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the ultimate goal in the Vāllabha Vedānta, because there is an emphasis or an overtone on the means (sādhana) namely the devotional path found in the works of Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya and further these works are not thoroughly studied.
In fact one must ponder on: what are the items shown in the above list not accepted as the means for salvation by Mahāprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya? As a matter of fact this refers to the means only, which are taught in connection with the ultimate goal in the śāstras. Otherwise, the principles / laws of the means as has been taught in the śāstras will act as bondage to the salvation-seeking beings, of course not for the Supreme Being. Therefore, when the Lord takes an incarnation on the earth He sometime trespasses these laws / principles and grants salvations as part of his līlā (divine play). That is also accepted as divine play of His incarnation in the system of Vallabha Vedānta. The question is: otherwise why and how the Gopis (the cowherd girls) who had a paramour type of relationship with Lord Sri
a, which is denounced in the śāstras, got salvations? Śrī Sukamuni, gave the following clarification in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to king Parīkoita, who had a query of this sort that if the Lord can grant salvation to His enemies, who had strong enmity with Him, why can't He grant salvation to the Gopīs, who had strong desire of love? If Lord's incarnation on the earth is meant for granting salvation for the beings, then whosoever has a strong unfailing and steadfast attachment with Him on any of the emotional aspects of love, anger, fear, affection, closeness or friendliness, he / she ultimately becomes bhagavanmaya (engrossed in the Lord). In that case, how Vāllabha Vedānta can take objection to any method / means, that is prescribed as pure and auspicious in the śāstrus for the ultimate gcal? And therefore, the given list, not only the means as has been taught in the Vedas namely karma, jana and bhakti are accepted as the means for salvation in the Vallabha Vedānta; but also the means of worshipping the lower gods those are taught in the Saiva, Vai lava, Paurā ika and Agama trends in one hand and adhering to the path of self-realization through the means of SãockhyaYoga for those who are the seekers of salvation (mumukous) on the other hand.
Yoga is one of the Five Facets of the Brahmavidyā Available only Through the Grace of God is the Best Means in the Brahmic Salvation:
On this controversial issue, if someone wants to know the secrets of Vāllabha Vedānta, I can say that according to Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya, the brahmavidyā - that is gained only through the grace of God - is the direct path of salvation. Brahmavidyā means proper understanding of the nature of Brahman as has been taught in the śāstras. The salvation is possible only when the all-pervasive Brahmic ignorance is completely destroyed on account of this brahmavidyā.
As we have seen that the Brahman Himself either manifests or disappears the selfcognizance of himself being part of the Brahman in the form of the individual being (īvātman) which is in the form of consciousness. He concurs the manifestation and disappearance through His own power of Vidyā or Avidyā. The Brahman through His power of Avidyā induces in the individual soul's self-ignorance on account of imposition of internal faculties (anta kara ladhyāsa), imposition of vital energy (prā ladhyāsa), imposition of senseorgans (indriyadhyāsa), and imposition of body (dehādhyāsa) on His own part i.e. consciousness. Therefore, the individual being, which is the direct consciousness-part of the Sac-Cid-Ananda Brahman cannot know himself. These five facets of Avidyā can be ceased only through the power of five-faceted Vidyā. The five facets of vidyā-saktis are enumerated as follows: (i) Vairāgya (detachment), (ii) sãockhya (knowledge), (i) Yoga (yoga), (iv) tapa/ (penance) and (v) bhakti (devotion). Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya describing the nature of these five facets say that first of all arousing aversion in the matters of sense organs is the