Complexity in Hindu Biography: Baladeva Vidyåbhüsana’s Multi-regional Influences: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

The role of regional identity is undeniable in Indian religion. Yet, pilgrimage and other forms of interaction make such identities fluid. In Baladeva Vidyåbhüsana, an 18th-century Vaishnava, we see a pertinent case in point. Though born in Orissa, he studied the Vedånta schools of Ûaõkara and Madhva in Karnataka, affiliating himself with the latter. Returning to Orissa, he became involved in the Bengali Vaishnava tradition of Chaitanya and was later sent to study in Vrindavan. While there, he took part in a debate near Jaipur, which became the defining event of his life. His writings also show the influence of prominent thinkers from other regions, such as the Tamil Nadu-born Råmånuja (11th–12th centuries). The shortcoming of many portrayals of Vidyåbhüsana lies in their too heavily emphasizing the influence of his training in Mådhva Vedånta. For Vidyåbhüsana to be properly understood, the complex interaction of influences from each of these places must be carefully considered.