Meaning of Path Utsav
We, Pushti Margiya Vaishnavs, celebrate the first day we seat our Nidhi Swaroops on a Simhasan (Path), in our mandirs as a Path Utsav. In Nathdwara though, we seat Shrinathji on a Chowki (not a Simhasan) probably because He is our presiding deity.
But we celebrate Path Utsavs for other reasons too. For instance, when the gopikas become proud of their Bhakti, Krishna disappears. The gopikas sing the Gopi Geet. And when Krishna reappears before them again, the gopikas seat Him on a Simhasan. Yudhishtra too seats Krishna on a Simhasan when He participates in the Rajasuya yagna. So, when we celebrate a specific Path Utsav, we try to nurture a specific bhaav based on a particular leela.
Today, we all celebrate Shrinathji’s main Path Utsav on the Saptami of the Krishna Paksha of Magh with fervour. This auspicious occasion falls during the 40 days of Krishna’s Khel leela. Yes, we should actually celebrate Shrinathji’s Path Utsav on Akshay Trittiya. But we don’t do so. For a very beautiful reason.
Shrinathji’s Actual Path Utsav on Akshay Trittiya
A few Vrajwasis discover Shrinathji’s Urdhva Bhuja when they climb Goverdhan Parvat. They experience the divinity radiating from it. And worship it every day.
Several decades later, they could see Shrinathji’s Mukharavind and His entire Swaroop embedded in Goverdhan Parvat. When Vallabhacharya gets the news, he unearths Shrinathji’s Swaroop with the help of the Vrajwasis. He first enshrines Shrinathji in a small temple atop Goverdhan Parvat. And years later, in a new temple on Akshay Trittiya.
But Shrinathji engages in a leela with Vallabhacharya’s grandsons several years later. Shrinathji’s mystic leela has a deep impact on everyone’s hearts. That is why we celebrate Shrinathji’s Path Utsav on this auspicious occasion instead of Akshay Trittiya. It all starts at…
Satghara
The queen of Gadha, Rani Durgavati gifts Vallabhacharya’s eldest son, Gusainji a palatial house in Mathura. Since Gusainji lives in that house with his seven sons and their families, everyone refers to it as Satghara.
Gusainji and his seven sons perform the seva of seven different swaroops with utmost Bhakti. On seeing them all perform His seva so devoutly, Shrinathji decides to bless them all. In His own way. As usual.
Shrinathji’s leela
Now, it so happens that Gusainji once goes to Dwarka. During his absence, Gusainji’s eldest son, Giridharji gets a divine vision that Shrinathji wishes to visit their Satghara home in Mathura. So, Giridharji makes all the arrangements in their Satghara home for Shrinathji’s arrival and stay. And sets off with a beautiful Rath to fulfil his vision.
Giridharji goes to the temple atop Goverdhan Parvat. He lifts the huge Swaroop of Shrinathji on his shoulders and carefully brings it downhill. He seats Shrinathji’s Swaroop into the Rath. And along with the Vrajwasis escorts Shrinathji to Mathura. The entire procession reaches Mathura in the afternoon, in time for Rajbhog.
Shrinathji’s Path Utsav on the Saptami of Krishna Paksha of Magh
Giridharji seats Shrinathji’s swaroop on a Simhasan in their Satghara home. The people of Mathura throng to Satghara to do the darshan of Shrinathji’s divine Swaroop. The Vrajwasis are naïve souls. But they are touched to the core by Shrinathji’s leela.
The lord of the cosmos, Shrinathji cared for them. A lot. Held their Bhakti in such high esteem. Could not live without His Bhaktas. And even came to their homes to experience their love. They feel blessed. Ask for nothing more than Krishna’s presence in their lives. And decide to perform the seva of their Nidhi Swaroops with even more Bhakti.
So, everyone decides to celebrate this auspicious day, the Saptami that falls on the Krishna Paksha of Magh, as Shrinathji’s Path Utsav.
The bhaav of Sarva Samparpan
Gusainji’s family members perform Shrinathji’s seva with the bhaav of Sarva Samarpan. After offering all their material possessions, they offer their Bhakti and all their other bhaavs too to Shrinathji.
Giridharji wants to please Shrinathji in any way he can. He intuitively senses that Shrinathji would be delighted to witness some fun and merry-making. They were in the midst of the 40 Khel days after all.
Swaang
So Giridharji organizes a fun-filled folk festival called Swaang, which becomes popular among the Vrajwasis immediately. He asks all the villagers to gather on the streets. And together they all sing and dance to the tunes of their folk songs. Which glorifies Krishna’s leelas. Some villagers play Dhols and Manjiras.
All the Vrajwasis participate in the Swaang. The mood is mesmerizing. And after a while, Bhaang flows freely. Seeing Shrinathji’s bhaktas engaging so completely in the Swaang, even the devas, kinnaras and gandharvas join the fun.
Shrinathji was looking after them. Well. All the time. He had given them all an abundance of hope by coming to Satghara. Their faith brimmed over and they wanted to bask in His wondrous leela forever.
Shrinathji: The witness
Shrinathji smiles and laughs aloud when He sees His bhaktas dancing, as if in a divine daze, on all the streets. Girdharji feels immensely satisfied and knows Shrinathji loves His bhaktas as much as they love Him. So, he asks all the villagers to indulge in Swaang every day. The villagers do so. Willingly. That is why Swaang is a part of Shrinathji’s Nitya leela after His Path Utsav.
Since Shrinathji engages in this leela with his bhaktas (not the gopis) we perform the seva of our Nidhi Swaroops with Bal Bhaav for a week after Shrinathji’s Path Utsav.
Shrinathji returns to His Jatipura shrine
But all good things do come to an end. Always. Shrinathji lives in Satghara for a week. And on Narasimha Chathurti, Giridharji seats Shrinathji on the Rath again, and escorts Him back to His original shrine, in Jatipura atop Goverdhan Parvat.
Shrinathji in Nathdwara
Years later it was time for Shrinathji to leave Vraj and reside in Nathdwara. But we, Pushti Margiya Vaishnavs ensure that we retain the essence of all Shrinathji’s leelas. So, we enshrined and seated Shrinathji on a Chowki in the Nathdwara Haveli on the Saptami of the Krishna Paksha of Magh. Instead of doing so on Akshay Trittiya.
For it is only on rare occasions – when we serve our lord with utmost Bhakti and faith- that He engages in a leela – any leela with all His Bhaktas.
Shrinathji Path Utsav Rituals
On Shrinathji’s Path Utsav, we serve our Nidhi Swaroop with the Bhaav of Shrinathji also. We make special Samagri and tie hand-painted pichwais behind our Nidhi swaroops.
And sprinkle Abhir, Gulal, Chandan and Chuvo around the shrine and near our Nidhi swaroops. But not on our Nidhi Swaroops. Because Shrinathji only witnesses the Swaang and the bhaav of his bhaktas. On this Path Utsav.
Like on all the 40 Holi Khel days, we offer floral Chadis to our Nidhi Swaroops on Shrinathji’s Path Utsav too. We also place pichkaris in colour-filled bowls before our Nidhi Swaroops, with the hope that Shrinathji will play Holi with us too.
Shrinathji knows we will willingly drench ourselves in all the colours that He sprinkles on us. And fulfils this dream of ours too. That is why He indulges in the Dammar, Faag and Holi Khel leela with all His sakhas, sakhis and family members too during the next 30 days.
On Shrinathji’s Path Utsav, let’s remember that when we perform our seva with utmost Bhakti, Krishna includes us in all His leelas. And enables us to purify our thoughts and emotions. What more can we ask for?
First and fourth picture given by Hardevji.
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