Jyestharam Shastriji

Home > Kathakars > Jyestharam Shastriji

A disciple of Shri Vitthalnathji (Gosainiji)
A descendant of Shri Vishnudas Joshi
Golokwasi (Late) Pujya Shri Jyestharam Harijivan Shastriji
(Kathakaar, writer, poet, astrologer and an educator of Goswami -Acharyas)

Brief Resume

Date of Birth: Vikram Samvat 1941, Kartik Sud 4.
Place of Birth: Umreth, Dist. Anand / Kheda, Gujarat,India.
By Caste: Malviya Shrigaud Brahman.
Golokwas (Demise): Vikram Samvat 2017;
Date: March 3, 1961.Fagan Vad 1 , Friday.

Grandfather: Golokwasi (late) Pujya Shri Harikrushna Joshi.(shastriji) , an erudite Sanskrut Scholar and a highly learned savant of puranas.

Father: Golokwasi (late) Pujya Shri Harijivan Harikrushna Joshi (Shastriji), a scholar of puranas, of Sanskrut grammar and literature, and of Astrology. Basically studious by nature and had interest in imparting knowledge to others. Used to have students at home and taught them voluntarily without charging any fees.

Mother: Late pujya Srimati Parvatiba. Students recited lessons at her home and she could memorise those lessons. She also happened to be quite knowledged about Sanskrut shlokas and could quote them at will. She was simple and lovable by nature.

Childhood of Shastriji: Reverred Shastriji lost his father in early childhood, but his mother brought him up and taught him Sanskrut from his very formative years. As per family tradition, he developed a liking for studying scriptures.

Brahma Sambandha : On the day of his thread ceremony (Upnayan Sanskar) Brahma Sambandh Diksha was given to young Shastriji by Pushti Margiya Pancham Pithadhishwar Agnihotri Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Devkinandanacharyaji Goswami Maharajshri.

Family: Those were the days when in India people married early. At the age of fourteen his first marriage took place. His wife’s name was Prasannaba, whereas his second marriage was with Kamalaba. He had three sons in all. They were Ramanlal, Balmukund and Purushottam. Of these three only Ramanlal survived, but the other two Balmukund and Purushottam, expired in their childhood. Ramanlal had a long life of 92 years.

Education: Umreth, Dakor & Petlad: Studied in Umreth upto the age of nine, primary education; it was in Gujarati. As for Sanskrut shlokas, they were taught at home by Parvatiba. Thereafter he shifted to other places for higher studies, Ritualistic studies, such as, Shatkarma, Karmakand etc. were learned at Dakor. During this period he stayed with Pujya Shri Agnihotriji Harishankar Gaurishankar Shastriji and whatever he learned there lasted with him for his lifetime. His Vedabhyasa was also carried out at Dakor. After Dakor Petlad was the next stage. There he studied the Panch- -kavya, Kaumaudi, Natak, etc. Under the late Pujya Shri Daulatram Shastriji who taught all above mentioned subjects at the Sarkari Sanskrut Vyakran Pathshala.

Kashi (Banaras): By that time he had grown in adulthood and naturally for higher Sanskrut studies the centre then was Kashi. There he continued his studies in various subjects under tutorship of renowned Sanskrut scholars of the day. Sanskrit grammar was studied under the guidance of Shri Ram Shastriji, the elder brother of renowned grammarian Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Shri Damodar Shastriji.During his stay in Kashi he studied at Queen’s College highly challenging subjects like Vedant, Literature, Alankar Shastra, Dharma Shastra etc. mostly under Sahityacharya Shri Narayan Shastriji. And the study of Vallabh Vedant scriptures were carried under Panditvarya Shri Ratna Gopal Bhattji.

Degrees: Suddhadwait of Pushti Marg was what he learned thoroughly under Shri Gopal Bhattji.While staying and studying in Kashi he earned a number of degrees and academic honours. Among them, “Mahamahopadhyaya’ ’Sanskrutmani’, “Devagnabhushan”, “Satsiddhant Visharad’, “ Shastrarthi Pandit’, etc.

Bhagwat Saptah: During his study the purani of Sat Swaroop’s Haveli expired so it was decided by the trustees that Shri Shastriji be appointed to the post of Puranik in the temple and the annual Shrimad Bhagwat saptah, which is held in the month of Bhadarwa sud 8 to 15 be held under the Brahmasanpad (chairmanship) of shri Shastriji .From Umreth a letter was sent to Shastriji. He gave it to his guruji. Guruji said “Yes, give your consent. Next morning guruji took Shastriji with him to the bank of Ganges. He said “This is Bhagwat. You narrate katha with a red marker pen in your hand. You mark that which is not understood by you. I will explain it to you at night. Keep a feeling in your mind that katha is being narrated to the Ganges and shri Kashi Vishwanath. Guruji listened to the katha like a listener. What an ideal relationship existed between the guru and his disciple. It was thus at the age of 16 that Shastriji conducted his first Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah in the Mota Mandir of Umreth. Thereafter, many Bhagwat Saptah have been held there.

Community Services: At the age of twenty-one, he was appointed as a professor (Adhyapak) in the Pushti Margiya Pathshala in the historic town of Patan, Gujarat. That was in Vikram Samvat 1962. On this post he served for eight years, teaching students Pushti Margiya scriptures as well as Sanskrit language and literature. He was a great disseminator of knowledge and though his students were mainly Vaishnavs, he taught to many Vallabhkul Goswami Acharyas, as well, without any sectarian discrimination to Nityalilastha Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Vrajratnalalji Maharajshri -(Surat) , Nityalilastha Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Vrajbhushanlalji Maharajshri – (Kankroli) , Nityalilastha Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Gokulnathji Maharajshri -(Mumbai), Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Chadragopalji Maharajshri – (Vadodara) , Vakpati Pithadhish Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Mathureshwarji Maharajshri (Vadodara) .

He had cordial relations with the Goswami Acharyas of his times. Even the Acharyas of Shri Vallabhkul held him in high respect. Nityalilastha Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Gokulnathji Maharshri who was stationed at Mumbai used to call him whenever needed and gave him due respect by a learned scholar to another learned scholar.

His teaching operations extended to different places in Gujarat. Halol was one. Shastriji was invited to join Shri Dwarkesh Pathshala at Halol. The pathshala was run by Pushti Margiya Trutiyapitha Kankroli Vidyavibhag (Rajasthan). There he stayed for three years and taught students sectarian and Sanskrut scriptures.

His next assignment was at Petlad. He was invited to join Suddhadwait Pathshala and Gita classes by Trutiya Pithadhishwar Nityalilastha Pujyapad Goswami 108 Shri Vrajratnalalji Maharajshri, (Kakroli). He was appointed the chief Guru of the pathshala and there for years he taught students Suddhadwait Vedant, Bhagwat Gita, Sanskrut Literature etc.

In Vikram Samvat 2006 (A.D 1953) he returned to Umreth and started educational activities there. He was so dedicated to teaching that he taught a large number of students without charging any honorarium (Gurudaxina.).

Debating Triumphs: During his tenure in Patan there came a period when the followers of Shankarmath started spreading canards that Pushti Marg was not founded on the tenets of Vedas. This canard was circulated widely and the propaganda campaign was carried under the directions of Shankaracharya Shri Madhavtirthji. A devoted Pushti Margiya, Pujya Shastriji challenged Madahavtirthji to a spiritual debate on the subject, but the other side under some pretext or the other kept avoiding direct confrontation. Finally, Shastriji filed a legal suite against the Madhavtirthji. Now the opponent had to present himself in law court. Without putting up much of a fight he accepted defeat and offered his unconditional apologies.

Address

Yashoda Raman Foundation,
1, Devkrupa, First Floor, Near
Shimpoli Signal, S.V Road,
Borivali(West) Mumbai-40092, India

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 91 - 93234 96777

Address

Link

Follow Us