Shri Vallabhacharya ji - Shri Mahaprabhuji was born on the auspicious day of Chaitra (Vraj-Vaishakh) Krishna Paksha Ekadashi (11), V.S. 1535(1478 C.E.) in Champaranya (currently in Chattisgarh, India) in a telugu(tailang) brahmin family. His father was Shri Lakshman Bhatt ji and mother Shri Illammagaru ji.
At a tender age of 10-11 years, Shri Vallabh completed studies of all religious scriptures like Veda, Purana, Smrti, Tantra etc. and various philosophies like Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Mimamsa, Jain, Bauddha etc. from His father as well as various learned scholars.
Shri Mahaprabhuji, after taking His mothers permission, set out for Parikrama of Bharat at the age of 11 years. He walked bare foot only wearing a dhoti and uparna. He traveled with His Sevya Shri Thakorji and always would make halts outside the village near a lake and under a tree, would cook food Himself and first offer to Shri Thakruji and then eat. At holy places He would recite Shri Bhagvatji and also accept divine beings under His refuge.
In V.S. 1546-47 during His 1st Bharat Parikrama, Shri Mahaprabhuji visited Jagannathpuri. The king had organised a religious debate and placed four questions to be answered by the Pundits and Acharyas. The questions were: Which Scripture is the best of all scriptures ? Which deity is the best of all deities? Which Mantra is the best of all Mantras? Which duty is the best of all duties? No Pundit/Acharya was able to answer this. Shri Vallabh gave satisfactory answer for all the questions but the pundits insisted that they would believe only if Lord Jagannathji Himself gives the answer in writing. Shri Vallabhacharya ji placed all four questions before Lord Shri Jagannathji along with a blank paper, an inkpot and a pen. The doors of the temple were closed. When the doors were opened, the piece of paper with a verse answering all the four questions written on it was found. The verse was: Meaning: Gita sung by Shri Krishna, son of Devaki, is the best scripture. Shri Krishna, son of Devki, is the best deity. Names of Shri Krishna are the best Mantra. Service of Shri Krishna is the best duty. Everyone ackowledged Shri Vallabh's answer and accpted His victory.
In V.S. 1547-48 Shri Vallabh after visiting Kashi, Ujjain, arrived at Odcha(Orcha) village. A pundit named Ghat Saraswati was feared by many as he had captured goddess Saraswati in a pot and whomsoever came to debate with him used to loose. The king welcomed Shri Vallabh to debate. Ghat Saraswati upon debating could not answer Shri Vallabh, hence, He asked Saraswati ji in pot to answer, but, she remained silent stating that Shri Vallabh is "Vachaspati", my master, how an I speak in front of him ? The pundit accepted defeat and the king performed KanakAbhishek(Bathing with Gold) of Shri Vallabh as a mark of His victory.
Shri Vallabh set out for Vraj. In V.S. 1548 in on Bhadarva Shukla Paksh 2, He took niyam at Vishram Ghat. He appointed Ujagar as his Tirth Purohit. At each and every Leela Sthali of Shri Thakorji, He recited Shrimad Bhagwatji. In V.S. 1548, Phalgun Shukla Paksh 2, he completed his 1st Vraj Parikrama in 6 months. After completing Vraj Parikrama, he visited Vrindavan. There he did 30 Bhagvad Parayan
At the age of 14, When Shri Vallabh first set his holy feet at Shrimad Gokul he was wondering aloud as to which is Thakurani Ghat and which is Govind Ghat ? At precisely that time a sixteen year old beautiful divine girl, Shri Yamunaji, dressed in Mukut-Kaachni appeared before him and in a sweet voice, told him that to his right is the Thakurani Ghat and to his left is the Govind Ghat. Shri Vallabh recognized her immediately and bringing together his both hands bowed his head and sang Yamunashtak, as praise to Shri Yamunaji- 'Namami Yamuna Maham........' Shri Vallabh then recited Shrimad Bhagwatji for 7 days by order of Shri Yamunaji.
After completing Shrimad Bhagwatji, on Shravan Shukla Paksh 11, at midnight when Shri Vallabh was deeply engrossed in his thoughts as to how to unite the sinful Jeev to his ever pious clean Lord, he saw a bright light first appear before him and then he had the Darshan of the Shri Gokulchandramaji. He ordered Shri Vallabh how to go about his work of uniting the Jeev and the Lord. He gave him the Gadya Mantra(Brahmasambandh Mantra) and asked him to establish the Pushti Bhakti Marg which would be different from any other Marg existing in that time.
Shri Vallabh's happiness knew no bounds. He praised Shri Gokulchandramaji by reciting Madhurashtakam and then adorned him with 'Pavitra' made of Sutar (cotton yarn) and offered him Mishri.
Next morning Shri Vallabh told the entire episode that transpired between Himself and the Lord to Shri Damodardas Harsaniji in the form of "Siddhant Rahasya" and upon Shri Damodardas Harsaniji's insistance, gave him the first Brahmasambandh Deeksha in Pushtimarg. Shri Damodardasji then adorned Shri Vallabh with Sutar Pavitra. This day is known as Pavitra Baras in Pushtimarg.
Immediately 2 years after completion of His first Bharat Parikrama, Shri Mahaprabhuji started His second Bharat Parikrama. During his second parikrama, in Jharkhand, Lord Shrinathji ordered Shri Mahaprabhuji and informed Him about his appearance in Vraj. Shri Vallabh immediately cut-short his 2nd Bharat Parikrama and arrived at Vraj. Sadu Pandey of Aanyor village and other Vrajvasis explained Shrinathji's appearance on Shri Girirajji. Next day Shri Vallabh met Shrinathji atop Shri Girirajji (Pratham Milan) and Shri Vallabh placed Shrinathji inside a makeshift temple and initiated the seva prakaar.
After visiting Vraj, Shri Mahaprabhuji arrived at Pandharpur. Lord Shri Vittahlnathi(Vithoba) ordered Him to get married and informed that “He wants to appear as Shri Vallabh's son”. Obeying Lord’s orders, Shri Mahaprabhuji got married to Shri Mahalakshmiji of Kashi at the age of 23.
After marriage, Shri Mahaprabhuji immediately started His third Bharat parikrama and he came across a city called Vijaynagar. At that time there was a big debate going on in King of Vijaynagar Krushnadevray’s court and many learned people from other sampradays had arrived for the biggest debate. Shri Mahaprabhuji defeated everyone including the Mayavadis and established “Shudhadvait Brahmavad” philosophy. All the learned people including the King of Vijayanagar were moved with admiration for his profound studies, power of expression, clarity of thought, lucidity of language, and mental calm. It was after this debate King of Vijayanagar honoured Shri Vallabh by the KanakAbhishek ceremony and conferred him the title of “JAGADGURU SHRIMAD VALLABHACHARYA".
Shri Vallabh's elder son Shri Gopinathji was born on (Guj-Bhadarwa)Ashwin Krishna Paksh 12 in V.S. 1567.
The second was named Shri Vithalnathji in reverence to Shri Vitthalnathji(Vithoba) of Pandharpur, whose incarnation he was on (Guj-Maagsar)Paush Krishna Paksh 9 in V.S. 1572. Both the children received the initial education from their illustrious father Shri Vallabh.
Shri Mahaprabhuji in his whole lifetime composed many literary works (Granthas), in which there are sixteen independent granthas called as “Shodash Granth” (sixteen literary works). Shri Mahaprabhuji also wrote commentaries on Shri Bhagavatji - Shri Subodhiniji, Anubhashya and other works. Shri Mahaprabhuji was writing a commentary on Shrimad Bhagwatji known as Subodhiniji. This work called Subhodhiniji was a very huge work he had undertaken. In the meantime he had received calls from Shrinathji that Shri Vallabhs mission was completed and as such he should return to HIS NijDham. In all Shri Vallabhacharya had received three calls. The first time it happened when he was at Ganga Sagar. But as he had to accomplish a lot, he kindly did not obey the first call. The second time he was at Madhuvan when he was once again asked to return back. Then also he could not oblige. But when he received the command for the third time he decided to obey it. So he had given up writing the commentaries on 5th to 9th Skandh and had straight away undertaken to write the 1st and 2nd part of 10th Skandh of Shrimad Bhagavatji which described the Leelas of Shri Krishna.
52 year old Shri Vallabh, upon Shrinathji's 3 order to return to NijDham, decided to discard his mortal guise and become one with the supreme Lord. He left his home and took sanyas at Hanuman Ghat, Kashi. On Ashadh Shukla Paksh 2, V.S. 1587, He entered the Ganga River at Hanuman Ghat in Kashi and stood with water upto his waist, eyes closed and his lips uttering the name of the Lord and his entire being concentrated on the Lord and in the presence of his family members and all the onlookers, a great ball of Fire arose within Vallabh and encompassing Shri Vallabh and burst forth towards the sun and merged with it.