Teachings of Vallabhacharya mainly revolve around pure Bhakti. His philosophy was known as vishuddhadvaita Vedanta or pure dualism. According to him, the soul is separate from God and the realization of God is the ultimate aim of a soul. He instituted a path known as ‘pushti marg’ or pure Bhakti.
He proclaimed that the Brahma Sutra, Bhagvad and the Bhagavad Gita supported the path of pushti or God’s grace. Pushti is the divine love of Krishna in the heart of a devotee. He also emphasized becoming devotionally involved through the feeling of ‘vatsalya’ or maternal love for Lord Krishna.
He opposed the philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya. He declared that the existence of the soul is as true as existence of God. According to him without Bhakti, a soul cannot accomplish peace. As he world evolved from so it is as true as God. There is a personal form attached to God. He supported the non-dualistic view of the soul and God. Despite that he introduced his Shuddhadvaita philosophy of the soul and God. He inspired souls to do self-sacrificing devotion to Lord Krishna.
It was necessary to renounce the desire for the outcome of experienced and Vedic actions. Eternal service of Lord Krishna is the aim of a soul. Self-pride and worldly affection should be renounced and everything should be ordered at Krishna’s feet. One should keep oneself away from all kinds of off-putting elements of the world thereby receiving the grace of Lord Krishna through Bhakti.
In order to attain the divine service of Lord Krishna is liberation. His teachings revolve round the conception of a personal and benevolent God who is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Maha-Pushti is the highest grace which helps the aspirants to attain God-realization.
He does not admit Maya and believes that the whole world of matter and souls is not an illusion but a subtle form of God. According to him Brahman can create the world without principles like Maya. Creation is expression of Brahman. Universe is eternal and real as Brahman himself. World is not illusory and it’s not different from Brahman in spirit. This philosophy is known as Shuddhadvaita. He preached the Vaishnava cult and philosophy.
The Jivas are actually not effects. They are parts of God. The individual soul is part. However, there is no difference between Brahman and the individual soul. The individual soul is identical with Brahman. It is as real and eternal as Brahman himself.
Vallabhacharya’s suddhadvaita affirms the existence of the world, holding it to be true, pure and joyful and not separate from the Divine. This non-dualism is distinct from the better-known “advaita” of Adi Shankara, which denies the world’s existence.
Shri Vallabhacharya differed, too, from Ramanuja, who taught that although indeed everything is one with God, there are real differences between God, individual souls and world.
Excerpted from indiannetzone.com. The 539th birth anniversary of Vallabhacharya is being observed on April 22
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