Among the following, who was not a proponent of bhakti cult ?
A
Nagarjuna
B
Tukaram
C
Tyagaraja
D
Vallabhacharya
Correct Answer: Option A
Explanation
1. The question asks who among the given figures was *not* a proponent of the bhakti cult.
2. Bhakti cult refers to the devotional movement in Hinduism that emphasizes intense emotional devotion to a personal god.
3. Tukaram (B) was a prominent 17th-century Marathi Bhakti poet-saint devoted to Vithoba (a form of Vishnu/Krishna). He was a key figure in the Bhakti movement.
4. Tyagaraja (C) was a renowned 18th/19th-century composer of Carnatic music, whose compositions are filled with devotion (bhakti) primarily towards Lord Rama.
5. Vallabhacharya (D) was a 15th/16th-century philosopher who founded the Pushtimarg sect, emphasizing selfless devotion (bhakti) to Krishna.
6. Nagarjuna (A) was an influential 2nd/3rd-century Mahayana Buddhist philosopher, known for founding the Madhyamaka school and expounding the concept of Shunyata (emptiness). He was a Buddhist philosopher, not a proponent of the Hindu bhakti cult.
7. Therefore, Nagarjuna was not a proponent of the bhakti cult.