Pushtimarg

Pushtimarg, meaning the path of grace, is a Vaishnava tradition within Hinduism founded in the 15th–16th century by Vallabhacharya. The movement emphasizes Krishna as the supreme form of God and devotion that is awakened through divine grace (pushti). Its core idea is that liberation comes through loving service to Krishna, made possible when the devotee receives the deity’s grace rather than through asceticism alone. The tradition is closely associated with the worship of Shrinathji, a form of Krishna as a child, and centers on the hope of intimate, grace-filled relationship with the divine.

Philosophically, Pushtimarg is linked with Shuddhadvaita, or “pure non-duality,” a theology that portrays Krishna as the ultimate reality and the source of all existence. The devotee’s soul is seen as eternally related to Krishna through a loving, personal relationship that is facilitated by Krishna’s grace. The guru lineage, beginning with Vallabhacharya and carried forward by his Goswami successors, plays a central role in guiding adherents on how to receive pushti and cultivate rāsa-like devotion.

Practices center on devotion to Shrinathji, especially in the Nathdwara temple in Rajasthan, where daily sevā (service), darshan (viewing the deity), kirtan (devotional singing), and offerings (naivedya) are performed. The path emphasizes personal, heartfelt bhakti expressed through service and remembrance of Krishna’s sweetness and grace. Pushtimarg has a global presence with temples and communities in India and abroad, but Nathdwara remains the principal spiritual center and symbol of its tradition.