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Vallabhacharya
Vallabha, also known as Vallabhācārya or Vallabha Dīkṣita (May 7, 1478 – July 7, 1530 CE), was the founder of the Kr̥ṣṇa-centered Puṣṭimārga sect of Vaishnavism, and propounded the philosophy of Śuddhādvaita. His biography is depicted in several sectarian Puṣṭimārga hagiographies. Born into a Telugu Brahmin family, Vallabha studied Hindu philosophy from early age, then traveled throughout the Indian subcontinent, particularly the Braj (Vraja) region, for over 20 years. He became one of the important leaders of the devotional Bhakti movement. He won many philosophical scholarly debates against the followers of Advaita Vedānta. He began the institutional worship of Śrī Nāthajī on Govardhana Hill. He acquired many followers in the Gangetic plain and Gujarat. After his death, the leadership of his sampradāya passed to his elder son Gopīnātha. Vallabha's philosophy promoted the householder lifestyle over asceticism, suggesting that through lovi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shuddhadvaita
Shuddadvaita (Sanskrit: "pure non-dualism") is the "purely non-dual" philosophy propounded by the Hindu philosopher Vallabha (1479-1531 CE), the founder of ("The path of grace"), a Vaishnava tradition focused on the worship of the deity Krishna. Vallabhacharya's pure form ( nondualist) philosophy is different from Advaita. The Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara, and compositions of eight poets (), including Surdas, are central to the worship by the followers of the sect.Martin, Nancy M., "North Indian Hindi devotional literature" in Location The tradition is founded by Vishnu swamy in Southern India. He is known as the early founder of the Rudra sampradaya, one of the four main traditions of Vaishnavaites. Vallabhacharya founded the Krishna-centered Pushti-Marga sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj(Vraj) region of India. In modern times followers of Shuddadvaita are concentrated in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Central Topics In the ancient Vedic tradition of knowle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Its followers are called Vaishnavites or ''Vaishnava''s (), and it includes sub-sects like Krishnaism and Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramaism, which consider Krishna and Rama as the supreme beings respectively. According to a 2020 estimate by The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu sect, constituting about 399 million Hindus. The ancient emergence of Vaishnavism is unclear, and broadly hypothesized as a History of Hinduism, fusion of various regional non-Vedic religions with worship of Vishnu. It is considered a merger of several popular non-Vedic theistic traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shrinathji
Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old child. The principal shrine of Shrinathji is the Shrinathji Temple in the temple city of Nathdwara, 48 kilometres north-east of Udaipur city in Rajasthan, India. Shrinathji is the central presiding deity of the Vaishnava sect known as Pushtimarg (''the way of grace'') or the Vallabha Sampradaya, established by Vallabhacharya. Shrinathji is worshipped mainly by followers of Bhakti Yoga and the Vaishnavas in Gujarat and Rajasthan, as well as the Bhatias among others. Vitthal Nathji, son of Vallabhacharya institutionalised the worship of Shrinathji at Nathdwara. On account of the popularity of Shrinathji, Nathdwara city itself is referred to as ‘Shrinathji’. People also call it Bava's (Shreenathji Bava) Nagri. Initially, the child Krishna deity was referred to as Devadāman ("''the conqueror of Gods''" referring to the over-powering of Indra by Krishna in the lifting of Govardhan hill). Vallabhacharya n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pushtimarg
The Puṣṭimārga, also known as Pushtimarg (Path of Nourishing or Flourishing) or Vallabha Sampradāya, is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava saṁpradāya. It was established in the early 16th century by Vallabha (1479–1530) and further developed by his descendants, particularly his son Viṭṭhalanātha. Followers of the Puṣṭimārga worship Kr̥ṣṇa and engage in devotional practices centered around the youthful Kr̥ṣṇa as depicted in the ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa'', and the pastimes at Govardhan Hill. The Puṣṭimārga sect follows the Śuddhadvaita philosophy of Vallabha. According to this philosophy, Kr̥ṣṇa is considered the supreme deity and the source of everything. The human soul is believed to be imbued with Kr̥ṣṇa's divine light, and spiritual liberation is thought to result from Kr̥ṣṇa's grace. The sect worships Kr̥ṣṇa through ''sevā'', a practice in which his idols are served and entertained with food, drink, music, and art, recreating his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vedanta
''Vedanta'' (; , ), also known as ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six orthodox (Āstika and nāstika, ''āstika'') traditions of Hindu philosophy and textual exegesis. The word ''Vedanta'' means 'conclusion of the Vedas', and encompasses the ideas that emerged from, or aligned and reinterpreted, the speculations and enumerations contained in the Upanishads, focusing, with varying emphasis, on devotion, knowledge and liberation. Vedanta developed into many traditions, all of which give their specific interpretations of a common group of texts called the ''Prasthanatrayi, Prasthānatrayī'', translated as 'the three sources': the ''Upanishads'', the ''Brahma Sutras'', and the ''Bhagavad Gita''. All Vedanta traditions are exegetical in nature, but also contain extensive discussions on ontology, soteriology, and epistemology, even as there is much disagreement among the various traditions. Independently considered, they may seem completely disparate due to the pronounced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vitthalanatha
Vitthala-natha or Vitthalanath (Devanagari: विट्ठलनाथ, IAST: Viṭṭhalanātha; 10 December 1515 – 10 February 1586), popularly known as Gusainji, was an Indian philosopher. He was the younger son of Vallabha, who founded the Pushtimarga Sampradaya, Puṣṭimārga Sampradaya, Sampradāya of Hinduism. Names Apart from Viṭṭhalanātha, his other names include Viṭṭhaleśvara, Viṭṭhala Dīkṣita, or Agnikumāra. In addition, he is known by the title ''Gosvami'' (Gosain-ji or Gusain-ji). Early life Pushtimarga Sampradaya, Puṣṭi records state that Viṭṭhalanātha was born on Mārgaśīrṣa vada 9, 1572 Vikram Samvat, V.S. (December 10, 1515 CE), as the second son of the religious scholar Vallabha. However, academics place his birth around 1516 CE (between 1515 and 1518 CE). His devotees consider him an incarnation of the god Vithoba (Vitthal) of Vitthal Temple, Pandharpur, Pandharpur. He was brought up by Vallabha till the age of 15, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brahma Sutras
The ''Brahma Sūtras'' (), also known as the Vedanta Sūtra (Sanskrit: वेदान्त सूत्र), Shariraka Sūtra, and Bhikshu-sūtra, are a Sanskrit text which criticizes the metaphysical dualism of the influential Samkhya philosophy, and instead synthesizes and harmonizes divergent Upanishadic ideas and practices about the essence of existence, postulating Brahman as the only origin and essence of everything. It is attributed to the sages Bādarāyaṇa, who is also called Vyāsa (arranger), but probably an accumulation of incremental additions and changes by various authors to an earlier work, completed in its surviving form in approx. 400–450 CE. The oldest version may be composed between 500 BCE and 200 BCE, with 200 BCE being the most likely date. The ''Brahma Sūtras'' consist of 555 aphoristic verses (sutras) in four chapters, dealing with attaining knowledge of Brahman. Rejecting the ''smriti'' as a base of knowledge, it declares that the Vedic Upanishad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhakti Movement
The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of Bhakti, devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th century CE, it gained prominence through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnava Alvars and Shaiva Nayanars in Middle kingdoms of India#The Deccan plateau and South, early medieval South India, before spreading northwards. It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century CE. The Bhakti movement regionally developed around different God in Hinduism, Hindu gods and goddesses, and some sub-sects were Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaivism (Shiva), Shaktism (Shakti goddesses), and Smartism.Wendy Doniger (2009)"Bhakti" ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' The Bhakti movement preached using the local languages so that the message reached the masses. The movement was inspired by many poet- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Telugu Brahmin
Telugu Brahmins are ethnic-Telugu people, Telugus who belong to Brahmin communities native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They fall under the Pancha-Dravida, Pancha Dravida Brahmin classification of the Brahmin community in India. Telugu Brahmins are further divided into sections like Vaidiki, Niyogi Brahmin, Niyogi, Deshastha Brahmin, Deshastha, Dravida Brahmin, Dravida, Golconda Vyapari Brahmin, Golkonda Vyapari among others. History The Apastamba Dharmasutra is posited to have been composed in the region of modern-day Andhra Pradesh between the Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna rivers, but this is not certain. It is dated to approximately 600-300 BCE, and more narrowly to between 450 and 350 BCE. Related communities Brahmin is a Varna (Hinduism), varna (caste) within Hinduism, Hindu society. Brahmins have traditionally been Hindu priests, either in Hindu temple, temples or to particular families and have traditionally been better edu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is widely revered among Hindu divinities. Krishna's birthday is celebrated every year by Hindus on Krishna Janmashtami according to the lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Hindu calendar, which falls in late August or early September of the Gregorian calendar. The anecdotes and narratives of Krishna's life are generally titled as ''Krishna Līlā''. He is a central figure in the ''Mahabharata'', the ''Bhagavata Purana'', the ''Brahma Vaivarta Purana,'' and the ''Bhagavad Gita'', and is mentioned in many Hindu philosophy, Hindu philosophical, Hindu theology, theological, and Hindu mythology, mythological texts. They portray him in various perspectives: as a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Braj Bhasha
Braj is a language within the Indo-Aryan language family spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh centered on Mathura. Along with Awadhi, it was one of the two predominant literary languages of North-Central India before gradually merging and contributing to the development of standardized Hindi in the 19th century. It is spoken today in its unique form in many districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, often referred to as 'Central Braj Bhasha'. The language was historically used for Vaishnavite poetry dedicated to Krishna, whose life was associated with sites in the Braj region. There were also early prose works in terms of the hagiographical ''vārtā'' literature of the Vallabha sect. Braj is considered by scholars to be a more conservative example of the Central Indo-Aryan languages compared to the Hindustani language, which has been influenced by Panjabi and intermediate dialects. Geographical distribution Braj Bhasha is spoken in the nebulous Braj region c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
