Pushtimarg was propounded by

The correct answer is Vallabhacharya.

Key Points

• 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.

Additional Information

• 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.