Historical Vishnuism
Encyclopedia
Historical Vishnuism as early worship of the deity Vishnu
is one of the historical components, branches or origins of the contemporary and early Vaishnavism
, which was subject of considerable study, and often showing that Vishnuism is a distinctive worship — a sect. The tradition was forming in the context of Puranic Vaisnavism evolving in the process of revitalizing religion of Brahmanism, of which Vishnuism is believed to be a part of, through assimilating a number of orthodox, non-conformist and tribal elements; the absorption of mother goddess worship, into what now known a Vaishnava sampradaya
s. It is a tradition of the historical Vedic religion
and is distinguished from other historic schools later forming the Vaishnavism
by its primary worship of Vishnu
, later identified as the source of all Avatar
s. A number of separate sects or traditions merged with each representing the names of god of Vaishnavism
. In contemporary Vaishnavism God is also known as Narayana
, Vasudeva
and Krishna
and behind each of those names is a divine figure with attributed supremacy in Vaishnavism
, that relates to historic traditions that some scholars theorize to be separate and distinct historically. It is distinct from Krishnaism
, as in the revival of Bhakti
, found in the Bhagavata
it is referred as Vishnuism.
The followers of Vaishnavism are referred to as Vaishnava(s) or Vaishnavites. According to recent statistics, a majority of Hindu
s are Vaishnavas, with the vast majority living in India
. The name Vaishnavite is a direct translation of Vishnite and often lead to confusion. Some sources identify Visnuism with Vaishnavism, while others prefer to distinguish Vishnuism from Krishnaism and Ramaism.
In his The Religions of India, Edward Washburn Hopkins presents an accepted distinction as to the assumption that Vishnuism is associated with Vedic brahmanism, and was part of brahmanism. Krishnaism was adopted much later, and it is for this reason, amongst others, that despite its modern iniquities Siva
has appealed more to the brahmana
s than Krishna. Its only later that Vishnuism merged with Krishnaism.
Vaishnava or Vishnu (IAST
: or ), where first is the vriddhi form of the second meaning "relating, belonging, or sacred to Vishnu" or "a worshiper or follower of Vishnu". However Vaishnava may also refer to worshiper of Rama
, Nrisimha or Krishna
, whereas Vishuite more often refers to one who primerly worships Vishnu.
The principal belief of Vishnuism is the identification of Vishnu
as supreme or principal worship of him as was the case in the Historical Vedic times. Hopiks writes: there is a passage like the great Ka hymn of the Rig Veda, 'whom as god shall one worship?' The sages say to Vishnu: "All men worship thee;" In the Rig Veda he is referred by his name of trivikrama
(who took three strides) and is believed by some scholars as the starting point of the evidence of such worship.
Number of stages to the history of Vaishnavism place worship of Vishnu in different perspective according to the different theories by different authors. On the first stage, in its twofold aspect - historic and philosophical, is referred as by some as Bhagavata and is believed to be founded by Krishna-Vasudeva, of Yadava
tribe. The philosophical basis of this stage was that supreme being is eternal, infinite and full of grace, and that salvation consisted in a life of perpetual bliss near the Lord. During this stage some believe that Pancaratra entered into alliance with ancient Samkhya
yogic
system, in line with tendency to combine philosophy with religion. It is this period that is described as the stage when the sect of Narayana
was absorbed into church of Krishna-Vasudeva. According to Grierson's views at this stage Bhagavatism became a sect of Brahmanised anti-Brahmanists. Hopkins often remarked on the often expressed view, that Bhagavad Gita bears witness to the compromise thus arrived at between Brahmanism and Bhagavatism - "it is a Krishnaite
version of a Vishnu
ite poem. For this reason Krishna, the personal name of Vasudeva
, was given admission into the circle of Brahminical gods as an avatar
of Vishnu
.
Adoption of Buddha as one of the avatar
s of Vishnu under Bhagavatism believed to be similarly a canalizing factor in assimilation in relationships during Gupta period 330
-550
C.E. Thus Mahayana Buddhism is sometimes called Buddha-Bhagavatism. It is in this period that it is commonly accepted among academics that the concept of avatar
of Vishnu
was fully developed.
Thus complex religion of Vaishnavism is often viewed as a synthesis of the worship of gods Vishnu, Narayana
, Vasudeva
and Krishna
which is archived by the time of Bhagavad Gita
(c. 4 BCE to 3 century CE). Worship of Vishnu is called Vishnuism and the monotheistic worship of Vishnu was already well developed in the period of the Itihasa
s.
This form of Vaishnavism flourished in South India
during the third to tenth centuries CE, and is still commonplace, especially in present day Tamil Nadu
, Andhra Pradesh
, Karnataka
, as a result of the twelve Alvars
, saints who spread the sect to the common people with their devotional himns
. The temples which the Alvars visited or founded are now known as Divya Desams
. Their poems in praise of Vishnu
and Krishna
in Tamil language
are collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabandham (alternatively called the Dravida vedas).
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
is one of the historical components, branches or origins of the contemporary and early Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, which was subject of considerable study, and often showing that Vishnuism is a distinctive worship — a sect. The tradition was forming in the context of Puranic Vaisnavism evolving in the process of revitalizing religion of Brahmanism, of which Vishnuism is believed to be a part of, through assimilating a number of orthodox, non-conformist and tribal elements; the absorption of mother goddess worship, into what now known a Vaishnava sampradaya
Sampradaya
In Hinduism, a sampradaya can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’, although the word commands much more respect and power in the Indian context than its translations in English does...
s. It is a tradition of the historical Vedic religion
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
and is distinguished from other historic schools later forming the Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
by its primary worship of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, later identified as the source of all Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
s. A number of separate sects or traditions merged with each representing the names of god of Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
. In contemporary Vaishnavism God is also known as Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
, Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
and Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
and behind each of those names is a divine figure with attributed supremacy in Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, that relates to historic traditions that some scholars theorize to be separate and distinct historically. It is distinct from Krishnaism
Krishnaism
Krishnaism is a group of Hindu denominations within Vaishnavism, centered on devotion to Radha Krishna or other forms of Krishna, identified with Vishnu.The central text of Krishnaism is the Bhagavad Gita....
, as in the revival of Bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
, found in the Bhagavata
Bhagavata
Bhagavata signifies in the context of Hinduism. In this context bhakti has the primary meaning of 'adoration', while Bhagavat means 'the Adorable One', and Bhagavata is a worshiper of the Adorable One...
it is referred as Vishnuism.
The followers of Vaishnavism are referred to as Vaishnava(s) or Vaishnavites. According to recent statistics, a majority of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s are Vaishnavas, with the vast majority living in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The name Vaishnavite is a direct translation of Vishnite and often lead to confusion. Some sources identify Visnuism with Vaishnavism, while others prefer to distinguish Vishnuism from Krishnaism and Ramaism.
In his The Religions of India, Edward Washburn Hopkins presents an accepted distinction as to the assumption that Vishnuism is associated with Vedic brahmanism, and was part of brahmanism. Krishnaism was adopted much later, and it is for this reason, amongst others, that despite its modern iniquities Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
has appealed more to the brahmana
Brahmana
The Brāhmaṇas are part of the Hindu śruti literature. They are commentaries on the four Vedas, detailing the proper performance of rituals....
s than Krishna. Its only later that Vishnuism merged with Krishnaism.
Etymology
The term Vaishnavism and Vishnuism, entered the English language in the 19th century, and was formed by attaching the suffix -ism to SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Vaishnava or Vishnu (IAST
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is a transliteration scheme that allows a lossless romanization of Indic scripts as employed by the Sanskrit language.-Popularity:...
: or ), where first is the vriddhi form of the second meaning "relating, belonging, or sacred to Vishnu" or "a worshiper or follower of Vishnu". However Vaishnava may also refer to worshiper of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, Nrisimha or Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, whereas Vishuite more often refers to one who primerly worships Vishnu.
Vishnu: The Supreme
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
as supreme or principal worship of him as was the case in the Historical Vedic times. Hopiks writes: there is a passage like the great Ka hymn of the Rig Veda, 'whom as god shall one worship?' The sages say to Vishnu: "All men worship thee;" In the Rig Veda he is referred by his name of trivikrama
Vamana
Vamana is described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth Avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age, or the Treta yuga. Also he is the first Avatar of Vishnu which appears with a completely human form, though it was that of a dwarf brahmin. He is also sometimes known as...
(who took three strides) and is believed by some scholars as the starting point of the evidence of such worship.
History of Vishnu-centered Vaishnavism
Yadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
tribe. The philosophical basis of this stage was that supreme being is eternal, infinite and full of grace, and that salvation consisted in a life of perpetual bliss near the Lord. During this stage some believe that Pancaratra entered into alliance with ancient Samkhya
Samkhya
Samkhya, also Sankhya, Sāṃkhya, or Sāṅkhya is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy and classical Indian philosophy. Sage Kapila is traditionally considered as the founder of the Samkhya school, although no historical verification is possible...
yogic
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
system, in line with tendency to combine philosophy with religion. It is this period that is described as the stage when the sect of Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
was absorbed into church of Krishna-Vasudeva. According to Grierson's views at this stage Bhagavatism became a sect of Brahmanised anti-Brahmanists. Hopkins often remarked on the often expressed view, that Bhagavad Gita bears witness to the compromise thus arrived at between Brahmanism and Bhagavatism - "it is a Krishnaite
Krishnaism
Krishnaism is a group of Hindu denominations within Vaishnavism, centered on devotion to Radha Krishna or other forms of Krishna, identified with Vishnu.The central text of Krishnaism is the Bhagavad Gita....
version of a Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
ite poem. For this reason Krishna, the personal name of Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
, was given admission into the circle of Brahminical gods as an avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
.
Adoption of Buddha as one of the avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
s of Vishnu under Bhagavatism believed to be similarly a canalizing factor in assimilation in relationships during Gupta period 330
330
Year 330 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallicanus and Tullianus...
-550
550
Year 550 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 550 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* January 16 – Gothic War :...
C.E. Thus Mahayana Buddhism is sometimes called Buddha-Bhagavatism. It is in this period that it is commonly accepted among academics that the concept of avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
was fully developed.
Thus complex religion of Vaishnavism is often viewed as a synthesis of the worship of gods Vishnu, Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
, Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
and Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
which is archived by the time of Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
(c. 4 BCE to 3 century CE). Worship of Vishnu is called Vishnuism and the monotheistic worship of Vishnu was already well developed in the period of the Itihasa
Itihasa
Itihasa as defined by Amarakosha refers to purvavritta, i.e. events of the past. In the Vedic age, those portions of the Brahmanas which narrated events of bygone days were known as itihasa and had some ritualistic importance...
s.
This form of Vaishnavism flourished in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
during the third to tenth centuries CE, and is still commonplace, especially in present day Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, as a result of the twelve Alvars
Alvars
The alwar or azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D. and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. Sri Vaishnava orthodoxy posits the number of alvars as ten, though there are...
, saints who spread the sect to the common people with their devotional himns
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
. The temples which the Alvars visited or founded are now known as Divya Desams
Divya Desams
Divya Desams refer to 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars . 105 of these are located in India, 1 in Nepal, while 2 are located outside of the Earthly realms. 'Divya' in Tamil language indicates premium and 'Desam' indicates place or temple.The two major deities...
. Their poems in praise of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
in Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
are collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabandham (alternatively called the Dravida vedas).
External links
- dvaita.org - Overview of Dvaita Siddhantha as propounded by Shri Madhvacharya
- Ramanuja and Srivaishnavism (srivaishnavan.com)
- Online library of articles on Vaishnavism and the Ramanuja Sampradaya (sadagopan.org)
- chinnajeeyar.org - Q & A for major Sri Vaishnava issues
- Sripedia - general information on Sri Vaishnavism
- prapatti.com - Wonderful site for Sri Vaishnava and Vedic Mantras, Stotram and other prayes
- srimatham.com - Free downloads on basic tenets of Sri Vaishnavism
- swamydesika.tripod.com - Good site for info. on Vedanta Desika and his writings