Muralidharji, did Lila Pravesh at an early age, leaving Shri Damodarji and Shri Gopinathji as his two remaining sons.
