Smartism
Smarthas have free rein to choose whichever deity they wish to worship. They usually worship five deities (pancopasana) or panchadevata as personal formful manifestations of the impersonal Absolute, Brahman. Smarthas accept and worship the six manifestations of God, (Ganesha, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya, and Skanda) and the choice of the nature of God is up to the individual worshiper since different manifestations of God are held to be equivalent. It is nonsectarian.
It is the Smarta view that dominates the view of Hinduism in the West as Smarta belief includes Advaita belief (Advaita was revived by Adi Sankara in India) and the first Hindu saint, who significantly brought Hinduism to the west was Swami Vivekananda, an adherent of Advaita. Not till much later, gurus, such as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and others, brought a Vaishnavite perspective to the West.
In contrast with the Smarta/Advaita belief, the Vaishnavism and Shaivism beliefs teach a singular concept of God best explained as panentheistic monotheism or panentheistic monism.
Prominent Smarta communities:
- Saryupareen Brahmins
- Kanyakubja Brahmins
- Saraswat Brahmins
- Utkala Brahmins
- Maithili Brahmins
- Gauda
- Karhade
- Deshastha
- Konkanastha or Chitpavan
- Devrukhe
- Goud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB's)
- Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins (Bhanaps)
- Rajapur Saraswat Brahminss (Balavalikar)
- Havyaka
- Iyer
- Vaidiki Mulukanadu
- Vaidiki Velanadu
- Vaidiki Veginadu
- Vaidiki Telanganya
- Badaganadu
- Hoysala Kannada
- Kota brahmin
- Babboor Kamme
- Arvel Niyogi Brahmins
- Vaishya Vanis
Read more about this topic: Hindu Sects