Sri Giridharaji was the eldest son of Sri Vitthalanathaji . He was born in Gokula . His Thread Ceremony was also held in Gokula .

Sri Giridharaji was married to A.S. Sri Bhaminiji in the year V.S.1614 , in Varanasi . He was blessed with three sons viz, Sri Muralidharaji ( V.S. 1630 ), Sri Damodaraji (V.S. 1632 ) and Sri Gopinathaji (V.S.1630 ).

Sri Giridharaji , with the blessings of his father, did the ‘Sapta Svaroopa Utsava,’ in which he made all the seven divine forms of Sri Krishna, worshipped in Pushtimarga, sit with Sri Nathaji and Sri Navanitapriyaji on the same platform (Charana Chowki) and offerred Annakoota Bhoga .

Sri Giridharaji is also remembered for bringing Sri Nathaji from Govardhana
( Jatipura) to Sataghara (in Mathura – a residential mansion built by Rani Durgavati for her guru Sri Vitthalanatahaji with his seven sons and their families to live ). Here all the Balaks and Bahujis and Betijis played Holi with Sri Nathaji . Thus experiencing divine bliss . Sri Nathaji also excepted all offerrings made by the Bahuji’s to Him .

Sri Giridharaji was also a great scholar . He patronised art and music . Due to these qualities of his , he became an icon in the hearts of all the Pushtimargiya devotees .

He was blessed with three sons viz , Sri Vitthalesarayaji , Sri Giridhariji and Sri Muralidharaji .

Sri Damodaraji was an exponent in the vedas and philosophy . He had done deep studies in all different shastras, besides contemplation of Srimad Vallabhacharya’s philosophy .

Along with this Sri Damodaraji celebrated many Utsavas and manorathas of Sri Nathaji.

Sri Damodaraji was gifted with a very impressive personality which influenced the contempary rulers as well as the devotees to a great extent .

Once , all the other Balak’s were offerring Tipara ( a type of shringara to be worn on sri mastaka ) , to Sri Nathaji , which He refused to except as he saw Sri Vitthalesharayaji weeping . Sri Nathaji called all the Balaks and ordered them that Sri Vitthalesharayaji shall rightfully perform my seva for sixty days in a year . Following the order and wish of Sri Nathaji , the Balaks apologized to Sri Vitthalesharayaji and reinvited him to perform the seva of Sri Nathaji . Sri Vitthalesharayaji’s heart was overfilled with infinite joy by this gesture of the merciful Sri Nathaji .

Sri Nathaji happily wore the Tipara from the hands of Sri Vitthalesharayaji .Since then he was called as Sri Vitthalesharayaji (Tiparawale – one who offerred Tipara to Sri Nathaji).

After this incidence, emporor Shah Jahan gifted vast pieces of land and honoured him with the title of " Goswami Tilkayata ".

Thus Sri Vitthalesharayaji became the first Tilkayata of the Vallabha Sampradaya.

He was bleesed with four sons viz, Sri Giridharaji (V.S. 1689), Sri Govindaji (V.S. 1697), Sri Balakrishnaji (V.S.1700) and Sri Vallabhaji (V.S. 1703 ; also known as Kaka Vallabhaji ).

Endurance, purity of inner soul, forbearance to pain, virtuousness and compassion towards all living beings were some of the qualities he was adorned with .

Once Sri Lala Giridharaji , with his immense potentials, waived off the troubles created by the muslims on Jatipura .

Sri Lala Giridharaji was a poet par excellence. He had composed many padas . One can see his infinite love for Pushti Purushottama in his padas.He was also a great musician .

Unfortunately, he could not live long. He was brutally attacked and killed by a very cruel man while he was tavelling from Dana Ghati.

Sri Lala Giridharaji is always remembered for his pure love towards Srinathji.

The political scenario at the time of Sri Bade Damodaraji’s appointment as Tilakayat was very disturbing .Violent invasions of the muslims were frequent. Not only Pushtimarga but the entire Hindu religion was in a jeopardy . Religious sites were in danger . Situation was very tense and anarchic.

In such arduos times Sri Bade Damodaraji showed his wit and foresightedness. Convincing his uncles , he decided to shift Srinathji from Vraja . Srinathji was placed in a Ratha (chariot)and the journey began on Ashvina Shukla 15 ; V.S.1726 ; along with the family , and disciples towards a safer place.

Parama Bhagavadiya Ganga Bai was also in the journey to serve Srinathji.

The caravan first halted in Agra where Srinathji was offered the Annakoota very secretly . But here too, the attrocities of the Moghuls was at its extreme. From Agra , they continued their journey passing through dense forests. But the ratha of Srinathji kept on moving ahead confronting all the hurdles. Making haults at Dandauti Ghata, Krishnagarh, Chopasani, Jodhpur etc., the ratha eventually stopped in Sinhada in Mewar (which later became Nathdvara). This was in V.S. 1728 .It was in Nathdvara, that a temple was built and Sri Nathaji was installed over here.

Goswami Tilkayata Sri Bade Damodaraji established a new era in the history of Vallabha Sampradaya by shifting Sri Nathaji from Vrja to Mewar.

He was blessed with two sons viz, Sri Govardhaneshaji (V.S. 1763) and Sri Govindaji (V.S. 1764). He also had two daughters.

Sri Vitthalesharayaji did many manoratha’s to please Sri Nathaji.

In Pushtimarga the " Sapta Svaroopa Utsava " is of a special importance. Only a few Tilkayata have been blessed of achieving this unique feat.One such Tilkayata was Sri Govardhaneshaji. He organized this utsava which was attended by all the Balaks and thousands of vaishnavas.

Sri Govardhaneshaji had no issue so he declared his younger brother, Sri Govindaji, as his successor.

Sri Govindaji was very kind hearted .He always used to be in ‘Bala Krida’ with Sri Nathaji.

Once, a very strange incident occurred with Sri Govindaji. When he was small, he got locked inside the temple during anosara after Rajabhoga, as he fell asleep in the cool and cozy environment of the Shaiya Mandira.

Upstairs, Sri Govardhaneshaji was worried of where he might be as he was not present for lunch. He sent his men to search for him, but all in vain. Sri Govindaji was found nowhere.

While Sri Govardhaneshaji was resting, Sri Nathaji appeared before him and told him not to worry as Sri Govindaji was in his Shaiya Mandira. He at once woke up. At the time of Utthapana, he rushed to the Shaiya Mandira, woke up Sri Govindaji and narrated the whole incident.

Sri Govindaji’s heart was filled with joy. He paid prostrate obeisance to Sri Nathaji and came out of the temple.

He had three sons viz, Sri Damodaraji (V.S.1823), Sri Giridharaji (V.S.1825) and Sri Gokulanathaji (V.S.1828).

During his tenour, the troops of the Holkar’s and the Scindia’s were creating tumults. In this untimely crisis, Sri Giridharaji proved his wit. With the consent of Maharana Bhimsinhji of Udaipur, hs shifted Sri Nathaji and Sri Navanitapriyaji to Udaipur and after sometime to a much safer place amidst dense forest in Ghasiyar.Here a replica of the Nathdvara temple was built.

But here the climatic conditions were not favourable.So Sri Nathaji and Sri Navanitapriyaji were reshifted to Nathdvara.

Sri Giridharaji had three wives and six sons viz, Sri Srilalaji (v.s.1841), Sri Vitthalarayaji (v.s.1844), Sri Chimanalalaji (v.s.1851), Sri Damodaraji (v.s. 1853), Sri Gopinathaji (v.s. 1855) and Sri Natthuji ( v.s.1856).

Sri Giridharaji’s entire life was dedicated for the service of Sri Nathaji. He did many works for the upliftment for the society and the development of Nathdvara.

He was most loved and pampered child of his grandmother, Sri Padmavati Bahuji Maharaj. It was with her blessings and inspirations that he did the ‘Four Svaroopa Utsava’. In this Utsava, Sri Navanitapriyaji, Sri Mathuranathaji, Sri Vitthalanathaji and Sri Gokulanathaji were seated together.

Sri Dauji – ll always did manoratha’s of Sri Nathaji. Again after some years, he did the ‘Sapta Svaroopa Utsava’, at the time of Annakoota.

He married twice. He had two sons and two daughtrers. But unfornuately, both his sons expired at an early age. After he passed away , his wife adopted Sri Govindaji ( Sri Krishnarayaji’s son) from the house of Sri Vitthalanathaji
( the second seat of Pushtimarga).

Sri Dauji – ll is always remembered for doing such wonderful manoratha’s and having ‘Dohara Mandana’ for the whole year.

Sri Govindaji faced tremendous financial crisis. He was running in heavy debts. He had to sell and mordgage most of his ornaments and wealth to cope up with the shringara- raga- bhoga of Sri Nathaji. He had ultimate faith in Sri Nathaji. He never got disturbed under such circumstances.

Once, Sri Govindaji made his chief accountant read the balance sheet in front of Sri Nathaji.In a few days, a stranger (vaishnava) came and gifted enough wealth to overcome the dues.

Who was this vaishnava ? Where did he come from ? Questions like this are still unanswered .

Sri Govindaji then presented a necklace of rubies to Sri Nathaji as a mark of affection towards Him.

With the divine grace of Sri Nathaji, Sri Govindaji made the impossible, possible.

He arranged many wonderful manoratha’s of Sri Nathaji and Sri Navanitapriyaji.

He was a very genteel administrator. He always believed in freedom to live.He became very popular because of this attitude . He carried special respect for patriots. During his time, legends like Tantya Tope and Ramchandra Panduranga visited Nathdvara to seek his blesings.

Compatability between him and the Maharana of Udaipur was not good.He, at no point would compromise and succumb to him so he left Nathdvara and settled in Vraja for good.

Facing constant struggles in life, Sri Giridhaariji marched ahead gallantly on the Path of Divine Grace.

An intellect with high wisdom, he posessed a magnanimous personality. He was highly revered in the field of religion . He extensively toured India to propagate the principles of Shuddhadvaita Pushtimaga. His audience would go spellbound on hearing him speak. His meaningful discourses in Varanasi won him honours from the pundits and scholars .

During his tenure, Nathdvara became the centre for education. He established educational institutions like Sri Govardhana Sanskrita Pathshala and Sri Govardhana High School.

Sri Govardhanalalaji also transformed Nathdvara into a famous tourist spot. He developed many gardens in and around Nathdvara to enhance the beauty of the place, the most famous of them being the Kachhwai Baga .

He also constructed ponds for the benefit of the people of Nathdvara.
In general, he made immense contributions for Nathdvara and its people.

Besides this Sri Govardhanalalaji always patronized art music and literature.Many religious books were published by him. His court was always decked with great scholars, artists and musicians. Art and music were at its peak in his time. ‘Pichhwai’s ’ on various subjects were painted on his instructions.

Sri Govardhanalalaji did exquisite manoratha’s of Sri Nathaji and Sri Navanitapriyaji. He did the ‘Four Svaroopa Utsava ’ and offerred Chhappana Bhoga.

His was undoubtedly the golden era of Pushtimarga in Nathdvara. We the people of Pushtimarga will always be indebted to him.

Sri Damodaralalaji possessed incomparable knowledge of all the shastras, specialising in the Vallabha Vedanta. A magician of words, endowed with tremendous oratory power, he not only impressed thousands of Pushtimargiya devotees but mesmerized the pundits of his time. His philosophical discourses had immense depth in them. His popularity measured no leaps and bounds.

Sri Damodaralalaji, like his father, preached extensively the philosophy of Jagadguru Srimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu in various parts of India. He won honours in numerous religious conferrences, especially in the Brahmana Mahasabha in Varanasi.

Sri Damodaralalaji also did magnificient manoratha’s of Sri Nathaji. He was a fusion of art, music and literature.

Although he was not appointed as the Tilkayata, still he was one of the most revered Acharya of his era.

Sri Govindalalaji was happily married to A.S. Sri Vijaya Laxmi Bahuji in the year V.S. 2002. He was blessed with two sons, Sri Dauji – lll ( Sri Rajivji ; V.S.2005) and Sri Indradamanaji ( Sri Rakeshji ; V.S. 2006) and a daughter Sri Nira Betiji.

Sri Govindalalaji did numerous manoratha’s to please Sri Nathaji. On his birthday, in the year V.S. 1998, he gifted a Bangla of gold to Sri Nathaji.In an endless list of manoratha’s the most remeberd ones are :

• The ‘Sapta Svaroopa Utsava ’ in the Lala Baga Palace,
• Inviting Lord Sri Balakrishnalalaji from Surat (Gujarat) to Nathdvara and
• Inviting Sri Navanitapriyaji, Sri Vitthalanathaji, Sri Dvarikadhishaji and Sri Balakrishnalalaji to have Annakoota with Sri Nathaji.

The most important achievement of his lifewas to retain the rights of performing the seva of Sri Nahaji after a hard fought court battle with the government. This brave effort of his will always be remembered by generations to come.

A very kind hearted, noble, generous, virtuous, earnest person, wearing a gentle smile , Sri Govindalalaji became one the most revered Tilkayata of all times.

The Acharya Tilakotsava was held on Ashadha Shukla 6; V.S. 2057 (7th July, 2000) at Nathdwara in the auspicious presence of revered Acharya Balak's and numerous devout vaishnavas.