Essays Lectures on Religion of Hindu Vol 01

SR No.: 007688
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: H H Wilson
Publisher: Trubner and Company London
Publication Year: 1861
Total Pages: 480
Language: English
Classification: Interfaith & Hinduism
File Size: 28 MB

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34
RELIGIOUS SECTS
VAISHŃAVAS.
ŚRÍ SAMPRADÀris, or RÁMÁNUJAS.
Amongst other divisions of lees importance, the Vaishnavas are usually distinguished into four principal Sampradáyas, or sects1; of these, the most an
1 Thus the Bhakta Mald: चौबीस प्रथम हरि वपु धस्यौ त्यों चतुर व्युह कलियुग प्रगट । श्रीरामानुज उद्दार सुधानिधि अवनि कल्पतरु । विष्णुस्वामी वोहितसिंधु संसार पारकरु । मध्वाचारज मेघभक्ति शरत सर भरिया । निम्बादित्य आदित्य कुहुर अज्ञान जुहरिया । जन्मकर्म्म भागौत धर्म्मसम्प्रदायथापी अघट । चौबीस प्रथम हरिइत्यादि । “HARI, in preceding ages, assumed twenty-four principal shapes, but four were manifest in the Kali Jug: the magnanimous Rámánuja, a treasure of Ambrosia and terrestrial tree of plenty: the ocean of kindness and transporter across the sea of the universe, Vishnuv Swáni: Madhu Achärj, a rich cloud in the autumnal season of piety: and Nimbáditya, a sun that illumined the cave of ignorance; by them acts of piety and obligation were divided, and each sect was severally established." There are also Sanskrit texts authorising the different institution, and characteristic term of each Sampradaya, one of these is from the Padma Puráňa:
सम्प्रदायविहीना ये मन्त्रास्ते निष्कला मताः । अतः कलौ भविष्यन्ति चत्वारः सम्प्रदायिनः ॥ श्रीमाध्वीरुद्रसनका वैष्णवाः क्षितिपावनाः । चत्वारस्ते कली देवि सम्प्रदायप्रवर्त्तकाः ॥
“Those Mantras, which belong to no system, are of no virtue; and, therefore, in the Kali age, there shall be followers of four sects. Sri, Màdaci, Rudra and Sanaka, shall be the Vaishnaras, purifying the world, and these four, Dévi, (Sira speaks,) shall be the institutors of the Sampradayas in the Kali period." We may here observe in passing, that if this text is genuine, the Padma Purána must be very modern: another similar text is the following: