Vaiṣṇavism: Its Philosophy, Theology, and Religious DisciplineThis is a scholarly book on one of the oldest living relgions 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. |
Contents
Monotheism of Rgveda | 3 |
Vişņu in the Upaniṣads | 13 |
Vaisnavism in the Tamil Hymns of Aivars | 19 |
Development of Vaisnavism in the PostRamanuja | 26 |
Sourcebooks for Vaisnavism | 35 |
PART II | 49 |
THE DOCTRINE OF INDIVIDUAL SELF | 67 |
THE DOCTRINE OF COSMIC MATTER | 83 |
VIŞŅU AND HIS INCARNATIONS | 207 |
Vibhava Avatāra | 218 |
Antaryami Avatara | 226 |
VIŞŅU AND NITYAVIBHŪTI | 233 |
VIŞŅU AND JIVA | 245 |
Freedom of the Soul | 251 |
Obstacles for Attainment of Supreme Goal | 257 |
VIŞŅU AS SUPREME GOAL OF LIFE | 287 |
Viśiṣṭādvaita Theory of Material Causality | 90 |
The Theory of Time | 96 |
The Concept of Bhaktiyoga in the Bhagavadgītā | 103 |
The Theory of Bhaktiyoga | 111 |
THE DOCTRINE OF MOKŞA | 121 |
VIŞŅU AS SUPREME BEING 131156 | 131 |
VIȘŅU AND GODDESS ŚRĪ 157183 | 157 |
VIŞŅU AND HIS ATTRIBUTES 185205 | 185 |
RELIGIOUS DISCIPLINE OF VAIȘNAVISM | 303 |
Universal Character of Vaisnava Ethical Values | 327 |
CONCLUSION | 333 |
GLOSSARY | 345 |
| 365 | |
| 373 | |
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Common terms and phrases
According Advaita Vedānta Āgamas attain attributes avatāra basis Bhagavad-gītā Bhagavān Bhagavata bhakti bhakti-yoga body bondage Brahmā Brahman cause chapter character cit and acit commentary concept consort cosmic creation darśana devotees dhyāna divine service doctrine entity eternal existence explained Goddess grace hymns implies important incarnation individual souls Iśvara jiva jñāna jñāna-yoga kainkarya karma karma-yoga knowledge Laksmi Mahābhārata manifestations means meditation moksa Nārāyaņa nature nitya-vibhūti non-sentient ontological Pāñcarātra paramapada Paramatman philosophical physical prakrti prapatti Purāņas Puruşa Rāmānuja refers regarded religion religious duties Rgveda Rudra sacred texts śakti Samhitā sankalpa śaraṇāgati scriptural texts self-surrender sense sentient Śiva Smrti texts Śri Śruti statement substance Supreme Deity Supreme Lord sūtra svarupa Taittiriya Tamil tattva teachings Tenkalai term theological theory transcendental treatises ultimate Reality universe Upaniṣad upāsanā upāya Vaisnava Vaisnava ācāryas Vaisnava theology Vasudeva Vedānta Deśika Vedānta-sūtra Vedas Vedic verse Viśiṣṭādvaita Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta Vişnu Vişnupurāņa vyūha word worship Yamuna yoga