Questions tagged [vaishnavism]
Vaishnavism is one of the branches of Hinduism with followers worshiping lord Vishnu as the greatest or supreme god
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How has Lord Vishnu's understanding developed and what was his role initially?
I've recently come by an excellent research on how the understanding of Shiva has been evolving through the ages and I wonder whether such a research has been made with respect to Vishnu. The book I ...
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Is there any scripture that tells story about Lord Vishnu and MahaVishnu?
As per the Shiva Purana, there is a main God Shiva who is Nirakara and thereafter his physical manifestation who is known as Shankara. I know that different Hindu texts about different Gods treat ...
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Did Tamil Vaishnavites (Iyengars) descend from Shaivites (Iyers)?
Wikipedia article on Iyer has a passage without citations which says:
The title 'Iyer' was used as a designation for all Tamil Smartha
Brahmins during the medieval period, during which they were ...
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What is the difference between Thenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Sri Vaishnavism?
For those who do not know, there are two main sects of Sri Vaishnavism: Thenkalai and Vadakalai.
The Vadakalai sect wear their namam, or thiruman, in a "U" shaped pattern with manjal or yellow like ...
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What is the Nyaya argument for Karma being the instrumental cause of the Universe?
The Agama Pramanya is a work by the famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya Yamunacharya arguing that the Pancharatra texts, which are foundational to mainstream Vaishnavism as I discuss here, are legitimate ...
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What is the significance of Satagopuram?
Why is it placed on our head after Darsan?
If I am correct, the Satagopuram is not offered in Shakthi temples. What is the reason behind this? (In which kind of temples can this be seen?)
Do we ...
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Have any Swaminarayan commentaries on the Brahma Sutras been translated into English?
Vishnu is said to have taught the principles of Vaishnavism to four disciples: Lakshmi, Brahma, Shiva and Sanatkumara. And in turn they started the four main Sampradayas or traditions of Vaishnavism: ...
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Why do Vadakalai Sri Vaishnavas believe that Advaita liberation is not eternal?
Members of the Sri Vaishnava sect of Hinduism, especially the Iyengars (Sri Vaishnavas who are Brahmanas), are divided into two sub-sects, Thenkalais and Vadakalais. These two sub-sects both agree on ...
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Is the Satvata Samhita, the oldest Pancharatra text, available online in English?
Before the time of the sage Vyasa, people had a very different understanding of which gods were important than the understanding we have today. The Vedic mantras had not yet been compiled into the ...
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Where is this Srimad Bhagavatam verse about the different forms of Moksha?
According to Vaishnavism, there are six kinds of liberation from Samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). They're each defined in relation to Vishnu, since Vaishnavas consider Vishnu to be ...
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Do any non-Vaishnava Agamas trace their origins to a Vedic Shakha?
As I discuss in this answer, Hindu scripture is made up of two categories, Shruti or that which is heard from the gods, and Smriti or that which is composed by humans authors and passed down from ...
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What are the Kashmir Agamas defended in Yamunacharya's lost work?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts or Agamas consisted of detailed ...
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What happened to Vishnu's incarnation Narayana after his Pancharatra Yagna?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the most prominent incarnations of Vishnu in ancient times was the sage Narayana, twin brother of the sage Nara and son of Yama god of death. Nara and Narayana ...
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Do any commentators of Brahmasūtras other than Ādi Śaṅkarācārya disagree with both Pañcarātra and Śaiva Āgamas?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedānta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sūtras, a work by the sage Vyāsa ...
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Who compiled the list of 108 Divya Desams of Vishnu?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The Alwars are crucially important figures in ...
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Why does Vishnu's thousand-armed Aniruddha form carry the equipment of a student?
As I discuss in this question, one of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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Was the Sri Vaishnava Acharya Nathamuni an incarnation of Ganesha?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The 4000 verses of the Alwars were compiled by ...
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Is the Vaikhanasa commentary on the Brahma Sutras available in English?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important in the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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Where does Nammalwar say that he was born right after Krishna departed the Earth?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The collection of their 4000 poems, known as ...
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What is the story of Vikhanasa, founder of the Vaikhanasa school?
As I discuss in this question, one of the early movements that was important in the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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What is the secular account of the compilation of the Alwars' poems?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The 4000 verses of the Alwars were compiled by ...
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What are the qualities of a true Vaishnava?
According to the Chaitanya Charitamrita, a true Vaishnava has to have the following 26 qualities:
He is very kind to everyone
He does not make anyone his enemy
He is truthful
He is equal to everyone
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user9969
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Have any Ramanandi commentaries on the Brahma Sutras been translated into English?
As, I discuss in this question, Vishnu is said to have taught the principles of Vaishnavism to four gods: Lakshmi, Brahma, Shiva and Sanatkumara. And they in turn started the four main Sampradayas or ...
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Why did Sri Ramanuja refuse to hail Shiva? What was the need to prove that Vishnu is the one true God?
I was reading the history of Sri Ramanuja, the Vaishnava saint. Apparently, he was in hiding in fear of a Chola King. The Chola king was a worshiper of Shiva as opposed to Ramanuja who is a Vishnu ...
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What is the Thenkalai-Vadakalai disagreement about "Sriman Narayana Preethiyartham" vs "Bhagavat Kainkarya Roopam"?
The members of the Sri Vaishnava sect of Hinduism (of which I'm a member), especially the Iyengars (Sri Vaishnavas who are Brahmanas), are divided into two sub-sects, Thenkalais and Vadakalais. These ...
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How do the different Hindu sects complete the line "Sri Bhagavat Agna"?
Before you do any Hindu ritual, you're supposed to begin by saying the Sankalpam, a formulaic utterance in which you tell the gods where you're located in the universe, the time and date when you're ...
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On what basis is Krishna claimed to be source of Vishnu?
It is a well accepted view that Vishnu is source of all avatars including Krishna. This is what we all heard from childhood. I also came across the opposite opinion that Krishna is source of Vishnu.
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Where does the Linga Purana declare Vishnu to be the supreme soul?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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What scriptures describe Sadashiva carrying Vishnu in Vishnu's abode of Paramapadam?
As I discuss in this question, the Sri Vaishnava sect (of which I am a member) places great importance on the Divya Desams, the 108 sacred places of Vishnu which are mentioned in the poems of the ...
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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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What scriptures describe Krishna granting Moksha to Ghantakarna, a Pishacha who killed a rishi?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The Alwars are crucially important figures in ...
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Are there any low-caste Vaikhanasa priests?
I recently learned that the priest of the Vishnu temple in my native village of Poondi is a low-caste person. The notion of a low-caste person serving in a temple didn't surprise me, since in the Sri ...
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Liberation according to dual (Dvait) or semi dual (Vishishta Advait) schools is temporary?
Short Question (or say subset of below longer question - Just to make long question easier to understand) -
Will Vaikuntha be ever over populated by liberated souls? If not, Lord Vishnu is not ...
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Why even Lord Vishnu put Tilak (Gopi-Chandan) on his forehead?
As a pure Vaishnav Devotee, we are putting a tilak on our head, But why lord himself putting Tilak on his forehead.? Is there any logic behind? any scriptures mentioned this logic?please share your ...
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Was Rama a god?
Rama was born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha and become the ruler of Ayodhya Kingdom. Can Rama be considered as Lord.
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Why do Gaudiya Vaishnavas think the order of the Yugas is Satya, Dwapara, Treta, Kali?
Throughout Hindu scripture, the order of the Yugas is given as Satya, Treta, Dwapara, Kali. (See my answer here for more information on Hindu timescales.). Yet in his ISKCON commentary on the Srimad ...
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What exactly are Pancharatra texts?
One of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts or Agamas consisted of detailed procedures to worship the sage ...
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Which scripture describes six kalyana gunas (auspicious attributes) of Vishnu?
Vaishnav(ism) consider Vishnu as the supreme. I found that Vaishnav believes that Vishnu/Supreme has following six kalyana gunas (auspicious attributes):
[According to Vedanta Brahman has sat-chit-...
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Where does Srimad Bhagavatam book 10 describe Krishna's son Upashloka and Pancharatra initiation?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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Is Dramidacharya the same as Thirumazhisai Alwar?
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. The collection of their 4000 poems, ...
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Does the Chandogya Upanishad foretell the birth of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
Gaudiya Vaishnavas, a sect that includes the popular organization ISKCON, believe that their founder Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was an incarnation of Vishnu. In this article from ISKCON's publication Back ...
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What are the Pratishthasara and Vijnanalalita Agamas of Vaishnavism?
As I discuss in this answer, Hindu scripture is made up of two categories, Shruti or that which is heard from the gods, and Smriti or that which is composed by humans authors and passed down from ...
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Do Thenkalai Sri Vaishnavas believe that liberated souls have powers of creation of the material Universe?
The members of the Sri Vaishnava sect of Hinduism, especially the Iyengars (Sri Vaishnavas who are Brahmanas), are divided into two sub-sects, Thenkalais and Vadakalais. These sub-sects both agree on ...
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How much does the divinely created statue of Ramanujacharya resemble him?
The Alwars are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The collection of their 4000 poems, known as the Naalayira Divya ...
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Was one of Yamunacharya's verses to Vishnu inspired by a verse of Thirumangai Alwar?
The Alwars (also spelled Azhwars) are a group of 12 ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu and are famous for their poetry in praise of Vishnu. The 4000 verses of the Alwars were compiled by ...
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Is Krishna the source of Vishnu or other way round? [closed]
What Bhagavata Purana text mentions apropos this question? Is Bhagavan Krishna the source of all incarnations or Bhagavan Vishnu as traditionally believed?
user6990
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Which scriptures state Vishnu teaching principles of Vaishnavism to his four disciples?
In many questions asked on this site, I frequently see a line about Vishnu teaching principles of Vaishnavism to his four disciples:
Vishnu is said to have taught the principles of Vaishnavism to ...
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Who is the Bhashyakara who pretended to criticize Pancharatra?
As I discuss in this answer, one of the early movements that was important to the development of Vaishnavism was the ancient Pancharatra movement, whose sacred texts consisted of detailed procedures ...
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What surviving works of the Rudra Sampradayam are there before Vallabhacharya?
As I discuss in my question here, Vishnu is said to have taught the principles of Vaishnavism to four disciples: Lakshmi, Brahma, Shiva and Sanatkumara. And in turn they started the four main ...
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Is worship of Lord Hanuman associated with Vaishnavism or Shaivism?
Lord Hanuman, as we know is an ardent devotee of Lord Rama (Lord Vishnu's incarnation). But at the same time He is said to be Lord Shiva's incarnation. So is Hanuman worship more associated with ...
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