Vallabhacharya
Also called: Vallabha · Topic: Bhakti and Sufi Traditions · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Bhakti-Sufi Traditions"
Meaning
Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) was a Vaishnava philosopher of Telugu origin who taught in north and west India. He founded the Pushtimarg, the "path of grace", which teaches loving devotion to Krishna and depends on God's grace. In philosophy he founded Shuddhadvaita, or "pure non-dualism", a school of Vedanta. He belongs to the 15th–16th-century wave of saguna bhakti, which worships God with a form.
Example
The Krishna temple of Shrinathji at Nathdwara in Rajasthan is the main centre of the Pushtimarg. Tradition holds that Surdas, the poet of Krishna, was Vallabhacharya's disciple.
Don't confuse with
- Ramanujacharya: He was an 11th-century philosopher from Tamil Nadu who taught vishishtadvaita, or "qualified non-dualism". Vallabhacharya's school is Shuddhadvaita.