Gaudiya Vaishnavism

Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Bengali Vaishnava tradition centered on devotion to Krishna as the supreme deity and on the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Krishna: A Hindu deity worshipped in many traditions as an avatar of Vishnu or as the supreme God. Gaudiya theology identifies Krishna, rather than Vishnu, as the supreme form of God.
Sankirtana: The congregational singing or chanting of divine names, especially in Hindu devotional traditions. Chaitanya made collective chanting a public hallmark of Gaudiya practice.
Bhakti movement: A diverse set of South Asian devotional movements that emphasized personal love and worship of a deity. Gaudiya Vaishnavism emerged within this broader flowering of devotional religion.
Sri Vaishnavism: A Vaishnava tradition shaped by Ramanuja that worships Vishnu and emphasizes qualified nondualism. Its theological lineage contrasts with Gaudiya Vaishnavism’s Chaitanya-centered doctrine.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness: A global religious organization founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966. ISKCON is a prominent modern institution within the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage.
Bhakti: A Hindu spiritual path centered on loving devotion to a personal deity. Devotion to Krishna is the tradition’s central religious practice and path to liberation.
Japa: The repeated recitation of a mantra, often using prayer beads. Gaudiya practitioners commonly chant Krishna’s names individually as well as in groups.
Nabadwip: A historic town in West Bengal associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s life and early movement. Nabadwip was the setting for Chaitanya’s early devotional community and public chanting.
Madhva Sampradaya: A Vaishnava tradition founded by Madhva that teaches an enduring distinction between God and souls. Gaudiya thought shares a dualist inheritance but also affirms an inconceivable unity with Krishna.
Gaudiya Math: A Gaudiya Vaishnava monastic and missionary institution founded by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in 1918. It organized a modern preaching movement that influenced later Gaudiya organizations.

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