The four Vaishnava Samradayas and their offshoots are discussed here. This is a republish from http://www.4sam.org/index.html.
Adi Shankaracarya also recommended worship of Govinda. However since he also preached Unqualified monism, which means the finite individual becomes identical with Brahman after going through a purification process, we identify a separate samradaya for him.
The four (plus 1) Vaishnava Samradayas
The Shri Sampradaya
The philosophy of Sri Vaishnavism is known in Sanskrit as Visistadvaita. The term literally means "non-duality of Reality as characterized by attributes". As a classical expression of Vedanta (the philosophical basis for much of Hinduism), the goal of Visistadvaita philosophy is to understand and experience Brahman, the One Blissful Reality who is the all-pervasive ground and sustenance of the universe -- the string upon whom all pearls are threaded. The "pearls", individual beings and matter, are inseparable attributes of the Supreme Person, modes of Its existence.
To the devout Sri Vaishnava, the religious concept of Brahman is best expressed by the term "God". Brahman is Infinite, not just in physical terms, but in metaphysical and qualitative terms. Brahman is the absolutely real abode of all consciousness. He is infinitely auspicious, infinitely blissful, supremely gracious, infinitely merciful, infinitely beautiful -- in fact, infinitely infinite. The relationship between God and the universe is one of love, as all this is but a conscious emanation from Him. We are to Him as a child is to a parent, as a friend is to a friend, and as a beloved is to a lover.
Brahman also stands in relation to the universe and the individual souls as the Self of each, providing the basis for their reality. As such, Brahman has matter and individual souls as His body, and is therefore the Supreme Being in whom all reality is comprehended. All that we see is but a spilling from the plenitude of His glorious, all-pervasive essence. This is why the favorite devotional name for God among Sri Vaishnavas is Narayana -- He in whom all beings rest.
by Mani Varadharajan
The Brahma Sampradaya
Dvaita or Tattvavada was propounded by Madhva (Madhvacarya, Ananda Tirtha). The Tattvavada, more popularly known as Dvaita Philosophy of Sriman Madhvacarya, whose cordinal precepts are the supremacy of Sri Hari and surrender to Him and service to humanity as the sole means of liberation.
The Philosophy of Sriman Madhvacarya is pragmatic with relevance to everyday life. It aims at building a sound individual and an orderly society which together provide the Sadhana Marga. Its emphasis Duty and Devotion at every stage of life serving eminently the twin objectives of creating an efficient individual and an orderly society. Sri Acarya Madhva propagated the true spirit of modesty and sublimity by commanding that every individual shall consider always himself as a servant at the feet of the Supreme Lord, who is the embodiment of all perfection.
Sri Madhvacarya evolved a dualistic system of philosophy. He makes an absolute distinction between God, and animate and inanimate objects. God is the only independent Reality. The animate and inanimate objects are dependent realities. Madhva’s Vedanta is the philosophy of absolute differences. He stresses on five great distinctions (Pancha-Bheda):
the distinction between God and the individual soul,
the distinction between God and matter,
the distinction between the individual soul and matter,
the distinction between one soul and another and
the distinction between one material thing and another.
Every follower of the Madhva school should have a firm belief in this fivefold distinction, known as the Pancha-Bheda.
Madhvacharya’s philosophy can be grasped by a study of his commentary on the Brahma Sutras and his Anu-Vyakhyana, his commentaries on the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita, and his glosses on the Mahabharata (Bharata-tatparya-nirnaya) and on the Bhagavata Purana.
Madhva’s philosophy has many points in common with those of Ramanuja. In Madhva’s system of philosophy, Hari or Vishnu is the Supreme Being. The world is real. Difference is true. All the Jivas are dependent on Hari, the Lord. There are grades of superiority and inferiority among the individual souls. Liberation is the individual soul’s enjoyment of its innate bliss. This is Moksha or the final emancipation. Bhakti, or loving devotion, without faults, is the means of attaining Moksha. Perception, inference and the scriptures are the three Pramanas, or ways of knowledge. Hari (God) is knowable only through the Vedas.
Worship of Lord Krishna as taught in the Bhagavata Purana is the centre of his religion. This is the quintessence of Madhva’s teachings.
The Kumara Sampradaya
The main exponent of the Kumara or Chatuhsana sampradaya (this knowledge was transmitted to the four Kumaras by the Hamsa avatara), who lived in the 13th century and propagated the doctrine called dvaita advaita, "simultaneous oneness and duality".
Nimbarka presents himself as a disciple of Narada Muni and says that for a period of his life he lived in Naimisharanya.
This philosophical school has centers in the area of Mathura-Vrindavana (Nimbarka was born near Govardhana from a family of Telugu brahmanas), Rajasthan and Bengal, and identifies the Supreme Brahman as the divine couple of Radha and Krishna.
The identification between the savisesha (with form) and nirvisesha (without form) aspects of Bhagavan (the Supreme Person) is called svabhavika-bheda-abheda, "natural difference and oneness", as he sees no contradiction. The two categories of jivas as baddhas (materially conditioned) and muktas (liberated) are temporary as a baddha jiva can become a mukta through the path to realization or sadhana, which is bhakti (the path of devotion) that includes both karma (the knowledge of action and reaction and becoming free from karma) and jnana (cultivated knowledge). The first stage is karma (the ritualistic process), the second is jnana (the cultivation of knowledge), the third is dhyana (meditation), the fourth is prapatti (surrender), and the fifth is guru prapatti (complete dedication to the instructions of the guru).
His most famous works are the Vedanta Parijata Saurabha (commentary to the Vedas and Upanishads), Sadachar prakash (a treatise on Karma kanda), a Gita bhasya (commentary on the Bhagavad-gita), Rahasya sodasi (explanation of the Sri Gopala mantra), Krishna stava raja (establishing the supreme position of Krishna), Prapanna kalpa valli (explanation of Mukunda mantra), Prata smarana stotram (a devotional poem), Kamadhenu Dasa sloki ("ten nectarine verses" about the meditation on Radha Krishna).
Sri Nimbarka (or Kumara) sampradaya starts from Sri Hamsa.
Once the mental sons of Brahma, the most exalted sages Sanaka Kumara and his brothers became confused about the subject of brahma tattva. They questioned their father Brahma. The question was very complex and hard to solve. Brahma meditated on Lord Narayana. Suddenly the Lord appeared there in the form of a white swan who was the very personification of knowledge. He solved their doubt and told them about the topmost path of worship. This initiation given by Lord Hamsa was the beginning of the Sanakadik sampradaya. Still today, in the Nimbarka sampradaya, after glorifying Lord Hamsa, the sages known as the four Sanakadiks (or the four Kumaras) are glorified.
Sri Nimbarka is always engaged in different forms in the intimate service of the Lord. In this sampradaya Sri Goloka Bihari Radha Krishna is considered the topmost essence of life.
In this age of kali this topmost ancient sampradaya maintains everywhere dharma and tradition of worship. In many ancient places of the sampradaya, in this age of modernization, the devotional practice (sadhna) and the emotions of the sampradaya meet at the confluence of the Triveni of this modern age.
Those living entities who follow the instructions of the acharyas eventually achieve salvation. Steady attachment for the holy dhama, the holy name and the spiritual master (guru govinda nishtha) is the topmost announcement of our Vedic sanatana Vaishnava dharma. "acharyam devo bhava". "acharya mam vijaniyat". Consider the acharya as your worshipable deity. The acharya is My own form. Therefore through the passage of this tradition, following the instructions of the acharya, we can achieve the eternal shelter of our goal, the lotus feet of Shri Shri Radha Goloka Bihari. May the Lord bestow upon you spiritual energy, devotion and attachment for Himself so that your human life will be successful. This life should be for the Lord and remain for Him. Ultimately -
radhaya sahito devo madhvo vaishavottamaih
archyo bandyashcha dhyeyashcha shrinimbarkapadanugaih
- Shri Nimbarka-Sudha
"For the followers of Shri Nimbarkacharya the only worshipable Shri Radha along with Madhava, Shri Shri Radha Golok Bihari is the only deity which should be worshipped, which should be prayed to and upon which we should meditate. This is the only goal which is universally accepted by all. In the end, offering respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of all the Devacharyas of the guru parampara and known and unknown Vaishnavas we pray at their holy feet."
vanchha kalpatarubhyashcha kripa sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namah
Main part is an Excerpt from: Swami Shri Gopal Sharan Devacharya Maharaj
The Rudra Sampradaya
According to Sree Vishnuswami the individual soul (jiva) is a constituent part of the Substantive Reality (vastu); the power of the vastu is maya; the activity of the vastu is the world; none of these being separate from the ‘Vast’.
The first point to be noticed in this connection is that Vishnuswami does not identify the individual soul ( jiva) with the Brahman; neither does he conceive of the individual soul ( jiva) as independent of the Brahman. His metaphor to bring out the relationship between the two, is that of the sparks of a great fire and the fire from which the sparks issue. Therefore, in the Scriptures the individual soul (jiva) has been sometimes called the Brahman, being qualitatively the same; and in other passages the individual soul (jiva) has been differentiated from the Brahman. In the next place the world being the activity of the Brahman, is also real and eternal. The origin and dissolution of the world as found in the Scriptures, mean its temporary disappearance but not substantive loss. The world is the unchanged transformation of the Brahman, just as the different ornaments made of gold are unchanged gold. Godhead, according to Vishnuswami, is the Embodiment of existence, self-consciousness and bliss in the embrace of the twin powers of ‘Hladini’ (that which delights and is delighted) and ‘Samvit’ (that which knows and makes known), as distinct from the bound soul who is, on the other hand, the source of all misery and enveloped in nescience. In his state of pure monistic consciousness the soul (jiva) is established in the relationship of servant to Godhead, which is the natural condition for the soul (jiva) who in the pure state is a fractional part of the whole, viz., Godhead. Godhead is the Lord of ‘maya’ the soul (jiva) is subduable by the deluding or limiting energy (maya). Godhead is self-manifest and transcendental bliss. The soul (jiva), although also self-manifest by reason of his being an integral part of the Whole, is located in the plane of misery, due to his attachment for a second entity besides Godhead. Godhead is ever free and never submits to any adjunctive modifications. He is possessed of transcendental qualities, is all-knowing, all-powerful, the Lord of all, the Regulator of all, the Object of worship of all, the Awarder of the fruit of all actions, the Abode of all beneficent qualities and substantive existence, consciousness and bliss.
Sree Vishnuswami following in the footsteps of Sree Rudra, was the worshipper of Sree Panchashya (Man-lion). He admits the Bodily Form of Godhead made of the principles of existence, consciousness and bliss, and the eternal co-existence of worship, worshipper and the worshipped. In his own words ‘the emancipated also, playfully assuming bodily forms, serve the Lord’. The main authorities recognized by the Vishnuswami community (sampradaya) are ‘Nrisimha tapani,’ ‘Sreemad Bhagavatam’and ‘Sree Vishnupuranam’ Of the works of Vishnuswami himself the ‘sarbajna sukta’ alone is mentioned. The Vishnuswami school counts very few adherents at the present day. Sree Vallabhacharya, although he calls himself his follower, differs in certain respects from the views of Sree Vishnuswami.
The Brahma Gaudiya Sampradaya, a branch of the Brahma Madhva Sampradaya grown by ISKCON in the 20th Century
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the supreme Lord, accepted Srila Isvara Puri, a pure teacher (guru) in the line of the Brahma Madhva Sampradaya, as His own Spiritual master.
The Lord preached the full-fledged theistic conception given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavat-Purana). Srimad Bhagavatam mainly deals with the comparative study of theism and the ontology of Krsna consciousness. It surpasses all other Vedic literatures, even the Puranas. The Brahma-vaivarta Purana and Padma Purana represent the importance of devotion to Krsna through narration and history to some extent, but fall short of the philosophical and ontological standard set by the Mahapurana, Srimad Bhagavatam. Srimad Bhagavatam can satisfy all Vedantic scholars, for it represents Krsna consciousness in its fullest dignity. Srimad Bhagavatam expounds as the highest attainment of theism not consciousness, intelligence, or ontology, but ecstasy, beauty, and harmony — rasa (spiritual taste). In Srimad Bhagavatam, rasa is all-important. It is a unique treatise, for it takes theism from the plane of intellectual jugglery to the domain of rasa.
Srimad Bhagavatam is a vast treatise in the Sanskrit language, filled with essential information, historical reference, and expositions on the major schools of philosophy. In Srimad Bhagavatam, many minor points of history and geography are also mentioned which, although nonessential, support its conclusions. Whatever is unnecessary in Srimad-Bhagavatam is eliminated when its meaning reaches its purest and most intensified glory in the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So, if we are to consider the very gist of Srimad-Bhagavatam, we must study the life and precepts of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Just as the teachings of the great author of Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Vyasadeva, were percolated by the realizations of Sukadeva Goswami, the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam has been percolated by the life and precepts of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt a great pain of separation from Krsna which burned like fire and was expressed as the Siksastakam.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that separation is the highest principle in divinity. Just as the most intense conception of ecstasy is association with Krsna, the most intense conception of pain is separation from Krsna. Yet the pain felt from Krsna's separation is far more intense than the ecstasy felt from His association. Sriman Mahaprabhu says, "Can't you understand the painful situation you are in? Your senses must have all been destroyed! Otherwise you would have died from the pain of separation from Krsna. It is inconceivable. We belong to Him wholesale. He is all in all to us/but we can't see Him. We are forcibly separated from Him. How can we tolerate this?" And Bhaktivinoda Thakura once said, "I can't tolerate separation from Krsna any longer. I can go on for only three or four more days, and then I shall have to leave this body."
To love Krsna means that we shall have to "die to live." In the beginning divine love seems like lava, death, but really it is nectar, life. Many persons in this ordinary world are also frustrated in love. They sometimes go mad and commit suicide because they can't tolerate the pain. But the pain which comes with separation from Krsna although compared with lava, is not injurious like lava. Kaviraja Goswami explains:
bahye visajvala haya bhitore anandamaya,
krsna premara adbhuta carite
"The wonderful characteristic of divine love of Krsna is that although externally, it works like fiery lava, internally it is like sweet nectar that fills the heart with the greatest joy."
Although He felt the greatest pain of separation from Krsna, still, within His heart, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu experienced the deepest ecstatic joy. The ecstatic symptoms manifested by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu have never been found in the history of the world or even expressed in any scripture. In Him, we find the highest conception of the Ultimate Reality. This is explained in my Prema Dhama Stotram (66):
atma-siddha-sava lila puma-saukhya-laksanam
svanubhava-matta-nrtya-kirtanatma-vantanam
advayaika-laksya-puma-tattva-tat-paratparam
prema-dhama-devam-eva naumi gaura-sundaram
"This is the all-conquering conclusion. The highest conception of the Ultimate Reality must also be the highest form of ananda, ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna, ecstasy Himself, tasting His own sweetness and dancing in ecstatic joy. His own holy name is the cause of His ecstasy, expressed as dancing, and the holy name is the effect of His ecstasy, expressed as chanting. The cause is the effect. The dynamo is creating ecstatic energy which makes Him dance, and His chanting distributes that ecstasy to others."
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