Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is the tradition worshiping Vishnu (or his forms of Krishna and Rama) as the supreme or svayam bhagavan.
The different Vaishnava schools (sampradayas) and the principal teachers (acharyas) connected with them are as follows:
- Rudra Sampradaya: principal acharya -Vallabhacharya
- Brahma Sampradaya associated with Vishnu, who is the para-brahma (Universal Creator), not to be confused with the other Brahma, who is the four-faced god in Hindu religion: principal acharya - Madhvacharya. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is associated with this sampradaya and is associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, International Society for Krishna Consciousness belongs to this sampradaya.
- Srivaishnava Sampradaya associated with Lakshmi: principal acharyas - Ramanujacharya, Vedanta Desikan, Manavala Mamunigal is the oldest Vaishnava sect in India. This sampraday was followed by Vyasa, Parasara, Bodhayana. The linage of Acharya is Lord Narayana, next Lakshmi and then Vishweksenar, Nammalwar, Nathamuni, Uyyakondar, Manakal Nambi, Alavandar, Periya Nambi, Ramanujacharya and finally Vedanta Desikan as per the Vadagalai samprathayam.
The Thenacharya sampradaya Guruparampara (succession of Acharyas) is as follows. Periya Perumal. (Lord Sri Ranganatha, the presiding deity reclining on the serpant bed at Srirangam), His consort Sri Ranga Nachiyar, Senani (Sri Vishwaksenar, The chief commander of all beings), Nammazhwar, Nathamunikal, Uyyakondar (Pundarikaksha), Manakkal Nambi (Sri Rama Misrar), Alavandar (Sri Yamunachariyar), Periya Nambigal (Sri Parankusa Daasar), Emberumaanar (Sri Ramanujar), Embar, Parashara Bhattar, Nanjeeyar, Nampillai, Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai, Pillailokacharyar, Thiruvazhmozhi Pillai and finally Manavala Mamunigal.
Both these sampradayas eradicated the caste system in their temples and made Hinduism a secular religion.
- Kumara Sampradaya is the tradition associated with Four Kumaras: principal acharya - Nimbarka, hence Nimbarka Sampradaya
- Vaikhanasa tradition: principal acharya - Vaikhanasa
- Swaminarayan Sampraday - This stems from the Sri Sampradaya
Read more about this topic: Hindu Sects