Vallabhacharya: (Sanskrit) "Beloved." V

aishnava saint

(ca 1475-1530) whose panentheistic Shuddha Advaita

(pure nondualism) philosophy became the essential

teaching of the nonascetic Vaishnava sect that bears his

name. He composed 17 works, most importantly

commentaries on the Vedanta and Mimamsa Sutras and

the Bhagavata Purana. The stories of his 84 disciples are

often repeated on festive occasions by followers. The sect

is strongest in Gujarat.

See: Vedanta.

(See also: Vallabhacharya , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Chaitanya: (Sanskrit) A renowned Vaishnava saint (1485 - 1534), revered today especially in Bengal and Orissa, remembered for his ecstatic states of devotion.

He taught a dualistic philosophy in which bhakti (devotion) to the divine couple Radha and Krishna is the only means to liberation. Practice revolves mainly around kirtana, devotional singing and dancing. He gave prominence to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, of which several branches thrive today, including ISKCON. See: Krishna, Vaishnavism, Vedanta.

(See also: Chaitanya , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

The term Hinduism is most elastic. It includes a number of sects and cults, allied, but different in many important points. Hinduism has, within its fold, various schools of Vedanta; Vaishnavism, Saivism, Saktism, etc. It has various cults and creeds. It is more a League of Religions than a single religion with a definite creed.

A map over the different sects and cults in Hinduism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Sects: Hinduism - A Fellowship Of Faiths And A Federation Of Philosophies - about Hindu Sects and Cults

Vallabhacharyas Vallbhacaryas (Sanskrit) A Vaishnava sect founded by Vallabhacharya, a sectarian mystic said to have been the disciple of Vishnu-svamin, a celebrated teacher of his time. His followers are called Gosvami-maharajas and have a considerable amount of landed property and numerous temples in Bombay.

Vallabhacharya was born in the forest of Champaranya in 1479. At an early age he began traveling to propagate his doctrines, and at the court of Krishna-deva, king of Vijaya-nagara, succeeded so well in his controversies with the Saivas, according to the reports of his followers, that many Vaishnavas chose him as their chief. He then went to other parts of India, and finally settled at Benares, where he composed 17 works, the most important of which were commentaries on the Vedanta- and Mimansa-Sutras and another on the Bhagavata-Purana, on which this sect seems in the main to base their doctrines. He left 84 disciples.

He taught a non-ascetic view of religion and deprecated all self-mortification as dishonoring the body which contained a portion of the supreme spirit. His emphasis on human affections and emotions seems at times to fringe closely the frontiers of licentiousness.

(See also: Vallabhacharyas, Vallbhacaryas , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Dadu Panthis: The Dadu Panthis form one of the Vaishnava cults. Dadu, the founder of this sect, was a disciple of one of the Kabir Panthi teachers. The followers worship the Lord Rama.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dadu Panthis: Hindu Sects and Cults - Dadu Panthis

Chaitanya caitanya (Sanskrit) (from chit to perceive, understand, be conscious)

Consciousness, intelligence; the cosmic intelligence, hence also the light of the Logos. All individual egos in the universe are rooted in cosmic chaitanya as their universal source, and become individualized for experience and work in the material realms by means of the karanopadhi. Chaitanya is thus the invisible essence of human intelligence, the cosmic root of monadic individuality, and the cosmic intelligence-force which is the intrinsic or essential consciousness behind and within individuality.

As a proper name, a reformer of the Vaishnava sect in India (1485-1527), regarded in Bengal as an avatara of Krishna. One of his chief teachings was the duty of bhakti (attachment, devotion, or love) for Krishna so strong that no caste-feeling implying sectarian division could exist with it.

(See also: Chaitanya, caitanya , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Vaishnava Vaisnava (Sanskrit) A follower of any sect recognizing and worshiping Vishnu as the sectarian supreme divinity. There are at present four principal Vaishnava sects: the Ramanujas founded by Ramanujacharya; the Madhvas founded by Madhva; the Vallabhas or Vallabhacharyas founded by Vallabhacharya; and a sect in Bengal founded by Chaitanya.

Other minor sects are those founded by Ramananda and Kabir. All these Vaishnava sects are of relatively modern origin, though they use at least some of the ancient Hindu writings as their texts.

(See also: Vaishnava, Vaisnava , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Vaishnava (Sanskrit). A follower of any sect recognising and worshipping Vishnu as the one supreme God. The worshippers of Siva are called Saivas.

(See also: Vaishnava , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Ramnavmi

Lord Rama, an Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is measureless, who is of the nature of pure Consciousness and bliss, who is the consort of Sita, Master of Sri Hanuman, and the Lord of the three worlds, who took His birth at His own will in order to establish righteousness, destroy the wicked and protect His devotees.

Ramnavami or the birthday of Lord Rama falls on the 9th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra (March-April).

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Ramnavmi: Hindu Worship - Ramnavmi

Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on B

Ramanujacharya Ranmanujacarya (Sanskrit) A celebrated Vaishnava reformer, founder of a Vedantic school which taught the doctrine of Visishnadvaita (qualified nonduality), that the human spirit is separate and different from the supreme spirit, though dependent from it and ultimately to be united with it. He lived at Kanchipura and Sri-ranga in South India, and is supposed by many Occidental Orientalists to have lived from 1017-1137. His followers believe him to have been an incarnation of Sesha.

This Vedantic sect is one of the three most important Vedanta schools, the other two being the Advaita (nondualistic) school, of which the chief exponent and teacher was the avatara Sankaracharya; and that of the Dvaitas (dualists). Of these three, the Advaita teachings of Sankaracharya is by far the closest to theosophy.

The differences as among these three Vedantic schools are mainly manners of considering the relation of the human and cosmic spirit-souls. The Advaita in common with theosophy considered the cosmic spirit to be the fountainhead of all later differentiations of consciousness; and therefore it teaches that all such later individualizations are nevertheless all rooted in the cosmic spirit.

The Dvaita school believes that there is a distinct difference of identity between individuals and the cosmic spirit (as likewise do the Christians), although individuals nevertheless issue forth from the cosmic spirit. The Visishtadvaita school believes that although all individuals ultimately issue forth from the cosmic source, they yet possess only qualified identity with it.

(See also: Ramanujacharya, Ranmanujacarya , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)