Nimbarka
Also called: Nimbarkacharya · Topic: Bhakti and Sufi Traditions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Nimbarka (also called Nimbarkacharya) was a Vaishnava philosopher. His date is uncertain, but he is usually placed before the 13th century. He taught Dvaitadvaita, which means "dualism-cum-nondualism". In this view the soul is both different from God and not different from God, just as a wave is both separate from the sea and a part of it. He taught loving devotion to Radha and Krishna together. His sect is centred on Mathura and Vrindavan.
Example
The Nimbarka sampradaya (sect) still keeps its main centres in the Braj region around Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh). There, devotees worship Radha and Krishna as a pair.
Don't confuse with
- Ramanuja's vishishtadvaita: this is "qualified non-dualism" and centres on Vishnu. Nimbarka's dvaitadvaita centres on Radha-Krishna.
- Madhvacharya's Dvaita: this is strict dualism, in which God and the soul are always separate.