Hindu Sampradaayas

Hindu Sampradaayas
List 2

शैवाश्च वैष्णवाश्चैव सौराः शाक्तास्तथैव च।
गाणपत्या आगमाश्च प्रणीताः शङ्करेण तु ॥३०॥

Translation: Lord Shankar composed Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shaura, Shakta and Ganapatya Agamas.

Devi Bhagavata, 7.39.30

Major Sects: Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shaura, Shakta, Ganapataya, Subramaniya, Ayyapa

Vaishnava

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# List 1

List 2

Valmiki Sampradaya - This is a low (Dalit) caste clan-based sect which reveres Valmiki as their ancestor and patron Saint. They take the Valmiki Ramayana and Yoga Vashishtha as their holy scriptures. Their main festival is Valmiki Jayanti. Their temples are open to all.
Hansa Sampradaya, aka Sanakadi Sampradaya, aka Kumara Sampradaya - This ancient sect follows the Bhedabheda Dvaitadvaita philosophy of its most important historical philosopher, Nimbarkacharya. It centers all its devotion to the unified Radha-Krishna according to the Shri Sanat Kumara Sanhita scripture, and emphasizes Sakhya Bhava or the devotional relationship of treating Radha and Krishna as one’s best friends, seeking only to give happiness to Radha and Krishna rather than anything for one’ self. It takes its Diksha Mantra from Gopala Tapani Upanishad of Atharvaveda. I myself was taught the sacred Mantra of this Sampradaya by my hometown priest, and I use it in my daily Puja.
Vaikhanasa Sampradaya - This ancient sect was founded by the Sage Vikhanasa. It is panentheistic. It is a very orthodox Vaidik school following the Taittiriya Shakha of Krishna Yajurveda. It is more closely based on the Vedas than most or perhaps all other Vaishnava sects, lots of which (especially in South India) draw more heavily from the Pancharatra Agama tradition of Vaishnava Tantra. Though, Vaikhanasa Sampradaya is also somewhat associated with the Pancharatra tradition, but rejects certain elements of it. Vaikhanasa Sampradaya is less devotional than most sects, and places more emphasis on orthodox rituals as laid out in their own unique Vaikhanasasmarta Sutra, Vaikhanasa Kalpasutra, and Vaikhanasa Agamas, adapting the Taittiriya Shakha to temple worship. Indeed Vaikhanasa Sampradaya was a major part of how the Vaidik open-air ritual tradition historically transitioned into icon- and temple-worship, at least within the Vaishnava sphere. Vaikhanasa Sampradaya now consists almost exclusively of temple worship, and almost all of its members (who are relatively few; it is an elite and exclusive sect consisting almost entirely of orthodox Vaidik Brahmins) are temple priests or their families. Vaikhanasas are the chief priests in charge of many (perhaps even most) South Indian Vishnu temples, including the most popular temple in all of Hinduism (and indeed of any religion in the world), Tirumala Venkateshvara Temple. Thus the overwhelming majority of the laypeople whom they serve as priests are not members of their own sect. Their teachings and practices consist almost entirely of elaborate and strict rituals, far more so than any other Vaishnava sect and perhaps the most so of any Hindu sect with the possible exception of Shrauta Brahmins like the Nambudiris of Kerala.
Utkaliya Sampradaya - This sect is based in Odisha (indeed it is by far the predominant form of Hinduism in Odisha), with secondary significance in nearby regions, and centered on worship of Jagannath, a form of Krishna, as the Supreme Deity, Lord of the Universe, the Purushottama; together with His brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. It is centered on a specific temple in Puri, a major pilgrimage site for Hindus well beyond this sect and even beyond Vaishnavism. It is highly syncretic and not very sectarian. The worship procedures, sacraments, and rituals of Jagannath are uncommon and form an idiosyncratic and very unique Tantrik tradition. It is famous for its spectacular Ratha Yatra chariot processions, the largest in Hinduism (or indeed any culture on Earth). I myself have ecstatically participated in Jagannath Rath Yatra, not in Puri but at a Jagannath temple in the United States.
Shri Sampradaya - This sect developed in Tamilakam. It follows the Pancharatra Agama scriptures for its Tantrik rituals and temples (though it adds Vaidik Suktas into the Pancharatra Homas), the Vishnu Mahapurana, and the Vishishtadvaita philosophy of its most important historical philosopher, Ramanujacharya, and primarily worships Shri Lakshmi and Narayana as the Divine married couple, two inseparable equal Divinities. It is panentheistic, teaching that Shriman Narayana is both transcendent and immanent, interpenetrating everything in the universe, and all of empirical reality is Narayana’s body. He is the foundation of all existence. Shri Lakshmi, His equal, acts as the mediatrix between Vishnu and His devotees, intervening to offer grace and forgiveness. It aims for Videhamukti (Mukti after death) rather than Jivanmukti, and aims to maintain individual distinctions in Salokya Moksha in Vaikuntha. It is one of the largest sects, by far the largest Vaishnava sect in South India, in part because it is quite socially inclusive, open to all without limitations of gender or caste. Its practitioners are mainly South Indians. One way in which Shri Sampradaya differs from all other sects is that it interprets all Devas in the Vedas to be names of Narayana, and different from the Devas of the same names in the Puranas. It is subdivided into two sects:
Iyengar Thenkalai - The southern school of Shri Sampradaya, based on the teachings of Manavala Mamunigal, Pillai Lokacharya, and the twelve Alvar Saints. It places more emphasis on the Prabandham scriptures in the Tamil language, and relies more on Sharanagati or total surrender to God and receiving the Lord’s Grace. It accepts the Divya Prabandham hymns of the Alvar saints as the Dravida Veda or the Tamil Veda as equal to the Sanskrit Vedas, and in fact gives them preeminence over the Sanskrit Vedas in their temple rituals because the Dravida Veda is open to all classes, castes and genders for study and recitation and it contains the same deep spiritual insights as the Sanskrit Veda.
Iyengar Vadakalai - The northern school of Shri Sampradaya, based on the teachings of Vedanta Desika, who emphasized that Lakshmi as well as Narayana pervades and transcends the entire universe, which is the body of both of Them, and They both support all life. Lakshmi is the Supreme Mother and Narayana the Supreme Father of creation. This sect places more emphasis on Vedanta philosophy and on the Vedas as the greatest source of authority, and emphasizes Bhakti through devotion and service to temple icons of the Lord and detachment from the world.
Bhitor Seva - A distinct, very ancient form of Vamachara Tantrika Vaishnavism in Assam, an esoteric and highly secretive practice of tribal ritualistic worship. I know very little about it; indeed even other devout Vaishnavas in Assam have no clue what actually goes on during their rituals. Thanks to Abhilasha Pathak-ji, a Vaishnava scholar from Guwahati for telling me about this one.
Mahanubhava Sampradaya - This sect was founded in medieval Maharashtra and follows the teachings of Sarvajna Shri Chakradhara Swami. It has spread to Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and other parts of North India. It worships Krishna as the One Supreme form of God, source of all Avatars. It accepts members regardless of caste. It follows the Bhagavad Gita as its scripture and does not practice many rituals.
Warkari Sampradaya - This sect follows the teachings of over a dozen great Saints of medieval Maharashtra, and primarily worships Vithoba/Vitthala, a local Marathi form of Krishna, and Rakhumai, the local form of Rukmini. It sees Krishna as the One Supreme form of God, source of all Avatars. Warkari Sampradaya emphasizes a duty-based approach to life, moral behavior, strict avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, and meat, fasting on the Ekadashi days every two weeks, Brahmacharya during student life, and the recitation of the Haripath every day. Most of these things are taught and encouraged in most or all Vaishnava sects but proper observant behavior is especially emphasized in Warkari Sampradaya. It also emphasizes equality among all humans, rejecting discrimination based on caste or wealth. Their main spiritual practices are Bhajan and Kirtan, mainly singing the Abhang devotional poems of the Warkari Saints, and their main festivals are Shayani Ekadashi and Prabodhini Ekadashi, which are not so emphasized in other Vaishnava sects.
Brahma Sampradaya - This medieval sect originated in Karnataka. It follows the Dvaita Vedanta philosophy of Madhvacharya, and primarily worships Vishnu. It sees Vishnu as the highest deity, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. However, it also worships many other Devatas including Lakshmi, Brahma, Vayu, Saraswati, Shiva, Parvati, Indra, Subrahmanya, and Ganesha. It especially emphasizes the procedure to worship Panchamukha Shiva. It accepts the Pancharatra texts. It is divided into two main sects:
Sadh Sampradaya - This sect places more emphasis on Narayana and Lakshmi. It teaches that Moksha comes only from the grace of Vishnu, and not from one’s own effort; but to earn Vishnu’s grace, Gnyana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Vairagya are all necessary, differing from most other sects which regard any one of them as sufficient and not necessarily practice them all. It regards Madhvacharya as an Avatar of Vayu, and places great emphasis on Vayu, Bhima, and Hanuman.
Haridasa Bhakti Sahitya Sampradaya - This sect originated in Karnataka but spread to eastern regions like Bengal and Assam. It actually predated Madhvacharya by many centuries, but largely adopted his teachings. It follows the teachings of Narahari Tirtha and Sripadaraja, and places more emphasis on Bhakti and on Krishna. Some of them worshipped Vitthala.
Ramanandi Sampradaya - This is one of the largest sects in all of Hinduism, and may be the largest Vaishnava sect - certainly around the Ganga plain and Nepal, and all the way up to the Ganga’s source in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. It follows the teachings of Ramananda, including Vishishtadvaita philosophy. It primarily worships Rama, and secondarily Vishnu and other Avatars. It is a very egalitarian sect. It is the most monastic of all Vaishnava sects, and indeed is the largest monastic group in all of Asia, teaching meditation and strict ascetic practices, though there are also non-ascetic Ramanandis. It accepts the Pancharatra tradition. They believe that the Grace of God is required to achieve Moksha. However Moksha is not their goal. They aspire for pure Prema, caring only for the happiness of the Beloved, Rama. They believe Shiva is an indivisible and equal facsimile of Rama, just not the center of their worship, but He is to be revered as Brahman, and a Divine benefactor of our journey towards Raghunandan. I have personally met and spoken with several Ramanandi monks and find them to be wonderful and inspiring exemplars of Sanatana Dharma, very welcoming, open-hearted, friendly and kind, and also watched them worship Shiva with deep devotion. This sect has recently been in the limelight due to the inauguration of their famous new temple in Ayodhya.
Kabir Panth - This sect follows the teachings of Kabir. It actually has both Hindu and Muslim members; Hindu Kabirpanthis recite the name “Ram” while Muslim Kabirpanthis recite the name “Khuda”. They practice a blend of Hindu and Muslim teachings: they must disavow polytheism, not drink alcohol, bathe every day while praising God, and eat a strict vegetarian diet. Most of their bodies are cremated after death. Their further principles are mostly Hindu: Dharma, Satya, Ahinsa, Bhakti, Shraddha, Asteya, Kshama, Daya, Shaucha, Aparigraha, Anekantavada, Vishwa Bandhutva, and Atmya Gnyan. Their priests wear a Tulsi mala and often a Vaishnava tilak. This is a fully structured sect with laypeople, priests, Gurus, monks, and nuns.
Vaishnava Sahajiya Sampradaya - This is a Vamachara (or arguably Madhyachara) Tantrika sect of Vaishnavism based in Bengal, Assam, Bihar, and Odisha, following the teachings of Vidyapati and Chandidas, mostly in the Bengali language. It worships Radha-Krishna and seeks to experience the union with the innate primordial reality through the physical reenactment of the romance between Radha and Krishna, including frequent sexual intercourse as part of their Tantrik Sadhanas, and deeply exploring the Bhavas and Rasas of the rich Bengali Vaishnava tradition.

Does there exist a Vama marga in Vaishnavism? Which forms are worshipped according to Vamachara in Vaishnavism? What are the rituals involved?
Yes there does exist a Vama marga (or at least Madhyama) among the Vaishnava traditions. This tradition is called Vaishnava Sahajiya. The main forms worshipped in this tradition are Radha and Krishna. Many rituals involved are common in normal Vaishnava Dharma as well: Deity worship, Guru Seva, Tantrik Deity Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan, meditation, etc. Indeed, a disciple who practices under the Vaishnava Sahajiya system does not do anything “Vamachara” for years. They meditate, practice breathing exercises, and chant the names of Krishna. The striking and controversial practice of Vaishnava Sahajiya is sexual Sadhana called Karmamudra Sambhoga. This is only practiced after years of preparatory Sadhana because it is difficult to perform correctly. In Karmamudra Sambhoga, two advanced Tantrik adepts have sexual intercourse. The man must see the woman as having Radha as the cosmic Svarupa dwelling inside her and embodied in her, and she must see the man as having Krishna as the cosmic Svarupa dwelling inside him and embodied in him. Thus both of them have sex with the other as an act of worship, in a state of overwhelming awe, reverence, and pure Prema or Divine Love. The man must not ejaculate. Rather, both partners are to mix their sexual fluids (though not full ejaculate) together, then move their mingled sexual energies up the Sushumna Nadi, leading to the awakening of the higher Chakras and the experience of union with the innate primordial One Absolute State, Brahmi Chetana or Brahman Consciousness, which in this tradition is called Sahaja (hence Vaishnava Sahajiya). The difficulty is that in sexual activity, the energy naturally moves downward rather than upward, particularly with ejaculation, and so to move it upward is a delicate and difficult process requiring years of training. Sexual pleasure is very readily associated with strengthening worldly/body-based attachments and desires, so to instead truly transcend this and have sex in a state of mystical absolute consciousness is not something most people are able to do, hence they do not even attempt it until they have already undergone years of developing a high level of Bhakti transcending worldly attachments and desires. Vaishnava Sahajiya is no mere tiny cult; it has produced hundreds of manuscripts and is a surprisingly substantial tradition, obscure due to its deliberate secrecy and the fact that other Vaishnavas mostly like to pretend it doesn’t exist and avoid bringing it up.

Bishnoi Panth - This sect follows the twenty-nine Niyamas taught by its founder Guru Jambheshwar, and worships Vishnu. Its followers live in the western Thar Desert and, to a lesser extent, throughout much of north and central India. It is a strongly environmentalist sect, placing great and strict emphasis on the protection of animal and plant life. Indeed they were among the first conscious and proactive formulators of what is now called environmentalism.
Baul - The Baul are a strictly ritualistic initiatory order of mystic wandering minstrels in Bengal who practice a mix of Vaishnava traditions, Tantra, and in many cases Sufism. They are inspired ecstatic mystics focused on union with the eternal Divine Beloved, and their spiritual practices are mainly through song. They sing of Krishna as the inner Divine aspect of man and Radha as the inner Divine aspect of woman. Some Bauls are ascetics who reject family life and survive only on food given to them in charity, always wandering from place to place and staying in traditional traveler’s lodge-houses; other Bauls live with their families in a secluded and segregated-off part of the village. There are male and female Bauls.
Rudra Sampradaya, aka Vallabha Sampradaya - This sect follows the teachings of Vishnuswami and Vallabhacharya, including Shuddhadvaita philosophy. It is pantheistic, and worships Krishna as the One Supreme transcendent form of God, source of all Avatars. Its only known surviving branch is the Pushtimarg. It especially worships various Svarupas or sacred icons of Krishna, most especially one named Shrinathji. It takes its Diksha Mantra from Gopala Tapani Upanishad of Atharvaveda. I recently wrote a whole answer on how it differs from other Vaishnava sects:

What is the difference between the Vallabha Sampradaya and the Vaishnava Sampradaya?
Well first of all, the Vallabha Sampradaya is a Vaishnava Sampradaya. It is one of many Vaishnava Sampradayas. I will describe the main differences between the Vallabha Sampradaya and other Vaishnava Sampradayas. The Vallabha Sampradaya, also called the Pushtimarga, was founded by Vallabha in the early 1500s. This makes it one of the younger Vaishnava Sampradayas. Other Vaishnava Sampradayas had other founders. The Vallabha Sampradaya primarily worships Krishna, viewing Krishna as the sole Supreme Being and all other deities, even Vishnu, are His Avataras. Many other Vaishnava Sampradayas share this in common, but some of them instead primarily worship Rama, Vishnu, or another form. Also, the Vallabha Sampradaya accepts Srimati Radha as Krishna’s consort; not all Vaishnava Sampradayas do. The Vallabha Sampradaya takes the Shuddhadvaita philosophical perspective. All other Vaishnava Sampradayas take other philosophical perspectives. The Vallabha Sampradaya rejects the concept of Maya, which is accepted (with varying perspectives on its nature) by most other Vaishnava Sampradayas. Unlike most other Vaishnava Sampradayas, the Vallabha Sampradaya teaches that even the material world itself is a pure manifestation of the Supreme Absolute and cannot be tainted. The Vallabha Sampradaya teaches that Krishna is the only being actually in existence, and all else is simply manifestations of Krishna. There is nothing in existence that is not Krishna. All ignorance, according to the Vallabha Sampradaya, is derived from material attachments. The Vallabha Sampradaya accepts four scriptures as its basis: the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Brahma Sutra, and the Bhagavata Purana. The Vedas and Bhagavad Gita are accepted by all Vaishnava Sampradayas, and the Bhagavata Purana by almost all, though some do not study it much (but most do, some as their primary scripture). Some Vaishnava Sampradayas do not study or use the Brahma Sutra, and some do use other scriptures which the Vallabha Sampradayas do not. The Vallabha Sampradaya very centrally uses the Brahmasambandha Mantra, which is unique to it and is not found in any other Sampradaya. Secondarily, they also use the Mantra “Shri Krishnah Sharanam Mama”. Most other Vaishnava Sampradayas primarily use other Mantras. The Vallabha Sampradaya teaches to rely on Krishna’s grace alone for the obtaining of spiritual realization (hence Pushtimarga, the Path of Grace), rather than one’s own efforts in any way. It downplays the value of Yagnya, Puja, temple rituals, meditation, Yoga, and other religious observances as non-essential. Some other Vaishnava Sampradayas place greater emphasis on some or all of these methods. Going further, the Vallabha Sampradaya completely rejects ascetic lifestyle but instead cherishes householder lifestyle and pleasures, though without attachment or any idea of ownership (rather they devote everything they have to Krishna, and live as Krishna’s companions in joyful play). Vaishnava Sampradayas generally tend to embrace householder lifestyle and downplay asceticism, but some of them include more asceticism than Vallabha. In the Vallabha Sampradaya, worship is mainly directed not just to Krishna “in general”, but to specific Svarupas of Krishna which are based on certain Murtis (icons) - nine primary and two secondary Svarupas, each of which is a physical object. Pushtimargis not living at the location of one of the eleven Svarupas worship a replica of a Svarupa. Other Sampradayas do not dedicate their primary worship to these Pushtimarga Svarupas. The Pushtimarga worship, both at home and communally, is predominantly based on Murti Seva, which is also practiced in the vast majority of other Vaishnava Sampradayas, but usually not as the primary mode of worship as in Pushtimarga. The Vallabha Sampradaya does not use publicly open temples like most other Sampradayas, but haveli or mansions, seen as the private dwelling of Krishna, with entrance only allowed at certain times for public Darshanas, eight per day, each of the eight uniquely distinct and like a particular performance to evoke a certain mood, with a lot of aesthetic design elements (though most of these specific Darshanas are also found in other Sampradayas). The main festivals of the Vallabha Sampradaya are Holi, Krishna Janmashtami, Naga Panchami, and Annakuta. All four are also celebrated by other Vaishnava Sampradayas, though in most Vaishnava Sampradayas some other festivals hold higher prominence especially than Naga Panchami. They also each have their own unique ways of celebrating each festival. The next main festivals of the Vallabha Sampradaya include the birthdays of Vallabhacharya and his son Vitthala, which of course are unique to Vallabha Sampradaya. The Vallabha Sampradaya is mainly followed in Rajasthan and Gujarat (despite the fact that its founder Vallabha was a Telugu from far to the south). Other Vaishnava Sampradayas are mainly followed in other regions. The Vallabha Sampradaya considers 142 Baithaks or “Seats” as their sacred sites. They are spread across India but chiefly concentrated in Gujarat and in Braj. All of these Baithaks are specific to the Vallabha Sampradaya; it does not share common sacred sites with other Sampradayas. The Vallabha Sampradaya uses many texts, devotional poems, and kirtans in the Braj Bhasha language. While some other Vaishnava Sampradayas also use compositions in Braj Bhasha (including some of the same devotional poems and kirtans), many do not, but use other languages. Of the five Bhavas of Bhakti common in Vaishnava Sampradayas, the Vallabha Sampradaya mainly recognizes only four, excluding Shanta Bhava, and they also downplay Dasya Bhava. Also, the Vallabha Sampradaya holds Vatsalya Bhava as the most important, whereas other Vaishnava Sampradayas vary but more often tend to exalt Madhurya Bhava. The Vallabha Sampradaya’s Guruparampara (lineage of Gurus) is strictly hereditary, father-to-son, from Vallabha himself (splitting into eight branches of multiple sons). This is quite unusual. While it is common for a Guru to appoint his son as his successor, it is far from universal, and very common in other Sampradayas for the successor to be a disciple of no familial relation to the Guru; but not in the Vallabha Sampradaya. It is also strictly patriarchal; only a male, and never a female, can be a Pushtimarga Guru. This requirement is not built into most other Sampradayas.

Asomiya Ekasarana Sampradaya - This sect is based in Assam and follows the teachings of Srimanta Sankaradeva. It worships Krishna as the One Supreme form of God, source of all Avatars. It focuses on Bhakti to Krishna in the modes of Shravana Bhakti and Kirtana Bhakti, and has less focus on Vaidik ritualism. It is run mostly through monastic institutions, and has its own forms of Assamese literature, songs, theater, and dance. It takes only one scripture, the Assamese translation of the Bhagavata Purana. They do not adhere to the caste system.
Gaudiya Sampradaya - This sect, technically regarding itself as a sub-branch of Brahma Sampradaya, follows the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, including Achintya Bhedabheda philosophy. It originated in Gauda, what is now Bengal/Bangladesh. It teaches that Radha and Krishna are simultaneously Supreme, transcendent Beings, Svayam Bhagavan, and that Radha is the ultimate source of all female Avatars except Mohini, and Krishna is the ultimate source of all male Avatars plus Mohini. Radha is Krishna’s Hladini Shakti or joyful potency, and His supreme beloved. Krishna controls and enchants the world, but Radha enchants and controls even Krishna with Her love, and therefore She is the Supreme Goddess of all. This Sampradaya places a lot of emphasis on Bhakti seeking the destination of Goloka, the eternal abode of Radha and Krishna. Its distinctive mode of worship is Kirtana Bhakti, most commonly singing “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”, taken from Gopala Tapani Upanishad of the Atharva Veda. It is subdivided into many sects, like Sri Caitanya Prema Samsthana, Gaudiya Math, Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, Sri Caitanya Sangha, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Manipuri Vaishnava Sampradaya, Mahanam Sampradaya, etc. The famous International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organization is the largest of the many sects of Gaudiya Sampradaya.

I recently wrote a whole answer on how Gaudiya Sampradaya compares to other Vaishnava sects:

What is Gaudiya Vaishnavaism? How is it different and similar to other forms of Vaishnavism?
Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya (“Vaishnavism” is an Anglicization not natively used by Vaishnavas) is a particular Sampradaya or instructional lineage branch of Vaishnava Dharma. It takes inspiration from Bengali saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), though he did not found it or initiate any successor. Rather, his many followers gradually and still rather loosely codified Gaudiya Sampradaya after his death, basing it on Chaitanya’s teachings and on their interpretations of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam. But almost immediately after Chaitanya’s death, Gaudiya Sampradaya from its beginning was scattered into various separate lineages which had hardly any mutual interconnections to speak of; they did not even meet each other once until forty years after Chaitanya’s death, and mostly did not maintain communication with one another. Chaitanya himself wrote very little, but taught mainly through devotional songs, and never actually initiated any disciples in a formal way. It was several centuries after Chaitanya’s death before Gaudiya Sampradaya evolved into its fully recognizable modern form. This all makes Gaudiya Sampradaya one of the youngest forms of Vaishnava Dharma. But despite this looseness of initiatory lineage, many branches of Gaudiya Sampradaya refer to the writings of their past Acharyas as authoritative interpretations of scripture, treated as if infallible and taken in practice as almost equally authoritative to the scriptures themselves. This already brings us to the first way in which it is different from other forms of Vaishnava Dharma: No other Sampradaya bases itself primarily on the teachings of Chaitanya. Rather, other Vaishnava Sampradayas are based on various other founding Gurus and Saints. Also, Gaudiya Vaishnavas believe that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a co-Avatar of Krishna and Radha. Most other Vaishnavas believe that Chaitanya was a great saint but not an Avatar. Furthermore Chaitanya’s own initiatory lineage is controversial and many Vaishnavas do not agree with the Gaudiyas about it. It is named “Gaudiya” after the Gauda region (today divided into one district of West Bengal and one district of Bangladesh), where Chaitanya mostly lived and taught. Many of its holy sites are in and around Bengal. It has also become popular in Odisha and Manipur. This is another difference: other Vaishnava Sampradayas are more popular in other regions. Many texts and poetic and musical compositions of Gaudiya Sampradaya are in the Bengali language. There are other Vaishnava traditions besides Gaudiya which are (or were) popular in Bengal, but most Vaishnava Sampradayas are based in other languages. Like almost all Vaishnava Sampradayas, Gaudiya teaches Bhakti Yoga. Going further than some Vaishnavas, Gaudiya emphasizes pure love for Bhagavan as the supreme goal, rather than Moksha. Some Vaishnava Sampradayas focus on Krishna; some focus on Rama; some focus on Vishnu as such; some smaller ones focus on other forms. Gaudiya is one of the Krishnaiva Sampradayas, together with Nimbarka, Vallabha, Ekasarana Dharma, Mahanubhava, Vaishnava Sahajiya, and Warkari; it teaches that Krishna is Svayam Bhagavan, the Supreme form of God, above even Vishnu (a position not unique to Gaudiya even in Bengal; indeed it is typical of Bengali Vaishnavism) and the source of all male Avatars. This is based on certain phrases (mainly just one short and in my opinion none-too-clear phrase) in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Most (though not all) other Vaishnava Sampradayas, like the Shri Vaishnava and Madhva schools, teach that Vishnu is Supreme and Krishna is His Avatar. Also, Gaudiya Sampradaya highly reveres and worships Radha as Krishna’s Divine consort and Lakshmi is Her Avatar. Some other Vaishnava Sampradayas also recognize Radha, though more often as an Avatar of Lakshmi rather than the Supreme Feminine Divinity as in Gaudiya (though just to note, the idea of Radha as source of Lakshmi, while a minority view, is not unique to Gaudiya). Some other Vaishnava Sampradayas do not acknowledge Radha at all, but place all the emphasis on Rukmini (whom Gaudiya does also recognize but as secondary). Almost all Vaishnava Sampradayas take the Srimad Bhagavad Gita as their main theological basis, differing only in how they interpret it. Gaudiya too takes it as a major authority. Together with the Bhagavad Gita, most Vaishnava Sampradayas (with some exceptions) also deeply revere and prominently base their theology on the Srimad Bhagavatam. Uniquely, Gaudiya Sampradaya actually takes the Srimad Bhagavatam as the supreme epistemological source, over even the Gita. It also has some unique differences of interpretation of certain passages in the Bhagavatam. After these two, Gaudiya Sampradaya’s third main scripture is unique to it and not used by other Vaishnavas: the Chaitanya Charitamrita, a hagiography of Chaitanya. Gaudiya Sampradaya mostly does not use the Pancharatra Agama scriptures (except a few such as Brahma Sanhita and Garga Sanhita), which are highly important to many other Vaishnava Sampradayas, sometimes more so even than the Srimad Bhagavatam. As a result, Gaudiya Sampradaya is mostly devoid of Tantra and its rituals, which play a very prominent role for many other Vaishnavas. Indeed, Gaudiya Sampradaya is far less elaborately ritualistic than most Vaishnava schools. Gaudiya’s main mode of worship is fairly unusual and quite distinctive: just singing or otherwise chanting a Mantra which they uniquely call the Mahamantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” No other Sampradaya shares the Gaudiya teaching of this particular Mantra’s (or indeed, usually any one particular Mantra’s) unique importance. Gaudiya Sampradaya also tends to do more of its worship in a mode of singing and dancing than in most Sampradayas, in a more loose, freeform creative expression. Gaudiya Sampradaya takes the position that these practices are particularly indicated for the present age of Kaliyuga, with which not all Vaishnava Sampradayas agree. Gaudiya Sampradaya, uniquely among all Vaishnava Sampradayas, concludes that Raganuga Bhakti or Bhakti driven by natural absorption in the object of service, rather than scriptural Vidhis or detailed instructions, is the only viable processes recommended by Srimad Bhagavatam. No other Sampradaya fully agrees with this. A distinctive feature of Gaudiya Sampradaya is that it particularly stresses the mukhya vritti or literal meaning of scriptures, rather than gauna vritti or indirect / allegorical / metaphorical / philosophical interpretations. Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya gave rise to many organizations, by far the largest of which is ISKCON, which is very unique and rather unusual even among Vaishnava organizations, and even more so among broader Hindu organizations, in various ways. In terms of basic philosophical and metaphysical principles of course Gaudiya Vaishnava shares the fundamentals which are common to all of Sanatana Dharma, beyond even Vaishnava Dharma, laid out in the Bhagavad Gita, Mukhya Upanishads, etc.; I will not restate such universal principles here. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught a new philosophical Darshana (perspective), Achintya Bheda Abheda. Bheda Abheda already existed but his Achintya teaching was a new variation on it, and this philosophical perspective is unique to Gaudiya Sampradaya. Other Vaishnava Sampradayas vary widely, from Dvaita to Dvaitadvaita to Vishishtadvaita to pure Advaita perspectives, spanning the full gamut of philosophical Darshanas in Vedanta. Bheda Abheda philosophy is the teaching that the Creator and creation are both different and non-different, simultaneously. To it Chaitanya prefixed Achintya, meaning that this truth is ultimately inconceivable to limited human consciousness, so we cannot truly understand it until we attain Moksha. Dvaita philosophy understands the individual soul (jiva or atma) and God (Ishvara/Bhagavan/Brahman) to be fundamentally separate. Advaita philosophy understands the individual soul and God to be one and the same. Bheda Abheda philosophy understands these both to be simultaneously true in their own way, and not actually conflicting. Bheda Abheda teaches that the living soul is intrinsically linked with the Supreme Lord, and yet at the same time is not precisely the same as God, the exact nature of this relationship being inconceivable to the human mind. The soul is the same as the Supreme Lord in quality but not in quantity. God is the infinite fullness of Satchitananda; the soul is a partial, finite quantity of Satchitananda. Bheda Abheda traditionally compares God to a fire and the souls as sparks, or a spider and its web, or Earth and plants that come forth from Her, or hair on the body of an animal, or the Sun and sunlight, or the ocean and cups of water. Thus God is simultaneously one with, and different from, creation, and Bheda Abheda is panentheistic. God can and does exist separately from the material universe in personal form (indeed potentially in infinite different personal forms) as well as impersonal aspect, while at the same time creation is the cosmic manifestation of God, never separate from (or beyond the supreme control of) the innate and omnipresent Divinity; and both the impersonal and personal aspects of God suffuse all creation and can manifest anywhere, at any time, in any way. In philosophical theory this would make Gaudiya Sampradaya the most similar to Shri and Nimbarka Sampradayas (especially Nimbarka), and more different from Madhva (on one end of the philosophical spectrum) and Vallabha (on the other end) Sampradayas of Vaishnava Dharma. But in actual theological practice, Gaudiya Sampradaya tends to more closely lean toward the Dvaita side of the spectrum and borrows many details from the Madhvas. Gaudiya Sampradaya describes Paramatma as a partial manifestation of Bhagavan, which positions it furthest from Vallabha Sampradaya among Vaishnavas, other than on the exaltation of Krishna. Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow a vegetarian and egg-free diet. Most other Vaishnavas are also vegetarian, though some do not strictly avoid eggs. A few Vaishnavas eat meat, particularly fish; this is not tolerated by Gaudiyas. Gaudiyas further avoid garlic and onions; this is widely recommended by most Vaishnavas but less universally enforced. Some Gaudiyas also avoid caffeine, but not even all Gaudiyas do this and most other Vaishnavas drink caffeine.

Radha Vallabha Sampradaya - This sect, based in Vrindavan-Mathura, follows the teachings of Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu. It devotionally worships Radha as the Supreme Deity and sees Krishna as subordinate to Her; nonetheless it is considered a Vaishnava Sampradaya, though an argument might be made that it is actually Shakta. This sect deliberately prefers to remain unaffiliated with any classical philosophical positions, and declines to produce any theological or philosophical commentaries, teaching that these things are irrelevant to the cultivation of pure Bhakti for Radha and, secondarily, Krishna. It is a householder sect and discourages Sannyasa. Their main festival is Radhashtami. They sing a lot of Kirtan. They take their Diksha Mantra from Gopala Tapani Upanishad of Atharvaveda.
Haridasi Sampradaya (not to be confused with the near-identically named Haridasa Sampradaya) - This sect of mysticism follows the teachings of Swami Haridas and worships Radha-Krishna - especially Radha. It takes its Diksha Mantra from Gopala Tapani Upanishad of Atharvaveda. Its followers are in North India.
Dadu Panth - This sect, based near Jaipur, follows the teachings of Dadu Dayal. It is a martial arts sect of warriors. It is probably the most religiously informal of the Vaishnava denominations, and does not have priests; and it explicitly teaches its followers to transcend sectarian affiliation. Unlike most Vaishnava sects, its followers are free to eat meat and take narcotics; they are rajasik warriors who also worship Vishnu.
Pranami Sampradaya, aka Nijananda Sampradaya - This sect is based in Gujarat and follows the teachings of Devachandra Maharaj and Mahamati Prannath. It is somewhat syncretic of Hinduism and Islam, aimed at winning back those who had been converted or partly converted to Islam. It worships Shri Krishna. It welcomes members from all castes and religions.
Kapadi Sampradaya - Kapadi Sampradaya is sometimes listed as a Vaishnava sect but this is debatable. They are a small community in Gujarat. They do worship Rama, but they also worship Ashapura Mata and their most sacred temple is Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Pakistan, a Shakti temple, and they are in some ways more centrally Shakta than Vaishnava.
Charan Dasi Sampradaya - This sect, founded in Delhi, follows the teachings of Sant Charandas, which focus on devotional worship of Krishna and on specific Yoga practices, especially Pranayama. It emphasizes the value of the Vraj Yatra pilgrimage, and takes as its scriptures various Upanishads, particularly the Katha Upanishad, and the Bhagavata Purana. It emphasizes the nearness the Divine to each person, the need to follow a Guru, the importance of sharing in a Satsang community of fellow devotees not dependent on caste, and the value of living a strictly moral life. Women have played a major and respected role in this sect.
Swaminarayan Sampradaya - This sect follows the teachings of Sahajanand Swaminarayan. This sect originated in early modern Gujarat but has become quite widespread and wealthy. They uniquely give primary worship to their own founding Guru, and secondarily to Radha-Krishna and Lakshmi-Narayana, in a way not found in any other Vaishnava sect (or indeed almost any sect in Hinduism) and widely regarded by other Hindus as strange. They have their own unique philosophical system, Akshar-Purushottam Darshan. I will say from personal experience that Swaminarayan Sampradaya has the most exquisitely beautiful architecture in their temples, it’s amazing to see.
Ramsnehi Sampradaya - This early modern sect takes inspiration from Ram Charan, and worships simply by chanting Ram to cultivate love for God. It equally welcomes people of all castes and communities. They operate a College of Nursing and other organizations for general human welfare.