The Spiritual Lineages Or Traditions Called Sampradayas
What are the principal schools of thought in Hinduism?
The two principal schools of spiritual thought (Vaishnavism and Advaitavada) differ in their understanding of the nature of the individual soul (atma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). Vaishnavas hold there is an eternal difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, and it is the eternal function of the individual soul to render loving service to the Supreme Soul, whereas the Advaitavadis hold that there is no distinction between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul and that you and I are God.
The Vaishnava Sampradayas
What are the main Vaishnava lineages?
In the current era known as Kali Yuga (which began just over 5,000 years ago) there are four principal Vaishnava Sampradayas, each bearing the name of one of the Sampradaya’s most renowned personalities.
The Gaudiya Sampradaya
What is the Gaudiya Sampradaya?
The Gaudiya Sampradaya is one of the great schools of thought that came from the Brahma Madhva Sampradaya and has become known formally as the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. It sprang from the teachings of the great Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE) who is acknowledged as the foremost proponent of bhakti yoga in more recent history.
While profoundly humble, Sri Chaitanya displayed an unparalleled intellect and was accepted as the greatest scholar of His time, gathering about Him a number of extraordinary and highly scholarly disciples. Among them were Sri Ramananda Raya, who was the governor of Madras, and the brothers Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami, who were ministers of the Bengal government under the Muslim regime of Nawab Hussain Shah.
Under the direction of Sri Chaitanya, His followers have given mankind the priceless gift of an enormous library of extraordinary yoga spiritual literature unmatched in the history of the world. It is only within recent decades that these works on Gaudiya Vaishnava yoga by the followers of Sri Chaitanya have risen in prominence and appreciation by scholars in many academic institutions in Europe and America, including Oxford and Harvard.
In more recent times, a number of prominent spiritual teachers appeared within the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (1838–1914), renowned as a great yogi, devotee, and Vedic scholar, was a high court judge and assistant to the governor of Orissa province under the British Raj. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (1874–1937) was one of the great Vedic scholars of modern India, and his most famous disciple, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad (1896–1977), propagated Vaishnavism widely in the Western world.
Two other renowned Vaishnava Sampradayas are Vallabhacharya Sampradaya founded by Vallabhacharya (1479–1531 CE), and the Swaminarayan Sampradaya founded in Gujarati by Sahajanand Swami (1781 – 1830 CE).
The Shankara Sampradaya
What is the Shankara Sampradaya?
Adi Shankara (788 CE - 820 CE) founded this Sampradaya which espouses the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with defeating Buddhism which was the predominant religion in India at the time, and restoring the authority of the Vedas. From this line have sprung numerous subbranches.
Besides the widely known Vaishnava sampradayas there are also lesser known Shaivite sampradayas, for example, the Nath and Nandinatha Sampradayas.
The two principal schools of spiritual thought (Vaishnavism and Advaitavada) differ in their understanding of the nature of the individual soul (atma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). Vaishnavas hold there is an eternal difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, and it is the eternal function of the individual soul to render loving service to the Supreme Soul, whereas the Advaitavadis hold that there is no distinction between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul and that you and I are God.
The Vaishnava Sampradayas
What are the main Vaishnava lineages?
In the current era known as Kali Yuga (which began just over 5,000 years ago) there are four principal Vaishnava Sampradayas, each bearing the name of one of the Sampradaya’s most renowned personalities.
- Sri Sampradaya also known as the Ramanuja Sampradaya, named after Sri Ramanuja Acharya (1017–1137 CE)
- Brahma Sampradaya or the Brahma Madhva Sampradaya, named after Sri Madhvacharya (1238–1317 CE)
- Rudra Sampradaya or the Visnuswami Sampradaya named after Visnuswami (14th century CE) – The renowned Vallabha Sampradaya is a prominent branch of the Rudra Sampradaya.
- Kumara Sampradaya also known as Nimbarka Sampradaya named after Nimbaditya (13 Century CE)
The Gaudiya Sampradaya
What is the Gaudiya Sampradaya?
The Gaudiya Sampradaya is one of the great schools of thought that came from the Brahma Madhva Sampradaya and has become known formally as the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. It sprang from the teachings of the great Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534 CE) who is acknowledged as the foremost proponent of bhakti yoga in more recent history.
While profoundly humble, Sri Chaitanya displayed an unparalleled intellect and was accepted as the greatest scholar of His time, gathering about Him a number of extraordinary and highly scholarly disciples. Among them were Sri Ramananda Raya, who was the governor of Madras, and the brothers Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami, who were ministers of the Bengal government under the Muslim regime of Nawab Hussain Shah.
Under the direction of Sri Chaitanya, His followers have given mankind the priceless gift of an enormous library of extraordinary yoga spiritual literature unmatched in the history of the world. It is only within recent decades that these works on Gaudiya Vaishnava yoga by the followers of Sri Chaitanya have risen in prominence and appreciation by scholars in many academic institutions in Europe and America, including Oxford and Harvard.
In more recent times, a number of prominent spiritual teachers appeared within the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (1838–1914), renowned as a great yogi, devotee, and Vedic scholar, was a high court judge and assistant to the governor of Orissa province under the British Raj. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (1874–1937) was one of the great Vedic scholars of modern India, and his most famous disciple, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad (1896–1977), propagated Vaishnavism widely in the Western world.
Two other renowned Vaishnava Sampradayas are Vallabhacharya Sampradaya founded by Vallabhacharya (1479–1531 CE), and the Swaminarayan Sampradaya founded in Gujarati by Sahajanand Swami (1781 – 1830 CE).
The Shankara Sampradaya
What is the Shankara Sampradaya?
Adi Shankara (788 CE - 820 CE) founded this Sampradaya which espouses the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with defeating Buddhism which was the predominant religion in India at the time, and restoring the authority of the Vedas. From this line have sprung numerous subbranches.
Besides the widely known Vaishnava sampradayas there are also lesser known Shaivite sampradayas, for example, the Nath and Nandinatha Sampradayas.