FOUR SAMPRADHAYAS – ESSENTIAL DETAILS!
(1) BRAHMA SAMPRADAYA
Also called: Madhva Sampradaya
Prominent Acharyas: Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Caitanya Maha Prabhu
Their concepts or commentaries on Vedanta is called: Purnaprajna-bhasya
NAME OF TATVA:
Madhvacarya: suddha-dvaita-vada (Pure dualism – soul and supersoul are differently existing);
Sri Caitanya: Acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva (Both oneness and different; ie, souls are the parts of supersoul (Krishna) as well as different to serve Krishna in a servite mood)
(Also Read HERE: Why In India many gods are worshiped contrary to other countries?)
(2) LAKSMI SAMPRADAYA
Also called: Ramanuja Sampradaya; Sri Sampradaya; Srivaisnava Sampradaya.
Prominent Acharyas: Ramanujacarya
Their concepts or commentaries on Vedanta is called: Sri-bhasya
NAME OF TATVA: Visistadvaita-vada (specific monism)
(3) RUDRA SAMPRADAYA
Also called: Siva Sampradaya; Visnuswami Sampradaya; Vallabha Sampradaya
Prominent Acharyas: Visnusvami, Vallabhacarya
Their concepts or commentaries on Vedanta is called: Sarvajna-bhasya
NAME OF TATVA: Suddhadvaita-vada (purified monism. Purely One with Lord Vishnu)
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(4) KUMARA SAMPRADAYA: (from Sanaka Kumara)
Other Names: Nimbarka Sampradaya; Nimbaditya Sampradaya; Sanakadi Sampradaya
Prominent Acharyas: Nimbarka
Their concept or commentaries on Vedanta is called: Parijata-saurabha-bhasya
NAME OF TATVA: Dvaitadvaita-vada (monism and dualism)
(HOW TO APPLY TILAKA ON OUR BODY (As Per Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradhaya)? READ HERE!)
EXTRA: MAYAVADA SCHOOL
In addition to the above four sampradhayas, there is a Mayavadha Philosophy promoted by Sri Sankaracharya. Its details:
Also called: Smarta Sampradaya
Prominent Acharyas: Sri Sankaracarya
Their concepts or Commentaries on Vedanta is called: Sariraka-bhasya
NAME OF TATVA: Advaita | Kevaladvaita (monism – one with brahmam)
(Is chanting many manthras of other sampradhayas correct? READ HERE!)
What A.C Bakthivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, says about these four sampradhayas?
Garga Samhita (10:61:23-26):
“Vamana, Brahma, Ananta Sesha and Sanaka Kumara will appear as brahmanas by the order of Visnu, for the preservation of eternal righteousness in kali yuga. Visnuswami, Madhvacarya, Ramanuja and Nimbaditya will appear respectively as a portion of Vamana, Brahma, Ananta Sesha and Sanaka Kumara. These four saviours will be the establishers of the four authorised and empowered spiritual channels of disciplic succession in the period calculated from the reign of King Vikrama in 54 B.C. subsequently through the 432,000 year cycle of kali yuga. These four authorised and empowered spiritual channels of disciplic succession are to be fully accepted by all beings; as any word, combination of words or formulation of sound frequencies, invoked or addressed, audible or inaudible, secret or revealed, ancient or contemporary outside their auspices prove to have absolutely no efficacy.”
(Why do the Symbols of one Sampradhaya differ from others? READ HERE!)
Letter to Upendra, 13-02.1968, Boston:
“There are four Sampradayas from the beginning of the creation. One is called Brahma Sampradaya, and is coming down by disciplic succession from Brahma; another Sampradaya is coming down from Laksmi, called Sri Sampradaya; another is coming down from the Kumaras, they are known as Nimbarka Sampradaya; another Sampradaya is coming from Lord Siva, Rudra Sampradaya or Visnu Swami. These are four bona fide Sampradayas that are accepted by the bona fide spiritualists. The Impersonalist Sampradaya is not original, neither the Impersonalist Sampradaya or party can help us. At the present moment there are so many Sampradayas, but we have to test them about their method of disciplic understanding. Anyway, all the four Sampradayas above mentioned, they are after worshipping the Supreme Lord Visnu, in His different Expansions, and some of them are in favor of worshipping Radha Krishna.”
As a sadhaka, keep the details in mind while following devotional practices.
(Read this HERE: Krishna, as Buddha denied vedas & Shiva as Sankaracharya reestablished Vedas, as requested by Krishna. Why?)