Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) was a philosopher, teacher, and founder of the Pushti Marg, a religious community.
Vallabha Charya proposed Shuddadvaita ("pure
non-dualism"), in which the Ultimate Reality was regarded as
individualized, in the form of Krishna, rather than the impersonal Brahman of
the Advaita Vedanta school.
The supreme religious goal was conceived in terms of
relationship with that divine person because Vallabhacharya had personalized
his conception of the Supreme Reality.
This emphasis on devotion was quickly expressed in the
Pushti Marg's temples via intricately structured forms of image worship.
The devotees (bhakta) saw themselves as Krishna's companions
throughout his everyday activities—waking, eating, bringing the cows to
pasture, returning home, and so on—and so were able to participate in the
divine pastime (lila).
The emergence of large liturgical materials, penned by eight
poets (the ash tachap) affiliated with Vallabhacharya and Vitthalnath, his son
and successor, aided this focus on vision and participation.
R.K. Barz, The Bhakti Sect of Vallabhacarya, 1976, is a good
source of information.
