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    Introduction To Vallabhacharya

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    Vallabhacharya was an influential Vedantic teacher born in 1479 in Varanasi, India. He mastered the Vedas and other Hindu philosophies by age 11 and was given the title of Acharya. He went on to establish 84 centers teaching his interpretation of Vedanta across India. Vallabhacharya's teachings differed somewhat from Advaita Vedanta in emphasizing bhakti (devotion) as the means of salvation and eternal service of Krishna as the highest goal rather than mukti (liberation). Though important, his works are not as widely studied as other Vedantic teachers, leaving opportunities for further comparative analysis.

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    Introduction To Vallabhacharya

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    91 views1 page
    Vallabhacharya was an influential Vedantic teacher born in 1479 in Varanasi, India. He mastered the Vedas and other Hindu philosophies by age 11 and was given the title of Acharya. He went on to establish 84 centers teaching his interpretation of Vedanta across India. Vallabhacharya's teachings differed somewhat from Advaita Vedanta in emphasizing bhakti (devotion) as the means of salvation and eternal service of Krishna as the highest goal rather than mukti (liberation). Though important, his works are not as widely studied as other Vedantic teachers, leaving opportunities for further comparative analysis.

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    Introduction to Vallabhacharya

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    Vallabhacharya was an influential Vedantic teacher born in 1479 in Varanasi, India. He mastered the Vedas and other Hindu philosophies by age 11 and was given the title of Acharya. He went on to establish 84 centers teaching his interpretation of Vedanta across India. Vallabhacharya's teachings differed somewhat from Advaita Vedanta in emphasizing bhakti (devotion) as the means of salvation and eternal service of Krishna as the highest goal rather than mukti (liberation). Though important, his works are not as widely studied as other Vedantic teachers, leaving opportunities for further comparative analysis.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    91 views1 page

    Introduction To Vallabhacharya

    Uploaded by

    Reva
    Vallabhacharya was an influential Vedantic teacher born in 1479 in Varanasi, India. He mastered the Vedas and other Hindu philosophies by age 11 and was given the title of Acharya. He went on to establish 84 centers teaching his interpretation of Vedanta across India. Vallabhacharya's teachings differed somewhat from Advaita Vedanta in emphasizing bhakti (devotion) as the means of salvation and eternal service of Krishna as the highest goal rather than mukti (liberation). Though important, his works are not as widely studied as other Vedantic teachers, leaving opportunities for further comparative analysis.

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    Introduction to Vallabhacharya

    - Abhinav Kadambi, II MA (Sanskrit)

    The knowledge system handed down to us by our ancestors are in many forms. The Veda is the most
    popular one. But there are other auxiliary and ancillary disciplines to the Veda. The major disciplines are
    the 6 vedangas (shiksha, kalpa, vyakarana, nirukta, chandas, and jyotisha), the 4 upavedas (arthashastra,
    dhanurveda, gandharvaveda, and ayurveda), and the six darshanas (nyaya, vaisheshika, sankhya, yoga,
    purvamimaamsaa, and vedanta). Of these, Vedanta is the most popular as it deals with living life in
    peace and happiness. Of the Many teachers and traditions in Vedanta, Adishankaracharya,
    Ramanujacharya, and Madhvacharya are well known in South India. Vallabhacharya is a less popular
    teacher in the Vedantic tradition in South India.

    Vallabhacharya was born in a Telugu speaking family. It is said that Lord Krishna himself appeared and
    told Yagnanarayana Bhatta, Vallabha’s ancestor, that he would take birth in the family after 100
    Somayagnas. Vallabhacharya was born in Varanasi in 1479 exactly as foretold. He was called
    Balasarasvati for having mastered the veda and darshanas before he was eleven years old. He was given
    the title of Acharya and Jagadguru at the court of Raja Krishnadevaraya for his scholarship when he was
    eleven years old.

    He later went to 84 places all over India and established his interpretation of Vedanta. He had 84
    Vaishnava disciples, one in each of the abovesaid places. It is believed that he was initiated into a
    mantra, called the Brahmasambandhamantra, by Lord Krishna himself during his sleep. He first initiated
    Damodaradasa, his disciple, into the mantra at Gokula.

    He married Mahalaxmi and had two sons, Gopinathji and Vitthalnathji. He attained samadhi at the age
    of 52 in the Ganga in Hanuman Ghat of Kashi. Before he passed away, during his maunavrata, he wrote
    the first three quarters of a sloka, called ShikshaSloki, which he wanted to give as instructions to his
    family. This sloka’s last quarter is believed to have been completed by Lord Krishna himself.

    His main works were the commentary to the Brahmasutras, Srimadbhagavatapurana (incomplete), 3
    essays on spirituality, and 16 compositions on devotional life. He stressed on the focus on worship
    of Lord Krishna at one’s own house with one’s own body and not public worship. He believed that सेवा
    ु श्रीननवास at निरुऩनि, etc. only when
    was to be performed in the ऩूजामार्गीयप्रणाऱी like that of जर्गन्नाथ at ऩरी,
    not possible at home. He has said “र्गृहे नित्वा स्वधममिः” and “कृ ष्णसेवा सदा कायाम “. Vallabha’s teachings are
    slightly different from Adishankaracharya’s Advaita. Two differences are that he believes that Bhakti is
    the means of salvation and that highest goal is not Mukti, but rather eternal service of Krishna and
    participation along with His activities in His Divine abode of Vrindavana.

    Though Vallabhacharya is an important acharya in the vedantic tradition, his works are not explored
    sufficiently and there is tremendous scope for comparative studies.

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