number of works which are still extant.[623] He gained
further victories as a successful disputant and also married and
became the father of two sons. At the age of fifty-two he took to the
life of a Sannyasi, but died forty-two days afterwards.

Though Vallabha died as an ascetic, his doctrines are currently known
as the Pushti Marga, the road of well-being or comfort. His
philosophy was more decidedly monistic than is usual among Vishnuites,
and Indian monism has generally taught that, as the soul and God are
one in essence, the soul should realize this identity and renounce the
pleasures of the senses. But with Vallabhacarya it may be said that
the vision which is generally directed godwards and forgets the flesh,
turned earthwards and forgot God, for his teaching is that since the
individual and the deity are one, the body should be reverenced and
indulged. Pushti[624] or well-being is the special grace of God and
the elect are called Pushti-jiva. They depend entirely on God's grace
and are contrasted with Maryada-jivas, or those who submit to moral
discipline. The highest felicity is not _mukti_ or liberation but the
eternal service of Krishna and eternal participation in his sports.

These doctrines have led to deplorable results, but so strong is the
Indian instinct towards self-denial and asceticism that it is the
priests rather than the worshippers who profit by this permission to
indulge the body, and the chief feature of the sect is the extravagant
respect paid to the descendants of Vallabhacarya. They are known as
Maharajas or Great Kings and their followers, especially women,
dedicate to them _tan_, _dhan_, _man_: body, purse and spirit, for it
is a condition of the road of well-being that before the devotee
enjoys anything himself he must dedicate it to the deity and the
Maharaj represents the deity. The daily prayer of the sect is "Om.
Krishna is my refuge. I who suffer the infinite pain and torment of
enduring for a thousand years separation from Krishna, consecrate to
Krishna my body, senses, life, heart and faculties, my wife, house,
family, property and my own self. I am thy slave, O Krishna."[625]
This formula is recited to the Maharaj with peculiar solemnity by each
male as he comes of age and is admitted as a full member of the sect.
The words in which this dedication of self and family is made are not
in themselves open to criticism and a parallel may be found in
Christian hymns. But the literat