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 daily routine as a youth in Braj.

The followers of this tradition are known as Pushtimargis or Pushtimargiya Vaishnavas. This sect is prominent in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as in their regional diasporas around the world. The Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara is the main shrine of Pushtimarg, with its origins dating back to 1669.

History

Vallabha

Vallabha was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in South India. He received a traditional education in Sanskrit scriptures and was a precocious student. In 1494, around the age of 15, he had a vision in which he acquired the ''Brahmasambandha mantra'' from Kr̥ṣṇa which was to be used to clean the faults of the human soul. He first bestowed the mantra on Dāmodardās Harsānī who would become the first member of the Puṣṭimārga. When he went to Govardhan Hill he declared that the stone being worshipped as Devadamana was the ''svarūpa'' of Śrī Nāthajī and instituted the formal ''sevā'' of the deity. He adopted the householder form of life and had two sons, Gopīnātha and Viṭṭhalanātha. Throughout his life he made three pilgrimage tours of India where he won converts mainly from the Gangetic plain and Gujarat, with converts tending to belong to mercantile or agricultural castes to whom Vallabha's ideals of socio-religious purity were appealing. He died in 1530, designating his elder son Gopīnātha as his successor.

Viṭṭhalanātha

In 1540, the Gauḍiya priests of Śrī Nāthajī, whom Vallabha hired, were expelled from Govardhan Hill which gave the Puṣṭimārga sole control over the deity's worship. In 1542, Gopīnātha died with his son soon dying as well, leaving Viṭṭhalanātha as the leader of the Puṣṭimārga. From 1543 to 1581 Viṭṭhalanātha went on fundraising tours to Gujarat where he converted many merchants, agriculturalists, and artisans. He also successfully obtained the royal Hindu and Mughal patronage for the sect. He heavily transformed the simple ''sevā'' of his father's time into a deeply aesthetic experience that sought to recreate the daily life of Kr̥ṣṇa in which he was offered expensive clothing, jewelry, perfumes, and sumptuous meals. The arts of paintings and poetry were also added to the rituals to enhance their appeal. Upon Viṭṭhalanātha's death the spiritual leadership of the sect was divided among his seven sons among whom he had distributed the major ''svarūpas'' of Kr̥ṣṇa and granted the sole right to bestow the ''brahmasambandha'' ''mantra'', that is, to initiate new members. Thus, the Puṣṭimārga was divided into Seven Houses (''Sāt Ghar'') or Seven Seats (''Sāt Gaddī''), with all patrilineal male descendants of Vallabha having these rights. These descendants have the titles of ''mahārājā'' (Great King) or ''gosvāmi'' (Lord of Cows), and the chief ''mahārāja'' of the First House has the title of ''tilkāyat'' and is ''primus inter pares''.

Later history in Braj

Viṭṭhalanātha's sons continued obtaining patronage of the sect from Mughal emperors. Viṭṭhalanātha's son Gokulanātha authored many texts in Sanskrit and particularly in Braj Bhasha, which reemphasized the themes of Vallabha's works in a more accessible language. Gokulanātha is considered the most prominent Puṣṭimārga figure of the era, and according to sectarian sources he defended the sect's right to wear their sectarian ''tilaks'' and '' mala beads'' made from ''tulsi'' from a Shaiva-Tantric ascetic named Jadrup who exerted significant influence over the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

In the early 1600s, the houses had a dispute over the rights to perform worship to Śrī Nāthajī, and Jahangir sided with ''Tilkāyat'' Viṭṭhalarāy that the First House held precedence over the others. The Third and Sixth Houses were also in conflict through the century over the worship of the deity Bālakr̥ṣṇa, resulting the exodus of both Houses from Braj to Gujarat. The Third House eventually moved to the region of Mewar in Rajasthan where they were welcomed by the kings and granted refuge. In Braj, the Jāṭ rebellion under the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb caused many religious communities, including the remaining houses of the Puṣṭimārga, to flee to Rajasthan where they received protection. The First House, who was the custodian of Śrī Nāthajī, settled in a village in Mewar that would become Nāthadvārā.

The Puṣṭimārga in Rajasthan

From their arrival in Rajasthan in the late 17th century to the late 19th century, Puṣṭimārga ''gosvāmī''s served both as the ''guru''s and '' jāgīrdār''s of the Mewar '' darbār''. The Mewar kingdom, which had defied the Mughal empire, sought to promote an image of themselves as protectors of Hindu ''dharma'' through their pre-existing theological commitment to and patronage of the Puṣṭimārga; in addition they sought to boost their economy through the pilgrimage traffic of the mercantile Gujarati Vaiṣṇava devotees. The Puṣṭimārga ''gosvāmī''s in turn enjoyed the religious and financial support of the Mewar kingdom. The ''mahārāja''s became wealthy landowners who received state protection and privileges through their noble Rajput contacts and donations from Gujarati merchant devotees/

19th century

The 1862 Maharaj Libel Case, in which a ''mahārājā'' from Surat named Jadunath Brizratanji sued the journalist Karsandas Mulji on charges of libel in the Supreme Court of Bombay, was widely publicized. In the paper ''Satya Prakāśa'', Mulji had called the ''Vallabha Sampradāya'' a degenerate sect with false doctrines, and accused its ''mahārājās'' (including Jadunath Brizratanji specifically by name) of forcing female devotees to have sexual relations with them. The British judges sided with Mulji, and the Puṣṭimārga's reputation was tainted, and the sect was viewed negatively by Western scholars until the late 20th century.

The tenure of ''Tilakāyat'' Govardhanalāl (''tilkāyat'' from 1876 to 1934) is often described as the "golden age" of both Nathdwara and the Puṣṭimārga.

20th and 21st centuries

In the 20th century, the Pushtimarg prospered due to the acquired affluence of some of its members, primarily Gujarati merchants. The Gujarati diaspora founded important Pushtimarg centers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

In the 21st century, the sect is not very well known in India. Since the latter half of the 20th century, the ''mahārājās'' no longer have the same level of religious and secular authority over their followers, and they are much more restrained in their public presence. While devotee families include those of great wealth, they do not draw attention to themselves either. The Puṣṭimārga does not actively seek converts in modern times.

Key Tenets

Śuddhādvaita

According to Vallabha, the society of his time was ridden with ills such as bloodshed, barbarians, foreigners, the departing of gods from temples, an impure Ganges river, the presence of heterodox communities, ineffective religious rites, the disappearance of the caste system, and the prevalence of greed, hypocrisy, and impurity. In response, Vallabha formulated the philosophy of ''Śuddhādvaita'', in opposition to the ''Ādvaita Vedānta'' of Śaṅkara, which he called ''Maryādā Mārga'' or Path of Limitations. Vallabha rejected the concept of '' Māyā'', stating that the world was a manifestation of the Supreme Absolute and could not be tainted, nor could it change. According to Vallabha, ''Brahman'' consists of existence (''sat''), consciousness (''cit''), and bliss (ā''nanda''), and manifests completely as Kr̥ṣṇa himself. In this philosophy, Kr̥ṣṇa, as ''Brahman'', is considered the supreme and sole being, and that Brahma, Śiva, and Viṣṇu are his limited avatāras.

Vallabha states if someone forgets this truth about Kr̥ṣṇa and his nature, it is due to ignorance derived from material attachments. For certain individuals however this ignorance can be removed through divine grace (''puṣṭi'') that would move one to a path of devotion where one would rely on Kr̥ṣṇa's grace alone. Such people are admitted into the Path of Grace or Puṣṭimārga.

The purpose of this tradition is to perform ''sevā'' (selfless service) out of love for Kr̥ṣṇa. According to Saha, Vallabha stated that through single minded religiosity, a devotee would achieve awareness that there is nothing in the world that is not Kr̥ṣṇa. According to Barz, in ''Śuddhādvaita'' the concept of ''uddhāra'' or lifting a ''jīva'' out of ignorance is granted solely through the grace of Kr̥ṣṇa who may have seemingly unknowable reasoning. He further states that in Śuddhādvaita philosophy ''uddhāra'' may be granted to any ''jīva'' regardless of sectarian membership in the Puṣṭimārga or conduction of sevā, rather it is granted solely through Kr̥ṣṇa's independent will.

Vallabha stated that religious disciplines that focus on Vedic sacrifices, temple rituals, ''puja'', meditation, and yoga had limited value. The school rejects the ascetic lifestyle and instead cherishes the householder lifestyle, wherein followers see themselves as participants and companions of Kr̥ṣṇa, and their daily life as an ongoing '' raslila.''

Texts

Vallabha accepts four prior works as the major bases for his doctrines: the Vedas, the '' Bhagavad Gītā'', the '' Brahma Sūtra'', and the '' Bhāgavata Purāṇa''. However, in practice the Vedas are not studied, whereas the ''Bhagavad Gītā'' and ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa'' are. Vallabha composed many philosophical and devotional books during his lifetime including:

# ''Subhodinī'', a partial commentary on the '' Bhāgavata Purāṇa''
# ''Aṇubhāṣya'', a partial commentary on the ''Brahmasūtra'' of Bādarāyaṇa
# ''Tattvārthadīpanibandha'', a text interpreting existing Hindu scriptures through Vallabha's philosophy of ''Śuddhādvaita''
# ''Tattvārthadīpanibandhaprakāśa'', a commentary on the ''Tattvārthadīpanibandha''
# '' Ṣoḍaśagrantha'', sixteen treatises on the important facets of ''Śuddhādvaita'' and theology of the Puṣṭimārga

Later figures authored prose texts in Braj Bhasha in the ''vārtā'' genre. The progenitor of the ''vārtā'' tradition was Vallabha's grandson, Gokulnāth, and Gokulnāth's grandnephew, Harirāy (1590–1715). The prose ''vārtā''s served as hagiographies about Vallabha, Viṭṭhalanātha, and their disciples, that could educate everyday devotees in Puṣṭimārga doctrine.

In terms of volume, Harirāy has the greatest literary output of the sect. There are hundreds of Sanskrit and Braj Bhasha prose works attributed to him, and over a thousand Braj Bhasha poems under various pen names. Pauwels and Bachrach compare Harirāy to Vyāsa of the Puranic tradition, to whom texts are by default attributed.

The ''Caurāsī Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā'' (the most notable ''vārtā'' text) details the accounts of 84 Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Puṣṭimārga who were disciples of Vallabhācārya. Complementing the text is the ''Do Sau Bāvan Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā'' by the same authors detailing the lives of 252 disciples of Viṭṭhalanātha. Gokulnāth is credited as the original collector of these accounts but they were likely not written down but rather collections of his discourses. His grandnephew Harirāy is credited as the final editor of the two texts. The ''Caurāsī Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā'' exists in two recensions, one without commentary and one with commentary written by Harirāy. The version with commentary is called the ''Tīn Janma kī Līlā'' and generally contains more episodes but is more concise than the version without commentary. The ''Do Sau Bāvan Vaiṣṇavan kī Vārtā'' was more likely composed by Harirāy's disciples and was completed at the end of the 17th century.

Harirāy is also the attributed author of the Braj Bhasha text ''Śrī Nāthajī Prākaṭya kī Vārtā'' which recounts the history of Śrīnāthajī from the ''svarūpa's'' appearance on Govardhan Hill until its removal to Nathadwara in 1672. Harirāy's authorship of this text is doubted, and the current text may only date to the 19th century. The ''Nijavārta'' and ''Śrī Ācāryajī ke Prākaṭya Vārta'' describe the life of Vallabha, while the ''Baiṭhaka Caritra'' describes Vallabha's travels around India. All three are dated to the 19th century. The ''Bhāvasindhu'' recounts information about the followers of Vallabha and Viṭṭhalanātha, while Viṭṭhalanātha has his own ''Nijavārta'' and ''Baiṭhaka Caritra''.

Another important text is the ''Vallabhākhyān'', a Gujarati poem by Gopāḷdās (a devotee of Viṭṭhalanātha) composed before 1577 that praises the family of Vallabha, and was one of the earliest texts to establish the divinity of Vallabha, Viṭṭhalanātha, and their descendants.

Practices

Brahmsambandha and Initiation

The formal initiation into the Pushtimarg is through the administration of the ''Brahmasambandha mantra''. The absolute and exclusive rights to grant this mantra, in order to remove the ''doṣa''s (faults) of a ''jīva'' (soul) lie only with the direct male descendants of Vallabhācārya. According to Vallabha, he received the ''Brahmasambandha mantra'' from Kr̥ṣṇa one night in Gokula. The next morning, Vallabha administered the mantra to Damodaradāsa Harasānī, who would become the first member of the ''sampradāya''.

In Vallabhācārya's time, an (adult) devotee to-be would ask Vallabha to admit him, and if Vallabha was willing to take the potential devotee, he would ask him to bathe and return. Vallabha would then administer the mantra, asking the devotee to use Kr̥ṣṇa's name and to devotee everything he had to Kr̥ṣṇa, after which Vallabha would begin the spiritual education on doctrines and texts.

In modern times, the majority of members of the sect are born into Pushtimarg families, with the administration of the mantra split into two ceremonies.

The first ceremony is known as ''śaraṇa mantropadeśa'' (or traditionally as ''nāma lenā'' and ''kaṇṭhī lenā''). This occurs in the initiate's infancy or at any age if requested. The guru has the initiate repeat the ''aṣṭākṣara mantra'' ("''śrī Kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇaṃ mama''") 3 times. The initiate is then given a ''kaṇṭhī'' made of ''tulasi''.

The second ceremony is known as ''Brahma-sambandha'' (a state of union with ''Kṛṣṇa''). This usually occurs before the initiate is married or as soon as they are considered mature enough to understand the significance of the ceremony. The initiate is made to fast the day prior, bathe, hold a tulasi leaf in the palm of the right hand and repeat the ''Ātmanivedana-mantra'' mantra after the guru. After this, the initiate places the ''tulasi'' leaf at the feet of the image of ''Kṛṣṇa''. After this he or she is considered a proper member of the ''sampradāya''. The mantra and initiation may only be performed by the direct male descendants of Vallabha.

Houses and Svarūpas in the Puṣṭimārga

Viṭṭhalanātha had seven sons among whom he distributed nine major ''svarūpas'' of Kr̥ṣṇa that are worshipped by the Puṣṭimārga. Each son founded a lineage that served as leaders of each house or seat of the ''sampradāya''. The sons of Viṭṭhalanātha, the svarūpas, and where they currently reside are:

# Giridhara, whose descendants hold Śrī Nāthajī ( Nāthadvāra, Rajasthan), Śrī Navanītapriyajī (Nāthadvāra, Rajasthan), and Śrī Mathureśajī, ( Koṭā, Rajasthan)
# Govindarāya, whose descendants hold Śrī Viṭṭhalanāthajī (Nāthadvāra, Rajasthan)
# Bālakr̥ṣṇa, who descendants hold Śrī Dvārakānāthajī ( Kāṁkarolī, Rajasthan)
# Gokulanātha, whose descendants hold Śrī Gokulanāthajī (Gokula, Uttar Pradesh)
# Raghunātha, whose descendants hold Śrī Gokulacandramājī ( Kāmabana, Rajasthan)
# Yadunātha, whose descendants hold Śrī Bālakr̥ṣṇajī ( Sūrata, Gujarat)
# Ghanaśyāma, whose descendants hold Śrī Madanamohanajī (Kāmabana, Rajasthan)
The nine ''svarūpas'' listed in Puṣṭimārga theology are considered ''svayambhu'' (self-born), ''sevya-svarūpa'' (having been offered ''sevā'' by Vallabha and Viṭṭhalanātha), and ''nava-nīdhi'' (nine receptacles of treasure).

The eldest ''gosvāmi'' of the First House (descendants of Giridhara) holds the title of ''tilakāyat'', and is the custodian of Śrī Nāthajī. The ''tilakāyat'' is considered the highest authority in the Puṣṭimārga.

Other ''svarūpas'' and the eighth house

Yadunātha's descendants also hold Śrī Kalyāṇarāijī (Baroda, Gujarat) and Śrī Mukundarāyajī ( Vārāṇasī, Uttar Pradesh).

The eighth house was founded by Tulasīdāsa, also known as Lālajī, whose descendants hold Śrī Gopināthajī ( Br̥ndābana, Uttar Pradesh, until 1947 in Ḍerāgāzīkhāṁ, Sindh). Tulasīdāsa was an adopted son of Viṭṭhalanātha, and the ''svarūpa'' in his descendants' possession is less significant than the other ''svarūpas''.

Sevā

The daily ''sevā'' and ''darśana'' periods are meant to portray a day in the life of Kr̥ṣṇa Gopāla, or Kr̥ṣṇa as Cow-protector. In the Pushtimarg, ''sevā'' is the unselfish worship of a ''svarūpa'', under the doctrine that the ''svarūpa'' is sentient and appreciates refined food, clothing, and the arts. The themes of the ''sevā'' are based on the ''līlā''s (pastimes or play) of Kr̥ṣṇa as depicted in the ''Bhāgavata Purāṇa''. Based on the ''līlā'', appropriate pure and high quality food and clothing are offered to the ''svarūpa''. The ''svarūpa'' is entertained by singers and poets, with paintings called ''pichvaī''s being placed in the background to enhance the ''bhāva'' ("emotion") of the ''sevā''.

Through ''sevā'', members of the ''sampradāya'' are meant to experience ''bhāva'' in order to understand the ''rasa'' (essence) of Kr̥ṣṇa's ''līlā''s, through which a devotee experiences unselfish love for Kr̥ṣṇa. ''Sevā'' occurs privately in the home, but communal ''sevā'' in a '' haveli'' is also an important aspect. According to Barz, in the Puṣṭimārga, the icons of Kr̥ṣṇa are installed not in temples (''mandir'') but in mansions (''havelī)''. Ho disagrees and states the temples have always been called ''mandir''s, not ''haveli''s. Each ''mandir''/''havelī'' is considered to be the private dwelling of Kr̥ṣṇa and entrance is only granted at appointed ''darśana'' times.

Daily Darśanas

# ''Maṅgalā'', the awakening of the ''svarūpa'' in the morning and serving of light breakfast
# ''Śr̥ṅgāra'', the adorning of appropriate attire for the day
# ''Gvāla'', the grazing of cows in pasture
# ''Rājabhoga'', the eating of the main meal of the day, with the ''svarūpa'' being put to sleep afterwards
# ''Utthāpana'', the awakening from the afternoon nap
# ''Bhoga'', the eating of the light afternoon dinner
# ''Sandhyārati'', the evening worship with lighted lamps
# ''Śayana'', the putting to sleep of the ''svarūpa'' and closing of the ''havelī''

Bhāva

There are four main types of ''bhāva'': ''dāsya'', ''sakhya'', ''madhura'', and most importantly ''vātsalya''. ''Vātsalya bhāva'' treats Kr̥ṣṇa as if he were a child and the devotee is his caring mother or father. Specifically, devotees aim to model Yashoda, imparting tender love and concern to Kr̥ṣṇa. This ''bhāva'' manifests in acts of ''sevā'' through providing toys and blankets, and cooling Kr̥ṣṇa's meals before serving them. ''Madhura bhāva'' places the devotee in the role of a ''gopī'' (cowherd-girl of Braj) who takes part in the love-play of Kr̥ṣṇa's ''līlā''s in the nighttime. ''Sakhya bhāva'' places the devotee in the role of ''gopa'' (cowherd) as a friend of Kr̥ṣṇa's who takes part in games and cow herding activities in the daytime. ''Dāsya bhāva'' treats the devotee as a humble servant of Kr̥ṣṇa as a king who praises his master while demeaning himself. This ''bhāva'' has less presence in the Puṣṭimārga as Vallabha put a greater emphasis on the personal and emotional relationship on the first three ''bhāvas''.

Pilgrimage

''Baithak'', literally "seat", is a site where a prominent Puṣṭimārga figure had taken a seat. These sites are spread across India but they are chiefly concentrated in Braj region in Uttar Pradesh and in western state of Gujarat. There are many ''Baithaks'' that are considered sacred; 84 connected to Vallabha, 28 to Viṭṭhalanātha, 4 to Giridhara, 13 to Gokulanātha, 1 each to Raghunātha and Ghanaśyāma, 7 to Harirāya, 2 to Dāmodaradāsa Harasānī, and 2 to Śrī Nāthajī. There also exist 10 ''caraṇa caukī''s or pedastals on which Śrī Nāthajī was placed when being taken from Govardhana to Nathdwara.

Members of the Puṣṭimārga participate in the largest circumambulation of the Braj region called the ''baṛī yātrā''. The pilgrimage lasts between six to seven weeks with several thousand participants and is led by a Maharaj. The pilgrimage starts in Mathura, and then travels to Jatipura (Govardhan), Kaman, Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, and other towns. The pilgrims are accompanied by pilgrimage priests called Chaubes.

Festivals

In the Puṣṭimārga, several festivals are celebrated including Holī, Kr̥ṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, Nāgapañcamī, and Annakūṭa. On festival days, the ''sevā'' is designed to match the ''bhāva'' of the holiday.

Music

Music plays a key role in ''sevā'' in the form of ''kīrtans''. The ''aṣṭachāp'', or group of eight poets who composed Braj Bhasha devotional poetry (''kīrtan''s) are revered in the sect. According to sectarian sources, the eight poets were Kumbhanadāsa, Sūradāsa, Nandadāsa, Paramānandadāsa, Kr̥ṣṇadāsa, Caturbhujadāsa, Govindasvāmī, and Chītasvāmī. The most famous of the eight is Sūradāsa, whose relationship with the Puṣṭimārga is most tenuous, and some of the other members also had historically unclear relations to the sect.

In modern times, the musical liturgy contains nearly ten thousand ''padas'' by thirty to forty poets including the ''aṣṭachāp''. The ''kīrtans'' are categorized into five major groups: ''Nitya'' (daily), ''Utsav'' (festival), ''Baddhāī'' (good wishes sed for birthdays, ''Malhār'' (rainy season), and ''Dhamār'' (spring).

In Gujarat, lay devotees sing songs in the ''dhoḷ'' tradition. The ''dhoḷ'' originated as form of non-sectarian Gujarati folk song that later became identified with Vaishnavism as well as the Vallabhite sect in particular. In modern times, Mallison observed that only among the Vallabhans is the ''dhoḷ'' likely to survive. They are sung only by lay Gujarati devotees, particularly women, and are not part of the formal temple Braj liturgy. The authors of ''dhoḷs'' are generally not well known in literary circles except for Dayārām.

Society

The Puṣṭimārga has the general reputation of having most of its followers in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Mumbai. However, the sect also has a large presence in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Prior to the Partition of India, there were also followers in Sindh and (West) Punjab who have since migrated to Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The region of Braj is theologically the most important region and the homeland of the sect. There also exist outposts of the sect in eastern India, namely Varanasi and Champaranya. There is no presence of the sect in South India.

The followers in Gujarat usually belong to the Bhatia, Lohana, Bania, Marwari, Kanbi/Patidar Patel (elite sections), and higher artisan castes (e.g. Soni, Kansara, Kayasth), almost all of whom reside in urban areas. There are only a small number of Gujarati Brahmins, mainly Shastris, who study and expound upon sectarian texts and perform specialized rituals. In sectarian temples, the Mukhiyas (chief priests), cooks, and water-carriers are all Brahmins from a handful of subcastes ( Audichya, Girnara, and Sachora). According to Shah these Brahmins are initiated into the sect. However it has been observed that many hired Brahmin ''sevak''s in havelis are only nominally followers of the Puṣṭimārga and actually follow other local traditions.

Notes

References

Sources

Books

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External links

shodash-granths-by-vallabhaacharya shodash-granths-by-vallabhaacharya (1550)

Pustimarg Sahitya by Mota Mandir Mumbai

Official website of the main seat of Pushtimarg at Nathdwara

Encyclopedia on Pushtimarg
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*{{Cite book , title=Vividha dhoḷa tathā pada saṅgraha , publisher=Gujarāta Prīṭīṁga Presa ujarat Printing Press, year=1922 , editor-last=Desāī , editor-first=Lallubhāī Chhaganalāla , volume=1lo art I, location=Amadāvāda hmedabad, language=gu, bra, url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.252757/mode/2up

Bhakti-era Hindu sects
Krishnaite Vaishnava denominations
Sects that require vegetarianism
1500s establishments in India