Groups

• SMARTISM

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  Smartism Aum Smartas treat all deities as same, and their temples include five deities (Pancopasana) or Panchadevata as personal saguna (divine with form) manifestation of the nirguna (divine without form) Absolute, the Brahman. Smartas include (Ganesha, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya, and sometimes others such as Skanda).[19] 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. Smarta belief includes Advaita Vedanta beliefs. Generally Smartas worship the Supreme in one of six forms: Ganesha, Siva, Sakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda. Because they accept all the major Hindu Gods, they are known as liberal or nonsectarian. They follow a philosophical, meditative path, emphasizing man's oneness with God through understanding.[20] The movement is credited to Shankara (~8th century CE), who is regarded as the greatest teacher[29][30] and reformer of the Smartha.[31][30] According to Hiltebeitel, Shankara established the nondualist interpretation of the Upanishads as the touchstone of a revived smarta tradition.[32] The Sringeri Sharada monastery founded by Adi Shankara Acharya in Karnataka is still the centre of the Smarta sect.[29][30]
• SHAKTISM

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  Shaktism Devi Shakthi at Parashakthi Temple, Pontiac, USA adorned as Goddesses Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswathi during Navaratri Shaktas worship goddess as Mother Shakti, in different forms. These forms may include Kali, Durga, Laxmi, and Saraswati. The branch of Hinduism that worships the goddess, known as Devi, is called Shaktism. Followers of Shaktism recognize Shakti as the power that underlies the male principle, and Devi is often depicted as Parvati the consort of Shiva or as Lakshmi the consort of Vishnu. She is also depicted in other guises, such as the fierce Kali or Durga. Shaktism is closely related with Tantric Hinduism, which teaches rituals and practices for purification of the mind and body.[19] Animal sacrifice of cockerels, goats and to a lesser extent water buffalos is practiced by Shakti devotees, mainly at temples of Goddesses such as Bhavani or Kali.[27][28]
• SHAIVISM

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  Shaivism Shaivas or Shaivites are those who primarily worship Shiva as the supreme god, both immanent and transcendent. Shaivism embraces at the same time monism (specifically nondualism) and dualism. To Shaivites, Shiva is both with and without form; he is the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja; and is linga, without beginning or end. Shiva is sometimes depicted as the fierce god Bhairava. Saivists are more attracted to asceticism than adherents of other Hindu sects, and may be found wandering India with ashen faces performing self-purification rituals.[19] They worship in the temple and practice yoga, striving to be one with Siva within.[20] The major schools of Śaivism include: Saiva Siddhanta, adheres to the teachings of Tirumular/Sundaranatha (Nandinatha Sampradaya, the monistic school) or of Meykandadeva (Meykandar Sampradaya, the dualistic school). Adinath Sampradaya or Siddha Siddhanta, adheres to the teachings of Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath. Shiva Advaita, adheres to the teachings of Nilakantha (Srikantha) and Appayya Dikshitar. Kashmir Shaivism, adheres to the teachings of Vasugupta and his disciplinic lineage, including Abhinavagupta. Pashupata Shaivism, adheres to the teachings of Lakulisa. Dashanami Sampradaya, established by Shankara. Other branches: Lingayatism, or Veerashaivism, Virashaivism, is a distinct Shaivite tradition in India, established in the 12th century by the philosopher and social reformer Basavanna. It makes several departures from mainstream Hinduism and propounds monotheism through worship centered on Lord Shiva in the form of linga or Ishtalinga. It also rejects the authority of the Vedas and the caste system.[25][26] Aaiyyanism is a religion claiming to be a form of pure Dravidian Hinduism and identifying as a Shaivite branch. It is incorporated in the Aaiyyan World Forum.
• Vaishnavism

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  Vaishnavism The Birla Mandir is one of the most famous Vaishnavite temples in India. Main article: Vaishnavism Vaishnavism (also called Vishnuism) is the tradition worshiping Vishnu (or his forms of Krishna and Rama) as the supreme or Svayam Bhagavan. Vaishnavism is the sect within Hinduism that worships Vishnu, the preserver god of the Hindu Trimurti ('three images', the Trinity), and his ten incarnations. It is a devotional sect, and followers worship many deities, including Ram and Krishna, both thought to be incarnations of Vishnu. The adherents of this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic and devoted to meditative practice and ecstatic chanting.[19] Vaishnavites are deeply devotional. Their religion is rich in saints, temples and scriptures.[20] The Vaishnava sampradayas include:[note 1] Ramanandi Sampradaya, also known as the Ramayat Sampradaya or the Ramavat Sampradaya adheres to the teachings of the Advaita scholar Ramananda. This is the largest monastic group within Hinduism and in Asia, and these Vaishnava monks are known as Ramanandis, Vairagis or Bairagis.[22][23][24] Vishistadvaita includes Udhava Sampradaya to which also the Swaminarayan Sampradaya belongs. They adhere to the teachings of Vishistadvaita scholar Ramanuja. Srivaishnavism (Sri-Vaishnava Sampradaya)/Srivaishnava/Sri Sampradaya/Iyengar is associated with Lakshmi. The principal acharyas are Ramanujacharya and Vedanta Desikan. Swaminarayan Hinduism or Swaminarayanism, based on the teachings of Swaminarayan. Brahma Sampradaya is associated with Vishnu, who is the Para-Brahma (Universal Creator), not to be confused with the Brahma deity. The founder of this sampradaya was the Dvaita Vedanta philosopher Madhvacharya. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is associated with Brahma Sampradaya, and is associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(Gaurangacharya). Krishnaism or Bhagavatism. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness belongs to this sampradaya. Rudra Sampradaya. The principal acharya is Vallabhacharya. Kumara Sampradaya is the tradition associated with Four Kumaras. The principal acharya is Nimbarka, hence Nimbarka Sampradaya. Other Vaishnava schools and the principal teachers connected with them are:[citation needed] Manavala Mamunigal's sect is the oldest Vaishnava sect in India. This sampraday was followed by Vyasa, Parasara, Bodhayana. The lineage 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 sampradaya. Thenacharya Sampradaya Vaikhanasa Sampradaya. The principal acharya is Vaikhanasa. Ekasaranism or Asomiya Vaishnavism, adheres to the teachings of Srimanta Sankaradeva. Krishna Pranami Sampradaya, adheres to the teachings of Devachandra Maharaj. Varkari Sampradaya, teaching of bhakti saints of Maharashtra