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The form of the Lord that is generally worshipped in this system is known as Shri Govardhananathaji, popularly called Shrinathji, who is the embodiment of the twelve skandhas of the Bhagwata and whose shine is situated at Nathdwar in Mewar. In other words, Shri Nathaji, represents the very form of the Lord which is taught by the Bhagavata. The twelve skandhas of the work are identified with the twelve parts of Shri Nathaji's form, the tenth skandha which describes the rasalila being identified with the heart. The image of Shri Nathaj l was, according to the traditions of the School, revealed to the Acharya on the hill of Giriraja and was later on brought to Nathadwar.14.It represents the highest form of the Lord known as Purna Purushottama. All other images represent the vibhutis (powers) and the vyuhas (manifestations), and not the highest form. The worship of the Lord is called Seva, while that of the vibhutis is called puja. The Shuddhadvaita system, again, accepts are four vyuhas, viz. Vasudeva, Sankarashana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, with their respective functions of giving moksha, removing the burden of the world, creating, and establishing dharma. These vyuhas are inferior to Purna Purushottama, to whom belongs the privilege or lifting up even those who are entirely helpless. In the different activities of Krishna one can easily determine from the nature of His actions, whether the particular form assumed is the highest one or a vyuha or a vibhuti. The Acharya has laid down the criterion for distinguishing one from another. Applying the criterion, he very emphatically recommends the seva of Shri Nathji and this constitutes his originality. He is not indebted to any of his predecessors in his teaching of the Pushtimarga, and the belief that Vallabhacharya simply carried on the traditions of one Vishnu Svamin is therefore untenable. 15
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14. Vallabhacharya inherited from his father, Lakshmana Bhatta the image of Madanamohanaji accompanied by Radha on one side and Lakshmi on the other. This represents the form of Krishna which is associated with the rasa-lila. In the course of time when Vitthalnatha divided his property amongst his seven sons, he gave each of them an image for Seva. These are still worshipped in different places by his descendants. All the seven svarupa (images) are included in the perfect and original form of Shri Nathji. The later writers of the School have tried to show that these different forms represent particular lila of Krishna. Although Radha is worshipped in the company of Krishna in this School, she does not enjoy as much prominence here as she does in the Vaishnavism of Shri Chaitanya.
A note of Warning
The Acharya, when he placed before the world the conception of Pushti as illustrated ill the rasa lila anticipated certain difficulties owing to misunderstanding and its evil consequences, and he therefore frequently sounded a note of warning. He tells us that the episode of the gopis and the Lord is both real and allegorical. If it is taken to the real, it must be clearly borne in mind that there is no tinge of sensualism in the rasa lila, even though its description in the Bhagavata appears to be more or less worldly. Moreover, he who listens with devotion to this account of the gopis and the Lord becomes free from all the pangs of the heart and enjoys bliss. Some of the verses written by Vallabha in this connection deserve careful study. If one is disposed to interpret the rasa lila as allegorical one can say with him that the gopis represent the Shrutis, and when they are said to enjoy the company of the Lord it simply means that the Shrutis teach only one thing and that is the Lord. The Acharya has considered this most important question from all points of view and has asked his followers not to imitate the Lord, but to serve Him and hear the account of His doings, may, when he was on the point of leaving this world, standing on the Ganga near the Hanuman Ghat in Kashi, he gave a massage to his sons and followers in words that should be written in letters of gold. He said, 'My dear followers, you should always serve the Lord to the best of your ability; you should not look upon Lord Krishna as an ordinary worldly master; once you become His, He will always take care of you. But if: somehow or other, you forget the Lord and think of worldly matters, you will fall 16 The message or the Acharya as embodied in his teachings is indeed sublime and inspiring, and will serve as an infallible guide to all lovers or truth in the realization of the ultimate end of human existence.
15. G. H. Bhatt. "Vishnu swami and Vallabhacharya Proceedings of the Seventh All-India Oriental Conference, pp. 449. 465; Proceedings of the Eighth All-India Oriental Conference. pp.322-323.
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Contributions to Vedantic thought
It is obvious from what has been said above that Vallabha has made a special contribution to the Vedantic thought. The conception of Parabrahman as full of rasa, although round in the Upanishads, first received systematic attention from the Acharya. Again the idea of Akshara Brahman, founded as it is on the basic works received full treatment for the first time at the hands or the Acharya. The doctrine of grace, the ideal of self dedication, and the sublimation of human life are some of the peculiar features of the teaching or the Acharya. And that is still more remarkable is the attitude of the Acharya towards the Vedas and the allied literature. He has accepted the Vedas as the highest authority and followed them most faithfully, with the result that logic can never get the better of faith. It is because of this attitude that Vallabhacharya differs from Shankaracharya.
16. G.H. Bhatt, Last Message of Vallabhacharya, Annals of the, Bhandarkar Oriental Research institute, XXIII, pp. 67-70.
III
THE PUSHTI-MARGA
The Pushti marga or the doctrine of grace as taught by Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 AD.) is one of those branches of knowledge that are undeserved ignored by the world of scholars. Some writers l have also done injustice to Vallabha by explaining the word Pushti as eating, drinking and enjoying.
Vallabha's predecessors such as Shankara, Bhaskara, etc. have accepted three authorities, generally known as there Prasthanas, viz, the Vedas including the Upanishads, the Gita and the Brahmasutras, but Vallabha adds the Bhagavata Purana as the fourth authority and remarks that in case of doubts in any of these four authorities one should try to remove them in the light of the succeeding authority. 2 The Bhagavata thus stands on the same level as that of the Vedas nay, it is the very ripe fruit of the Kalpa tree in the form of the Vedas. 3 The reason why Vallabha attaches so much importance to the Bhagavata is, to my mind, the fact that the episode of Krishna and the Gopis is very elaborately treated in it; and it is on the strength of this episode that he tries to preach the doctrine of Pushti.
1. See the article 'Vallabhacharya' in E.R.E., "Doctrine of Maya" in Prof. Jwalaprasad's introduction to Indian Philosophy. The remarkable exception is that of Sir R.G, Bhandarkar's Vaishnavism, etc.
2. वेदा: श्रीकृष्णवाक्यानि व्याससूत्राणि चैव हि ।
समाविभाषा व्यासस्य प्रमाणं तच्चतुष्टयम् ।
उत्तर पूर्वसंदेहवारकं परिकीर्तितम् ।
५४/०॥४७19'$ तत्त्वदीपनिबन्ध Banaras edition p. 12
3. निगमकल्पतरोग्गलितं फलम् । भागवत 1.1.3
Like his predecessors, Vallabha expresses his own opinion on karma, jnana and bhakti, which have been regarded as the three well known paths to liberation and which were practised only by the cultured. He discusses their significance and relative importance. He calls this bhakti as Shastric or Maryada bhakti, to be practised according to the letters of the scriptures and as such not useful for females and members of the so-called lower classes. He is confronted with the most important question of his times, and also of our times, whether the time-honoured paths or karma, jnana and bhakti can satisfy the spiritual dem and, not of males of the first three classes only but of humanity in general, without any distinction of caste, creed and nationality. Vallabha remarks that the case of the females and shudras did not receive proper attention at the hands of his predecessors
He finds that iron age is so unfavourable to the three paths that they cannot be practised rigidly and thus, although they were most effective in-times gone by, they became out or date. In one of his works, 6 Vallabha gives a graphic description of his own times a description which is true even today, The atmosphere of the country is thus not at all congenial and does not leave any scope for karma, jnana and bhakti. At the same time, at all times and in all countries there are souls in all classes that are anxious to be free from the bondage of the world. The prophet of the age is, therefore, required to solve the problem in a satisfactory manner, and wonderfully, Vallabha does not fail to rise to the occasion. He cuts the Gordian knot by introducing the Pushti-marga or the doctrine of grace.
With Vallabha, the three terms, Brahman, Paramatman and Bhagavat, are synonymous and refer to Krishna, the highest entity. Those who are not in a position to follow any of the three paths are asked to dedicate everything to Krishna and to live on Hi, mercy alone until they enjoy the highest bliss. The conception of Pushti is mainly based on the welt-known verse of the Mundakopnisad7 that the realization of God is possible only through His grace. This idea further appears in many places in the Gita and is nicely illustrated by the episode of Krishna and the Gopis in the Bhagavata. The word Pushti is explained in the Bhagavata as the grace of God. Vallabha himself has explained the word in very clear terms. In one place he says that in the Maryada-marga, God allots fruits according to the actions of men, while in the Pushti-marga, he does not take into account the doings of human beings but shows favour to them in the allotments of fruits. In another place he distinctly says that in the Maryada-marga the liberation is possible through jnana and bhakti, as laid down in the scripture, which the aspirant has to try his best to acquire while in the Pushtimarga nothing except the grace of God is required. The Pushti-marga, is thus meant for those who are utterly helpless and who are still desirous of getting salvation. When nothing requires to be done in the Pushtimarga except to throw oneself at the feet of God with complete faith in Him, it becomes quite obvious that the doors of Pushti-marga are open to one and all. No distinction of caste and nationality can be admitted in these schools of thought, and this is clearly borne out by the fact that the Gopis, who were uncultured females born of a low family, surrendered themselves to Krishna in total and enjoyed the Bhagavata. The preceptor first of all gives him a mantra which tells him that his only guide from that time is Krishna. This is generally known as Sarana-mantra. Afterwards the Guru takes him to an image of Krishna gives him a Tulasi leaf recites the mantra for initiation, 18 makes him repeat the mantra and asks him to put the Tulasi leaf near the feet of the image. This mantra is always kept secret.
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It nowhere appears in the published works of Vallabha; but it is always kept by the side of the image. There are some eleven or twelve commentaries on this mantra and the earliest commentary is of Gokulanathajl; the grandson of Vallabha. Tradition asserts that the mantra was no doubt revealed to Vallabha by Krishna. The mantra clearly shows that everyone entering in the pushti marga is required to dedicate himself and his belongings to Krishna and declare himself to be the most loyal servant of the Lord. It must be clearly borne in mind that the dedication is to Krishna and not to any human being, including even the Acharya.
After this ceremony is over the man has to pass his time in worshipping the image of Krishna like Gopis worshipping Krishna in old days and ill reading or hearing the stories of God. 17 The worship of God is of three kinds, viz. with body. with wealth and with mind. The first two kinds are calculated to destroy 'mine and thine, the very back-bone of the whole Samsara, and the last type, looked upon as the highest form of worship, accomplishes the realization of
God. The whole life must be the life of an ideal servant of God. He must not mind anything other than the Lord: His is the life of complete self-surrender and devotion The Lord, on his part, is sure to help such a man, who has renounced everything only for His sake.
In case, the aspirant cannot find a qualified preceptor, he is advised by Vallabha to create an image or God for himself and pass the rest of his life. in the worship of that image. 18 Vallabha undoubtedly possessed all the necessary qualifications of a Guru and therefore performed the initiatory rite in an cases. Even now, the practice is that the ceremony of Brahma- Sambandha is performed by the descendants of Vallabha, although Vallabha has nowhere said that the ceremony should be perfomed by his own descendants.
Sometimes a charge of sensualism is levelled against Vallabha and his system. It is not possible to discuss the question in all its aspects within the small compass of this article, but it is sufficient to remark that Vallabha, wherever he gets an opportunity, has made abundantly clear that sensualism has no place i n his system. He, in one place, 11 says that God will never enter into the heart of those who are slaves of passion. When dedication of everything to God does not leave scope for man's individualism.. it is impossible for him to run any risk on his own account. Some of the descendants of Vallabha have written mall works in order to show that passion is most detrimental to spiritual progress.
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It must have been now clear from what has been said above that Pushti has nothing to do with eating. drinking and I am sure, those who care to read the works of Vallabha with an unbiased mind are sure.to-be struck with wonder at the sublimity of the conception of the. Pushti-marga. In fine, I cannot resist the temptation of remarking that some of the burning problems of the present times can be happily solved by giving proper turn to this doctrine.
IV
