1. Liṅgāyatism Liṅgāyatism is a Śaivite Hindu religious tradition in India. Initially known as Vīraśaivas , since the 18 th century adherents of this faith are known as Liṅgāyats . The terms Liṅgāyatism and Vīraśaivism have been used synonymously, but Vīraśaivism may refer to the broader Vīraśaiva philosophy which predates Liṅgāyatism, to the historical community now called Liṅgāyats , and to a contemporary (sub) tradition

1. Bocāsanvāsī Akṣara Puruṣottama Svāmīnārāyan Sansthā Bocāsanvāsī Akṣara Puruṣottama Sansthā ( BAPS ), is a Hindu denomination within the Svāmīnārāyaṇa Saṁpradāya . It was formed, by Yajñapuruṣdās ( Śāstriji Mahārāj ), on the principle that Svāmīnārāyan was to remain present on earth through a lineage of Gurus dating all the way back to Guṇatitānand Svāmī – one of Svāmīnārāyaṇa ’s most prominent disciples. Based on

1. Svāmīnārāyaṇa Saṁpradāya Svāmīnārāyaṇa Saṁpradāya, also known as the Svāmīnārāyaṇa faith or the Svāmīnārāyaṇa tradition , started in the state of Gujarat , in which followers offer devotion to and worship Svāmīnārāyaṇa . The Svāmīnārāyaṇa faith has a large percentage of Gujarati Hindus who are followers of Svāmīnārāyaṇa . 2. Foundation The Svāmīnārāyaṇa Saṁpradāya originated from the Uddhava Saṁpradāya , led by Rāmānanda Svāmī :

1. Rāmānandī Saṁpradāya The Rāmānandī , also known as the R ām āyats or the Rāmāvats , are a branch of the Śr ī Vai śṇavism Saṁpradāya of Hinduism. 2. Denomination The Rāmānandī Saṁpradāya is one of the largest and most egalitarian Hindu sects India, around the Ganges Plain, and Nepal today: It mainly emphasizes the worship of Rāma , as well as Viṣṇu directly

1. Śrī Vaiṣṇavism Śrī Vaiṣṇava Saṁpradāya or Śrī Vaiṣṇavism is a denomination within the Vaiṣṇavism tradition of Hinduism: The name is derived from Śrī referring to goddess Lakṣmī as well as a prefix that means " sacred , revered ", and god Viṣṇu who are together revered in this tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pañcarātra texts and popularized by

1. Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism (also known as Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition, Bengali Vaiṣṇavism, or Chaitanya Vaiṣṇavism) is a religious movement in Vaiṣṇava Hinduism, inspired by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu (1486–1534) in India. " Gauḍīya " refers to the Gauḍa region (present day Bengal/Bangladesh) with Vaiṣṇavism meaning " the worship of Viṣṇu ". Its theological basis is primarily that of the Bhagavad Gītā and Bhāgavata Purāṇa

1. Nimbārka Saṁpradāya The Nimbārka Saṁpradāya (Sanskrit निम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय), also known as the Haṁsa Saṁpradāya , Kumāra Saṁpradāya , Catuḥ Sana Saṁpradāya and Sanakādi Saṁpradāya , is one of the 4 Vaiṣṇava Saṁpradāyas . It was founded by Nimbārka (c.7 th century CE), and teaches the Vaiṣṇava theology of Dvaitādvaita ( dvaita-advaita ) or " dualistic non-dualism ." Dvaitādvaita states that humans are both different

Rudra Saṁpradāya In Hinduism, the Rudra Saṁpradāya is one of 4 Vaiṣṇava Saṁpradāyas, a tradition of disciple succession in the religion. Vaiṣṇavism is distinguished from other schools of Hinduism by its primary worship of deities Viṣṇu and/or Kṛṣṇa and their Av atārs as the Supreme forms of God . The ascetic Viṣṇusvāmī formed the Rudra-Saṁpradāya , though the Saṁpradāya is believed to have traced its

1. Puṣṭimārga Puṣṭimārga (lit. " the Path of Nourishing, Flourishing "), also known as Puṣṭimārga Saṁpradāya or Vallabha Saṁpradāya , is a sub-tradition of Vai ṣṇavism (Hinduism). It was founded in early 16 th -century by Vallabhācharya (1479–1531) and is focussed on Kṛṣṇa . A bhakti (devotional) school, Puṣṭi Mārga was expanded by the descendants of Vallabhācharya, particularly Gosain-ji : Its values are derived from

The Śaiva Siddhāṅta Philosophy 1. Introduction In the books that treat of Śaivism , there is a reference to four schools, viz., the Nākulisa Pāśupata, the Śaiva, the Pratyabhijñā and the Rāseśvara. Śaiva Siddhāṅta is the philosophy of Southern Śaivism . It owes its origins to no single author. It is midway between Śankara’s Advaita and Rāmānuja’s Viśishṭādvaita. Its literature consists chiefly of 1. The