Vallabhacharya

(1479–1531) Philosopher, teacher, and
founder of the religious community
known as the Pushti Marg. Vallabhacharya propounded a philosophical
position called Shuddadvaita (“pure
non-dualism”), in which the Ultimate
Reality was conceived as personalized,
in the form of Krishna, rather than the
impersonal Brahman propounded by
the Advaita Vedanta school. Since
Vallabhacharya had personalized his
conception of the Supreme Reality, the
supreme religious goal was conceived in
terms of relationship with that divine
person. This stress on devotion was
soon articulated in elaborately arranged
forms of image worship in the Pushti
Marg’s temples. The devotees (bhakta)
would visualize themselves as Krishna’s
companions during his daily activities—waking, eating, taking the cows
to graze, coming home, etc.—and thus
gain the opportunity to take part in the
divine play (lila). This emphasis on
visualization and participation was
fostered through the development of
vast liturgical resources, which were
composed by eight poets (the ashtachap) who were associated with
Vallabhacharya and Vitthalnath, his
son and successor. For further information see R.K. Barz, The Bhakti Sect of
Vallabhacarya, 1976.