Answer» Correct Answer - Option 3 : Vallabhacharya
The correct answer is Vallabhacharya. - Pushtimarg is a form of Krishna worship for adoration.
- It was founded by Shri Vallabhacharya (1479–1531 AD), a Telugu Vaidiki Brahmana.
- He was also the propounder of Shuddha-Advaita or pure nondualism.
- Vallabhacharya was a contemporary of Sri Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara empire and attended his court to participate in a prolonged debate on the merits and demerits of Dvaita and Advaita philosophies.
- According to the legends he was victorious in the end and was honored by the King.
- Pushtimarg is the path of devotion, which is mentioned in the Bhagavadgita as the direct and the simplest approach to achieve liberation.
- It centres around pushti bhakti. Pushti means nourishing and bhakti means devotion.
- Pushti bhakti means nourishing the soul with divine love and happiness through devotion and selfless service to Lord Krishna, the supreme deity.
- Vallabhacharya said to have proposed it during his pilgrimage to Brindavan.
- When he was stationed there, he had a vision of Krishna as Shrinathji who transmitted to him a sacred mantra about the way to build a divine relationship with Brahman, the supreme godhead, which became the basis for Pushtimarg.
- The path recognizes Brahman as the one, ultimate and absolute reality, without a second (ekmevadwitiyam Brahma).
- All that exists here is Brahman only (sarvam khalu idam brahma). He is the same as the supreme lord of the Bhagavadgita and Bhagavatam.
- The path that leads to him is through intense devotion to Lord Krishna, who is Sachchidanand Purushottam Parambrahm (ever blissful, the best person and Supreme Brahman).
- Devotion to Lord Krishna, especially to his child forms, should be practiced with intense love through service (Seva).
- The primary purpose of Pushtimarg is not liberation, but to experience the love and bliss of Lord Krishna and realize Krishna's nature within oneself, without any duality.
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