IOverview
Vaishnavism is the tradition within Hinduism that places Vishnu at the summit, together with his avatars, above all Rama and Krishna. Its most recognisable feature is bhakti, loving devotion to a deity one can name and love.
It is not a single organisation. It is made up of many sampradayas, lineages passed from teacher to disciple, each with its own founder, preferred texts and understanding of how the soul relates to Vishnu. Vaishnavas still invoke Ganesha before a new undertaking and still join village festivals for Shiva, since the traditions within Hinduism do not exclude one another.
IIHistory
In the Rigveda, Vishnu plays a modest role. His standing grew as he was merged with other figures such as Vasudeva Krishna and Narayana. The Bhagavad Gita, part of the Mahabharata epic, laid the foundation for the path of bhakti. In the Puranic period the avatar system and the great temples took clear shape. Then, starting in South India, the bhakti movement spread across the subcontinent in local languages.
- around 113 BCEThe Heliodorus pillarThe Greek envoy Heliodorus sets up a Garuda pillar at Besnagar and calls himself a bhagavata, a worshipper of Vasudeva. It is early archaeological evidence for the tradition.
- 6th to 9th centuriesThe AlvarsTwelve Tamil poet saints sing of Vishnu, and their verses are later gathered into the Divya Prabandham.
- 11th to 12th centuriesRamanujaSystematises Vishishtadvaita, the philosophy of Sri Vaishnavism.
- 13th to 14th centuriesMadhvaFounds Dvaita, stressing a real distinction between God and the soul.
- 1486 to 1534ChaitanyaFounder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in Bengal, who championed congregational chanting of Krishna's names.
- 16th centuryTulsidas and VallabhaTulsidas composes the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi. Vallabha founds the Pushtimarg.
- 1966ISKCONA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founds the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York, carrying the Gaudiya tradition to the West.
IIITeachings and Distinctives
Vaishnavas hold that Vishnu, or Krishna in some lineages, is the supreme reality, personal and compassionate. When dharma declines he descends into the world as an avatar to restore order. Liberation comes chiefly through bhakti and grace, not through knowledge or ritual alone. Some lineages teach prapatti, complete surrender.
Philosophically, most Vaishnava schools do not follow Shankara's Advaita. Ramanuja taught that the world and souls form the body of God, real rather than illusory. Madhva taught that God, souls and matter are eternally distinct. The Gaudiya school teaches inconceivable oneness and difference. Favoured texts include the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana and the Ramayana, alongside collections of poetry in local languages.
A common misunderstanding, in the West and in Vietnam too, is that the Hare Krishna movement is Hinduism as a whole. In fact ISKCON is one organisation within the Gaudiya branch, itself one of many Vaishnava sampradayas.
IVPractice, Liturgy and Life
Daily practice includes puja before a murti at home and in the temple, kirtan or congregational singing, and japa, repeating divine names on beads of tulasi wood. Many lineages are strictly vegetarian and some also avoid onion and garlic. Devotees often wear a vertical tilaka on the forehead, its pattern varying by lineage.
Major festivals include Krishna Janmashtami, marking Krishna's birth, Rama Navami, and Diwali, which in many regions celebrates Rama's return to Ayodhya. Famous pilgrimage centres include Tirupati and Srirangam in the south, Vrindavan and Mathura in the north, the Jagannath temple at Puri with its Rath Yatra chariot festival, and Pandharpur in Maharashtra.
VOrganisation and Distribution
| Sampradaya | Founder or systematiser | Stronghold |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Vaishnava | Ramanuja | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
| Madhva | Madhva | Karnataka |
| Ramanandi | Ramananda | North India, with very many ascetics |
| Gaudiya, including ISKCON | Chaitanya | Bengal, Odisha, Vrindavan, the diaspora |
| Nimbarka | Nimbarka | Vrindavan, Rajasthan |
| Pushtimarg | Vallabha | Gujarat, Rajasthan |
| Warkari | The saints Jnaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram | Maharashtra |
| Swaminarayan | Sahajanand Swami | Gujarat, the diaspora |
No census asks people which tradition they follow. The World Religion Database estimated about 399.5 million Vaishnavas in 2020, as cited by Wikipedia, making this the largest tradition. Jones and Ryan in 2007 ranked Shaivism larger. The two sources use different methods, and this page records both.
VIIn Vietnam
In Champa, Shaivism was dominant, but Vishnu was present too. According to Wikipedia's article on the art of Champa, a sandstone pediment in the 7th century My Son E1 style depicts the myth of Vishnu resting on the cosmic ocean, from which Brahma emerges to recreate the world. The 10th century Tra Kieu pedestal carries reliefs of episodes from the Krishna story. Garuda, Vishnu's mount in myth, is a familiar subject of Cham sculpture. These pieces are now displayed at the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang.
Today no source has been found for any officially active Vaishnava organisation in Vietnam, ISKCON included. The three Hindu temples in Ho Chi Minh City belong to the Tamil tradition and are dedicated to Murugan and Mariamman, not to Vishnu. The Cham Ahier community continues a Shaiva, not a Vaishnava, line.
VIISymbol of the Branch
Vertical tilaka
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्र Ūrdhva Puṇḍra
VIIISub-branches
- Sri Vaishnavism (Vadakalai, Tenkalai)
- Ramanandi
- Gaudiya Vaishnavism, including ISKCON
- Nimbarka
- Rudra (Pushtimarg)
- Warkari
- Swaminarayan
IXOther Branches of Hinduism
Vaishnavismवैष्णव VaiṣṇavaThe tradition centred on Vishnu and his avatars, above all Rama and Krishna.
Shaivismशैव ŚaivaThe tradition centred on Shiva, whose main object of worship is the linga.
Shaktismशाक्त ŚāktaThe tradition that takes the Goddess, as Devi, Durga or Kali, as the root principle of power (shakti).
Smartismस्मार्त SmārtaA tradition with no single deity at the centre.
Cham Ahier (Cham Brahmanism)AhiérThe localised Shaiva tradition of Champa kept by the Cham Ahier.
Neo-Hindu and Reform MovementsNeo-Hinduism, Reform HinduismMovements from the 19th century onward that reinterpret the tradition for modern times, such as Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj and the Ramakrishna Mission.XSources
The library cross-checks the sources below. Where they disagree, the page gives both.
?Quick Questions
Are Vaishnavism and Hare Krishna the same thing?
Not quite. Hare Krishna, or ISKCON, is an organisation founded in 1966 within the Gaudiya branch. Vaishnavism is much broader, including Sri Vaishnavism, the Madhva school, Ramanandis, Pushtimarg, Warkaris, Swaminarayan and many others.
Are Vaishnavas vegetarian?
Many lineages are strictly vegetarian, avoiding meat, fish and eggs, and some also avoid onion and garlic. Practice varies by lineage, region and family.
What is an avatar?
The Sanskrit word literally means descent. In Vaishnavism it refers to Vishnu coming down into the world when dharma declines, to restore order. The popular list has ten, of whom Rama and Krishna are the most widely worshipped.
Are there Vaishnava temples in Vietnam?
No source was found for an active Vaishnava temple. The tradition's traces lie in Cham sculpture, such as the My Son E1 style pediment showing the myth of Vishnu on the cosmic ocean and the Tra Kieu pedestal.