Questions tagged [vaishnavism]
Vaishnavism is one of the branches of Hinduism with followers worshiping lord Vishnu as the greatest or supreme god
252 questions
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Which gods are Vaishnavas allowed to pray to or worship?
Vaishnavas believe that Lord Vishnu is supreme hence they are discouraged from worshipping other gods like Lord Shiva, Ganesha, etc.
But what about the associates of Vishnu like Sudarshana chakra, ...
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Are there any references to simple prayers to Lord Vishnu in the scriptures? [closed]
I don't mean recitation of vedas, mantras, japas or even stotrams, or even any rituals. I mean simple prayers in your own words in any language such as english, such as "Please help me with xyz." or "...
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Where does the Sri Vaishnava Acharya Ghatikasatham Ammal discuss Radha?
Unlike the Gaudiya Vaishnava and Pushtimarga sects, the Sri Vaishnava does not place much emphasis on Krishna’s lover Radha. This is for multiple reasons. First of all, Sri Vaishnavas emphasize the ...
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58 views
How are gods and goddesses such as Shiva and Shakti seen in the Vaishnava sampradayas?
How is Shakti/the consort of Shiva (including her various forms such as Kali, Durga, Parvati, Tara, etc.) seen in the various Vaishnava sampradayas?
I have read that, since she is the chaste stri of ...
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What are the salient features and differences between advaita, dvaita, and vishistadvaita philosophies? [closed]
I would like to know what are the key features of each philosophy. What are their similarities and differences.
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98 views
Requirements for wearing Tilak
What are the rules / requirements of applying a Vaishnava tilaka? Is diksha required?
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75 views
What is the role of Lord Narayana in our lives? What impact does he have on our lives?
I want to know how does he influence our lives. How does he involve himself?
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58 views
Did Bhaktivinod Thakur explicitly employ the term 'apasampradaya' to describe unorthodox Vaishnavas?
Bengali Vaishnava reformers in the 19th century reclaimed Vaishnavism as a noble indigenous tradition and rehabilitated its reputation, setting it apart from low-caste, antinomian, suspiciously ...
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115 views
Did Vedanta Desikan debate Tuvarapati Kavalar?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. Now the Vedanta ...
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70 views
Did Vedanta Desikan perform Samashrayanam for Vidyaranya?
The famous 13th century Sri Vaishnava Acharya Vedanta Desikan was childhood friends with the Advaita philosopher Vidyaranya, who served as the Shankaracharya of Sringeri and chief advisor of the ...
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Do any Sampradayas apart from the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya differentiate between Sharanagati and Bhakti Yoga?
According to Sri Vaishnavism, there are two paths to Moksha- Bhakti-Yoga and Sharanagati. Bhakti-Yoga to them is considered a longer and more difficult path to Moksha and involves Karma-Yoga and Jnana-...
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What were the salient features of Ekayana Vaishnavism (Kashmiri Vaishnavism)?
Kashmir was once a hub of Sanskrit and Indian philosophies or traditions like Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism etc. In ancient time, Kashmiri Vaishnavism also flourished which was based on Tantra and ...
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What scriptures describe Parashara asking for Moksha for everyone?
In 7 minute mark of this lecture, the Sri Vaishnava lecturer U. Ve. A.S. Rajagopalan Swami explains the importance of Sharanagati, or complete surrender to Vishnu as a means of getting Moksha, using ...
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245 views
How does one get initiated into Sri Vaishnavism?
How does a non-Sri Vaishnava get initiated into Sri Vaishnavism? What Sri Vaishnava Acharyas are there in the world today who initiate people?
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Is Velukkudi Krishnan from a Swayamacharya lineage?
As I discuss in this question, the Sri Vaishnava sect (of which I'm a member) is divided into two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Both Thenkalais and Vadakalais have Mathams, similar to the ...
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1answer
125 views
In Vaishnavism, are other Gods enlightened?
According to Vaishnavism, and more specifically in Advaita Vedanta, are Gods other than Vishnu enlightened beings that have attained moksha or are they unenlightened and, if so, does that mean that at ...
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Details on Nava vidha Bhakti
Vaishanivsm has categorized Bhakti into nine groups:
“Sravanam Keerthanam Vishnoo:
Smaranam Pada Sevanam
Archanam Vandhanam Dhasyam
Sakhyam Athma Nivedhanam”
They are:
1.Sravanam – Listen
...
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Do any Vaishnav sect believe in Jivan Mukti?
I used to believe that JivanMukti; a state of liberation while still in this body was something that was specific to advaita Vedant sect only.
But I recently came across a quote by Gaudiya Vaishnav ...
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91 views
What is the difference between Thirunadu and Paramapadam in Sri Vaishnavism?
The famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya Ramanujacharya was once asked by his shishya Vangipuram Nambi what the obstacles to Moksha are. In response, he gave a list of 83 obstacles to Moksha, known as the ...
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Sri Ramanujacharya’s advice on why example of Kaliyan(the snake) should be emulated in preference to Kshatrabandhu’s
There is a story in which some devotees of the Lord approached Sri Ramanujacharya at Srirangam, to verify if Kshatrabandhu’s words addressed to the Lord were right. Kshatrabandhu’s words were that:-
...
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What is the story of the woman who lifted a mountain?
Parashara Bhattar was a famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya who became the head of the Sri Vaishnava sect after Ramanujacharya departed the Earth. He was the son of Ramanujacharya’s shishya Kurathalwan, and ...
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1answer
145 views
Significance of weapons in Vishnu's Chaturvyuha avatars
I read somewhere that the combination of weapons in the four hands of Vishnu's chaturvyuha avatars results in 4 factorial or 24 combinations of Vishnu's tattvas but what do each of these signify?
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What is the story of the first Acharya of Ramanujacharya's Matham in Melkote?
When the famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya Ramanujacharya fled Sri Rangam due to the persecution of the Shaivite Chola king (which I discuss here), he went to Melkote in Karnataka. It's only after the ...
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1answer
168 views
Where in Padma Purana the following verse about parampara is located?
Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah
Atah kalau bhavisyanti catvarah sampradayinah catvarah sampradayinah
Sri-brahma-rudra-sanakah vaisnavah ksiti-pavanah
Catvaras te kalau bhavya ...
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What does Lord Shiva mean when he says there are 5 gurus in Vaishnava tradition?
In Kularnava Tantra. Chapter 13, Lord Shiva talks about guru and his characteristics. He says following verse :
śaive gurutrayaṃ proktaṃ vaiṣṇave guru pañcakaṃ
vedaśāstreṣu sataso gururekaṃ ...
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1answer
99 views
Were Periyalwar and Andal reborn as cowherds?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. My question is ...
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1answer
58 views
Can the list of Divyadesams be added to or subtracted from?
Can new Divaydesams be created and/or existing ones derecognised as such?
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78 views
Was the commentator Sayana a Vaishnava?
I am talking about the Vedic commentator Sayana.
Was he known to be a Vaishnava?
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300 views
Why was Vedanta Desikan's other uncle initiated by Pillai Lokacharya's father?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. I just found an ...
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88 views
Did Sri Ramanuja convert atheists?
Sri Ramanuja, the great Vaishnava acharya and the propounder of Vishishtadvaita philosophy, is known to have converted many Buddhists and Jains back to Hinduism.
What about atheists? Did he convert ...
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48 views
Do all vaishnavite sects impose diet restrictions?
In general Hindus tend to be vegetarian or quasi-vegetarian. In addition there is the "satvik food" theory. What diet restrictions do different vaishnavite sects apply to their followers?
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Which Vaishnavite sects claim all Gods in Rig Veda refer ultimately to Vishnu and what are their arguments?
I have seen these arguments in bits and pieces and nothing makes sense. Additionally, how do they reconcile their arguments in the context of Brahma Vaivarta Purana which says Vishnu, Narayana, Siva ...
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52 views
Is the notion of “Godhead” opposed to Vaishnavite theology?
Wiki of Godhead in Christianity says:
Godhead (or godhood), is the divinity or substance (ousia) of the Christian God, the substantial impersonal being of God, as opposed to the individual persons ...
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1answer
70 views
Do any Vaishnavite Puranas glorify Siva in places? [duplicate]
For example, Varaha Purana
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/sathvishayam/UuQQF62dwwU
To cap it all, Chapter 58 (Saubhagya Vrata) corroborates this point unequivocally - we have seen this ...
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What was the debate where Ramanandi tradition defeated Ramanuja tradition in 1921 Ujjain Kumbh mela?
From wiki
The 1921 Simhastha is notable for a historic debate in which the Ramanandi Sampradaya defeated the Ramanuja sampradaya (Shri Vaishnavas). The debate was to address the question whether ...
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1answer
96 views
Are the ancient commentator Dramidacharya's descendants Sri Vaishnavas?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa ...
6
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1answer
188 views
Other than ISKCON, who are Vaishnavites?
It seems that Vaishnavism isn't as popular as I had initially expected it to be. What groups venerate Vishnu other than ISKCon? Is there a particular region of India were Vaishnavism is the majority? ...
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320 views
Bharanyasam versus samashrayanam - dos and donts
My namaskaram to all the knowledgeable folks here. Pardon adiyen's (my) ignorance here and please shed light on what are the differences between the two -
all i know is that samashrayanam is what ...
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85 views
What scriptures describe a Gopi dying upon hearing Krishna's flute?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. My question is ...
2
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1answer
152 views
Where does Krishna criticize Arjuna's indifference to Draupadi's disrobing?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. My question is ...
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Where does Vaduga Nambi call two other shishyas of Ramanujacharya double-minded?
The famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya Ramanujacharya had 74 disciples, known as the Simhasanadhipatis, but three of his closest disciples were Kurathalwan, Mudhaliandan, and Vaduga Nambi. Kurathalwan is ...
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1answer
161 views
Third eye of Lord Narasimha
The Narasimhar sannidhi in Srirangam temple has Narasimha moorthy with a third eye like Shiva. Is the third eye of Lord Narasimha mentioned in any scriptures like Puranas or Upanishads?
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Which gods do Vaishnavites believe are only positions attained by Jivas due to Karmaphala?
Indra drank Amrita and so he cannot die. How can this be reconciled with "Indra" just being a position? If an Indra or a Brahma dies, would another jiva immediately take that palce? What stops two ...
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196 views
Was Pillai Lokacharya a descendant of Ramanujacharya's sister?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. My question is ...
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0answers
239 views
What is the story of Manavala Mamunigal's ancestor Gomadathalwan?
The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya and Manavala ...
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43 views
Why are Alvars associated with Vishishtadvaita? [duplicate]
Why are Alvars associated with Vishishtadvaita philosophy? Did they themselves say so? Were they initiated from Vishishtadvaita mutts?
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1answer
322 views
What is the Swayamacharya lineage of Srimushnam Andavan?
Last week the Sri Vaishnava Acharya Srimushnam Andavan departed the Earth. He was the head of a large Vadakalai Matham called Srirangam Andavan Ashramam. As I discuss in this question, both ...
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291 views
Did Ramanujacharya have two children?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their devotional poetry in praise of Vishnu. It's the beliefs and principles ...
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128 views
Who are the seers of narayana suktam and sri rudram/shat rudriyam respectively?
They are the most prominent hymns for shaiva and vaishnava traditions, but which sage heard them?
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Which Advaitins have accepted the Pancharatra Agamas?
It is a well known fact that Adi Shankaracharya rejected both Vaishnava and Shaiva Agamas. On the Pancharatra Agamas, Adi Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the Vedanta Sutras, argues that Vyasa ...
