Vaisnavism: Its Philosophy, Theology and Religious Discipline

This is a scholarly book on one of the oldest living religions of India. Tracing the basic tenets of Vaisnavism to the hymns of Rgveda, the earliest religious literature of the world, the author has shown how an ancient cult has developed itself by successive stages into a well-formulated monotheistic system in the hands of Ramanuja and his illustrious followers. In the second part of the book, the fundamental philosophical theories of Visistadvaita Vedanta are presented to prove that Vaisnavism is not a mere religious cult, but has a credible philosophic foundation. In the third part of the book, the distinctive theological doctrines of Vaisnavism are discussed thoroughly on the basis of original sources. Among the basic doctrines covered are: Visnu as Supreme deity, Visnu as inseparably related to goddess Sri, Visnu and His Attributes, Visnu and His Incarnations, Visnu as the supreme goal of life and Prapatti as the means of attaining Visnu. The religious discipline and ethical values which constitute an important feature of Vaisnavism are treated in the fourth part of the book. This volume makes available for the first time in English a comprehensive account of Vaisnavism. Students of comparative religion will find in this book a valuable source of authentic information.