Vallabha

Vallabhācārya (1479–1531 CE), also known as Vallabha, was an Indian saint and philosopher. He founded the Krishna-centered Puṣṭimārga sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj (Vraja) region of India, and propounded the philosophy of Śuddhādvaita.

Vallabha was born in a Telugu Tailang Brahmin family that was residing in Varanasi. They escaped to Champaran of Chhattisgarh state while expecting a Muslim invasion in Varanasi during the late 15th century.

Vallabha studied the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and Shaddarshana as a child, and then traveled throughout the Indian subcontinent for over 20 years. He became one of the important leaders of the devotional Bhakti movement. He won many philosophical scholarly debates against followers of Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhvacharya, and others.

He rejected asceticism and monastic life, suggested that through loving devotion to the deity Krishna, any householder could achieve salvation – an idea that became influential all over India, held by his 84 Baithakjis (places of worship) across India. He is the prominent Jagadguru Acharya of Rudra Sampradaya out of the four traditional Vaishnava Sampradayas.

He authored many texts including but not limited to, the Aṇubhāṣya (his commentary on Brahma Sūtra), Ṣoḍaśa Grantha or sixteen tracts and several commentaries on the Bhāgavata Purāṇa.

Vallabha's writings and kirtan compositions focus on baby Krishna and his childhood pranks with Yashoda (unconditional motherly love), as well as a youthful Krishna's protection of the good (divine grace) and his victory over demons and evils, all with allegory and symbolism.

Vallabha founded the Puṣṭimārga, which is present in the Braj region as well as the Nathdwara and Dwarkadhish Temple in Mewar region of India – are important Krishna pilgrimage center.