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Vaishnavism is one of the traditions of Hinduism, and is distinguished from other schools by its primary worship of one supreme God known in different perspectives under names of Narayana, Krishna, Vasudeva or more often Vishnu and their associated avatars. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Narayana ( Sanskrit: नारायण nārāyaṇa) or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism For the Kushan king see Vasudeva I. For the book by Narendra Kohli see Vasudeva (book. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation ^[1][2] It is principally monotheistic in its philosophy, but not exclusive. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] ^[3] Its beliefs and practices, especially the concepts of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga, are based largely on Upanishads associated with the Vedas and Puranic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, and the Padma, Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas. Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Bhakti Yoga ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति योग is a term within Hinduism which denotes the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to God The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" Padma Purana ( Devanagari: पद्म पुराण one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text is divided into five parts The Bhagavata Purana (also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, or simply Bhāgavatam) is one of the Puranic texts of Hindu literature ^[4][5][6]

The followers of Vaishnavism are referred to as Vaishnava(s) or Vaishnavites. According to recent statistics, a majority of Hindus are Vaishnavas,^[7] with the vast majority living in India. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country However, awareness, recognition, and growth of the belief has significantly increased outside of India in recent years. The Gaudiya Vaishnava branch^[8] of the tradition has significantly increased the awareness of Vaishnavism internationally, since the mid-1900s, largely through the activities and geographical expansion of the Hare Krishna movement known as ISKCON. Gaudiya Vaishnavism (also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism) is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 in India The Hare Krishna Mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra ("Great Mantra" is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well The International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) also known as 'the Hare Krishna ' movement is one of several Vaishnava groups ^[9]

Etymology

The term Vaishnavism, entered the English language in the 19th century, and was formed by attaching the suffix -ism to Sanskrit Vaishnava (IAST: vaiṣṇava), which is the vriddhi form of Vishnu meaning "relating, belonging, or sacred to Vishnu" or "a worshipper or follower of Vishnu". Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration ( IAST) is a popular Transliteration scheme that allows a lossless Romanization of Indic Vrddhi (वृद्धि) is a Sanskrit word meaning "growth" (from) ^[10]

Principal beliefs

Vishnu: The Supreme

Vishnu, as commonly depicted in his four-armed form

The principal belief of Vaishnavism is the identification of Vishnu or Narayana as the one Supreme God. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Narayana ( Sanskrit: नारायण nārāyaṇa) or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary While the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Krishna is considered to be the Supreme God and the source of all avataras. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^[11] This identification is inherited by the many avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu listed in the Puranic texts, but not by other Hindu deities such as Ganesh, Surya or Durga. Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar In Hinduism, Surya ( Devanagari: सूर्य sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light" Malay: Suria; Thai: In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess The latter are instead classified as demi-gods or devas. Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " Vaishnavites consider Shiva, one of the Hindu Trimurti (Trinity) as subservient to Vishnu,^[11] while being regarded as superior to ordinary living beings (jiva). Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva The Trimurti ( English: ‘three forms’ Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being ^[12] However, one school slanted towards Vaishnavism disagrees on this view of Shiva. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Swaminarayan, founder of the Hindu Swaminarayan sects (including BAPS), differ and hold that Vishnu and Shiva are different aspects of the same God. ^[13] ; see also, verses 47, and 84 of Shikshapatri ^[14];^[15] Notably, the Swaminarayan view is a minority view among Vaishnavites. The Shikshapatri ( Devanagari: शिक्षापत्री is a text of two hundred and twelve verses written in Sanskrit by Bhagwan Swaminarayan

A few Vaishnava schools also identify the God of the Abrahamic religions with Vishnu. ^[16] Another distinguishing feature of the Vaishnava teachings, is that God (Krishna and/or Vishnu) "is a real person and His variegated creation is also real". ^[17]

Worship

Vaishnava theology includes the central beliefs of Hinduism such as reincarnation, samsara, karma, and the various Yoga systems, but with a particular emphasis on devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu through the process of Bhakti yoga, often including singing Vishnu's name's (bhajan), meditating upon his form (dharana) and performing deity worship (puja). Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Bhakti Yoga ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति योग is a term within Hinduism which denotes the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to God A Bhajan is a type of Hindu Devotional Song, often simple lyrical and expressing love for the Divine. See also Samyama Beginner's mind See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see The practices of deity worship are primarily based on texts such as Pañcaratra and various Samhitas. Pāñcarātra are Vaishnavite devotional texts dedicated to a single deity Sriman Narayana who manifests in different forms ^[18]

Within their worship Vaishnava devotees consider that Vishnu is within them, as the Antaryami or the God within and as the foundation of their being; which is a part of the definition of the name Narayana. Narayana ( Sanskrit: नारायण nārāyaṇa) or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary Unlike other schools of Hinduism whose goal is liberation (moksha), or union with the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate goal of Vaishnava practice is an eternal life of bliss (ananda) in service to Vishnu, or one of his many avatars, in the spiritual realm of 'Vaikuntha', which lies beyond the temporary world of illusion (maya). In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Ānanda was one of many principal disciples and a devout attendant of the Buddha. Vaikunta (Sanskrit वैकुण्ठम् or Paramapadham is the abode of Lord Vishnu. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings The three features of the Supreme as described in the Bhagavata Purana--Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan--are viewed as the Universal Vishnu, Vishnu within the heart, and Vishnu the personality respectively. The Bhagavata Purana (also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, or simply Bhāgavatam) is one of the Puranic texts of Hindu literature Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. In Hindu theology Paramatman or Paramātmā is the Absolute Atman or Supreme Soul or Spirit (also known as Supersoul or Oversoul) Bhagavan, also written Bhagwan or Bhagawan, from the Sanskrit nt -stem bhaga-vant- (nominative/vocative sa भगवान् ^[19]

Initiation

Vaishnavas commonly follow a process of initiation (diksha), given by a guru, under whom they are trained in order to understand Vaishnava practices. In Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, diksha is the Ritual of Initiation into the worship of A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others At the time of initiation the disciple is traditionally given a specific mantra, which they will then repeat, either out loud or within the mind, as an act of worship to Vishnu or one of his avatars. A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language The practice of repetitive prayer is known as japa. Japa ( Sanskrit: जप is a Spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a Mantra or name of God. The system of receiving initiation and training from a spiritual master is based on injunctions throughout scriptures held as sacred within the Vaishnava traditions:

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. "(Bhagavad Gita)^[20]

"One who is initiated into the Vaishnava mantra and who is devoted to worshiping Lord Vishnu is a Vaishnava. One who is devoid of these practices is not a Vaishnava. "(Padma Purana) ^[21]

However, scriptures specific only within the Gaudiya Vaishnava group also state that one who even performs an act of worship so simple as chanting the name of Vishnu or Krishna can be considered a Vaishnava by practice:

"Who chants the holy name of Krishna just once may be considered a Vaishnava. Padma Purana ( Devanagari: पद्म पुराण one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text is divided into five parts For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Such a person is worshipable and is the topmost human being. "(Chaitanya Charitamrita) ^[22]

Attitude to scriptures

Vaishnava traditions refer to the writings of previous acharyas in their respective lineage or sampradya (see below) as authoritative interpretations of scripture. The Chaitanya Charitamrita is one of the primary biographies detailing the life and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ( 1486 - 1533) a prominent Vaishnava An acharya ( acariya in Pali) is an important religious teacher ( Guru) who teaches by his own example (from Sanskrit 'achara' behavior ^[11] While many schools like Smartism and Advaitism encourage interpretation of scriptures philosophically and metaphorically and not too literally, Vaishnavism stresses the literal meaning (mukhya vṛitti) as primary and indirect meaning (gauṇa vṛitti) as secondary: sākṣhād upadesas tu shrutih - "The instructions of the shruti-shāstra should be accepted literally, without fanciful or allegorical interpretations. Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit) is a denomination of the Hindu Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "^[23][11]

The Four Vaishnava sampradayas

Vaishnavite Brahmin students at a theological seminary in Tanjore. Thanjavur ( Tamil: தஞ்சாவூர் also known by its Anglicised name Tanjore, and it is the Eleventh largest city in Tamil Nadu (after Source:The National Geographic Magazine, Nov 1909

Within Vaishnavism there are four main disciplic lineages (sampradayas),^[24] each exemplified by a specific Vedic personality. In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect The four sampradayas follow subtly different philosophical systems regarding the relationship between the soul (jiva) and God (Vishnu or Krsna), although the majority of other core beliefs are identical. In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^{[3][9][11][25]}

Lakshmi-sampradaya

Philosophy: Vishishtadvaita ("qualified nondualism"), espoused by Ramanujacharya

See Sri Vaishnavism. Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth VishishtAdvaita Vedanta ( IAST Viśishṭādvaita Vedanta; Sanskrit: विशिष्टाद्वैत is a sub-school of the Vedānta Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete.

Brahma sampradaya

Philosophies: Dvaita ("dualism"), espoused by Madhvacharya, and Achintya Bheda Abheda ("inconceivable oneness and difference"), espoused by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (see Gaudiya Vaishnavism). The Brahma Sampradaya (Brahma-sampradāya refers to the disciplic succession ( Sampradaya) of Gurus starting with Brahma in Hinduism Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. For Madhavacharya the Advaita saint see Madhava Vidyaranya. Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು Achintya-Bheda-Abheda ( acintya bhedābheda in IAST) is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and difference Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahāprabhu) ( Bengali চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ (1486 - Gaudiya Vaishnavism (also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism) is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 in India

Rudra sampradaya

Philosophy: Shuddhadvaita ("pure nondualism"), espoused by Vishnuswami and Vallabhacharya. In Hinduism, the Rudra Sampradaya is one of four Vaishnava Sampradayas a tradition of disciplic succession in the religion Shuddadvaita ( Sanskrit: śuddhādvaita pure non-dualism) also known as the Vallabhā sampradāya ( tradition of Vallabh) or Puśtimārg ( Vishnuswami was a Hindu religious leader He is primarily known for having started the Rudra sampradaya. Sri Vallabhacharya (1479 &ndash 1531 was a devotional Philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha

Kumara-sampradaya

Philosophy: Dvaitadvaita ("duality in unity"), espoused by Nimbarka. The Nimbarka Sampradaya ( IAST: Nimbārka Sampradāya, Sanskrit श्रीनिम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय also known as Dvaitadvaita was proposed by Nimbarka, a Vaishnava Philosopher who hailed from Andhra Region Nimbarka ( Sanskrit: श्री निम्बार्काचार्य Śrī Nimbārkācārya) is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology (See Nimbarka Sampradaya). The Nimbarka Sampradaya ( IAST: Nimbārka Sampradāya, Sanskrit श्रीनिम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय also known as ^[26]

Other Branches and sects

• The Ramanandi movement, begun by Ramananda. This Vaishnava denomination has played an important role in shaping the social and spiritual climate of the populous Ganges valley Ramananda ( 1400 ?- 1470 ? was a Vaishnava Sant, a Ramayat, a devotee of Lord Ram.
• Mahapuruxiya Dharma, espoused by Sankardeva. Mahapuruxiya Dharma ( Assamese as-Latn mahapuruxiya, from Sanskrit mahā-puruṣa "great man" is a monotheistic Religion Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankardeva (1449-1568 ( Assamese: মহাপুৰুষ শ্ৰীমন্ত শঙ্কৰদেব
• Vaisnava-Sahajiya, a tantric school

Tilak styles

Vaishnavas, mark their foreheads with tilaka either as a daily ritual, or on special occasions. Vaishnava-Sahajiya is a form of tantric Vaishnavism that originated in Bengal from the 16th century Tilak redirects here For the Indian nationalist leader see Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The different Vaishnava sampradayas each have their own distinctive style of tilak which depict the siddhanta of their particular lineage. Followers of Vaishnavism mark their foreheads with different styles of Tilak to show that they are servants of Vishnu. Siddhanta, a Sanskrit term roughly translates as the Doctrine or the Tradition The general tilak pattern is of two or more connected vertical lines resembling the letter U, which usually represents the foot of Vishnu. ^[27]

History of Vaishnavism

Temple dedicated to the worship of Vishnu as Venkateswara. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (తిరుమల వేంకటేశ్వర దేవాలయం also known as Tirupati Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple Venkateshwara ( Telugu వెంకటేశ్వరుడు, వెంకన్న Sanskrit: sa वेंकटेश्वर also known as Venkatachalapathy

The monotheistic worship of Vishnu was already well developed in the period of the Itihasas. Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. ^[28] Vaishnavism is particularly expounded in a part of the Mahabharata known as the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the words of Krishna, svayam bhagavan or one the avataras of Vishnu. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism This article is about a Hindu philosophical concept the original or absolute manifestation of God Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation

Many of the ancient kings, onwards from Chandragupta II, Vikramaditya were known as Parama Bhagavatas, or Bhagavata Vaishnavas. Chandragupta II (very often referred to as Vikramaditya or Chandragupta Vikramaditya) was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire Bhagavata, with the literal meaning of that which comes from Bhagavan or the Lord signifies in the context of Hinduism. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and ^[29]

Vaishnavism flourished in South India during the seventh to tenth centuries CE, and is still commonplace, especially in Tamil Nadu, as a result of the twelve Alvars, saints who spread the sect to the common people with their devotional hymns. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. The Alvars (ஆழ்வார்கள் (aːɻʋaːr ‘those immersed in god’ were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between sixth and ninth centuries and espoused A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities The temples which the Alvars visited or founded are now known as Divya Desams. Divya Desams are Srivaishnava shrines that were sung about by Azhvars (divine saints Their poems in praise of Vishnu and Krishna in Tamil language are collectively known as Naalayira (Divya Prabandha). For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. The Nalayira Divya Prabandha (or Nalayira Divya Prabhandham) is a collection of 4000 verses (Naalayira in Tamil means 'four thousand' composed before 8th century ^[30][31]

In later years Vaishnava practices increased in popularity due to the influence of sages like Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Manavala Mamunigal,Vedanta Desika,Surdas, Tulsidas, Tyagaraja, and many others. An acharya ( acariya in Pali) is an important religious teacher ( Guru) who teaches by his own example (from Sanskrit 'achara' behavior Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete. For Madhavacharya the Advaita saint see Madhava Vidyaranya. Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು Manavala Mamunigal Manavala Mamuni was a Hindu religious leader who during the fifteenth century Tamil Nadu, with the help of his eight disciples helped Vedanta Desika (1269 – 1370 is considered the second greatest Sri Vaishnava writer Surdas (1479-1586 was a Hindu devotional poet singer and a saint ( sant) who followed the Shuddhadvaita school of Brahmavada Gosvāmī Tulsīdās (1532-1623 Devanāgarī: तुलसीदास may be written as Tulasī Dāsa depending on if the name is transcribed Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music ^{[32][33][34][35]}

Large Vaishnava communities now exist throughout India, and particularly in Western Indian states, such as Rajasthan and Gujarat. Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Important sites of pilgrimage for Vaishnavs include: Guruvayur Temple, Sri Rangam, Vrindavan, Mathura, Ayodhya, Tirupati, Puri, Mayapur and Dwarka. The Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple (ഗുരുവായൂര്‍ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണ ക്ഷേത്രം is one of the most famous temples in India. This article is about a notable Hindu pilgrimage location in Tamil Nadu, India. Vrindavan (alternate spellings Vrindaban or Brindavan) or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on Mathura ( IAST mathurā)( Hindi: मथुरा is a holy City in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya (अयोध्या IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district Tirupati ( Telugu: తిరుపతి is the richest pilgrimage city (of any religious faith in the world located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Puri is a city in the east Indian state of Orissa. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Mayapur (মায়াপুর is located on the banks of the Ganges river at the point of its WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dwarka, also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a Municipality ^[36]

Krishna murti(left) with Radha^[37]
Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, England

Since the 1900s Vaishnavism has spread from within India and is now practiced in many places around the globe, including America, Europe, Africa, Russia and South America. In Hinduism, a murti ( Devanagari: मूर्ति typically refers to an image a deity in which the Divine Spirit is expressed ( murta) For Radha the mother of Karna from Mahabharata see Radha (Mahabharata Radha (Devanagari राधा IAST Rādhā is the principal Bhaktivedanta Manor is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple set in the Hertfordshire countryside of England in the village of Aldenham near Watford Watford (ˈwɒtfəd) is a town and district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles (30 km northwest of London The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a ^[38] This is largely due to the growth of the ISKCON movement. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) also known as 'the Hare Krishna ' movement is one of several Vaishnava groups ^[39] The driving force behind the change was the movement's founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( Sanskrit:, abhaya-caraṇāravinda bhakti-vedānta svāmī prabhupāda, Bangla: অভয়চরনাবিন্দ ^[40][41]

Puranic Epics

See also: Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana, and Mahabharata

Two great Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, are an important part of Vaishnava philosophy, theology, and culture. The Bhagavata Purana (also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, or simply Bhāgavatam) is one of the Puranic texts of Hindu literature The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. An epic is a lengthy Narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki

The Ramayana describes the story of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, and is taken as a history of the 'ideal king', based on the principles of dharma, morality and ethics. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Rama's wife Sita, his brother Lakshman and servant Hanuman all play key roles within the Vaishnava tradition as examples of Vaishnava etiquette and behaviour. SITA is a multinational Information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the Aviation industry Lakshmana ( Sanskrit: लक्ष्मण IAST Lakṣmaṇa Malay: Laksmana Thai / Lao: Phra Lak was the brother and close companion Hanuman (हनुमत् sa-Latn '''Hanumat''' nominative singular sa हनुमान् sa-Latn ''Hanumān'' known also as ' Anjaneya' (son of Anjana is one of the Ravana, the evil king and villain of the epic, plays the opposite role of how not to behave. For the South Indian film see Ravana (film. Ravanaa, also transliterated as Raavana, Ravan or

The Mahabharata is centered around Krishna, another avatar of Vishnu, and details the story of a dynastic war between two families of cousins, with Krishna and the Pandavas, five brothers, playing pivotal roles in the drama. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava (or Pandawa brothers ( Sanskrit: पाण्‍डव pāṇḍavaḥ are the five acknowledged sons of The philosophical highlight of the work is the chapter covering a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna prior to the final battle, individually known as the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna or Arjun ( Sanskrit: अर्जुन arjuna) is one of the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, whose name The Bhagavad Gita, though influential in most philosophies of Hinduism, is of particular importance to Vaishnavas because it is believed to be an accurate record of the very words spoken by Krishna himself. Depending on the Sampradaya or Vaishnava group one follows, Krishna is regarded either as a full avatar of Vishnu, non-different from him, or as the source of all avatars including Vishnu himself,^[42] a notion held only within the Gaudiya and Nimbarka branches of Vaishnavism. Gaudiya Vaishnavism (also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism) is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 in India The Nimbarka Sampradaya ( IAST: Nimbārka Sampradāya, Sanskrit श्रीनिम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय also known as

Both works are often reenacted in part as dramas by followers of Vaishnavism, especially on festival days concerning each of the specific avatars. The Bhagavad Gita is widely studied as a theological textbook.

Western Academic study

See also: Krishnology

Vaishnava theology has been a subject of study for many devotees, philosophers and scholars within India for centuries. Krishnology (also spelled Krishnaology) is an academic Neologism. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In recent decades this study has also been taken on by a number of academic institutions in Europe, such as the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Bhaktivedanta College. The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, founded in 1997, is an independent academy for the study of Hindu Culture, Religion, Languages Bhaktivedanta College located in the rural Ardennes region of Belgium, is a Vaishnava College administered by ISKCON. The Vaishnava scholars instrumental in this western discourse include Tamala Krishna Goswami, Hridayananda dasa Goswami, Graham Schweig, Kenneth R. Valpey, Guy Beck and Steven J. Rosen among others. Tamala Krishna Goswami (June 1946&ndash March 15, 2002) born as Thomas G Hridayananda dasa Goswami (born November 5 1948) born Howard J Graham M Schweig is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Indic Studies Program at Christopher Newport University. Kenneth R Valpey is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Theologian who studied at Oxford University, St Cross College ( 1999 - 2004) Dr Guy L Beck is a member of the Religious Studies faculty at Tulane University. Satyaraja Dasa (born 1955 birth name Steven J Rosen, is an initiated disciple of A

In 1992 Steven Rosen founded The Journal of Vaishnava Studies^[43] as an academic journal of Hindu studies, and of Vaishnava, and Gaudiya Vaishnava studies in particular. Founded in 1992 by ISKCON member and scholar Steven J Rosen ( Satyaraja Dasa) the Journal of Vaishnava Studies (JVS is dedicated to scholarly research associated

See also

• Vaikhanasas
• Krishnaism
• Vishnuism
• Shaivism
• Shaktism
• Svayam bhagavan
• Swami Narayan

References

External links

• dvaita.org - Overview of Dvaita Siddhantha as propounded by Shri Madhvacharya
• Vaishnavism (Heart of Hinduism)
• Hinduism & Vaishnavism (veda. harekrsna. cz)
• Who is Vishnu? Vaishnava FAQ (dvaita. org)
• Ramanuja and Srivaishnavism (srivaishnavan. com)
• The Basic Premises of Vaishnavism (krishna. com)
• An Overview of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Tradition (gaudiya. com)
• Online library of articles on Vaishnavism and the Ramanuja Sampradaya (sadagopan. org)
• chinnajeeyar.org - Q & A for major Sri Vaishnava issues
• Sripedia - general information on Sri Vaishnavism
• prapatti.com - Wonderful site for Sri Vaishnava and Vedic Mantras, Stotram and other prayes
• srimatham.com - Free downloads on basic tenets of Sri Vaishnavism
• swamydesika.tripod.com - Good site for info. on Vedanta Desika and his writings
• saranagathi.org - Audio Divya Prabhandams