It is said that during his Braj-yātrā (pilgrimage through Vraja), Śrī Vallabhācārya Mahāprabhu wandered along the Yamunā banks in Mahāvan in search of the Gokula village. At that time, Śrīyamunā herself appeared and revealed the location of the present-day Gokula. Upon identifying the ancient site of Gokula, Śrī Mahāprabhu resided there, and spontaneously began to extol the māhātmya (spiritual glory) and significance of Śrīyamunā according to the puṣṭi-mārga (path of grace). This hymn of praise came to be known as the Śrīyamunāṣṭaka-stotram, which is incorporated as the invocation (maṅgalācaraṇa) in the Ṣoḍaśa-granthas.

According to a legend, the Śrīyamunāṣṭaka was composed in Vikram Samvat 1549 on the day of Śrāvaṇa Śukla Tṛtīyā (third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Śrāvaṇa) in Śrīgokula. Just as an undercurrent of service-oriented devotion (dāsya-bhāva-ātmikā maryādā-bhakti) flows with the river Gaṅgā, so too does an undercurrent of puṣṭi-bhakti flow alongside Śrīyamunā. This undercurrent of puṣṭi-bhakti with Śrīyamunā offers vyāpī-vaikuṇṭha ke nātha (the Lord of boundless Vaikuṇṭha) a path to become the Lord of the humble Gokula and bestows unparalleled glory to the puṣṭi-mārga. Flowing against the current of kṣayakṛt-kāla (the destructive flow of time), Śrīyamunā draws the souls wandering within that flow and carries them to the divine, sweet, eternal pastimes (nitya-līlā) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Vallabhācārya Mahāprabhu, in this Śrīyamunāṣṭaka-stotram, has described the extraordinary eightfold qualities (aṣṭavidha-viśiṣṭatā or aiśvarya) of Śrīyamunā from the puṣṭi-mārga perspective through eight verses. Each verse glorifies one of the unique qualities of Śrīyamunā. These qualities are:

  1. Śrīyamunā grants the various accomplishments (siddhi) of puṣṭi-mārga. For example:

    • Attainment of a divine, service-suited body (bhagavat-sevopayogi-deha).
    • The ability to witness diverse puṣṭi-līlās (graceful pastimes of the Lord).
    • The capacity to experience the divine sentiments (rasa) expressed in these līlās.
    • Realization of universal self-attitude (sarvātma-bhāva).

    All these puṣṭi-mārga accomplishments are granted by Śrīyamunā to the puṣṭi-jīva (soul of grace).

  2. Śrīyamunā enhances the sentiment of devotion (bhagavad-bhāva). Devotion (bhāva) in puṣṭi-mārga is defined as love (rati or prīti) towards the Lord. Śrīyamunā instills the bhagavad-bhāva of love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the presiding deity of puṣṭi-mārga, within puṣṭi-jīvas.

  3. Śrīyamunā removes obstacles (pratibandha) or hindrances that block a puṣṭi-bhakta (devotee of grace) from connecting with their Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By eliminating these hindrances, Śrīyamunā purifies the puṣṭi-jagat (world of grace) and makes devotees eligible to experience the divine.

  4. The qualities (guṇa), nature (dharma), and form (rūpa) that the Lord manifests in puṣṭi-līlā are similarly manifested in Śrīyamunā. Therefore, establishing a connection with Śrīyamunā is equivalent to forming an effortless connection with Parabrahma Paramātmā (the Supreme Lord), Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

  5. Śrīyamunā removes the flaws (kali-rūpa doṣa) present even in the dear devotees of the Lord.

  6. Just as the Gopikās waited for Śrī Kṛṣṇa on the banks of Śrīyamunā during His disappearance in the rāsa-līlā, in a state of surrender (niḥsādhānatā), similarly, any puṣṭi-jīva who seeks refuge in Śrīyamunā becomes beloved to the Lord and attains Him.

    The act of drinking the waters of Śrīyamunā has exceptional significance—it ensures that the soul of the drinker is never carried to Yamalaya (the abode of Yama) by the flow of time. Instead, it binds the eternal Lord (kālatīla Paramātmā) in the threads of love and carries Him to the devotee who partakes of the waters.

  7. The experience of the Lord’s pastimes (bhagavat-līlā) and divine form (bhagavat-svarūpa) through one’s body, senses, life force (prāṇa), mind (antaḥkaraṇa), and soul (ātmā) is referred to as tanunavatva—the renewal of the body. Śrīyamunā endows puṣṭi-jīvas (souls of grace) with this transcendental capability (alaukika-sāmarthya), enabling them to feel a remarkable renewal and vitality in their time-worn body and senses that have been separated from the Lord for thousands of lifetimes. This extraordinary power allows them to fully experience the divine essence (rasātmikā anubhūti) of the Lord in every aspect. Furthermore, due to Śrīyamunā’s grace, they attain a new divine body, even in the eternal pastimes (nitya-līlā).

  8. On the banks of Śrīyamunā and within its waters, numerous divine pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa continue eternally in their ādhidaivika (divinely orchestrated) form. The bliss of the Supreme Lord, engaged in playful water sports (jalakrīḍā-nirata paramānandātmaka), becomes infused as droplets of perspiration, merging with the waters of Śrīyamunā, thus attaining oneness. Consequently, a ritual bath in Śrīyamunā’s waters evokes a thrilling sensation (siṁhāra) of physical intimacy (aṅgasanga) with Śrī Kṛṣṇa for puṣṭi-bhaktas (devotees of grace).

The ādhidaivika nature of Śrīyamunā becomes an object of experiential reality for līlā-sāmāyika puṣṭi-bhaktas (devotees contemporaneous with the pastimes). However, for modern puṣṭi-jīvas, Śrīyamunā plays a crucial role in resolving inherent flaws (pratibandhaka doṣa), overcoming personal tendencies (svabhāva-vijaya), fostering devotion to the Lord (bhagavad-bhakti), and nurturing the disposition of becoming beloved by the Lord (bhagavat-prema-bhājanatā). Therefore, through her grace, puṣṭi-jīvas become eligible for entry into the puṣṭi-mārga. This auspicious granting of eligibility is the unique function of Śrīyamunā. Consequently, her praise has been incorporated as the invocation (maṅgalācaraṇa) in the teachings of the puṣṭi-mārga.