{"id":92,"date":"2019-08-23T04:49:08","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T04:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/icp03.epgpbooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/?post_type=chapter&p=92"},"modified":"2019-08-23T04:49:34","modified_gmt":"2019-08-23T04:49:34","slug":"vaisnavism","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/icp03\/chapter\/vaisnavism\/","title":{"rendered":"Vai\u015f\u0146avism"},"content":{"raw":"
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Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

What is called \u015ar\u012bvai\u015f\u0146vism is popularly known as Vi\u015bi\u015f\u0163\u0101dvaita. It is one of the religious sects of Hinduism in which Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u along with his consort \u015ar\u012b<\/em> (also known as Lak\u015fm\u012b<\/em>) constitutes the godhead or the Supreme being. In fact, the term \u2018vi\u015bi\u015f\u0163\u0101dvaita\u2019 came to be applied to Vai\u015f\u0146ava samprad\u0101ya only in 11th century A.D. after \u015ar\u012b R\u0101m\u0101nuja. \u015audarsanas\u016bri, the author of \u015arutaprak\u0101\u015bika<\/em>, a celebrated commentary on \u015ar\u012b R\u0101m\u0101nuja\u2019s \u015ar\u012bbh\u0101\u015fya <\/em>who lived in 13th century AD first used the expression \u2018Vi\u015bi\u015f\u0163\u0101dvaita\u2019 to \u015ar\u012bvai\u015f\u0146vism. It is also a well known fact that majority of the Hindus are Vai\u015f\u0146avites, according to leading anthropologists and sociologists of the world. All the incarnations of Lord \u015ar\u012b Vi\u015f\u0146u, are worshipped by the followers of Vai\u015f\u0146vism as preeminent manifestation of divinity.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vi\u015f\u0146u and \u015aiva are three principal manifestations of divinity who preside over the realms of creation and passion, organization and goodness, and destruction and ignorance respectively. In that Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u is seen as a cohesive centre. Another salient feature of Vai\u015f\u0146avism is that the Epics and Pur\u0101\u0146as<\/em> primarily focus on the Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u. As Gavin Flood puts it: \u201cThe two most important groups of Hindu narrative traditions embodied in oral and written texts are the two Epics: the R\u0101m\u0101ya\u0146a<\/em> and the Mah\u0101bh\u0101rata,<\/em> and the Pur\u0101\u0146as<\/em>.\u201d Further he holds: Although the Epics contain lot of material which cannot be neatly categorized as belonging to any particular tradition, there is nevertheless a case for\u00a0saying that the Epics are primarily Vai\u015f\u0146ava in orientation, as, indeed, are many of the <\/span>Pur\u0101\u0146as<\/em>.\u201d This is to say that the prominent scriptures of Hinduism, by and large, espouse Vai\u015f\u0146avism.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

2. Concept of God<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u201cLord Vi\u015f\u0146u is the instructor of the whole world\u2014what else should people learn or teach, except for Him, the Supreme Spirit?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

He is the supreme Godhead who receives awe, admiration and reverence from His worshippers. He is the embodiment of majesty and divine excellence. His appearance is so pleasant and pleasing with long black hair, lotus eyes, deep blue complexion, and glowing yellow garments. His four arms indicate his infinite power and ubiquitous nature. In each of his arms we find a conch, a chakra, a large mace and a lotus. The conch is a symbol of creativity and victory, the <\/span>chakra<\/em> symbolizes the power of mind, and is also used as a weapon to destroy the evil and misconception and doubt, the large mace evokes fear in the unrighteous as a symbol of strength, and the lotus symbolizes liberation and the ability to rise beyond the material existence. The Lord is often depicted as reclining on the cosmic waters of creation with \u015ae\u015fa, the serpent-like form of Balar\u0101ma. The \u015ae\u015fa, guards the Lord and acts as His bedstead with his soft skin and his many hoods rising high above him. From Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u\u2019s navel we see the world\u2019s first being, Brahma ready to create on behalf of the Lord. Sometimes, Vi\u015f\u0146u is shown with Lak\u015fmi, his consort, who is always serving him. This indicates that she shows all the souls how to perform the most important form of yoga\u2014 devotional service.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the Vedas it is mentioned that the Supreme Reality is Brahman, which is amorphous divinity. But Vai\u015f\u0146avism equates Brahman with Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u. Etymologically the words \u2019Brahman\u2019 and \u2018Vi\u015f\u0146u\u2019 mean the same. The Sanskrit root of Brahman is \u2018<\/span>brih\u2019<\/em>, which means \u2018expansion\u2019 or \u2018to spread throughout\u2019. Similarly, the name Vi\u015f\u0146u means \u2018pervasive\u2019 or to \u2018expand\u2019.\u201d According to D.N. Shanbhag, a renowned scholar of Hindu studies, since both Brahman and Vi\u015f\u0146u have same connotations that every reference to Brahman is also equally a reference to Vi\u015f\u0146u. The medieval Vai\u015f\u0146ava teachers \u015ar\u012b R\u0101m\u0101nuja and Madhva too interpreted Brahman in the similar fashion. Even in the \u0156g-Veda there are more references to Vi\u015f\u0146u than to any other deity, according to F.B.J. Kuiper, the well\u2014known Indologist.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

He also held that Vi\u015f\u0146u is the only deity who can take his devotees beyond the material world. In the Vedas one finds references to the dualities such as heaven-earth, day-night, gods-demons. But Vi\u015f\u0146u goes beyond these dualities into a more transcendental domain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The \u2018three steps\u2019 of Vi\u015f\u0146u testify that His steps encompass all that exists and goes beyond into unchartered territory. Most of the Vedic gods are embodiments of celestial, terrestrial, and atmospheric forces. But Vi\u015f\u0146u\u2019s three steps vindicate His ability to accommodate all the three. In the <\/span>Katha Upani\u015fad<\/em> it is mentioned that Vi\u015f\u0146u\u2019s ultimate step can be compared with the culmination of the spiritual journey. It is this point that represents the ultimate destiny of all souls.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The other references found in the Vedas too portray Vi\u015f\u0146u as Supreme Lord. In the <\/span>\u0156gveda<\/em> one finds a reference to Vi\u015f\u0146u as Supreme Lord on whom Lord Rudra (\u015aiva) is dependent for His sustenance. Even in the <\/span>Aitereya Br\u0101hma\u0146a<\/em> it is stated that of all the gods Agni is lowest and Vi\u015f\u0146u is the highest. This statement from the first of the <\/span>Br\u0101hma\u0146a<\/em> commentaries assumes more significance for it claims to be more authentic that the Veda itself because of its antiquity, authority and sanctity, according to the tradition. These early texts also reveal that once there was a contest among the gods to determine which god was the greatest. Vi\u015f\u0146u by his deeds emerged victorious, and therefore achieved the status of the most excellent among the divinities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Similarly, the Vai\u015f\u0146ava commentaries on Brahman interpret Brahman as something devoid of material qualities, but not auspicious qualities. These auspicious qualities equate Brahman with Vi\u015f\u0146u. One cannot see Supreme as impersonal but has to be viewed as Super personal having spiritual qualities. He is not a person like us, yet His existence is not impersonal, lacklustre existence, but supra personal existence. It is also found in the original Vedic literature, especially in the Br\u0101hmanical commentaries, that Vi\u015f\u0146u is often identified with sacrifice (<\/span>yaj\u1e45a<\/em>). These commentaries align Him with the <\/span>Puru\u015fa-s\u016bkta<\/em> wherein He is referred to as N\u0101r\u0101ya\u0146a, Kri\u015f\u0146a and so on. The First or Primordial Being (Cosmic Person) who undergoes the ultimate sacrifice is called Puru\u015fottama, which is a name attached to Vi\u015f\u0146u and Kri\u015f\u0146a. This made Vai\u015f\u0146avites believe that <\/span>Puru\u015fa-s\u016bkta<\/em> and other forms of divinity referred to in the Vedic texts are the references to Vi\u015f\u0146u<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The <\/span>Vaikh\u0101nasa<\/em> texts of South India are also regarded as the important part of the Vedic conundrum. These texts offer references to early worship of Vi\u015f\u0146u. In fact, these texts connect Vaisnavism to the Vedas through language, rituals and practice. One of the Western experts on Vai\u015f\u0146avism, Michael Witzel, observes that the <\/span>Vaikh\u0101nasa<\/em> texts and their related literature clearly indicate that the <\/span>ma\u0144tra<\/em> style in terms of language and meter used in these texts resembles that of the Vedic past. Therefore, he does not hesitate to arrive at the conclusion that Vai\u015f\u0146avism can be treated as a Vedic religion. Similarly, the <\/span>Mah\u0101-N\u0101r\u0101ya\u0146a<\/em> Upani\u015fad <\/em>establishes the supreme position accorded to Nar\u0101yana (Vi\u015f\u0146u) by the Vedas. The above mentioned <\/span>Upani\u015fad<\/em> is appended to the S\u0101maveda. What is stated in this <\/span>Upani\u015fad<\/em> is\u00a0<\/span>as follows: \u201cIn the beginning of creation, there was only N\u0101r\u0101yana (Vi\u015f\u0146u). There was no Brahma, no \u015aiva, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Vedic past clearly establishes the supremacy of Vai\u015f\u0146avism in the Hindu religious traditions today. But it is also true of Vai\u015f\u0146ava tradition that it is not dependent on the Vedic origins. Vai\u015f\u0146avism is strongly tied to the Epics and <\/span>Pur\u0101\u0146as.<\/em> It is the personal experience that makes the followers of Vai\u015f\u0146avism to cling to their tradition. According to them, religion is meant to bring worshippers close to God and to make them happy and productive people. Thus the pragmatic value of their belief system is realized by them. In a way, Vai\u015f\u0146avism is a form of monotheism, for its followers do not worship any other deity excepting the various manifestations and incarnations of Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u. All other deities are merely treated as subordinates, demigods, angels, and empowered beings. Vi\u015f\u0146u is source of everything including all divine emanations, even if these emanations are also various forms of the Supreme. Therefore, the worship of other gods such as \u015aiva, \u015aakti, and Ga\u0146e\u015ba is not acceptable to the Vai\u015f\u0146avites.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord Himself in the form of Kri\u015f\u0146a claims in the <\/span>Bhagavadg\u012bt\u0101<\/em> that \u201cI am in everyone\u2019s heart, and, if one wants to worship the demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to any of those deities. I then award him the benefits that he thinks are bestowed by the demigods.\u201d Why do people worship demigods? Kri\u015f\u0146a himself answers this question by saying that \u201cpeople in the material world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods.\u201d Vai\u015f\u0146avism does not encourage people from motivated and goal oriented worship and promotes pure worship of the Supreme. In the <\/span>Git\u0101<\/em> Kri\u015f\u0146a tells his worshippers that those \u201cwho worship other gods are actually worshipping me, but they are doing it in the wrong way.\u201d The worship of the Supreme Godhead (Vi\u015f\u0146u) alone is termed as true worship of the Supreme.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3. Incarnation (avat\u0101ra<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Incarnation (<\/span>avat\u0101ra)<\/em> is one of the most significant features we find in \u015ar\u012b Vai\u015f\u0146avism. The Supreme descends into this world of empirical beings in order to destroy the virulent demons which are the cause for the rise of unrighteousness (<\/span>adharma<\/em>). The Supreme can make his devotees happy only by bringing back righteousness (<\/span>dharma)<\/em> back into existence. Although the Supreme can destroy the virulent demons from his spiritual kingdom, yet His descent is to assure His devotees that He is always with them. The Supreme, according to vai\u015f\u0146ava tradition, appeared in ten <\/span>incarnations (da\u015b\u0101vat\u0101ras)<\/em> to alleviate the suffering of his devotees in the various <\/span>yugas.<\/em> The first four <\/span>avat\u0101ras of<\/em> Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u appeared in the <\/span>Satyayuga or<\/em> Kritayuga, <\/em>the next three (5,6,7)<\/span> in <\/em>the<\/span> tret\u0101yuga, <\/em>the 8th and 9th in<\/span> Dv\u0101parayuga<\/em>. The last of the <\/span>avat\u0101ras<\/em> is presently on. In the <\/span>Pur\u0101nic<\/em> literature we come across the following <\/span>avat\u0101ras\u00a0<\/em>of the Supreme in the form of short stories. These <\/span>avat\u0101ras<\/em> are of immense significance to the followers of Vai\u015f\u0146avism.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.1. Matsy\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated himself as a fish and saved the world from a deluge. As the story goes, there lived a king who was performing penance for thousands of years. One day when he was performing his routine ablutions with river water he found a small fish in his hands. He was about to throw it back into the river waters the fish requested him to save its life. The king heeded its request and took it home and preserved it in a small vessel of water. But the fish started outgrowing its size. Then the King shifted it into the river and then into the ocean. From this the king realized that the fish must be the appearance of the Lord. The Lord requested the king to prepare a big boat as the world is going to come to an in seven days due to a huge flood. True to Lord\u2019s prophecy there was a huge flood and the king tied the boat with the royal serpent (V\u0101suki) to the Lord who appeared in the form a fish to reach Mount Himavan. The Lord in this form takes his boat safely by protecting seven hermits, each of the species of plant and animal to his newly created world which is a safer destination for all living beings.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.2. K\u016brm\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated himself the form of a tortoise by offering his back as the pivot on which the Mount Ma\u1e45dara rested. As the story goes, both gods (<\/span>devatas)<\/em> and demons <\/span>(a\u015buras<\/em>) were fighting each other for their supremacy. In the process, suddenly the gods lost their strength due to a hasty curse of a short-tempered sage D\u016brvasa. The sage once presented a garland of flowers to Indra which the latter gave it away to his elephant which trampled the garland. This act of Indra made D\u016brvasa angry. Then the gods approached the Lord to get them back their lost strength due to the curse of D\u016brvasa. Then the Lord asked both the gods and demons to churn the ocean of milk after adding some medicinal herbs to it. He then wanted to use the Mount Ma\u1e45dara as a churning stick and sought the help of demons to lift it and place it on his back. In return to their help the Lord offered a share of nectar of immortality, which comes after churning, to them. Both the gods and demons churned the ocean by using the serpent V\u0101suki as the rope. Several precious objects came out of churning. At the end the a bowel of nectar of immortality surfaced, and it was grabbed by the demons. But the Lord transformed into a beautiful maiden (<\/span>apsarasa<\/em>) and mesmerised the demons only to distribute it gods, who got back their strength. Thus the Lord saved the world from the demons by making them weak.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.3. Var\u0101h\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated himself as a wild boar to destroy the demon Hirany\u0101k\u015fa who stole the Vedas from Brahma while he was sleeping. He also got a boon from Brahma that he would not be killed by a beast or a man or god. However, in the list of beasts he forgot to include <\/span>var\u0101ha<\/em>. He then went on plundering all the worlds. He pushed the world to<\/span> p\u0101t\u0101la <\/em>which exists beneath sea and committed all atrocities. The Lord appeared in the form of a wild boar and brought back the world on its tusks from <\/span>p\u0101t\u0101la<\/em> and restored the Vedas to Brahma by killing Hirany\u0101k\u015fa.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.4. Narasi\u1e3fh\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of man-lion <\/span>(narasi\u1e3fha<\/em>)to release the world from the clutches of a demon (<\/span>a\u015bura<\/em>) called Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa. He obtained some peculiar powers from Brahma through severe penance (<\/span>tapas)<\/em>. These powers are such that he would be killed neither in the day nor in the night, neither by god, nor by a man, an animal, a weapon; neither on the Earth nor in the air. He wanted to remain young forever and immortal. He also considered himself as the Supreme God and asked everyone to worship him alone. But his son Prahl\u0101da objected to the foolishness of his father Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa. Prahl\u0101da being a devotee of Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u refused to worship Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa as Supreme God. Enraged by such refusal Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa tortured both Prahl\u0101da and his sister Holika. On one occasion Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa asked Prahl\u0101da to show him where he (Vi\u015f\u0146u) is. Prahl\u0101da replied that he is everywhere. Then he asked Prahl\u0101da to show him whether he is in this pillar by breaking it. Then the Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u appeared in the form of half-man and half-lion and killed Hira\u0146yaka\u015bapa with his claws keeping him on his lap. Therefore, Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u had to take up a peculiar form to kill this demon to save the life of his devotee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.5. V\u0101man\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of a dwarf Br\u0101hman priest (V\u0101mana) to confront a demon king Bali Chakravarthi, the grandson of Prahl\u0101da, who conquered the the whole world. He was mighty and valorous. Fearing that he would also conquer other worlds Indra approached Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u to save his world from Bali. The Lord took the birth of a dwarf and went to Bali, who was generous to fulfill the desires of many, and asked for alms. Bali was prepared to offer anything that he wanted without knowing that it was the Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u. The Lord asked Bali to give him three feet of land which the former granted without any hesitation. Then the Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u grew bigger in size and occupied heaven and Earth with two his feet. Then there was nothing left for the Lord to put his third foot and Bali offered his head. As a consequence\u00a0<\/span>the Lord put his third foot on Bali\u2019s head and crushed him to <\/span>p\u0101t\u0101laloka<\/em>. Thus he helped gods from this mighty demon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.6. Para\u015bur\u0101m\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of Para\u015bur\u0101ma, a <\/span>br\u0101hmin<\/em> priest, to teach a lesson to all the <\/span>k\u015fatriyas <\/em>who became arrogant and suppressing all the<\/span> br\u0101hmins <\/em>in the world. He was born to Jamadagni and Renuka. He always carried an axe which he got from Lord \u015aiva as an ardent devotee of him. K\u0101rtav\u012brya, a powerful king, once visited Jamadagni\u2019s house and in his absence he stole a cow (<\/span>kam\u0101dhenu<\/em>) which was supposed to yield unlimited quantity of milk. On knowing this Jamadagini got enraged and went to the king\u2019s place and brought back the cow after killing him. In turn the son of K\u0101rtav\u012brya killed Jamadagni for killing his father. To avenge the death of his father Para\u015fur\u0101ma killed the son of the king and fought as many as 21 battles to kill all the <\/span>k\u015fatriyas.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.7. R\u0101m\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of R\u0101ma, the noble prince of Ayodhya. R\u0101ma, the central figure in the Epic <\/span>R\u0101m\u0101ya\u0146a,<\/em> is depicted as an ideal person for the humankind with all the noble qualities. He is also regarded as an ideal son, ideal husband, and ideal king. He killed the ten headed demon R\u0101va\u0146a who was an embodiment of arrogance and lust. He was granted immunity from death by Brahma. Neither gods nor celestial beings could kill him. He underestimated the power of R\u0101ma for he considered him an ordinary human being, who cannot vanquish him. But it is the Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u who took the birth of R\u0101ma, and his consort Lak\u015fmi as S\u012bta. R\u0101va\u0146a abducts S\u012bta when R\u0101ma and his younger brother Lak\u015fma\u0146a were away. Then R\u0101ma with his ideal follower Hanuman and the army of monkeys crossed the ocean to reach R\u0101va\u0146a\u2019s kingdom. There was a fierce war between R\u0101ma and R\u0101va\u0146a. In the end R\u0101ma killed the demon and freed S\u012bta, who is acknowledged as universal mother.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.8. Kri\u015fn\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of Kri\u015f\u0146a, a cowheard. He is the central character in the Epic <\/span>Mah\u0101bh\u0101rata.<\/em> This is supposed to be the most important Epic with myriad of stories in the Hindu mythology. There are stories concerning war, peace, brotherhood, love, hatred, politics and so on. It is primarily a story of Kauravas and P\u0101ndavas who were the sons of Dh\u0157tar\u0101shtra and Pandu respectively. Lord Kri\u015f\u0146a plays a key role in this Epic to restore moral order (<\/span>dharma).<\/em> As a part of the <\/span>Mah\u0101bh\u0101rata<\/em> during the war between Kauravas and P\u0101ndavas, Lord Kri\u015f\u0146a gives a long discourse to Arjuna, the third son of P\u0101ndu, on the philosophy of action. This discourse is termed as the <\/span>Bhagavad-g\u012bta.<\/em> Kri\u015f\u0146a, when he was young, kills his own maternal uncle Ka\u1e3fsa, who was responsible for all evil acts. Kri\u015f\u0146a was\u00a0<\/span>endeared by one and all for his charming and helping nature. He killed all those demons who robbed the chastity of all gopikas. Unlike the Epic Ramayana, the Mahabharata deals with politics, human nature, human weaknesses, and so on to show the nature of men and their activities in this empirical world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.9. Buddh\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of Buddha, the enlightened noble prince who showed the entire world the path of peace. He is known for his concept of <\/span>ahi\u1e3fs\u0101.<\/em> He preached the four Noble Truths. There are as follows: 1.The world is full of sorrow and misery. 2. This sorrow and misery is caused. 3. What caused sorrow and misery can be eradicated. 4. The way to eradicate sorrow and misery. According to him, by following the eight-fold path (<\/span>\u0100rya<\/em> A\u015f\u0163\u0101nga M\u0101rga) <\/em>one can get rid of sorrow and misery. His eight-fold path includes: right faith, right resolve, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right thought, and right concentration. The Buddha prescribed <\/span>A\u015f\u0163\u0101nga M\u0101rga<\/em> to attain <\/span>Nirv\u0101\u0146a<\/em> or liberation from rebirth.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

3.10. Kalk\u0101vat\u0101ra<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The Lord incarnated in the form of Kalki the machine man who rides on the back of a white horse with his blazing sword in his arms. This is going to be the future incarnation of the Lord to end the world which looses all the four legs of <\/span>dharma.<\/em> All the evil doers are punished by the Lord in order to create a new world of golden age again. This incarnation of the Lord brings the whole world into an end.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

4.\u00a0 \u0100\u013cv\u0101rs<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

According to \u015ar\u012b Vai\u015f\u0146ava tradition, there are twelve \u0100\u013cv\u0101r saints who propagated Vai\u015f\u0146avism through their divine singing. The term \u2019\u0100\u013cv\u0101r\u2019 means one who divided deep in to the divinity. Their 4000 odd songs form the corpus called <\/span>Dramidavedam<\/em> or <\/span>N\u0101l\u0101yira<\/em> Divyaprabhandham <\/em>compiled by N\u0101thamuni. These \u0100\u013cv\u0101r saints belonged to the different social strata and among them in the list there is a woman. She is popularly known as \u0100n\u1e11al. All these saints are supposed to have lived between 5-9 centuries A.D. The most ancient of them are Poygai \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Bhutatt \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Pey \u0100\u013cv\u0101r. It appears that they were contemporaries. The others are: Tirumalisai \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Namm\u0101\u013cv\u0101r, Madhurakavi \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Kulasekhara \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Periya \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Andal, Thondaradippodi \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Thiruppaan \u0100\u013cv\u0101r, Thirumangai \u0100\u013cv\u0101r. Some belive that \u0100\u013cv\u0101rs of the divine incarnations of Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u\u2019s weapons and ornaments and vehicles. \u0100n\u1e11\u0101\u013c is considered to be an incarnation of Bh\u016bdevi, but it is also held that they are ordinary human beings who got under the control of divine grace. The message of \u0100\u013cv\u0101r is that there is a mystic union between human soul and the lord of the world.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

5. Liberation (mukti or mok\u015fa)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Like any other Hindu religious sect, Vai\u015f\u0146avism too upholds the view that the ultimate goal or ideal of life of every worshipper is to attain liberation from rebirth. It is the <\/span>bhakim\u0101rga<\/em> which leads to liberation from bondage and liberation is possible only after the falling of body. Thus it is called <\/span>videhamukti.<\/em> Devotion (<\/span>bhakti<\/em>) combined with surrender (<\/span>prapatti)<\/em> is the sure way to liberation, according to Vai\u015f\u0146avism. It is only during the 13th century A.D. the schism in Vai\u015f\u0146avism surfaced in the form of sectarianism. The two prominent sects of Vai\u015f\u0146avism are Vadagalai and Tengalai. Ved\u0101nta De\u015bika and Pillai Lok\u0101c\u0101rya are supposed to be the proponents of these schools respectively. The former school relies on Sanskrit literature and North Indian tradition, while the latter subscribes to Tamil scriptures and South Indian tradition. According to <\/span>Vadagalai<\/em> tradition, the worshipper must hold on to the Supreme just as a baby-monkey to its mother in order to get the grace of the Supreme. This view is technically called <\/span>markataki\u015borany\u0101ya.<\/em> On the contrary, the <\/span>Tengalai<\/em> tradition holds that the worshipper has to surrender himself to the Supreme, and the Supreme bestows His grace on the worshipper by taking care of the worshipper just as a cat takes care of its kittens. This view is called <\/span>marj\u0101laki\u015borany\u0101ya.<\/em> Apart from that, the <\/span>n\u0101mam<\/em> sported on the forehead of the followers of the <\/span>Vadagalai<\/em> tradition is in \u2018U\u2019 shape and for the <\/span>Tengalai<\/em> tradition is in \u2018Y\u2019 shape. Excepting these differences both the sects worship only Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u as their Supreme God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Vai\u015f\u0146avism is one of the most prominent sects of Hinduism followed by two thirds of the Hindus. Lord Vi\u015f\u0146u and his consort Lak\u015fmi are worshipped by all the followers of Vai\u015f\u0146avism. No other god or goddess is worshipped by them for they believe that Lord Vishnu is the Supreme God and there is no need to worship lesser gods or deities. The ultimate goal of the worshipper of the Supreme is to reach God\u2019s abode to indulge in the <\/span>seva <\/em>of the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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